Bay of Quinte Tourism team talks marketing, sports, and downtown

By Bevan Hamilton and Suzanne Coolen

BELLEVILLE – The importance of promotion, Belleville’s sports community, and investing in the downtown were the three primary topics when QNet News spoke with Dug Stevenson and Ryan Williams.

Stevenson is director of Bay of Quinte Tourism; Williams is the president. We spoke with them as part of our Municipal Election Project.

Stevenson spoke about ways the city can promote themselves better. He specifically referred to the arts community as one aspect of Belleville that has much to offer, but could be suffering due to lack of awareness and promotion. Stevenson also says Belleville needs to take more advantage of the waterfront and talks about what something called a ‘familiarization tour’ will bring to Belleville.

In this second video, Stevenson addresses Belleville’s sports and recreation community. He says Belleville’s sports community is healthy as a whole, but the biggest issue is getting people to come to Belleville for sporting events. He also talks about the floorball tournament coming to Belleville in 2016. He says it is one of the first chances for Belleville to show itself off at an international level. Four hundred athletes from sixteen different countries are expected to participate in the tournament.

Stevenson also touches on how the youth can become more engaged in activities and why it’s so important for the Belleville Bulls to stay in the city after their lease expires at the end of next season.

We spoke with Williams about what the city needs in terms of marketing. He also expands on the ‘familiarization tour’. Williams speaks about opportunities Belleville offers that other areas don’t have and the importance of investing in the downtown.