DCBA Industry Update October 2018
Product Innovation
Product Product Innovation Innovation Objective: Enhance the Facilitate industry the partnership expansion of the tourism program season for the in promotion the shoulder of and winter season. experiences: Distribution of 2018 Cape Breton Taste Experience of Autumn: Guide. Program had an increase in Analytic data will be monitored for demand to provide guidelines for Brochures are in circulation across the enhancement. participation from operators this year. island so visitors know what is open. Work Above with Winter local advocates 2019: on the development Negotiated of interest-based a multi-page itineraries: DCBA feature continues section in to the develop December/ core experience /January issue itineraries. of Saltscapes Locals Magazine. Know program focused on core experiences Promoting and winter not trails. activities and packages on Cape Breton Island. Providing excellent exposure for businesses.
Marketing Update
800,000 cbisland.com Website Sessions January 1 September 30, 2014-18 700,000 702,053 600,000 573,411 500,000 400,000 401,056 300,000 252,083 200,000 191,288 100,000 0 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 Source: Google Analytics Website sessions were up 22% over 2017. * 2016 sessions have been adjusted to remove 476,551 sessions that are attributed to the Trump Bump.
180,000 160,000 140,000 120,000 cbisland.com Website Sessions by Market January 1 September 30, 2017-18 132,565 155,081 143,652 162,070 123,984 2017 2018 100,000 80,000 60,000 63,383 79,086 80,917 59,061 40,000 32,970 20,000 0 14,808 4,917 Ontario Quebec Maritimes Northeast US AB/BC UK +17% +25% +13% +53% +79% +201% Source: Google Analytics
cbisland.com Analytics January 1 September 30, 2018 Pages per session -17% (2.3 pages) Session duration -19% (2:03) Goal conversion rate -17% (50%) A combination of awareness ads in new markets in Q1 and Facebook ads delivering traffic that did not engage with the site resulted in lower engagement overall. However, goal completions are up 2% and clicks to operator websites are up 22%. Source: Google Analytics
Social Media 2018 Results YTD results as of September 31, 2018 2017 Final: 43,786 2018 YTD: 55,750 +24% 2017 Final: 7,942 2018 YTD: 8,853 +11% 2017 Final: 8,023 2018 YTD: 13,354 +49% 2017 Social Media Footprint = 59,751 2018 Social Media Footprint = 77,957 (+27%) Total engagements on all platforms (likes, comments, shares) YTD: 403,281 (-2% over Jan 1 September 30, 2017) #ExploreCB hashtag usage YTD: 23,455 uses Facebook Video views: 3,426,659 (+71% over Jan 1 September 31, 2017)
Advertising Television Advertising Maritimes Spring-Summer campaign concluded; Fall campaign ran in September for 3 weeks Digital Advertising Digital Advertising Program continued with Tourism NS ($300,000 cost-shared) in ON, QC, Northeast US, AB, BC Regional advertising continues through Google Grant and social ads Specialty Print Full page ad (on left) placed in Aug/Sep issue of Saltscapes Magazine
Taste of Autumn Campaign focused on educating visitors on late season dining options post Celtic Colours 51 industry partners, up from 35 last year Brochure distributed across the Island and online Social posts including Leaf Watch New this year: - Hike Up an Appetite blog series pairing hikes and dining options content by local ambassadors - #FallForCapeBreton UGC photo contest - Live webcam of Highlands Links #12 for Leaf Watch, courtesy of Nova Scotia Webcams
Travel Media Travel Media FAM Tours Sept. 4 9 Mitch Summers Facebook Video on Cabot Trail. 107K views and 1.4K shares in one week. Sept. 5 10 JohnnyJet.com Top 10 Things to do on Cape Breton Island Sept. 6 10 Lonely Planet Book Cycling the Cabot Trail Sept. 24 26 - Cabot Trail - Best Practice Mission Tourism Excellence North Oct. 3 Korean Broadcasting System Tourism Channel Impact of Gaelic Culture on Cape Breton Tourism Oct. 6 10 - GO Media Post FAM Tour Cape Breton Colours
Hiking Influencers coming to Cape Breton Island Partnership with Destination Canada Visiting August 17-22 Visiting in October 14-21 Taylor & Hayley visiting as a couple The combined following of these three influencers is approaching 1.3 million on Instagram.
