Pre-feasibility study: Consolidation and diversification of the Tourilli sector

The Huron-Wendat Nation has been administering hunting and fishing activities in the Tourilli sector for several years through an exclusive delegated management contract. Although hunting and fishing activities ensure the profitability of the sector, the recreational and tourism offer deserves to be improved so that it meets the new trends and expectations of consumers. The Wendat culture deserves to be celebrated and displayed in order to share the historical richness of the Nation with all visitors.

Consequently, the Council of the Huron-Wendat Nation mandated Groupe DDM to conduct a pre-feasibility study to establish the strategy to consolidate the activities of the Tourilli sector and to analyze the growth potential to make it a four-season tourist destination. Groupe DDM had to deal with issues specific to the Nation, such as the exclusive hunting and fishing rights at certain times of the year for the community members.  This important strategic reflection must imperatively meet the expectations of the Huron-Wendat. More specifically, this mandate aimed to:

• Inspect existing structures;
• Establish the desired development vision of the Tourilli sector;
• Determine the means to be set in motion to consolidate the infrastructures and ensure their operation;
• Determine the short-, medium-, and long-term cost-effectiveness of an investment to raise the sector's level of service;
• Estimate the investment required to build a new accommodation;
• Document examples from other sectors (e.g., outfitting, wildlife reserve, recreation/tourism lodge) to identify diversification potential;
• Cost and estimate proposed investment scenarios to make the process of diversifying revenues and activities a reality;
• Assess the cost-effectiveness of installing alternative energy sources to reduce operating costs;
• Target potential funding sources.