Issue link: http://tourismwpg.uberflip.com/i/715764
2017 Destination Marketing Plan & Partnership Opportunities | Tourism Winnipeg 17 Student/Youth Tourism Winnipeg will expand its sales activities to attract student/ youth tours to Winnipeg and will collaborate with stakeholders to develop a strategy to target student/youth groups. Themed student travel programs that feature history, human rights, performing arts/music and nature have been developed for school groups and service clubs in order to present Winnipeg as an attractive group tour destination. Intercept Strategy Tourism Winnipeg will continue to implement the intercept strategy to increase overnight visits by 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 collaborate with Travel Manitoba and industry to co-host travel trade clients with site visits in Winnipeg. Tourism Winnipeg will increase sales activities to qualify clients and elevate offerings in order to assist in the development of group and packaged tours of Winnipeg. TRAVEL TRADE MARKETING Tourism Winnipeg will produce Winnipeg sell sheets featuring the latest developments and features 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 website and access to information and reports through Simpleview. Trends Travel Trade Trends › A changing demographic is affecting group travel as the new mature traveller demands shorter, flexible trips, unique experiences, and more free time than the senior citizen group tours of the past › By 2030, baby boomers over the age of 65 will represent the largest portion of travellers. Baby boomers will be the wealthiest travel group, and at the same time, will be the most demanding travellers in terms of service excellence. › The ever-changing technological landscape presents consumers with many different options to purchase travel. Tablets and smartphones are also dramatically changing the way tour operators will communicate with clients in the future › Student youth travellers, according to the recent World Youth and Student Travel Conference, are more resilient to economic downturns and stay longer for a higher average spend › Important growth factors of the student market include a growing population of students, and an increasing number of travel programs in the school system › Youth travellers book travel, share their trips on social networks, and read and write online reviews used for trip planning. They look to social media services such as ride-sharing and peer-to-peer accommodations, such as HomeAway, couchsurfing, etc. › Multi-generation travel continues to grow as boomers age and plan more family travel around milestone events › Luxury travel has become a robust segment of the market › Culinary tourism is growing in popularity, with an increased interest in hands-on activities related to wineries, micro-breweries, cooking demonstrations, farmers' markets, vineyards, mazes, u-pick farms and cooking classes Sources: www.travelmarketreport.com and NAJ – Destination Marketer and the NTA Student Reference Guide