Tourism Winnipeg

56 56 d. Chamber of Commerce/Conventions & Visitors Bureau Support Festivals and events are not only actively promoted and supported through Winnipeg Chamber of Commerce and official destination marketing organization, Tourism Winnipeg, but also celebrated. The Winnipeg Chamber of Commerce strives to foster an environment in which Winnipeg business can prosper. The Winnipeg Chamber of Commerce uses its position as a community leader, a member business supporter and public policy influencer to advance a city where industry prosperity and community wellness are intertwined, which includes quality of life. One of the main roles of the chamber most directly connected to festivals and events is community leadership, where the organization serves as a catalyst for a prosperous community. The Chamber hosts a number of events throughout the year, and Winnipeg's festivals and events, along with other noteworthy local developments and achievements are heralded at the Chamber's annual themed wrap-up lunch "Celebrate Winnipeg" sponsored by Economic Development Winnipeg Inc. (EDW). EDW is the lead economic development agency for Winnipeg, and facilitates investment promotion and attraction, capacity building, tourism development and the management of market data. Tourism Winnipeg is the city's official destination marketing organization. A division of Economic Development Winnipeg Inc., Tourism Winnipeg's mission is to facilitate a healthy, prosperous, responsible and fully-integrated tourism industry that enhances the city of Winnipeg's economic growth through the acquisition of meetings, conventions, events, group travel and leisure tourism, while increasing visitation and delivering the best possible visitor experience. The organization uses its various platforms, including print, digital, visitor services, social media, travel media and sales teams to help promote festivals and events. Print: The annual Visitor's Guide and biannual Festivals and Events Guides are Tourism Winnipeg's two prominent leisure publications with mass distribution. The Visitor's Guide has a section highlighting its signature Festivals and Events, while the spring/summer and fall/ winter Events Guides have a comprehensive listing of everything from sports events to signature festivals to major concerts, expos, theatre productions and more. Website: There are several areas on Tourism Winnipeg's website (tourismwinnipeg.com) to promote festivals and events, including a robust Events Calendar (Tourism Winnipeg's most visited page) and a page identifying the city's signature events and festivals. Social media: Tourism Winnipeg collaborates with festivals and events by attending media launches/ events, doing behind-the-scenes social media coverage and contesting for prizes to increase festival and event promotion. Blogs: Tourism Winnipeg has two blogs that provide regular coverage of festivals and events through Only in the Peg, while Peg City Grub covers a festival and event's offerings from a culinary perspective. Videos: Tourism Winnipeg's flagship leisure video includes footage of the city's signature festivals and events. It also has several festival and event-specific videos created for promotional use up on its YouTube channel. Frontline training: One of the complimentary services offered by Tourism Winnipeg is training for front line hotel and attractions staff to keep them up- to-date on what's new, happening and coming soon to the city. Education on festivals and events are offered as part of this training. Meetings and Conventions: A schedule of local events and festivals are provided to meetings and conventions delegates, who are interested in exploring them while in town or potentially extending their stay to take in a local festival/event. Travel media: Tourism Winnipeg partners with Travel Manitoba to host national and international travel writers in Winnipeg on individual media trips and FAMs specifically around festivals and events; the goal is to gain additional coverage and attention from outside media markets. Grant funding: Tourism Winnipeg does not provide grant funding; however, the organization does offer in-kind or contra sponsorships, such as additional marketing and promotional support through its platforms. Visitor information booth: For larger festivals, Tourism Winnipeg is able to provide a complimentary on-site information booth to answer any questions visitors/ attendees may have about the city. FAM tours: Tourism Winnipeg goes beyond promoting festivals and events to the leisure market. Its travel trade and meeting sales teams often organize FAMs around festivals and events in Winnipeg to entice clients to bring their tour groups or meetings and conventions to Winnipeg. Tourism Winnipeg also leads sales missions in other targeted cities in partnership with representatives from local festivals and events in the student group and group tour market.

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