2015 Marketing Plan and Partnership Opportunities · promotional opportunities. The Manitoba, Canada’s Heart... Beats brand will be the foundation for all marketing and communications

2015 Marketing Plan and Partnership Opportunities

2 2015 MARKETING PLAN & PARTNERSHIP OPPORTUNITIES

32015 MARKETING PLAN & PARTNERSHIP OPPORTUNITIES

Table of Contents

Mission ........................................................................................................................4

Marketing Objectives .............................................................................................4

Message from the President & CEO ..................................................................5

Value of Canadian and International Visitation ............................................6

Key Factors Impacting Marketing of Manitoba’s Tourism Assets ...........7

Customer Segmentation – The Explorer Quotient® .....................................8

Aligning Partnerships with Manitoba’s Tourism Brand ..............................9

Marketing Strategy .............................................................................................. 10

Target Markets ....................................................................................................... 12

2015 Partnership Opportunities ..................................................................... 21


M I S S I O N

M A R K E T I N G O B J E C T I V E S

Grow tourism revenues by harnessing the collective investment in tourism to create strong connections between visitors and Manitoba’s unique experiences.

STRONG BRAND for Manitoba within Canada and internationally

Establish a

ALIGN tourism partners with the new brand

INVESTMENT in the 2015 Campaign by partnering with business and government

Increase

YIELD PER VISITOR by extending length of stay and increasing visitation from longer haul markets

IncreaseIncrease visitation to realize

$1.7 BILLION by 2017


In 2014, we revealed the new face of Manitoba tourism to the world. More than a year’s worth of research, development and testing was brought to life with the launch of our new brand: Manitoba, Canada’s Heart... Beats.

Our new brand embodies the Manitoba travel experience – our welcoming nature and our vibrant immersive experiences. Built on a deeper understanding of our target customers - Authentic Experiencers and Cultural Explorers – the brand provides Manitoba with a unique voice amidst our competitors. It also aligns us closely with the Canadian Tourism Commission enabling us to leverage their investments in international marketing and their well-known Canada, Keep Exploring brand.

Our 2015 marketing plan provides a wide variety of opportunities for the tourism industry to partner with Travel Manitoba in targeting consumers directly or through co-operative initiatives with media influencers and the travel trade. Alignment with the new Manitoba, Canada’s Heart ... Beats brand will be key to realizing growth in the tourism sector.

We encourage you to join us as we market Manitoba as a breathtaking destination in a way that is creative and forward-thinking.

Colin Ferguson President & CEO, Travel Manitoba

Message from the President and CEO


Value of Canadian and International VisitorsTravel Manitoba’s main focus is to attract non-resident Canadian and international visitors who stay longer and spend more, representing the largest growth opportunity for Manitoba. In 2012, non-resident visitors spent $595,600 on tourism services and activities such as transportation, lodging, entertainment, dining and shopping. These Canadian and international visitors generate a higher yield than resident travellers, spending at least three times more than Manitoba residents.

Travel Manitoba also recognizes the importance of the resident market which generates 61% of overall visitor spending.

This marketing plan includes partnership opportunities for industry to target Manitobans and international markets.

MANITOBA $922 Million

9,152,000 person visits $101 per person visit

Total Visitor Spending $1,517,628,000

Source: Statistics Canada – Travel Survey of Resident of Canada (TSRC) and International Travel Survey (ITS), Research Resolutions – 2012 Detailed Tabulations.

Total Visitation 10,602,000

OTHER CANADIAN PROVINCES $389.3 Million

994,000 person visits $392 per person visit

UNITED STATES $146.1 Million


OVERSEAS $60.2 Million


61% 86%26% 9%

4%9%

4% 1%


Key Factors Impacting the Marketing of Manitoba’s Tourism Assets

> Technology

Increasingly potential visitors are accessing information online, particularly through their mobile phones. To be successful, we must deliver compelling content and ensure Manitoba’s experiences are showcased through social networks, blogs and discussion forums.

> Traveller Expectations

New tourism destinations are competing more fiercely than ever for the same traveller who expects highly personalized experiences and exceptional customer service.

> Traveller Perceptions Canada is perceived to be expensive. This, combined with the high value of the Canadian dollar, will require special initiatives that promote the compelling value of Manitoba experiences. Manitoba also has to compete within Canada for traveller attention.

> Global Competition

Tourism is one of the fastest growing sectors in the global economy. Countries that previously attracted very few visitors are now aggressively competing for market share. Other Canadian jurisdictions such as Saskatchewan, Newfoundland and Labrador, and Nova Scotia, have significantly higher marketing budgets. Travel Manitoba is at a distinct competitive disadvantage.


Customer Segmentation – The Explorer Quotient®

In 2012, Travel Manitoba purchased the Canadian Tourism Commission’s (CTC) Explorer Quotient (EQ), an award winning segmentation tool that provides access to some of the most in-depth and insightful tourism research currently available. Developed in partnership with Environics Research, EQ is used by several tourism jurisdictions across Canada and it provides a comprehensive understanding of Manitoba’s highest potential customers. With EQ, we have access to sound research that drives marketing related decision-making, providing Manitoba with a stronger competitive advantage.

