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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCAO-005-16Chief Administrative Office Report If this information is required in an alternate accessible format, please contact the Accessibility Coordinator at 905-623-3379 ext. 2131. Report To: General Government Committee Date of Meeting: October 17, 2016 Report Number: CAO-005-16 Resolution: File Number: By-law Number: Report Subject: Fall Tourism Update Recommendations: 1.That Report CAO-005-16 be received for information. Municipality of Clarington Report CAO-00-1 6 Page 2 Report Overview This report provides a review of Clarington Tourism initiatives and actions taken to date in 2016. It provides a comprehensive, detailed look at the Summer Tourism season and includes all advertising and branding initiatives, as well as a snapshot of Tourism statistics that have been gathered from stakeholders and by staff working at various events and festivals. 1.Background Clarington Tourism has had an extremely busy Summer Tourism Season. Council last examined the Tourism update, strategy and metrics report during the General Government Committee of May 9, 2016. That report discussed the Clarington Tourism Stakeholder’s Forum held on April 4, 2016. The goal of the forum was to work on a refreshed strategy for Clarington Tourism. The Clarington Community Tourism Plan Refresh is now complete and can be found attached to this report. It was distributed to all stakeholders in June. It lays out an action plan and objectives for Clarington Tourism. It also outlines actions achieved to date. During the May 9 General Government Committee Meeting, Council also requested regular updates on Clarington Tourism initiatives and activities. This report is designed to provide a comprehensive progress update. 1.1 Statistics The Tourism Division has worked diligently this summer season to gather viable statistics from tourism stakeholders, local businesses, residents and visitors to obtain a snapshot of the size and impact of tourism-based activities. 1.2 Event Participation Clarington Tourism staff have been participating in many of Clarington’s events and festivals. Tourism staff are present at all major events and festivals. Staff have worked alongside members of the Clarington Tourism and Marketing Board, who volunteered their time to assist in promotion and other event-related activities. On any given weekend in the summer, there are multiple events happening; staff work in partnership with Tourism stakeholders to ensure that promotional materials, brochures, and information about Clarington are readily available. Staff usually have a very visible tent, and booth set up, including samples of local produce donated by partners and interactive materials for children. This year, staff have also developed short promotional videos that are posted on social media to assist in event promotion. This summer staff attended the following 24 events: 9th Annual Orono Antique Street Festival 22nd Annual Wooden Boat Festival A Country Path – Spring Open House A Gift of Art – Newcastle’s Arts Show & Sale Bacon, Beer & Cider Festival Municipality of Clarington Report CAO-00-1 6 Page 3 BluesBERRY Festival Bowmanville Rotary Rockin’ Ribs & Brews Canadian Historic Grand Prix Castrol Presents the Victoria Day SpeedFest Weekend Clarington Craft Beer Fest Clarington Heritage Week Doors Open Clarington Maple Fest and All That Jazz Mobil 1 SportsCar Grand Prix Newcastle Canada Day Celebration 2016 Newcastle Home & Lifestyle Show Ontario County Kennel Dog Show Orono Fair Picasso’s Picnic Spartan Race Summer Corn Festival and Jamboree Summerfest and Food Truck Friday Superbike Double Header Weekend Weekend of WREAKAGE Picasso’s Picnic Picasso’s Picnic Municipality of Clarington Report CAO-00-1 6 Page 4 Mobil 1 Sports Car Grand Prix Orono Fair Maple Fest Bowmanville Rockin’ Rotary Ribs & Brews Weekend of Wreak age Silverado 250 Municipality of Clarington Report CAO-00-1 6 Page 5 1.3 Entrance/Exit Surveys This year, Clarington Tourism has partnered with Central Counties Tourism/York Durham Headwater, the provincial/regional tourism organizations also known as RT06, in conducting entrance/exit surveys at various events. Staff engaged eventgoers by asking 19 standardized industry questions to garner feedback and knowledge about where visitors come from, how they found out about the event, how much money they planned to spend, where they stayed as well as other visitor characteristics and preferences. This data is useful to assist in creating a visitor profile and developing more targeted advertising and marketing. Below are some statistics gathered from Rockin’ Rotary Ribs & Brews. Results from Ribs & Brews survey include: 36.8% of respondents planned to spend $75 or more. When asked, where did you hear about this festival/event? (Respondents could choose multiple answers). The majority of respondents heard about the event via a free method of advertising: 47.6% word of mouth 47.6% signage 42.1% online Fewer respondents recall hearing about the event via paid advertising: Newspaper (21.4%) TV (7.9%) Mail (4.8%) 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 Ajax Clarington Guelph Halton Region Northumberland County Oshawa Ottawa Peel Region Pickering Scugog Toronto Whitby York Region Unknown Ribs & Brews -Attendee Travel (Distance) Municipality of Clarington Report CAO-00-1 6 Page 6 The results indicate that traditional promotional activities such as advertising in the newspaper, TV and radio are not optimal for this event. Targeted social media and internet advertising are a better promotional resource. The chart above also shows opportunities to use social media and target a wider geographic area in advertising including neighbouring Oshawa, Whitby, Ajax and Toronto. This is the first year that staff have conducted formalized surveys. Tourism staff will work on refining the surveys to include questions and information clearly focused on Clarington to determine information that will help inform and enhance future tourism activities and initiatives. 