2008

FELIZ Año NUEVO
Happy NEW Year

Bonne Année

To everyone in the Canadian Tourism Industry: Happy Holidays. May Peace, JOY and Love reign in your homes.

Paix Sur Terre Peace on Earth Paz en la Tierra

Jaime

On marketing Canada, Gordon K. McIvor may have a point or two, BUT...

I recently read an article entitled Time to Brag in the National Post online written by Gordon K. McIvor former president of The Couchiching Institute, The Canadian Club and the National Executive Forum on Public Property. Among other issues (well known to all of us in the industry), in the article Mr. McIvor writes about the continuing decline of US visitations to Canada: "The number of Americans visiting Canada continues to follow a declining trend, with overnight visits down by 22% from where we stood prior to 9/11. Some experts in the tourism industry have estimated the annual lost opportunity costs to be in the billions of dollars..." He goes on to call for the formation of a new tourism organizaton: "Canada needs a new national coalition of all tourism and recreational organizations so that their collective interests can be marketed south of the border." And while he does mention the work of the CTC and TIAC ("In spite of some admirable efforts by the Canadian Tourism Commission, now operating out of Vancouver, and the Tourism Industry Association of Canada, a co-ordinated national response to this dramatic downturn has been tepid at best."), it is evident that he has not researched his topic enough.

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I have been following the CTC's and TIAC's efforts on behalf of Canadian Tourism for almost ten years now, and while I may not agree with all initiatives (be it research, or marketing or issues to address), I can assure Mr McIvor that these two organizations do more than any other to keep tourism strong in Canada. Mr. McIvor may not know that in order to better market Canada in the US what we need is not another national tourism organization or coalition. We need a bigger marketing investment coupled with stronger partnerships among the three levels of DMO's (the CTC, Provinces and Cities) in order to achieve sinergies (Mr. McIvor may not be aware that the CTC's budget is quite limited, given the size of the tourism sector in both physical and economic terms as well as the size of global competitors' budgets). I would love to see a Canada Keep Exploring Television Ad during the Super Bowl. However, at $2.6 Million per 30 second spot (not counting production costs), the CTC cannot even dream about it (or can it? - perhaps it's time to dream and make it happen for Super Bowl XLIII in 2009 - air 1 spot per quarter). Yes I would like to see canadian marketing and advertising as big as the country. But I do not in any way want to see a third national tourism organization (or coalition). I hope no one has taken this suggestion seriously.

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We need to strengthen TIAC for it to be more effective, yes (in this Mr. McIvor may be correct in terms of the government seeing Tourism as a fragmented sector with many different voices); and we need to find ways to increase the CTC's reach, yes (e.g. purchasing power vis a vis international media, particularly US Television). And we need perhaps more cooperation among all actors in the industry to send a clear message to all tourism businesses large and small in order to get their support so that the industry can speak as one. We need to market the industry to the industry. Many businesses in the tourism sector may not even be aware of the issues affecting them. But that's another topic....

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hasta la vista,

Jaime

Adding to Ron Taylor's post (below) link to Bryant Park's calendar

Here's the link to NYC's Bryant Park's December Calendar:
http://www.bryantpark.org/calendar/dec.php
Alberta's Aprés Ski Lodge - 6 to 12 Dec
Mountie Mondays: 10, 24, 31 Dec

Cheers,
Jaime

What Do Americans Like About Canada???

The following is posted the New York Parks and Recreation site.

"New Yorkers can't get enough of their friendly and 'well-dressed' Canadian neighbors! From now through December 31, officers from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police will be stationed at The Pond at Bryant Park every Monday to meet and greet the public and celebrate Canadian activities in the park. Visitors can even take home a free keepsake photo with their new Mountie friends in front of the Holiday Tree, all compliments of the Canadian Tourism Commission.

Photo Taken at Haliburton Ontario's Annual Dog Sled Derby in 2007.

Cities 2.0 - My Toronto Holiday Campaign vs. This is New York City

I sometimes visit the official tourism websites for Toronto, Vancouver and Montreal, Canada's three biggest urban destinations to see if there's anything new and notable, not necessarily to plan visits since I know the cities quite well by now. I love Tourism Toronto's My Toronto Holiday campaign - it's a great web animation piece that encourages the online visitor to explore different areas of the city- first online and then in person. Hope it generates the results it deserves. The official site needs work, in my opinion, or a total new approach to include some Web 2.0 capabilities and more creative pieces like "MyTorontoHoliday."

But as much as I liked "MyTorontoHoliday" I have to say that I liked the new "This is New York City" video from NYCVISIT.com better. Granted the former is more of a call to action (including contest) campaign while the latter is more of a branding campaign, but both are examples of creative used to sell a destination. The NYC video is a fantastic example of how to inject a sense of FUN into a destination's message. And before you say - "well, but that's New York" - I must say that Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver and certainly Niagara Falls can inject more Fun into their marketing (MyTorontoHoliday is a great start). This is where consumer generated content has limitations. Sometimes you do need some great creative supported by strong production values (i.e. Budget) in order to pull off something this good (I'm so jealous). Check it out - This is New York City:

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Jaime

Toronto en Español

Ice Skating in Mexico City with highs of 18 and 20 Celsius.

The Mexico City skating rinks (there are three in total, the Zócalo rink being the largest) were opened this past weekend and so far it looks like they will be a hit. Canada was present at the grand opening celebrations with two skaters (see previous post) doing figure skating demos. I wonder if we could organize a Canada Day at the rink. Maybe it's in the works (or maybe it's not possible). I plan to visit the rink and skate it before it closes by the end of February (update: the rink was closed early in mid-january).

Scenes from the Mexico City Rink this past weekend.

Scenes from the Grand Opening

Greetings,
Jaime

Canadian skaters Chris Mabee and Joey Russell to participate in the Grand Opening of Mexico City's Gigantic Skating Rink

While it won't be an all Canadian cast (I wish), excellent Canadian skaters Chris Mabee and Joey Russell will be skating as part of the Grand Opening celebrations for the Mexico City ice skating rink, the largest of its kind in the world. The city is putting on a show with skaters from the US, Canada, Russia and Mexico (yes, Mexico has some high-level skaters who train in the US, like Ana Cecilia Cantú Félix, a 21 year old, who has competed in World Figure Skating Championships). Mexico City's mayor Marcelo Ebrard has indicated that he intends to make the rink an annual tradition in Mexico City. If so, Canadian Tourism marketers should get their minds together to build relationships with the Mexico City government in order to make Canada part of the tradition and in so doing get mileage out of the media attention the rink generates. It's a great opportunity, not only to market Canada, but also to build on Canada's image as a friendly nation.

Cheers,
Jaime
(photo Yazmin Ortega Cortés - La Jornada newspaper)

What's with "Keep Discovering?" - sound familiar?

Nope, 'keep discovering" is not a new branding tagline for a Canadian destination. It's part of an Emirates (airlines) campaign. Maybe it's completely irrelevant and of no consequence whatever - or maybe it's an example of how, with so many similar taglines from an ever increasing number of destinations around, destination marketers are having a hard time positioning their "brands," as distinct in the mind of the prospective visitor. I was reminded of this after reading Steve Wright's blog entry: What's the deal with Americans ripping off our tourism slogans? where he points out not similarities or familiar phrases but out right copycats.

Food for thought,

Jaime

Congrats to the CTC's Mexican office for their Latin American HSMAI Adrian Award

I was pleased to read in the Tourism Daily News bulletin that the CTC has been awarded an Adrian Latin America Award. Congratulations to Jorge Morfin and his team for their Platinum Award. We need more inspired and creative advertising campaigns to position Canada as a must destination in the minds of affluent Mexican travelers. This may be more important in the coming year as the loonie stays at par with the greenback and makes travel to Canada more expensive for Mexicans (especially when compared to US destinations).

