Tourism Winnipeg

2016-2018 | A Master Tourism Plan for Winnipeg 21 Tourism Winnipeg will create a brand strategy with market-specific messaging that supports Winnipeg's unique experiences and aligns with the provincial tourism brand that showcases Winnipeg as an unexpectedly rich urban oasis encompassing arts, sport, architecture and history. The brand strategy will be customer focused in order to define the most potent positioning, benefits, messages, designs and product strengths that will resonate with key audiences. It will capture the strengths and personality of Winnipeg in ways that enable stakeholders to use consistent and compelling messages. » Workforce Development Tourism education helps develop a healthy workforce that contributes positively to visitor experiences. It is, therefore, important to have a coordinated approach by government, training and education institutions, workforce organizations and industry to increase tourism training opportunities, improve awareness and perceptions of tourism career opportunities, and to expand recruitment efforts targeting tourism marketing and management graduates. Tourism Winnipeg will collaborate with industry partners to support increased investment in human resource development and to raise the profile of career opportunities in tourism. Tourism Winnipeg will also collaborate with post-secondary colleges and universities in support of the development of a professional tourism workforce. CONCLUSION The Master Tourism Plan for Winnipeg is a living document intended to be a catalyst for growth. The strategies outlined in Winnipeg's Master Tourism Plan create opportunities to fundamentally increase tourism activities and initiatives that will drive economic growth. The overarching outcome gained from the timely execution of Winnipeg's Master Tourism Plan is an increase to tourism visitation and expenditures, creating a greater return on investment for multiple stakeholders including the City of Winnipeg and the Province of Manitoba. The Master Tourism Plan for Winnipeg continues to provide a high- level plan for the city as a whole. It is Tourism Winnipeg's intent, as the initiatives outlined move forward, that the community, made up of citizens, stakeholders and tourism industry partners, will actively participate in further evolving and elevating Winnipeg's Master Tourism Plan into a 25-year vision to be owned by the community. Tourism Winnipeg is passionately committed to leading the implementation of the Master Tourism Plan for Winnipeg and facilitating a long-term plan for the city, ultimately striving to strengthen Winnipeg's tourism industry and by growing visitor expenditures. » Industry Networking Events Tourism Winnipeg will host industry business events to encourage strategic alliances. These events will include industry updates and relevant participant presentations, and educational speakers. To further enhance community relations, Tourism Winnipeg will support and celebrate the tourism industry at an annual holiday event for stakeholders. » Tourism Awards A tourism awards program provides an opportunity to demonstrate the value of the tourism industry and recognizes that people are the greatest asset. It celebrates tourism successes, profiles innovations, acknowledges service excellence and rewards those who have made significant contributions to the industry. It is a prestigious platform, honouring those involved in tourism, and it increases the relevance of the tourism industry. Tourism Winnipeg will host an annual Winnipeg Tourism Awards program to celebrate Winnipeg's tourism industry. Nine award categories will recognize success, leadership and innovation in Winnipeg's tourism industry. The awards also acknowledge the outstanding efforts of stakeholders in making Winnipeg a world- renowned destination a visitor won't soon forget. » Tourism Advocacy and Foundational Growth Tourism has become one of the largest and fastest-growing economic sectors in the world, with an annual growth rate that is outpacing the world economy. In 2014, the Tourism Industry Association of Canada and the Conference Board of Canada indicated that tourism represents $84 billion annually, more than the combined sectors of fisheries, hunting and agriculture. The viability of tourism is fundamental to the health and growth of the Canadian economy as according to research by the Canadian Tourism Human Resource Council, one in 10 Canadians, one third of whom are under the age of 25, are employed in tourism. Tourism Winnipeg will collaborate with stakeholders to elevate the image of the tourism industry and to reflect its vital contribution to the economic, social and cultural prosperity of the city and province through industry communications, public relations, marketing initiatives and workshops. Increasing awareness of the benefits of tourism as an economic driver will influence public policy and resource allocation decisions. Tourism Winnipeg will also support the Winnipeg Airports Authority to expand air routes by providing customized marketing materials and attending specific trade initiatives. » Destination Branding A brand is a promise that provides a benefit the customer values. Having a consistent, credible brand is invaluable as it differentiates an offering from its competition. Brands, like people, have personalities that evoke emotion. Visitors interpret brand personality from their interactions in a destination, such as the local experiences enjoyed and in the words and images seen prior to and during a visit.

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