Registration is now open for the 2012 Travel Manitoba Tourism Conference September 10-11, 2012. Once again, the conference will be an excellent opportunity to re-connect and network with tourism professionals from all over Manitoba.

Travel Manitoba's goal is to create a single vision for tourism growth, one that aligns the efforts of the business community and governments. By working together we believe we can build a competitive toruism strategy, one that ensures Manitoba achieves its potential in local and international markets. Our top priority is to lead the industry in marketing, communications and media relations excellence. This year's conference highlights best practices in branding alignment and in-depth research to help tourism businesses find and target customers with the highest potential to buy their experiences.

The Explorer Quotient (R) (EQ) is a body of research developed by the Canadian Tourism Commission.  It goes beyond traditional market research to find out exactly why people travel and why different types of travelers seek out entirely different travel experiences.

This research is changing not only the way that that Canada markets and sells its experiences, but also the visitor experience itself. Whether you operate a small or large tourism-based enterprise, the EQ tool promises to help you in developing your tourism experience, pinpoint your best customers, market your business and drive sales.  

New Brunswick has also invested in EQ and has worked to create a new synergy with their tourism industry.  Kim Matthews, Director of Marketing with New Brunswick’s Department of Culture, Tourism and Healthy Living will share her experience of leading her team in the implementation of EQ and the new relationships they have built with their industry, all with the common goal of focusing on the customer.

We will also explore how we can work together to harmonize our overall marketing under a strong new brand. Effective branding of Manitoba as a premier tourism destination requires agreement and cooperation amongst a wide range of stakeholders, and the public and private sector must work together within limited budgets. This fall, Travel Manitoba will begin work on the development of a strong, memorable, and “awe-inspiring” new brand that captures the essence of the Manitoba tourism experience and motivates potential visitors to make the trip.

Greg Klassen, Senior Vice-President, Marketing and Strategy and Communications with the Canadian Tourism Commission, will share the story of the development and execution of Canada’s international tourism brand, while keeping a focus on leveraging technology, innovation and new channels to communicate to customers around the world.

Another highlight of the conference is the opportunity to recognize excellence in the Manitoba tourism industry with the Manitoba Tourism Awards Gala and Dinner, taking place Monday, September 10. Please visit the awards website to learn more about this year’s finalists and to purchase tickets.

The conference closes with Travel Manitoba’s 2013 Partnership Opportunity roll-out. Once again, we’re offering “a la carte” options that we can customize to suit your needs.  There will be several new offerings, along with the return of some of your favorites.

Don’t delay – register now! (Registration deadline August 27)

While visitors from the United States and overseas markets account for a relatively small percentage of Manitoba’s annual visitors, (4% and 1% respectively), travelers from long haul markets are important to our tourism industry: the per person visit spend of the average overseas visitor far exceeds that of the average Canadian visitor to the province, at $698 versus the $382 spent by our next door neighbors.   In terms of growth potential, overseas visitation to Manitoba is expected to increase by 3.9% in 2013, and 4.2% in each of 2014 and 2015, according to The Conference Board of Canada.

Travel Manitoba’s key international markets are the long-haul United States, Germany and the United Kingdom, with secondary emphasis on France, Australia, China and India.  Our efforts in overseas markets focus on partnering with the Canadian Tourism Commission to leverage its efforts in generating awareness of Canada as a travel destination, and on building relationships with the travel trade and media.  These are important channels to reach consumers and make them aware of Manitoba’s unique experiences.

Reaching travelers and the travel trade in international markets can be challenging for our tourism operators, which is why we introduced the Featured Supplier program in 2010.

This partnership program increases the effectiveness of international marketing activities by combining our resources of time and money to maximize our return on investment.  The program also aims to improve communication with industry operators interested in these markets by fostering a sense of teamwork as we all aim to increase the number of high yield travelers to Manitoba.

Featured Suppliers receive regular updates on international research, intelligence and activities, access to FAM participants wherever possible, and more prominent exposure on our marketing materials. Also, partners receive a report with contact information and notes on all meetings conducted by Travel Manitoba with travel companies, creating an opportunity for industry to extend their reach through the activities of Travel Manitoba.

There are two levels of buy-in for the program: Gold at $5,000 and Silver at $1,000, and some marketing activities are available as stand-alone buy-in opportunities.

Some of the highlights for Featured Suppliers in 2013 include:

• Profile sheets, show reports and contact information from the United States Tour Operator Association Annual Convention, December 2012; the National Tour Association Annual Convention, January 2013, the Educational Travel Conference, January 2013; ITB Berlin, March 2013; and Rendez-vous Canada, May 2013.
• Meet and greets, contact lists and literature distribution to all FAM participants.
• Listings or ads on Travel Manitoba’s Travel Trade website or international Travel Manitoba websites.
• Product audits from the UK and Germany that offer an extensive overview of all product holdings in these markets by tour operators, as well as opportunities for growth.
• Participation in sales missions activities planned for North East US (NY, NJ, CT, MA), September 17-20, 2012; UK “Reverse” sales mission in Manitoba, November 13-19, 2012; and France in partnership with the CTC, Februrary 25 and 26, 2013.

For all details on the Featured Supplier program and how it can help you, contact Dené Sinclair, Manager, Global Travel Trade Relations.

Social media can no longer be an afterthought. Consumers rely on social media to make decisions and businesses rely on it to make connections.

Travel Manitoba recognizes the value of social media, and we will be strengthening our online presence to more effectively engage potential visitors and make it easier for them to research Manitoba as a vacation destination.