Travel Manitoba has identified “Authentic Experiencers” and “Cultural Explorers” as two of the nine potential traveller types that are most drawn to the tourism experiences that Manitoba has to offer. Operators will be better able to understand their customers, the types of experiences that they are after and the kind of messages that will resonate with them.

> Authentic Experiencers want the best of both worlds – to experience vast natural settings and to immerse themselves in the local culture. These travellers want to learn, they are spontaneous, independent and open-minded. Manitoba’s incredible natural settings and wildlife, as well as our rich culture, displayed through our festivals, cultural institutions and diverse communities really speak to these people. They want to paddle river rapids, hike through rugged backcountry, hunt and fish our world class product, swim with belugas, walk amongst polar bears, dig for 80,000,000 year old aquatic fossils and more.

> Cultural Explorers on the other hand, want to discover the entire experience of the culture, people and settings of the places they visit. They go off the beaten track to find out how people truly live. They want to attend our festivals, learn the culture, the language, share food and drink with the locals... and generally learn about the area from an historical perspective.

Detailed profiles for Authentic Experiencers and Cultural Explorers are available at: quiz.canada.travel/caen/traveller-types/ttAE quiz.canada.travel/caen/traveller-types/ttCE


Aligning Partnerships with Manitoba’s Tourism BrandPartnership and collaboration are critical to the health of the tourism industry. Travel Manitoba is able to extend the reach and impact of its marketing efforts by partnering with industry. The 2015 plan provides a marketing platform for Manitoba’s tourism industry that is over and above what the individual tourism operators could achieve on their own. We have created programs that generate economies of scale through subsidized advertising and promotional opportunities.

The Manitoba, Canada’s Heart... Beats brand will be the foundation for all marketing and communications related to promoting tourism in Manitoba in 2015. Travel Manitoba will provide leadership in ensuring messaging is consistent and defines what Manitoba is and how we are distinguished from the competition.

Use of the new brand by Manitoba’s Regional Tourism Associations and Destination Marketing Organizations, as well as by individual tourism operators, adds to our provincial brand equity and, at the same time, allows organizations to reap the benefits of its impact and provocative associations with life, warm welcomes, and compelling experiences.

One of the most important tactical principles in branding is the concept of alignment. In order to maximize the effectiveness of marketing and branding efforts, we have developed a brand toolkit that will enable tourism operators to align with the brand and differentiate the experiences they offer from those being sold in other parts of the world.

Travel Manitoba’s brand toolkit is available at: www.travelmanitoba.com/tourism-industry/About-Us/reports-and-publications/

BRAND MISSION: > Create differentiation by defining a distinctive voice that is genuinely Manitoba

> Attract attention by harnessing and leading with our most awe-inspiring assets

> Resonate with those most likely to be drawn to Manitoba by speaking directly to them


Marketing StrategyTravel Manitoba has adopted the Canadian Tourism Commission’s path to purchase model that outlines each stage of the consumer’s travel decision-making process. Our goal is to move target customers closer to booking Manitoba and extending their length of stay once they have selected Manitoba as their vacation destination.

Potential visitors are influenced by competing destinations throughout their vacation planning process. To be competitive, Travel Manitoba will deliver a multi-channel marketing approach that includes consumer direct tactics, public and media relations, and travel trade sales.

This marketing plan places emphasis on:

• Increasingbrandawarenessinhighyieldmarkets

• Increasingengagementinsocialmedia

• Sharingimmersiveandiconicexperienceswithtravelmediainfluencers and hosting media tours to generate editorial and broadcast coverage

• Buildingstrongrelationshipswiththetraveltradethroughjointmarketing agreements, familiarization trips, sales missions and marketplaces

• Leveragingnon-traditionalpartnershipstoextendthebrandmessage.

In North American markets, we will invest in consumer direct, media relations and travel trade sales to increase awareness of Manitoba’s brand.

Overseas, we will rely on the Canadian Tourism Commission to lead with a strong Canada brand to support our destination awareness and experience marketing programs. Our efforts in overseas markets will focus on building relationships with the travel trade and media. These are important channels to reach a high number of consumers regarding Manitoba as a vacation destination.

MULTI-CHANNEL STRATEGY: > Consumer Direct

> Media Relations

> Travel Trade

> Digital Marketing and Social Media


BOULDERS, ROCKS AND PEBBLES DEFINE THE CAMPAIGN STRUCTURE

The 2015 marketing strategy has a place for every tourism experience and element. The analogy of “Boulders, Rocks and Pebbles” is used to categorize Manitoba’s extensive inventory of tourism assets and describe the marketing approach for each.

• Boulders are the iconic themes and experiences that are most likely to capture the attention of visitors from other countries. The Boulders of the 2015 marketing campaign will be:

> Northern Arctic safari (fall)

> Northern Arctic safari (summer)

> Winnipeg as a cultural oasis

> Fly-in fishing

> The Canadian Museum for Human Rights

• Rocks are the don’t-miss, interest-based immersive experiences that often draw visitors from elsewhere in Canada.

• Pebbles are the many singular experiences that enrich the traveller ’s journey. These details are often considered later in the trip-planning process, but may be the reason why the visitor decides to stay longer and return again.

In 2015, boulders will be the focus of high profile, brand awareness promotions including television commercials, in-flight advertising, and national print ads.

All three categories will be promoted through Travel Manitoba’s printed guides, website, online promotions and Winnipeg Free Press programs.


