| Special Features |
The New CTC Web strategy:
What works for the customer, works for the industry
It's all happening in Canada these days... a new national brand, a rethink of how the country does business in global tourism markets, and now a new web strategy.
 DMO World is delighted to welcome Michele McKenzie, president and CEO of the Canadian Tourism Commission (CTC) to share her experiences in developing this new strategy and to explain how it will revolutionise CTC's online marketing presence.
Visitor Loyalty:
Have destinations missed the boat?
Most would agree that it is far easier to retain an existing customer than solicit a new one. Yet many destinations often miss this point, spending millions to attract new tourists and dismissing their current visitors. Hospitality specialist, John R Hendrie, extols the virtues of the visitor loyalty programme.
Marketing For Success... The Explorer Quotient
The business of tourism has changed profoundly over the last few years. Today's fickle consumers demand personal attention and service, and it is increasingly hard to reach new audiences through the noise of distracting messages.
Brand Canada's latest weapon in their armoury is the Explorer Quotient, an online tool that analyses visitors' preferences, expectations and personality. Greg Klassen, vice-president of marketing at the CTC explains how the EQ recognises and operates on social values, rather than demographics.
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| Key Articles |
Climate Change:
A turbulent outlook for the tourism industry
Scientists have predicted that the world's average temperatures will rise by up to 5°C in the next century, raising sea levels, creating more deserts and causing devastation from storms and flooding.
The likely effects of this scenario on the tourism industry are clear. Fewer beaches, reduced winter sports, unpredictable weather… all these are issues that will put vital economies at risk and bring about significant market changes.
 The Secretary-General of the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), Francesco Frangialli, told participants at a recent Technical Conference on Climate as a Resource in Beijing that: 'Climate change poses a growing risk to the tourism industry, the tourists themselves and the economies that rely on their spending.'
Yet the ongoing growth of tourism, and the resulting increase in air travel, contributes directly to the growing emission of greenhouse gases, a major factor in climate change. So, what is being done to resolve this apparent conflict?
The First International Conference on Climate Change and Tourism was held nearly three years ago and was widely seen as the first step towards tackling the negative impacts of climate change on the tourism industry.
 The conference brought together researchers, scientists, government experts and tourism professionals to examine the complex relationship between climate and tourism. More than 150 participants from 42 countries and 6 international organisations spent two days weighing up the evidence. The Djerba Declaration that resulted from this event recognised that tourism is both a major contributor to climate change and, in turn, impacted negatively by it.
The declaration urged the support of initiatives such as the Kyoto Protocol, which came into force a year ago next month and which was, at the time, hailed as a major breakthrough in climate change negotiations. It also encouraged those in the tourism industry front line to do more to make their activities energy efficient and reduce their individual contributions to climate change.
However, the extent to which this declaration has impacted in practical terms on the tourism industry is a valid question, and one that will be addressed at a conference taking place this summer. The Tourism and Climate Change Mitigation conference will be held in June in the Netherlands. As a prelude to the conference, an interactive online forum has been set up for those interested in the interactions between climate change, the environment and tourism.
 In the meantime, tourism professionals can keep up-to-date with the latest scientific research and industry developments by subscribing to the UNWTO's free Sustainable Development of Tourism e-bulletin.
The UNWTO has also collaborated with the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) on a recent edition of World Climate News which focussed entirely on tourism and climate issues. The publication
can be downloaded in PDF format from the WMO website.
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| Research and Reports - What's New |
The global travel industry is in a state of flux, according to the latest edition of the Online Travel Worldwide Report, which examines the rapidly changing landscape of online travel - and spotlights the ways in which it is affecting the travel business as a whole.
The report, by eMarketer, aggregates the latest data from leading researchers and offers comparisons between the online travel markets in the USA, Europe and the Asia Pacific region. It also reveals how consumers plan and book travel online and highlights the opportunities and threats facing each of the major travel sales channels. The report can be bought online at a cost of $695.
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Growth across the meetings industry has been predicted by the authors of FutureWatch 2006, a comparative study by Meetings Professionals International (MPI) and American Express. The report suggests that the total number of meetings planned, proposal activity, the number of attendees per meeting / event, and expenditure levels are all likely to increase over the coming year.
The study also includes new research which explores the extent to which meetings are recognised as a strategic function within organisations. The full report can be downloaded in PDF format from the MPI website.
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A recent report by Mintel, Sustainable Tourism in the Travel Industry, looks at the major environmental impacts of tourism and the scale of international tourism in developing countries.
It highlights related initiatives such as the World Travel and Tourism Council's (WTTC) Blueprint for New Tourism and provides details of the efforts that are currently being taken by both international organisations and travel and tourism companies to place tourism in the context of local, national and international efforts for sustainable development. It can be bought online from the Mintel website for $535.
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A new report commissioned by the European Tour Operators' Association (ETOA) suggests that European DMOs should focus on India as they compete to regain market share of the international travel market.
The India Origin Market Report highlights the country's historic links with Europe, as well as the dramatic growth in the number of Indians travelling abroad... over the last decade outbound tourism grew from 1.9 to 3.9 million. The report can be downloaded free of charge to ETOA subscribers only.
