Tourism Agencies Talk Consolidation Kootenai County Helps With Proposals, Offers Building For Visitors

The Kootenai County Commissioners have offered a vacant service station at the corner of Northwest Boulevard and Government Way to be used as a tourism visitors center.

But which tourism agency will run it?

The Coeur d’Alene Area Chamber of Commerce Tourism Development Committee has yet to pick up the pieces of the now defunct former Coeur d’Alene Convention and Visitors Bureau.

On the other side of the county, Post Falls Tourism Inc. has acquired the name Kootenai County CVB and has considered changing its working name to reflect a countywide marketing stance. With a second visitors center in the works, Post Falls Tourism has taken the lead in tourism marketing.

The two sides sat down with the county commissioners Wednesday to discuss a possible consolidation. While both sides support the concept, it remains a long way from coming together.

Commissioner Dick Compton prefers a unified Kootenai County Convention and Visitors Bureau to use the building, which previously housed a car rental agency. “It’s a prime spot to be at,” Compton said.

Combining Post Falls and the chamber’s tourism effort makes obvious sense, said Dan Aylward, president and general manager of Silverwood Theme Park in Athol.

“The tourist doesn’t understand having two agencies,” Aylward said. “Frankly, the tourist doesn’t even care.”

Post Falls Tourism leaders offered to expand the agency’s board of directors to include Coeur d’Alene tourism leaders. The new agency would become the single tourism marketing unit for the county.

Bruce Cyr of the Coeur d’Alene Chamber was reluctant to jump to an agreement. “I think we need to have a fresh approach to a new board.”

The rivalry between Post Falls and Coeur d’Alene will complicate any efforts to unify the two agencies, despite the fact that both sides see benefits of a unified tourism agency such as:

Unifying duplicative marketing efforts.

Getting more bang for the marketing buck.

Writing a single grant for Idaho Travel Council grant money instead of the two that now compete for limited dollars.

Post Falls tourism leaders want Nancy DiGiammarco - their executive director - to lead any new countywide tourism agency. Coeur d’Alene officials balked at that suggestion.

The two sides will likely meet again to continue negotiations for the future of tourism marketing in Kootenai County. Compton said the commissioners only want to help out with the building.

, DataTimes