Target Markets

CANADA UK

USA FRANCE

In 2015, Travel Manitoba will concentrate efforts on experiences and markets where Manitoba has a competitive advantage. Emphasis will be placed on markets with the highest concentration and volume of Authentic Experiencers and Cultural Explorers.

PRIMARY:Canada – Manitoba, Alberta, Northwest Ontario.

Marketing investment in the primary markets will focus on Manitoba and Alberta.

We will continue to partner with regional tourism associations and destination marketing organizations to market experiences to our residents. Manitobans travelling in Manitoba make up 61% of total tourism expenditures for our province and we are at risk of losing these tourists to the competition.


CHINA

GERMANY

SECONDARY:United States, Germany, United Kingdom

EMERGING:France, China

Travel Manitoba

20109

3

May 23, 2014

Metro Wrap

Calgary Metro

21” x 11.5” subtract masthead area @ 300 dpi

CMYK

none

May 26, 2014

TBD

TB


MARKET INSIGHTS

2012 MANITOBA STATISTICS: > $146.1 million in visitor expenditures

> 378,000 person visits

North America

CANADACanada is Manitoba’s largest market for visitation and tourism expenditures. Travel Manitoba will continue to have strong consumer focus within Manitoba and in Alberta and Ontario, supported by media relations, social media, travel trade and incentive travel activities.

Manitoban’s travelling within the province make up approximately 61% of tourism expenditures for Manitoba. Travel Manitoba’s campaign will inspire Manitobans to explore their own province and have new experiences. Our marketing efforts will continue to showcase iconic immersive experiences as well as little-known gems across the province.

Trends • Socialmedia’sprominenceinreachingthetravelmarket (e.g., Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter)

• Short-staytripsandminivacationsbecoming increasingly popular

• Interestintravellingforfishing/huntingandoutdoor adventure returning

What are they interested in?

Visiting iconic wonders

Wildlife viewing

Visiting national parks and heritage sites

Urban experiences

RV holidays

UNITED STATESThe United States is Manitoba’s largest international market with the highest growth potential of all international markets in the next three years. Economic conditions are stabilizing and consumer confidence is increasing. The lack of Canada brand marketing, the high cost of airfare relative to competitive destinations and the marketing efforts of Brand USA are challenges for Manitoba.

The neighbouring states of Minnesota and North Dakota as well as Wisconsin, Michigan, Ohio, Illinois and Indiana are key markets, particularly for the fishing and hunting sector. The states of California and New York have strong growth potential for outdoor adventure experiences.


> 10,096,000 person visits

Travellers from Canada and the United States include leisure, business and visiting friends and relatives. Travel Manitoba leverages all marketing channels to drive awareness of our province’s experiences and motivate customers down the path to purchase. Marketing efforts will focus on consumer advertising and social media as well as partnerships to build consumer awareness through tour operators and travel media.


United KingdomThe UK is the largest source of European travellers to Manitoba.

According to the Canadian Tourism Commission, an estimated 602,000 Brits will visit Canada in 2014, generating approximately $820 million in tourist receipts. Economic outlook for 2014 is positive thanks to rising GDP growth and declining unemployment. The pound has also appreciated almost 10% in 2014, making Canada a good deal for the over 4,500 extra UK visitors Canada has welcomed so far this year (June YTD).

UK travellers value unique and authentic travel experiences. While Canada offers these, the perception is that we still have work to do.

A 2014 product audit confirmed that 83 tour operators are currently offering Manitoba experiences and that there is significant capacity for growth with 153 tour operators carrying Canadian products.

Trends • “Getmeoutofhere”syndromeisontherise

• Experientialtravelisincreasing

• Cruise/rail/touringcombosareprovingpopular

• Value-addedmentalitywillcontinuetodrivesales


“ Seeing beautiful scenery” is the top product interest of UK travellers

Visiting iconic wonders

Wildlife viewing


Urban experiences

RV holidays

First PR is Travel Manitoba’s general sales agent in the United Kingdom. Marketing efforts in 2015 will focus on partnerships with the Canadian Tourism Commission and the travel trade to build consumer awareness of tour operator offerings. We will also strengthen relationships with media influencers to generate broadcast and editorial coverage of Manitoba.

MARKET INSIGHTS




GermanyGermany is the second largest source of European travellers to Manitoba.

According to the Canadian Tourism Commission, an estimated 283,000 Germans will visit Canada in 2014, generating approximately $430 million in tourist receipts. Germany is Canada’s fourth-largest market for overseas visitation. Unemployment remains the lowest in the Eurozone. The euro has continued to strengthen against the CAD in 2014, making Canada a more attractive destination, as evidenced by the 4% increase in arrivals so far this year (June YTD).

Among key competitors, Canada ranks second behind the US and is tied with Australia for awareness and top-of-mind consideration. German consumers also rank Canada and New Zealand as the best places among the key competitors for offering authentic and relevant travel experiences.

Recent product audits in the German market have indicated that approximately 31 tour operators are offering Manitoba experiences, mainly different kinds of polar bear packages, ranging from 4-5 days to 7-8 days. Fly-drives, lodges and soft adventure are important products for the German market.

