“We believe that a culinary experience in Canada goes well beyond the moment when the waiter passes the napkin and opens the menu,” said Gloria Loree, Executive Director of Global Communications at the Canadian Tourism Commission. “We are looking for the kind of in-depth coverage that will tell Canada’s food legends from our farm fields and ocean waters, to the imaginative chefs whose vision is a form of story-telling on a plate.”

Two categories will be acknowledged:

• Best written work in any medium and
• Best photo essay, video or app.

The criteria are as follows:

• Must have been published in the US or in the case of online content demonstrate that more than 60% of the audience is US based.
• Must have been published between January 1, 2011 and December 31, 2011
• Includes print, online, broadcast and culinary app
• Subject matter can be pan-Canadian or regional; specific food items or a full menu but must clearly demonstrate the origin of fresh Canadian products and the journey to the table with an emphasis on the culinary experiences that could be enjoyed by visitors to Canada.
• Must be published in English, between 250 and 1500 words; or 5 to 40 images or 2 to 30-minute video
• Each of two winners will receive a cheque of $1000.
• Each winner provides complete rights to the CTC and Food Day Canada to use and re-publish except where the media outlet prevents such use.

Deadline for submission is January 31, 2012. Journalists should send their submissions along with name, email contact, place and date of publication or release and details about the audience or the users of the app to Anita Stewart, anita@fooddaycanada.ca.  

For further background:
http://fooddaycanada.ca/awards/the-ctc-culinary-journalism-award

Says CTC President and CEO Michele McKenzie, “As Canada’s national tourism marketing organization we know that success for us means bringing in millions of international visitors each year. By working together to consider ease of access for travellers, tourism products, and boosting Canada’s tourism brand internationally, we are all contributing to stronger future successes for the industry.”

One highlight of the FTS is the CTC’s Signature Experiences Collection® (SEC) —an innovative marketing program to entice more high-spending international travellers to Canada with the promise of exceptional tourism experiences.  

Says Ms. McKenzie, “The program is newly underway and links directly to the FTS and its goals. We’re looking for tourism businesses and operators who have extraordinary products for sale. Experiences featured in the Collection will resonate with our targeted customers and will give our international tourism brand, ‘Canada. Keep Exploring’, some new sizzle.”

The CTC anticipates that this new air agreement will build on the currently projected arrival of an additional 33,100 Brazilian travellers to Canada by the end of 2012.  Most of the seven million outbound travellers from Brazil each year are high-yield—in fact, Brazilians were the highest average spending travellers of all CTC key markets in 2010 at $1,808 per trip.  These additional Brazilian travellers are already expected to inject an additional $100.6 million into Canada’s economy, contributing $30.7 million to government tax revenues and creating or protecting 580 Canadian tourism jobs.  Any new direct flights to Canada stemming from this air agreement will amplify this economic growth from Brazil even further.

Says Charles McKee, CTC Vice President International, “Together with the three new visa centres for Brazil announced yesterday, this agreement strengthens our position in a fiercely competitive sector where travellers spend three billion dollars a day globally.With a population of 200 million, a strong economy and a rapidly expanding middle-class that is young and increasingly eager to travel, Brazil is going full speed ahead. This air agreement will help our tourism industry grab a greater share of its high-spending travellers.”

Canada has seen an increase of +26% in trips—or 14,600 arrivals—by Brazilian travellers since the CTC first began marketing Canada as a tourism destination in Brazil in 2009. 

For further background, click on:

• Brazil Tourism Fact Sheet
• Tourism Industry Fact Sheet
• CTC Corporate Profile

NOTE TO EDITORS: Media assets accompanying this story are available as follows:
Image:

The Canada-Brazil Air Agreement announced this week will facilitate access to Canada, boosting Brazilian arrivals and the dollars they bring to the Canadian economy.Brazilians were the highest average spending travellers of all CTC key markets in 2010 at $1,808 per trip.  [Photo from CTC marketing campaign, Brazil, 2011]

The inaugural Signature Experiences Collection is made up of 48 Canadian tourism enterprises from coast to coast to coast that deliver the authentic experiences CTC research says its high-spending target customers look for when they choose a vacation destination.