1.4 Tourism Stakeholder Statistics The table below was compiled based on statistics gathered from Tourism partners. Staff have engaged Tourism partners and event organizers to share their visitor statistics throughout the year. This is not a complete list, it provides a snapshot of numbers that have been provided to the Tourism office. Also to note, Canadian Tire Motorsport Park hosted five major race weekends. Attendance numbers have not been released to the public, however Tourism partners noted a successful turnout at all events. Once number are released to the public the Tourism Office will include those numbers in future reports. Event Date 2016 Attendees Maple Fest May 7 20,000 Newcastle Home & Lifestyle Show May 14 to 15 800 Bowmanville Rockin' Rotary Ribs & Brews June 10 to 12 40,000 Summerfest (Downtown Bowmanville) June 3 to 4 15,000 Spartan Race July 2 to 3 10,000 Newcastle Art Show & Sale (A Gift of Art) July 9 to 10 1,400 Wooden Boat Festival July 23 1,000 Picasso’s Picnic August 20 1,500 Clarington Craft Beer Fest August 20 500 Bluesberry Festival August 20 15,000 Bacon, Beer & Cider Festival August 27 500 Orono Fair September 8 to 11 40,000 1.5 Clarington Restaurants In mid-August, Clarington Tourism staff reached out to the restaurant sector to see what impact summer tourism has had on local restaurants. During the process, 110 businesses were phoned and asked information about sales, as well as if large events tend to draw more visitors to restaurants. It was difficult for the businesses to provide concrete numbers, as many do not track these kinds of statistics. However, helpful anecdotal data Municipality of Clarington Report CAO-00-1 6 Page 7 was collected; this is useful for Tourism in marketing and promotion plann ing. Here’s some of the feedback gathered: The majority of tourist patrons are anglers who are visiting Port Darlington and area from Chanterelle Bistro. Highway 407 traffic has resulted in an increase of tourists/visitors to our business from Enniskillen General Store. Seeing an increase of patrons who are visiting Canadian Tire Motorsport Park; especially from the United States from Tetra Kitchen and Vines. Majority, approximately 80 per cent, of our business is from visitors/tourists in the area from Fire Hall Bistro. Seeing an increase of customers on weekends. Nothing recorded but is greatly noticed from Toasted Walnut. An increase of people stopping by on their way through town from Three-Six Kitchen & Lounge. *Clarington Tourism recognizes a lack of tracking measures for visitors and tourists within this critical restaurant sector. During the Central Counties Tourism Annual General Meeting this was also identified. Clarington Tourism has begun researching and working with partners in the sector to develop a comprehensive visitor tracking system that could be used by all restaurants. 1.6 Ontario Tourism Statistics Clarington Tourism is very engaged in identifying trends in the Tourism sector both provincially and nationally. Below are current statistics as shown on the Ontario Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Sport website. They show an increase in Tourism traffic coming from the U.S. This generally has been attributed to Canada’s low dollar. June 2016 % Change* Jan to Jun 2016 % Change* Total Inbound 1,783,528 8.6% 6,564,080 10.6% From the U.S. 1,473,464 7.9% 5,523,474 11.1% From overseas 310,064 12.0% 1,040,606 8.2% Total Outbound 1,922,737 -4.6% 12,632,485 -6.5% To the U.S. 1,539,833 -6.7% 9,333,092 -11.1% To overseas 382,904 4.5% 3,299,393 9.9% *Source Ministry of Tourism, Culture & Sport - http://www.mtc.gov.on.ca/en/research/performance/performance.shtml Municipality of Clarington Report CAO-00-1 6 Page 8 1.7 Visitor’s Centre Statistics The Clarington Visitor’s Centre is open Monday to Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. This year, Clarington Tourism partnered with the Clarington Public Library, Bowmanville branch. Tourism now displays local information and resources at the Bowmanville branch to help visitors looking for information outside of regular office hours. There is also an outdoor box installed at the Visitor Centre to hold Visitor Guides and Ontario Road Maps. Clarington Tourism is also working with our municipal recreation centres to further help with our distribution of material and reach of visitors by placing tourism materials in our facilities. Due to ongoing advertising and promotional initiatives, the Tourism Office has seen a substantial increase in visitors to the office. Staff have been very busy dealing with visitor inquiries and helping people plan activities over the summer. Clarington Visitor Centre Walk-in Stats Month 2015 Walk Ins 2016 Walk Ins Total Difference May 165 274 109 (+ 66%) June 229 359 130 (+ 56%) July 327 523 196 (+ 59%) August 322 537 215 (+ 66%) Total Difference 721 1693 972 (+ 134%) 2.Advertising and Marketing 2.1 GO Transit Advertising In June 2016, Clarington Tourism ran a six-week campaign at the Oshawa GO Station, promoting ‘Summer in Clarington.’ Clarington Tourism ads were featured on the transit shelters along the platform; 12 3ft x 6ft posters were installed. The monthly circulation of ridership through the Oshawa Station is approximately 166,700; over the six weeks our potential reach was roughly 250,000. Municipality of Clarington Report CAO-00-1 6 Page 9 In an attempt to measure the impact and success of the above campaign, staff tracked traffic at the Tourism office as well as any increase in interest through social media. As shown below, walk-in traffic during the six-week campaign at the Tourism office increased significantly. Facebook statistics also show an 89 per cent increase in post impressions, or the number of times a post is seen. Statistics also show an 18 per cent increase in engagement from the Oshawa area. Visitor Centre Walk-in Traffic Stats During GO Campaign 2015 2016 Increase % May 6 - June 12 290 384 94 32.41% June 13 -July 20 373 652 279 74.80% Total Difference 28.62% 69.79% Facebook Stats During GO Campaign May 6 to June 12 June 13 to July 20 (38 days) # Difference % Impressions 74,932 142,078 67,146 89.61% Engagement from Oshawa Area 345 407 62 18% As GO ridership continues to rise Clarington Tourism hopes to repeat this campaign next summer, pending budget considerations. In conjunction with the ad campaign, staff have reached out to Metrolinx and have been granted permission to display promotional materials next summer and engage riders in person. This initiative was not allowed this year due to concerns over safety while construction at the Oshawa GO Station continues. 