Tuesday, August 12, 2008

20089 Tourism Partnership Opportunities Announced

Tourism Thunder Bay has just released its 2009 Industry partnership sales kits and based on the popularity of the web and print materials produced, it is undeniably, the best marketing investment for local and regional tourism businesses.

We've simplified the partnership process even further for 2009 and held the rates at 2008 levels in recognition of the challenges facing the tourism industry. Tourism partners can choose web and print based marketing opportunities that are seen by hundreds of thousands of visitors annually. Many of our partners report that their clients are finding them through the web and visitor magazine.

2009's tourism marketing strategy will focus on the strengthened "Superior By Nature" brand and continue to position Thunder Bay as one of Canada's great outdoor cities for work and play. Our segment focus will see the "Seven Days With the Giant" contest based campaign form the major leisure thrust in 2009, following up on the hugely successful 2008 campaign that generated 26000 entries. A new Sport Tourism strategy will be released this fall and a new Meetings and Convention partnership program will start development this September, with a focus on the mining, education, health sciences, Anishnabae and government sectors. Our group tour marketing efforts will be ramped up to focus on motorcoach, motorcycle and cruise shipping.

Generator, our new creative agency, is currently working on our media strategy for 2009 for all of our segments including the look and feel of the campaigns and the specific media channels we will be utilizing based on consumer data and web visitation trends gathered to date. We anticipate having the new marketing program unveiled sometime in mid autumn.

Tourism Thunder Bay will continue to provide leadership in the application of web technology to reach the 80% of consumers who use the web as their primary trip planning tool. Tourism Thunder Bay will be launching a new enhanced interactive tourism portal this fall and we have just entered into an agreement with the Ontario Tourism Marketing Partnership Corporation to provide local content management for the new Ontario tourism portal. Our blogs and Facebook social media presence continue to draw hundreds of viewers daily and provide an interactive window to the city and its attractions.

The annual Visitor Experience Magazine is returning in print and online versions. 120 000 print copies are circulated to over 250 racks around the region, distributed through the Grand Marias Fort William Historical Park Canada Gateway Centre, at every Provincial and regional tourism information centre in Ontario and major Ontario Parks locations. The online version is expecting over 41 000 downloads this year, extending our partners display advertising reach even further. We are wrapping up this package with a wide range of advertising rates for the 2009 Experience magazine that are accessible to a wide range of tourism business budgets.

Online marketing opportunities include enhanced listings on the website and the purchase of banner ads and logo docks. In 2008, our banner and logo dock clients report receiving thousands and even tens of thousands of clicks from their enhanced presence. We provide free url tracking and report performance back to you on your on-line marketing performance throughout the year.

To particpate in our print and online marketing channels for 2009, you can view opportunities online at: http://www.visitthunderbay.com/index.asp?page=advertise
Please email RoseMarie Mancusa at rmancusa@thunderbay.ca for more information on what marketing tool is best for your business.

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