Felicidades!

Jaime

www.demexicoacanada.travel

About the Mexican term "Chilango" (see previous post)

I received an email about my use of the term "chilango" in my post September: USA down 7.9%, Mexico up 16.9%, Spain up 28%. Outdoor Ice Skating in Mexico City Those of you who do a lot of business in Mexico probably know the term very well. The concern is that the word chilango may have a derogatory connotation. Therefore, I want to clarify: the term Chilango comes from the Nahuatl “Ixachilan” meaning “immensity” - referring to the immensity of the continent – used first by the indigenous people who founded Mexico City area (Aztecs, Mexicas). Overtime, the term was used to refer to people not born in Mexico city who moved there and eventually it became the term to refer to people who were born in Mexico City or who live there. The negative connotation depends on who is using the term and how it is used. Usually (but not always) people who live in one of the Mexican states (i.e. not Mexico City) may use the term negatively (sort of the way Canadians refer to Torontonians sometimes) as in those $^#* chilangos. Today, Chilango in many circles is a proud term – as in “yo soy Chilango or I (heart) Chilangos.” In fact, one of Mexico’s most popular publications is called Chilango Magazine. I suppose I should have made it clear that I am a Chilango myself, having been born in Mexico City. In 2001, the word Chilango was included in the Dictionary of the Spanish Royal Academy (although, with not a great definition).

Jaime

a Chilango Canadian (CaChilango or ChilangoCan?)

Cactus Rock New Media Ltd. (Cactus Rock is the loose translation into English of the Nahuatl word for Mexico City)

www.demexicoacanada.travel

September: USA down 7.9%, Mexico up 16.9%, Spain up 28%. Outdoor Ice Skating in Mexico City

The numbers from Statcan's International Travel: Advance Information (why do they call it advance if it's in the past?) are out. The US decline continues - down 7.9 from September 2006. Mexico and Spain both significantly up (Olé). Mexico crossed the 200,000 visitors' mark in September. Recall that last year's total number was 213,000 and we still have three months of numbers to see (December by the way is looking good according to my sources in Mexico). Spain, while in absolute numbers is still no where near Mexico, has already surpassed its 2006 numbers (56,830) with 57,912 visitors from Jan to Sept.

Big news out of Mexico City. Get this. The municipal government has decided to give Chilangos (Mexico City residents) a gift for Christmas. They are setting up, what they are calling the largest man made outdoor skating rink in the world right in the historic heart of the city, the Zócalo. The rink will have capacity for 1,200 people. How's that for innovation. Maybe Toronto can install a covered man-made beach in Dundas Square next winter. Kidding aside, this is a great opportunity for Canada (e.g. Quebec City, Ottawa, Montréal) to get some exposure in the market without a big investment. Maybe Mexico's CTC is already doing something, I don't know, but perhaps a DMO can sponsor free skate rental or find a way to set up a booth to give away free hot chocolate. Or fly in a few skaters to give demonstrations and/or lessons. Many ideas come to mind. The point is to "insert" Canada into the buzz that this rink will create all over Mexico (Steve Wright where are you?). (I will try to get a picture of the rink asap - it opens December 1st. Mayor Ebrard will be one of the first to skate on it)

Saludos,

Jaime

www.canadaenespanol.ca

www.demexicoacanada.travel

Should Canada Look Further Afield For New Markets

The answer is obvious perhaps, why not try to build new markets however as the header in Today's Globe and Mail suggests "Why Ontario must look much further afield to increase tourism", by Murry Campbell does not tell the whole story.

I enjoyed today's tourism article on Ontario, however the problem is also Canadian and has many more dimensions that are longer term. Here are a few additional points to consider:

1. Governments tend to use tourism promotion as soft "feel good propaganda". i.e. past election in Ontario instead of aggressively telling our story to Americans they were creating "feel good feelings about Ontario". Also, spending (wasting) of Federal $ re Gomery Report. Could this money have been better spent in the U.S. promoting Canada? What should be promoted to Ontario residents by the Ontario Gov.? Should the Ontario Gov. be spending their energy and tax payers money in Ontario--I say let local areas and regions do their own marketing to Ontario residents. There is a bulky awkward combined public sector-private sector bureaucracy called OTMP.

2. U.S will always be our best and most opportune market as long as we do a better job at telling our story (both cultural & natural history). I agree with Allan about low awareness level of $$ value etc.

3. Chretien gov. built an "ill-will" feeling towards the U.S. Does Canada really want me if I am American? 10 years of this has hurt Canadian Tourism

4. Toronto--the major city trying to attract U.S. visitors has flip flopped between branding images for years. Message has been confused and unclear. U.S. advertising has been inconsistent and irregular. This impacts on all of Canada.

5. A Canadian Tourism Industry Association TIAC-that has spent the last few years being more negative about the current border problems, thereby creating a built in problem before it exists--thereby contributing to the decline, rather than building a positive image about Canada.

6. There is an obsession by both prov. & fed. gov to hang their hats on the upscale visitor as a major focus. New Zealand has done quite well attracting the "backpacker", who may not spend as much per day, but stay longer and spend perhaps as much? Canada would be an ideal backpacking destination with the appropriate infrastructure ie transportation and accommodation.

7. Specific to Toronto--in the 90's Toronto gained the reputation of having the most expensive ball park in North America. Also, the U.S market was showing signs of decline in the 90's

8. There has been a reluctance for both Governments to embrace the concept of "eco tourism" when Canada has one of the best outdoor eco tourism products in the world.

9. A lot of what has been told in the Globe story has been told for the last 10 years--I think someone has to challenge both federal and provincial expenditures and the policies over the last ten years--governments are failing to help Canada maintain world market share?

The notion of not wanting to be known for Mountains, Moose and Mounties takes on a new meaning.

We all know by now what happened to Mr. Robert Dziekanski at Vancouver's International Airport. A quick scan/search of web pages and blog posts reveals that it's all over the net and all over the world (search in English, Spanish, French, etc., and you will get numerous results commenting or reporting on the incident - example "Polish Man Tasered to Death in Olympic City"). The famous video was posted on YouTube 4 days ago and it has had over 47,000 views already. I will not use this forum to express my personal outrage at this (I do remember some not very welcoming contacts with customs/immigration officers when I was not a citizen of this country and came as a visitor to see my sister in Vancouver many years ago -while my Mother was outside waiting for me- thank God I was fluent in English).

Suffice it to say that I am very dissappointed with RCMP conduct. On the one hand they allow single officers without backup to go check out possible dangerous situations (in the North) with tragic consequences, and on the other they send 4 officers to subdue an unarmed man in an airport (where he has obviously arrived after going through airport security elsewehere). I thought of posting the video here but you can go to YouTube and see it there (it's quite disturbing).

The purpose of this post is to pose the question? When the conversation in and out of cyberspace is loud and negative about Canada, how does it affect the tourism industry? How would PR experts address this particular incident? Should we try to be part of this conversation? Whether the officers' conduct was justifiable or not, the world is getting the impression that it wasn't. The fact that this incident happened at the airport that is getting ready to welcome the world in 2010 (recalling that many of those visitors probably do not speak English) is ironic, but should add to the concern over this matter. My opinion, and it's just my opinion, is that the Canadian tourism industry (TIAC?) should add its voice and express concern about the processes and procedures regarding foreign visitors' entry into Canada. Furthermore, the industry should call for Minister Day (as have others) to sincerely apologize to Mr. Dziekanski's family (even while this incident is under investigation) and for Prime Miniser Harper to address the Polish people (here and in Poland) in some way (if not to apologize) to reassure them that this kind of incident will not happen again.

My heart goes out to Mrs. Zofia Cisowski, Robert's Mother.

