2017, Group ATN Consulting Inc. Victoria County Tourism Strategy Presentation to Municipal Council Delivered by Group ATN - Stephen Coyle & Thomas McGuire May 29, 2017 1
Benefits of a Tourism Strategy include: Foundational information (e.g. tourism assets, strengths, opportunities and initiatives) Identify priority projects and issues of importance Identify opportunities within a coordinated strategy Generate submission-ready win-themes Aggregate capacity and coordinate efforts among partners Provide a business case foundation to funding Mobilize partners to move forward and leverage funding opportunities. Motivate partners through progress, while building momentum. Build confidence among partners and attract new partners. Ensure a broad-base and common understanding of the overall direction. Build capacity to monitor, measure, and report on social and economic impacts; and Establish governance / management structure 2 2017, Group ATN Consulting Inc.
Guiding Principals 1) Research Drives Product Development which Drives Marketing 2) The Strategy must align with Destination Cape Breton s approach. 3) Partner Enabled / Maximize use of All Available Resources. Only through the cooperation of all parties will the strategy succeed (including local communities). 4) Tourists are generally attracted to compelling destinations, icons, attractions, etc. Tourists do not recognize administrative boundaries 3 2017, Group ATN Consulting Inc.
DCBA Mission Utilize our iconic, quality, market ready travel motivators to improve Cape Breton Island tourism through increasing the Island s visitation numbers, accommodations occupancy, as well as the length of stay of our visitors, & in turn the economic impact of the tourism industry to the Cape Breton Economy.... work with our industry & community partners to enhance tourism experiences Island wide. 4 2017, Group ATN Consulting Inc.
Tourism Nova Scotia Vision Be recognized globally as the leading destination marketing organization. 5 2017, Group ATN Consulting Inc.
Victoria County Explorer Quotient (EQ) Victoria County Assets Naturally Connected Right Alignment Strengths & Opportunities Market Trends Operator Goals Strategic Direction of Partners Authentic Experiences Appreciate natural & cultural environments Adapt to challenges Fully immersed in their travel experience Tend to stay away from group tours / rigid plans Spontaneous, ethical, ecoconscious, independent & curious Seek nature reserves, world heritage sites, museums, hike & often camp Most appealing activity is whale watching, etc. Cultural Explorers Embrace, discover & immerse themselves Experience the culture, people & place Participants not observers Interact with locals, attend events, seek to discover how people live Open-minded & curious Seek heritage sites, cultural events, museums, festivals & often stay at B&Bs Most appealing activity is whale watching, etc. Free Spirits Thrill-seeking Require exciting / exotic Seek best of everything High energy: see & do everything Open-minded, ambitious, enthusiastic, fun-loving, adventurous & social Seek tourism hot spots, top restaurants & quality accommodations Most appealing activity is whale watching, etc. Target Markets Victoria County is strongly positioned to attract & host the three priority EQ market segments
7 Characteristics of Priority EQ Segments Overall Characteristics Travel Motivations Accommodation Preferences Food & Drink Preferences Activity Interests Free Spirits Cultural Explorers Authentic Experiencers Love everything about travel; embrace experiences; vacation is a time to be indulgent and carefree Fun, exciting trips with some learning; higher than average appreciation of nature; like authentic experiences Commercial, international brand, boutique hotels and luxury hotels; spa services Gourmet and high end restaurants Entertainment, shopping, social events, festivals, wildlife/marine viewing, visiting parks, iconic historic sites and interpretive centres 2017, Group ATN Consulting Inc. Value learning & discovery, want the most authentic, local experiences possible Like to learn about ancient history and modern cultures, beauty of nature. Prefer free and spontaneous approach Country inns, B&Bs, eco-lodges, other accommodations that reflect area s culture & personality Unique dining experiences featuring local ingredients, tasting a wineries Interactive, hands-on, immersive learning experiences, active adventure, nature & scenery, farmer s markets, small towns, wildlife/marine life viewing, cultural festivals More learned, understated traveller; appreciate travel; prefer to do their own thing at a destination; keen interest in historical travel Living history/culture, enjoy nature, like being surrounded by outdoors and wilderness Country Inns, B&Bs, ecolodges and other accommodations that help them connect with local history and culture Unique dining experiences featuring local ingredients, wineries for tours & tasting Historical travel, low-impact activities, learning, behindthe-scenes ; opportunities to interact with local culture, parks for wildlife/marine viewing, visiting small towns 7 2017, Group ATN Consulting Inc.
Victoria County Industry Victoria County Communities 8 2017, Group ATN Consulting Inc.
