Great Excursions’ Claude-Jean Harel will deliver a heritage workshop in Edmonton on Saturday April 18, 2009.
The session titled “Miser Sur Son Patrimoine” (tapping into one’s heritage) is intended for Alberta cultural tourism and heritage stakeholders seeking to develop stewardship initiatives that have the potential to contribute to the cultural industries, including tourism.
The all-day session in French will take place from 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at Egge’s Barn, Fort Edmonton Park (Fox Drive & Whitemud Drive) in Edmonton).
Participants may
register online.
Some financial assistance is available for distant participants.
For more information, call:
ACFA
Isabelle Laurin, directrice des communications
Phone. : (780) 466-1680, extension 222
Cell. : (780) 904-5700
Pow wows are on the rise as native people rediscover their roots, and Winnipeg, MB’s Manito Ahbee—A Festival for All Nations—is at the centre of it all.
This gathering is one of the biggest, drawing over 800 dancers around the continent. Anyone can join in—just note a few dos and don’ts.
It is Manito Ahbee—“where the Creator Sits,” a sacred, secret site in southern
Manitoba’s Whiteshell Provincial Park. It’s also the name of the annual continental event of Turtle Island, the Aboriginal name of North America, a 10-day meeting of native minds and hearts held in late October in Winnipeg, MB, that culminates in an explosion of wildly colourful regalia, whirling dance and pounding drums—the
International Competition Pow Wow.
Pow wows are sweeping North America as native people have, in recent decades, rediscovered their history and culture. And this is one of the biggest, drawing some 800 dancers from around the continent. Manito Ahbee’s even pulling in mainstream, non-Aboriginal visitors, fascinated by the dancers’ skills and energy.
The Pow Wow’s the butter on the
bannock of Métis celebration, conferences, traditional crafts marketplace, and Métis and native music at venues around downtown Winnipeg, as well as at the
Aboriginal Peoples Choice Music Awards.
These aren’t your grandfather’s soulful chants, though; First Nations music has evolved into an audio kaleidoscope of genres from the hip hop of Kray
Kree to Ed Peekeekoot’s country styling.
Even so, the Pow Wow is totally traditional, and there are rules. You don’t, as I did, lie on the floor to get a good photo angle (I was admonished gently). You don’t call dancers’ clothing “costumes”—costumes mean Halloween, and these outfits are imbued with serious symbolism.
You do get swept away by the passion of the competition dances that last well into the evening. And when they call out “intertribal dance,” you get to join in—even if you’re like me, a white gal, wearing a decidedly non-festive sweatshirt and sneakers.
Source: Canadian Tourism Commission
Roberto Rocha writes in The Gazette that Marketing Magazine reported that Tourisme Montréal wants to hire a "small army of bloggers, videocasters and networkers to promote tourism in the city."
Specifically, they're looking for five people who will use social media to play up Montreal's main attractions for visitors: food, shopping, nightlife, culture, and the gay scene, according to Rocha.
Each "brand ambassador" will be asked to go out regularly in their field and make regular videos and blog posts. They will also be asked to interact with visitors on social networks like Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, and Yahoo Answers.
The most startling job requirement, Rocha goes on, "is carrying a cell phone to take calls from potential tourists.
This will be a a 10-month part-time job from March to December. Rocha says they are looking for people who are "curious, outgoing, have large network in their assigned area, the ability to talk in front of a camera, and can work on deadlines."
"They're saying little else about the campaign until it launches officially. But you can tell already this is a pretty gutsy move from the tourism body, which is trying to save money in anticipation of a soft tourism season," Rocha concludes.
Some very good news for travellers today. WestJet, Air France and KLM today announced they have signed a memorandum of understanding to build a new commercial relationship between the three airlines.
"This memorandum of understanding allows the airlines to begin working on building a code-sharing agreement in late 2009 or early 2010. Prior to this, the carriers will contemplate additional opportunities including an interline agreement, namely acceptance of each other's e-tickets, and through check-in of baggage and passengers, technology permitting. Possibilities for future frequent flyer program cooperation will be explored as well.A code-sharing agreement would involve the Canadian gateways of Calgary, Montréal, Toronto and Vancouver where guests of the three airlines would connect with each other's networks.This memorandum of understanding is another step in WestJet's strategy to increase connectivity, bringing additional travellers to its network as well as offering more access for its guests to new destinations."
This is will be the first departure of the season for this trip. So far we have 4 booked + 4 more are expected to book in the next few days. We need a minimum number of 9 passengers to guarantee the departure.
We expect fully this trip to go ahead because this is our most popular trip and it is a great time of the year to go. So if you have been thinking about it: August 15 to August 21, 2009!
The month of January is one of the best times to view northern lights in the Yukon. In the bottom left ... one of the wall tent camps we use for the longer trips.Our trips in the Yukon are attracting guests of all ages. February and the first half of March are fully booked.
There is still room in November, December and January. January is an excellent time to go because of the northern lights.
Here are some trip options:
Discover Canada at your own pace! RVing is gaining in popularity as a mode of travel. Families and friends looking for the ultimate in autonomy while on vacation are looking increasingly to renting a campervan or a motorhome. The freedom to venture off the conventional roadways, the beauty of waking up every morning in a different scenic spot is a hard to resist temptation.
Have a look at some of the units we offer through our Canada-wide partnerships. To find out more, call 1-866-975-8687 or email us at info@greatexcursions.travel, and start planning your next holiday now!
Our friend Cliff Speer sent this note around... A not to miss evening!
"In some ways, Saskatchewan is still a frontier province with many places practically undiscovered. Exploring those places can be a fascinating pursuit. Done in a sustainable, responsible way, such exploration is the essence of ecotourism.
On Wed. Nov. 12 at 7:00 pm at the J.S. Wood Library in Saskatoon, I will be giving a talk and slide show on ecotourism entitled: Eco-explorations in Saskatchewan’s Backcountry. My presentation will, of course, highlight canoeing and cross-country skiing, but will touch on other self-propelled modes of exploring the backcountry. You may be surprised to discover that backcountry in Saskatchewan can be both remote & almost on your doorstep!
The Nov. 12 event is one in a regular monthly series of public presentations on environmentally-related topics co-sponsored by the Saskatchewan Environmental Society and the J.S. Wood Library. It is free and everyone is welcome to attend. Coffee accompanies the discussion session. I look forward to seeing a whole bunch of eco-oriented explorers come out next Wed. evening!
Winter is hovering in the wings somewhere, but I’m a bit reluctant to bring up the topic of skiing as I’m still trying to catch up from a busy summer of canoeing! When we do get skiable conditions, check out the CanoeSki site for cross-country instruction and tour programs. I’ll be once again teaching all the adult ski courses for the Nordic Ski Club, so there should be plenty of options for everyone interested in learning to ski or improving their technique.
Private lessons have become popular over the last few years as a final option for those with tight schedules or simply wanting personalized attention. Give me a call to discuss any skiing questions. In the meantime, enjoy the rest of the fall and dream of a protracted winter of deep snows!
Cliff Speer
CanoeSki Discovery Company
Wilderness Canoeing & Skiing EcoExplorations
Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada
Tel/fax: 306-653-5693
http://www.canoeski.com
cliff@canoeski.com"
A quick note to let you know about a slideshow by Robin and Arlene Karpan, and Ric Driediger of Churchill River Canoe Outfitters at the University of Regina's Education Building Saturday October 25 at 7:00 pm.
The event is put on by the Historic Trails Canoe Club.
I'm attaching a pdf file about the event.
