Tourism Winnipeg

The Forks harbour: Juncatta International background "To be successful in today's increasingly competitive environment, companies must learn to stage experiences for each one of their individual customers. We have entered the Experience Economy, a new economic era in which all businesses must orchestrate memorable events for their customers that engage each one of them in an inherently personal way." (The Experience Economy, Joseph Pine & James Gilmore) Visitor Engagement Today Six thousand years ago, people travelled to the junction of the Red and Assiniboine rivers to meet, trade and share experiences. Today, Winnipeg remains a significant crossroads of culture commerce and tourism. With one of the largest French-speaking communities outside Quebec on the east bank and The Forks on the west bank, Winnipeg remains a significant crossroads of culture, commerce and tourism. Today, Winnipeg's four-season slate of hundreds of annual events and festivals are complemented by world-class performing and visual arts platforms. They solidify Winnipeg's place as the 'cultural cradle of Canada' and a must-see destination. In 2014, Winnipeg's tourism landscape will change dramatically with the opening of the Canadian Museum for Human Rights, the first federal museum located outside of the National Capital Region, placing a global spotlight on human rights education, stories and visions. Hailed as a tipping point for visitor attraction to Winnipeg, the Canadian Museum for Human Rights, alongside other extensive developments already in progress, present new opportunities for significant tourism growth for Winnipeg. 4 Rationale After attending the Destination Marketing Association International Annual Convention in July 2010, it became clear that Winnipeg needed to have an integrated tourism economic development plan in order to grow the economy through tourism expenditures. A drastically altered economic climate demands creative and strategic planning to place Winnipeg in a more competitive position. After researching international best practices, it was determined that the best vehicle to accomplish this was by developing a Master Tourism Plan. A Master Tourism Plan is a holistic document aimed at growing a competitive tourism position in the global market. Such plans encapsulate broadbased strategic direction and identify key issues and initiatives that affect product development, enhance the visitor experience, increase community engagement and partnerships, and ultimately grow tourism visitations and expenditures. In drafting a Master Tourism Plan, a concerted effort has been made to think strategically and document the basis for direction, A Master Tourism Plan for Winnipeg | 2011-2015 | 2013 UPDATE

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