Tourism Winnipeg

2016-2018 | A Master Tourism Plan for Winnipeg 17 VISITOR SERVICES The growth in the use of the Internet for travel-related information and bookings is expected to continue to impact the delivery of information services by destinations. Today's visitors are arriving at a destination with significantly more knowledge and information than they did in the past and therefore the type of information visitors seek at destinations is changing. Smartphones are now the most watched medium providing content information. Visitors are looking for more in-depth knowledge, insights and unique experiences that are available to them. This means that frontline staff will require more in-depth local tourism activities in order to better service customers. » Visitor Servicing Effective visitor services leads to additional economic activity along with increased positive perceptions of a city. Opportunities exist to enhance tourist information distribution and online visitor enquiry options that extend servicing during the evenings and weekends. Tourism Winnipeg will continue to expand the visitor services platform in order to enhance visitor experiences. Tourism Winnipeg will increase distribution of visitor guides, event guides and maps; provide the most current tourism information for frontline staff servicing visitors; and increase live chat and other travel-related social media sites. » Frontline Training Program In 2012, Cornell Hospitality presented a report from PKF Hospitality Research that showed guest satisfaction is heavily influenced by service factors such as employee attitude and the pacing and order of services provided. It found that the greater the client satisfaction, the higher the revenues for a given hospitality business, and that service plays a far greater role than price and location in the guest- purchase decision (Cornell Hospitality Research, 2012). Tourism Winnipeg will deliver frontline training programs and organize industry familiarization tours to increase product knowledge. A Visitor Information Toolkit and first-hand knowledge of Winnipeg's attractions and events provides frontline staff with experiences for professional development. As a result, frontline staff will speak with authenticity and expertise in order to better describe tourist activities. » Mobile Visitor Information Centre Mobile visitor centres are used to inform visitors already in a destination to optimize tourism experiences for increased word- of-mouth advertising and to encourage visitors to extend stays. Being mobile allows one to take your message "to the people", an important shift that reflects the changing customer. Tourism Winnipeg will enhance visitor experiences by providing a mobile visitor information centre at major Winnipeg festivals, events, and city-wide conventions to encourage visitors and residents alike to explore Winnipeg. Tourism Winnipeg will distribute visitor and events guides, and offer one-on-one travel counselling at its mobile visitor information centre. are interested in human rights and social issues such as education, student | youth, alumni travel, LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender) and faith-based markets. » Intercept Strategy Approximately 10,000 visitors travel to Churchill each year to view polar bears and beluga whales in their natural habitat. Winnipeg is well positioned to extend overnights in Winnipeg, as there are many products that complement Churchill tours. VIA Rail passengers also have an opportunity to stopover in Winnipeg as they cross Canada. Tourism Winnipeg will collaborate with interested stakeholders to develop tour programs for VIA Rail's stopover passengers and conduct sales calls working with Churchill suppliers and tour operators promoting Winnipeg activities in order to extend stays in Winnipeg. Hermetic Code Tour: Dan Harper

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