"But if that is where the council wishes us to go, it is going to have to allow us the opportunity and support to secure funds from different sources."
The organisation had nearly exhausted its funding avenues, having approached the Government, the Western Bay of Plenty District Council and the city council.
It left the Bay of Plenty Regional Council to decide whether to add to its earlier $25,000 contribution to campaign organising costs.
Mr Bowker pledged that Tourism BOP would continue to look for money to get the campaign off the ground, although it was not in the business of fundraising. It may be that it would have to look at different methodologies to operate in the market place and to become more commercial.
Its existing role was to advocate for and support of the tourism industry.
He was also concerned that a levy could take a long time to get off the ground.
"The idea is good but rolling it out is another matter altogether."
Mr Bowker said the campaign to put the Bay of Plenty back on the map for the right reasons needed to kick off as soon as the threat of more oil spills or outbreaks from containers had subsided.
"We will do all we can to get traction but it needs funding for the wheels to turn."
He said the impact of Rena on the Bay's brand had been recognised by all organisations, including the Government, within about eight days of the vessel grounding.
Tourism BOP had responded by getting itself into the position of showing what it could do, including developing the campaign concept, but so far funding requests had been turned down.
"We have done as well as we could within our resources and structures. We are trying as hard as we can," Mr Bowker said.
Some of the $1 million donated by the charterer of the Rena, the Mediterranean Shipping Company, could be used to help fund the campaign.