Thunder Bay Marathon Expands in its Third Year

The Thunder Bay Marathon - Miles With the Giant, is now entering its third year and growing with a goal to become one of this region's premier fall annual sport tourism events. This past week, a couple of developments will help solidify that vision.

The marathon was conceived a number of years back by a group of local community and tourism leaders eager to fill a void in both the local fall sports scene and the traditionally slow fall tourism season. The creation of a high quality, well executed event that would grow annually was the vision established. Marathons are big sport tourism business. Duluth's Grandma's Marathon, an iconic race operating every June for decades, draws some twenty six thousand runners, filling hotel rooms, restaurants and attractions during race weekend. For Thunder Bay, with its bold dedication towards developing an active transportation strategy, dedicated trails and the overall promotion of health and fitness, this is a nice fit.

Based on feedback from the past event's runners and experiences gained through the logistics side of the event over the first two years, the route has been changed from two 13.1 mile loops to a single 26.2 mile route that will take in more of the community to include Confederation Collage and Lakehead University campus. The event will still start and finish at Prince Arthur's Landing and include the Boulevard Lake loop but it will offer some new territory and expand the appeal to runners. This will also be the year that the organizers work to have the race certified by Athletics Canada to become a Boston Marathon qualifier, an important certification to attract more running visitors from outside the community.

The second welcome development this week is the announcement by the Ministry of Tourism that the event will be receiving $40 000 from the Celebrate Ontario program to expand their operational capacity and build a much larger sustainable event. Tourism Thunder Bay has supported this great event since it was conceived with marketing support and we'll continue to help promote it through our media channels this year as well as co sponsor some of the costs associated with promoting the event at other Marathons in key close haul markets.

Of course a big thanks has to go out to the volunteer board of directors who give passionately to building this into an iconic annual event, the local Hotelier's coalition for their support and recognition of sport tourism development and our co workers at the City of Thunder Bay including events, police, engineering and our own sport tourism folks who have helped make the reality of a 26.2 mile course using a multitude of city streets possible. Nothing compliments our tourism vision to become regarded as Canada's Best outdoor city like a marathon that features the big Lake and the Sleeping Giant as a backdrop and winds through the city's parks, lakes, classic neighbourhoods and historic downtown core.

Registration is now open and the new route is posted on the marathon website. You can check it all out at thunderbaymarathon.com

NEW CRAFT BREWERY ADDING TO OUR CULINARY SCENE

Thunder Bay's economic transformation includes the explosive growth within our culinary sector, with new and innovative locally owned and themed establishments popping up on the landscape regularly and rapidly becoming financially (and in many cases environmentally)sustainable.

One such much anticipated addition to our eclectic culinary scene is Sleeping Giant Brewing Company. The brainchild of Kyle and Andrea Mulligan and Rob and Kerry Berlinquette, this new craft brewery is currently renovating space in the intercity area of the city and aims to have some great new beers ready for consumers in the spring of 2012. Its always great to see new entrepreneurs investing back into the community and showing confidence in our upward direction as one of Canada's Best Outdoor Cities.

I've had a chance to sample their brews and they are all exceptional. I really like beer so perhaps I'm biased. They're launching with three beers, all thoughtfully crafted and carry names with local connections such as 360 Degree Ale, Elevator Wheat and Skullrock Stout.

While it may not be obvious at first, Sleeping Giant Brewing Company is a welcome addition to our tourism industry in that it adds another local dimension to our culinary culture. More and more adventurers like to sample local beers when travelling and its a great opportunity to pare this with some of the delicacies at our many local restaurants to promote

One need only look at the popularity of brewery or winery tours in other jurisdictions and its easy to see how they play a role in enhancing a visitor's experience in the community. Even a single brewery in a community can build partnerships with the culinary scene to expose it to a wider audience and hekp tell the stories of a community. I can't wait to see their great "hometown proud" logo around local restaurants and in the LCBO and Beers Stores soon.

You can visit their website to learn more about them, their inspiration and most importantly, their beers.

