Kootenai County tourism remains steady

Tourism is floundering in Idaho.

Except in one region, according to Karen Ballard with the Idaho Chamber of Commerce.

Here's to living in a place with nice lakes.

"You're pulling out of this much faster than everyone else," Ballard said on Thursday, when she spoke at the 2011 North Idaho Tourism Summit at the Kootenai County Fairgrounds. "You're really our most significant tourism region in the state."

Kootenai County's outdoor resources are still garnering visitors willing to spread their dollars, Ballard said as she analyzed the status of tourism in Idaho.

There are ideas out there on how to beef up interest in local gems, she added, like potential funding sources for state parks, and a focus on netting more visitors from across the northern border.

"We've known Canada is something we've needed to pay attention to as far as marketing," she said.

Ballard, tourism development administrator for the Idaho chamber, pointed out that North Idaho is staying afloat compared to other areas struggling with their tourism industries.

Funding has been removed for the Sun Valley Chamber of Commerce, she said, as well as the Boise Convention and Visitors Bureau.

"It's the largest city in the nation that will not have a functioning CVB," Ballard said. "It shows how vulnerable our industry is."

North Idaho has sustained its tourist numbers because it offers quality hotels and ample recreation opportunities, she said, like the Trail of the Coeur d'Alenes.

"It's really the investment that has been made in this region with tourism," she said.

Idaho still wants to see more visitors, though, she said.

With growth in the chamber's reserve funding, she said, the state plans on boosting marketing in Canada.

"There's pent-up demand for it. The dollar is very agreeable, and our lakes are warmer and more suitable for swimming," she said.

Many of those visitors would likely stick to North Idaho, she said.

"There's a lot of nice shopping and scenic drives here," she said.

When asked about state park funding, Ballard said there are some ideas that have been pushed before the legislature.

For instance, having state residents fund the parks by paying an extra $5 for their license plates.

"It's only $5, and if you don't want to support state parks, don't check the box. If you do it, then your car license plate becomes your pass to get in any park for free," she said.

She encourages local businesses to stoke interest in visiting North Idaho, she added, by using new media to spread information about the region.

They can post lodging tips on the state tourism website, www.visitidaho.org, she said, and follow travelers' comments on the Trip Adviser Forum page.

Businesses can also espouse the area's appeal on Twitter and Facebook.

"I think the best stabilizing force is to pay attention to your neighbors," she said. "If you can't provide a service, know your neighbor who can."

The North Idaho Tourism Summit started in 2009, funded at the time through a grant obtained by the Department of Labor, and is now put on by a volunteer steering committee.

Pam Houser, president of the Post Falls Chamber of Commerce, said that out-of-area visitors were up in 2010.

"More are traveling the rubber tire market, so folks from the Tri-Cities, Missoula, we're seeing a lot of those," she said.

Folks are more willing to take the risk of a vacation out of town, she added, than the initial years of the recession.

"People are tired of staying cooped up in their houses so long," she said. "Really, the scariness is wearing off. People are not afraid to travel, not afraid to lose money, not afraid of losing their jobs. They can spend $1,000 on a vacation enjoying their own backyards."