Manic Monday | A Three Nation Staycation Vacation...say that 10 times fast!!!

The "Staycation Vacation" has been a term that has been used loosely for many years but we think 2017 may just have all the right ingredients to really see this type of travel soar!

Together with all our First Nations, BC and Washington State partners, there are a wealth of activities, festivals and events that you could add to your bucketlist without the need to travel too far from home.

Our Route 97 website has launched not only a "things to do" page but a "festivals and events" site to to assist our stakeholders and communities in promoting what's happening and to help visitors to the region make their plans and even stay a bit longer.

It is 100% free to post upcoming festivals and events which in turn TOTA will assist in getting into the hands of all our visitors; those "staycationing" and otherwise.

Go to Route97.net/events to post upcoming activities and to plan your own travels around the region...we think you might find a wide variety of "jewels" happening that you never imagined and will make staying closer to home that more fun this year.

Glenn Mandziuk, TOTA President & CEO

Manic Monday | Some may "find their kicks on Route 66" but we believe "Heaven is traveling Route 97"...

Meeting the visitor demand head on is our Route 97 - Be Curious campaign poised not only to attract visitors to the region but to keep them here longer and move them around the area once they have arrived.

Blog posts, itinerary suggestions, top tens and featured products all contribute to the success of the Route 97 website which has quickly been gaining notoriety.

In December alone we saw in excess of 7800 visitor sessions, +12,000 page views and 31,000 social impressions and growing monthly at a rate of over 2.5%.

The online success is on the heels of this past years Route 97 print publication which was one of the most sought after pieces TOTA has ever produced and was fully subscribed by our guests at the end of September.

Be part of this year's Route 97 regional campaign as we work together to expand the destination stories and continue to build momentum for what is shaping up to be another tremendous year in Tourism to the region.

For more information and to be involved contact Meaghan Racine: marketing@totabc.com

Glenn Mandziuk, TOTA President & CEO

Manic Monday | Let it snow... Let it snow... Let it snow...

Hard to believe but winter is not far off and as you have heard me say in numerous presentations,  one of TOTA's areas of focus resulting from the 10 Year Regional Tourism Strategy is elevating our tourism visitations in the winter season.

Our Wonder of Winter initiative, launching this month,  is comprised of a variety of elements all designed to make sure our potential visitors consider the Thompson Okanagan not just for summer sun and fun but return to us in the cozy snowy months.

There are 4 key elements to our Wonder of Winter initiative:

1. Remarkable Experiences -  This Destination BC workshop and training program was piloted last year and now will be relaunched In the Thompson Okanagan in October focusing on winter tourism products.  There are three separate workshop sessions over four days plus five hours of one on one training. Participants will be assisted in designing a winter offering that is truly remarkable; ensuring their website and social media is reaching intended markets; and how to encourage guests both during and after their experience to promote the experience on their own online social channels.

2. Wonder of Winter Route 97 Supplement - available to participate in now - this marketing piece in print and online is designed to engage readers in the uniqueness of of our winter story and encourage visitation in non traditional months.

3. Digital, Social Media and Blog - Our digital team will be actively working to create online video, blog and social media posts that focus on regional winter products. Reach out to our team to let us know if you have a winter experience they can bring to life on our social media channels.

4. Product Inventory Survey - Over the coming weeks we will be contacting communities to provide us with information on winter tourism products in their area to assist us in building a comprehensive inventory. But don't wait!..  we encourage you to let us know about what you have to offer our tourists this winter. The sooner we have the information the sooner we can assist in getting it into our guests hands.

This short survey will assist us in knowing more about where our winter products are located. Please take a few moments to complete these six short questions:
https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/WinterInventory

Should you have any questions on the program please contact Ellen Walker-Matthews at experiences@totabc.com or 250-860-5999 x 215.

Glenn Mandziuk, TOTA President & CEO

Manic Monday | Best Kept Secrets...

"Best kept secret",  what is wrong with that statement? Well, in my opinion just about everything.

There has long been some kind of bizarre cache around the idea of an area, activity, event or other tourism product being a wonderful secret;  hidden treasure; uncharted territory. But those secrets are deadly to operators working hard to develop a livelihood in the tourism industry.

While marketing and advertising may be a far too costly an endeavor for many small businesses there are many ways in this current world of social media to ensure you are not hiding from your potential consumers.

Route97.net, our new website, is working hard to tell the story of our region from one end to the other supported by ongoing social media activities linked through Facebook, Twitter, Google Plus and Instagram.

There are a number of ways to engage with Route97.net at variable costs and some opportunities are provided complimentary. The newly launched Events Page on Route97 provides stakeholders with an easy to upload template where you can promote festivals and special events taking place in your community or at your business and it is available at no cost. There are also a wide variety of advertising opportunities designed to meet most budgets.

Best Kept Secret or Best Known in the Region.....the choice is yours...

Glenn Mandziuk, TOTA President & CEO