“By highlighting unique Canadian experiences abroad, this ground-breaking initiative will encourage the world to visit Canada,” says Minister of State Bernier. “It will increase our share of international visitors and generate greater revenues for Canadian businesses.”

This next phase of CTC’s global strategy to make Canada stand out in a fiercely competitive tourism marketplace will showcase members of the Collection as compelling ambassadors of Canada’s tourism brand, Canada. Keep Exploring in the 11 countries where it invests. The rollout begins in UK, France, Germany and Australia.

CTC will draw on the Collection’s expanding pool of high-quality tourism experiences in its marketing campaigns. International travellers will be able to find the exceptional adventures they seek, book them and enjoy them in a way they’ll remember for the rest of their lives. At the same time, it will be easier for buyers to acquire and sell these tourism experiences to the travel trade, which will be encouraged to include them in their promotional materials and itineraries.

Says Michele McKenzie, CTC President & CEO, “Our goal is to incorporate the tourism experiences offered by Collection members in the creative materials we develop for all our markets using social, print, online and broadcast media. We’ve set a target of 100 members by the end of 2011, and we’ll continue to add outstanding experiences to keep the Collection fresh and intriguing for international visitors.” 

NOTE TO EDITORS: Media Assets accompanying this story are available as follows:

Video:

Innovating to Compete

Images

1.  ICE HOTEL, Québec City, QC
   “Positioning Canada as a destination of unique experiences is a winning strategy. By being part of this collection that promotes exceptional experiences, we can penetrate international markets at a more macro level.” - Jacques Desbois, CEO
2. FRONTIERS NORTH ADVENTURES, Churchill, MB
   “We think that our guests are able to convey, with a real sense of emotion, the kind of trip or adventure that they’ve been on. It’s that emotion that is going to encourage people to come back to Canada, to join us again.” - John Gunter, General Manager
3. EDIBLE BRITISH COLUMBIA, Vancouver, BC
   “The Signature Experiences Collection is going to offer the Canadian tourism industry a single voice that’s going to allow us to create a much stronger brand image for Canada. - Eric Pateman, President
4. SHEDIAC BAY LOBSTER CRUISES, NB
   “A rising tide lifts all boats! Being part of the Collection is good for small tourism businesses like mine that can benefit from the global marketing, sales and media activities. It’s good for the whole tourism industry.” - Ron Cormier, Owner
5. CN TOWER, Toronto, ON
   “Signature Experiences are going to open the eyes of the tourism world so people really understand what a vast Collection of authentic travel experiences there are in Canada.  We are thrilled that the CN Tower, a memorable visitor experience that defines the skyline of Toronto, is part of it.” - Jack Robinson, CEO

The Canadian Tourism Commission (CTC) anticipates the service to bring up to 44,000 Chinese travellers to Canada every year, pulling an additional $72 million into Canada’s economy. As a result, CTC expects to see $22 million more in government revenues, with 600 Canadian jobs created and sustained.

Says Greg Klassen, CTC’s senior vice-president, Marketing Strategy & Communications, “Following Approved Destination Status granted last June,  Canada is seizing every opportunity to promote extraordinary travel experiences to Chinese travellers; as marketers we reach out to them but need visionary operators like China Southern Airlines to open up new markets and deliver the customers. Today marks a whole new opportunity for growth.”

To capitalize on the new route, a partnership of Canada’s tourism marketers, including the CTC, Government of BC, Tourism Vancouver and Vancouver Airport Authority, has come together to promote Canada in a big way in Guangzhou. The CTC already actively markets Canada in Beijing and Shanghai.