C-J
northern%20Sask%20canoe.pdf
by Lori McNulty
Courtesy of the Canadian Tourism CommissionFrom BC hot springs crawls to all-acoustic jams in Nova Scotia.Manitoba
In a kitchen the size of Yankee Stadium, I still couldn’t fit in all the friends who whoop it up during the annual, 10-day Festival du Voyageur in Saint-Boniface, MB. Because during “The World’s Largest Kitchen Party,” everyone’s family. Take in the fiddle and jigging, feasting, fireworks and musical performances—all capturing the joie de vivre of the French-Canadian voyageur and fur-trading era. (Video)
www.travelmanitoba.com
Yukon Territory
Cue the music and huddle close when the Northern Lights electrify the Yukon sky in February. The Frostbite Music Festival is Canada’s coolest musical buzz. International performers hit the stage for hot sets of blues, gospel, funk, reggae, Cajun, Celtic and First Nations music. When the dancing stops, hit the Takhini Hot Springs for a soothing soak.
www.travelyukon.com
Nova Scotia
No doubt about it. Halifax is the soul of down-east sound. The jamming is all-acoustic during the In the Dead of Winter Music Festival in January, when Atlantic, Canadian and US musicians perform up close and unplugged just for you.
www.novascotia.com
British Columbia
International crowds flock to Brackendale north of Squamish, BC, to catch some rare but ruffled celebrity headliners. From mid November to mid February, the community hosts the largest gathering of bald eagles in North America. Catch them as they feast on spawned salmon during the 23rd annual Brackendale Winter Eagle Festival & Count in January. (Video)
www.hellobc.com
Call it the Kootenay Rockies Hot Springs Crawl, grab your friends and go. BC’s Kootenay Rockies is home to seven unique hot springs. Soak in mineral-rich comfort amid deep canyons, old-growth forests, flowing rivers, craggy mountain peaks and caves. Smile included.
www.tourismbc.com
Quebec
Canadians don’t all live in them, but igloos (also iglu) are still pretty cool. Head to Parc national du Bic in Quebec’s St. Lawrence River Estuary and you’ll see. The park’s NUNA BIC Package sets you up with an overnight igloo stay, snowshoe rental, winter sleeping bag and fleece blanket, ground mattress and more.
www.bonjourquebec.com
Winter sea kayaking is a becoming a hot sport in Quebec. Guided kayaking trips take you through the stunning Mingan Archipelago and Lower North Shore region where you’ll paddle among sea birds and ice floes, then sample home-cooked salmon. In late February and early March, join an excursion to visit thousands of white harp seals on the ice near Îles de la Madeleine.
www.bonjourquebec.com
This just in from Regina EcoLiving
"Saskatoon will be the site of the transformative project, We Are Many: A Festival, which presents a model of sustainability for mid-sized cities throughout North America. We Are Many (WAM) will use the energy and community spirit of the arts — music, theatre, dance, literature, and visual art — in taking a dramatic step toward a more environmentally friendly community. The festival will feature arts exhibits and performances as well as hands-on workshops and symposia on the whats, hows, and whys of sustainability.
For more information, visit
www.wearemanyfestival.com or call 306.343.1757"
This
is the latest review that I wrote about about Earls restaurant which just got published on Tripadvisor. I don't know why there such a vacuum when in comes to encouraging citizens and visitors to blog and write about the tourism establishments they frequent in Regina, when most marketers would agree that this is the single most effective way to raise awareness about destinations and what they have to offer. Nothing short of total transparence and honesty will do, if we want to raise awareness about the city and the authentic experiences it offers.
The fact that the last review prior to this one dated back to January is of real concern!!!
I don't know if any of you have had a chance to stop in Mortlach, located on Trans-Canada Highway west of Moose Jaw, but it seems their tourism efforts are paying off. Mortlach Mayor Ron Locke just shared the following with me.
|
"We are still working to make Mortlach a tourist destination. Our Mortlach Saskatoon Berry Festival on 5 Jul 08 was a huge success with over 2500 people in attendance. Check out our website
www.mortlach.ca to see how things are progressing."
I wrote an article abou their efforts that was published
in this publication a few years back.
And I went back to the area to lead an
archaeological survey with the Regina Archaeological Society later on.
Kudos to the community!
I was happy to see that Meewasin Valley Authority' Susan Lamb is profiled in the Saskatoon Star Phoenix this morning. Susan's good work over the years has certainly helped guide resource stewardship in the South Saskatchewan River Valley.
Until I read Ned Powers' article, there is a lot about her background I didn't know:
"Lamb attended the University of Saskatchewan, where she earned a bachelor of science in 1974 and an education degree in 1978.
She joined The StarPhoenix as a writer in 1977 and became the Newspaper-In-Education co-ordinator. As a founding member, she coined the title, READ Saskatoon, an organization which has become a powerhouse in literacy activities.
After her first turn with the MVA, she joined Tourism Saskatoon in 1991, and admits to facing a real challenge.
"We were near bankruptcy. We developed some marketing ideas, formed some partnerships and it became a time of significant growth within the industry. In 1997, we were named the fastest-growing tourism destination in Canada."
She was a founding director of the Saskatoon Airport Authority and founder of the Women's CEO Group. She's been a director with Tourism Saskatchewan, Saskatoon Foundation, Persephone Theatre, Winterfest and Big Sisters, among others.
She won the YWCA's Women of Distinction award in 1995 for leadership in business and community work.
She and Ron have been married for 39 years and her husband was a longtime educator in the Moose Jaw and Saskatoon public schools systems."
I came across this story by the Canadian Press today... Dan Kukat is a first rate operator that we work with. It is good to see him and his group step forward to provide a bit of context and to educate consumers about how the industry operates:
B.C. man who barreled through pod of killer whales fined $3,500VANCOUVER — A British Columbia man who mowed over a pod of killer whales at full speed in his boat, either hitting or just missing one of the endangered animals, has been fined $3,500.Xi Change Gao, of Sidney, B.C., was convicted in April after video showed the man's eight-metre crab-fishing vessel, the Vien Duong, tearing through the pod near South Pender Island."The video indicated that the Vien Duong appeared to collide, or very nearly collide, with a killer whale while continuing to manoeuvre around other members of the pod at full speed and in close proximity," said a Department of Fisheries news release.The video was captured in an area where the southern resident killer whales are often spotted. There are only 87 animals left in that whale population, and they are listed as an endangered species by the federal government.Xi was fined $3,000 in a provincial court for disturbing marine mammals and another $500 for a crab-fishing licence violation.When fisheries officers looked through his logbook shortly after the August 2007 incident, they found he failed to keep it up to date.Xi's actions are completely contrary to whale protection laws and whale-watching etiquette.Dan Kukat, president of Whale Watch Operators Association Northwest, said that type of incident is unusual."I'm sure it was unintentional," he said of Xi's actions."I don't want to sound apologetic, but you know it could happen to anybody. However, once you find yourself amongst killer whales, the law clearly requires us to take evasive action where possible."Most whale-watching groups in B.C. and Washington State have signed an agreement that limits boats from getting closer than about 400 metres to whales.If boat operators finds themselves close to whales, they must immediately slow down to seven knots and turn off their engines if the whales get closer.Kukat, who runs Springtide Victoria Whale Tours, said whales are extremely adept at getting out of the way of boats and are a lot smarter than many people believe."They spend as much time watching the whale watchers as whale watchers are watching whales," he said with a chuckle. "They are highly intelligent creatures. Some people think maybe even more intelligent than human beings."David Roberts, sales and operations manager at the Victoria-based Prince of Whales whale-watching company, said most people are respectful of wildlife, but the few who aren't seem to stand out."You have people who do all sorts of strange things around, not just whales, but all wildlife," said Roberts."I've seen people try to get their kids up close to a rutting elk to get a nice picture. People who will feed wildlife on the corner of a road, people who drive through a pod of killer whales. Some people just don't have the understanding."Lisa Spaven, marine mammal incident co-ordinator with the Department of Fisheries and Oceans, said the recovery strategy for southern resident killers whales identifies boating activity as an issue."It's an issue in that these animals rely on their aquatic environment to perform their normal life process."Spaven said the southern resident population has lost a few whales this year, but has also gained a few, including a new calf just spotted a two days ago.Kukat said the protection of killer whales along the coasts of B.C. and Washington State has come a long way.Decades ago, people would shoot at them to keep them away from fish nets and fishing lines - or worse."Go back to the war: they were used for bombing practice, as stories have it," said Kukat.
The Regina Downtown BID is circulating a City Police questionnaire about your use of Victoria Park:
"Regina Police Service in partnership with the Regina Downtown Business Improvement District is currently examining Victoria Park and is interested in receiving your feedback. We appreciate you taking the time to fill out this questionnaire which can be faxed to Regina Downtown at 359-9060, or emailed to info@reginadowntown.ca."
Here is your chance to help guide the folks tasked with making Regina a better place.
Victoria%20Park%20CPTED%20survey.pdf
The Buffalo Days are always a hitPhoto: Claude-Jean HarelEarlier this month, Memory McLeod reported in the Leader-Post that there are fewer American travellers coming through the province:
""We are about to see an influx of American travellers who come through this time every year on their way back from Alaska. Other than those, no we have not seen a lot," said Peggy Henderson, visitor services manager at Tourism Regina.
The amount of American travellers to the province was down in July by 30 per cent compared to last year. June saw a 26 per cent decrease and a 4 per cent decrease in May."
That was really to be expected given the fuel prices, the current challenges in getting tourism stakeholders working together to harmonize our tourism offering around Saskatchewan's distinctive character in a way that makes our products attractive to international markets, and given current uncertainties around passports requirements.
I received phone calls from clients in the US requesting clarifications. One would be traveller from Michigan called us after visiting websites both in Canada and the US, and being left confused.
There is no doubt that Saskatchewan, its cities and rural communities have the potential to grow tourism revenues from sources other than the domestic market... but the entire Canadian tourism industry is struggling with the US market at the moment. It is indeed a time for innovation an renewed emphasis on collaborative strategies and tourism partnerships.
