April 25, 2007
In this issue:

Olympic Branding 101
Online Revealed Canada
Take Your Hiring Tactics to the Recruiting Field
Trade Report
Regional Tourism Leaders Forum - June 20 & 21
Don't forget ... VCM has moved!

Olympic Branding 101

Interested in knowing what the Olympic Brand is? Why the Olympic Brand is so valuable? Who is permitted to use it? For more understanding, clarification, and answers to frequently asked questions read on.

What is the Olympic Brand?
All of the names, phrases, marks, logos and designs relating to the Olympic Movement and the 2010 Winter Games are collectively referred to as the “Olympic Brand”. They include official marks or trademarks owned or licensed by the Vancouver Olympic Committee (VANOC). Use of the Olympic Brand in Canada is carefully controlled and must be authorized by VANOC or in some cases by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) or the Canadian Olympic Committee (COC). The following are some of the items that comprise the Olympic Brand:

Read more ...

Online Revealed Canada
The 2nd Annual Canadian Online Travel Conference – May 28 – 29, 2007

Online Tourism Marketing and what it means to the Canadian Tourism industry will be addressed at the second annual Canadian Online Tourism Marketing Event, which will take place this year in Toronto - May 28 & 29.

So what will be “Revealed” this year?
Real People, Real Solutions, Real Canadian! With prestigious Speakers from such notable companies as Phocuswright and Expedia, Online Revealed Canada will also present four tracks of practical application workshops to provide participants with hands on steps to improve the success of their online marketing efforts. These sessions, along with the conference workshops, will allow attendees to network with online travel distribution professionals, share best practices, and be at the cusp of emerging trends in Canadian online travel.

Take Advantage of Early Bird Pricing - Save $100 off registration for a limited time.

Read more ...

Take Your Hiring Tactics to the Recruiting Field

go2, the resource for people in Tourism, is accepting applications for its Speaker’s Bureau. Presenters are currently needed throughout the Vancouver / Lower Mainland to deliver the Tourism Career Awareness Program (TCAP).

TCAP is a dynamic, interactive presentation that:

• Reaches students who are at their peak of career exploration, legally able to work, and hungry for exposure to industries and employment options.
• Can trigger a passion for the industry, jumpstart new workers into employment, and lay the foundation for a lasting career.

Qualities Looked For:

• Employees - from the front line to management - who have a desire to share their knowledge, passion, and enthusiasm for the tourism industry.
• A sincere interest in volunteering time to be an industry ambassador in the community.
• Prior public speaking is an advantage.

go2 provides all materials including a PowerPoint presentation and brochures plus Domino’s Pizza gift certificates for an interactive questions & answers game.

To sign up or download a registration form visit www.go2hr.ca (search: Speakers Bureau)
or contact Charlene Prystupa at 604-633-9787 ext. 224.

Trade Report

The latest trade show summary:

2 Nation Vacation Travel Show - Arizona & California
Feb 26 – March 2, 2007

Vancouver, Coast & Mountains attended the first annual California & Arizona 2 Nation Vacation Travel Show hosted and arranged by Clipper Vacations. 5 Cities, 5 Shows, 5 Nights. Needless to say, it was a whirlwind tour with stops in Phoenix, Tucson, Pasadena, New Port Beach and San Francisco. 40 delegates from Vancouver, Victoria, Washington and Oregon made the trip to promote travel to the Pacific Northwest and Southern BC to travel agents and group travel planners. While overall knowledge of Vancouver and our region was quite low, the enthusiasm and interest to learn more about all our Destination Areas was incredibly high. Vancouver, Coast & Mountains representatives will be following up with each contact, providing the information requested during the appointments and assisting with any future itinerary planning.

2 Nation Vacation Travel Show – Seattle
March 15, 2007

The 20th annual edition of Clipper Vacations’ Travel Show was held March 15th at the Bell Harbour Conference Centre in Seattle. This year’s show attracted close to 300 attendees from over 100 travel agencies, AAA offices and Destination Management Companies. The overall feeling was one of optimism and positive feedback about all our Destination Areas, with interest in all areas for this summer and beyond. Vancouver, Coast & Mountains representatives will be following up with each contact, providing the information requested during the appointments and assisting with any future itinerary planning.

Addison Travel Shows – Prairies
March 21 - Winnipeg
March 22 - Regina
March 23 – Saskatoon

Aimed at the professional travel agent, Addison Travel Trade Shows are an effective way to meet face to face with hundreds of travel agents and promote what's new and what's hot in our region. In all, close to 300 travel agents attended the show in Winnipeg, while over 100 attended the shows in Regina and Saskatoon. The Vancouver, Coast & Mountains booth received visitation from over a third of all attendees. The majority of inquiries we received at out booth concerned pre and post cruise opportunities. The main sales pieces used were the Great Getaways Travel Agents Guide and the VCM Travel Guide.

Upcoming Shows:

NTA Spring Meet - Kelowna, BC April 26 - 29, 2007
Rendezvous Canada - Quebec City April 29 – May 3, 2007
BC Downunder Australia Sales Mission June 26 - 29, 2007

For more information about Vancouver, Coast & Mountains' Trade Program including co-op advertising opportunities please contact Jason Knibbs - Sales Manager, Tour & Travel, jason@vcmbc.com or 604.484.5363

Regional Tourism Leaders Forum - the countdown begins ...

There are only 56 days remaining until our annual Regional Tourism Leaders Forum (RTLF). For those of you who have yet to mark your calendars, the two-day RTLF will take place Wednesday, June 20 and Thursday, June 21 in beautiful Pemberton!

If majestic Mount Currie, unlimited outdoor adventures, and tasty Pemberton potatoes aren't enough to entice you to join us in Pemberton, here's a sneak peek at two of our fabulous seminars:

On Wednesday, June 20, Judith Reid will explain how to get the results you need from government in her presentation, "Know the Rules, Win the Game: Be Successful With Government." Judith is the author of the powerful step-by-step handbook, "The Effective Advocate: From Passion to Progress."

We'll begin Thursday's session with a discussion of the importance of image in marketing, led by Graham Osborne, Ted Nodwell, and Simon Ratcliffe. Each speaker will present his own unique approach to the subject and will be available to answer audience questions.

Expect to receive your invitation to the Regional Tourism Leaders Forum next week. We look forward to seeing you in Pemberton!

Don't forget ... VCM has moved!

Most of you know that Vancouver, Coast & Mountains moved offices in December 2006! We just wanted to remind you to ensure that any mail you are sending to us is being sent to the correct address. Please let all of your staff, including your accounting department, know of the change!

NEW ADDRESS:

Vancouver, Coast & Mountains
Suite 600, 210 West Broadway
Vancouver, BC V5Y 3W2