March 29, 2007
In this issue:

Mark your Calendars – it’s coming!
Boom in Youth Tourism Expected
ATTA Unveils Benchmark 2006 Adventure Travel Practices and Trends Report
Call for Go2 Directors
Media Report
Consumer Show Report
Creating an Effective Print Ad – Part 2
In our Hearts - Gordon Croil

Mark your Calendars – it’s coming!

Vancouver, Coast & Mountains’ Regional Tourism Leaders Forum is set for June 20 and 21 in Pemberton at the Pemberton Community Centre. So mark the dates and stay tuned for more details to follow…

Boom in Youth Tourism Expected

Young travellers aged 16-24 are the travel industry's fastest growing sector, according to new statistics from the World Youth Student & Educational Travel Confederation (WYSE) reported in TravelVideo.TV (February 27,07). Representing over 20% of all international visitors, WYSE said "adventurous young backpackers stay longer, spend more, seek out alternative destinations and enjoy a wider mix of travel experiences" compared with average tourists. "Not surprisingly they are increasingly being viewed as the future of global tourism by the travel industry."

According to Amsterdam-based WYSE, it has recently launched a partnership with the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO). Together they hope to promote and develop this multi-billion pound industry by encouraging governments to actively support and develop youth tourism products and services.

Source: Canadian Tourism Commission (CTC)

ATTA Unveils Benchmark 2006 Adventure Travel Practices and Trends Report

The results are in and available for the first annual 2006 Adventure Travel Industry Survey, Practices and Trends, released by the Adventure Travel Trade Association (ATTA).

Gender, travelers' destination preferences, and sales channel data represent just a few valuable data points revealed in the 50+ page, first-of-its-kind survey. Customer profile information, common practices in marketing, staffing, sales, certifications, risk management training, sustainable practices, and related information considered valuable in developing effective operations also are contained in the benchmark results.

ATTA's Practices and Trends contain business responses to more than 70 questions and is specifically designed to contain information from and for tour operators and adventure travel accommodations worldwide. This report was built from 2005 and 2006 data from more than 220 companies representing 35 countries and more than 3.6 million customer 'user days' (meaning how many days the customers are booked for a tourist experience with the operator/lodge).

Curious about what else is addressed in the report? Here's just a random sample of other questions (abbreviated) answered in the ATTA's 2006 Practices and Trends:

How much revenue do adventure travel companies generate? How many full time and part time employees do most companies have? What % of Gross Revenue does the average company designate for Marketing & Advertising? How do companies break down that marketing budget between Online, PR, print, newspaper, catalogs, etc.? 30% of Online budgets go to Google Adwords. Where does the rest go? Where will companies be shifting their 2007 marketing budgets? What changes in customer interests do operators and lodges see? 20 different sources for customer bookings were rated from Extremely Effective to Extremely Ineffective. See what the industry thinks of the effectiveness of Publicity, Newspaper Ads, Travel Directories (paid and unpaid), travel agents, brochures, consumer travel shows, print advertising and more. What % of adventure travel business is booked by travel agents? Where does the industry see travel agent involvement going in the future? What is the industry's real view on sustainability programs? How do resorts/lodges view adventure activities? A mainstay of the business? A minor part of the mix? What are the sources and levels of importance of revenue sources for lodges? Lodging? Food? Activities? What factors are companies MOST concerned about in regards to business threats? How optimistic are businesses about their prospects in 2007?

Practices and Trends is available at no cost to ATTA Members and to those organizations who participated in the survey. Click here to view membership options.

Non-members may purchase the digital report for $195 by contacting the ATTA at 1-866-411-3131 (U.S./Canada) or 1-360-805-3131 (outside the U.S.).

The ATTA continues to tackle initiatives that better our industry and grow it in a sustainable manner. We intend to continue to serve as a hub and a source for centralized knowledge for the industry.

Call for go2 Directors

The go2 Tourism HR Society will be holding its Annual General Meeting on Tuesday, June 19,
2007. At this meeting we will be required to elect or re-elect new Board members to replace Directors whose terms are expiring.

go2’s Governance Committee is seeking nominations of senior leaders in the tourism industry
who are committed to advancing the knowledge and practice of world-class leadership, management and human resources principles within BC’s tourism industry. More details regarding the qualifications required for Board members can be found by clicking here.