Cheers!

SEVEN DAYS WITH THE GIANT RETURNS

Tourism Thunder Bay, in association with local and regional tourism organizations and operators, is bringing back Canada’s ultimate outdoor adventure campaign–Seven Days With The Giant.

This summer, one lucky winner and three friends will enjoy an all expense paid weeklong adventure exploring the city and North Shore region. Winners will start with paid return airfare from anywhere in North America, digital camera package, camping gear and a beautiful Thunder Bay print. From there, they will create their own adventure with the assistance of Lake Superior Visits to include exploring Sleeping Giant Provincial Park, Kakabeka Falls, Fort William Historical Park, sailing and angling on Lake Superior, mountain biking, hiking, culinary and cultural adventures, and many more customizable outdoor and urban activities.

This year’s program, valued at over $15 000, expands to include, not only Thunder Bay experiences but those from the Dorion and Nipigon areas as well, opening up even more opportunities for the winners to explore the variety of adventures that suit their tastes and abilities. The campaign’s target reach is also evolving to focus on more experiential Canadian and US travel media including Explore Magazine, National Geographic, Canadian Geographic, AAA Living, Lake Superior Magazine, Northern Wilds and Canoe and Kayak print and digital media channels.

This year’s sponsors include Ontario Parks, Ontario Ministry of Tourism and Culture, OTMPC, Best Western Norwester Hotel and Conference Centre, National Car Rental, Lake Superior Visits, Fort William Historical Park, Gear Up for Outdoors, SailSuperior.com, Epic Adventures, Lot 66, Caribou, 5 Forks, Thunder Bay Observatory, Archie’s Charters, Golf Thunder Bay, and many other local and regional visitor experience providers.

“The Seven Days With the Giant” campaign began four years ago and has become a popular foundation of our marketing strategy, drawing interest from avid outdoor adventure seekers. The program weaves our connection to the natural environment with our great urban culture and contributes to our vision to become regarded as Canada’s Best Outdoor City. This year, the program has expanded to showcase some of the exciting regional experiences beyond our city limits and utilizes some of North America’s most respected outdoor adventure media to attract avid travelers to our area.

Contest entry is available online at http://www.visitthunderbay.com/ beginning at 12 noon, Tuesday February 15, 2011 and ends at 12 Midnight, May 31, 2011.

For more information, email me @ ppepe@thunderbay.ca or call me @ (807) 625-3880

Vote Thunder Bay Destinations for Canada’s Great Places Contest

Canadians across the country are now competing to put their favourite location on the map in the Great Places in Canada Contest sponsored by the Canadian Institute of Planners. Three Thunder Bay locations are in the running including, The Sleeping Giant, Thunder Bay’s Waterfront and the Current River neighbourhood. Residents are encouraged to go to www.GreatPlacesInCanada.com and vote for the Thunder Bay locations, or nominate their preferred local destinations, and encourage others to vote.

The competition is open to everyone – just go to www.GreatPlacesInCanada.com where you can nominate, write about, and post images of the place that inspires you. And by making a nomination, you’ll be entered into a draw for prizes. Votes will be tallied in real time to make it easy to track the leading locations.

“It would be fantastic to see one of Thunder Bay’s spectacular destinations win,” said Mayor Keith Hobbs. “I encourage people to take a few seconds to vote and demonstrate their hometown pride to make Thunder Bay a leader in this friendly competition. It will be an exciting contest as people enlist support for their entries and communities compete with one another.”

To vote for the Sleeping Giant, visit the page directly at http://www.cip-icu.ca/greatplaces/en/place.asp?id=3461

Nominating and voting will close March 25, 2011. A panel of judges will then select the finalists in late April, and the winners will be announced in May. Each winning location will receive a plaque, presented to the local mayor or reeve, and winning nominators will also be awarded.
For more information, visit www.GreatPlacesInCanada.com.