Trends • GermanFacebookusersaregettingolderwhiletheyoungercrowds seem to be trickling away from the social networking standard to spend more time on other channels like YouTube and Instagram

• Demandishighforàlacartetourpackagesthatprovidetheflexibility for German consumers to build their own packages in real time

•EarlybookingsareincreasingwiththemajorityofGermantravellers booking more than four months in advance


Wildlife viewing


Visiting iconic national wonders

Urban experiences

Travel Manitoba has retained a general sales agent in Germany for the last 10 years. A new firm, Denkzauber, was hired in September 2014 to represent Manitoba.

Travel Manitoba’s marketing efforts in 2015 will focus on partnerships with the Canadian Tourism Commission and the travel trade to build consumer awareness of tour operator offerings. We will also strengthen relationships with media influencers to generate broadcast and editorial coverage of Manitoba.

MARKET INSIGHTS

2012 MANITOBA STATISTICS: > $2,646,000 in visitor expenditures



FranceFrance is an emerging market for Manitoba. In 2013, Travel Manitoba undertook an exploratory sales mission with industry partners. The mission resulted in significant interest in Manitoba experiences.

According to the Canadian Tourism Commission, an estimated 433,000 French tourists will visit Canada in 2014, generating approximately $550 million in tourist receipts. France is ranked as Canada’s second-largest source market for overseas visitation. Unemployment continues to rise in 2014 and is expected to remain high in 2015 on weak GDP and consumer spending growth, posing a challenging economic outlook for travel to Canada. The euro has appreciated against the Canadian dollar in 2014, which is a plus.

Trends • Despiteaweakeconomy,theFrenchwillnotsacrifice their annual family vacation

• CanadacontinuestobeadreamdestinationfortheFrench

• TouroperatorandonlinetravelagencybookingsforCanada continue to start earlier each year

• WintertraveltoCanadaisonthedecline

• NewtouroperatorsaresellingCanada

• Momentumisbuilding,withallpointsindicatingthat2014 should be a record year for French travel to Canada


Visiting parks to view nature or participate in an adventure experience

Visiting historical and cultural attractions

Wildlife viewing

Visiting iconic natural wonders

Visiting national parks and heritage sites.

In 2015, Travel Manitoba will focus efforts in France on partnerships with the Canadian Tourism Commission to build relationships with top travel trade and media influencers. We will lead a sales mission with industry partners in the Spring 2015.

2012 MANITOBA STATISTICS: > $2,400,000 in visitor expenditures

> 2, 000 person visits

Source: Canadian Tourism Commission

MARKET INSIGHTS


ChinaAccording to the Canadian Tourism Commission, China has become Canada’s third largest overseas market generating 334,000 visitors who spent $603 million. Overnight arrivals from China soared following the granting of Approved Destination Status to Canada in June 2010 with visits to Canada increasing 21% in 2010, 22% in 2011, 15% in 2012, and 22% in 2013. As a result, China has jumped from Canada’s sixth to third largest overseas inbound market.

4% of Chinese visitors to Canada stayed overnight in Manitoba from 2010 to 2012.

Trends • Risingincomes,currencyappreciation,agrowingeconomy, increasing international flights, relaxed visa restrictions and a desire to explore the world have created an unprecedented boom in outbound tourism

• AllcountrieswanttheChinesetourismdollar

• Independenttravelbyaffluentmiddle-classandluxury travellers aged 20 to 45 is the fastest-growing segment

• Onlinetravelagentsarechallengingtraditionaltravelagents

• Over80%ofChina’sinternetusersaccessitviamobiledevices


Wildlife viewing

Viewing northern lights

Visiting parks to view nature or to participate in an adventure experience

Seeing beautiful scenery

In 2015, Travel Manitoba will focus efforts on partnerships with the Canadian Tourism Commission to build relationships with top travel trade and media influencers.

MARKET INSIGHTS


Active Market Considerations - Long Haul Travellers

MARKET INSIGHTS

Potential Long Haul Travellers - Interest

in Canada

Potential Long Haul Travellers

(2 Yrs)

Immediate Potential -

Will Definitely/Very Likely Visit

Canada (within 2 Yrs)

Immediate Potential -

Will Definitely/ Very Likely Visit

Manitoba (within 2 Yrs)

All Long Haul Travellers

Trip Planning Duration

(mos.)Use Travel Agent (%) FIT (%)

Fully Guided or combined

(%)

Germany* 18.1 million 14.47 million 5.97 million 716,000 4.7 56 53 26

United Kingdom* 20.88 million 16.49 million 4.95 million 346,000 6.1 43 62 19

France** 15.3 million 13.6 million 5.81 million 581,000 4.8 45 54 24

United States - Border** 13.17 million 10.9 million 7 million

2.7 million 5.3 32 49 21United States - Mid** 22.5 million 18 million 9.9 million

United States - South** 45.3 million 34.4 million 16.7 million

*2012 Global Tourism Watch – CTC **2013 Global Tourism Watch – CTC



2015 PARTNERSHIP OPPORTUNITIES



Brand Awareness CampaignTravel Manitoba’s 2015 brand awareness campaign will include:

Television advertising in primary markets - Including airtime in highly rated programs and events such as the 2015 Grey Cup, FIFA soccer and Jets hockey games.

Television Advertising in Primary Markets • Airtimeinhighlyratedprogramsandeventssuchasthe2015GreyCup, FIFA soccer and Jets hockey games.

