Local tourism agencies shift marketing to educate U.S. visitors
Local tourism officials are taking another look at how they market to the U.S. It is a move to stave off the impacts of the pandemic.
Their plans focus on passive actions such as enlisting marketing students to review current promotions. But some tourist groups are also looking at more direct tactics, including how best to explain Canada's COVID-19 regulations to Americans.
Mark Perrin, the executive director of Tourism Sarnia-Lambton, says the latter move is necessary to help attract and reassure Americans looking to travel to southwestern Ontario this spring and summer.
“We need to make sure the message is, 'Hey, things are under control here in Canada,':
Perrin says constant changes in regulations have confused U.S. visitors even between COVID-19 waves.
That includes, Perrin says, some unvaccinated Americans unaware they won’t be let in.
In 2022, he suggests spending a bit less on promoting local attractions and more on marketing material explaining the rules to Americans before they arrive.
“It almost goes back to those passport days, when that was the new thing required to enter Canada (for Americans). Now, we need to make sure that they know they need to be vaccinated in order to come. You know what we want is positive experiences and that starts right at the border.”
Ensuring Americans feel welcome is also important to tourism officials in London.
But unlike Sarnia-Lambton where U.S. visitors account for a high proportion of tourists, Americans account for only 10 per cent of overnight visitors in the Forest City.
Natalie Wakabayashi, a Tourism London director, supports a marketing change for Sarnia-Lambton. However, she wonders if evolving COVID-19 regulations at the border will make promotions challenging.
“You’re not the one dictating the rules and they’re ever-changing, so to stay on top of them is really difficult."
So, in London’s case, the city is looking to double-down on incentives, extending the ‘Stay a little longer’ campaign.
It provides those staying two nights at a hotel in London with a $100 Visa card to spend locally.
Tourism London has also turned to marketing students at Fanshawe College, asking them to study how to get more Americans to visit the in the coming months and after the pandemic.
For its part, Tourism Sarnia-Lambton has also used incentives aimed primarily at U.S. visitors.
But a coupon campaign is just one of the tools, Perrin argues, that is needed.
“We know that Windsor, London, Sarnia, we can put all our minds together and say, ‘How do we collectively attract people to each other areas?’”
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
There's actually no such thing as vegetables. Here's why you should eat them anyway
The rumours are true: Vegetables aren't real — that is, in botany, anyway. While the term fruit is recognized botanically as anything that contains a seed or seeds, vegetable is actually a broad umbrella term.
BREAKING Israeli forces seize Rafah border crossing in Gaza, putting ceasefire talks on knife's edge
Israeli tanks seized control of Gaza’s vital Rafah border crossing on Tuesday as Israel brushed off urgent warnings from close allies and moved into the southern city even as ceasefire negotiations with Hamas remained on a knife’s edge.
The Met Gala was in full bloom with Zendaya, Jennifer Lopez, Mindy Kaling among the standout stars
The Met Gala and its fashionista A-listers on Monday included Jennifer Lopez, Zendaya and a parade of others in a swirl of flora and fauna looks on a green-tinged carpet lined by live foliage.
Canadian cadets rock mullets and place second at U.S. military competition
Sporting mullets, Canadian Armed Forces officer cadets placed second in an annual military skills competition in the U.S.
'It looked so legit': Ontario man pays $7,700 for luxury villa found on Booking.com, but the listing was fake
An Ontario man says he paid more than $7,700 for a luxury villa he found on a popular travel website -- but the listing was fake.
Noelia Voigt resigns as Miss USA, citing her mental health
Noelia Voigt, who was crowned Miss USA in November 2023, has announced she is resigning from her role, saying the decision is in the best interest of her mental health.
Putin begins his fifth term as president, more in control of Russia than ever
Vladimir Putin began his fifth term Tuesday as Russian leader at a glittering Kremlin inauguration, setting out on another six years in office after destroying his political opponents, launching a devastating war in Ukraine and concentrating all power in his hands.
Winnipeg man admits to killing four women, argues he's not criminally responsible
Defence lawyers of Jeremy Skibicki have admitted in court the accused killed four Indigenous women, but argues he is not criminally responsible for the deaths by way of mental disorder – this latest development has triggered a judge-alone trial rather than a jury trial.
Mediterranean staple may lower your risk of death from dementia, study finds
A daily spoonful of olive oil could lower your risk of dying from dementia, according to a new study by Harvard scientists.