Regards,

Jaime

The Hiccup cont'd (see Traveller Insight)

I have been informed that Italian Kitchen people have sent my sister (in Vancouver) a $150 gift certificate to make up for the Hiccup I described here before. My sister tells me that they will also add a couple of appetizers. I'm glad to see the parent company responded in a way that is commensurate with the restaurant's category (high end). The certificate should cover dinner for two. I don't know if I will use it or whether my sister will use it before my next visit to Vancouver (next February). What's important is to see how it will turn out when the certificate is used (quality of food, friendliness of staff, location of the table, etc.). If all goes well the restaurant will have gained us back. The point being that for a small investment (the price of dinner for two), the restaurant shows real customer service orientation and enhances its reputation as responsive to customer complaints. I can tell you that the gesture is appropriate so I will go back to the Italian Kitchen or any of its sister restaurants (Sanafir on Granville is very good, the Coast in Yaletown) when in Vancouver. Hopefully, I will not get the hiccups again.

Cheers,

Jaime

Make me a Blidget. Widget my Blog.

Do you have a blog? Would you like to have more exposure?

How about blidgeting your blog? Blidget you say? Yup.

Make your blog into a widget that can be inserted in other blogs or websites (and turned into a Facebook app as well).

I recently came across a blidget from Canada Immigration (Ministry of Citizenship and Immigration) of all places and that led me to investigate how one could create such a thing. I ended up on Widgetbox.com and after reading about it decided to blidget my blogs (this one and http://www.blogdecanada.com/) You can see my widgetbox on the top left corner of this blog. If you clic on it you can get the widget and insert it on you website or blog thereby helping me reach more people.

If you want to make your own widget just visit Widgetbox.com and follow the instructions to blidgetize your blog. Furthermore, if you use Facebook, you can also turn the widget into a Facebook App and invite your friends to add it to their Facebook profile. The process is quite simple - you just follow the instructions and Voilá you will have widgetized, blidgetized, cooletized (and maybe even monetized) your blog.

cheers,

Jaime Horwitz

O Canada - Our Country Brand Ranking # 6 - We can do Better!

The Country Brand Index 2007 is out and Canada ranked 6th (not all that bad considering that there are over 200 countries in the world). Congrats to Australia the country that came out on top of everyone else. I am green with envy, but hey the Aussies do have a great brand and a great place to visit. But back to Canada.

In the rankings published by Futurebrand.com (a brand building company with offices around the world) Canada scored well in various attributes as follows:

5th in resort and lodging options

2nd in providing diverse activities and offerings for families

3d in best conditions, terrain and topography for land or water sports

4th in striking topography and physical assets (how can this be? New Zealand, Australia and the Maldives scored higher)

7th in environmental responsibility/practices

10th in the ideal array of rejuvenation and tranquil activities

2nd in considered most stable and secure (safety) We used to be #1, but New Zealand has bumped us to 2nd (we better get our act together eradicating gangs in our major cities or we will lose more and more ground in this category)

8th in accessible, diverse and abundant retail choices (The US is #1)

7th in a good place to extend a business visit

8th in preferred off-site/convention destination

2nd in friendly locals (Australia took 1st place)
3d in welcoming and facilitating business culture (US again #1 here)

1st in where most people would choose to live, outside of their home country

While our showing is not really bad, I think Canada can do much better. It will take time, but perhaps Canada's leadership in Tourism 2.0 (RadarDDB and the CTC's strategies to spread the word about Canada and Canadian destinations and be part of the conversations about Canada in cyberspace and in people's offline lives) and the publicity around the 2010 Games in BC will do the trick. Areas of big concern: we did not make it to the top ten in the Authenticity, Fine Dining and Nightlife categories. OK Nightlife would be a stretch given the competition and the cultural differences with other destinations when it comes to partying - e.g. #1 Spain, #2 USA, #3 Brazil, #6 Australia, #7 UK and #8 Mexico - but fine dining in Canada has come a long way in the last 10 years - and if the United Kingdom made it to 6th place in this category, wel my gosh, we must do better - pass me the poutine!

If you want to learn more about the Country Brand Index visit their website.

Cheers,

Jaime

Are Google results a proxy for people's interest en a certain country? Where is your website?

Google wants to catalogue humanity's knowledge (or lack thereof, I would say) and make it available to everyone at anytime and in any place. With so much talk about search engine optimization and search engine marketing, etc., I was curious to see how many natural results does Google.com serve for the term Canada (results will vary depending on the Google domain extension, but .com is the largest - e.g. the term Canada - selecting pages in Spanish - on the Google.com.mx portal serves only 2,930,000 results - Canada en Español.com ranking third) . But this lead me to quickly search for other countries in order to compare. I googled Canada, United States, Spain, Italy, France, Mexico, Japan and China. #1 in the number of results served? Nope, not the US, certainly not Canada. It was France with over one Billion results. Here's the results of the search (15 Nov 07):

1. France - 1,140,000,000
2. Japan - 811,000,000
3. Mexico - 730,000,000
4. China - 690,000,000
5. Canada - 648,000,000
6. United States - 644,000,000
7. Spain - 522,000,000
8. Italy - 513,000,000

Of course, results are constantly changing as Google's bots add or eliminate sites from the results, but clearly there are significant differences in the number of results from one country term to another.

Saludos,
Jaime

So the restaurant calls and says a gift certificate is on the way - Not another Gift Certificate please - Unless...

So someone at the Hiccup restaurant (Vancouver's Italian Kitchen) finally called my sister (see post below) and said a gift certificate was on the way. We're waiting to see what exactly this certificate is for. From my perspective the only acceptable level would be a $250 gift certificate or roughly the amount I spent on the dinner we had at the restaurant. I already used a gift certificate (for $50) there and looked what happened. What I thought then was that the restaurant should have picked up the entire tab to compensate for the Hiccup (i.e. incompetence), nothing less. That would make me go back again and give the resto another try. Not that it will affect their business in any way (and that's not my intention or wish at all), but I for one will probably not go back there. There are just too many options out there in Vancouver and elsewhere. Contrast that experience with the one I had at the Au Parmesan Italian restaurant in Quebec City a few weeks ago. That restaurant was not as fancy and expensive, in fact it's a bit kitschy, but their service was prompt and friendly (if in a bit loud Italian kind of way). I suppose one of the biggest challenges in the restaurant business is consistency (and retention) of service. Au Parmesan has staff that has been there for years (and it shows - in a good way). Even Sergio the accordion player is like part of the family (maybe he is). And the food was very good (perhaps a bit on the side of cliché Italian, but very tasty). So be consistent and don't be cheap if you want to keep a customer or want to "make things right." Consumers are more savvy than ever and they expect real value for their money - whether the meal cost $20 or $200, it's all about expectations and the meeting or not meeting those expectations.

Cheers,

Jaime

THE HICCUP - Staying an extra day in Vancouver I took my family to the posh Italian Kitchen restaurant for dinner - not a great night.

