Issue link: http://tourismwpg.uberflip.com/i/1019180
12 2019 Destination Marketing Plan and Partnership Opportunities Business Events Canada (BEC) Business Events Canada (BEC), the meetings and convention arm of Destination Canada, has aligned its sales and marketing strategy with Canada's global trade priorities, focusing on the key economic sectors in which Canada holds an international competitive advantage. Tourism Winnipeg, through the Bring it Home Program, will continue to leverage this opportunity as well as target key BEC geographic sales markets of Chicago, Minneapolis and Washington, D.C. RBC Convention Centre Winnipeg Tourism Winnipeg and the RBC Convention Centre Winnipeg continue to align their sales activities to capitalize on the Centre's expansion and to increase effectiveness in attracting citywide conferences. Tourism Winnipeg and the RBC Convention Centre Winnipeg will continue to meet regularly to formulate sales strategies, cross-reference leads, enhance requests for proposals (RFPs), and host clients. Leveraging New Developments With the anticipated opening of Canada's Diversity Gardens and the Winnipeg Art Gallery's Inuit Art Centre in 2020, Tourism Winnipeg will strategically attract meetings and conventions in the areas of horticulture and Indigenous art. Tourism Winnipeg will also continue to collaborate with the Canadian Museum for Human Rights to secure business events related to social issues, architecture, education, etc. on a worldwide basis. Personalized Familiarization Tours and Site Inspections Tourism Winnipeg will collaborate with the broader tourism industry to co-host meeting and convention clients on customized familiarization tours of Winnipeg. Tourism Winnipeg will also increase its investment in hosting qualified clients on individual site inspections by personalizing the tours to showcase Winnipeg's attributes as an exceptional destination of choice. Response to Request for Proposals (RFPs) and Bid Presentations Tourism Winnipeg will continue to advance the quality and effectiveness of its RFPs and bids through Simpleview, Tourism Winnipeg's customer relations management system. This will ensure the city is showcased as the ideal business event destination that will result in a higher success conversion rate. Tourism Winnipeg and stakeholders responded to 54 bid requests in 2018 as of June 30, which have resulted in the awarding of nine meetings and conventions to date and pending an additional 30 conventions. This compares to last year's results in the same period that saw 39 bids, resulting in 13 meetings and conventions confirmed, and awaiting decisions on an additional 17 conventions. Convention Servicing Tourism Winnipeg offers services to meetings and conventions to ensure delegates optimize tourism opportunities during their stay in Winnipeg and to assist convention organizers to attract and increase delegate attendance. A service toolkit for meeting planners provides pre-convention promotional information about Winnipeg as well as a visitor information booth for citywide conventions. New tools include custom landing pages for the convention's website, e-blasts to frontline staff, and tailored itinerary building. Meetings and Conventions Marketing Tourism Winnipeg will develop and produce impactful marketing materials to position Winnipeg as an ideal meeting and convention destination. A mix of print, digital, video and blog content will provide multiple touch points and build awareness of Winnipeg as a meetings and conventions destination. Meetings and Conventions Co-Op Advertising Campaign Tourism Winnipeg will partner with the RBC Convention Centre Winnipeg, Travel Manitoba and the Canadian Museum for Human Rights to showcase Winnipeg as an ideal meeting and convention destination through a co-operative print and digital advertising campaign. Ads will be placed in key Canadian industry magazines, with sponsored content delivered by third party vendors and supported by a robust video, social, and Google Advertising campaign. Winnipeg Meetings and Conventions Magazine This editorial- driven magazine is a comprehensive tool promoting Winnipeg to meeting and convention planners across North America. It targets Canadian association executives and meeting planners, and it provides information on the best products and services Winnipeg offers. Tourism Winnipeg will produce 25,000 copies of the magazine, which will be inserted into industry publications such as Ignite magazine. William Au