Globe and Mail Profile's the Sleeping Giant Loppet...and Our Nordic Culture

building and maintaining a high profile in the travel media is a significant element of our overall marketing strategy and we're off to a fantastic start this year, with three travel media requests coming in on our first week back to the office after Christmas break.

The Globe and Mail had a short piece in their online weekend edition this past weekend, profiling the Sleeping Giant Loppet, Kamview and Lappe as part of our nordic culture, including favorite Apre' ski traditions including - you guessed it -the Hoito and Kangas Sauna.

The bundling of the core ski experience with the northern European culinary and cultural components is an example of the visitor experiences being picked up by our media partners continuously now, building strength on our outdoors focus while presenting a well rounded visitor experience as well. The skiing is the experiential driver, while the urban components, woven into the presentation, fill out the visitor experience and demonstrate that urban economic impacts are achieved by an tourism strategy that focuses on our connection to our natural environment.

Following on this weekend's highly successful Haywood U23 World Cross Country ski Trails, our reputation as a winter playground for the avid outdoor enthusiast is gaining steam. Winters in Canada attract a very specific avid outdoor adventure seeker and over the years, we've gained more insight into who they are, what they want and where they live. Its still a niche market but its one willing to travel farther for an iconic high quality experience. Just ask the winners of this year's Winter Win contest, who are from British Columbia.

Proof positive we are always deliberately building upon our community's reputation as Canada's Best Outdoor City.

Vote for the Sleeping Giant in CBC's Great Canadian Song Quest.

October 14, 2009 – Thunder Bay could be immortalized through song if the Sleeping Giant is chosen as Ontario’s location for CBC Radio 2’s Great Canadian Song Quest. Voting is now open through Oct. 23 atwww.cbc.ca/radio2/songquest.

The Sleeping Giant was nominated as one of the most popular places finalist locations for Ontario in the campaign that was launched in September. The contest gives Canadians a chance to nominate what locations matter most tothem and commission 13 new songs to be written about those places. Not onlywill Canadians get to decide on one place from each province, they will also get to vote on the 13 singer-songwriters who will compose and recordthe new songs.

The City of Thunder Bay is asking residents to go towww.cbc.ca/radio2/songquest and cast their vote for the Sleeping Giant. Residents are also encouraged to ask friends and family outside of the City to participate by voting for the Sleeping Giant.

The final 13 artists will be revealed Oct. 26 and composition on the original songs will begin. The final locations and songs will be announcedon Nov. 23.

“This is a unique avenue to promote and share Thunder Bay's incrediblenatural beauty across the country,” said Mayor Lynn Peterson. “It would begreat to hear our natural wonder promoted through music.”

SEVEN DAYS WITH THE GIANT WINNERS EXPERIENCE SUPERIOR BY NATURE HOSPITALITY

Tourism Thunder Bay is pleased to announce the winners of this year’s Seven Days With the Giant promotion, our signature summer tourism marketing campaign developed to showcase the city and area as one of Canada’s best outdoor cities to outdoor enthusiasts across North America.

This year’s winners, Bob Greer of Maplewood Minnesota and his wife Kathy invited their two friends from Texas, Jack and Jeanette Hammon, to experience all the Giant has to offer. While here, they’ve explored the park with their new Nikon cameras and binoculars while trying out their new camping equipment, enjoyed Thunder Bay’s unique cultural attractions, unique and first class accommodations and iconic culinary treats, enjoyed both a sailboat and floatplane adventure on Superior and will complete their visit to the city with an epic dinner hosted by Caribou Restaurant and Wine Bar.

Tourism Thunder Bay wishes to extend its thanks to all of the sponsors who made this year’s contest and campaign possible. The sponsors include the Ontario Tourism Marketing Partnership Corporation, Ontario Parks, Lake Superior Visits(tour coordination and guiding), Valhalla Inn (accommodation), Sailsuperior.com (sail charter and accommodation), Wilderness North (float plane adventure), Caribou Restaurant and Wine Bar (dinner), National and Enterprise Car rentals (vehicle rentals), Gear Up for Outdoors (equipment package), The Hoito, Thunder Bay Historical Society, Thunder Bay Art Gallery, Superior Outdoors magazine, Ruby Moon, Fort William Historical Park, Imagetech and Amethyst Mine Panorama.