2.2 E-ttractions Explore Boards In May of 2016, Clarington Tourism launched our partnership with E-ttractions Explore Boards visitor marketing platform. These touch-screen, virtual boards enable visitors to explore local tourism information, and are located in Downtown Toronto hotels and all Ontario Travel Centres. Our profile features local information and photos, what to do and where to stay. The statistics below show a total return on investment of $9,126 with an estimated 195 visitors who came to Clarington as a result of seeing this profile from May through to July. While this has been a useful tool to try, the ROI does not support a continued investment beyond the current commitment signed until the end of the year. Municipality of Clarington Report CAO-00-1 6 Page 10 May through July 2.3 Local Marketing & Advertising Clarington Tourism has also focused its advertising and promotional efforts locally to try and inform our residents about the many events and attractions to explore, discover and enjoy throughout Clarington. As the community grows, new residents are always looking for information. Residents also act as great ambassadors for the community and help spread the word about local attractions, events and festivals. Throughout the summer months, Clarington Tourism has advertised in local publications including: -Your Town Bowmanville; Your Town Newcastle - What’s Up Clarington Municipality of Clarington Report CAO-00-1 6 Page 11 - Metroland Community Guide 3.Working with partners Clarington Tourism is continually working with regional, provincial and federal tourism partners to ensure that all tourism activities align with overarching shared goals. Clarington Tourism has partnered with Central Counties Tourism in developing a Trail Tourism Strategy. Municipalities in Central Counties are partnering to develop a region- wide trails strategy and a consumer “app” that can be customized to highlight individual municipal trails, regional trails, as well as trails across Central Counties. Participating municipalities will receive their own trails strategy that feeds into the regional and pan- regional strategies. Each individual strategy can be used to guide future decisions regarding infrastructure, signage and marketing. Clarington Tourism is working on a comprehensive inventory of our trails to help inform this strategy. Once developed, Clarington Tourism will present to Council the strategy with a promotional plan. This initiative supports Council’s Strategic Plan, specifically the promotion of Clarington’s trail network. Clarington Tourism also partnered with Central Counties Tourism and Durham Region on the Meetings, Conventions and Incentive Travel (MC&IT) Sports Tourism Program. Clarington Tourism engaged tourism partners to participate in a coupon program. Local businesses were asked to register coupons for a specific sports event that would be handed out to participants. These coupons are a tool to drive traffic from these large sporting events to our local businesses. The coupon program was featured at the Spartan Race and Ontario Lacrosse Festival. The trial program will continue in 2017, with added promotion. Clarington Tourism is also a member of the New Sport Durham Advisory Committee. The Committee was established in 2013, to provide oversight and advise for the strategic direction of Sport in Durham Region. The Committee recently expanded, adding members from all eight Durham Region Municipalites. Clarington’s Tourism Manager and Tourism Coordinator also participated in the Central Counties AGM (annual general meeting). Clarington Tourism also worked closely with Central Counties and the Clarington Tourism and Marketing Board on a new pilot project that provides Tourism E-Learning Webinar Sessions. These sessions provide information and education on a variety of topics that will assist the Tourism industry and individual businesses to learn about best practices and new strategies. The project was a success and the webinars are now widely accessible to all tourism stakeholders. Municipality of Clarington Report CAO-00-1 6 Page 12 Clarington Tourism has joined forces with our Community Services Department to apply for the Ontario150 funding for a community event to mark and celebrate Canada’s 150 Birthday. This November, Clarington Tourism will also host a Tourism Workshop/Open House. Clarington Tourism is partnering with the Clarington Board of Trade in this joint initiative. The workshop will provide stakeholders with one-on-one assistance from our staff on website development, social media messaging as well as assistance with advertising and marketing. This is a pilot event. It will capitalize on the unique, specialized skill set that staff have, in order to assist tourism businesses and provide practical hand-on advice. Clarington Tourism is also working with Ontario Power Generation and the Clarington Board of Trade to develop content, messaging and clear information for the visiting workforce that will be working on the Darlington Nuclear Refurbishment. This initiative is meant to develop a welcome package for the new workers with in-depth information about Clarington. In early summer, Clarington Tourism began to work with Blackbird Construction, the Ministry of Transportation and the Clarington Tourism Marketing Board (CTMB) to address the changes and detours to Clarington’s rural roads due to the extension and construction of Highway 407, and its effects on tourism and agriculture business. Together at a meeting organized by CTMB, that also included the Clarington Board of Trade and Clarington Engineering Department, wayfinding and communications strategies were established and maps created. This will assist and inform future plans for additional tourism wayfinding in Clarington. Clarington Tourism is working closely with Canadian Tire Motorsport Park to assist in event promotion. Tourism staff have met with CTMP officials on several occasions to identify areas of collaboration. Tourism staff have attended several race weekends and have been active through advertising and marketing to assist in ongoing event promotion. Tourism staff are looking at ways to engage race teams and media outlets that attend race weekends to encourage them to explore Clarington off the track and in between races. 