WIN SEVEN DAYS WITH THE GIANT!

Tourism Thunder Bay, in partnership with over 15 tourism industry partners, is once again offering one winner and three guests the opportunity to win the ultimate week long outdoor adventure in Thunder Bay this summer.

Now in its third year, ”Seven Days With the Giant” capitalizes upon our connection to the iconic geography of the Sleeping Giant, our intimate connection to Lake Superior and the unique cultural and culinary experiences in and around the city. This year’s grand prize, valued at over $12 000, generates significant interest through the North American avid outdoor community, positioning Thunder Bay as one of North America’s best outdoor cities.

Avid outdoor enthusiasts who live outside of the Thunder Bay area are encouraged to visit the contest entry site at VisitThunderBay.com beginning noon on February 11, 2010 until 12:00 AM midnight, May 31, 2010. Winners will be selected in June 2010 with an August 2010 experience redemption period.

This year’s partners include Ontario Parks, Parks Canada, Best Western Norwester Resort, OTMPC, Enterprise Car Rental, Gear Up for Outdoors, Golf Thunder Bay, Archie’s Charters, Thunder Bay Observatory, Masala Grille, Caribou, Lake Superior Visits, Fort William Historical Park, Founder’s Pioneer Village, and many other attractions and businesses.

For 2010, changes to the campaign will increase appeal to a wider range of outdoor experience seekers and offers the winners the opportunity to customize their adventure by selecting a wider range of outdoor and cultural experiences. This year’s campaign is central to our summer leisure marketing program and will include a strong social media component, utilizing Facebook, blogs and Twitter to reach targeted outdoor enthusiasts. Social media users are encouraged to follow along and invite their friends to join in and re-tweet news relating to the campaign.

“Seven Days with the Giant continues to weave our incredible natural environment around the city with our eclectic urban culinary and cultural attractions to create an atmosphere that positions us as destination as exotic as anywhere else on earth.” according to Thunder Bay Tourism Manager Paul Pepe.

A media and partnership launch for the event takes place on Thursday February 11, 2010 at 11 AM at Fort William Historical Park’s Visitor Centre.

BACKGROUND

“Seven Days With the Giant” began in 2008 and was featured as the Great Ontario Outdoor Adventure of a Lifetime program with the Ontario Tourism Marketing Partnership Corporation to capitalize upon Sleeping Giant Provincial Park being recognized as one of Canada’s best natural wonders in the 2007 CBC “Seven Wonder’s of Canada” contest that saw the park receive more online votes than Niagara Falls.

Tourism Thunder Bay re-introduced the campaign in 2009 based on overwhelming response in the first year and the desire by consumers and partners alike, to continue participating.

In its two first years, the campaign has generated over 32 000 entries from across North America.

The campaign is unique in that it represents a rare partnership between a major city and its parks partners. It beings benefits the community’s urban tourism partners by weaving natural environment attractions with a community’s culinary and cultural attractions. The model was featured at the 2008 International Eco and Sustainable Tourism Conference.

For 2010, Seven Days With the Giant returns with changes that appeal to a wider range of outdoor enthusiasts by allowing them to custom design their week long vacation in Thunder Bay. Winners will be able to select from a number of optional activities such as golfing, angling, amethyst mine tours, hiking, mountain biking, flight seeing, farm tours and other activities to create their perfect experience.

2010 project partners include the following
Tourism Thunder Bay – Lead promoter
Ontario Parks – Park access to Sleeping Giant Provincial Park
Parks Canada – interpretive support
Ontario Tourism Marketing Partnership – marketing support
Best Western Norwester Resort -2 nights accommodation
Enterprise Car Rental – 1 week car rental
Golf Thunder Bay – round of golf for 4 and 2 cart rentals
Masala Grille – dinner for 4
Caribou – Dinner for 4
Gear Up for Outdoors – camping gear set
Archie’s Charters – ½ day Lake Superior Fishing Charter
Lake Superior Visits – Tour coordination
Fort William Historical Park – park passes
Founder’s Pioneer Village – attractions passes

Other partners continue to join the program and are being added to the on line throughout the campaign.

Online entry is available at www.VisitThunderBay.com and opens at noon EST, Thursday February 11, 2010. The contest closes at midnight, May 31, 2010. Prize redemption period is August 1 to September 6, 2010.

for more information on getting involved, contact me at ppepe@thunderbay.ca