Media are invited to the Valhalla Inn at 9:30 AM on Friday August 21st to meet with Bob, his wife and friends before they depart the city for home.

New Skate and BMX Plaza Brings New Sport Tourism Opportunities

On Saturday November 1st, 2008, City of Thunder Bay officials and members of the local skateboarding community joined forces to cut the ribbon and open a spectacular and unique new recreation and sport tourism facility, and right on the shore of Lake Superior no less.

The new Skate board and BMX plaza, located at Prince Arthur's Landing on the shore of Lake Superior, is the first major project completed as part of the city's new waterfront development strategy and aims to make the area a more inviting place for youth and families to enjoy throughout the year.

The park's opening was welcomed by over 500 young -and young at heart-riders, eager to experience this new park, considered one of the finest of its kind in Canada. The fact that it was November 1st made no difference as it was a sunny, 12 degree celcius afternoon. Whether skating, biking or just watching the activities with Lake Superior and Sleeping Giant in the background, this was the place to be in Thunder Bay this weekend. Even as night fell, some 100 riders were enjoying the park by streetlight well into the evening.

Why is this park good for tourism? BMX and Skateboarding competitions are big business in North America and there are pro and semi pro circuits criss crossing the continent. Having a park of this magnatude, including the California Bowl (one of only two kidney shaped in Canada) allows the city to host regional, national and even international amateur and pro competitions in the future. Linked in with the new Toivo St BMX track, the Wake the Giant WakeBoard festival and the Shuniah Mines Mountain Bike, trails, we are poised to capitalize on the City's connection to the outdoors and to these hugely popular sport and recreation opportunities. A single event with 250 out of town particpants could generate up to $500 000 for the local tourism economy.

This park also enhances Thunder Bay's marketing position as a great outdoor city and a hip destination for outdoor experience seeking youth travel markets.

The new facilities are already creating significant buzz in the skate and BMX online world, reaching riders in the local, Winnipeg, US and Toronto markets who are expressing interest in making Thunder Bay a destination for them and their friends. Check out this story and comments by riders from all over the globe to see what I mean.

http://www.pinkbike.com/news/thunder-bay-dj-park-2008.html#top

With a new sport tourism strategy set to be released by the end of 2008, followed by the release of the Premier Ranked Tourism Destination framework, our strategic direction will help support this type of sport infrastructure investments and the tourism related events they can bring.

The Thunder Bay Skeateboard Coalition is helping raise a portion of the capital costs. If you are interested in buying a named brick for $100 to support this great facility, visit www.tbsc.ca. This group has been instrumental in the development of the park, working with the city administration throughout the process.

Once the doner wall, landscaping and california bowl are completed in early 2009, the park will have a more officious opening. In the meantime, there's plenty of opportunity to enjoy the challenging experiences it provides. Stay tuned as your's truly will be found at the park in my skate gear as well.

May 2008 Tourism News

New E-marketing Initiatives Launched

With over 80% of travellers turning to the internet for travel planning, Tourism Thunder Bay has recently launched two new communications tools to build visitor loyalty.

A new monthly subscription e-newsletter provides regular updates on upcoming events, lodging specials and general visitor information. Available through http://www.visitthunderbay.com/, visitors can read the current edition online and subscribe to future issues that are sent to the email address provided by the user.

Industry contributors can have their events and specials listed in upcoming editions be emailing Erin Brewer at ebrewer@thunderbay.ca. Please keep your submission to 150 words or less.

Go to www.VisitThunderBay.com/newsletter to read the current issue and register.

Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/) is the new global electronic platform for social communication. With almost 40 000 local, seven million Canadian and over 70 million worldwide users, this is an excellent means to reach potential new visitors. The Facebook group site, VisitThunderBay.com provides Facebook users with an interactive web portal to seek information on upcoming events, ask our travel Councillors questions online and share pictures, stories and videos of their favorite Thunder Bay experiences.

Facebook account holders can visit http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=9587366163

Sport Tourism Developments

Candian Sport Tourism Congress

Tourism Thunder Bay recently attended the Canadian Sport Tourism Congress in Gatineau Quebec. The three day conference, held April 27-29, was a chance for over 300 delegates representing municipal and Provincial tourism marketing agencies to meet with Provincial and National Sport organizations representatives. The venue provides opportunities to raise the profile of the city as a sport tourism destination for Provincial, National and International Event hosting. With Sport Tourism being a mult Billion dollar industry in Canada, Thunder Bay has facilities and related infrastructure ideal for hosting a wide range of events.

Tourism Thunder Bay met with a number or sport organizers including Cycling Canada (BC), AthletsCAN, CPGA, Ringette Canada, BasketBall Canada, Freestyle Canada, Cross Country Canada, Soccer Canada, Ontario University Athletics and the CAN AM Fire and Police Games organizers.

Visit http://www.canadiansporttourism.com/ for more information on the organization.

New Skateboard and BMX Competition Facility

Tourism Thunder Bay is a proud supporter of the Thunder Bay Skate Coalition and their efforts in developing a world class skate and BMX plaza at Marina Park. The new plaza will provide recreational and competitive opportunities for thousands of local and regional youth, promoting physical fitness and facilitating the hosting of future skate and BMX competitions at the regional provincial and even international level.

The Thunder Bay Skate Coalition is raising funds to build the plaza and has initiaited a "Buy a Brick" campaign. Personal bricks are $100 each and corporate bricks are $500 each. To view images of the new park or to support the park's development and have you business or family name added to this unique new sport tourism facility, visit http://www.tbsc.ca/.

Cruise Shipping News

As part of Tourism Thunder Bay's membership in the Great Lakes Cruising Coalition (GLCC), the department was actively involved in the 2008 Seatrade Cruise Shipping Conference held in Miami Beach Florida this past March. Hundreds of Cruise destinations and cruise shipping suppliers have the opportunity to meet with over 10 000 industry delegates in this multi billion dolalr segment of the global tourism industry.

The GLCC was successful in meeting with a number of cruise operators and as a result, a number of cruise executives will be touring the City in late June 2008 to view our attractions and marine services with the aim of bringing their vessels into the region in future years. For more information on the Great Lakes Cruising Coalition, please visit http://www.greatlakescruisingcoalition.com/

The uniqueness of Lake Superior and the establishment of the new National Marine Conservation Area adjacent to Sleeping Giant Provincial Park are attractive selling points to smaller expedition cruise operators as well as private charter vessels. Some of the trends that will be pursued include marketing unique lake itineraries to smaller expedition cruise lines as well as to the U.S Superyacht market, whose owners and operators are seeking new destinations for their vessels. This will complement work being done in select Great Lakes markets to attract the pleasure boat markets as well.

To date, Tourism Thunder Bay has been successful in attracting 11 visits by the MV Clelia II in the summer of 2009, bringing an estimated economic impact to the city of approximately $250 000. For more information on the Clelia II, please visit http://www.traveldynamicsinternational.com/

Seven Days with the Giant Update

This incredibly succcessful 2008 liesure marketing campaign, focusing on the affluent outdoor experience seeker in Canada and the US midwest will be wrapping up May 31st 2008 with the winner selected in the first two weeks of June. The campaign, with a high quality grand prize package, served to increase web visitation to http://www.visitthunderbay.com/ by over 41% over the same period in 2007.

The campaign has also served to create a new standard for public private marketing partnership in the Province with Ontario Parks and is being used as a model for other communities to follow. AS a result of the success, Tourism Thunder Bay will be creating a new and enhanced "Seven Days with the Giant" program in 2009.