Nominations must be made by a Voting Member, signed by the nominee and submitted to go2 no later than April 20, 2007. Once all submissions are received, the Governance Committee will review the nominations against the qualifications, and our policies for sectoral and regional representation. A slate of recommended candidates will be determined and circulated to the Membership prior to the AGM. All Director Appointments are two-year terms.

Please note that you must renew your membership in go2 for 2007/2008 in order to make a nomination to the Board of Directors. A membership renewal form can be found by clicking here.

We appreciate the support of all of our members and current and past Directors. We hope that you will continue to guide and support the work of go2 through participating in the governance of the Society.

Remember, the deadline for nominations is April 20, 2007. To view criteria, please click here.

Please fax or mail the nomination form to (604) 633-9796 or #450 – 505 Burrard Street, PO Box 59, Vancouver BC V7X 1M3. Please click here for nomination form.

Media Report

It has been a hectic start to 2007 in the media relations department. Vancouver, Coast & Mountains has been represented at 5 recent media shows, and the feedback has been terrific. Most of the appointments and meetings have indicated story trends towards culinary travel, family travel, eco-friendly and wellness travel and First Nations cultural tales. Naturally the buzz surrounding the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games is starting, so we expect media demand to grow in the region as the time draws closer.

Now in the midst of following up with all of the journalists, we would like you to please send us your unique stories if you feel you have anything that fits into these themes. The next few weeks will be spent responding to inquiries, so please forward your stories to Jennifer (jennifer@vcmbc.com) or Laura (laura@vcmbc.com) right away.

Recent Media Shows:
SATW Canadian Chapter Meeting – January 15 – 24, 2007
CTC Media Dinner Seattle – January 28, 2007
TMAC (Travel Media Association of Canada) – February 16 – 19, 2007
CTC Media Dinner San Francisco – March 8, 2007
Go Media Marketplace – March 19 – 22, 2007

Upcoming Media Shows:
Canada Media Marketplace – April 16 – 18, 2007

April is also the beginning of a busy season for press trips. If you are interested in hosting journalists this spring and summer, please let Jennifer or Laura know so that we can help you get the media coverage you are looking for.

Consumer Show Report

Vancouver & Toronto Outdoor Adventure Shows
Outdoor adventure shows have been a staple of Vancouver, Coast & Mountains’ consumer show list and this year more than ever, the shows have proven their value. 21,500 consumers attended the Vancouver show and 30,500 attended the Toronto show.

The partners listed below made Vancouver, Coast & Mountains presence a big one at the Vancouver Outdoor Adventure Show – thank you to all who participated!

Bowen Island Golf Candan RV Rentals
Canyon Ranchlands Chilliwack River Rafting
Pacific Coastal Airlines REO Rafting
Sky Sprit Studio Skydive Vancouver
Tourism Powell River

Edmonton Golf Show: Feb 24 & 25
Edmonton is a market that knows our golf product to a “tee”!

Our well-situated booth topped with knowledgeable consumers makes this show highly successful for Vancouver, Coast & Mountains. Shawna Leung attended the show and said that most consumers were looking for golf-based packages and showed lots of interest in vacationing in our Region.

Creating an Effective Print Ad – Part 2

To view Creating an Effective Print Ad – Part 1 – click here

There are many things to consider when creating an ad for print, whether it is for use in magazines, newspapers, or other print applications. A good graphic designer will discuss the goals and objectives of the ad with you before they begin the design process, but here are a few quick tips to keep in mind as you create your print ad:

Choosing Visuals

Sometimes a picture really is worth a thousand words. So if you have a photograph or drawing, go ahead and use it. But keep in mind, your image should work with the headline to visually communicate the general gist of your sales pitch as clearly as possible. “Every good ad should be able to stand as a poster”, writes Alastair Crompton in his book, The Craft of Copywriting. “The reader should never have to dip into the small print in order to understand the point of the story.” As a general rule, simple visuals that convey the experience are better than unusual creative concepts that can actually hide what you are promoting, and thus reduce the ad’s selling power.