"A Hiccup," is what the CEO of the Italian Kitchen restaurant's parent company called our experience. I was outside of the resto already, but my sister stayed inside while her husband and I waited for the valet parked car. It had been an OK evening for the six of us who went for dinner at the famous (or so I'm told) Italian Kitchen restaurant on Alberni Street in Downtown Vancouver. The night before I had been at the Sanafir Restaurant (also part of the Glowbal group) for the Canada-e-Connect after - after party and it was a very good experience. Dennis Bak and his staff treated all of us very well and their drinks and tapas were fantastic. Talking to Dennis about where to take may family for dinner the next night we talked about the Italian Kitchen and he was very kind to make a reservation for me. And so I was excited to visit a new Italian restaurant (my favourite cuisine) with some of the people I love the most in the world. First part of the Hiccup: even though the upstairs was almost completely empty when we arrived promptly at 6PM, the staff gave us one of the worst tables, the one that's right by the upstairs bar - next to the cutlery drawer. Why do restaurateurs do this - is there a restaurant sitting 101 course they take that says - give the first guests the worst table on the floor). I realized this before we ordered so I asked for another table - this one a much better spot closer to the windows and away from the bar. And so, we began our evening talking, reminiscing, making fun, doing what Latin families do when they get together after months of not seeing each other. We ordered our food. I ordered a wonderful salad (baby spinach and greens), beef carpaccio and the Kobe meatballs and Asiago cheese spaghetti. My sister, and her two daughters had some salad and the three of them had Ravioli stuffed with crab (after one of my nieces who has ordered gnocci returned it because it did not feel fully cooked). My Mom (yes, the woman who gave me life) had a chicken dish that she quite liked (and thank God, because if she hadn't the Hiccup would have been much bigger - believe me). After the salads, the pastas arrived (after a very, very, looong time - and by this time the restaurant was full) - so I ask the waiter "what happened to the Carpaccio?" flurry of activity ensues, apologies fly - someone screwed up my Carpaccio order) - Oh well, on with the pastas. Not to make a very lon story longer, there were more apologies and the cliche "free dessert." Suffice it to say that I don't feel like ever eating there again. While I was waiting outside my sister met Emad Yacoub, the CEO of the Glowbal Group, who asked her how our stay was and so she (actually reluctantly because we had already talked to the guys upstairs) told him our story, which he called a Hiccup and promised to fix and do something about it Whatever it was I made the best of it because I try not to let anything to get in the way of having a good time with my family when we get together. And I decided to blog this experience because it may be of interest to services marketers in our industry (what the resto's CEO does not know yet, is that the three people who had the Ravioli were not feeling well last night - My sister and my two nieces had stomach aches and both my nieces threw up - last night. I thought my young niece (18) threw up because she over ate, but when the older niece also threw up later last night - I quickly realized that maybe it was the Ravioli.) Given that blogging and social media are the topics of the day - this is an example of how fast a customer experience can be online. What's important here is how the story will end. Before I blog the experience on my consumer blog I will wait for a few days to see how the CEO of the restaurant responds to, as he put it to my sister, "make this right." (and please do not offer free desserts - why is it that restaurateurs think that free desserts can make people happy?) Your response to a customer's bad experience is extremely important in the age of social media and fierce competition in your industry, especially restaurants and hotels.

Cheers,

Jaime

Canada-e-Connect 2007 comes to an End

The first ever Canada-e-Connect Conference has come to an end. I personally found it very interesting and stimulating. But more importantly, brought together players from the entire Canadian Tourism value chain (National Commission, Provincial and City DMO's, Transportation and Retail among others) to discuss and work on a common goal (and this is just how I see it): how to take advantage of the revolution or evolution of communications and marketing in the 21st century for the benefit of Canadian tourism as a whole. Another important accomplishment, I think, was the fact that climate change was discussed during the conference vis a vis technological advances in eTourism. On the business side of things, I believe I made some good contacts and met some brilliant Tourism 2.0 practitioners. I also had the opportunity to continue to build relationships with tourism professionals that are carefully looking at all the available Tourism 2.0 tools out there in order to incorporate them into their organizations.

So thank you to Jens, Trevor, Mimi, Lydia, Ghislain and the whole team of volunteers that put this together in a short period of time (of course without their sponsors they couldn't have done it - so thanks to them too - visit the Canada-e-Connect website to learn more about the conference and take a look at the sponsors (all innovative leaders in their fields - and that will be the extent of my plug)

Cheers y Hasta la Vista,

Jaime

User Generated Content vs. Social Media

A very interesting panel of traditional and social media practicioners was one of the last sessions at Canada-e-Connect 2007. What I took from this discussion is basically that both forms of media have a place in the marketplace and that they probably continue to exist together and in some instances blend seamlessly or not, whether it's a newspaper moderated blog or a popular blog that becomes a book (this latter comment added by me). One of the issues that was discussed on the panels and in the hallways of the Fairmont Waterfront vis a vis Social Media is the fear that it generates in some tourism companies and professionals due to the power consumers have to express their thoughts related to a particular business or destination. I suppose the consensus was (as Gopal Rao of IHG mentioned) that you must make sure you deliver to your guests or customers that which you have promised (otherwise they may very well trash you online).

Cheers,

Jaime

Jim Brody of TravelAdvisor gave a good concise talk about your Reputation Online (and how to protect it)

Jim Brody, VP for Destinations at TripAdvisor talked about online reputation and online marketing. Two things to remember about his talk are"the online medium has profoundly altered the marketing landscape" and "the marketing tune may have changed but the human brain remains the same." You don't need to change your whole marcom to accommodate the new tools of Web 2.0 into your business and remember to take care of what you do best so that potential reviewers out there don't give you a bad comment. Cheers,

Jaime

Unleashing creativity and innovation - a great presentation by Jeremy Gutsche, the Trendhunter

Judging from comments heard after Jeremy Gutsche's presentation, his has been the best yet. Jeremy has a very engaging presentation style (similar but not as dynamic as Lessig's) and a briliant grasp of his content. In a nutshell, he gave us a great talk on risk taking (reward failure for it may lead to innovation), creativity, and trendhunting. One of his first statements was "Culture eats Strategy for Lunch," a phrase that is important to remember and refers to how people and organizations get so set in their ways (their culture) that they stifle innovation and miss opportunities that may come their way. Jeremy reminded us of the concept of wei-ji which means that every crisis comes with opportunity. He quickly walked us through the ingredients that can lead to innovation and ultimately great marketing as well. Failure, Customer Obsession, Creativity and Story Obsession. When you're telling your story to the consumer make it simple, direct and super charged. He illustrated his talk with several examples like the $5,000 hamburger in Las Vegas. He said, that if you wanted to create buzz around this story, instead of saying "the most expensive hamburger in the world," you should say "the $5,000 hamburger." One can see how the reaction is much stronger with the latter statement. Jeremy is the CEO of Trendunter

Happy hunting,

Jaime

Excellent After Party sponsored by Yahoo at the Coast Resto in Vancouver

Good drinks, Fabulous spread and the cool factor were present at the Canada-e-Connect after awards Party sponsored by Yahoo! And congratulations to Neill of Nahanni River Adventures for winning Best of Show for their site Nahanni.com Attendees partied the night away. I had to leave early so I can't say what developed in the wee hours. Judging by attendance at the breakfast session this morning, I'm sure some delegates had a lot of fun last night.

Cheers,

Jaime

Canadian DMO Strategists - Challenges and Opportunities

A panel of eStrategists from the three levels of DMO's in Canada discussed the challenges and opportunities they see going forward vis a vis the new ways of communicating with potential visitors around the globe, whether it's websites, blogs or social media. Jens Thraenhart of the CTC, Aaron Nissen of Travel Alberta and Carmen Ciotola of Tourisme Montreal offered their perspectives and talked about the challenges they face to take advantage of the myriad of tools available out there on the Web in all its forms. I will only say here that very exciting things are developing here that we should see coming online (no pun intended) in the next several months, particularly the Blogging Platform the CTC has been developing for some time now. This platform will go a long way to spread content about Canada world wide (in different languages). This ties in quite nicely with Steve Wright's DDB Radar presentation yesterday. The overall the hope is for Canada to become a world leader in eTourism going forward in order to strengthen the tourism industry (i.e. increase visitations) for the benefit of all tourism businesses in this country. Of course, it remains to be seen how all of this will play out givent the fact that Canada is not the only country going after the same travelers and not the only industry taking advantage of techonological advances in this area.

Cheers,


Jaime

Geoffrey Lipman of the World Tourism Organization on eTourism and the challenge of climate Change

Geoffrey Lipman is the Assistant Secretary General of the UN World Tourism Organization. He addressed the Canada-e-Connect delegates to talk about eTourism and, most importantly, about the challenge of global warming and climate change as it affects the industry worldwide. His main message was that the industry is at the table (most notably with its participation in the Davos Declaration) of discussions at the global level and that all must get involved to mitigate our environmental impact going forward. I don't need to belabor the point hear, we all know how important this issue is and what measures are being taken from local to regional to global levels. Suffice it to say that in everything we do as an industry we must think about our eco print as we go forward because consumers will demand it.