4.Web and Social Media This summer on August 5, Clarington Tourism launched a new accessible and mobile optimized website. It was a soft launch as staff continue to work and develop content and iron out any technical hiccups. The website also has a blog attached to it, a function that allows for a more relaxed, two-way communication with the community. The new website will be the focal point of all online promotion. The website includes four major sections: Explore, Eat & Drink, Plan your Stay, and Events & Festivals. It also provides easy access to tourism stakeholders, partner opportunities, seasonal itineraries and themed Clarington vacations. It can be found here: www.claringtontourism.net. The official Municipality of Clarington Report CAO-00-1 6 Page 13 launch and promotion of the new website will take place in late fall 2017 with a focus on Clarington winter product. The tourism division has been very busy and active on social media with a considerable growth in followers. From January 1, 2016 to August 31, 2016 Clarington Tourism’s Twitter account gained 451 new followers. Clarington Tourism sent out 262 tweets. The graph below shows the increase of follower engagement from January to August. From January 1, 2016 to August 31, 2016 Clarington Tourism staff sent out 422 posts to Clarington Tourism’s Facebook page, including 198 photos and 8 videos. Municipality of Clarington Report CAO-00-1 6 Page 14 5.Filming Clarington Tourism also works on assisting film productions and guiding film companies through Clarington’s permitting process. This summer, Clarington welcomed many filming productions to the community. Clarington is developing the reputation as a ‘film friendly’ municipality, a sentiment that has been shared amongst the filming industry throughout the GTA. Popular film locations include Historical Downtown Orono, rural roads/farmland, conservation areas and the Darlington Waterfront. The new Durham Region Film Office has also assisted in promoting Clarington as a great filming location. Since April 2016, Clarington has hosted over 12 filming days, not including pre or post production. This does not include small-scale productions. Clarington Tourism is exploring the potential economic opportunity for local businesses to work with these productions while they are in town. Some larger-scale productions require equipment rentals, food services and accomodations. Clarington Tourism is exploring this opportunity to connect local busineses with these productions. Municipality of Clarington Report CAO-00-1 6 Page 15 6.Future Opportunities The tourism division is looking to partner with Central Counties Tourism to develop a much needed image library and a promotional tourism video. Pending budgetary considerations for 2017, Clarington Tourism is looking to apply for Central Counties Tourism - Content Development funding. Under the terms of the agreement Central Counties would pay two-thirds of the overall cost and assist in creating high-quality video and photo content for tourism marketing and promotion in the 2017 season. 7.Concurrence Not Applicable 8.Conclusion Clarington Tourism has had a very busy summer. Between festival and event participation and the launch of a brand new accessible, mobile optimized website, staff have been busy working on the goals and strategic vision as set out in the Clarington Communit y Tourism Plan Refresh. Clarington Tourism has been engaged and working alongside key partners, including members of the Clarington Tourism Marketing Board, Central Counties Tourism and Durham Tourism to further promote Clarington as an optimal place for tourism. Clarington Tourism has been aggressively promoting the community, an initiative that has seen a rise in visits to the Tourism Centre and an increase in social media engagement. Tourism staff continue to build on key partnerships to help enhance and support the Tourism Plan Refresh. While the summer has ended, Clarington Tourism staff have launched a new campaign “Fall for Clarington,” and will begin a new marketing initiative to help promote the new Tourism website. Staff continue to work on Tourism promotion for this year, while gearing up for another successful 2017 season. 9.Strategic Plan Application This report and tourism initiatives outline conform to the goals as set out in the 2015-2018 Strategic Plan. Submitted by: Curry Clifford, MPA, CMO Interim CAO Municipality of Clarington Report CAO-00-1 6 Page 16 Staff Contact: Basia Radomski, Corporate Communications Manager, 905-623-3379, ext., 2214 or bradomski@clarington.net There are no interested parties to be notified of Council's decision. Attachment: Attachment 1 – Clarington Community Tourism Plan Refresh 2016 CC/br/gj 4 2016 Municipality of Clarington, Communications & Tourism Central Counties Tourism June 2016 Clarington Community Tourism Plan Refresh Clarington Community Tourism Plan Refresh | June 2016 1 Introduction Clarington Tourism is excited to bring to you a refreshed Clarington Community Tourism Plan. This document is a direct result of discussions held on April 2016, at the Clarington Tourism Stakeholders Forum. The forum was an