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PHOTO & SLIDESHOW GALLERIES
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| Last updated at 9:06 AM on 07/02/09 |
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Tourism Minister Clyde Jackman released details of an advertising initiative Friday aimed at doubling the province's tourism revenues. - Photo by The Western Star |
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Jackman hopes to double tourism revenues by 2020 
Marketing
CORNER BROOK
CLIFF WELLS
The Western Star
Tourism Minister Clyde Jackman unleashed "Uncommon Potential" Friday at the Pepsi Centre.
Jackman said the initiative, which is a partnership of his department and Hospitality Newfoundland and Lab-rador, is targeting the ambitious goal of doubling the $800-million annual revenues from tourism in this province by 2020.
To further that end he unveiled three television ads that are hitting the airwaves on specialty networks, like the Discovery Channel, CBC News-world and TSN.
He said the advertisements, hatched by Target Marketing and Communications, are the third instalment of a series that has drawn an emotional response.
"In the first series of ads, there's one thing that struck me and I use it all the time," Jackman said. "It says, 'We're as far away from Disneyland as you can get, or want to be.' That speaks exactly about it. When you see them and the first time I saw them they sent chills up my spine.
"Anywhere I go in my travels across this country I preach it, this is the best bloody place to live in the world. I tell it to people, and other people may feel the same about the jurisdictions, but I think there's something very special about the people of Newfoundland and Labrador and these folks (Target) captured it."
Jackman said a tourism board will be struck to cement the public-private partnership in a formal manner to lead the implementation of the strategy.
The province is about to sign a three-year Atlantic Canada tourism partnership agreement, he said.
The minister said the province's tourism website is being enhanced with new interpretive mapping and an interactive blog. He said the upgrades will be a great asset to travellers.
There will be, he said, fluctuations in the market, but the province is holding its own right now. He believes, despite the downturn, tourism will be one of the province's greatest economic drivers.
"Ladies and gentlemen, let's not fool ourselves, these are tough times," Jackman said. "There are challenges. We're in the midst of a global recession and now more than ever, we have to be aggressive in our efforts to remain competitive in a national and international marketplace.
"As a department, we're being proactive in our approach to marketing Newfoundland and Labrador as a destination of choice."
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07/02/09
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Expat from Washington, DC writes: I commend the efforts of Mr. Jackman with is marketing campaign, but give him all the commercial time he wants and it is not going to get people from European countries to NL (or the US for that matter). The biggest problem that needs to be dealt with is the cost and accessibility of Newfoundland and more so Labrador.
Living in the US, I talk to many people that would love to go to NL, but simply can’t or won’t due to the cost or travel time. From Washington, DC I can fly to Ireland for $300 cheaper then I can to NL and it would take less travel time! That is obvious very wrong seeing the plane flies directly over NL on the route. The NL government needs to make it easy to travel to the province. If government was to deal with this first, I can promise you, NL will see more tourists... and expat’s too… commercials or not.
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| Posted 07/02/2009 at 10:28 AM | Alert an Editor | Link to comment |
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Tim from Chicago, IL writes: The other comment is exactly right. I have been to NL a few times and now that I have children, I would like them to see it also. The problem is the cost to fly there and the numerous air connections. I would love to be able to drive to NS and take one of the ferries but don't have the luxury of that much time.
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| Posted 08/02/2009 at 1:29 AM | Alert an Editor | Link to comment |
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Mike from London writes: I agree with Expat - accessibility is the key. You are on an island and it's the only way of getting there. Sorry I don't count ferries as a practical way for tourist.
Air Canada are anti competitive and I recently considered travelling London, Newark, St Johns because it would have been 30% cheaper than Air Canada! The sooner we get some competition on the routes the better for all. The government does need to make it easier to get to the province.
Newfoundland is not dissimilar to New Zealand and has the same opportunity. If NL was to achieve the same percentage revenue from tourism as NZ this would lead to and incremental $750 mn of revenue. To get this government needs to invest and fast.
You have a windfall from oil, forestry and fishing are declining so it's obvious where to invest your buck for a susatianable industry! TOURISM
This target is achievable.
Time to stop talking and time to get on and doing now.
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| Posted 08/02/2009 at 4:41 AM | Alert an Editor | Link to comment |
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