Issue link: http://tourismwpg.uberflip.com/i/715764
2017 Destination Marketing Plan & Partnership Opportunities | Tourism Winnipeg 9 SALES AND SERVICING Tourism Winnipeg builds market segment platforms with quantifiable activities that adhere to the guidelines set out by Destination Marketing Association International. Meetings and Conventions Winnipeg's central geographic location, competitive pricing, sound infrastructure, and strong relationships with association executives and meeting planners contribute to Winnipeg's success in attracting meetings and conventions. Tourism Winnipeg continues to lead Team Winnipeg and to attract meetings and conventions to Winnipeg. In 2016, Tourism Winnipeg led six Team Winnipeg initiatives that resulted in 96 leads for future meetings and submitted 28 bids for future meetings and conventions that cumulatively represents 13,401 delegates and an estimated $14.3 million in direct expenditures. Tourism Winnipeg also developed a new template for customized bid books, and updated the Winnipeg meetings and conventions magazine, sell sheets, packages and deals website offer, and a meeting and convention e-newsletter. Bring it Home Tourism Winnipeg continues to build relationships with Winnipeg's leaders of regional, national and international boards and the business and academic communities to assist in raising Winnipeg's profile as a meeting and convention destination. Since its inception in 2012, the Bring it Home program has been responsible for aiding in bringing 95 conventions to Winnipeg representing more than 37,000 delegates and $39 million in delegate spending. In 2016, Tourism Winnipeg engaged more than 60 community leaders to bring their future meeting and conventions to Winnipeg. Tourism Winnipeg continued to collaborate with the RBC Convention Centre Winnipeg to further promote the "Bring it Home" program through a video, media buys including a one-page advertorial in La Liberté and a Winnipeg Free Press wrap; Winnipeg Chamber of Commerce lunch sponsorships and two client receptions including a Bring it Home Awards event. Sports and Special Events Tourism Winnipeg has formed a sports and special events alliance with key stakeholders to position Winnipeg as a competitive destination, and is collaborating with Sport Manitoba and National Sport Organizations to bring regional and national competitions to Winnipeg. In 2016, Tourism Winnipeg attended the Canadian Sport Tourism Alliance congress, hosted the Sports and Special Events Committee to develop a strategy to attract major events to Winnipeg, is a member of the 2017 Canada Summer Games Committee, and leading an international bid for the 2023 World Police and Fire Games for 10,000 participants. Travel Trade Tourism Winnipeg collaborates with stakeholders to promote Winnipeg as a packaged tour destination to the travel trade by attending key trade shows and marketplaces, leading the Winnipeg Tour Connection, and developing strategies to increase the length of stay of individuals and groups that use Winnipeg as a gateway to Churchill or VIA Rail stopover. In 2016, Tourism Winnipeg attended three marketplaces and hosted a learning seminar on how to optimize opportunities with tour operators for the 35 Winnipeg Tour Connection partners, and hosted clients on a winter familiarization tour. Tourism Winnipeg also produced the Winnipeg Tour Connection Travel Planner, collaborated on the VIA Rail Winnipeg stopover sell sheet, produced international and student sell sheets and distributed quarterly newsletters to more than 500 tour operators. TRAVEL MEDIA Tourism Winnipeg generates unique story ideas to increase media coverage, cultivates key relationships with travel journalists and bloggers, and expands the media database to keep Winnipeg top-of-mind. Tourism Winnipeg collaborates with Travel Manitoba, Destination Canada, and industry stakeholders to host media in order to generate media coverage. In 2016, Tourism Winnipeg attended two media marketplaces to interest media in Winnipeg, updated the Legends and Tales media story idea brochure, and distributed quarterly travel media e-newsletters. Tourism Winnipeg hosted 18 travel media and tracked a total of $15.6 million of earned media from 184 stories in 519 outlets from January 1 to June 30. VISITOR SERVICING Tourism Winnipeg's visitor services platform enhances visitor experiences through increased distribution of visitor guides, events guides, itineraries, and maps. Tourism Winnipeg also provides the most current tourism information for frontline staff and manages a mobile information centre at special events.