Photo:
Michael Binyon
This is a great little story from
The Times of London"The first new steam engine built in Britain for almost 50 years steamed slowly out of Darlington Locomotive Works today to loud applause, a blizzard of camera flashes and a guaranteed future of full-speed mainline running, the length of Britain's rail network. Tornado, a replica of the A1 Peppercorn Pacific class, has taken 18 years to build and cost almost £3 million. With sponsorship from some of Britain's leading engineering companies, funds have come from steam enthusiasts across the country through deeds of covenant and a bonds issue.
About 250 people, including four BBC camera crews, made the journey to the shed where it was built to see the engine, belching thick smoke and blowing its whistle, move for the first time under its own steam."
A crew of local iceberg enthusiasts head out to take a closer look at Dunfield (Newfoundland and Labrador) earlier this monthPhoto: Claude-Jean HarelI am currently developing a cultural tourism course for the recently created Bonavista Institute of Cultural Tourism in Newfoundland and Labrador. The course will take place this fall on the Bonavista Peninsula. The course’s emphasis will be on the development of tourism partnerships that lead to increased revenue generation through the enhancement of the tourism value chain to which tourism operations with a focus on heritage, culture and the arts belong.
As part of the curriculum development process, I am looking for examples of partnership best practices in the cultural tourism field from around the world that we can use to illustrate some of the processes involved in generating partnership solutions that build on the authentic character of cultural tourism experiences, and that help bring out the sense of place of the destinations where they take place.
I would welcome any suggestions of such partnerships that we could feature in the course, especially those that facilitate market-readiness and which take into account principles of environmental, social and economic responsibility.
(Originally published in
TOURISM)
The first-ever Dragon Boat Festival for Banff National Park has been approved to glide the mystical waters of Lake Minnewanka on August 23 & 24, 2008. The non-motorized long-boat canoe race and festival activities are set to showcase National Park environmental stewardship through educational opportunities and an enhanced visitor experience.
A centuries-old race features four boats with teams of up to 20 paddlers in race heats of 200, 500 and 1000 metre stints. According to Andrea Thiessen, Director of Events and Special Projects, "group participants bring their competitive spirits to the lake and are required to build unity in an outdoor environment in order to successfully cross the finish line". Specialty cup races will include Breast Cancer Survivors and Emergency Medical Services. Cultural festival activities and interpretation will add excitement to the downtown core of Banff, while a "Towards Zero Waste" strategy continues to demonstrate our leadership in low-impact special events.
"Hosting cultural events in Banff National Park provides a non-traditional way of engaging Canadians and educating them about the special and unique place that is located in their backyard" says Julie Canning, President and CEO of Banff Lake Louise Tourism. "We look forward to working collaboratively with Parks Canada, the Town of Banff, and the Alberta Dragon Boat Race Foundation on an integrated approach to running this exciting new event".
www.banfflakelouise.com/dragonboat
A Heritage Moment
Lake Minnewanka, originally called Devil's Lake, was renamed in 1888 because it was believed the name was too ominous for visitors. Its new name is translated from the Stoney word 'Minnee-wah-kah', which means the "Lake of the Water Spirit". In the late 1800's, the lake was home to Minnewanka Landing, a popular resort community. When the lake was dammed, the reservoir submerged Minnewanka Landing and it has now become a popular location for cold water diving.
Author: Annik LaRoche
Organization: Banff Lake Louise Tourism
E-mail: Annik@banfflakelouise.com
(Originally published in
TOURISM)
For the eighth consecutive year, Americans were found to receive and use the smallest amount of vacation time among their counterparts in other countries.
Expedia recently commissioned its eighth annual Vacation Deprivation(TM) survey; despite reporting an average of 14 paid vacation days again this year (the same as 2007 and two more than in 2005), an estimated 47.5 million Americans (31 % of employed US adults) will not use all of their vacation days. Again this year, employed US adults will leave an average of three vacation days on the table, giving back more than 460 million vacation days in 2008.
Despite these statistics, Americans do see the value in vacations, with more than one-third (39 %) reporting they feel more productive and better about their job upon returning from vacation and 52 % claiming to feel rested, rejuvenated and reconnected to their personal life. Work responsibilities are one of the biggest deterrents to taking vacation, with 18 % of US adults responding that they've cancelled or postponed vacation plans because of work and 29 % admitting they have trouble coping with stress from work at some point in the vacation cycle. Additionally, nearly one quarter (24 %) report that they check work e-mail or voicemail while vacationing. That figure is up from only 16 % in 2005.
Expedia analyzed the vacation habits of employed workers in the US, Canada, Great Britain, Germany, France, Spain, Italy (and for the first time, the Netherlands and Austria). Canadians receive an average of 17 annual days, two less than 2007 but still three more than Americans. Among the European countries studied in the past, all workers receive more vacation days in 2008 than 2007. Great Britain has a two day increase over 2007, with 26 days, and Germany, Spain and France all saw increases of one day, receiving 27 days, 31 days and 37 days respectively. Employed workers in the Netherlands and Austria are awarded an average of 28 days in 2008.
When it comes to making vacation a priority, Expedia research saw a shift in attitudes toward taking time off among women and men. In 2007, men were more likely to feel guilty about taking time off from work (39 % versus 30 % of women). However, in 2008, women are more likely than men to feel guilty about taking time off from work (38 % women versus 28 % men), and men are more likely than women (16 % versus 11 %) to take a two-week vacation.
(Originally published in
TOURISM)
Travel Alberta has launched its biggest ever regional tourism marketing campaign. The $5.6 million multi-media program encourages Albertans and visitors from western Canada to "stay a little bit longer" in Alberta.
"This exciting and creative campaign showcases the many unique travel experiences Alberta has to offer around our province," said Tourism, Parks and Recreation Minister Cindy Ady. "This program, made possible by the Tourism Levy, supports an important pillar of our economy that employs more than 111,000 people in every community in Alberta."
The multi-media program kicks off with a television campaign, supported by radio, seven travel and events guides distributed widely throughout the year and innovative billboards in Calgary and Edmonton. "Our goal is to increase the length of stay and subsequent expenditures of travellers from our largest markets," said Derek Coke-Kerr, Managing Director of Travel Alberta. "This is strategic marketing at its best as tourism in Alberta and Canada now faces increasing challenges of a higher Canadian dollar, higher gas prices and more competition from other destinations trying to attract Albertans to visit," he said.
Funding for tourism comes from the four per cent Tourism Levy. The levy, which replaced the five per cent Hotel Room Tax in 2005, provides Travel Alberta with a reliable, predictable and sustainable source of funding for marketing activities. Budget 2008 includes $67.2 million for tourism marketing and development, which represents an increase of almost $10 million over the previous year.
Albertans are responsible for about half of the approximately $5 billion in tourism expenditures generated annually in the province. Travel Alberta is the industry-led, market driven and research-based tourism destination marketing organization for Alberta. Travel Alberta's mandate is to implement the Strategic Tourism Marketing Plan which sets the goal to increase annual tourism expenditures in the province to $6.5 billion by 2011.
Author: Don Boynton
Organization: Travel Alberta
E-mail: don.boynton@travelalberta.com
Photo: Claude-Jean Harel(Originally published in
TOURISM)
Wanuskewin Heritage Park, on the west bank of the South Saskatchewan River five kilometres north of Saskatoon, includes seven hundred and sixty acres, with nineteen sites that represent the Northern Plains Peoples: summer and winter camp sites, bison kill sites, tipi rings and a boulder alignment known as a medicine wheel, all found within one kilometre of each other.
Almost 20 years ago, an award‑winning and elaborate interpretive centre was designed and built to reflect the character of the site as a historical gathering and meeting place over 8000 years of First Nations history. Wanuskewin still fulfills that meeting place role, providing a rich variety of programming for tours, which can be customized to fit into workshops, retreats, and companion events for conventions.
Wanuskewin's mission is to operate – under the leadership and guidance of First Nations people – a heritage site that contributes to increasing public awareness, understanding and appreciation of the cultural legacy of the Northern Plains First Nations people. Wanuskewin's governance structure is unique, with a wide range of partnerships and founded on the idea of a cooperative relationship between Aboriginal and non‑Aboriginal peoples. There are two governing boards:
Wanuskewin Indian Heritage Incorporated (WIHI) has thirteen members who are representatives of First Nations bands, districts, or cultural nations of Saskatchewan. WIHI was established to review planning for development of the Park, including cultural programming, traditional land use, and ceremonial and spiritual matters. WIHI ensures that the needs of First Nations people are met and an authentic and unique experience is provided for all visitors to the Park.
The operating board – Wanuskewin Heritage Park Authority (WHPA) – has twelve directors composed of both Aboriginal and non‑Aboriginal peoples and is the umbrella group for the partnerships that form Wanuskewin. The board members include representatives from WIHI, the Federation of Saskatchewan Indian Nations, the City of Saskatoon, the Governments of Canada and Saskatchewan, the University of Saskatchewan, the Meewasin Valley Authority and the Friends of Wanuskewin.