If you have not yet done so, Industry partners and consumers are encouraged to enter the contest at either http://www.visitthunderbay.com/ or www.OntarioTravel.net/outdoors before May 31, 2008.

Meetings and Convention News

Tourism Thunder Bay recently had the opportunity to meet with over 400 delegates at the Northwestern Ontario Mining Symposium held at the Valhalla Inn in March 2008. With mining exploration at record levels in the region, efforts are being made to attract more corporate business to the city in the form of meetings and conferences related to the industry.

Other segments of the corporate market Tourism Thunder Bay continues to focus on are Education, Health Sciences and First Nation organizations who have offices in Thunder Bay. By providing convention marketing tools to local groups, the aim is to increase the number of Provincial and National meetings in the city.

Skal International

Tourism Thunder Bay is pleased to be a member of SKAL International, a growing organization of travel and tourism professionals. Involvement within the local chapter provides Tourism Thunder Bay with opportunities to build stronger industry relationships, understand developments, issues and concerns of travel industry partners and communicate new Tourism Thunder Bay programs.

On Monday January 28th,2008 ,Skal International Thunder Bay, hosted an evening of celebration at the Victoria Inn and Convention Centre to celebrate the induction of local SKAL Member and owner of the Best Western Crossroads Motor Inn, Norm Bevilacqua as the 2008 SICAN President . Bill Rheaume Past President of SICAN 2007 presented President Norm with the Skal Canada Chain of Office on behalf of Skal International Canada. Norm is an enthusiastic advoate for Thunder Bay and for the regional tourism industry.

Skal is the only international organization which brings together all branches of the travel and tourism industry. Representing the industry’s managers and executives, Skal members meet at local, national and international levels in an environment of friendship to discuss subjects of common interest. The original club was started in Paris in 1932 In 1934,the Association Of International de Skal Clubs was formed.

The basic unit of the Skal Club is the local Club.In Canada there are 17 Local Clubs with a membership of approximmately 900.These 17 local Clubs comprise Skal International Canada.(SICAN). Skal International Thunder Bay received its Charter On October 1st ,1981 under the first President Brian Whitefield.Skal International Thunder Bay celebrated its 25th Anniversary on October 1st,2006. Since 1981,the spirit of friendship and co-operation within the local Club,generated may co-operative programs and exchange of ideas.The Club is proud to have received the coveted "Club of the Year" award (Canada) on three occasions 1998,1999 and the most recent for the year 2003.

The members of the Skal Thunder Bay are very proud of Norm and wish him success as President of Sican.

Visit the Skal website at http://www.skal.org/.

Ontario's North

Tourism Thunder Bay Manager Paul Anthony Pepe was recently appointed as Chair of Ontario's North, a tourism marketing partnership involving the City of Thunder Bay, Sault Ste Marie, Sudbury, North Bay, Timmins, Ontario Tourism Marketing Parthership Corporation(http://www.tourismpartners.com/), FedNor (http://www.ic.gc.ca/) and the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund (http://www.nohfc.ca/).

The organization works on pan Northern tourism marketing initiatives focusing on Leisure and Group travel, travel trade and media that benefit all of Northern Ontario.

Media Update

Lake Superior Magazine has provided editorial on the National Marine Conservation Area, the arrival of the MV Clelia in 2009 and the "Seven Days with the Giant" campaign. Visit http://www.lakesuperior.com/ to learn more about the magazine.

The Thunder Bay Chamber of Commerce features updates on some of Tourism Thunder Bay's latest marketing initiatives in the May 2008 Newsletter. Visit http://www.tb-chamber.on.ca/ for more information or look for it in an upcoming edition of the Chronicle Journal

Upcoming Industry Events

Northern Ontario Travel Intentions Web Presentation

Monday May 5, 2008,

1:30 PM

To log into the audio component call 1-866-234-0247 and use participant code 123745

Test your web browser at www.livemeeting.com/cc/bellconfpro/join?id+check

For web inquiries, email webconfsupport@bell.ca or call 1-866-861-2121