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Keep a look out for the results of the annual World Travel Monitor which will be released in March at the ITB Berlin. The WTM is produced by IPK International and is the largest continuous travel market study in the world. Providing a barometer of global travel and tourism trends, it is the only survey to monitor outbound travel in 50 key source markets using a common questionnaire.
This year's results will provide world travel trends in 2005 and 2006, international travel market volume and online turnover, as well as travel performance in Europe. The WTM is also expected to offer evidence that will confirm the international travel and tourism industry's sustained recovery.
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There's another gem from the Pew Internet and American Life Project for those interested in internet usage developments. A 54 page report on How Women and Men Use the Internet highlights how gender differences are changing over time.
The research shows that men continue to pursue many online activities more intensively than women, and that they are still first out of the blocks in trying the latest technologies. At the same time, there are trends that indicate women are catching up in overall use and are framing their online experience with a greater emphasis on deepening connections with people. The report can be downloaded in PDF format from the PIALP website.
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Online conversion may have been the topic on everyone's mind over the last few months but technology growth will make 2006 the year of precision marketing, according to search engine marketing specialists, MoreVisibility.
The company has produced a free white paper which covers topics such as local search, pay-per-call, MSN, Google's selective contextual advertising, demographic targeting and behavioural targeting, and link buying for traffic. 2006: Precision Marketing – Opportunities in Search discusses how new advertising opportunities will lead to higher qualified leads and better conversion opportunities.
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A new report - The Effects of Emerging Technologies on the Travel, Tourism and Hospitality Marketplace - has been compiled jointly by by New York University and PhoCusWright.
The research, conducted late last year, identifies the impact of new technologies on the marketplace, analyses their influence on current distribution channels, and explores future technologies that are likely to affect the way travel is bought over the next five years. A common theme revealed in the report is the need for travel professionals to provide seamless connectivity between the customer, the organisation and the product. The free report is available in a PDF format from the PhoCusWright GDX website.
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| Destination Brand Watch |
VisitBritain, Britain's international tourism agency, is aiming to improve its understanding of people's perception of the country by adding a set of specific questions to the Anholt-GMI Nation Brands Index (NBI). The move will also allow VisitBritain to track changes in perceptions across a specific range of dimensions, including friendliness, vibrancy and historical interest.
The NBI polls 10,000 consumers globally on their perceptions of brand power and appeal, and identifies which markets have positive or negative perceptions of a country.
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 Good climate, unspoiled countryside, cultural and scenic, with a world-competitive infrastructure... just a few of the factors that have resulted in France being named overall winner in the International Living 2006 Quality of Life Index.
The index, now in its 25th year, lists Switzerland, Australia, Denmark, New Zealand, Austria, the USA, Sweden, Finland and Italy as the other top ten entrants. The lowest-scoring countries this year are Laos, Pakistan, Djibouti, Afghanistan, Haiti, Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Somalia, Sudan, and Iraq.
The complete list can be viewed on the International Living website.
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| Dates for Your Diary |
| Some of the key events for tourism destination professionals taking place over the coming weeks:
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If you hurry, there's just about time to get to the Travel Technology Show at London's Olympia. The event will take place on January 31st until February 1st.
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The International Meetings Industry Conferences (IMICs) will be debating Marketing Destinations and their Venues at a conference next month. The event will be held in Greece between the 9th - 11th February.
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Asia's annual meeting place for travel distribution professionals, the EyeForTravel Travel Distribution Summit, will take place between the 15th and 16th February in Singapore.
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International Confex 2006, a leading events industry exhibition, will be held between the 21st to 23rd February in London, UK.
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This year's two day Middle East Travel and Tourism Summit 2006 (METTS) will focus on sustainable development through tourism. The event will be hosted by Jordan and held on 26th and 27th February.
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Look out for the International Tourism Exchange ITB Berlin which will be held between the 8th to the 12th March.
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A conference of European Tourism Ministers, to be held in Vienna, Austria on the 20th - 21st March, will focus on Tourism - Key to Growth and Employment in Europe.
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Leading academics and professionals will join forces with researchers and eTourism students to visualise the future of the tourism, travel and hospitality industry and to explore factors for innovation and success at the 5th eTourism Futures Forum. The event will take place in the UK from the 27th - 28th March.
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Addis Ababa is the venue for the UNWTO regional seminar / workshop for Africa. Tourism Destination Management – Routes to Success will be held on the 27th – 29th March.
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The 55th PATA Annual Conference will take place from the 23rd to the 27th April in Pattaya, Thailand. More information is available on the Pacific Asia Travel Association website. |
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| In This Edition...
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RESEARCH AND REPORTS
DESTINATION BRAND WATCH
DATES FOR YOUR DIARY
Tourism up by 5.5% overall
BestCities sets standards
Ireland aims high for 2006
Bombs fail to stop growth
Radio's tourism hot spots
Top ten 'must-see' list
World peace travel launch
Targeting special needs
PATA links with Amadeus
Reaching women online
.travel's global launch
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| International News |
Tourism:
Figures up by 5.5% overall
The number of international tourism arrivals in 2005 grew by 5.5% to more than 800 million, according to preliminary figures launched last week by the United Nations specialised agency, the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO).