Jaime

First Ever Canada-e-Connect Conference in full Swing

The first ever conference about Web Strategy for Tourism in Canada is well underway in Vancouver. I must say that so far I am very impressed about how jens Thraenhart and his team have been able to put this together in a short period of time. Congrats to him and Trevor and Mimi and the entire team. There is a terrific line up of speakers and great opportunities to network in the Tourism 2.0 space. One thing I am very pleased with is that their is a hipness to the whole thing. The hall where the conference is taking place gives a feeling of "cool," something our tourism promotion is sometimes lacking. Anthony Williams presentations on Wikinomics was very well received and the two first panels on the Evolution of Distribution and the Evolution of Advertising (Marketing) have been very thought provoking.

Cheers.

Jaime

PS I also got to meet Miss Canada, go figure!

It's a Wrap for the 2007 TIAC Tourism Leadership Summit - Keep Exploring

What kind of Explorer are you. When you travel do you like to immerse yourself in the culture? Do you need to be pampered? Do you like the best of the best in hotels, restaurants and shops? Do you like to explore on your own or do you prefer to travel in tours with guides?

TIAC's 2007 Tourism Leadership Summit ended with the Canadian Tourism Commission's public meeting and update focusing on ground breaking research that will allow the industry to better know and better target our visitors. Named the “Explorer Quotient,” (EQ), this already award winning research uses a brief questionnaire of 25 questions to ascertain what kind of traveler one might be. And even though there are many different types, the CTC is focusing on those travelers that can yield the most benefit to Canada, those travelers that will spend more time and money when they visit our country. The EQ tool has been tested successfully by Parks Canada and in a few months it will be ready for the CTC's partners to access. It turns out I am a Free Spirit, one of the traveler types that the CTC will target along with the Authentic Experiencers and the Cultural Exlplorers. In addition to the EQ presentation the CTC presented an update on the strategy to leverage the 2010 Winter Games in order to maximize this opportunity for Canadian tourism going forward until 2012. To learn more about this new tool visit the CTC's Corporate website.

(Next year's Leadership Summit will be in Gatineau Quebec at the Hilton Lac Leamy)

Cheers,

Jaime

What Are Canada's Greatest Opportunities for Tourism? One of various Soapbox sessions

The good news is that TIAC opened the floor for members to have a voice in important issues in Canadian Tourism. The bad news is that these sessions were very poorly attended and very few delegates registered to speak. I, of course, being a small business person took advantage of the opportunity and spoke for the five minutes I was allotted. I basically spoke about what I have written in this blog in the past regarding Hispanic markets. In my opinion, one of Canada's greatest opportunities for tourism is in the Hispanic markets of Mexico, Spain and the United States. Together these three markets have a GDP larger than China's at alomost $3 trillion plus their proximity to Canada and the fact that citizens from these markets do not need tourist visas to vacation here makes them very attractive. Furthermore, Canada is new and fresh in these markets. There is a lot of room to promote all kinds of Canadian destinations and activities that these consumers don't know about. See other posts under the Mexican and Hispanic inbound markets to learn more about this subject (or visit CactusRock.com).

Saludos,

Jaime

http://www.cactusrock.com/

Jeffrey Simpson on Climate Change at the TIAC Conference

The very eloquent Jeffrey Simpson, columnist for the Globe and Mail, gave a very interesting and almost scientific talk about climate change and its challenges and consequences if Canada does not act on this. He also spoke about the challenges facing Canadian Tourism from the high loonie to the passport issues to America's political environment. He did mention, what he called "the Hillary Factor" in terms of Senator Clinton and her husband's knowledge about Canada and that if she were to be elected President of the United States, then maybe (but not for sure) Canada might have a more receptive ear in the White House going forward.

Cheers,

Jaime

Are you aware that you could be lobbying the government and not even know it. Careful.

Guy Giorno of the firm Fasken, Martineau, DuMoulin LLP gave a talk at the TIAC Leadership summit on the subject of lobbying, an important topic, given the legislative activity in this area in recent times. It is important to be aware of lobbying laws and regulations because one may find oneself enmeshed in legal problems if you don't know when you or your employees need to be registered as lobbyists. At the Federal level, breaking lobbying laws can result in very stiff fines and even prison. However, it was clear that the stiffest penalties are for really egregious cases. In general a bigger risk is the harm to a reputation that may take place as a result of prosecution under these laws. Basically, lobbying is paid communication with a public office holder to influence a government decision. But you don't need to be a paid lobbying consultant to qualify as a lobbyist. If in the course of your business you communicate with the government for the purpsoses of influencing changes to the law, you may be considered a lobbyist (the rule, Mr. Giorno said, is that if 20% of a person's time is spend in this type of communication with the government, then it is considered lobbying). I cannot cover all the presentation on this post, so if you are interested in further learning about it, I suggest you contact TIAC.

Jaime

American Trends important to know - Daniel Levine at TIAC's Leadership Summit

Daniel Levine, a respected trend watcher and consultant in the US gave an engaging and informative talk about trends in America that are important for marketers to know in order to take advantage of them. These trends are:

1. Personalization: consumers want more and more customization. Individualism is growing.
2. Targeted Segmentation: this refers to niche marketing, going after specific segments of the American population and designing goods and services specifically for them. For example, there is growing activity in the area of goods and services for women and also for the second half of the Baby Boom generation that is being called the Joneses
3. The democratization of information: this is a major American Cultural Trend. This is the citizen, the consumer taking control - mostly by using the Internet and Web 2.0 platforms like Facebook, The Consumerist, TripAdvisor and others where consumers can and will comaprison shop, praise or criticize goods, services or politicians.
4. Social Networking 2.5. This one refers to a trend of moving the Web social community from a virtual world to the real physical world. For example websites that connect people to each other who may be travelling on the same flight and facilitating their getting to meet each other. Airlines are using this to facilitate networking among business people travelling to Asia, for example.
5. Life Story Labeling: this refers to making products interactive in a way and telling their story to the consumer. Americans, more and more, want to know where their products come from and how are they made, mostly to know if these products or services are environmentally responsible or are not made with child labour or similar concerns.

Cheers,

Jaime

First in a series of very quick updates from the Tourism Leadership Conference 2007

About the CEO Blue Ribbon panel. TIAC convened a group of Canadian CEO's to talk about Canada's competitiveness in tourism and to try and get these executives more involved in the industry. Organized and led by Doug Fyfe, the panel's discussions provided some food for thought and hopefully action going forward.
About the loonie: the CEO's don't think the dollar will go down any time soon, so, for the time being this is our reality (today the dollar reached $1.08 and climbing)
The panel focused in the areas of Animation (what makes people come to Canada), Accommodations, Labour - the industry needs to look at the successful businesses in the space and find out why are they successful (what's working, what's not). For those businesses facing challenges, what are the issues.
There was a sense that perhaps promotional efforts should focus on higher yield/higher spend visitors (the border traffic is not coming back any time soon) - i.e. longer haul multiple night stay visitors.
Labour - as we all know - shortages are becoming critical and more efforts must be made in this area to satisfy the needs of the industry (and be extension our visitors) going forward.

TIAC's Tourism Leadership Summit begins in Victoria. Red, White & Blue Renewing American travel to Canada and other challenges and opportunities

With the Tourism Industry Association of Canada's Annual General Meeting and a speech by the Secretary of State for Tourism, Ms. Diane Ablonczy (wherein she announced a $26 million investment in tourism marketing to help the CTC leverage the 2010 Games to further promote Canada abroad) this year's Tourism Leadership Summit has begun.