Air Canada • SinglepageadseverymonthinenRoute magazine and in-flight television every month.

• Twomulti-pageinserts,themedSummerandWinter,fordistribution in April and September.

Winnipeg Free Press

• Fullpagetravelads,twopagesperweek(doublepagespread)for21weeks, May 15 to September 5, and one page per month in shoulder seasons.

Publications • ProductionofoneVacationPlanner,distributedinManitoba,Calgary, Grand Forks, Fargo and Thunder Bay.

• ProductionoftheFishingandHuntingAdventuresGuide,distributed in select markets in Chicago, Minneapolis, Fargo and Grand Forks via daily newspapers, through All Canada shows in Chicago and Green Bay and to Master Anglers.

We value our industry partners and are striving to help maximize your marketing dollars. By working together we can have significant impact.

To help build on the continuing success of Travel Manitoba’s brand campaign we’ve created a menu of marketing opportunities that will encourage travellers to come visit you. Each one of these unique opportunities is outlined in the following pages.

2015 PARTNERSHIP OPPORTUNITIES


Canadian Geographic Travel Magazine

Travel Manitoba has partnered with Canadian Geographic on a major project for 2015: The May 2015 Travel issue will be devoted entirely to Manitoba, with content determined in a collaborative process between Travel Manitoba and Canadian Geographic teams, and focusing on Manitoba’s most unique and iconic experiences.

We are very excited about the opportunity this partnership provides to effectively target our two primary audiences – Authentic Experiencers and Cultural Explorers – through Canadian Geographics’s extensive reach. Readership is a direct match with these travellers’ types. In addition to distribution of the magazine to the entire subscriber base, there will be increased newsstand distribution in selected target markets and in Air Canada Maple Leaf lounges. Other elements of the partnership include online and social media promotion.

Reader Profile:

Canadian Geographicreachesaffluent,influential decision-makers, highly engaged with their communities and passionate about Canada and the world beyond.

Circulation: 170,000 Readership per magazine: 3,500,000

The Opportunity

Purchase a full or third page ad in the Manitoba issue of Canadian Geographic Travel Magazine.

Cost

Full page ads - $7,500 (10 opportunities available)

1/3pageads-$3,750(30opportunitiesavailable)

PRINT OPPORTUNITIES

Travel Manitoba continues to supplement its online efforts with print advertising.

Print advertising is an effective tactic to solidify your brand identity. Magazines and newspapers have a longer shelf life than online materials and specialty publications are an effective way to target niche audiences.

Photo Credit: Parks Canada


Winnipeg Free Press Travel Pages

Every Saturday from May through September, two full pages of editorial and ads will be highlighted in the Arts and Entertainment section of the Winnipeg Free Press. During the shoulder seasons one page of content will be highlighted per month.

Distribution

The Winnipeg Free Press serves Winnipeg and Manitoba with an average Monday-Saturday circulation of approximately 109,700 copies.

The Opportunity

Purchase the editorial to exclusively highlight your own content or a leaderboard ad on multiple pages.

Cost

Editorial Content - $6,000

Leaderboard - $750 (2 available per page)

In-flight Magazine Advertising

Two 12-page inserts will be included in Air Canada’s enRoutemagazine.AprilwillbethemedSpring/Summer andAugustwillbethemedFall/Winter.Togetherwithits Air Canada Express regional partners, Air Canada serves close to 35 million passengers annually and provides direct passenger service to more than 175 destinations on five continents.

Distribution

119,942 copies will be placed aboard Air Canada flights for each of the two months. The magazine has a monthly readership of more than 1,148,000 (9.6 readers per copy).

The Opportunity

Purchase an advertorial or an ad to get your message in front of this important demographic segment.

Cost

Full Page Advertorial - $7,000 (4 available per issue)

Half Page Advertorial - $3,500 (4 available per issue)

1/2PageAd-$3,000(4availableperissue)

1/3PageAd-$2,000(3availableperissue)


2015 Travel Manitoba Vacation Planner

Many consumers continue to seek printed travel information. Travel Manitoba’s vacation planner is a popular source for information about attractions and events, particularly for older visitors and those without mobile capabilities.

This year, Travel Manitoba will be creating and distributing one planner that will highlight Manitoba’s activities and events throughout the entire year.

Distribution

230,000 guides will be distributed in May in our primary domestic markets – Winnipeg, rural Manitoba, NW Ontario, Calgary and North Dakota.

The Opportunity

Purchase a full colour ad in the vacation planner.

Cost

Package - $600

1/6Page-$1,200

1/3Page-$2,300

1/2Page-$3,200

Full Page - $5,000

Inside Front Cover - $7,000

Outside Back Cover - $7,800

Print Advertising in Bathrooms at the Emerson Visitor Information Centre

Visitor Information Centre bathrooms are a common pit stop for road travellers. Travel Manitoba’s visitor information centre at the Emerson border is one of our most popular Centres due to its location. The Emerson Visitor Centre washrooms are open 24h/day,365days/yearandareusedfrequentlyby US travellers entering Canada.

The Opportunity

Advertise your message at the Visitor Centre at the Emerson boarder. Ads will be prominently displayed above urinals and in bathroom stalls.