Consider the pros and cons of photographs versus drawings. In advertising, photographs tend to attract more readers than drawings. They also tend to be more believable and better remembered. The quality of the picture is critical to making a good impression. One word of caution, however, the quality of reproduction in some newspapers can be very poor. It is better to have a clear line drawing than a blurry photograph, so consider the medium you will be using before selecting the visual.

Consider the pros and cons of four-colour versus black & white. Four-colour ads are more costly than black and white ads, and therefore budget may be a major factor in which type of ad you choose. A few other factors to consider include:

• Which of the types of media will your ad be in? If newspaper print quality is poor, ads are sometimes more effective when done in black & white plus one colour, or strictly black & white.
• Will colour make a big difference in getting your message across? Consider that four-colour ads are often more memorable, and often appear to be of a higher quality.
• Is a colour ad more suited to the image you want to portray for your business?
• Can the publication print four-colour? Will your ad be limited to particular colour sections of a newspaper?

Select images that include action. Pictures that impress the reader as being “active” are far more effective.

Limit the number of visuals. Before adding visuals, make sure that each one serves a purpose. Does it help to convey your message? Does your body copy explain why each visual is there? If it’s absolutely necessary to include more than one image in your ad, position the “extras” in the layout so that they don’t detract from the main visual.

Scenic pictures are more appealing and interesting than interior pictures. When advertising your tourism business, remember that in most cases you are trying to convey a message about an experience rather than about a tangible product. Advertising that includes beautiful scenery, with interacting people can be effective in helping your audience imagine the type of positive experience they will have with your business.

Writing Convincing Copy

The headline
On average, five times as many people read the headlines as read the body copy. So, make sure your headline sells your product; don’t count on your audience taking the time to read your body copy to find out what you are getting at. Build your headline around a specific reader need or problem – it will have more impact if it hits home.

Some guidelines:

• Short is usually best. A good headline can be read at a glance. Limit the length of the headline to a maximum of 10 words.
• On one line. Headlines of more than one line demand the eye to return from right to left, which considerably reduces the likelihood of the reader taking note of the headline.
• Below the picture. On average, headlines below the main visual are read by 10% more people than headlines above, and headlines that appear beside the main visual are least read.

The body copy
Readership of copy depends more on the headline than on any other element. Once you have enticed the reader to delve into your body copy, what should that copy say? And how should it be written?

A few general tips:

• Don’t use long, difficult words. A rule of thumb for public documents is that they should not be written above a Grade 8 level of reading.
• Don’t address readers as a crowd. Instead, talk to them one to one.
• Keep the first paragraph short.
• Make it visually attractive. Your copy may be there to provide information, but it is also a part of the overall visual impression. The block of copy in your ad should not look too massive.
• Get to the point fast. Text with factual information at the beginning of the copy block gains significantly higher readership.
• Consider testimonials. Testimonials provided by past guests can be very effective sales tools, especially for tourism businesses.
• Use of captions. Captions (for illustrations) get high readership (four times as many people read captions as read body copy).

Know your type

Good typography helps people read your copy; bad typography reduces the number of people who will notice or read your ad. Here’s a list of quick tips for selecting typography that works:

• Avoid reverse type (for example, white on black). It is harder to read than standard black on white.
• Avoid the use of full CAPITALS in headlines. It makes the headlines hard to read.
• Limit the number of type sizes you use to two or three, and make sure that all are easy to read.
• Use easier-to-read serif typefaces in the body text.
• A small visual or drop-initials (small capital letters) at the beginning of the first paragraph will increase readership, but be careful of the clutter factor.
• Set key words in bold face or italic, but do not overuse these for emphasis or they will lose effectiveness.

Remember, the simpler the ad the better.
Happy ad designing!

Thanks to Tourism BC’s ‘Tourism Business Essentials Manual: Ads and Brochures that Sell’ for the great tips given above. To order copies of Tourism BC's Business Essentials Manuals, please visit www.TourismBC.com.

In our Hearts

Our warmest thoughts are with the Croil family at this time. For those of you who may not have heard, Gordon Blundell Croil, Vice-President of Sales and Marketing for Perimeter Transportation, passed away on March 14, 2007. Gordon was well respected by the staff at Vancouver, Coast & Mountains and within the tourism industry - he will be missed.