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Over the past months, the Canadian Tourism Commission (CTC) has been going through an intense period in the development of its strategy for 2009-2013. As you would expect, we began the process with an environmental scan. What we could not foresee, however, was how rapidly the global economic climate would deteriorate as we entered a period of volatility—from the rollercoaster ride of fuel prices, to the housing collapse in the US and the global credit crunch, to changes in the airline industry and air access.

Clearly the marketing landscape has changed since we began the process of strategic planning. Tourism in Canada—and indeed throughout the world—is already being negatively impacted.

Through all of this, the CTC is learning that its corporate strategy is strong and perhaps—as some leaders in industry have told us—more relevant than ever. However, in the face of such global turmoil, our long-term strategy must be responsive to changing market dynamics. Our goals remain the same; but the tactics of execution, how we will achieve these goals, must reflect the economic realities.
 
Important as this was before, now more than ever we need to be a nimble organization that is highly opportunistic in its approach. We must be flexible and adaptable—on our toes, quick to identify sea changes, swift to seize every advantage. As Canada’s national marketing organization, this is an opportunity to show what we can do—and we will. The CTC stands with you—ready to lead.

Let me share with you some of things that the CTC is doing to boost international travel to Canada:

• First, we’re launching an innovative new global marketing campaign. This campaign works from strong fundamentals, including detailed market research, customer segmentation and brand positioning. What’s new is that we are using the latest in social media to show our customers exactly what kinds of unique and extraordinary experiences they can enjoy in Canada. We’ll also continue our strong commitment to conventional media channels: print, radio, TV and out-of-home in our media mix.
• Next, we’re investing $26 million over four years to leverage the international media exposure offered by the Vancouver 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games. The Canadian tourism industry will be the greatest beneficiary as it’s expected that 3.5 billion viewers will tune in to the 2010 Winter Games and the spotlight will be on Canada. This once-in-a-lifetime opportunity will accelerate global awareness of Canada’s tourism brand—and add depth and dimension to Canada’s image as a tourism destination. But our comprehensive strategy doesn’t end with the 2010 Winter Games.
• We’re using social media tools on our websites to connect to—and communicate with—small- and medium-sized travel businesses in Canada. We want tourism operators to receive our market research the moment it’s ready, so that they can tailor their offerings to match rapidly changing customer needs in these uncertain times.

And here’s a review of our 2009-2013 strategic objectives which remain sound:

1. Convert high-yield customers: targeting consumers who are the most resilient to adverse economic conditions; likely to continue travelling now and in the near future.

2. Focus on markets of highest return.

3. Lead the tourism industry with one voice; with a brand that’s relevant and consistent. Canada’s tourism brand has made major strides in recent years, and is now resonating with our target travellers. As an industry, we need to keep at it. In difficult times such as these, we do not want to be competing with each other in the international arena. Collaboration is the key.

4. And finally, as I’ve already mentioned, the watchwords are nimbleness, flexibility and adaptability.

It’s important to remember—and we know this from historical experience—that travel is one of the most resilient industries, quickly recovering from past shocks.  Travel is an innate human need: one of the first things people want to indulge in when the economic clouds begin to lift.

In the meantime, the CTC is providing strong leadership to ensure the strength of our brand, and to adapt to these tumultuous market conditions. And our efforts are paying off.  A few weeks ago, the Lonely Planet travel guide ranked Canada among the top 10 countries to visit in the coming year. This is proof that our efforts to update Canada’s image are paying off. I doubt Canada would have received this accolade had we not embarked on refreshing Canada’s tourism brand back in 2004. Together, we can continue to inspire the world to visit Canada today.

Keep exploring,

Michele McKenzie, President and CEO, Canadian Tourism Commission