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THE CORPORATION OF THE CITY OF VERNON
TOURISM COMMISSION
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 19, 2018 OKANAGAN LAKE ROOM – 8:00 a.m.
A G E N D A
1. ADOPTION OF AGENDA
2. ADOPTION OF MINUTES
a) November 15, 2018 (attached)
3. UNFINISHED BUSINESS a) Tourism Vernon Marketing & Tactical Plan Budget for 2019
(attached) b) Terms of Reference - questions c) Large Tourism Map d) Associated Membership – discussion
4. NEW BUSINESS:
a) Accommodation Listings in Vernon Visitor Guide
5. INFORMATION ITEMS:
a) Accommodation Tracking - none b) Visitor Info Centre Statistics (attached) c) Municipal Reg. District Tax Update (attached) d) Travel Trade: CITAP winter function Dec 4 e) Media:
• Tracking: i. .
• Stories: i. Canadian Geographic ii. BC Living
• Recent/Upcoming Hosting: i. ‘What She Said’
6. NEXT MEETING: The next meeting of the Tourism Advisory Committee is tentatively scheduled for Wednesday, January 16, 2019
7. ADJOURNMENT
1
THE CORPORATION OF THE CITY OF VERNON
MINUTES OF
TOURISM COMMISSION MEETING HELD THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 2018
OKANAGAN LAKE ROOM
PRESENT:
ABSENT:
STAFF:
VOTING: Claus Larsen, Accommodation Provider Christine Kashuba, Arts & Culture Kevin O’Brien, Attractions Jacqueline Birk, Accommodation Provider (4:17 pm) Dione Chambers, Greater Vernon Chamber of Commerce Councillor Dalvir Nahal Jenelle Brewer, Okanagan Indian Band (4:07 pm) Gale Woodhouse, Arts & Culture Matt Ball, Biking Troy Hudson, Ski leave Cecilia Guerrero, Accommodation Provider Susan Lehman, Downtown Vernon Association Ricardo Smith, Sports & Events David Gibbs, Accommodation Provider Myles Johnson, Golf Mary-Jo O’Keefe, Restaurant Kevin Poole, Staff Liaison, Manager, Economic Dev. & Tourism Ange Chew, Manager, Tourism Torrie Silverton, Tourism Coordinator Janice Nicol, Legislative Committee Clerk
ORDER The meeting was called to order at 4:05 p.m.
ADOPTION OF AGENDA
Moved by Kevin O’Brien, seconded by Matt Ball:
THAT the agenda for Thursday, November 15, 2018 Tourism Advisory Committee be adopted. CARRIED.
ADOPTION OF MINUTES Moved by Kevin O’Brien, seconded by Gale Woodhouse;
THAT the minutes of the Tourism Advisory Committee meeting held Wednesday, October 24, 2018 be adopted.
TOURISM ADVISORY COMMITTEE MINUTES – NOVEMBER 15, 2018
2
CARRIED.
UNFINISHED BUSINESS
REVIEW TERMS OF REFERENCE
The Staff Liaison reviewed Bylaw #5683 which includes the Terms of Reference for the Commission. The following points were noted:
• The distinct differences – Advisory Committee provides advice to Council, - Commission - Council gives authority to operate according to budget, anything outside the budget plan needs Council approval. Co-op marketing request at $5000 and under can be approved in-house, over $5000 can now be decided by Commission.
• At the October 24, 2018 Tourism Commission meeting, there was discussion over procurement. This is not the role of the Commission and is outside the Terms of Reference.
• The challenges currently being experienced in term of delays over procurement need to be resolved by staff.
• The Commission questioned why things previously approved as part of the budget need to go through the procurement process? Why the procurement process if a Commission has been established?
• According to the establishing Bylaw, Section 7.3 - purchases must go through the corporate purchasing policy.
• The Commission would like to pursue a different process for tourism related items as six months is too long for procurement and is having a negative effect.
• The City is still responsible for tax dollars spent and a balance needs to be found. Suggestion of a minimum spend limit. There are additional circumstances to things like TV purchases as options are limited.
• Further discussion on this topic to follow as more information becomes available.
EMERGENCY PLAN DISCUSSION
• The Staff Liaison advised that there is a City of Vernon Emergency Plan developed in 2018.
• It was agreed that there needs to be a specific marketing plan for Tourism along with a recovery plan for businesses.
• Only 11% of businesses that applied for disaster relief in Grand Forks were successful.
• Need to be careful that messaging is reflective of actual weather conditions.