Cultural Experiences, such as: Gaelic sites, stories, language, music etc. Wagmatcook & Unama ki History & heritage Creators & creative clusters Signature festivals Community festivals Culinary Experiences, such as: Local culinary & craft beverage experiences Fresh local seafood Linkages to EQ targets & all other strategic themes Cultural & community connections Experience All Seasons, such as: Extend operating season (e.g. late Oct. / Nov fall colours) Snow based /winter activities Snowmobile access Cross country skiing Cape Smokey Downhill Non-resident moose hunt Victoria County Strategic Themes Cultural Experiences Experience All Seasons Culinary Experiences Sea Coast & Bras d Or Lake / Inland Sea Outdoor Experiences Sea Coast & Bras d Or Lake Based Experiences, such as: Seacoast & Bras d Or Lake / Inland Sea Cabot Trail UN Biosphere Designation Connection to the region s culture (e.g. First Nation), experiences, & history Fresh local seafood Enhance fishery experiences & workforce synergies Infrastructure Sailing, kayaking, etc. Outdoor Experiences, such as: CB Highlands Spy Fault & northern CB Bras d Or Lake Hiking Destination Hike Wildlife viewing Bicycle touring Viewscapes Golf Sailing Victoria County tourism partners will work with TNS & DCBA to grow the visitor economy & double tourism revenues. The Victoria County Tourism Strategy leverages the efforts of all partners to attract & host priority EQ market segments - Cultural Explorers, Authentic Experiencers & Free Spirits. The Victoria County Tourism Strategy is anchored by five strategic themes & implemented through strategic pillars, while recognizing that much of Victoria County s compelling visitor experience occurs within a community context in the dozens of vibrant towns & villages throughout the county. The strategy is a partnership of the municipality, the Victoria County tourism industry (represented by six local tourism associations) & other important organizations. Strategic Pillars Enabling Research Advocacy Education Human Capital Development Training Skill improvement Capacity building Workforce development Affordable housing Infrastructure Roads Supporting Structures Business (e.g. climate, organizational capacity building) Experience Development Marketing Advertising Promotion Social media 9 2017, Group ATN Consulting Inc. Implementation Results monitoring & reporting
Victoria County: Tourism Strategic Framework: 2017-2020 Guiding Vision Continue to grow & become a world-class tourism destination of choice, known for our high service quality, exceptional, & unique experiences, attracting markets of highest return (e.g. international travellers) through leveraging all of Victoria County s tourism assets along with those of the whole of Cape Breton Island. Goals Grow the tourism economy throughout Vitoria County Contribute to the growth of tourism throughout Cape Breton Support the business climate for the VC / CB tourism economy To contribute to the achievement of the overall strategic direction set by Destination Cape Breton & Tourism Nova Scotia. Unique Selling Propositions World renown Cape Breton Highlands & the Cabot Trail Bras d'or Lake / Inland Sea Alexander Graham Bell National Historic Site Aspy Fault range & Northern Cape Breton Landscapes, seascapes, trails, wildlife, & natural environment Cultural attractions (Highland Village, Gaelic College & museums) Gaelic language / culture Seafood (e.g. lobster) Two of Canada s best golf courses Aboriginal tourism experiences UNESCO Biosphere Reserve KEY AIM: Increase economic impact of tourism throughout Victoria County & Cape Breton KEY TARGET: High-value visitors throughout the season KEY OUTCOME: Stable & sustainable tourism operations able to reinvest Core Partnerships Six Regional Developments Associations in Victoria County Municipality of the County of Inverness Recreation & Tourism Dept. Cabot Trail Steering Committee Major attractions in Victoria County (e.g. museums, AGB, CBHNP, Highland Village, & Gaelic College) Project Mgt. Committee, Cabot Trail Façade, Streetscapes & Viewscapes Project DCBA, TIANS & TNS Cape Breton Centre of Craft & Design Celtic Colours International Festival CBREN Core Assets Cultural / entertainment experiences Sea Coast Bras d Or Lake /Inland Sea Culinary Experiences Outdoor experiences Community based experiences / festivals / events for visitors to Victoria County All seasons KEY CHALLENGES: Transportation access (especially air) & infrastructure, skilled workforce, sustainability of tourism businesses, meeting visitor expectations & standards, attracting public & private investment, affordable housing & coordinating stakeholder roles Actions Funding support County-wide visitor marketing Advocacy Capacity building / industry training Destination development Product Development Stakeholder management Liaison with regional (DCB), provincial (TNS), & national (CTC) bodies Product, services, & experience enhancement Skills development Infrastructure improvement Address seasonality Monitor & report on progress Leadership: VC Tourism Management Team Working committee/management team, Director of Tourism, Quarterly planning & reporting sessions, reports to council & partners & ongoing adjustments to strategic plan, Value, Product & Service Quality, Excellence, Core Values: Authentic, service value, product & service quality, service excellence, sustainable tourism, collaborative partners
2017, Group ATN Consulting Inc. Group ATN Consulting Inc. Suite 100, 5663 Cornwallis Street Halifax, NS B3K 1B6 www.groupatn.ca 2017, Group ATN Consulting Inc. 11