(Originally published in
TOURISM)
provided by Aboriginal Tourism Canada in partnership with the Canadian Tourism Commission
Atlantic (Nfld/Labrador/PEI)
Miawpukek Annual Pow wow
NunavutBathurst Inlet Lodge
Nova ScotiaKejimkujik National Park and National Historic Site of Canada
New BrunswickMetepenagiag Heritage Park
QuébecHôtel-Musée Premières Nations
Aventure Mikuan II – Innu
Croisières Essipit
Bercé par l’Harricana
Cruise North Expeditions (Kuujuaq, Nunavik)
Nunavik Arctic Survival Training Centre (NASTC)
OntarioAboriginal Experiences – Turtle Island
Great Spirit Circle Trail
Canadian Cultural Tours
Temagami Anishnabai Tipi Camp
Cree Village Ecolodge
ManitobaManito Ahbee - Festival for all Nations and Bannock Point
SaskatchewanWanuskewin Heritage Park Wanuskewin Heritage Park
Batoche National Historic Site of Canada
AlbertaBlackfoot Crossing Historical Park
Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump
Nakoda Lodge and Conference Centre
British ColumbiaHaida Heritage Centre at Kaay Linagaay
NK’MIP Resort
Quw’utsun Cultural and Conference Centre
Aboriginal Journeys
St.-Eugene Golf-Resort-Casino and the Ktunaxa Nation Interpretative Centre
Squamish Lil’wat Cultural Centre
YukonGreat River Journey Inc.
Northwest TerritoriesAurora Village
The balloon used for Michel's 2002 and 2003 attempts was actually a prototype built by Cameron Balloons in Bristol, UK.
Cameron hadn't built helium balloons until then. Michel's launch team have commented that it was built more like a hot air balloon than a helium balloon and that it had an open bottom.
A remote controlled valve was installed at the top of the balloon. This was so that once Michel had reached the desired altitude and jumped -- and once the capsuled had been detached from the gondola set off by a timed explosive device triggered by Michel before he jumps -- the valve would open, releasing all the helium and allowing the balloon to gently fall down to the ground.
Inflating the balloon proved tricky in 2002. The sleeve that you see extending left from the balloon was poorly attached to the balloon. The compressed helium contained in the truck to the right is propelled into the balloon by means of high pressure hoses which are connected to the fragile sleeves.
In 2002 the pressure proved too much for the sleeve which detached from the balloon early during the inflation process. Fortunately the quantity of helium lost was minimal. The sleeve was reattached by the launch team in a more solid manner. But the unforeseen delay eventually forced the cancellation of the attempt because of subsequent inappropriate weather conditions.
As you see the sleeve is actually held tightly around the business end the hose.
You can in the picture above that the two sleeves are fully extended away from the balloon as a result of the helium having been injected. Inflation is almost complete at this stage. Look at the spool which prevents the balloon from being released. You will notice that only the top portion of the balloon is inflated. Most of the length of the balloon lies safely on tarps on the North Battleford Airport tarmac. You can see a portion of it extending to the right of the spool above.
The 2003 attempts proved the right one in terms of weather conditions, but it also proved the inappropriateness of the balloon. In this picture, the sleeves are hanging loosely after the inflation is completed.
Launch conditions are optimal. The spool flips open and the balloon starts rising...
As the balloon starts ascending, the helium rises inside the balloon and starts pushing through the top as the sutures rip open. It is a devastating blow.
The balloon falls softly back to the ground. Michel is in tears in his capsule as he realizes that his balloon has now been rendered useless. It will later go to the dump.
Launch director Ricardo Valera comes to take a closer look at this mess.
It becomes obvious to him that the balloon sutures were a weak point.
We all count our blessings that Michel is safe and sound. If the balloon had ripped open after the gondola had started to rise in the sky, things could have gone dreadfully wrong for Michel Fournier.
These photos were taken the night I met Michel in the spring of 2002 at Calories. I heard a group of boisterous French folks behind us at a nother table. Michel charmed us with his enthusiasm. Pretty soon, I had been recruited as a Grand Saut volunteer team member.
Pictured here beside Michel is Christian Crye (left), head of Capucine Films, the company which owns the broadcast rights to Michel Fournier's Le grand Saut and has supported Michel's efforts since he undertook to bring the Super Jump to Canada.
The capsule discretely awaits launch bearing its human payload in a hangar a the original launch site near Saskatoon.
Michel is seen here with with French photographer Rémi Benali (left) who was mandated by Gamma agency to document Michel's Super Jump.
Everyone knows by now that this has been a difficult and costly long journey for Michel Fournier. Michel's 2002 launch attempt was his first Saskatchewan-based venture. Having found a qualified stratospheric balloon launch team in the Saskatoon area, and a launch location that could be used, the Super Jump team was filled with optimism as the project sponsors arrive from France.
Project godfather Jean-François Clervoy (right) is a French astronaut who has flown three times on the Space Shuttle.
André Turcat (left) was the first/test pilot of the famous Concorde
Time for photo ops!
A smoke making machine makes for some pretty pictures.
....as does the legendary Saskatchewan sunset with a round bale in the background to the left.
Ricardo Valera Correa is the former chief of launches for the Brasillian space agency. He is Michel's launch director. It is his job to determine when the best opportunity for a safe launch is. Ricardo uses smaller helium balloons like this one to gauge wind speed of at ground level. The balloon is then let go and is tethered to the ground and rises to a few hundred feet. How much deviation from the vertical there is, gives a good indication of the wind speed over a range of altitudes, therefore providing valuable information to the team.
People often ask why it is so difficult to give a exact time for the launch? Some say that it is easy for Michel to communicate to the public that the launch is delayed because of the weather, but in reality the weather is a huge factor. The launch windows in spring and fall are very real. The challenge is very often simply that winds on the ground prevent safe deployment of the balloon. Launch team members always monitor weather conditions. They will determine when the best time to launch is through a variety of means.
Michel Fournier's team stays at the Gold Eagle Lodge while in North Battleford. The team will eat all its meals (except breakfasts which are self-served at the lodge) at the Gold Eagle Eagle Casino restaurant. These are two great spots to meet Michel and fellow team members over the next few days.You have been hearing a lot lately about Michel Fournier's Big Jump, Great Leap, Super Jump, otherwise know in French as
Le Grand Saut. I have had the privilege of being involved with the project since 2002, when I met Michel and his original team at Saskatoon's Calories restaurant and became a partner on the spot.
I have acted a the Canadian Manager of the project for a number of years until recently, because I believe Michel can do this. I have been instrumental in looking after some of the key logistical challenges faced by Le Grand Saut at Michel's request and that of other project insiders. Information about the project is closely guarded, as many have already commented on
Michel Fournier's blog, although Michel promises to be more open about developments over the next few days.
A press conference was held earlier today in North Battleford, which has already yielded some interesting articles in
The New York Times,
The Edmonton Journal,
The Daily Telegraph, and
Le Figaro.
I endeavour to present to you in the next little while through this publication a few tips on how to follow the evolution of Michel Fournier's 2008 attempt, as in unfolds in the next few days. This will be an insider's perspective, with a view to recognizing the value of the project as a way to feature Saskatchewan on the world stage, as a place that is somewhat richer than the deserted Canadian plains that it is often being portrayed as being in the international press covering the event at the moment.
Mayor of North Battleford Julian Sadlowski is pictured here just outside the airport compound where the Super Jump will take place. Through the window (over his right arm), you can see the truck which came all the way from the US containing the helium that will be used to inflated the giant balloon. To the right of the truck is the new hangar which houses the balloon, gondola and mission control centre.
I ran into Mayor Sadlowski shortly before the press conference this morning. We had a good chat about the project and our respective University of Saskatchewan years (where coincidently we both majored in anthropology and took classes from the legendary Zenon Pohorecky). He makes no bones about supporting Michel's Big Jump because of the visibility it will bring North Battleford. This is an hospitable town with welcoming people who all want Michel to succeed. Many residents will be volunteers on the project. The city is lending Michel all kinds of resources. This is already a win/win situation for all the parties involved.
Photo: Claude-Jean HarelMichel Fournier (right) upon his arrival at Saskatoon Airport on Monday is seen here with statospheric ballon launch manager Dale SummerfeldtIt is with great emotion that we welcomed back Michel Fournier and his wife Kim on Monday at Saskatoon Airport on a beautiful sunny evening. Michel's Big Jump (
Le Grand Saut) is scheduled to take place during the weather window starting on May 25th in the North Battleford area.
Upon his arrival, Michel expressed to the local press which came out to greet him how pleased he was to return to Saskatchewan, a Canadian province which has become in many ways his adoptive land.
