The CTC can help with media FAMs

(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.”

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