“The CTC has built strong relationships with Chinese tour operators over the last five years and the new China Southern Airlines route is a great example of progress,” says Derek Galpin, CTC’s managing director for China. “A ‘united Canada’ approach is essential to success, and I’m happy to say we’re on the right path.”

NOTE TO EDITORS: Media assets accompanying this story are available as follows:

China Tourism Fact Sheet

Images

• The Hon. Maxime Bernier, Minister of State (Small Business and Tourism), presented Mr. Wangeng Tan, Pres. & CEO, China Southern Airlines, with a Canucks jersey bearing the number of the inaugural flight between Vancouver and Guangzhou—329. Looking on is Larry Berg, President & CEO, YVRAA.

• Mr. Wangeng Tan, Pres. & CEO, China Southern Airlines, presented the Hon. Maxime Bernier, Minister of State (Small Business and Tourism) with a model of the Boeing 777-200 aircraft used in the inaugural flight between Vancouver and Guangzhou.

“Tourism is one of the fastest-growing economic sectors in the world, with global travellers spending over one trillion dollars annually—or two million dollars every minute. We have to be aggressive on the trading floor, and we see RVC as one way to do that,” adds McKenzie.

Under Canada’s Approved Destination Status, the number of buyers from China has quadrupled. Hot growth markets like India and Brazil will be well represented, along with sizeable delegations from more established markets such as the UK, Germany and the US. There is a record number of new buyer organizations this year, making it the best buyer:seller ratio in RVC’s history.

An interim report on leveraging the 2010 Winter Games for Canada shows that travellers from international markets are arriving in greater numbers than ever before. These results point to the growing strength of Canada’s international tourism brand and its influence in the competitive world of tourism.

To learn more about Canada’s visitor economy, visit Tourism Facts & Figures.

About Rendez-vous Canada

Rendez-vous Canada (RVC) is Canada’s international tourism marketplace—a sales and marketing event led annually by the Canadian Tourism Commission. Now in its 35th year, RVC is being held in Québec City, QC, May 15-18. RVC is staged by the Tourism Industry Association of Canada (TIAC) on behalf of CTC. For information about the 2011 Host Organizations please visit: www.corporate.canada.travel, www.bonjourquebec.com/media and www.quebecregion.com

Follow the conversation! RVC Hash Tag #RVC11

 
NOTE TO EDITORS: Media assets accompanying this story are available as follows:

Images:

1. Under Canada’s Approved Destination Status, the number of buyers from China has quadrupled this year at Rendez-vous Canada. The first Chinese tour group was greeted at YVR in August 2010.
2. Buyers from hot growth markets will be well represented this year at Rendez-vous Canada, Canada’s international tourism marketplace. CTC’s first consumer campaign in Brazil will drive sales this summer.
3. The number of buyers from India is up at Rendez-vous Canada this year. Bollywood star Akshay Kumar, named CTC’s tourism ambassador in 2010, has helped promote Canada as a tourism destination in India.

“We are aiming primarily at affluent, high-spend and well-educated 25- to 34-year-olds in this initial campaign,” says Derek Galpin, CTC managing director China/India. “Our research shows that they are the most inclined to long-haul travel, and then to get out and explore Canada once they arrive.”

The stakes are high and international competition is fierce for a share in the world’s most rapidly growing outbound tourism market. China says it will deliver 100 million international travellers worldwide by 2020. This growth has the potential to generate an additional $300 million a year in tourism revenues for Canada by 2015. 

Says Greg Klassen, CTC’s Senior Vice President of Marketing Strategy & Communications, “This time next year, CTC expects significant growth from the China market linked to additional air capacity, our advertising and promotional campaigns, and partner support. With tour operators in China and suppliers in Canada, CTC will showcase high-quality vacation experiences. To start, we’ll focus on promoting well-known tourism icons. Later, once Chinese travellers feel a certain comfort level, we’ll introduce them to experiences a little more off the beaten track.”