The AGM began in earnest with good humour and great intentions. The venue this year is fantastic, the Fairmont Empress Hotel and Victoria's Conference Centre. Among the issues that will be discussed in the next couple of days are, of course the issue of the decline of American visitations since 1999, issues related to human resources (or lack thereof), i.e. recruiting and retaining qualified personnel, sustainable tourism (impact and challenges vis a vis global warming and climate change) and as Ken Lambert, Chairperson of the Board, mentioned Canada's competitive place in the global tourism arena.

Many of us are well aware of the challenges facing the industry (particularly at the SME level) and I hope to hear productive discussion as to what the industry as a whole can do to improve. Mr. Lambert was very emphatic about the issue of competitiveness and I agree with him completely. We cannot only deal with the challenges at hand, but we must look at the future and Canada's place in tourism at the global level. Ken pointed to the millions of people in our hemisphere that are joining the middle class ranks in the next 8 years, who will be willing and able to travel beyond their borders for a vacation. In addition to India, he emphasized Mexico and Brazil as growing opportunities (I myself add Spain to that mix, a country that already has a strong and well off middle class).

Finally, Randy Williams, TIAC's CEO gave us an update of what the association has been doing and accomplishing in the last year, particularly the achievements in the area of the WHTI and the GST rebate. He also mentioned important news regarding TIAC's sharing of resources in Ottawa with other important tourism related organizations that will allow all to create synergies for the benefit of the whole industry.

Stay tuned, more posts coming tomorrow.

Cheers,

Jaime

PS I want to welcome Ron Taylor as a new contributor to this blog - thanks Ron

Will TIAC Reach Out to smaller tourism operators during Tourism Week in 2008?

During the 2007 Tourism Week (last June) TIAC published a supplement in the Globe and Mail that tried to support the Business of Tourism in Canada and failed. A large ¼ page add was placed on behalf of the border Duty Free Stores on the front page of the supplement with a message that Canadians should travel south and save. The major focus of the supplement was heavy on the efforts surrounding the passport issue (a good cause but overdone).

The supplement also had advertisements that were promoting travel in Canada, and ended up as a bit of fish and a bit of fowl, neither a good promotional piece, nor a good advocacy effort. It confused more than educated. I encourage TIAC to rethink their promotion of Tourism Week to reflect more on what there is to see and do in Canada, and encourage Canadians to see Canada first as well as support smaller Tourism businesses and operators in their local communities.

The TIAC website states that “Tourism week provides a focal point for activities organized by provincial and territorial tourism industry associations, provincial and territorial marketing organizations, destination marketing organizations, individual businesses and other partners”.

Lets make some changes and TIAC may attract more grass roots tourism businesses and operators to join the association.

Back in Beautiful British Columbia visiting family before the TIAC Leadership Conference and the Canada-e-Connect gathering.

Happy to be back in BC to attend the TIAC Leadership Conference in Victoria and the Canada-e-Connect event in Vancouver. But first, I get a chance to visit with my sister and my Mom. So today will be a nice and relaxed Saturday in Vancouver and surroundings. Tomorrow I fly to Victoria for TIAC's conference. I will try to blog the most interesting parts of the conference, so check back starting Monday for my reports. Then on Wednesday I come back to Vancouver to attend the first ever Canada-e-Connect, an eTourism strategy conference that has created some buzz, not only in Canada, but in other parts of the world, particularly Europe. I will also blog my impressions as much as possible.Cheers,

Jaime

http://www.cactusrock.com/

Have you or your Webmaster mashed up your website? Or perhaps you are Wikiing with your peers?

Web 2.0, Tourism 2.0, Wikiing, Mashups - where does it end? Well, it ends where you want it to end. You could find something new on the Web every day. It appears as if every day someone comes up with something new that promises to increase your traffic, make your site more sticky or give your customers more control over your brand. Just don't forget your core business and, more importantly, how it's used or consumed by customers. And, while it may be convenient and professional to think of our customers as customers or guests or clients or travelers or tourists, it may be helpful to think of them as people and really try to put yourself in their shoes (or hire a mystery guest/customer you can trust). In my recent trip to Quebec City (see below) I had two not very friendly experiences with cabbies when I was by myself and another one when I was with my wife. Fortunately, we also had one very good experience with another cabbie so all was not lost in that arena (but how can destinations make sure cabs and cabbies are presentable and welcoming for tourists?) Some time ago, the now defunct TV show Venture had the great idea of inviting CEO's to go to the floor and do jobs "on the ground," so to speak. I remember watching the then (don't know if he's still is) CEO of Delta Hotels, who went through the experience and as a result made important changes in his organization for the benefit of his employees and his guests. The Web can be a very powerful tool for your business and your destination, but no website will ever serve you a wonderful capuccino (a real one) or cover you at night at your hotel when all you want to do is have a good warm sleep. As for Mashups and Wikis, check out these two sites for ideas: Wikispaces and Google Mania Maps

Cheers,

Jaime

Quebec City, a Canadian "must see" any time.

Enjoying a rainy, overcast day in Quebec City. After two days of perfect blue skies-sunny weather, I am having a relaxed, elegant, and romantic Saturday with my wife in this jewel of a city. Staying at the famous Fairmont Chateau Frontenac makes it all that much better, of course, even with some renovations and archaelogical digs outside the hotel (although there doesn't seem to be any work going on on Saturdays).

Las night I had a drink with Pierre Labrie, the indefatigable General Manager of Quebec City and Region Tourism. We had a very pleasant conversation about Quebec and Hispanic inbound markets. He also recommended some great restaurants for my wife and I to try. Restaurants in and around the old walled city are fantastic. On this trip we had the opportunity to have dinner at Laurie Raphael, probably one of the best cities in the entire province (and I would say, in Canada). Unfortunately, the restaurant Pierre recommended (Le Continental, Le Conti) was full last night so we walked a few steps farther (on Rue St Louis) and had dinner at Au Parmesan, an italian eatery that has been in business for over 30 years. And it was fabulous. The decor is a bit kitschy, but the food was very good and the ambience even better. I got Sergio, the accordion player to play Amapola, a favourite of mine and my wife's. He also played various Italian, Argentinian anf French favourites. We loved the place.

We've had two straight sunny days, but today it's overcast and rainy. So after a wonderful breakfast in the Café Terrace, we took a cab and went to the Musée National des Beaux-Arts du Quebec, where we had the opportunity to appreciate several Picassos visiting the museum as well as the Riopelles. Now we're takinga break (I'm blogging, my wife is taking a nap) and later we'll visit the Rue St Joseph area to do some window shopping and perhaps have dinner at one of the restaurants in the area.

Cheers,

Jaime

www.quebecenespanol.com

www.demexicoaquebec.com

Visiting Quebec City - a conversation with Luzana R from Global International Tourisme

Paid a visit to the wonderful and ever friendly Luzana Rada (no picture - she's camera shy) from Global International Tourisme in Quebec City. Global is an important receptive tour operator serving Hispanic markets, particularly Mexico and Spain. We had a very pleasant conversation about where the markets may be going, how the high Canadian dollar may affect it or not and what the future may hold. Global specializes in groups and has been doing brisk business with Mexico this year. Spain is coming up strong and from what I gathered may continue to grow in the coming months. Abiega Operadora de Viajes S.A., from Mexico City, (see www.demexicoacanada.ca, www.demexicoaquebec.com ) is one of the Mexican Tour operators that works with Luzana and Global to bring Mexican tourists to Mexico. Susana Morales, a former CTC rep in Mexico, who is now in charge of Canadian product at Abiega has nothing but praise for Luzana and Global. Congrats Luzana and keep up the great work bringing Hispanic visitors to Canada.