opportunity for all Tourism stakeholders to meet, network and renew the priorities and goals set out in the original Clarington Three-Year Community Tourism Plan. That Plan was completed in August 2014 by the Municipality of Clarington, Central Counties Tourism and prepared by Brain Trust Marketing and Communications. Clarington Tourism has undergone some changes in the past two years. Clarington Council has earmarked Tourism as a priority in its 2015-2018 Strategic Plan. As a result, the Communications and Tourism Division has welcomed Laura Knox, our new Tourism Coordinator, to our team. Along with Manager Basia Radomski, Director Marie Marano, the Tourism team is excited to present to you a refreshed vision for Clarington Tourism. The goals and action plan set out will guide Clarington Tourism as it works on this critical and growing economic sector. Clarington Tourism will work closely with all its partners including CCT; Durham Region Tourism; the Clarington Board of Trade & Office of Economic Development; and the Clarington Tourism Marketing Board to implement the Clarington Community Tourism Plan Refresh. Goals Clarington Tourism will maintain the five goals that were outlined in the 2014 Plan, as they remain timely and important to stakeholders and the community. The objectives for these goals have been updated to reflect partnerships, additional resources and feedback from the April 2016 Forum. Clarington Tourism Goals are: 1. Promote Clarington as a top of mind destination 2. Increase the length of time visitors spend in Clarington 3. Increase the number of return visits 4. Inform and educate Tourism partners 5. Improve way finding Legend & Reference AODA – Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act CBOT – Clarington Board of Trade & Office of Economic Development CCT – Central Counties Tourism OTMPC – Ontario Tourism Marketing Partnership Corporation TMAC – Tourism Media Association of Canada TODS – Tourism-Oriented Directional Signage (eg. Hwy 401 blue signage) Clarington Community Tourism Plan Refresh | June 2016 2 To realize these overarching goals Clarington Tourism has refreshed the objectives based on discussions and themes that were developed at the Tourism Forum. Key additions from stakeholder feedback focus on sector-based tourism, tourism way finding strategy, enhanced networking and educational programs, consistent communication and statistic tracking, increased partnerships with regional and provincial organizations, and market-ready programs for stakeholders. Action Plan Through feedback from stakeholders who attended the forum, it was clear that the objectives of the 2014 Plan remained important and relevant. As a result, the action plan has been reorganized to outline how each objective will be met with updated resources, timeline, partners, and importance. Building on actions taken to date, the priority objectives were updated to reflect stakeholder feedback and current resources. The objectives remain, with key highlights: 1. Experience Development/Networking & Industry Engagement a. Utilize partners who currently offer educational opportunities such as CCT and CBOT, and also create Clarington Tourism specific events and networking; b. Visitor & Event Statistics Tracking. 2. Marketing & Promotion a. Strengthen tourism brand and awareness. Clarington Tourism will rebrand and explore new and innovated ways to advertise as a top-of-mind tourism destination. Unique opportunities such as Go Transit advertising, advertising in Ettraction Exploreboards located in Ontario Travel Centres and major attractions in Toronto, and targeted social media advertising to maximize a growing online audience will be utilized; b. New Clarington Tourism website to be launched in 2016; c. Target sector specific tourism: Agri-tourism, Sport Tourism, Family, Outdoor Adventure, Festivals & Events. 3. Sense of Place a. Consistent branding with ‘Only in Clarington’ and ‘Take a Bite;’ b. Expand and grow Clarington Visitor Guide; c. Clarington all-inclusive asset map; d. Market to new residents and new visiting labour force. 4. Ambassador Program a. Tourism Familiarization Tours; b. Tourism Office Open House, to include one-on-one coaching; c. Customer Service training, best practices and more. 5. Way Finding a. Way finding strategy with CCT inclusive of downtown cores, rural road, attractions, etc; Clarington Community Tourism Plan Refresh | June 2016 3 b. Explore implementing local Tourism-Orientated Destination Signage program; c. Communication surrounding new roads infrastructure, including Highway 407, Metrolinx, etc. These objectives will continue to grow and expand as new ideas and potential funding opportunities arise. Clarington Tourism proposes to host future Stakeholder Forums to revisit this action plan and ensure it is aligned with the growing needs of the tourism industry and Clarington’s local needs. 4 Clarington Tourism Goals GOAL OBJECTIVE FOCUS ACTIONS PLANNED (2016 & Onward)- Remove? Accomplishments or Status 1) Promote Clarington as a top of mind destination a) Create a collective vision of Clarington’s tourism assets. Sense of Place -Continue with annual Clarington Visitor & Relocation Guide - look to expand information to increase inclusivity - launch every March - explore how it can be updated. -New Clarington Map for tourism assets and wayfinding - 2016/2017. -New Clarington Tourism Website (mobile accessible & user friendly) - launch Summer 2016. -Annual Visitor Guide - addition of Relocation information -Clarington Tourism Mobile APP -Clarington Tourism website and blog b) Create and establish a brand strategy that targets both residents and visitors. Sense of Place & Ambassadors -Continue to grow on existing 'Take A Bite' and 'Only in Clarington' brand strategy - creating a consistent brand and image. -Expand social media promotion and advertising to access target markets as visitors and residents. -‘Take a Bite’ and ‘Only in Clarington’ marketing campaign -Expanded Advertising – Attractions Ontario, GO Transit, Facebook, Ettractions