Issue link: http://tourismwpg.uberflip.com/i/1019180
16 2019 Destination Marketing Plan and Partnership Opportunities tour destination. Tourism Winnipeg will also take a strategic approach by increasing sales calls and activities to ensure a high rate of return and broaden its investment in the student/ youth markets. 2019 Travel Trade Initiatives (subject to change) Jan. 26–29 American Bus Association Annual Meeting and Marketplace, Louisville, KY Feb. 22–24 Minnesota Music Educators Midwinter Clinic, Minneapolis, MN Spring Winnipeg Tour Connection Sales Blitz and Client Reception, Minneapolis, MN, and Chicago, IL May 28 – 31 Rendez-vous Canada, Toronto, ON Summer Winnipeg Tour Connection Tour Operator FAM Aug. 9 – 13 Student Youth Travel Association Conference, Birmingham, AL Oct. Wisconsin State Music Conference, Madison, WI Oct. 18 B.C. Social Studies Teachers' Association Conference, Vancouver, B.C. Dec. 8 – 12 National Tour Association Travel Exchange, Fort Worth, TX *Winnipeg Tour Connection initiative 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 affinity and student groups in the subject area of horticulture and Indigenous art. Tourism Winnipeg will also continue to collaborate with the Canadian Museum for Human Rights, Assiniboine Park Conservancy and the Manitoba Museum to secure history, social science and music student groups. Student/Youth As Winnipeg prepares to host the 2020 Student and Youth Travel Association convention (with more than 800 delegates), Tourism Winnipeg will expand its sales activities to attract student/youth tours to Winnipeg. Themed student travel programs that feature history, human rights, performing arts/ music, and nature will be developed for school groups and service clubs in order to present Winnipeg as an attractive student tour destination. Intercept Strategy Tourism Winnipeg will continue to implement an intercept strategy to increase overnight visits for travellers going to Churchill and across Canada. Tourism Winnipeg conducts tour operator sales calls, works with Churchill suppliers, and collaborates with VIA Rail and surrounding attractions to create new packages to optimize extended stays. Familiarization Tours Tourism Winnipeg will continue to collaborate with Travel Manitoba and the broader tourism industry to co-host travel trade clients (e.g., teacher familiarization tours of Winnipeg). Tourism Winnipeg will increase sales activities to qualify clients and elevate offerings to assist in developing new group and packaged tours of Winnipeg. Travel Trade Marketing Tourism Winnipeg will produce sell sheets featuring the latest developments and the various benefits of Winnipeg as a travel trade destination for the North American, international (English/ French) and student markets. Winnipeg Tour Connection partners will be featured in The Messenger, a quarterly newsletter sent to tour operators. Tourism Winnipeg will continue to enhance the travel trade section of its website and facilitate access to information and reports through Simpleview. Student Youth Co-Op Advertising Campaign In preparation for Winnipeg to host the 2020 Student Youth Travel Association Conference, Tourism Winnipeg will create a co-operative advertisement campaign targeting student youth educators in key markets to elevate Winnipeg as a student group tour destination. Website Tourism Winnipeg will continue to develop and market www.winnipeggroups.com for driving increased engagement and ease of use, delivering tour operator and student educator resources, driving traffic to industry partners, and more. Mike Peters