Promoting geographical growth of travellers across BC with tour operators

Tasked with encouraging geographical growth of visitation into areas with capacity, the Destination BC’s UK team worked with UK tour operator Stewart Travel/My Canada Trips over the course of a year to achieve increased room night and passenger number growth into British Columbia. The team attended World Travel Market, and supported product development before undertaking a joint marketing campaign. The team developed new itineraries tailored to the tour operators needs and oversaw their implementation.  To ensure tour operator staff were able to effectively sell the new product, the team conducted training with the sales team before investing in marketing support to capitalise on the new itineraries and staff knowledge.  Promotion targeted both consumers and the trade using direct mails, e-shots as well as paid and organic social media, generating great overall engagement.  The campaign also used press advertising in The Herald and Scottish Daily Mail with a combined circulation of over 150,000 readers. Locations across BC were promoted, including Campbell River, Manning Park, Osoyoos, Ashcroft, Invermere, Golden, and the Sunshine Coast. See more at http://www.mycanadatrips.co.uk/destinations/british-columbia.

In the Australia market, the team partnered with ski wholesaler Sno’n’Ski and retail travel agent partner Flight Centre to raise awareness of skiing in BC and convert consideration to sales through travel trade channels. To do so, one of Australia’s premier breakfast TV shows, The Today Show, broadcasted live from four ski resorts across BC in December, showcasing tons of fresh powder. Partners are labelling this campaign a success, with early results from Sno’n’Ski and Flight Centre showing passenger numbers to BC up 47% and sales up 54% as a result of the show and calls they received in the last two weeks of December.