> Size: 11”w x 17”h full colour > Men’sbathroom:4opportunities/block > Women’sbathroom:4opportunities/block

Cost

$300 for a 3 month block per advertisement

January – March

April – June

July – September

October – December



DIGITAL MARKETING AND SOCIAL MEDIA

Increasingly the consumer channel of choice is online. In 2015, Travel Manitoba will harness the power of digital marketing with websites, mobile, email, and social media that are integrated with traditional channels. We will continue to strengthen our online presence making it easier for customers to research their Manitoba vacation and differentiate Manitoba from competing destinations.

Travel Manitoba’s new website provides industry with a more dynamic online presence and leading-edge customer relations management software from Simpleview. New tools provide more opportunities for cross-promotion and allow users to create custom itineraries as they browse.

Industry members can actively manage data on the site by logging on to the Travel Manitoba Extranet. This new feature empowers the operator to provide more current and accurate information to prospective visitors.

The influence of social media is tremendous. It encourages potential consumers to purchase by leveraging the positive experiences of travellers to attract new visitors and fostering repeat visitation. According to the Canadian Tourism Commission, Canada is attracting a younger visitor whose primary source for visitor information will be social media.

Travel Manitoba will integrate social media with trade and consumer marketing in all target markets. As online social networks, blogs and discussion forums become increasingly a part of daily life, we will ensure Manitoba’s tourism experiences are present where potential visitors are speaking by showcasing video and photos and by communicating timely travel offers.

Travel Manitoba’s Social Media program focuses on stimulating conversations about Manitoba through key platforms including Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Pinterest and Instagram. Our Facebook page has a high level of engagement and concentrates on showcasing beautiful and unique images from all over Manitoba. Travel Manitoba’s Instagram program showcases the best shots from Manitoba, which are submitted from followers who upload and tag their photos with #exploremb. Our Twitter account provides interesting news, photos, updates and facts about Manitoba and our Pinterest profile organizes stunning photos from all around Manitoba into location and subject categories.

We encourage you to get involved with our social media activities:

Travel Blogger

Travel Manitoba will send a blogger to visit your venue, attraction or experience and share their adventures with the world through Twitter, Instagram and the Travel Manitoba blog.

Target

This will provide an opportunity for local and provincial exposure to destination experiences that would appeal to Manitobans or to visitors who are already in Manitoba.

The Opportunity - (max 10 partners)

Sign up to host a travel blogger for an experience ranging from one to two days.

Allitineraries/experiencesmustbeconsumer ready and bookable for a minimum of two people.

Cost

$1,000 plus hosting costs for a one day visit

$2,500 plus hosting costs for a multi-day visit


Block Ads on Travelmanitoba.com

From January 1 – August 10, 2014, website ads received a total of 294,920 impressions with an overall click-through rate of 0.05%.

The Opportunity

Purchase a block ad on our homepage or interior pages (eg. Where to Stay, Things to Do, Places to Go, Events, Everything Churchill and the What’s Hot! blog).

Block ads will be designed by our in-house production team and will be aligned with the creative and content of the website. Please submit a photo, 25 words (max) of enticing text and the URL to where the ad should be re-directed.

Cost

$2,000/year/page

Limited opportunities available per landing page.

Text Ads

From January 1 – August 10, 2014 text ads received a total of 125,657 impressions and 1,980 click-throughs.

Five one-line partner ads will be highlighted in a box on our homepage and two interior pages, Where to Stay and Things to Do. These text ads provide an opportunity to focus on unique experiences that will encourage the viewer to click through to the partner’s website.

The Opportunity

Purchase a text ad: maximum 5 partner ads per month x 12 months.

Cost

$750/month

Travelmanitoba.comWith improved functionality and an impressive new look, the new Travelmanitoba.com is the number one source of information for potential visitors to Manitoba. The new website is not only easier to navigate, but it offers even more trip inspiration and opportunities.

Travelmanitoba.com continues to increase the number of leads directed to partners. With our new tracking system, we are better able to provide you with more accurate data capture.


Travel Packages

40 partner packages in 2014 generated 15,909 hits between January 2014 – September 2014.

Travel Packages will be featured on the Travel Deals page linked from the travelmanitoba.com homepage.

The Opportunity

Purchase a Travel Package which will include your organization’s logo, one image and description of your package.

Cost

$500/package

Featured Package

Travel Manitoba will be highlighting three featured packages on the Homepage each month.

The Opportunity

Upgrade your package ad as one of the exclusive feature packages on Travel Manitoba’s homepage for one month.

Cost

$500/month(12monthsavailable– 3 partners per month)


Enhanced Listings on Travelmanitoba.com

Enhanced listings have been very effective and have been clicked more often than basic listings on travelmanitoba.com. There were over 180,000 views and 49,000 click throughs on enhanced listings from January - September 2014.

The Opportunity

Upgrade your basic listing on travelmanitoba.com to an enhanced listing. You can also customize and update your page yourself. Upload offers, images, and videos and include links to existing social media feeds: Twitter, YouTube, Facebook.

Cost

$1,000/year

Enhanced Events

Featured events will be highlighted at the top of the Travel Manitoba events page under the “Special Events” category and will be designated as a “Featured Event” for the month or months when your event takes place. Our events page received over 27,000 views.

TravelManitobaeventspage:travelmanitoba.com/events/

Featured events will also be listed on the homepage and on a minimum of one interior page (Things to Do, Places to Go, Where to Stay and Trip Essentials). Events will be included in this section one month prior to the start date of the event.

