Tourism Winnipeg

Economic Development Winnipeg // YES! Winnipeg // Tourism Winnipeg 19 » A changing demographic is affecting group travel as the new mature traveller demands shorter and more 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. At the same time, they 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 (i.e., ride- sharing) and peer-to-peer accommodations (HomeAway, couchsurfing, etc.). » Multigenerational 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. SALES ACTIVITIES Tourism Winnipeg's sales activities include prospecting, in-person sales meetings, follow-up calls, distribution of sales kits, direct mail programs, tracking, site inspections, familiarization tours and client servicing. A concerted effort has been made to increase prospecting calls to attract business. Tourism Winnipeg will also increase its sales activities in the student/youth market. Winnipeg Tour Connection Tourism Winnipeg will continue to lead and invest in the Winnipeg Tour Connection, a private/public-sector marketing consortium comprised of 37 industry partners. The Winnipeg Tour Connection is a collaborative group of stakeholders representing destination marketing associations, hoteliers, attractions, transportation, events and receptive tour companies. It provides a single identity in the marketplace for increased recognition of Winnipeg as a group and travel trade destination. The Winnipeg Tour Connection attracts group and packaged tours, optimizes marketing budgets and ensures the ultimate delivery of tours that are ideal for exploration, discovery and inspiration. Trade Shows, Marketplaces and Client Events Tourism Winnipeg will attend a number of trade shows, marketplaces and sales events to promote Winnipeg as a group and packaged tour destination. Tourism Winnipeg will also take a strategic approach by increasing sales calls and activities to ensure a high rate of return and broaden its investment in the student/youth and Quebec markets. 2018 Dates Jan. 17-21 Student Youth Travel Association Summit, San Jose, Costa Rica Feb. 22-24 Minnesota Music Educators Midwinter Clinic, Minneapolis Spring *Winnipeg Tour Connection Sales Blitz and Client Reception, Minneapolis April 27 SEBIQ, Societe des ecoles du mode du Bl du Quebec et de la francophonie, QC May 12-16 Rendez-vous Canada, Halifax, NS June Mayflower Tours Sales Team FAM July/August *Student Tour Operator Teacher FAM Aug. 24-28 *Student Youth Travel Association Conference, Baltimore, MD October Alberta Social Studies Teachers' Conference, AB Oct. 22-24 *Bienvenue Quebec Bas-Saint-Laurent, QC November Saskatchewan Music Educators Conference, Saskatoon, SK November SPEAQ, Societe pour le perfectionneent de l'ensegnment de l'anglais, langue seconde, QC *Winnipeg Tour Connection initiative Canadian Museum for Human Rights Tourism Winnipeg will continue to collaborate with the Canadian Museum for Human Rights to increase individual, group and packaged tours to Winnipeg. The Canadian Museum for Human Rights is a catalyst in attracting new markets and opportunities more specifically interested in human rights and social issues, such as education, student/youth, alumni travel programs, LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender), faith-based markets, etc. Student/Youth As Winnipeg prepares to host the 2020 Student and Youth Travel Association convention (with more than 300 student tour operators expected to attend), Tourism Winnipeg will expand its sales activities to attract student/youth tours to Winnipeg. Themed student travel programs that feature history, human rights, performing arts/music and nature will be developed for school groups and service clubs to present Winnipeg as an attractive student tour destination. Intercept Strategy Tourism Winnipeg will continue to implement an 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. TRAVEL TRADE TRENDS Sources: www.travelmarketreport.com and NAJ – Destination Marketer and the NTA Student Reference Guide

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