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VCM
Partners Extranet
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In this issue:
CONNECT
with Vancouver, Coast & Mountains
2010 Legacies
Now Luncheon & Tour
Reminder: 2007 Vancouver, Coast & Mountains
Travel Guide
Trade Report
Why didn’t the chicken cross the road? Because he
thought he needed a passport.
Free Internet Marketing Tool
Abbotsford Airshow 2007
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CONNECT with Vancouver, Coast & Mountains
VCM is pleased to introduce the newest member
of our team … CONNECT! CONNECT is a facilitator who will
enable the staff to reach out to tourism and marketing partners
for input and guidance. OK, so CONNECT isn’t an actual
person, but it is doing the work of a team of people!
CONNECT is essentially a virtual office. It’s
on-line area that will enable Vancouver, Coast & Mountains
to keep the staff connected to partners by creating secure community
areas where they can share links, files and discussion forums.
Now, don't let these technical words frighten you. Using CONNECT
is so basic and easy you will wonder how we lived without it.
These online community areas will allow groups to engage in “any-time” online
discussions. Over the next month, VCM staff will be inviting
groups of carefully selected partners to participate in CONNECT
Advisory groups. The groups will be focused on different areas
including co-op marketing, e-strategies, travel trade, media
relations and golf, where participants will be asked to provide
feedback and guidance in the creation of our 2007/2008 Marketing
Plan. Each advisory group can be divided into different topics,
thus allowing staff (and partners) to create discussion forums
around particular subjects. Participants will be able to add
new and reply to existing discussion threads, and upload or download
files for viewing and/or discussion. There’s even a Live
Meeting utility for conducting on-line meetings that we will
likely use in the future!
Benefits:
- Offers marketing partners a chance to express
their ideas & concerns.
- Connecting staff with partners to create
a strong organizational network
- Provides a secure discussion area that is available
24/7 for you to use at your convenience
- Marketing plan feedback; program suggestions.
- Decreases the number of face-to-face meetings
required
- Contributes to the generation of new ideas and
maintains valuable contacts
- Offers you access to relevant, useful information
Please be on the lookout in the near future for your
invites from VCM staff. If you would like to participate in one
of the groups, please contact Mary
Ann Bell and she'll "connect" you with the leader
of appropriate group!
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2010 Legacies Now Luncheon & Tour
The 2010 Legacies Now Tour
presented by Bell is coming to Richmond from Thursday, August
31st through Monday, September 4th.
The exhibit's opening ceremony will be on
Thursday August 31st at 11:00AM at Richmond Centre. The displays
will inspire citizens
to
learn more about the legacies leading up to and beyond 2010.
For more information, visit the 2010 Legacies Now website located
at
www.2010legaciesnow.com.
Following the launch of the event, Tourism
Richmond in partnership with the Richmond Chamber of Commerce,
City of Richmond and Richmond
Spirit of BC, will be hosting a luncheon with guest speakers
the Honourable Stan Hagen, Minister of Tourism, Sports & the
Arts and Madleine Rab, General Manager, Business Development
and Olympics - Bell Canada.
Where: Best Western Richmond Inn - 7551 Westminster Hwy
Tickets: $30.00 (Inc GST) for both members and guests.
Time: 11:45am - 1:30pm
To register for this event, please fill out the registration
form found here and fax back to the Richmond Chamber of Commerc's
office at 604-278-2972, or sign up online at www.richmondchamber.ca
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Reminder: 2007 Vancouver, Coast & Mountains
Travel Guide
***Advertising Deadlines approaching!***
As the summer season begins to wind down, now is the time to
ensure you have all of your advertising plans in place for
2007! There is still time to participate in the 2007 Vancouver,
Coast & Mountains Travel Guide - one of the most visitor
requested British Columbia Travel Guides!
No Rate Increases since 2005!
The Vancouver, Coast & Mountains 2007 Travel Guide is the
perfect advertising vehicle for reaching BC's largest potential
visitor market. This guide is designed to inspire and answer
questions potential visitors may have about vacationing in Vancouver,
Coast & Mountains. Through stunning photography and intriguing
editorial, it describes each area of the region and introduces
visitors to the never-ending choices of activities and attractions.
By featuring things to see and do throughout the region visitors
are encouraged to extend their stay and travel around the region.
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2007 Vancouver, Coast & Mountains Travel Guide
Issue: 2007 (Annual Publication)
Circulation: 180,000
Advertising Rates: (full colour ads)
1/6 page = $1,738 + gst
1/3 page = $2,658 + gst
1/2 page = $4,298 + gst
2/3 page = $5,298 + gst
Full Page = $7,698 + gst
Double Page Spread = $15,298 + gst
Extended Space Deadline: September 1, 2006
Materials Deadline: September 6, 2006
Just click this link for the complete Media Kit for the 2007 Vancouver,
Coast & Mountains Travel Guide.
http://www.vcmbc.com/pdf/VCM2007TravelGuideMediaKit.pdf
If you would like to participate, please fax the ad space booking
form in to Vancouver, Coast & Mountains at 604-739-0153.