Saludos,

Jaime

US visits down 4.2% in August - Mexico up 17.9% - Spain up 18.8%

Compared to August of last year visits to Canada from the United States were down 4.2% as the high dollar and other issues continue to erode our biggest market (visits by air were down just 1.3% , but being August we hoped the numbers would be at least flat).

Mexico continues its meteoric rise as an important market for Canadian tourism with an increase of 17.9% in visitors from that country compared to August last year.

But the star in August was Spain with a whopping 18.8% increase.

(source: Statcan -International Travel Advance Information)

More to come about Hispanic markets very soon.

Saludos,

Jaime

The Speech from the Throne - a New Direction or New Elections?

First, at the outset, let me say that here in Canada we have the most elegant, the most beautiful, the most poised and the most fashionable Governor General ever, here or anywhere. Truly, Her Excellency the Right Honourable Michaëlle Jean looked just radiant during the Speech From the Throne, and her delivery in both French and English was clear and objective.

As for the Speech - well, I am still thinking about it. If I recall correctly Tourism was mentioned (once, but it was mentioned): "Our Government will stand up for Canada’s traditional industries. Key sectors including forestry, fisheries, manufacturing and tourism are facing challenges. Our Government has taken action to support workers as these industries adjust to global conditions and will continue to do so in the next session." What this will mean for the industry in specifics remains to be seen. I don't think the government can do much to ameliorate the impact the high dollar will have in the coming months, but we'll see. As for the rest of the speech, I think there are some good things in there and some not so good. Clic here to download the full text in PDF.

Ciao,

Jaime

Fall is the Season to Remember. A Tribute to the Canadian Armed Forces.

The singer is my daughter Madison. We got this idea in the summer and shot in various places from Ucluelet to Ottawa. Obviously we would have wanted to include the Atlantic and the North, but we were on a tight budget (it's an amateur video after all).

Lest We Forget

For once Air Canada is making me Happy. Non-stop flights Toronto - Madrid starting June 2008

I was just reading the Tourism Exchange News (you can see the headlines on the left side of this blog), and was very pleasantly surprised that Air Canada is working on a direct flight from Toronto to Madrid and vice-versa (the picture on the left is actually from Sevilla and you can get there by taking the Ave high speed train from Madrid). This should help bring a lot more Spanish visitors to Canada, of course, provided that the airfares are competitive. I am really looking forward to seeing the Spanish inbound numbers grow. I am working on a strategy to expand my own business from Spanish online visitors and making new connections in the Tourism 2.0 space over there. "Subject to government approval, the service to Madrid will begin June 15,2008, with daily, non-stop flights between Toronto and Madrid using a Boeing 767-300. It will be the only non-stop service between Toronto and Madrid. Timed for convenient connections, AC836 will depart at 9:30 p.m. and arrive in Madrid at 10:55 a.m. local time. AC837 will depart Madrid at 12:30 p.m. and arrive in Toronto at 3:05 p.m. local time." I must admit as well that I am very excited to be able to fly directly to Madrid. Spain is one of my favourite destinations (after Canada, of course) to visit - I mean the food, the art, the culture, the people. Gracias Air Canada, esperemos que funcione.

Olé,

Jaime

www.canadaenespanol.ca

Premier McGuinty wins a second majority and starts his second term with a gift for Tourism.

Premier Dalton McGuinty cruised to what one may call a landslide victory in Ontario with a second majority government (the first time in 70 years that the provincial Liberals win a majority second term). Mr. McGuinty got back to work announcing today that starting February 2008 Ontarians will have a new statutory Holiday, called Family Day, every third Monday of that month. This is great for Ontario families and a good gift for Ontario's tourism. Skiing anyone? How about a long weekend of R&R and spa treatments? A visit to Toronto to attend a play or a symphony? Or Niagara in winter? I'm already planning and looking forward to my February long weekend. Thanks Premier, keep up the good work.

Jaime

www.ontarioenespanol.ca

Data, Data, Data - what to do with all of it - Ontario Tourism Marketing Summit

Today was a day chock full of data at the Ontario Tourism Marketing Summit. Several presentations dealt with the market segmentation, target markets, who (mostly in the US) may be interested in visiting Ontario. But, for my money, the award for best and most educational presentation of the day goes to Rod Harris, President & CEO of Tourism British Columbia. His presentation was a primer on marketing applied to a tourism destination. One of his main points (also a recurring theme of the Summit) is that currently there's been a shift of power from producers to consumers. Not necessarily news. However, the way his organization is approaching the challenges of marketing BC to consumers is very interesting. In the past, DMO's would use lures (some still are), such as brochures, inserts, mass media, etc. to attract visitors. Destination marketing has been moving away from these kinds of lures and 1800 services to a Web enabled, Web 2.0 model that is still developing. In the case of BC, Rod explain to us how their strategy looks on a curve, he called Attrition Curve that goes from generating awareness of the destination with consumers, through consideration, intent, purchase and the thre R's (relive, recommend, revisit). From a tactical point of view this is achieved by using current tools (most Web based) from Social Networks, SEO/SEM, User Generated Content (UGC) all the way to consumer blogs, not forgetting that it is also necessary to use more conventional campaigns as well as continuing to work with the trade.

The other very interesting and quite entertaining presentation was given by Don Tapscott, co-author of Wikinomics, which also focused on the changes ocurring in the value chains of products and services, i.e., the Wikiing of the economy something that is coming out of the convergence of Web 2.0, the Net Generation (youth), the Social Revolution and the Economic Revolution. Wikiing, as I call it, refers to the power of mass collaboration and self orginization that is taking place because of the Web's capabilities and people and companies taking advantage of it.

Ciao from Ottawa,

Jaime

The Summit - Ontario's Tourism Marketing conference

I'm in Ottawa attending the Ontario Tourism Marketing Summit, an opportunity to learn what's going on in the industry and what are the plans for the industry going forward. After a wonderful introduction by the very enthusiastic Bill Duron, the presentations began in earnest. Robin Garrett, President and CEO of the OTMPC, gave a good overview of what's happened in the recent past focusing on the success of the "There's No PLace Like This," campaign that focused on the domestic Ontario market. She also spoke about market segmentation and the three types of travellers Ontario wants to go after: Upscale travellers, families and Silver Streaks and Young Go Go's, each with its own distinct characteristics and challenges. In addition she spoke of opportunities going forward in 2008-2009, namely more international marketing, more ehnic marketing and increased use of Web and Web 2.0 tools.

Adding to Robin's presentation, Michelle McKenzie spoke of the CTC's efforts, recent research and plans in the future. One of her main points was to find more ways to leverage the Canada brand (Keep Exploring) and work in synch with the provinces' efforts in order to speak with one voice in international markets. She also spoke of the traveller segments identified by the CTC as the most beneficial to the industry, such as adventurers seeking authentic nature experiences and high end travellers who want the best of the best.

Richard Pound a guest keynote speaker and famous Olympic Movement power broker spoke very eloquently about the power (and need) for partnerships (the theme of the Summit).

More to come. Cheers,
Jaime
(beautiful day in Ottawa - great jog by the Rideau Canal)

Multilingual or Multicultural

Tourism is a global activity. With few exceptions everyone in the world travels. International arrivals are a fact of life and for many countries, foreign visitors’ expenditures constitute their number one revenue stream. In today’s interconnected world one can communicate with thousands if not millions of people in far away lands via the Internet. Many DMO websites contain information in various languages. But is this content just a translation or is it culturally relevant?

Marketing internationally requires cultural sensitivity. There are many examples of faux pas committed by marketers targeting foreign customers. A famous one in the auto industry is the legend of the Chevy Nova. Nova in Spanish means “it doesn’t go,” so when it was marketed in Latin America as the Chevy Nova it became a joke. You also need to remember one of marketing’s most important lessons: know your customer.

