February 27, 2007
In this issue:

Launch of an Innovative Virtual Travel Guide
Shoestring Marketing
What's new with Travel Trade?
Consumer Show Update
Foreign workers can now remain longer in Canada
Write a Review!
Don’t Miss the Vancouver AM Wake-Up Awards

Launch of an Innovative Virtual Travel Guide

This week welcomed the launch of the latest in innovative travel guides for visitors to Vancouver, Coast & Mountains region. The Virtual Travel Guide enables visitors to customize, personalize and create a travel handbook designed specifically for their own interests and vacation needs. The guide is available for viewing online at www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/vcm/travelguide07 or by clicking the icon below.

Flipping through the digital pages, the Virtual Travel Guide allows “readers” to click on links directly related to the places they would like to visit. Readers are able to bookmark pages, add notes, and send the guide or portions of the guide to friends and family, thereby personalizing their very own travel manual. And if a reader sees an advertisement they want to check out? They simply click on the link and head right to the website of the advertiser.

The guide is created with the technology of NXTbook Media™, a digital publishing service who optimizes print materials for use on the Web. The user-friendly format, and interactive page turner, is perfect for tour operators and travel agents to forward to clients, in addition to travel journalists and vacationing visitors who may be writing about or just enjoying a holiday in the region.

Shoestring Marketing

A limited budget does not mean your marketing ideas have to be limited. Shoestring marketing is about making more money with less effort; it’s about growing your business without spending unnecessary dollars by looking for unique communication opportunities. Every interaction you have provides an opportunity to build public relations and business growth. The key is to focus on ensuring that each interaction is consistent with your brand and provides value by making meaningful contributions to the lives of those you communicate with. The following are 10 ways to create meaningful connections and leverage your marketing investment:

1. Develop an Integrated Approach- Everything you do has the same look and feel.

2. Create Strategic Alliances – Find an individual or company that is connected in the industry that has a different expertise than you do, align your business with theirs.

3. Find a Champion – Find someone supportive of your business and can connect you with key decision makers.

4. Befriend Your Competitors – Many established businesses refer customers to a competitor when they don’t have time to handle the business themselves.

5. Bundle your Services – Bring together a group of businesses and pool your funds.

6. Contra Promotion – Find another business that wants to connect with your target market, trade promotional opportunities, literature, display brochures.

7. Barter – Exchange services for others you need.

8. Co-op Advertising – Use funds, discounted offers, etc. from supported marketing efforts.

9. Use Small Ads – These are just as effective as large ads.

10. Model Success – Look for successful businesses inside and outside your industry and model their ideas.

These tips are from David Saxby, professional speaker, consultant and specialist in marketing strategy. For more information call him at 1-877-800-3457 or email at dsaxby@sparkcommunications.com.

Source: www.cspa.com February 2007

What's new with Travel Trade?

Addison Travel Shows
Jan 31 - Edmonton & Feb 1 - Calgary
Feb 13 - Toronto & Feb 14 - London, ON

On your behalf, Vancouver, Coast & Mountains attended the annual Addison Travel Shows in Alberta and Ontario. 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, over 400 travel agents attended each show in Alberta, while close to 700 in Toronto and 350 in London Ontario braved the cold and blizzard-y conditions. The Vancouver, Coast & Mountains booth received visitation from roughly a third of all attendees. The main sales piece distributed was the Great Getaways Travel Agents Guide with the VC&M Travel Guide also provided for those looking to learn more about the Region.

The next series of Addison Travel Shows we will be participating are Manitoba & Saskatchewan in March.

American Bus Association (ABA) Annual Marketplace
Jan 29– Feb 1 - Grapevine, Texas

As the saying goes, things are just bigger in Texas. And earlier this month, ABA and its industry-leading appointment show were no different. This annual trade show, with pre-scheduled buyer-request appointments, was held over a 4-day period with tour operators from the United States and Canada as the primary target of business during the conference. During a very successful week in Grapevine, Vancouver, Coast & Mountains ended the show with the highest number of appointments in the history of our involvement with the ABA.

The ABA annual marketplace traditionally differs from the National Tour Association (NTA) convention by attracting “smaller” tour operators who are much more receptive to new ideas, new areas to explore and new itinerary suggestions. The overall feeling was one of optimism and positive feedback about all our Destination Areas, with interest in all areas for 2008 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.

Upcoming Shows:
2 Nation Vacation in Arizona and California - Feb 26 – Mar 2, 2007
NTA Spring Meet in Kelowna - April 26 - 29, 2007
Rendezvous Canada in Quebec City - Apr 29 – May 3, 2007

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

Consumer Show Update

It is that time of year again – when Vancouver, Coast & Mountains is busy promoting the region to consumers across Canada and the United States. Here is a summary of what we have attended so far:

Florida RV Show: January 16 - 21, 2007
RV enthusiasts filled the aisles at the annual Florida RV Show in Tampa Bay. 49,000 RVers turned up to take a look at the latest and greatest in RVs and to find out where they are going to take their “baby” next. BC is always one of their top choices! Doleen Dean spent a lot of time assisting RVers with trip planning for this summer. All six regions joined forces at the show to make the “BC Presence” a spectacular one.

Seattle Boat Show: January 24 – Feb 3, 2007
Fanatical boaters were out in full force at the recent Seattle Boat Show. Over 77,212 consumers passed through the doors. The Boating Directory, VCM’s newest publication, was a hit. Over 1200 directories were handed out at the 10-day show. Consumers were very knowledgeable about our waterways. Most owned their own boats and had definite plans to cruise into BC waters this year.

