Experience Regina is no more for now, as the REAL Board of Directors announced the return of the Tourism Regina name while a review is underway.
After the ‘botched’ rebrand led to criticism and the City of Regina making national and international news, the REAL Board announced the change to “ensuring the future of tourism in Regina aligns with the values of the community.”
It was also announced that an independent review, led by a third-party consultant, will examine all aspects of developing the Experience Regina brand and launch.
Mayor Sandra Masters said city council’s role, at this time, is to wait for that independent review to finish and be presented to council.
“I think we are waiting for the board of directors to do the work that they’ve stated they are going to do. We will see where the brand goes from there,” she said. “I think as a placeholder for now, Tourism Regina is where it will sit, and we are looking forward to the work. I think some of the interest was in focus groups and to just testing the brand, and we will see where it goes.”
Masters said the independent review would help council understand what led to the rebrand and launch.
“I think who they’ve hired as the consultant is a governance specialist. I think it’s more of a matter of understanding the processing and the gap in the process that arrived at the situation we were in,” she said. “If those gaps can be addressed, maybe not, council always has the prerogative to amend the unanimous member’s agreement.”
The rebrand has questioned whether city council should have more of a final say with organizations like Tourism Regina. Masters said that is always a possibility.
“I think the intention is they are independent for a reason, the same if council wants to have the prerogative for review of branding issues, then that’s always on the table as well.”
While the organization’s future and its name are up in the air for now, Masters had previously stated that she would like to see the organization continue with the Experience Regina rebrand.
