Morice Land and Resource Management Plan

Opportunity Analysis

Having a linked snowmobile trail from Granisle to Houston that would then link to the Babine Mountain Recreation Area would be a positive attraction to touring snowmobilers. Telkwa and/or Smithers could provide the level of accommodation required for self-guided groups seeking the weekend getaway. A further link to Hudson Bay Mountain and Ski Smithers could provide further winter destination marketing opportunities that would mix snowmobiling with downhill and backcountry skiing. It would be important to include warming huts at strategic points.

• 
  The Snowmobile Club operating a tour guiding business by contracting the activity out to a member(s), this might include the management of day-use warming huts or an over-night hut to hut. Such a business would be part-time, and could dovetail as a fundraiser for the Club.
  
• 
  Developing a trail network with branding and a marketing strategy then packaging activities so that they can be carried as winter product by area accommodators and other tour providers.
  
• 
  Identifying a specific branded route as a summer area for ATV excursions; then another route for self-propelled such as hiking and biking.
  

Location Analysis

Regardless of positive growing trends towards more destination snowmobiling, the Morice area will face significant challenges in order to grow a market share large enough to have significant economic impacts. Such challenges are as follows:

• 
  Travel distance is too far from Prince George for day-trip or weekend snowmobilers.
  
• 
  Other market-ready winter activities are lacking.
  
• 
  The competition remains very high in the region. The Prince George area has 300km of groomed trails with huts.
  
• 
  The development of the Smithers Ski Hill is in question, this is a key component to winter product clustering for the region.
  
• 
  Due to the small population in Morice, it may be difficult to maintain both the volunteer and business capacity required to sustain destination snowmobiling.
  
• 
  The level of market-readiness as well as risk-management issues would have to be determined, and improved if need be.
  

While obstacles are apparent, there are certain opportunities to help diversify local tourism business by a careful application of destination snowmobiling as a tool for diversifying existing tourism operations. This would involve scaled down expectations and a long-term development strategy based on what businesses and the community could manage, if successful local tourism operators could increase business volumes during the winter and summer months.

• 
  A tourism planning process linking the snowmobile club with tourism operators to explore tourism possibilities. This process should also be linked to habitat issues so that safe activity sites can be agreed upon. The process should be done in order to establish roles with regards to development and maintenance issues, partnership needs, benchmarks for success, and financial targets. At the end of the process, if there is buy-in, an action plan should be established.
  
• 
  Four destination snowmobile sites should be determined from the planning process. Such areas should be linked to tourism operators needs. Issues of trail infrastructure, signage, warming huts and mapping should be included within this stage.
  
• 
  Build a marketing plan linking local tourism, Tourism BC and the regional tourism authority.
  

Market Analysis

Current industry trends and market demand is positive for snowmobiling, however highly competitive. There are more than four million snowmobilers in the United States and Canada. Approximately 78% of all snowmobilers, when traveling on a snowmobile trip or vacation, travel with family and friends in groups averaging 5.5 people. Snowmobilers spend, on the average, 7.2 nights per season in a motel/resort while on snowmobile trips. 30% of all snowmobilers travel to other states or provinces to enjoy the sport.

Provincial tourism authorities are now actively promoting snowmobile tourism through such means as the production of snowmobile information guides and trail maps and the establishment of toll free numbers with information on snowmobiling opportunities and conditions.

• 
  Safety - It is designed, signed and maintained to specifications, which will eliminate or identify hazards.
  
• 
  Environment - It is designed to avoid environmentally sensitive areas and built to strict environmental standards.
  
• 
  Destination - It is designed to go somewhere (to a point of scenic interest or recreation site, to connect nearby towns, etc.).
  
• 
  Integrated Network - It is designed to be part of a formal, long-distance, integrated network which links towns, countries, states and provinces. A number of jurisdictions are now working to develop international, interstate and inter-provincial systems. It is now possible to ride 70% of North America's snowmobile trails through the continuous interconnections that exist, especially in the eastern half of the continent.
  

• 
  Snowmobile registration fees;
  
• 
  Trail permits
  
• 
  Volunteer trail construction and maintenance;
  
• 
  Snowmobile user permits.