The Opportunity

Upgrade your basic event listing on travelmanitoba.com to a featured event listing.

Cost

$500/event


Consumer E-newsletters

Twelve e-newsletters will be sent out throughout the year (one per month). The content of each e-letter will include primary and secondary stories that entice the subscriber to dig deeper and click through to read the entire e-newsletter.

> Open Rate: 19.2% > Click Rate: 1.6%

Distribution

Each e-newsletter will be sent out to our database of approximately 8,300 people.

The Opportunity

Purchase the feature story and submit your own copy and/orpurchaseanadonthee-letterofyourchoiceand/or purchase the feature package ad. Based on availability.

Cost

$1,500featurestory(articleandimage)/e-newsletter (max. 1 partner per month)

$750featurepackage/e-newsletter(max.1partnerpermonth)

$500ad/e-newsletter(max.3partnerspermonth)

DIGITAL MARKETING

Canadian Geographic E-newsletters

Canadian Geographic e-newsletters will be sent out in the month of May to three separate e-letter databases: 14,000 Canadian Geographic Extra subscribers; 12,000 Canadian Geographic Travel subscribers; and 10,000 Canadian Geographic Photo Club subscribers.

The Opportunity

Purchase a leaderboard or skyscraper ad in any of the three e-newsletters.

Cost

Leaderboard:$1,000/e-newsletter(1opportunity/e-newsletter)

Skyscraper:$750/e-newsletter(3opportunities/e-newsletter)


E-cards

E-cards have been a highly effective targeted tool for operators. The open rate on the cards was 21.3% with an average click rate of 1.2%, based on 10 e-cards sent this year to date.

18 e-cards will be sent out throughout the year, each featuring one partner exclusively.

Distribution

Each e-card will be sent out to our database of approximately 8,300 people.

The Opportunity

Purchase and design an e-card to market your own unique experience, package, etc.

Cost

$1,500 per e-card


Travel Manitoba will be participating in the following marketplaces/sales activities in 2015:

• NationalTourAssociation– January 17-23, 2015 New Orleans, LA

• EducationalTravelConference– February 17-20, 2015 Boston, MA

• SalesMissiontoFrance–April2015

• RendezvousCanada– May 26-30, 2015 Niagara Falls, ON

• ShowcaseCanadaAsia– October 2015, TBA China

• UnitedStatesTourOperatorAssociation– December 3-5, 2015 Chicago, IL

As a partner in Travel Manitoba’s international travel trade initiatives, you will receive benefits including show leads and profiles, marketplace registration rebates, access to state of the art database information, product audits and co-op marketing dollar match opportunities.

The Opportunity

Participation will connect you with high volume buyers, offer direct international market exposure, allow you to extend your marketing dollars and provide online market exposure and access to industry data.

Cost

$1,500

TRAVEL TRADE

Travel Manitoba provides numerous opportunities to market and interact with decision-makers and leaders in international markets. Working with tour operators, travel companies, conferenceandincentivetravelplanners,affinity/specialinterestgroups and adventure tourism companies, Travel Manitoba aims to increase tourism revenues by targeting high income consumers through key resellers in our target markets.

The travel trade presents an additional outlet for consumers to purchase their travel needs and offers further reach for Manitoba suppliers into additional markets that may otherwise not be reached through other marketing channels. A significant percentage of visitors to Manitoba book using the travel trade, providing considerable visitation and revenue from this important channel.

Travel Manitoba attends a number of tour and leisure marketplaces and tradeshows throughout the year. At these events we meet with tour operators and travel agents to discuss what Manitoba offers as a travel destination, suggest itineraries throughout the province for new tour operators or build new itineraries for existing operators. We discuss new products and services and review marketing plans with key operators.

Travel Manitoba also provides training on Manitoba to a large numberoftouroperatorreservations/salesstaffandtravelagents. We attend the meetings and receptions of travel trade associations in a variety of key locations. The team will also lead sales and training missions into key target markets.

Photo Credit: Dan Harper


MEDIA RELATIONS

The Media Relations team works closely with our industry partners and visiting travel writers, bloggers, photographers and broadcast crews to generate awareness and exposure of Manitoba as a preferred travel destination. Media coverage offers third party endorsement of Manitoba tourism experiences and reaches potential travellers in our key markets within Manitoba and around the world.

Typically, the Media Relations team partners with suppliers to host about 100 media visits each year.

We encourage you to consider registering for the following marketplaces that Travel Manitoba media relation’s staff will be attending:

• TravelManitobaUKmediaevent– February 2015 London

• CanadaMediaMarketplace– April 19-22 New York

• TravelMediaAssociationofCanada Conference and Marketplace – June 2015 Peterborough

• PublicRelationsSocietyofAmericaTravel & Tourism Conference – June 11-14 Lexington

• OutdoorWritersAssociationofAmerica– June 26-28 Knoxville

• GoMediaMarketplace– September 27-30 Penticton


Enhanced Listings on huntfishmanitoba.com

Enhancedlistingsonthefish/huntwebsitehavethe highestclick-throughrateofanylodges/outfitters on our website. From April 1st – September 1st, 2014 there were 160,241 impressions with a 0.15% click through rate.