Already
local,
national, and
international media outlets are preparing to cover this event which will surely bring much attention to Saskatchewan in the coming days.
You will find here in English
an article about our association as a partner with Michel Fournier's stratospheric ballon jump project.
You will also find here an
article published in the Wall Street Journal some time ago, along with a few photographs I took over the years.
Read about
Emilio's Journey to Saskatchewan to realize his life-long dream of seeing live wolves which we organized at Michel's request.
(Originally published in
TOURISM)
Despite the many flight cancellations in April, the slowing economy, rising gas prices and the weak dollar, Americans appear to be sticking to their summer vacation plans and business travellers are still being sent around the globe, write Susan Stellin in The New York Times. The only change from last summer is the new emphasis on finding ways to cut costs.
"Leisure travel is kind of like food and rent -- it's considered an essential cost within a relevant range," said Bjorn Hanson, who follows the hospitality industry for PricewaterhouseCoopers.
By many measures, the number of people traveling set records in 2007, and those figures are holding steady so far this year. Travel agents and industry analysts report robust bookings for US domestic, international and business travel, but Hanson says companies have cut back so much since 2000 that there is not much fat left to trim.
"If you decide two days before a travel date and can't find a reservation, travel just doesn't happen," Hanson said.
It turns out that demand for travel is less influenced by the overall economy and airport struggles than all kinds of factors not easily measured -- like how much snow is on the ground, where grandpa and grandma live, and even whether a favorite football team is doing well.
Although the airlines are struggling with skyrocketing fuel prices, aging planes and calls for tighter regulation, one bright spot for the industry is that passengers are still filling up seats and booking flights.
"We're concerned about a recession, but probably more in the second half of the year," said John Heimlich, chief economist for the Air Transport Association, pointing out that airlines have not announced widespread fare sales.
"That to me is always a sign of an effort to stimulate traffic -- and we haven't seen a lot of that," he said. Nor have hotels been doing much discounting.
These efforts include encouraging employees to book tickets earlier for lower fares, requiring them to choose flights based on price rather than departure time or reining in spending on meals.
But most corporate travel managers pointed out that in a global economy, companies cannot afford to keep employees at home, even when air travel is frustrating.
It is also possible that certain inconveniences are overstated, like the effect of gas prices on summer driving trips. Despite not knowing where the price of oil is going to go or the roller coaster stock market, I think people are very committed to family time, vacation time and multigenerational travel," said Jennifer Wilson-Buttigieg, co-president of Valerie Wilson Travel, an agency based in New York City. "They're still going to go."
(Originally published in
TOURISM)
China Daily reports that Canada, a future Olympic host, will showcase its top assets with an exhibition from May 1 to September 18 at the British Columbia-Canada Pavilion in Beijing.
With Vancouver set to host the Winter Games in 2010, the country will display its culture, business, tourism and industry in the Chinese capital in an attempt to lure Olympic visitors this summer.
"Through an industry-driven business program, over 400 Canadian companies will be given the chance to promote themselves and build relationships in the growing Asian economies during this exhibition," said Annette Antoniak, president and CEO of the British Colombia Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games Secretariat, according to China Daily.
The Pavilion was designed and planned in Canada and has been shipped to Beijing to cover 21,000 square feet in the Beijing Planning Exhibition Hall.
On the first floor, the Pavilion will build on the five elements of metal, wood, water, fire and earth to create an immersive experience where visitors will feel as though they have crossed the ocean and landed in Canada. The second floor will be a meeting place for businesses keen to learn more about the trade and investment opportunities in BC, Canada and China. "In Beijing, we will be highlighting our natural advantages and showcasing the enterprise and imagination at work in every corner of the province," said BC's Economic Development Minister Colin Hansen.
"In addition to our trade and investment program based in Shanghai, the BC-Canada Pavilion will further demonstrate our commitment to establishing a long-term presence in the Chinese market."
The plan to build the Pavilion was unveiled in 2006 by BC Premier Gordon Campbell.
(Originally published in
TOURISM)
Demand for green services in business travel is growing, an expert panel told 225 travel managers and suppliers at a recent National Business Travel Association (NBTA) Canada conference.
As part of their travel agreement selection process, organizations ask hotel chains what they are doing to mitigate their carbon footprint, according to Michelle White, Director of Environmental Affairs for Fairmont Hotels & Resorts. Meeting planners are also going "green", she added. "They are all looking at how to minimize the impacts of those meetings, and the expectation is that you will have these strategies in place because it is a key component of any venue selection."
Helen Brough, Director of Advisory Services for American Express, said the majority of American Express business travel clients ask similar questions. The problem, she said, is that the answers are vague. "They say 'we are very committed to this. We are putting procedures in place," she said, "But, there's no hard-core detail."
Not good enough, says White. Clients want concrete, measurable programs. Fairmont recently signed a contract to have the World Wildlife Fund assess the company's carbon footprint and recommend a strategy for change.
The new program will add to what Fairmount already does to reduce greenhouse gas emissions along the line. "We largely focus on minimizing the environmental impacts of our hotels, looking at, for example, waste management strategies, energy and water conservation." White explained.
These fact-based assessements are vital, says panelist Charles Johnson, Director of Sales for Agresso Travel Industry Solutions. Once, he said, CEOs might have announced their intent to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 10% with little or no idea of what that meant. The new trend is to be more rigorous, creating carbon statements that would be similar to financial statements.
Although green demand is growing, the higher costs for environmentally friendly products or services can still be a barrier for travel buyers, says Brough. "If a hybrid-car rental is more expensive, that is still an issue." On a more positive note, she also said some companies are turning green action into new business. She cited a survey in which 20% of American Express business travel clients said they had won business because of their environmental programs.
White, Brough, and Johnson were part of NBTA Canada's 4th Annual Conference & Exhibitor Showcase, held in Toronto.
(Originally published in
TOURISM)
The "Sustainable Tourism Toolkit project came out of recognition that the SMEs and operators needed a kind of "one size fits all one-stop shop" for practical, sensible advice on how to deal with issues like climate change, and aspects like water and energy uses, notes TIAC VP of public affairs Chris Jones.
He believes the soon to be unveiled Toolkit, which is currently being developed for TIAC by Marr Consulting (with the help of Parks Canada and the Canadian Tourism Commission) will provide loads of practical solutions for operators.
TIAC had produced a sustainable tourism Code of Ethics in 1992 with Parks Canada and the CTC, which provided general guidance on environmental stewardship. But Jones explains "we felt that in order to get action on the ground, we needed something that targeted more the operators, which would mean something to them in their day-to-day operations. This toolkit has been written with that in mind."
The Toolkit is designed to be an adaptive, interactive resource in electronic format which facilitates business decisions. The initial intent is to distribute the toolkit in a CD version. "In Phase II, we will look to create a Wiki-style website for on-line viewing and use where there will be an accent on information sharing and posted updates. We don't want it to be a thick document that sits on people's shelves and gathers dust. Yes, we will have paper version of it, but our intention is to send it out in a more interactive format."
The Toolkit will be easy to use by tourism operators and their staff. It will have different functionalities, while expressing Canadian perspectives around the challenges and opportunities unique to tourism in Canada. A business case will be made for sustainable tourism practices. It will highlight the monetary value of these practices for tourism business owners and employees. The toolkit will focus on policy, budgetary and overall strategic vision aspects, and it will have a general applicability to DMO/PMOs as well.
"It won't be a serial piece, where you have to start at the top and work through it all. Operators will be able to approach sustainable tourism from different perspectives. For instance, you may find advice on the 10 things most visible to the customer that you could undertake; or the 10 quickest-to-implement practices: what would give you the most significant reductions? The toolkit will provide a whole series of solutions to adopt."
Jones says the Toolkit is a collective effort. "We're going to translate it at TIAC and the CTC will lay it out and put it in some kind of print format. Our hope is that something like this will be picked up -- and almost syndicated -- across the country, so other jurisdictions won't feel the need to reinvent the wheel. We tried to write it with the diversity of Canada in mind, and with the understanding there are different geographic and climatic aspects and realities to Canada. Everybody has a role to play around climate change; this is our contribution at the moment."
The Toolkit is due to be released in May.
(Originally published in
TOURISM)
After the success of its whale-themed non-traditional partnership, which ended in November 2007, CTC-Germany was looking for a novel way to tap into Canada's evocative power as a destination. According to the CTC's Jens Rosenthal, "sustainability is important for German consumers. It soon became apparent that one of the most suitable connections to sustainability was the whole issue of water."
This was a natural fit for Canada. "Almost everything we offer as travel product involves water-based activities; and the provinces and territories have many connections to water experiences. We decided to develop this concept."
"Kanadaria" is the Iroquois word for "shining water", Rosenthal explains, and is the name chosen for this new non-traditional partnership which started on March 3 with the launch web portal www.kanadaria.de.