Exploreboards, PATH - Toronto's Downtown Underground Pedestrian Walkway. -New Tourism website under development for 2016 c) Revise current marketing tools to include brand while continuing to seek innovative marketing tools. Marketing -Develop and promote new Clarington Tourism logo. -New Tourism website will push new brand image. -Expand advertising through Ontario (Ettractions Exploreboards, GO Transit advertising, etc.). -Build Clarington photo database to use for marketing and promotions that tell the story of Clarington (unique, original images). - Expanded advertising into different markets (Downtown Toronto, etc) - Developing new logo/branding to coincide with new website - New Tourism website, mobile friendly - Ensure all Tourism material and soaicl media promotion is AODA compliant Clarington Community Tourism Plan Refresh | June 2016 5 -Tourism Team to attend community events and stakeholder events throughout Clarington to promote community and upcoming tourism season events and experiences to visitors while encouraging return visits. -Maintain and update existing materials - Between Games, Cycling Map, Fishing Map, and Visitor Guide. d) Host a “Celebrate Clarington” event. Marketing & Ambassadors -Explore opportunity to host 'Welcome Summer' event with local attractions and stakeholders at the Clarington Tourism office (pending permissions planning for event May/June 2017). - Ongoing investigation e) Tweak current marketing efforts to leverage Ontario Tourism Marketing Partnership Corporations’ new market segmentation insights. Marketing -Continue to market based on OTMPC's current segments, while also pushing our unique Tourism Sector experiences (Agri-Tourism, Sport Tourism, Events & Festivals, etc.). - Added focus put on Clarington’s top segments - Family Memory Builders, Sports Lovers, Mellow Vacationers, Solitaires & Nature Lovers 2) Increase the length of time visitors spend in Clarington a) Enhance tools to assist visitors, including first-hand knowledge and experiences through education/ambassa dor outings. Expand Super Host Program. Ambassadors -Customer Service training for stakeholders. -Partner with CBOT, Durham Region & Central Counties to host eLearning Webinar sessions with stakeholders. -Host a Stakeholder Open House at strategic intervals, take two to three business days to book a one-on-one - Partnership with CCT to host Customer Service workshop during Pan Am Games Clarington Community Tourism Plan Refresh | June 2016 6 coaching sessions with Tourism staff on marketing tools (Community Calendars, Facebook, Eventbrite, Trip Advisor, etc.). -Plan Tourism Familiarization Tours for business to explore and learn from neighbouring business attractions. b) Establish opportunities for tourism businesses to network and create partnerships, encouraging cross promotions and referrals. Industry Engagement & Networking -Host industry engagement sessions annually in partnership with CBOT to bring business together. -Provide the networking and best practices to encourage and facilitate partnerships and cross-promotion. - Stakeholder Brochure Exchange (last in 2014) - Planned next event in 2017 c) Provide opportunities for key tourism asset clusters to enhance their current tourism offerings through product and experience development. Experience Development Partnering -Clarington Tourism to develop and promote Experience Packages for seasonal and sector based tourism. This will help create experience development and encourage partnerships between stakeholders. - Clarington Coupons issued at Spartan Race in partnership with Durham Tourism and CCT - Continued follow-up on up take and response to promotions issued in 2016 d) Create marketing campaigns specific to season, week/ or events, providing maps, itineraries and packages. Marketing -Continue to market existing campaigns to gain brand recognition (March Break Smiles, 62 Things to Do, Fall Harvest, Embrace the Frost). -Leverage existing attractions to create Tourism sector-based itineraries (Agri-Tourism, Festivals & Events, Adventure, Family Fun, Sport Tourism, Welcome Race Fans and Seasonal). - Current campaigns established in 2015 - March Break Smiles, 62 Things to Do (Summer), Fall Harvest, Embrace the Frost Clarington Community Tourism Plan Refresh | June 2016 7 e) Create a map that staff can use to provide directions to other places. W ay finding -New Clarington Map for tourism assets and wayfinding - 2016/2017. - Clarington Visitor & Relocation Guide map - Tourism mobile app 3) Increase the number of return visits a) Ensure attractions, accommodations, sports venues and major touch points (contact between buyers and sellers) have tools in place to promote the area attractions (brochures and maps). Marketing -Distribution of Tourism material (Visitor Guides, Between Games, Asset Map) will take place every March/April to prepare the business for Summer/Fall Tourism season. Maximize electronic distribution of materials. -Host networking events in partnership with Central Counties, Durham Region & CBOT every Spring/Fall for stakeholders to learn and engage - cross promotion opportunities. - Distribution of Clarington Visitors Guides to business and major attractions (annually in March) b) Promote internal education of staff front-line workers with the knowledge and provide tools to assist visitors. Ambassadors -Customer Service training for stakeholders and staff. -Partner with CBOT & Central Counties to host eLearning Webinar sessions with stakeholders. -Utilize Open House and Tour opportunities to increase and promote knowledge and experience of staff c) Expand Marketing Strategy and plan Media Relations Campaign. Marketing -Re-engage relationships with TMAC and OMTPC to look at hosting more Industry Media Tours - plan one annually and have media writers from throughout the GTA explore and tour different aspects of tourism in Clarington – 2017. - New for 2016 Clarington Community Tourism Plan Refresh | June 2016 8 d) Expand “Between Games” brochure and increase distribution. Marketing -Completed for 2016, will review annually. -Explore how Tourism can expand reach - partner with local sport and team organizations and provide electronic copies for them to share with teams/tournament organizers. - Revised and updated in 2016 e) Develop Strategy on obtaining accurate local Tourism Stats. Marketing -Partner with Central Counties Tourism to launch Clarington Entry/Exit Event Surveys - completed at all major events in Clarington throughout 2016. -Provide stakeholders with Stats Tracking information for the business - distributed by Clarington to obtain consistent data from each business which will be tracked and reviewed regularly. - New to 2016 plan f) Provide opportunities for key tourism asset clusters to enhance their current tourism offerings through product and experience development. Experience Development & Partnering -Leverage existing attractions to create Tourism sector-based itineraries (Agri-Tourism, Festivals & Events, Adventure, Family Fun, Sport Tourism, Welcome Race Fans and Seasonal). -Promote these itineraries on our new Tourism Website and look to business for partnership opportunities to expand packages. -Through the promotion of the package, create a Coupon Book/Online Tool - visitors can download business coupons to encourage extended or return visits - launch test with Website in Summer 2016 and fully in 2017. - Clarington Coupons issued at Spartan Race in July 2016, and investigation into success and further opportunities Clarington Community Tourism Plan Refresh | June 2016 9 4) Inform and educate tourism partners a) Expand Super Host (customer service training) program. Industry Engagement -Customer Service training for stakeholders and the front-line staff -Partner with CBOT & Central Counties to host eLearning Webinar sessions with stakeholders -Build on information collected and received through Stakeholder Open House and Familiarization Tours - Partnership with CCT to host Customer Service workshop during Pan Am Games b) Improve communication with tourism stakeholders to ensure they are aware of networking, packaging and experience development opportunities. Share best practices. Industry Engagement -Produce Industry News Update - an email newsletter containing pertinent information on upcoming events, news, tourism goals and potential funding opportunities. -Tourism Forums. -Create a 'Stat Tracking' process for stakeholders to track their annual visitors - something distributed by Clarington that will gage consistent data from each business which will be tracked regularly reviewed. - Developed Industry Newsletters emailed out to Clarington stakeholders, Community Calendar, Corporate Calls 5) Improve tourism way finding a) Develop a signage strategy that provides a sense of place. W ay finding & Sense of Place -Explore CCT Wayfinding sign Funding Program. -Work with Municipal and Regional departments to look at partnerships on expanding our current wayfinding signage throughout Clarington. -Prepare Sign Strategy – 2017. - Ongoing for review, appropriate implementation action and timing Clarington Community Tourism Plan Refresh | June 2016 10 b) Expand signage to outlying areas. W ay finding -Prepare Sign Strategy and explore funding/grant opportunities. -Explore Local TODS Program for local roads. -Work with major infrastructure such as Hwy 407 for timelines and signage needs - update current TODD signage – 2018. - Looking forward to 2017 opportunities c) Create map as a customer service tool. (Relates to goal 2) Marketing & Way finding Budgeted for 2016 to develop complete asset map of Clarington for 2017. - Budgeted for 2016 Clarington Community Tourism Plan Refresh | June 2016 11 Action Plan & Objectives To achieve the five goals, Clarington Tourism has combined the objectives and planned outcomes with concrete actions that will be followed over a set timeline with budget consideration. Please find the complete plan below. Activity Priority - High, Med, Low Timing Short (6-8 months), Med (8-12 months), Long (1 year+) UPDATES & ACTIONS Experience Development/ Partnering/ Networking & Industry Engagement** Host Product and Experience Development Workshops (by experience cluster). High Ongoing – first session help in April 2016 -Host industry engagement sessions in partnership with CBOT to bring business together. Identify topics of interest and deliver two to three workshops per year to tourism stakeholders, also to bring new tourism stakeholders into the fold, expand Customer Service program. High Med - Spring 2017 -Provide networking and best practices to encourage and facilitate partnerships and cross-promotion. -Work with Central Counties, Durham Region and CBOT to deliver customer service training for stakeholders and their staff on current needs and topics (including new eLearning Webinars from Central Counties). Clarington Community Tourism Plan Refresh | June 2016 12 Share best practice and stories with tourism industry stakeholders. Med Med -Clarington Tourism to develop and promote Experience Packages for seasonal and sector-based tourism. This will help develop ‘experience’ tours and encourage partnerships between stakeholders with Clarington Tourism helping to facilitate. -Host Familiarization Tours with the Sector to highlight and inform stakeholders about local attractions. -Develop and distribute monthly Tourism Industry eNewsletter to stakeholders with local information, upcoming events and tourism sector news. -Host a Stakeholder Open House, setting aside two to three business days to be able to book a one-on-one coaching session with Tourism staff on marketing tools (Community Calendars, Facebook, Eventbrite, Trip Advisor, etc.) Explore tourism awards program. Low Med - Early 2017 -Approach CBOT to support Tourism Business Awards at the AGM & Clarington Business Awards every April Marketing and Promotion Create a list of key events to create marketing campaigns specific to season/week/events, providing maps, itineraries and packages. High Ongoing -Tourism Team to attend community events and stakeholder