If you have or will have content in a foreign language on your marketing materials, be it off or online, make sure it’s reviewed by people who understand the target culture very well. While Spaniards may be attracted to wide open spaces and activities like rafting and heli-skiing, Mexicans may not. So don’t waste valuable resources marketing something your target market is not interested in. While Japanese may be love Anne of Green Gables, Argentinians may not have even heard of this famous Canadian character. Germans may want to spend a few days in a First Nations reserve, but Peruvians probably may not. Language translation is not enough for effective marketing. Get to know your prospective guests and market to them in their culture, not just their language. Also remember that within any country there are many consumer segments, just as there are in yours, and market accordingly.

Cheers,
Jaime

Relevance, Relevance, Relevance

So you are planning to launch a blog for your tourism business or destination. Or perhaps you are looking at producing podcasts for your destination. Lately, you have been reading and hearing about Web 2.0 (or even 3.0), Wikinomics, Facebook, Flickr and a myriad new and not so new web services that some claim you must use if you want to remain competitive in today’s global tourism marketplace.

Relax. You may not need to do anything beyond your see and read static or semi-static website. Before you even consider more Web related expenses go back to your business plan and your overall strategy in order to decide if the new web vehicles are for you. Remember your target market. If your customers are mostly busy adults and 50+ semi-retired people, they may not be interested in Social Media whatsoever or may not use it often enough to justify an investment

If you decide that these tools can be of great help to achieve your business objectives, then go ahead. But remember that the key success factor on the Internet is relevance. If you launch a blog, make sure the blog is relevant to your potential users. Make sure they know where to find it and make absolutely sure that the blog is maintained and updated as often as it makes sense. If you accept comments from your blog visitors (always a good idea to hear from your customers and potential guests) make sure comments are authorized before posting because you want to guard against spammers and you don’t want untoward or offensive material on the blog.

Social Media. Can you make use of it? Of course you can, but it’s also a two way street. If you wanted to form a Facebook group (or similar online community like your own Ning) about your attraction or destination wherein you would invite guests and potential guests to join, first make sure that this is something they would be interested in. If they were interested, a Facebook group could be very beneficial to your organization (be it a hotel, attraction or destination). Your Facebook group friends could provide valuable guest insight and become great promoters of your business. The difference between this approach and Tripadvisor, for example, is that you would be able to control who belongs to the group thereby preventing negative content that can hurt you (though disgruntled guests might still post negative reviews on Tripadvisor).

Jaime

Social Media and SEO are no substitute for Advertising and PR

How do people find out about your destination or tourism business? How did your guests come to your particular hotel or B&B? How did your customers learn about your attraction? Was it through your website? Through a brochure? Or through a relationship with a tour operator/travel agent? Did your guest searched on the Internet for your destination? And if so, how did they know what to search for in the first place?

The more specific you can be about answering these questions the more you will be able to compete in the crowded global tourism market. When it comes to basics the fact is potential customers will never come to you if they don’t know you exist in the first place. While website optimization and Social Media initiatives are becoming increasingly important for tourism destinations and businesses, advertising and PR are still the best way to get known. It may be online advertising, but it is still (paid) advertising.

Search engine optimization and incursions into social media are no substitutes for advertising. Online advertising investment in the US in recent years has been growing substantially but it is still only about 6.5% of ad expenditures (TV and Print account for over 80% - source: TNS). Online advertising grew 17% from 2005 to 2006, by far the largest increase in the ad world (followed by Spanish TV and Spanish Press advertising with 13.9% and 8.5% respectively). As convergence continues to happen (the combination of video, print and interactive content delivered via many devices) it will be harder to separate the media, but what is clear is that the market still believes in advertising.

In order to first inform the consumer that something or somewhere exists, organizations need to advertise. Furthermore, good advertising may still be the best way to brand a product or service. You can optimize your website for search engines all you want, but if people are not searching for your product or destination, they will never come across it. For example, say you want to promote your destination in Spain because you’ve heard that it’s an up and coming market and Spaniards have a high standard of living and are affluent enough to travel to Canada. But other than Canada as a peaceful country, most Spaniards don’t know much about it as a tourism destination and it’s not in most peoples’ radars. You just launched a blog about your destination in Spanish and you found someone who can keep it going in that language. The problem is Spaniards are not searching for blogs in Spanish about Canada. How can you get them to visit the blog? Advertising. Blogs, Social Media and Search engines are great when people participate, but for them to do this they have to be interested in the topic (i.e. the destination) and if they don’t know anything about you or even that you exist, how will they?

Jaime

Mexico once again one of the strongest of all inbound markets but there are clouds on the horizon.

Mexico was up 10.1% in July compared to the same month last year and up 16.7% for the Jan to July period. July is the busiest and most expensive month for travel from Mexico to Canada. The numbers may be approaching air capacity at more than 1,500 visitors per day (47,323 for the month) and may stabilize around this number unless more lift is added in coming years. For the first time ever Canada received over 150,000 Mexican visitors during the first half of the year (according to CTC data Mexicans spend on average $1,420 per trip – in my experience many spend a lot more than that).

Good numbers notwithstanding, it is now more important than ever to continue developing this market. Canada must position itself as a “must visit” destination in the minds of Mexican consumers, for two very important reasons:

1) the continued strength of the Canadian dollar vis a vis the US greenback may start to affect travel from Mexico to Canada. In the past two years some packages from Mexico to Canada have gone up almost 40% in price. Some packages are up almost 20% from last year (packages from Mexico to Canada are priced in US dollars even though the consumer can pay the equivalent in pesos). While price elasticity is quite good among affluent Mexicans, higher prices and a higher Canadian dollar may encourage them to look at their opportunity costs, e.g. Where else can we go for this amount of money?

2) more threatening than a high Canadian dollar is the possibility that the Canadian government may impose visa restrictions on Mexican visitors. If you read the Globe and Mail you may have seen several articles in recent weeks commenting on the fact that Mexicans are now the number one nationality seeking refugee status in Canada. While the overwhelming majority of these claims are bogus, the fact is that the numbers are beginning to get the attention of the media and the government. Not too long ago Costa Rica was slapped with visa requirements after the numbers of Costa Rican visitors overstaying their welcome in Canada became an issue. A visa requirement for Mexican visitors could result in a dramatic reduction in tourists that could take a few years to overcome. It is unfortunate that the unethical behaviour of the few can make things very difficult for the many. Mais, c'est la vie n'est pas?

What can be done about these clouds on the horizon? Regarding the Canadian dollar I would suggest that suppliers and tour operators take their sharp pencils out and price their offerings as competitively as possible. Regarding visas I think we, as an industry, should be proactive and try and prevent the visa restriction from happening. One thing the Canadian government could do is amend the Safe Third Country Agreement with the United States so that Mexicans cannot ask for refugee status at the border (under the agreement nationals from countries for which Canada does not require visas are exempted from the Safe Third Country Agreement).

I am thinking of writing a letter to government officials regarding this issue. A few years ago when Canada imposed visas on Costa Ricans, I spoke to an official at the Ministry of Citizenship and Immigration to inquire about whether Mexico might also get a visa restriction. Government being government, I did not get a straight answer other than that all exempted countries are monitored on an ongoing basis, but at that time things look good with Mexico. But that was before the Safe Third Country deal and before Mexicans became the #1 refugee claimants. In my letter I plan to suggest that if Mexico is to get visa restrictions it may be helpful to work on a deal whereby Mexicans who have US visitor visas can be exempted from the Canadian visa (over 9 million Mexicans have US visitor visas). If that is not possible (probably not politically correct) then perhaps the visa restriction can be delayed in order to figure out the fastest and most efficient way for Mexicans to get one and to give time to the tourism industry to adjust and prepare for the initial shock.

Finally, I reiterate the importance of marketing in all its forms to continue to position Canada as a must visit destination all year round.

If you have any ideas or suggestions about this issue please leave a comment.

Saludos,

Jaime