Travel Manitoba conference

Tourism Conference Connects Storytelling with the Visitor Experience

On April 11, 2011, 150 Manitoba tourism industry members gathered at the Delta Winnipeg for the first day of the two-day Manitoba Tourism Conference delivered by Travel Manitoba. With the theme “Sharing the Manitoba Story – Building the Visitor Experience” the conference’s focus was on how to incorporate elements that are distinctly Manitoban in tourism products to ensure memorable experiences for the visitor.

“The theme of the Manitoba Tourism Conference really reflects a shift in the nature of tourism activities in the face of ever-increasing competition,” said Colin Ferguson, Travel Manitoba’s President and CEO. “Today’s travellers are looking to connect with their chosen destination, to learn the story of the people or the place, to be engaged and to return home with lasting memories.”

Keynote speaker Dr. Nancy Arsenault spoke to the importance of experiential tourism – the term for this type of engaging and educational tourism experience – in the context of the storytelling theme. Dr. Arsenault is the Chief Experience Officer of Arsenault Project Solutions Ltd., which offers experiential tourism education, research and business development.

“Elements of a great story align with elements of a great visitor experience,” said Arsenault, a Winnipeg native with over 30 years experience in tourism who has presented at over 60 tourism conferences and workshops in the last decade. “Stories capture our attention, invite us in and take us on a journey of discovery, intrigue and adventure.”

Arsenault linked the importance of storytelling, or connecting with visitors, to tourism product development, market development and marketing. She outlined how tourism operators can benefit from storytelling to make meaningful connections throughout the customer lifecycle. The internet and social media, according to Arsenault, offer a great way to make those connections.

“The internet has created a platform for sharing stories in ways that have never existed before – this connects communities, provides a platform to build a relationship with audiences and to sell tourism.”

The conference featured sessions on emerging markets, social media, global trends, customer service, media relations, sustainable tourism and collaboration and partnerships – all important topics for a successful tourism operation.

Day one of the Manitoba Tourism Conference wrapped up with the 13th Annual Manitoba Tourism Awards at the Delta Winnipeg, presented by Manitoba Lotteries and featuring this year’s emcee, Fred Penner. The awards celebrate outstanding contributions to the provincial tourism industry, including promoting Manitoba as a destination, providing memorable service to visitors and developing the tourism industry.

Day 2 of the conference consisted of two morning sessions on Marketing for the Tourism Industry and Beyond and Signature Experiences/EQ as well as three mobile workshops on Agritourism, Cuisine and Trails. The Mobile workshops served as the stories in action where participants had the opportunity to visit businesses and hear from the owners and operators first hand.