events throughout Clarington (and GTA with Durham Region Tourism). Continue to promote community and upcoming tourism events and experiences to visitors (encouraging return visits). Clarington Community Tourism Plan Refresh | June 2016 13 Expand “Between Games” brochure and place in key target markets and local kiosks. High Short -Completed for 2016, will review success based on stats and feedback. -Explore how Tourism can expand its reach and network. Partner with local sport and team organizations and provide electronic copies for them to share with teams/tournament organizers. Produce a map of tourism assets with community involvement that can be used to assist visitors who are already in the area. High Med/Long -Create Clarington Asset Map, highlighting all of Clarington with stakeholders and attractions, project underway in 2016 with a version found inside Visitors Guide. Complete asset map of Clarington budgeted for 2016, for release in 2017. Enhance storytelling abilities, and effectively use the tourism blog to share stories and experiences. Med Med/Long -Build Clarington photo database to use for marketing and promotions that tells the story of Clarington (unique, original images). -Professional photographer to help produce and develop Clarington image gallery. -Build video library of Clarington attractions – initiated video clips at Mayor’s Golf Classic 2016 and major events in 2016. Identify Clarington’s high traffic business areas leverage partnerships to develop Tourism promotional corner, to include ‘must visit’ attractions. High Med -Distribution of Tourism material (Visitor Guides, Between Games, Asset Map, etc.) will take place every March/April to prepare for Summer/Fall Tourism season. -Expand promotion into all municipal Recreation Complex and Libraries with designated Tourism space for promotional materials - started in 2016. Clarington Community Tourism Plan Refresh | June 2016 14 Utilize OTMPC’s new market segmentation insights to plan content and marketing efforts that can be delivered to the top markets (family memory builders, sports lovers, mellow vacationers, solitaires and nature lovers). Med Med/Long -Continue to market based on OTMPC's current segments, while also pushing our unique Tourism Sector experiences (Agri- Tourism, Sport Tourism, Events & Festivals, etc.). -Re-engage relationships with TMAC and OMTPC to look at hosting more Industry Media Tours, have media writers from throughout the GTA explore and tour different aspects of tourism in Clarington – 2017. Strengthen Tourism Branding and Awareness through new Tourism website and expanded advertising efforts/investment. High Short - Summer 2016 -Develop and promote new Clarington Tourism logo -New Clarington Tourism Website (mobile & user friendly) - launch 2016 -New Tourism website will push new brand image - 2016 -Expand advertising through Ontario (Ettractions Exploreboards, GO Transit advertising, etc.). Maintain current promotional production - Visitor Guide, Cycling Map, Fishing Map, Between Games High Ongoing -Maintain and update existing materials - Between Games Brochure, Cycling Map, Fishing Map, Visitor Guide -Between Games updated in 2016 (completed), Fishing Map to be updated in 2016, Cycling Map updated in 2017, Visitor Guide updated annually. Create and maintain marketing campaigns specific to season/week/events. Provide maps, itineraries and packages. High Short - to launch with new website -Continue to market existing established campaigns to gain brand recognition (March Break Smiles, 62 Things to Do, Fall Harvest, Embrace the Frost). -Leverage existing attractions to create Tourism sector based itineraries/experiences (Agri-Tourism, Festivals & Events, Adventure, Family Fun, Sport Tourism, Welcome Race Fans and Seasonal) - promote through new Tourism website. Clarington Community Tourism Plan Refresh | June 2016 15 Develop strategy and process to collect accurate local Tourism and Visitor Statistic information. High Short - started in 2016, into 2017 -Partner with Central Counties Tourism to launch Clarington Event Entry/Exit Surveys - completed at all major events in Clarington throughout 2016. -Provide stakeholders with Stats Tracking information for their business. Distributed by Clarington to obtain consistent data from each business, which will be tracked and reviewed to form database. Sense of Place Explore the opportunity to complete a branding exercise to determine the collective identity of Clarington’s tourism assets. Med Med -Review and update Tourism Stakeholder Database with up to date information and services. -New Clarington Map for tourism assets and wayfinding - 2016/2017. Focus on small towns within Clarington – Small Town Feeling Med Ongoing -Continue to grow on existing 'Take A Bite' and 'Only in Clarington' brand strategy - creating a consistent brand and image. -Focus on 'What is Clarington' messaging and branding. Create collective vision of Clarington's Tourism assets. High Short -Continue with annual Clarington Visitor & Relocation Guide - look to expand information to increase inclusivity. -New Clarington Tourism Website (mobile accessible & user friendly) - launch 2016. -New asset map of Clarington. -Market directly to new residents and the visiting labour force. Clarington Community Tourism Plan Refresh | June 2016 16 Wayfinding Expand the current community gateway signage to include way-finding to area attractions. High Long -Work with Municipal and Regional departments to look at partnerships on expanding our current wayfinding signage throughout Clarington. -Update existing TODDs Signage along Hwy 401, and explore options with Hwy 407 - planned for 2018. Identify Clarington – Maps, GPS. Med Long -Explore how to align Google Map and GPS with local and rural roads. Signage/Wayfinding Strategy Med Med/Long -Prepare Sign Strategy and explore funding opportunities. -Explore Local TODS Program for local roads. -Work with major infrastructure such as Hwy 407 for timelines and signage needs - update current TODD signage – 2018.