Destination Marketing Program Overview 2011
Business Retention and Enhancement Tourism, Arts, Culture and Heritage Program: Enhanced Event Marketing and Media: BC Shellfish Festival; increased media outreach VI Music Fest; new Alberta radio campaign 30-day Food Challenge; online advertising Filberg Festival; expanded Island distribution New Event/Conference Attraction: BC Farm Market Conference; supported 2012 conference to be held in region GranFondo Bike Event; hosted site inspection Soroptimist Canada; supported marketing Ducks Unlimited Conference; supported hosting and marketing New Festival/Event Development: Comox Valley Farm Cycle Tour; 194 riders visiting three farm tour routes Dine Around Comox Valley; new addition of hotel partners Old House, Crown Isle, Best Western and Holiday Inn
Business Retention and Enhancement Tourism, Arts, Culture and Heritage Program: 2011 CV Visitors Guide: 100k copies produced Refreshed content and images 2011 CV Growers Guide: 100k copies produced Increased by 8 pages Increased editorial presenting agritourism and culinary tourism product, events and tours
Business Retention and Enhancement Tourism, Arts, Culture and Heritage Program: Enhanced Sector Engagement: Established MOU with Western Canada Mountain Bike Tourism Assn and Mount Washington Alpine Resort to support enhanced marketing, events and awareness of regional mountain biking product
Vancouver Island Visitor Centre Project: Substantial completion August 2011 $4M+ new infrastructure to CV 100+ companies involved Exhibit Gallery designed with extensive tourism & industry input to drive economic impact in the sectors VIVC Operations Contract established Completion of CV Visitor Services Strategy Provides research, tactics and strategies to enhance visitors services and leverage the new VIVC Informed VIVC Operations contract
Media and Travel Trade Relations: $90k+ media exposure value, 5.8M+ impressions since Nov 2010 to Nov. 2011 14 media visits hosted, media attained in 51 different media outlets in Canada & Int l Represented at Go Media Marketplace, September, Edmonton AB Hosted by the Canadian Tourism Commission One of two major annual meeting of Canadian travel operators and industry to meet International media 133 media outlets attended; 32 Comox Valley appointments Established foundation for media coverage and fam visits for 2012
Signage Enhancement: In partnership with Ministry of Transportation, secured permitting and 13 companies to contribute to new Service and Attraction signs (Northbound and Southbound at Exit 117) Completed CV Distance Signage Inland Island Highway Engineering Report Developed concepts for a new CV Gateway Sign
Stakeholder Partnered Marketing TVI Outdoor Guide TVI Vacation Guide Discover VI (Times Colonist) Backpackers Guide Eat Magazine Campaign Just in Time TVI consumer e-new Monthly Specials TVI consumer e- news Van Dop Arts and Cultural Guide Mount Washington Marmot Island Visitor Magazine Business VI Magazine Vancouver Sounding Board Vancouver Board of Trade TVI Tour Planner Great Getaways Travel Show (radio)
Go VI Campaign 5 stakeholder partners; print, tv and web integrated campaign targeting Alberta market; spring and fall. 210 x 15 sec commercials; 2.354M impressions Comox Valley Winter Getaways Multi-media campaign targeted to Victoria; November to March; media launch event and hosting, radio, print, online marketing Partnership with Mount Washington Alpine Resort, hoteliers and hospitality industry Increase overnight visits to the region and introduced new VIVC $40k campaign, funded by CTO Grant and industry contributions 2012 Vacation Guide & Destination Marketing Integrates new Visitor Centre marketing opportunities with Destination Marketing Programs and sales for the first time Increased sales to date from 2011 by 16%