(Originally published in TOURISM)
Like other Canadian destinations, Nova Scotia is feeling the downturn in the US market. According to John Somers, director of marketing in the tourism division at the Nova Scotia Department of Tourism, Culture & Heritage, “the main culprits include the dollar and the continued reluctance of Americans to travel outside their own country and to Canada.”
He says it has been a year for domestic tourism: “The biggest increases we have seen have been mostly out of Ontario; I believe in the month of July we have seen a 19% increase in road traffic. That is kind of counter-intuitive to us, but we created profile with the “Ceilidh in the Capital” promotion we did in the Ottawa area this year.”
Somers believes the strength of these marketing efforts lies in identifying a target audience aligned with the CTC’s concept of the cultural explorer. “In conversations with our customers, the type of people who are interested in coming to Nova Scotia (particularly from a medium to long-haul market) are people who are genuinely interested in engaging with the destination to which they travel, experiencing the local culture. This is strongly wrapped up in a more conventional view of Nova Scotia’s great outdoor experience; it is that kind of combination which wins the day for us.”
Somers says research results show that a lot of medium-haul travellers still see Nova Scotia very much as a ‘drive’ destination. However, his department is working with a ‘gateway strategy’ to focus on growing air travel to Nova Scotia. He says his destination doesn't have huge budgets, but continue to put “a fair amount of money” in the US market because it still represents 11% to 12 % of overall non-resident visitors. “No matter what we do,” he says, “at the moment that market seems to be declining for most of Canada. We are trying to fill beds and get people here while exploring the idea of new markets like Western Canada. Of course, Ontario, Quebec and the Maritimes have always been important markets for us, so we are applying efforts there as well.”
Overall numbers are encouraging for Nova Scotia. A year-to-date comparison reveals a 1% increase in visitors for the period between the beginning of January and the end of August, largely attributable to an increase in domestic travellers. Numbers from the US are down 8%, and down 9% from overseas countries, but up 6% from Canada. The three Atlantic Provinces make up more than half the number of visitors to Nova Scotia and 10% of domestic visitors originate from Ontario.
Fourteen per cent of visitors come from Western Canada. “Certainly the economy in Alberta is booming to the extent there is going to be huge disposable income there,” Somers recognizes. “With Alberta's economic boom, there are a lot of people moving back and forth between the Maritimes and Western Canada.”
Like other Canadian destinations, Nova Scotia is feeling the downturn in the US market. According to John Somers, director of marketing in the tourism division at the Nova Scotia Department of Tourism, Culture & Heritage, “the main culprits include the dollar and the continued reluctance of Americans to travel outside their own country and to Canada.”
He says it has been a year for domestic tourism: “The biggest increases we have seen have been mostly out of Ontario; I believe in the month of July we have seen a 19% increase in road traffic. That is kind of counter-intuitive to us, but we created profile with the “Ceilidh in the Capital” promotion we did in the Ottawa area this year.”
Somers believes the strength of these marketing efforts lies in identifying a target audience aligned with the CTC’s concept of the cultural explorer. “In conversations with our customers, the type of people who are interested in coming to Nova Scotia (particularly from a medium to long-haul market) are people who are genuinely interested in engaging with the destination to which they travel, experiencing the local culture. This is strongly wrapped up in a more conventional view of Nova Scotia’s great outdoor experience; it is that kind of combination which wins the day for us.”
Somers says research results show that a lot of medium-haul travellers still see Nova Scotia very much as a ‘drive’ destination. However, his department is working with a ‘gateway strategy’ to focus on growing air travel to Nova Scotia. He says his destination doesn't have huge budgets, but continue to put “a fair amount of money” in the US market because it still represents 11% to 12 % of overall non-resident visitors. “No matter what we do,” he says, “at the moment that market seems to be declining for most of Canada. We are trying to fill beds and get people here while exploring the idea of new markets like Western Canada. Of course, Ontario, Quebec and the Maritimes have always been important markets for us, so we are applying efforts there as well.”
Overall numbers are encouraging for Nova Scotia. A year-to-date comparison reveals a 1% increase in visitors for the period between the beginning of January and the end of August, largely attributable to an increase in domestic travellers. Numbers from the US are down 8%, and down 9% from overseas countries, but up 6% from Canada. The three Atlantic Provinces make up more than half the number of visitors to Nova Scotia and 10% of domestic visitors originate from Ontario.
Fourteen per cent of visitors come from Western Canada. “Certainly the economy in Alberta is booming to the extent there is going to be huge disposable income there,” Somers recognizes. “With Alberta's economic boom, there are a lot of people moving back and forth between the Maritimes and Western Canada.”
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