LETTERS ABOUT TOURISM AD CAMPAIGN

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Commissioners object to 'play with orcas' ad

Letters about Come Play with the Orcas ad

Dear Commissioners,

To say that I am baffled, distressed and disappointed by the direction of the advertising campaign designed to attract visitors to these islands is an understatement. Who in their wildest dreams would have imagined that my dollars would be spent soliciting travelers to "Come Play with the Whales!" followed by a piggy-backed advertisement for a few local businesses.

Last fall you agreed to the levy of an additional 2% bed tax. These new monies were to fund "tourism promotion for the shoulder and off-season". Chosen to manage these new funds was an exclusive, member-only organization; The Business Association of San Juan County. They have been given the responsibility to create promotional material, an advertising campaign and spend our monies. Although the funds available are collected from all licensed lodging facilities, they intend to continue to produce literature designed to promote the islands identical to their San Juan Islands, Official Visitors’ Guide. This Guide includes only paying members of their organization or those non-members willing to pay an additional $100 to be included. Seems like blackmail to me. If this first ad is an example of the type of creative, attractive and sensitive program they have in mind, we certainly do not want any of our dollars to be squandered in this way.

I appreciate the letter Commissioners Miller and Nielsen wrote to Deborah Hopkins and Commissioner Miller’s opposition to the program in the first place but this does little good after the fact. Although the funds available are not excessive, in the general market, they represent a significant amount for this County to spend. The responsibility for creating the best product for the dollar should be in the hands of professionals.

I do not know if there is any way to prevent the mishandling of the lodging tax dollars or any way to oversee the County’s promotional activities and advertising content. Bill and I hope so.

Susan C. Fletcher
Orcas Island

Dear Editor,

posted 05/04/03
Thanks to Rhea Miller for pointing out how ridiculous it is for the Visitors' Bureau to promote "playing with whales." The constant boat traffic around the whales has gotten completely out of hand. Anybody who thinks the voluntary guidelines are working isn't paying attention. The whales are already being "loved" to death. When are we islanders and our elected officials going to do something real to stop the constant harrassment the Orcas face from ever increasing boat traffic?

Monica Harrington

Dear Editor,

posted 05/04/03
Rhea and Darcie's letter to Deborah Hopkins is entirely appropriate. I too was shocked by the ad. Way to go ladies. Too bad others on the board couldn't see the light or have concern for these natural wonders that we should respect. Thanks for taking action.

Bette Story

Dear Editor,

posted 05/03/03
Kudos to County Commissioners Rhea Miller and Darcie Nielsen for encouraging the San Juan Islands Visitor Bureau to use more appropriate advertising language in the future. (A recent advertisement in the Seattle Times and the Seattle P-I includes a full-page photo of a breaching orca with the tag line "Come Play with the Orcas.") We agree with Miller and Nielsen that "we do not believe it is appropriate to convey the idea that our visiting public can take boats out in San Juan County waters and 'play' with the orca whales."

It is unfortunate that the SJIVB did not understand how its message could be misconstrued. The Whale Museum's Soundwatch Boater Education Program has been working hard for 10 years to educate boaters on the least intrusive ways to watch whales, and its staff is well aware of how much that education continues to be needed.

However, this negative experience could be the catalyst for a long-term positive result. San Juan County could, as we and the county prosecuting attorney have suggested in the past, adopt and promote a standardized set of voluntary boater guidelines. In fact, last year such a set of guidelines (called "Be Whale Wise") was adopted by The Whale Museum, the Whale Watch Operators Association Northwest, the Canadian Marine Mammal Monitoring Program, Straitwatch of Johnstone Strait, the National Marine Fisheries Service, the Canadian Department of Fisheries and Oceans, People for Puget Sound, and Georgia Strait Alliance-but not San Juan County.

It's time the county stepped up to the plate. With the county's promotion of the guidelines, we won't have to worry quite so much about advertising contractors or visitors misunderstanding what the orcas mean to San Juan County residents.

The Staff of The Whale Museum

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