Hiking COI: Results INFLUENCER ADVOCACY WEBSITE HASHTAG @CalSnape 765 followers Visited August 17-22 4 posts per platform Total Engagement: 38,647 25 Local Ambassadors Project Duration Growth: +TBD% September 30:Total TBD Cbisland.com/hiking April 1 Sept. 30, 2018 Pageviews + 122% over 2017 Total Pageviews: 33, 631 Over 3,000 uses from April to Sept. 30 September usage increased 21% over August
Communities of Interest Initiated meetings with key ambassadors for COIs proposed for 2019: Celtic/Gaelic Culture Outdoor Adventure The Bras d Or Lake
Small Ports / Superyachts Met with Amey Beaton (Inverness) and Gerry Gibson (St. Peter s) regarding viability of expanding Niche Ports for Cruise Ships and Marinas for Super Yatchs. Gathering names of potential participants for a hybrid Cruise/Small Vessel workshop. CCNE Symposium in Sydney June 2019. Developing Pre and Post FAM Tours Feedback gathered from Louisbourg Cruise Community re: increasing business on Cruise ship days. Next steps: Debrief meeting; Share with Discover Nova Scotia
Golf 2018 January to October Total Booked YTD: $426,700 Total Rooms Booked: 582 Total Rounds Booked: 1617 166 contacts booked through Golf CB bringing 623 golfers 2017 January to October Total Booked YTD: $478,146 Total Rooms Booked: 851 Total Rounds Booked: 1673 172 contacts booked through Golf CB bringing 598 golfers
50,000 45,000 40,000 golfcapebreton.com Sessions January 1 September 30, 2014-2018 44,513 41,974 35,000 30,000 31,691 29,631 25,000 24,061 20,000 15,000 10,000 5,000 0 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 Website sessions are down 5.7% from 2017 due to a reduced advertising budget and the lack of a TSN campaign that delivered strong traffic from Ontario. Source: Google Analytics
25,000 golfcapebreton.com Sessions by Market January 1 September 30, 2017-18 2017 2018 20,000 19,955 15,000 12,554 10,000 7,680 5,000 5,610 0 Ontario Northeast US Ontario is down -37% due to the lack of a TSN campaign, while the Northeast US is up 37%. Source: Google Analytics
golfcapebreton.com Analytics January 1 September 30, 2018 Pages per session -2.7% (4.41 pages) Session duration -11% (1:53) Goal conversion rate +7.7% (57%) Source: Google Analytics
Events Cape Breton Meetings & Conferences Conference Direct Site visit rescheduled for October 22-24 th 2018 Federation of NS Municipalities May 2020 - (CONFIRMED) CBRM confirmed as HOST of annual conference Canadian Transport Equipment Association (CTEA) October 2021 Proposal to host annual conference underway Atlantic Recreation & Facilities Conference May 2022 / 2024 Expression of Interest submitted to host the biennial event in 2022 or 2024 (400+ RN s over 3 days)* (300+ RN s over 3 days)* (400+ RN s over 3 days)* *rn s = no of rooms x no of nights
Events Cape Breton Sports Tourism STIHL Timbersports Canadian Champions Trophy Awarded to Sydney July 2019 Championship to headline Canada Day weekend (120 RN s over 7 days) Royal Canadian Legion National Youth Track & Field August 2019/2020 New RFP for Host Hotel and Officials completed - 279 RN s* Block of 300+ Rooms in place for the Open Athletes - 1500 RN s* CBU Residences to house the Provincial Teams - 2000 RN s * National Bids ongoing with CBRM and Partners: U SPORTS National Soccer Championships 2019 Men s and 2020 Women s Nov 2019/2020 Submitted proposal for review; Presentation of Bid to take place in October Host City to be announced end of season 2018 (720 RN s over 5 days) National Boxing Championships April 2020/2021 Awaiting for RFP to be released by Boxing Canada Bid document preparation underway with Local Committee (1050 + RN s over 6 days) *rn s = estimated no of rooms x no of nights
Key Performance Indicators
Room Nights Sold (000s) 90 80 70 Cape Breton Island Room Night Sales by Month January-July, 2016-2018 79 83 74 60 50 46 50 49 40 30 26 32 31 20 10 11 13 14 12 13 13 16 19 18 19 17 16 0 Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul 2016 2017 2018 Room nights sold were down 6% overall compared to 2017, but up 1% compared to 2016. Source: Tourism Nova Scotia
Room Nights Sold (000s) Cape Breton Island Total Room Night Sales May-July, 2016-2018 180 160 151 165 154 140 120 100 80 60 40 20 0 2016 2017 2018 For the main tourism season months YTD, room nights sold were down 6.5% compared to 2017, but up 2% compared to 2016. Source: Tourism Nova Scotia
Room Night Sales by Provincial Region May-July, 2016-2018 0 50 100 150 200 250 300 350 400 450 500 Halifax Metro 456 453 472 Cape Breton Island 151 165 154 Bay of Fundy & Annapolis Valley 113 128 121 Northumberland Shore South Shore 68 70 67 58 60 61 Yarmouth & Acadian Shores 21 22 22 Eastern Shore 7 7 6 2016 2017 2018 Halifax Metro has led provincial growth in 2018 in the May-July period, likely due to the new convention centre. All other regions were flat or down, with the exception of the South Shore. Sources: Tourism Nova Scotia
Thank You