If you have any questions about this program, please feel free to
contact Kelly Phillips - kelly@vcmbc.com or 604-484-5112 or Kristi
Wilson - kristi@vcmbc.com or 604-638-6931.
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Trade Report
New and Improved Travel Trade Centre
Phase 1 has been completed on the revamped Travel Trade Centre
of www.vcmbc.com. Along with
an overall design change, the layout has been designed to provide
the trade with easier access to the information they require to
learn and make decisions about our region.
As part of the upgraded and expanded section, Phase 2 will include
opportunities for marketing partners to purchase space on the Experiences
page. Watch your inbox for the details and rate information coming
soon.
To view the site, go to: www.vcmbc.com/traveltrade or
contact Jason Knibbs - Sales Manager, Travel Trade: jason@vcmbc.com for
further information.
Motorcycle Touring Ideas Needed
In response to a request from an Australian
Tour Operator, we are considering developing a “motorcycle touring” itinerary
specifically for the Trade. The itinerary will include all destination
areas and be focused on off the beaten path routes for the visiting
motorcyclist. We are looking for accommodations, restaurants,
points of interest and events that would be appropriate for
this market.
If you currently cater to the motorcycle enthusiast, would like
to reach this market or have some ideas about routing in your
area, we would love to hear from you. Please contact Jason
Knibbs- Sales
Manager, Travel Trade: jason@vcmbc.com
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Why didn’t the chicken cross the road?
Because he thought he needed a passport.
Travel requirements for cross-border trips between
Canada and the U.S. are not well understood.
As the political rhetoric regarding Canada-U.S.
border security continues to escalate, there is considerable
confusion on both
sides of the border regarding the identification required to
travel to the other country. Currently, about three-in-ten of
those on either side of the Canada-U.S. border mistakenly believe
that they must present a valid passport. While drivers’ licenses
and birth certificates are currently acceptable forms of ID,
32% of Americans and 29% of Canadians believe that a passport
is required for travel across the border. In the U. S., another
24% indicate that they are not sure what is required, suggesting
that more than one-half of Americans do not have a clear understanding
of what is required to visit Canada.
In the U.S., the misconception that a passport
is required is surprisingly high, even among those who have recently
travelled
to Canada. A full one third (35%) of Americans who have travelled
to Canada for an overnight pleasure trip within the past two
years believe that a passport is currently required.
Click
here to download report summary
Source: TIAC Report Summary – TNS Canadian
Facts
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Free Internet Marketing Tool
Get Your Coupons on Google Maps
August 15, 2006 Edition of Internetnews.com
By Nicholas Carlson
Everybody wants a piece of the Sunday papers.
While Craigslist takes on the classifieds, Google (Quote, Chart)
today announced it will soon be displaying printable coupons
for local businesses in its Google Maps search results and business
listing pages.
Local businesses that want to add their own coupons
to Google Maps can do so for free in Google's Local Business
Center, according
to a statement. There they can also add and update their business
listings for Google Local.
As part of the announcement,
Google partnered with Valpak to add its coupons to the Google
Maps coupon collection. Google did not return a request for comment.
If the coupons move encourages local businesses
to begin adding themselves to Google's local listings, the Maps
product will
become more relevant to users. The more relevant and useful Google
Maps is to users, the more it becomes a desired space for advertisers
seeking their clicks. JupiterKagan analyst Sapna Satagopan told
internetnews.com it's an effort to get local business thinking
about online marketing. Satagopan said Google is smart to form
relationships with local businesses that might not be ready to
pay for online advertising
yet. "I think it creates that talking point between Google
and the local advertisers," she said.
She thinks Google will keep track of how many users print coupons.
That will give Google data "to go into that local advertising
market and say, 'look you've got so many coupons being printed
out and those many that are being used. We can provide you more
of that traffic if you want to sign up with us," she said.
Google wants a piece of the local advertising business
traditionally owned by newspapers and yellow pages. They've tested
a pay-per-call model, started selling radio air
time, and have begun experimenting with television ads. And Satagopan
thinks Google is going to get a sizeable bite. Local advertising is still going to be a much smaller
percent over their overall business, but it's starting to play
a much larger role as the local marketers understand a bit more," she
said.
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Abbotsford Airshow 2007
Many of the Vancouver, Coast & Mountains
staff had the opportunity to check out the Abbotsford Airshow
which ran from August 11 – 13, 2006. It was a fabulous
show and we extend our warmest thanks to everyone at Tourism
Abbotsford for their warm hospitality!
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Your feedback is most
welcome on any subject – please e-mail kevan@vcmbc.com. |
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