As a first step, Travel Manitoba engaged social media marketing agency Think! Social Media to conduct an audit of our current social media activities. The Think! team evaluated our activity in the main social media channels, analyzed the effectiveness and ease of navigation of our website and microsites, and provided recommendations which our internal Travel Manitoba social media team is now implementing.

“Social media success is tied to the ability to engage fans and have them share and carry content to their own networks,” said Aaron Nissen of Think! Social Media, who conducted the audit and developed Travel Manitoba’s social media strategy. The strategy will see Travel Manitoba get to know our target audience better to customize the message to them.

Travel Manitoba’s travel trade, media relations and consumer teams are implementing tactics to engage their distinct communities to develop our social media presence.  As we build that presence, we need to work hand-in-hand with our tourism industry.

“Social media success for a Destination Marketing Organization is dependent upon building an ecosystem of tourism operators who generate content and conversations about Manitoba,” explained Nissen.

We will be identifying key industry members to work with to create conversations within specific niche communities. Industry partners will receive training and support in how to leverage niche communities for marketing purposes.

Travel Manitoba and Tourism Winnipeg hosted a social media workshop in June  to further inform industry members of social media's potential and how to put it to work for them.

“Interlake Tourism Association has talked about Facebook, Twitter and blogging for almost five years. It always came down to the same thing - no staff time to dedicate to these with only one person in our office,” said Gail McDonald, Tourism Officer for the Interlake Tourism Association. “It was good to hear it said that by social media experts: ‘do one thing and do it well rather than trying it all and doing a poor job.’”

Tricia Schers, Communications and Marketing Manager for Frontiers North Adventures, echoed Gail’s thoughts on the difficulty of making time for social media.

“Social media, while being an incredible medium to get our message out there, is yet one more thing to add to a busy workload. Travel Manitoba's recent social media workshop was ideal in helping me to learn some valuable tips on how to be more efficient in my social media efforts, not to mention the terrific tips on how to measure our social media efforts.”

Both Gail and Tricia see how working together with Travel Manitoba on social media will be beneficial to all. As Gail has decided to focus her efforts on Facebook, she knows that sharing or commenting on posts will increase the visibility of the Interlake region to Travel Manitoba’s Facebook fans, but also to Travel Manitoba staff. And Tricia, who manages an already strong social media presence for Frontiers North, sees her efforts as a source of content for Travel Manitoba, while we can help expand her audience and help to grow Frontiers North’s followers.

To learn more about how you can be a part of growing Travel Manitoba’s social media presence, contact Doug Evans, Manager, E-Marketing.

Recognizing the importance of the web and maximizing social media engagement, we recently expanded our E-Marketing team. Along with Manager Doug Evans, E-Marketing Coordinator Kirsten Neil has joined the team, looking after all things web. 

Kirsten is a content strategist, communications specialist and web designer with more than 10 years of experience dedicated to many aspects of web content, including design, development, analysis, evaluation, management, and governance. She loves to talk content strategy and wants to figure out the best way to make your message work.

“We’re here to help,” said Doug. “We are a resource that industry can access.” At Travel Manitoba's site, the team has been busy reconfiguring the home page so it’s easier to access information and upgrading the system that makes the whole site work, “We’re constantly upgrading our web presence to keep it up to industry standards,” said Doug.

Along with the website, the E-Marketing team also works to make our e-newsletters and use of social media as effective as possible. But the team is also here to help your e-marketing efforts be as successful as possible.

One of the ways in which Doug and Kirsten set out to help industry is to visit operators’ Facebook pages or Twitter pages and point out things they are doing really well, and  offer tips on where they can improve.

“Industry members are really enthusiastic and eager to get into social media,” said Doug. “They recognize that it is cost effective, a great way to reach a lot of people, and it’s trackable.”

Our E-Marketing team is coming up with new ways to engage both industry and consumers with social media. From generating excitement over Twitter when our polar bear mascot Toba visits a great Manitoba attraction or event, to encouraging people to submit photos to Facebook and Instagram, the team is trying to build our online presence.  One way to do that is by reaching out to people who are champions of certain product sectors.

“We are looking to get people to post their photos and videos because it conveys a passion that is authentic,” Doug added. “We are working to increase our visibility through online media.”

 If you have questions on how to your e-marketing more effective, contact Doug Evans, E-Marketing Manager or Kirsten Neil, E-Marketing Coordinator.

Travel Manitoba’s friendly polar bear mascot, Toba, has had enough of hibernating – he is ready to get out and experience some of Manitoba’s great events and attractions.

Toba, (otherwise known as Partnership Programs Co-ordinator Michel LaRivière), along with his guide, Partnership Assistant Lindsay Penner, have already visited The Forks and Gimli during Tourism Week in May, attended the Winnipeg’s Children’s Festival in June and just recently paid a visit to the Manitoba Museum. These adventures were captured on camera and can now been seen on our YouTube channel.

Since Toba is proving to be a very popular bear, the opportunity to have Toba at your event will be available as part of the 2013 Partnership Plan, rolling out this September at the Manitoba Tourism Conference. Toba and his crew will attend your event, get some great video shots, interact with the crowds and tweet about all the fun he is having (he can’t speak, but he can type!). You will have full access to the video to use on your website.

For more information on Toba’s videos, contact our partnership team: Lilian Tankard, Manager, Partnerships; Michel LaRivière, Partnership Coordinator; Lindsay Penner, Partnership Assistant.