"This is the communication centre for this project. It aims to attract a maximum of reporters specializing on the theme of water from Germany, Canada and the world, who actively write about their experiences with water. The objective is to create the largest water portal on the web; every tourism product related to water could be promoted -- everything that one can do with, under, above and with water could be advertised."
Until March 3, institutional water reporters could register on the site to write about their water projects. On March 3, the portal was opened to consumers who can write about their special experiences with water. A special section for kids and teens teaches the younger target audiences about water.
The promotion kicked off with the launch of a water photo competition sponsored by Ontario Tourism, German tour operator Canusa Touristik, Fotocommunity (a photo portal with more than 600,000 registered members), Globetrotter Ausrüstung (Europe's largest outfitter for outdoor clothing and equipment), British Airways and the CTC.
Three water packages offered by Canusa Touristik are promoted (FlyDrive, RV and lodge packages with focus on water destinations in Ontario). An association that cares for water will be honoured with donations collected throughout the co-operation.
The competition just launched is multifaceted: "Water photo runs from April to June; Water video, from July to September; Water stories and poems, from October to December; and Water music, from January to March. The competitions will result in other promotional products being sold, like Water calendars, Water DVDs, Water stories/poems books and Water CDs."
In August, a media and celebrity FAM to Ontario will take place, and in October the first two trips to Ontario for contest winners will follow. Rosenthal hopes the promotion will reach 2.5 million consumers per year and an average of 15,000 unique website users per month in 2008 and 2009, resulting in 5,000 new email addresses for database use with a growth rate of 10% every year, with sales to Canada growing accordingly.
"We also have ambassadors as we call them - people and celebrities who are well known for their work. Some might be explorers; swimmers; some might have written books about water. They will travel together with German media to Ontario and experience water destinations in Canada."
Stay tuned to find out how this latest non-traditional partnership from Germany unfolds.
(Originally published in
TOURISM)
Zoomers - boomers with zip -- are hanging up their Bermuda shorts and opting for more colourful adventures, says the Calgary Herald.
No longer content to bask their golden years away on the beach, they want to explore exotic getaways, immerse themselves in foreign cultures and discover something new about their destinations and themselves.
"They're really after interesting experiences," says David Cravit, executive vice-president of the 50plus group, a multi-faceted media company that owns CARP magazine and 50plus.com. "And I think we're just beginning to see the travel industry see those kinds of experiences for this market."
Cravit says that 50-plus group account for 54 per cent of all trips by Canadians and 55 per cent of foreign trips. Individual companies in the travel industry stand to make a lot of money if they can appeal to this growing sector.
To attract this demographic, the travel industry has refocused its packaged trips and altered its travel loyalty programs.
Moses Znaimer, the boomer-centric media mogul (who coined the term "zoomer" to describe the new-style 50-plus traveler), recently purchased the 50plus group.
(Originally published in
TOURISM)
The 20th Annual Canada’s West Marketplace (CWM) trade show took place in Whistler, BC, in late November. Each year, this marketplace brings together in one location British Columbia and Alberta tourism suppliers with tourism buyers from across the world. The event is the product of a unique collaboration between Alberta and British Columbia tourism industry stakeholders. TOURISM met with two key people who make it all happen to look at the journey thus far; Christine Jones is manager of marketplaces and special events at Tourism British Columbia and Cassandra Graves is director of marketing services at Travel Alberta:
Tourism BC's Christine Jones notes the special partnership CWM has allowed BC and Alberta to develop over the years: “Sometimes Cassandra and I have worked more closely together than we have with people in our own respective offices!” she quips. “The relationship, and the benefits that stem from it, extend to both BC and Alberta, and they are reflected in our in‑market initiatives also.”
“Our representatives work together in Japan, Korea, Germany and the UK,” Jones notes. “They work with tour operators to get them to come to Canada’s West Marketplace, and this year we have 36 new buyers who have never attended before. That is a huge opportunity for the industry to build those relationships and build tourism, knowing these new buyers may not be aware of the products here.”
When asked what advantages she sees in staging a marketplace that focuses exclusively on Alberta and BC products, Jones answers she believes there is added value for the tourism suppliers “because the buyers are there to meet with Alberta and British Columbia suppliers. It is very focused; we try to have the personal touch as much as possible, and we listen to what our delegates say – the changes they would like to see – and as a result we have been evolving every year.”
Jones is particularly pleased that the Canadian Tourism Commission makes a point of participating at CWM: “The CTC delegates, as well as Air Canada, Tourism BC and Travel Alberta staff, get to meet with both buyers and sellers. They find out what new products have emerged, and the sellers can look at developing itineraries for FAM tours with our DMO representatives.”
For her part, Travel Alberta’s Cassandra Graves points out how CWM provides an opportunity, especially for smaller operators who can’t make it overseas on an annual basis, to meet and conduct sales calls with these operators in a cost‑effective way. “It is really a one‑stop shop for them. We have over 150 buyers attending this year, so it is a fantastic opportunity for them to meet one‑on‑one with those buyers and get some business done.”
“There is a real intimacy to the show,” she goes on, “because the two provinces have sellers who have been attending the show during all its years of existence. They know the buyers very well. Christine and I have only been working on the show for the past seven years, but prior to 1999, the show actually alternated between Alberta and British Columbia. Buyers spent two days in one province, then they travelled to the next province and spent two days there. In 1999, in Victoria, we decided to begin to host it at one location and to alternate between Alberta and BC, and in 2003 we changed to a buyer‑seated format.”
Graves says her team reads every comment in the evaluation participants fill out “and we have a 99% satisfaction level, which is wonderful. When we implemented all the technology that we did in 2004, it was in response to delegate wishes. We were leading‑edge at that time, and I think in many areas we still are, from a technology aspect. People are very curious about the services we include; it means we are doing our job and that we are successful in maintaining the quality of the show.”
Needless to say Graves looks forward to CWM coming to Calgary in 2008. “We haven’t been there for some time, and we are very excited about hosting the show,” she concludes.
(Originally published in
TOURISM)
The Canadian Tourism Commission, traditionally active in bringing international media to Canada, is now extending this role to Canadian media as well, says CTC travel media relations manager Carol Horne.
“It was always a source of frustration for the provinces that they could easily request CTC support to bring American journalists to Canada to cover Canadian stories, but there wasn’t a comparable program of support in Canada for domestic media. Fortunately, this has changed since. Last year, we supported nearly 200 Canadian members of the media to travel across the country.”
On top of that, Horne says, the US program continues with 410 media representatives having been supported under that program in the last year, and the international program is also on‑going. If private sector operators wish to take advantage of this kind of opportunity, Horne advises that they approach their local tourism marketing organization.
“That is the level at which we prefer to work. This is a good way for us to find out how much the provincial department of tourism is in support of that journalist coming to the region. There is added benefit in approaching a provincial or territorial travel media counterpart, because an operator might find there some additional support in the form of a car rental or hotel cost contribution.”
Horne says the provincial travel media contact may also help an operator guide the story idea development and assess its validity. “Operators should make sure that, if they have a journalist in mind, they are qualified and can publish or produce the intended story, and that they have a good publishing record.”
Horne believes destinations should give some thought to what their stories are. “Are they really intriguing? Is it something newsworthy? Is it something that the media hasn’t heard about before? Is it consistent with some of the trends that are popular right now? Is it about SPAs, outdoor adventure? Or something which taps into concepts like voluntourism? Destinations and attractions must think in terms of what is already being talked about out there in the media. They should assess how they fit into this.”
Of course, it is not guaranteed exposure; even with the best of journalists, editors change their mind. Publications change, magazines fail. All kinds of things can happen.” But when things go well, the impact can be phenomenal. “Articles, especially in long versions, in magazines for instance, can provide much greater detail. You can tell so much more than in a short ad or a 30‑second TV commercial. It really allows the destination to shine and provides the in‑depth first‑hand experience.”
The real value of this kind of media exposure goes much beyond the advertizing value equivalency. It is really about the power of influence. “If somebody sees a story in the New York Times, they might also say: ‘here is a valid concept that I should follow up on.’”. Given today’s world where bloggers and social media outlets pick up so readily on traditional media content, the influence wielded could be greater than ever. And, concludes Horne, “exposure anywhere often leads to more exposure.”
(Originally published in
TOURISM)
Northern News Services’ Jennifer Obleman reports that Northern lights could be dancing above more Korean faces this spring as aurora tourism operators expand their markets.
Aurora World has signed a contract with a Korean tour operator in December, said board chair Darryl Bohnet: “We're doing this on a trial basis this year to see how it goes. We hope to expand from the Japanese market to Korea,” he said. “The tour operator has already launched a significant ad campaign, so we're waiting to see how it pays off.”