Fishing/Hunting website stats January 1st – September 1st, 2014

> 44,552 unique visitors (up 25.79%) > 126,309 Page views (up 10.25%) > 27,246 users found the site through Google Search

The Opportunity

Upgrade your basic listing to an enhanced listing for increased visibility and effectiveness.

Enhanced listings will be listed first in alphabetical order onthelodges/outfittersintropage.

Include up to six images with your listing. Competitor’s ads will not be included on the same listing page. Enhanced listings will also receive a small banner ad.

Cost

$1,000/yearforanenhancedlistingandsmallbannerad (Size: 125 x 125 pixels)

FISHING AND HUNTING OPPORTUNITIES

Block Ads on huntfishmanitoba.com

Adsonthefish/huntwebsiteandbloghavebeenshown to be very effective at driving traffic to lodge and outfitters websites. From January 1st – September 1st, 2014 there were 237,842 impressions with a click through rate of 0.22%.

The Opportunity

Purchase a block ad (Size: 250 x 250 pixels) on the Fish/Huntwebsite.Adswillbefeaturedonarandom rotation and can be created using flash animation.

Ads will be featured on the following pages:

Fishing: Lodge pages which have not purchased an enhanced listing, What you’ll catch page, fishing licences page & Master Angler Awards page.

Hunting:Lodge/Outfitterpageswhichhavenot purchased an enhanced listing, hunting licences, Hunting with an Outfitter Guide page.

Cost

$750/year(maximumof25ads)


Fishing E-newsletters

The content of each Fishing e-newsletter will include primary and secondary stories that entice the subscriber to dig deeper and read over the entire letter.

> Open Rate: 29% > Click Rate: 7%

The Opportunity

Purchase the feature story and submit your own copy which will also be included ontheFish/Huntblogand/orpurchase an ad in the e-letter of your choice. Based on availability and subject to content approval.

Distribution

The fishing e-newsletter is distributed to 2,009 qualified angling enthusiasts 5times/year(February,April,June, August and December)

Cost

$1,500 to be the feature story (articleandimage)/e-newsletter

$500ad/e-newsletter (max. 3 partners per e-newsletter)

2015 Fishing & Hunting Guide

This year more than 40,000 fishing and hunting enthusiasts will use the guide as a planning tool to help them make many key decisions about their trip to Manitoba.

The Opportunity

The guide is distributed to all of the previous year’s Master Angler Award recipients and to fulfill inquiries to Travel Manitoba. It will also be distributed in Chicago, Minneapolis, Fargo and Grand Forks via daily newspapers, and at All Canada Shows in Chicago and Green Bay.

Banner Ads on the Master Angler App

Our Master Angler App (currently only available for Apple products) launched on April 3, 2014 and has received 888 downloads to the end of August 2014. We have already accepted over 500 Master Angler entries!

The Opportunity

Purchase a banner ad on our Master Angler mobile app that when clicked on will link directly to your website. Ads will show only when the phone is “online” (within data reception or wifi).

Limited opportunities available.

Cost

$1,000/ad/year

Cost

Business Card - $200

1/4Page-$450

1/2Page-$900

Full Page - $1,750

Double Page Spread - $3,400

InsideFrontCover/InsideBackCover-$4,375

Outside Back Cover - $4,875


REBATE PROGRAM

Last year, Travel Manitoba offered three rebate programs to visitors (Churchill polar bear packages, Fishing & Hunting packages and Accommodation & Attraction packages) as an incentive for visitors to book packages between certain dates. This program was very successful and a total of 21 rebates(Fish/Hunt&Churchillcombined)wereredeemedatan estimated value of $80,000 in sales to the participating operators.

The Opportunity

Travel Manitoba will be offering three rebate programs in 2015 with a maximum of ten partners per program. Rebate programs will be advertised on e-letters, Travel Manitoba websites (TravelManitoba.com, EverythingChurchill.com, FishHuntManitoba.com, What’s Hot?) Facebook and Twitter.

Pay a one-time fee to be included in this program and have the chance to provide your guests with a rebate paid by Travel Manitoba if they book a trip between specified dates.

Cost Churchill Summer Packages (Rebate booking period: April – July 2015)

Rebate: $100 Price:$500/organization

Spring/Fall Bear Hunting Packages (Rebate booking period: October – February 2015)

Rebate: $100 Price:$500/organization

Youth Fishing/Hunting Packages (Rebate booking period: January – March 2015) Ages 17 and under.

Rebate: $50 or $100

A rebate of $50 will be provided for fishing packages with a value of $1,500 or less with a limit of 20 rebates per lodge.

A rebate of $100 will be provided for fishing packages with a value of $1,500 or more. No limit on the number of rebates per lodge.


Travel Manitoba7th floor – 155 Carlton St.Winnipeg, Manitoba R3C 3H81-800-665-0040www.travelmanitoba.com

If you are interested in our Partnership Opportunities, please contact:

Lilian Tankard Senior Manager, Partnership Programs 204-927-7821 [email protected]

Michel LaRivière Coordinator, Partnership Programs 204-927-7837 [email protected]

Lindsay Egan Partnership Specialist 204-927-7835 [email protected]

Documents

2015 Marketing Plan and Partnership Opportunities · promotional opportunities. The Manitoba, Canada’s Heart... Beats brand will be the foundation for all marketing and communications