LA Times Travel Show: Feb 10 & 11, 2007
Attendance numbers are not yet in for this show but show organizers say it is well beyond the 13,700 that attended last year. Many consumers who attended the show have travelled to our region before, but had wished that they spent more time here. There were many inquiries about the new passport regulations and, of course, about the best way of booking accommodation during the upcoming 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games. “We took over 25 boxes of publications with us and were out of stock by 1pm on Sunday. It was such a tremendous success! I felt so proud representing our region!” said Allison Longshore.

For more information about Vancouver, Coast & Mountains Consumer Show Program please contact Allison Longshore, Marketing Solutionist at allison@vcmbc.com or 604-638-6928

Allison Longshore represents VCM at the LA Times Travel Show.

 

Foreign workers can now remain longer in Canada
The Associated Press
Friday, February 23, 2007

Temporary foreign workers looking to come to Canada to tap into one of the many sectors short of employees can now stay for up to two years, the federal government announced.

Nannies and others who come to Canada under the Live-in Caregiver Program, for example, will be able to stay for three years and three months, up from a year, the government said Friday.

The announcement was cheered by groups who say the Canadian economy will benefit and booed by labor groups who say the government should be doing more to train Canadians for the jobs.

The application process will also be simplified, with application forms becoming available online starting April 1. The process used to be completed through mail-in applications.

The changes are being praised by many in sectors such as tourism, hospitality and construction, which are often short of employees in provinces like Alberta and British Columbia.

Both provinces are expected to be short 350,000 workers each in the next few years.

Albertje Willems, chief operating officer with K&F Global Partners in Vancouver, said the changes would not only make a difference to foreign workers, but to Canadians and the economy.
Willems' company hires workers from Europe for construction projects in Alberta and British Columbia.

"There is not a large enough Canadian labor force," she said. "In some areas of Canada, projects are not being completed and sometimes not even being started."

However, a British Columbia labor group is slamming the move, calling it a gift to employers looking for cheap labor.

Wayne Peppard of the Building and Construction Trades Council said the federal government is failing to protect foreign workers from exploitation and unsafe work conditions.

"The program ensures no responsibility for the treatment of the workers once they arrive in Canada and are put to work," he said. "When these people come to Canada, many of them don't speak English so they don't know what their rights and responsibilities are and they're completely vulnerable to their employers."

Federal Minister of Human Resources Monte Solberg said if an employer is caught exploiting the program, they will lose the ability to participate.

"There are very few examples of this occurring but when it does occur, it's dealt with quickly and decisively," he said.

In 2004, more than 90,000 foreign workers came to Canada. The highest number of those came from the United States, Mexico and the United Kingdom.

The highest number of female foreign workers came from the Philippines. The largest percentage of male workers came from the United States.

Write a Review!

Matthias Morel is involved with an online project at www.HotelGymReview.com - a website that rates the quality of hotel gyms based on user reviews. It's a great resource for those of you travelling on business or leisure and would like to stay at hotel with adequate fitness facilities. Once you find a hotel that fits your criteria you can book it online through their booking affiliate or by calling the toll-free number. They’ve also set up an online store with some handy fitness / travel related products.

At Hotel Gym Review you can find out which hotels are the best for the health and fitness conscious traveller. Read hotel reviews that focus on:

- Cardio and resistance training equipment
- Pools, saunas, and spas
- Healthy onsite food and beverage choices
- Nearby running, walking, or hiking routes
- Other fitness and health related categories

If you've stayed at a hotel that had a fantastic or a horrible gym, then write your own review. Your advice could save a fellow health conscious traveler from a week of helpless inactivity. But what good is advice if you can't take advantage of it? This is why Hotel Gym Review has laboured to be able to provide the lowest possible rates on all hotel, flight, and car rental bookings! Save big by booking all of your travel through HotelGymReview.com (click 'Book Now!' after reviewing a hotel).

As a special bonus offer, for every review that is written HotelGymReview.com is offering a FREE whitepaper containing tips for staying fit while on the road. This whitepaper was written by Barry Ratzlaff who was the 1999 Body-For-Life champion and who has since trained three other champions.

And for any other feedback or comments you may have, please let Matthias know at mmorel@hotelgymreview.com, he'd be delighted to hear your thoughts.

Don’t Miss the Vancouver AM Wake-Up Awards

PAUL LeBLANC, PRESIDENT
BOARD OF DIRECTORS of
Vancouver AM Tourism Association
Invite you and your guests to the
23rd ANNUAL WAKE-UP AWARDS

Where:	Vancouver Convention & Exhibition Centre at Canada Place Parkview Terrace - M Level
When:	Friday, March 16, 2007 6:45 am - Coffee and meet past Wake-up Award Recipients 7:00 am sharp - Breakfast
Award Recipients:	Initiators of the 2010 Olympic & Paralympic Winter Games Bid in 1997 Bruce MacMillan (then VP, Sales & Marketing, Tourism Vancouver) Mark Andrew (then Chair, Board of Directors, Tourism Vancouver) Rick Antonson (President & CEO, Tourism Vancouver) Arthur Griffiths (Sports Entrepreneur; Chair, Domestic Bid) Sandra Stevenson (then incoming President & CEO, Sport BC) Barrett Fisher (then VP, Marketing & Sales, Now President, Tourism Whistler)
Keynote Speaker:	John Furlong, President & CEO, VANOC
Ticket Cost:	$35.00 Member $45.00 - Non Member
Reserved Tables (of 10):	$400.00 (includes corporate signage)
Contact:	Randy Vannatter - randy@citypassports.com
RSVP: Register online at www.vancouveram.ca