The marketing campaign, “Say hello to Canada,” aims to introduce Canada to potential Chinese travellers in the same open, informal way as making a new friend. Advertising will feature heavily online, including key social-media platforms such as Kaixin, video-sharing sites such as Youku, search engines and micro blogs as well as travel, lifestyle, news and culinary websites. There will also be ads in leading newspapers and travel or lifestyle mags, such as Shanghai Weekly, The Bund and National Geographic. To pique Chinese interest further, an online game will have prize trips to Canada at stake.

In China, as elsewhere, Canada is also a leading destination for the highly lucrative and rapidly growing meetings, incentive and conventions travel sector (MICE).

RESOURCES

High Resolution Images

Photo 1
Chinese travellers were greeted at Vancouver International Airport on the inaugural post-ADS tour to Canada, August 2010

Photo 2  
Chinese travellers were greeted at Vancouver International Airport on the inaugural post-ADS tour to Canada, August 2010

Photo 3 
Family and friends waited in Vancouver for the arrival of the inaugural post-ADS tour to Canada, August 2010

Photo 4
CTC campaign website of “Say hello to Canada”

Some of the highlights:

• 290,000 British travellers were inspired by Canada’s marketing campaigns to book flights to Canada—almost double 2009 and triple 2008 figures. Tourism revenues from this market were up over 2009 by $134 million (from $256 million to $380 million), reflecting the additional traffic.
• Over 70,000 Australians shifted from considering a trip to Canada to making a firm booking in 2010—twice 2009 numbers. Revenues rose from $62 million to $117 million.
• Some 128,000 German travellers were persuaded by CTC marketing campaigns to book a trip to Canada in 2010, up from 91,000 the previous year. Revenues rose by $61 million to $196 million.
• CTC marketing campaigns convinced 120,000 French travellers to take a trip to Canada, generating $160 million in revenues.
• CTC’s media and public relations activity around the Games resulted in global coverage for travel to Canada and roughly $1 billion in “advertising value equivalency” in 2010. 

These figures come from an interim report, Tourism steps up to the podium, prepared by the Canadian Tourism Commission (CTC). This interim accounting examines the early results from the Government of Canada’s investment in a $26-million tourism-focused strategy to leverage the Games.

"As host of the 2010 Vancouver Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games, Canada seized the opportunity to showcase the spirit and hospitality of its people and the natural wonder of our attractions to the world,” said the Honourable Rob Moore, Minister of State (Small Business and Tourism). "Our tourism industry is poised to build on the successful collaboration of public and private partners as we focus on drawing many more visitors to Canada."  

As part of its tourism strategy, Canada became the first hosting country to successfully integrate new, high-definition footage of tourism experiences into the coverage of the Games by international broadcasters. Audiences around the globe followed the Games, and also got a taste of the Canadian adventures that await them here in all regions of the country.

“From the outset, we knew that our job was to market Canada—to use the Games platform to advance Canada’s tourism brand,” said Michele McKenzie, CTC president and CEO. “Through innovative campaigns, bold strategy and judicious investments, we are competing to keep Canada front of mind as a premier tourism destination in 2011 and beyond, ensuring that international travellers can find—and experience—the Canada they saw on their screens during the Games.”

Download these resources

• Tourism steps up to the podium: CTC reports on leveraging the 2010 Winter Games for Canada
• HD video on tourism as a legacy of the Games & Olympic torch relay international media program
• Images of the 2010 Winter Games.

Canada’s national tourism marketer is partnering with ski resorts, provincial marketing organizations, tour operators and resorts from Alberta, British Columbia and Quebec, to make the most of the 2010 Olympic afterglow.

Social media ski clips, web ski packages, and in-country promotions will all concurrently pique the interest of skiers and boarders. The campaign will run in six key markets where travellers are looking for adventure and great slopes: United Kingdom, United States, Brazil, Australia, Mexico and Germany.