The Korean contract was partly prompted by the decline in Japanese visitors, which Bohnet attributes in part to Alaskan competition: “I think we bottomed out last year due to the Alaskan government underwriting charters for tour operators in Alaska,” he said.
According to data from the NWT department of Industry, Tourism and Investment, there were just over 7,000 aurora visitors in the NWT in 2006‑07, down from approximately 10,200 in 2004‑05 and 13,000 in 2000‑01, and close to the 6,500 visitors in 2001‑02 – a year when tourism dropped dramatically following significant world events such as the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks, the outbreak of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) and the war in Iraq.
NWT operators are hoping to recapture a portion of the Japanese market this year. According to Bohnet, November numbers and indications from Japanese tour operators are pointing to a 15% to 20% increase over last year.
Aurora World is also planning to diversify its clientele to include other Asian markets. The company sent a representative on the GNWT's trip to China in 2007, and has made preliminary contacts there, said Bohnet. He said Aurora World plans to focus more on the Chinese market in about three to five years, following the 2010 Olympics in Vancouver. Bohnet said the company's board is “cautiously optimistic” about the future of Aurora tourism in the NWT.
He said the introduction of Air Canada's direct flights from Vancouver to Yellowknife in December was a positive development for the industry. “We want to be able to eventually fill those planes and encourage the use of bigger planes,” he said.
Aurora Village manager Hideo Nagatani said the company does have clients coming into Yellowknife on the direct flights. The Yellowknife tourism operator is also looking at Asian markets such as Korea, Taiwan and China as well as other markets, but Aurora Village will maintain its focus on Japan, said Hideo.
“Developing other markets, it's so small compared to what the Japanese market has been and will be for years to come,” he said. Japanese tourists make up about 75% of Aurora Village's clientele. According to Nagatani, last year was the first year the company did not see growth in the Japanese market.
(Originally published in
TOURISM)
The use of FAM – or familiarization – trips is a key tactic destination marketing organizations and tourism operations rely upon to educate tour operators about products and destinations. They represent a substantial investment of time and money for both buyers and sellers. So how can FAM stagers and participants make the best of these opportunities to make an impression? Inbound operator Great Excursions took part in Canada’s West Marketplace Pre and Post FAM trips hosted by Banff Lake Louise Tourism and Tourism Vancouver Island. Great Excursions' owner Claude-Jean Harel, associate editor at TOURISM, had the following observations:One of the first considerations would be to coin a theme with the potential to lure participants to the destination: something seasonal, perhaps, which exudes authenticity and a definite sense of place. You then illustrate the theme with tourism products which make it more vivid through the right choice of partners, accommodations, dining, attractions and entertainment – all the while never forgetting the importance of a well‑focused experience to make the whole FAM as compelling as possible.
“Celebrate Life. Discovering Banff” might not have resonated so engagingly with participants if they had not been treated to a series of site visits which left them a chance to interpret the destination and titillate their curiosity about what makes the place tick. These included subtle program elements, like attending an evening blues concert in the intimate setting of The Banff Centre.
FAMs are about more than sites; they are about context. This is something the Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise has understood for quite some time, as evidenced by the availability of an in‑house heritage interpreter who will take guests on guided hikes. The ability to break away from the hotel facility to gain greater understanding of how it is associated with the landscape (and the Lake Louise centrepiece) adds both meaning and memorability to the experience.
Heidi Wesling looks after travel trade relations at Tourism Vancouver Island. She knows these program elements well and believes that planning the FAMs down to the finest details is the best way to prepare for the unplanned: “In the case of the Canada’s West Post FAM, the program had to be prepared prior to the event itself, so you don’t know who is going to be signing up, their interests or background. I tried to choose a wide range of properties to give each person who signs up for the FAM something they could take away from the experience. We also chose activities that are relevant to the featured area of Vancouver Island, the cultural experience behind it and activities that clients of our FAM participants might enjoy when they come to the region.”
Wesling says different trade shows will warrant different programs to fit the audience. A National Tour Association audience might look for different experiences than a Canada’s West Marketplace or Rendez‑vous Canada audience. Timing, of course, can sometimes be problematic, she says: “You try to choose activities which are accessible to as many people as possible; maybe a hiking tour that doesn’t involve very much exertion or a boat tour. It is very important to be flexible. You might not be able to host a group at the time you are making the itinerary – it is a fine line between getting what the participant wants and working with stakeholders after everybody leaves the Island. It is a juggling act in a way, and hopefully you are able to accommodate everybody’s needs.”
One of the most useful resources for FAM host organizations is the survey participants are asked to fill out following the trip. “It is a way for us to determine how we are doing and how the properties are doing (we do share survey results with the properties as reference points for them). Participants put down their thoughts on the properties and suggest ways to improve various experiences. There is extreme competition between accommodations and different attractions; if they can get feedback from people in the industry who experience many properties and many activities, that is invaluable.”
FAM tours: a buyer perspective
“For me it is about being able to know and understand what we are selling to our clients,” says Marina Voak of Made to Measure / Lakes & Mountains Holidays in the UK. “It's about the places, whether they be actual cities, towns, hotels; just knowing where they are matters. It allows us to understand important little details that you can pass along to your clients. I had never been to Vancouver Island, so to get a good understanding of how long it takes to go from place to place is useful because FIT travellers will ask how long it takes to drive from Nanaimo to Tofino. To actually experience it yourself and pass on your first‑hand knowledge is really useful.”
Siegfried Gutsch, sales manager, leisure at Air Canada in Germany, says FAMs help his people understand what is possible in the destination: “You can always sell it much better when you have experienced it, and have developed your own opinion about it. From my past experience, it is not always about seeing hotels; it is the elements of an incentives tour that matter – things you can’t buy for money. You need to leave with an impression, to create memories.”
“FAMs are a really important element of the travel industry,” says John Simos, managing director of SevenOceans Cruising in Australia. “They are almost like the tools of our trade, like a carpenter’s saw and hammer, so we are in a better position to construct packages and advise clients on the best options to suit their needs. Certainly when it comes to a familiarization tour, it is very important for the DMOs to recognize that we are there to experience the destination as well as the accommodation and the facilities. It is also absolutely vital to see the accommodation you are likely to be selling to your customers; hotels are understandably very proud of their most opulent suites (which only rock stars and the Queen and King of England can generally afford), but the reality is that we should be shown the standard accommodation that will be included in brochure product.”
Recently, TOURISM caught up with Sandra Teakle at Canada’s West Marketplace in Whistler. Teakle is managing director of the Canadian Tourism Commission's office in France, and she was upbeat with growth opportunities for Western Canada in the market she oversees: “With the introduction of direct Paris‑Calgary‑Vancouver flights with Air Transat in 2008, the Zoom Airlines service in 2006 with 21 rotations and 42 in 2007, things are looking great."
"And it is all happening just before the Olympics," Teakle notes. "At the Salon Mondial du Tourisme 2007, I would say that one out of every six inquiries received was for Western Canada. In France, the region is perceived as a new part of the country that is in demand and it is doing very well.”
Teakle pointed to results from focus groups CTC France conducted this autumn to gather more intelligence about the campaigns and elements French consumers are seeking in their holiday experiences: “It is all about nature and wide open spaces; What is important for the French is communion with nature, a theme which has consistently emerged from consumer consultations. At the heart of these findings is a longing in consumers to nourish their spirit."
"Canada is the ideal destination where travellers can do this," says Teakle, "and is a place where travellers can also engage in health and well‑being types of travel activities – which are emerging as key considerations. So the ability to tie in nature and open spaces with the possibility of undergoing spa or other types of treatments in exceptional places and settings are influential motivators.”
And there is also a kind of traditional pattern in visits to Canada from French tourists, Teakle explains that the classic first trip to Canada usually involves an entry through Toronto and an exit from Montréal. Tourists go to Niagara Falls on an itinerary that includes Toronto, The Thousand Islands, Ottawa, Montréal and Québec City, and they may go down the St. Lawrence all the way to Tadoussac to engage in whale watching activities.
Teakle points out that for French travellers, cultural and historical elements are very important: "Generally, French tourists to Canada tend to be highly educated and they undertake a significant amount of research before going on a trip. They seek to validate their research through their experiences while on holiday."
After Eastern Canada, Western Canada is an emerging destination for French tourists. Teakle stresses that Canada remains the dream destination for the French travellers; however, she points out there is no rush in coming to Canada because we are not a country that is changing at the same pace as places like India or China, which are undergoing rapid transformation though globalization: "Our role is to help ensure they buy Canada today, instead of waiting until tomorrow.”
