Marketing Opportunities
|
 |
 |
September
29,
2009 COTA Member Update |
||
|
SPECIAL COTA BOARD MEETING - September 30, 2009 COTA's Board of Directors will be meeting in Vancouver on September 30 and receiving delegations of members. The purpose of this meeting is to create more opportunities for COTA's Board to engage with members and ensure we do not overlook any important issues in this period of significant and fast moving change. There has been considerable interest in this process but some members have indicated they do not have the time or ability to come as a delegation. There are also limited opportunities within a one day meeting due to time constrains. Therefore, COTA is encouraging written feedback related to the September 2, 2009 COTA Council Resolutions or any other areas that members want to bring to COTA's attention. To enhance transparency COTA will communicate the general nature of all topic and issue areas that are brought to the Board's attention in our next Member update, scheduled for the week of October 5th. SAVE THE DATE: COTA COUNCIL MEETING & AN EVENING TO RECOGNIZE ROD
HARRIS This COTA Council meeting will serve to update the Council on progress and to seek further Council guidance and support for achieving the results identified in our September 2, 2009 Council Motions. In conjunction with the Council Meeting, COTA will be hosting an industry-wide event on the evening of October 30th to recognize and honour the contribution of the outgoing President and CEO of Tourism BC, Rod Harris. This will be a ticketed event. More information on both of these events will follow once details and agendas have been confirmed. Please contact Kitka Neyedli at kneyedli@cotabc.com or 604-678-4012 for more information. SEPTEMBER 2, 2009 RESOLUTION UPDATES HARMONIZED SALES TAX (HST) RESOLUTION COTA continues focusing its efforts on addressing tourism industry
concerns relating to the HST. COTA is seeking to have the FCTIP provide rebates for the full
12% HST and is advocating for a return to individual rebates and
point-of-sale rebates as in the past GST Visitor Rebate Program. In these cases the businesses will be forced to absorb the 7%
tax themselves, which in some cases may even threaten the viability
of these businesses. COTA has a meeting scheduled with the Ministry of Finance on October
7 to discuss potential mitigation options, based on discussions
initiated by the COTA HST Tourism Working Group. We have also been
working to ensure broader business community support for our HST
mitigation recommendations. UPCOMING INDUSTRY EVENTS Meet with a Faculty member from the School of Tourism and Hospitality
Management from Royal Roads University for a conversation about
how we can help advance your career with our Graduate Certificates
and Master of Arts in Tourism Management. Hospitality Industry Conference & Exposition Join the BC Hotel Association (BCHA), the BC Restaurant and Foodservices
Association (BCRFA), the Alliance of Beverage Licensees of BC (ABLE)
and the BC Lodging and Campgrounds Association (BCLCA) in Vancouver
for the BC Hospitality Industry Conference & Exposition on
November 22-24, 2009. You will have the opportunity to get informed
about the most relevant and timely issues affecting the hospitality
industry today. |
||
| Timing
is Key The 17th Annual Tourism Industry Conference (TIC) will be held April 18 - 20, 2010 following the Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games. The format for TIC 2010 will change significantly from past Tourism Industry Conferences, to specifically target the delivery of critical business information to operators, while promoting opportunities for tourism leaders and operators to network and support business development needs. TIC Survey - Your Input is Encouraged! Specific elements and topics for the 2010 conference are being designed around a survey COTA is currently conducting, plus suggestions provided by a committee comprising industry leaders. To participate in the survey, please click here: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=ucxql7u_2fNqOu7yK1_2f2tmKg_3d_3d Deadline for submissions is Wednesday, September 30. | ||
| Media
Update Last week Lisa, our Regional Media Representative meet with more than two dozen local and international travel writers, journalists and editors at Go Media Marketplace in Whistler. The quality of media was exceptionally high this year, as those in attendance went through an extensive application process and were qualified by the Canadian Tourism Commission (CTC). The Media also participated in a number of activities and tours throughout Sea to Sky Country, which included Olympic Venue tours. As a result of her meetings and seminars, Lisa has concluded that the Media want:
|
||
Online Travel Web Site Traffic and Conversion Remain Strong Travel Web sites are performing well in the midst of the broader travel industry downturn. PhoCusWright's Online Traffic and Conversion Report, a new study conducted in partnership with Compete Inc., shows that monthly traffic and conversion is up in almost all travel categories in the second quarter of 2009, compared to the same quarter of previous years. Despite the downturn, transactional Web sites (i.e., suppliers and online travel agencies) showed strong growth in June monthly visitors year-over-year, with cruise lines up 19% and hotel chains up 13%. Online travel agencies (OTAs) also showed slight increases in hotel and car rental visitor volume in the first half of 2009 compared to 2008 and 2007. The only category to show a decline in traffic from 2008 through 2009 was the OTA air category which is down 15%. This is not reflective of weak performance however, as OTA air conversion has increased significantly over the same time period. "The reliance that consumers have on travel Web sites has not weakened one bit," says Carroll Rheem, director, research at PhoCusWright. "Online channels are attracting, engaging and inspiring travelers who recognize that this year is actually a fantastic time to take a trip. Consumers are certainly spending less, but they are not giving up travel, nor are they turning away from the Web sites that offer them the selection and convenience they value." Travel suppliers and OTAs display a wide range in their ability to convert their online shoppers to purchasers. In 2009, monthly online conversion rates ranged from 19.7% for car rental suppliers to 0.2% for cruises booked via OTA. Suppliers generally garner higher conversion rates than OTAs. However, OTA conversion levels show a general upward trend in 2009. On the flip side of conversion is the much larger group of travelers who shop, but do not complete a booking. In 2009, this "leakage" remains remarkably consistent across all travel products. "The online travel ecosystem now supports a diverse variety of transactional and informational sites—each playing a role in how consumers research, shop for and purchase travel," adds Ms. Rheem. "For example, we found that visitation to planning and review sites drives dramatic differences in hotel conversion rates. Understanding the intricate relationships that connect all travel sites is essential to setting the right strategic path." The study by PhoCusWright and Compete Inc - PhoCusWright's Online Traffic and Conversion Report is available for US $1,395—order before October 23 at the introductory rate of $1,195 (save 15%). ____ |
||
Best Practices for the Student Youth Travel Industry
Ever wondered what it takes to work with the “student travel” market? The following have been identified as the ideal characteristics that student and youth tour companies look for when choosing a destination. What Student Tours (grades K-12) Look for in Hotels (highest priorities):
What Student Tours Look for in Attractions
What Student Tours Look For In Restaurants
What Student Tours Look for in Motorcoaches
More of the High and Lowest priorities as well as descriptions
of
the “Good, Bad and the Ugly” as
identified by
student and
travel tour
companies can
be found
here. |
||
|
As so many of the current and past VCM and W2D staffers have become mothers over the past few years we thought it would be fun to have a baby day! Fun was had by all!
From left to right: |
||
Your feedback is most
welcome on any subject – please e-mail kevan@vcmbc.com. |
||
