Destination Canada - a campaign on point
Destination Canada’s ‘Heartbeat of Canada’ campaign has been developed to inspire Canadians to travel locally, and it is brilliant.
An integrated campaign that launched on 23rd May with National Tourism Week, it was supported by a tourism anthem video, locals sending postcards to their friends, and now regions strengthening the campaign with local messaging.
Our article takes a quick look at each aspect of the campaign, and explores how this campaign is connecting with the people and how it will make a real difference.
Launching with National Tourism Week, the industry came together to demonstrate the enormous value tourism brings to the life of Canadians. While they acknowledged the incredible difficulties of the past year, they showed their industry is strong, and ready to welcome back visitors when the time is right.
National Tourism Week was marked with the launch of their new Tourism Anthem. Set to the timing of our beating hearts, it highlights the makers, business owners, performers and people that make up Canada’s tourism sector. It showcases the richness of diversity, heartbeat of their country, and spiritual connection to place. I dare you not to be moved watching this video.
With 39% of Canadians expecting their first trip to be visiting friends and relatives, Destination Canada’s local postcards initiative connects and inspires and VFR travel. Canadian’s simply enter the web portal, select a postcard with a message such as ‘Miss You, Come Visit’, type a personal message and recipients address, and Destination Canada print and mail the postcard at no cost to the sender.
Destinations across Canada are now releasing their own campaigns to build on the Heartbeat of Canada campaign. Destination Toronto has just released their Love Letter to Toronto. Another exceptional production, the video that connects the audience with Toronto Ambassadors who offer their diverse perspectives on the city they love and call home.
Heartbeat of Canada is an integrated campaign at its best. Powerful, emotional, spiritual and most importantly authentic, the campaign connects its audience with the place, the industry, their friends, its cities, and its people.
It's like an orchestra, with each piece adding to the brilliance and power of the performance. An exceptional campaign, that shows that when we work together, and all sing from the same hymn book we are more likely to be heard.
I cannot wait to watch this campaign continue to build, grow, and roar.
If you need a hand developing your destination marketing campaign, give Alison McDowell a call to discuss how Roadmap Strategy can work with you to create a campaign to build your destination brand and achieve your business goals.
Picnics are the new brunch
Spring is here, and summer is on its way.
We have been in lockdown for a long time, and we are looking forward to reconnecting with family and friends. And one of our favourite things when we get together is share a meal, and experience local produce.
The problem
It is likely hospitality businesses will remain at reduced capacity for some time, and as a result locals and visitors are likely to be turned away from establishments.
Visitor stories are already circulating along the lines of ‘the only place we could get food was the supermarket’ and ‘we had to go to five places before we could get something as everyone had run out of food’.
With a pent-up demand to travel, and a strong desire to try local produce in unique venues and locations, regional areas need to consider how they are going meet the needs of visitors and provide an experience that will result positive word of mouth referral.
The opportunity
Every cloud has a silver lining, and picnics are emerging as the thing to do, with people taking to parks in cities around the world meet, connect and PICNIC.
This is an enormous opportunity for Melbourne and regional Victoria to create campaigns that promote picnicing in parks and gardens, and pre-ordering Picnic Packs from local providores, artisan bakeries, cafes and farmgates.
The benefit
Visitors have a new experience, enjoy great food, and are happy that they have been able to support local.
Local businesses are able to service more customers and generate more income through product innovation......... and the concept is COVID adaptable.
Creating the campaign
To assist you develop your Picnic in the Park campaign, we have developed a Campaign Concept. If you would like a copy, simply email us at hello@roadmapstrategy.com.au.
Alternatively, Roadmap Strategy would welcome the opportunity to work with you to create and execute a 'Picnic in the Park' campaign for your region.
Photo credit: Proper & Son, South Melbourne Market - bringing the market to you in a picnic box
The rise of astrotourism
Astrotourism is being billed as the next big thing, with Lonely Planet announcing dark skies as one of the travel trends of 2019.
Visitor interest in dark skies tourism and astrotourism has prompted many international destinations to capitalise of this natural asset as a new and unique way to draw visitors to their region especially outside peak season.
But what is a dark sky? A dark sky is usually a park a distance from a city and has restricted artificial light to allow for the area to be suitable for star gazing.
Be it dark sky observance, astronomy or astrophotography, people increasingly traveling to ‘dark sky’ locations leading to astrotourism phenomenon.
With Australian skies still some of the darkest on the planet, this is a great opportunity for regional and remote tourism across the nation.
And it doesn’t have to complex. If you have an accommodation property tucked away from light pollution, simply provide your guests with binoculars and a star constellation map, or encourage them to download the free SkyView Ap and you are off and running.
Let’s face it, who doesn’t like to look at the stars, all while feeling good about being a low-impact tourist.
#Astrotourism #LowImpactTourism #DestinationMarketing
Written by: Alison McDowell, Founder Roadmap Strategy