NEW DIGITAL VIDEO TOOLS ROLLED OUT IN CELEBRATION OF TOURISM WEEK

Tourism Thunder Bay has launched the first three in an ongoing series of new HD experiential videos showcasing some of Thunder Bay's most iconic visitor experiences.

Set against the backdrop of Prince Arthur's Landing as part of our tourism week open house, we welcomed over forty tourism industry representatives from around the community to enjoy persians, coffee, networking and of course, the launch of the new videos and the Youtube platform that anchors them.

These new digital assets replace our last video production, cobbled together four years ago and already outdated given changes to the tourism landscape.

Working with our creative agency Generator Advertising, Imaginarium Studios and Dining Room Studios, the total project from inception to launch was a little over 14 months.  We're proud to have been able to completely support our local cultural industries in the production of this.  The three launch videos were shot at over 46 locations and used 100 actors and over 100 extras.  Sound, provided by Dining Room Studios featured the works of local musician Jean Paul DeRoover.

What makes these videos particularly valuable is that they serve a purpose vastly different from traditional municipal promotion videos that featured identifiable businesses and focused on the "place".  Careful consideration was given to focus on the experience in the emotional sense, the human element of people enjoying the experiences.  Remember that the bast majority of people plan their travel for an experience, with the geological destination being the secondary deciding factor.

The video also factored in the careful avoidance of identifiable local businesses.  I was asked about this this morning as to why more individual businesses were not high lighted. The reality is that the tourism landscape changes with partners coming and going. As soon as an identifiable partner leaves the business scene, the video loses relevance quickly.  With over 1300 tourism related businesses, its difficult to feature every single one.

Its also important to remember that this project is not static and we're already planning the next chapters including cultural events and attractions, culinary, sport tourism and a convention planning video tool.  There is a lot to cover and we aim to continue adding content over the long term.

The videos, in Youtube and Vimeo channels as well as on DVD, are available for free use by our community's tourism partners.  Its already been posted to the VisitThunderBay's  facebook page, on twitter and is received significant media attention today from local and regional news media.

A big thanks goes out to Generator's Jack Hudolin, Barry Smith, Robin Moss, Heather Cranston and Maureen Mills.  The project could not have been executed without the exceptional talent of Piotr and Milosz at Imaginarium and the gang at Dining Room Studios.  The could not have been done without Tourism Thunder Bay's Marketing and Partnership Coordinator, Rose Marie Mancusa, who stick handled this from start to finish. 

Last but not least is our tourism partners who took the video and will be adding it to their websites, social feeds and hotel lobby screens to help promote the city.

Stay tuned for more videos over the next two years and also the inclusion of great visitor made video selected for the channel.  In the meantime, enjoy.

Water Level Study Requests Local Tourism Industry Input

This is an invitation and encouragement to participate in a study of the impact of fluctuating water levels in the Great Lakes on the tourism industry. The International Joint Commission (IJC) has commissioned the study.

Below is a link that will open an on-line survey questionnaire. Please click on the link, or cut and paste it into your web browserʼs address line, to participate in the study. Completing the questionnaire should take approximately 15 minutes. The deadline for submitting responses is June 18, 2010.

Survey Link: https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/57KRDYK

The Recreational Boating, Cruise Ship and Tourism Technical Work Group (TWG) of the IJC is attempting to identify the various components that best determine the impact of high and low water levels which are affected by different water release regimes from the St. Maryʼs River/Lake Superior and then attempt to measure how different release rules would impact recreation boaters, marinas, the cruise ship industry, tourist dependant
businesses and related industries. The social and economic impact of changing water levels on those businesses is of the utmost importance.

As part of its mandate, the TWG is assessing the physical aspects and financial ramifications that fluctuating water levels may have, or are having on tourism related businesses around the Great Lakes. While there is a lot of current data available directly related to the recreational boating and cruise ship industry, very little information is available on the general tourism industry which is estimated to make up 70-80% of the overall
tourism product on the Great Lakes.

The TWG has engaged the Tourism Company, a tourism industry planning and management consulting company (www.tourismco.com) to identify and assess the importance of this portion of the industry, including the impacts of water level fluctuations on tourism businesses in selected study areas. Thunder Bay is one of the study areas.

The survey questionnaire that you are being encouraged to complete (see link, above) is the primary tool being used to gather data for the assessment. The breadth and depth of the study conclusions will be directly related to the level of participation of Thunder Bay tourism businesses in the survey. Survey responses will be kept strictly confidential. In the reporting, responses will only be reported in aggregate. Businesses will not be identified with their responses.

If you have any questions about the survey, please contact:

DʼArcy McKittrick
Partner, the Tourism Company
Telephone: (705) 772 8425
Email: darcy@tourismco.com

If you have questions or comments about the study, please contact:
Glenn Warren
Study Co-Chair
Telephone: (705) 698 0523
Email: glenn.warren@persona.ca

Thank you in advance for your assistance.