When asked why there is this increased appeal for Western Canada in France, Teakle notes a number of French travellers have already visited Western United States. The influence of Hollywood cannot be understated, combined with a strong attraction for the Pacific coast: “There is a myth in France around everything California, Nevada and New York, all that glamour related to the movie, television and entertainment industry," she notes. "In 2006, there were 805,000 French travellers who visited the US despite the fact there were all kinds of passport issues with biometric identification that made that trip more difficult than before. Now that they have been to the US, why not try Western Canada which is consistent with the appeal of wide open spaces and also very different from the American West.”
Western Canada remains relatively unknown, explains Teakle. It is perceived as “unconquered territory” in a way, and less commoditized than the Western United States. “This is our advantage. It is inconceivable for a French traveller to believe they might encounter a black bear while travelling. The other day in Whistler, there were two black bears at the base of the mountain."
"Now that is out of the ordinary," Teakle says. "And talk about an experience!”
Canada and Alaska product manager Dominique Albouy of Grand Nord Grand Large (GNGL) is a familiar figure on the floor of Canada’s travel marketplaces. Her Paris‑based company has cut its own trail in a highly competitive industry by focusing on active holidays, enrichment and polar themes.
“We have always proposed programs around nature, of which dog sledding is only one. This is how we started our activities in Quebec; we then turned to whale watching, hiking and canoeing. Through a process of natural evolution we have come to Western Canada seeking different activities than those featured in Eastern Canada, but along compatible lines. These attract French consumers who may have gone to Quebec before and realized there are other experiences worth enjoying elsewhere in Canada.”
While it is true that French consumers are seduced by the type of welcome they get in Quebec (enhanced by the linguistic context), Albouy notices that French is spoken more and more in all provinces, where it is no longer unusual to meet industry people who express themselves in the language French travellers understand more readily.
“Still,” says Albouy, “nature is the magic word which best sums up what will motivate a French tourist to go to Canada. Consumers are seeking to travel, yes, but they also seek to derive something more lasting than the impression left by the journey from one destination to another. Even if the history of Canada is not quite as multifaceted as the longevity of European civilization, people are still interested by all that is associated with history and culture. Not the least of these is the realm of First Nations; now that we see them re‑emerging, we wish to understand their journey.”
"Fortunately," says Albouy, “we see a much wider aboriginal product‑offering now than we used to in Canada. However, we still face some challenges in making the experience accessible because, while aboriginal products appeal to classic clients, they might not always be interested in living an aboriginal experience in a primitive context. Still, more and more consumers now wish to get a taste of this aboriginal dimension of Canada,” she notes.
There are pricing issues: the product often implies less accessible destinations and they can be more difficult to integrate into a package. But consumers will increasingly consider this type of product, Albouy feels: "It is perhaps a sign of the times. More French travellers are attuned to issues of global warming and other phenomena which prompt them to ask themselves if they shouldn’t consider more active vacations that are perhaps more simple in nature. They might seek to rejuvenate their spirit, to find new meaning beyond those encountered on a trip to the Caribbean islands, surrounded by palm trees.”
Is there an opportunity to find these new meanings to life while on an active holiday in Canada? One that is just as rich, inspired by greater authenticity? For Dominique Albouy, the answer is: "Absolutely."
With this 4th edition, the Regina Downtown Ice & Fire Carnival (February 8-17) reaches new realms. Energized by the possibilities “The Crystal Habitat” theme implies, Carnival participants and artists are shaping magnificent snow sculptures, curated as one harmonized body of work by the Dunlop Art Gallery’s Jeff Nye. The companion dance performances developed by Carnival artistic director Robin Poitras will weave this geography of ephemeral art pieces into an intricate web of movement and structures, inspired both by crystals and the notion of habitat. The addition this year of an ice surface in the heart of downtown creates an exciting new space, used for performances staged by skaters and dancers, as a legitimate appropriation of historic Victoria Park.
“Perhaps it is indicative of the perceived need for public events that invite citizens to celebrate winter culture in the Great Plains,” said Carnival Committee Chair, Claude-Jean Harel of Great Excursions.” Not only have we successfully enlisted the financial support of a greater than ever number of corporate sponsors this year, but our Carnival has also attracted national media attention, as well as the admiration of communities elsewhere in Canada. The grassroots approach to placemaking Regina citizens are displaying by accepting our invitation to look at their city through a different lens — for the brief duration of the Carnival — is nothing less than refreshing, to be sure.”
What others outside Regina tell us they find remarkable in the Carnival is the way it pulls together a diversity of talents from the community: from the amateur “Tango Thursday” dancers who take part in the procession (thanks to the commitment of New Dance Horizons), to the support of generous contractors who give us their precious time and resources, to city workers who clear the path and flood the ice surface, to Regina Downtown BID — a truly visionary organization that is providing crucial logistical and administrative support for the Carnival. Without these partners and the downtown businesses which help make this event possible, there likely wouldn’t be a Carnival.
The Regina Downtown Ice & Fire Carnival brings together a wonderful array of arts and cultural organizations, with public and private sector entities, forging non-traditional partnerships that allow us, collectively, to explore the meaning of authenticity in one of North America’s most innovative downtown cores. The Carnival is just one of the articulations featured as part of an on-going effort to bring out the distinctive character of the place where we live; a character that we can enjoy, and which nurtures our longings for a city that is as vibrant as those who first built it envisioned it would become.
As the carnival unfolds, and as we, as urban citizens, are lured back to Victoria Park this February, we will witness the emergence of an original winter village, in our image — a village within the city. Please help us make the Carnival all it can be, and unsuspected joys will be bestowed upon you.
BackgroundThe Downtown Ice & Fire Carnival was established in 2005 as a legacy project from an Art at Work residency with artistic director Robin Poitras of New Dance Horizons and partners Harvard Developments Ltd, Regina YWCA and Regina Downtown. The Carnival is a new and vibrant festival that has quickly become one of the not-to-miss family events of the season. This one of a kind winter event fuses art, culture and sport together to create a unique celebration of the elements that make this region so spectacular: ice cold snow and hot fiery energy.
Attracting over 8,000 visitors to downtown last year, the Downtown Ice & Fire Carnival is an opportunity for the Regina community to come together in celebration and exploration of what Regina’s unique winter culture is all about. It’s also a wonderful opportunity to showcase Regina and the downtown area to visitors and residents alike. This is an event where the entire family can enjoy a unique winter experience in the heart of the city.
The 4rd Annual Downtown Ice & Fire Carnival culminates on Saturday February 16 in Victoria Park.
For further information, contact:
Claude-Jean Harel (spokesperson)
The Great Excursions Company
(306) 569-1571
www.greatexcursions.travel
Robin Poitras
New Dance Horizons
(306) 525-5393
www.newdancehorizons.ca
Tracy Fahlman
Regina Downtown BID
(306) 359-7541
www.reginadowntown.ca
Jeff Nye
Dunlop Art Gallery
(306) 777-6144
www.dunlopartgallery.org
Official ProgramSATURDAY, FEBRUARY 16TH, 1:00 – 8:00PM
VICTORIA PARK
- 1:00-3:30 The Snow Garden – Join in the creation of a magical winter world
- 2:00-3:00 Opening Ceremonies – A journey through the Crystal Habitat led by the Carnival procession of dancing buffalo, rabbit, deer, and other winter creatures. Visit nine fabulous snow sculptures and special winter sites, meet guest snow sculptors, join in the lighting of the Carnival bonfire and enjoy the sites, sounds, tastes and magic of the Downtown Ice & Fire Carnival. Begins at Hill Centre Tower II.
- 2:30-4:30 Snow shoeing and quinzee building
- 3:00-4:00 The Crystal Pond Performance presented by New Dance Horizons with guest artists. Also featuring a Winter Wear Fashion Show by Laura Kapp.
- If the temperature drops below 30 degrees, these performances will be held at the Regina Public Library Film Theatre.
- 4:00-7:00 Public ice skating
- 6:30 Evening lantern procession and The Crystal Pond
- Performance finale. Begins at Hill Centre Tower II.
- LOBBY OF HILL CENTRE TOWER II
- 3:00-5:00 Live music with La Raquette à Claquettes; brought to you by Bonjour Saskatchewan;
- Face painting by Street Culture Kidz
- SASKATCHEWAN SPORTS HALL OF FAME & MUSEUM
- * 2:30-4:30 Children’s “Crystal Crafts” and hot chocolate
- DUNLOP ART GALLERY & REGINA PUBLIC LIBRARY FILM THEATRE
- 9:30-5:00 Althea Thauberger: Northern
- 4:00-5:00 Meet and greet Carnival artists and performers;
- Winter Tales for the whole family - brought to you by the Regina Plains Museum
- REGINA PLAINS MUSEUM
- Historical View of Victoria Park – A photographic display of Victoria Park from 1900 to present. The display is located downstairs (ground level) in the F.W. Hill Mall pedestrian walkway.
Great Excursions’ Claude-Jean Harel will deliver a heritage workshop in Edmonton on Saturday April 18, 2009.
