SGI Tourism Partnership

An open conversation with Jamie Sterling, Executive Director of the Southern Gulf Islands Tourism Partnership (SGITP)—a community-driven organization working to create regenerative tourism in the Gulf Islands. For those who have ever wondered where SGITP came from, how it's funded, or what the organization actually does for the communities it serves, we have answers! Q: How did the Southern Gulf Islands Tourism Partnership (SGITP) get started? SGITP was born from a grassroots need across the Gulf Islands. In the early 2010s, a group of islanders (some with summer-based businesses) began a conversation about how to sustain economic activity year-round. Galiano, Pender, Saturna, Mayne, and Salt Spring are all experiencing the same seasonal pattern: a surge of visitors in the summer followed by a steep drop-off in the colder months. During peak season, communities and businesses are often stretched to their limits. But once summer ends, tourism slows dramatically, le…