The figures, the highest ever recorded, are based on detailed results for a number of destinations included in the UNWTO World Tourism Barometer.
UNWTO Secretary-General, Francesco Frangialli, commented: 'In spite of the turbulent environment we live in nowadays, destinations worldwide added some 100 million international arrivals between 2002 and 2005.'
BestCities:
CVB alliance certifies standards
BestCities Global Alliance, the world's first and only convention bureau alliance with eight partners on five continents, earlier this month announced its plans to certify its service standards.
The BestCities vision is to be recognised internationally for delivering the world's best convention bureau practices for the meetings industry. Lloyds Register Quality Assurance has been appointed to carry out the certification process.
Lisa Klint, General Manager BestCities, said: 'We believe that the certification will lead to continuous improvement of our services and improve our global recognition'.
Ireland:
Ambitious targets for 2006
Tourism Ireland, the country's overseas tourism marketing agency, has this year set an overseas campaigns budget of €50m... its highest ever level of funding for frontline tourism marketing.
Seventy-six percent of the republic's tourism revenue is achieved from overseas visitors. Tourism Ireland Chief Executive, Paul O'Toole, confirmed, too, that an ambitious revenue target of €4.2 billion has been set for the coming year, driven by a projected 8.5 million overseas visitors. He said: 'While we expect conditions to be largely favourable again for Dublin this year, there can be no complacency.'
London:
Visit figures grow despite bomb attacks
Visitor forecasts for 2006 suggest that last summer's bomb attacks in London will not have a lasting impact on the industry. Overall, visitor figures are expected to grow by 1.2% to over 26 million in 2006, with spending forecast set to increase by 2.7% to £9.8 billion. The strongest areas of growth are likely to come from Eastern Europe and Asia.
VisitLondon's Chief Executive, James Bidwell, commented: 'In general, prospects for 2006 are positive. However, there does seem to be a divide between buoyant prospects for the overseas market and challenging indicators for the domestic market.'
Tourism Radio:
Launches in Western Cape
A new initiative in Cape Town is providing visitors with location-specific information through their taxi and hire car radios. As travellers drive across the city, they receive streaming information and music, which switches to detailed comments as they pass designated hot-spots.
Tourism radio was launched last month and is now available in 330 hire cars and taxis. The service, which provides information on places of interest and historical background, as well as places to eat and stay, is set to expand to other parts of the Western Cape soon.
Destinations:
Top ten 'must-see' list
Goa, Tasmania and Glasgow are among the world's top 10 'up and coming' destinations for 2006, according to leading travel guide publisher, Frommer's. Glasgow was the only European destination to make the list this year; other destinations listed include Belém in Brazil, Charleston in South Carolina, USA, Margarita in Venezuela, and Ramah, New Mexico.
A complete list of the destinations selected appears on the Frommer's website.
Travel:
New peace organisation
The International Institute for Peace through Tourism (IIPT) has announced the launch of a new travel division. World Peace Travel aims to be a model of tourism by promoting a 'culture of peace through tourism'. Tours to Oman and Iran are planned for 2006.
IIPT is a non-profit making organisation dedicated to fostering tourism initiatives to help bring about a peaceful and sustainable world.
Special Needs:
Dubai targets new market
Dubai is aiming to become a market leader in special needs tourism, following the launch of a series of partnership initiatives between the Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DTCM) and both private and public sector organisations.
DTCM has created a special needs tourism task force to work towards reviewing and upgrading facilities for physically challenged visitors. Analysts are predicting these initiatives will result in annual tourism revenue growth of $3 billion. |
| E-Business News |
PATA:
Partnership with Amadeus
A new strategic alliance between the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) and travel technology company, Amadeus has been announced. Key areas of cooperation will be the sharing of intelligence, mutual brand building, high-level networking with partners and association members, as well as advocacy on industry issues.
PATA president and CEO, Peter de Jong, commented: 'We look forward to developing a strong partnership with Amadeus based on our common goals... the growth of tourism on a sustainable basis and the reinforcement of tourism's economic value'.
Amadeus is the second global brand to become a PATA Premier Partner in the past four months. In August, PATA announced an alliance with Visa International, a leading card payment company.
Women:
Online campaign success
An innovative online marketing campaign, aimed at encouraging more female travellers to visit Canada's western province, is gathering speed. Clever Women is a partnership between Travel Alberta and the Canadian Tourism Commission's (CTC) German office, and uses a contemporary website design, celebrity endorsements and non-traditional commercial partnerships to reinforce its message.
Internet:
.travel's global launch
The new industry-sponsored top level internet domain, .travel, was launched globally earlier this month, following a 90 day pre-authentication phase. So far, sponsors Tralliance Corporation has reported a diverse range of international registrants from across all eighteen identified industry sectors.
Tralliance is predicting that the .travel directory will result in online revenues from the sale of travel services increasing by up to ten fold in less than a decade, thanks to the exclusivity of domain ownership and the tightly controlled range of search criteria in use.
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Welcome to our first edition of 2006