The publication Seatrade Insider is reporting that Mike McFadden from MAC Maritime, a seasoned South Florida-based consultant has been hired by the Nanaimo Port Authority.
He is being hired to help with the NPA's marketing efforts to the cruise ship industry. He will be directly reporting to Mr. Petersen and Mr. Dumas of the Nanaimo Port Authority.
While the number of cruise ships to visit Nanaimo in 2013 is up slightly from 2012, it still has not recovered to the number of visits prior to the cruise ship terminal being added when visiting ships had to sit at anchor and visitors were brought ashore via tenders.
The idea of hiring someone with experience and credibility to promote the Nanaimo's cruise ship business seems hardly newsworthy, as you might have expected that to have been done even before the terminal was built.
Remember Susan Cudahy ? - the seasoned Toronto-based consultant hired last summer by the Nanaimo Economic Development Corporation (NEDC) to boost Nanaimo marketing efforts? And the public outrage after the first contract she awarded (to design Tourism Nanaimo's website), bypassed local talent in favour of Toronto!?
ReplyDeleteNEDC director Bernie Dumas (yes, this guy wears several hats!) seems to have learned something from that episode: Instead of Toronto, he is now choosing S. Florida!
Quote)We are not market based in tronto or florida NANAIMO Is a separate market based unto its self, therefor should be
ReplyDeleteserveyed with local knowledge And talent.
TNX KRM
Maybe building the cruise ship terminal (cost of $15 million, I believe) was not the smartest investment made by the NPA??? In the real world, executives with a success record like Dumas's would be be out on the street. Instead, he is allowed to continue with hair-brained schemes, such as quasi-privatizing the downtown boat basin by leasing it out to private interests for 30 years. It is unbelievable what goes down in this town.
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