The Southern Gulf Islands Tourism Partnership Society is working to shape a regenerative visitor economy — one that gives back more than it takes.
RIEP is a proud supporter of the Southern Gulf Islands Tourism Partnership Society (SGITP) — a model of regional collaboration and enduring community economic resilience that has been operating since late 2019, growing out of community-led planning efforts that began a decade ago.
Origins and Purpose
SGITP traces its roots to the “Experience the Gulf Islands” Proposal of 2014 and a subsequent Concept Plan in 2016, both led jointly by the Salt Spring and Southern Gulf Islands economic development commissions with volunteer support from across all five islands. The goals were straightforward: advance community tourism planning, improve the social and environmental outcomes of tourism, and improve inter-island mobility. The society began formally operating in late 2019 to carry those goals forward.
Promoting Responsible, Year-Round Tourism
Rather than chasing peak-season visitor numbers, SGITP takes a different approach: it markets only the shoulder and off-seasons, and in the summer focuses on visitor education. The aim is to reduce the strains of summer overcrowding while providing more sustainable, year-round economic activity for local businesses. Sterling describes the ultimate goal as a “regenerative visitor economy” — one that gives back to communities more than it takes, improving quality of life for everyone who lives there.
The society is funded primarily through the Municipal Regional District Tax (MRDT), a two per cent levy on visitor accommodations including short-term rentals — so it is visitors, not local businesses or residents, who fund operations. Expenditures are limited to tourism marketing, programs, and projects, with one notable exception: revenue from short-term rentals can be directed toward affordable housing. Since 2024, SGITP has committed its entire short-term rental revenue share — nearly half of total revenue — to affordable housing.
Homegrown Content and a Region-Wide Events Calendar
SGITP has a policy of procuring locally first. Its tourism videos are produced by Brianna Cudmore, a young Salt Spring entrepreneur who runs a social media management business. Sterling credits her with a strong ability to present local values and culture to visitor audiences in a way that performs well on social platforms.
Another initiative gaining traction is the Gulf Island Events Calendar, developed in partnership with Salt Spring Arts. The calendar is the only non-profit, region-wide cultural calendar that is free to post on and supported by digital advertising. Event producers simply submit their event on the website; if it meets the criteria, it is posted within a few days.
Short-term Rentals Report Quantifies a Known Problem
The Short-term Rentals Impacts Report for Salt Spring Island emerged from a January 2025 roundtable convened by the Capital Regional District, where it became clear that locally relevant data was lacking. SGITP commissioned the report because the regenerative visitor economy the society is working toward depends on actively balancing housing needs with guest accommodation.
The findings were telling: the short-term rental market grew 24 per cent in booked nights between 2022 and 2024; short-term rentals now make up 48 per cent of total guest accommodation units; and between May 2024 and May 2025, STR activity may have contributed to the loss of approximately 150 homes. The results were less revelatory than confirmatory — the data quantified growth that had previously been only assumed. The report’s central recommendation is that without clearer bylaws, a business licensing system, and proactive enforcement, the community will lack both accurate data and effective tools to manage short-term rentals in a way that meets local needs.
Looking Ahead to 2026
Much of 2025 was devoted to internal groundwork: revising policies and procedures, improving accountability and transparency, and strengthening community relationships. With a growing commitment to affordable housing funding, the society also became focused on ensuring its spending delivers the best return possible.
In 2026, the focus shifts outward. Plans include improving website usability, integrating artificial intelligence tools, optimizing advertising campaigns, collecting and sharing more relevant visitor data, and exploring a destination stewardship strategy.
More information about SGITP is available at www.sgitourismpartnership.ca