• Although it is difficult to get messaging out as Tourism Vernon, it’s more effective when put out by our larger partners as long as message does not go international.
TOURISM ADVISORY COMMITTEE MINUTES – NOVEMBER 15, 2018
3
• Suggestion to the Marketing Committee that they develop protocols for emergencies and ensure that these protocols are in line with other City plans.
• Suggestion to create an emergency sub-committee that works with the City’s Emergency Operations Centre to allow consistent messaging.
• Destination B.C. did have some guidelines that will be shared with tourism partners in January.
MRDT DISCUSSION CONTINUED
The Manager, Tourism reviewed previous calculations for the MRDT – since the inception of 3% collection, the tourism event program and an administration fee is deducted from the 3%. Gross numbers are used for event planning and other reporting is done at net for comparison purposed. AirBnB collection has also started- there will be three month lag time It was noted that in July, MRDT was.3% down in revenue, August was flat but overall, there has been a 3.7% growth rate.
NEW BUSINESS
RAIL TRAIL PROMOTION
The Manager, Tourism noted the following:
• Meeting occurred in Lake Country, with RDNO, Lake Country and City of Kelowna, Okanagan Indian Band was not in attendance
• Planning a workshop in December with key stakeholders, suggestion that someone from Commission attends to talk about branding. Thompson Okanagan Tourism Association has made a pitch along with Gatzke Orchards.
• Updates to Commission will follow. • Suggestion – host a ‘Sculpture by the Seat’ event placing
sculptures along the Rail Trail, event could also involve music and activities. This event would fall into the Arts and Culture mandate.
• For Rail Trail promotion, there are assets – video and good imagery currently on file but some winter imagery is currently out for bid. Challenges can also be put out through the Arts Council for imagery as long as the photographer is credited.
Moved by Jenelle Brewer, seconded by Susan Lehman:
THAT the Tourism Commission authorizes the Chair to provide a letter of support to the Regional District of North Okanagan for the
TOURISM ADVISORY COMMITTEE MINUTES – NOVEMBER 15, 2018
4
Arts Council of the North Okanagan’s project funding application for an Arts and Culture event to coincide with the opening of the Rail Trail. CARRIED.
ASIAN MARKETS – IMPORTANCE OF GROWING CHINESE/ASIAN MARKET READINESS
At the October meeting, there was an interest in ensuring we had a market ready situation for Asian tourists. The following points were noted:
• Torrie Silverthorn recently attended a TIABC presentation on the Chinese market and will have some information for the open house on January 17, 2019. Jacqueline/Claus/Cecilia to do a presentation on ‘how to be market ready’ for the Asian market to key stakeholders. Suggestion to also target Australian tourists.
DESTINATION BC MEETING
There is interest in encouraging Destination Marketing Organizations to strengthen ties with regional rep: aka Thompson Okanagan Tourism Association. The following additional points were noted:
• Current interest is encouraging with continued sector and marketing projects funding. Challenge continues with building relationships with TOTA, there are some opportunities for collaboration.
QUESTIONS - ROUNTABLE
• There is interest in the film industry for Vernon, Kamloops has partnered with post-secondary institutions to offer a film school. Suggestion to do something similar in Vernon.
• Suggestion to have a seasonal asset list and develop a single iconic thing to do in Vernon.
• Suggestion to access MRDT funding for community mapping and promotion of things to do in the area (Moon Rocks up by King Edward Reservoir, Kal Park waterfall in spring, etc.)
• The Commission would like to see more indigenous tourism opportunities in Vernon. Possibility of offering retail spaces through the Visitor Info Centre for indigenous dancers and artists.
• Suggestion to have some sort of outdoor museum information at the Mosaic River in Cenotaph Park.
• Should Silver Star Mountain Resort be successful in forming their own tourism association, Associated Memberships should be discussed (next agenda).
• CrowdRiff statistics can be gathered to indicate what are the most popular activities and can assist in determining what is missing.
TOURISM ADVISORY COMMITTEE MINUTES – NOVEMBER 15, 2018
5
INFORMATION ITEMS:
ACCOMMODATION TRACKING
NONE
VISITOR INFO CENTRE STATISTICS
The Committee reviewed the statistics for the Visitor Info Centre.
MUNICIPAL & REGIONAL DISTRICT TAX (MRDT) UPDATE
The Committee reviewed the statistics for the Municipal & Regional District Tax.
GETTING READY FOR CANNABIS
A link was provided to an article in BC Business regarding being prepared for the legalization of cannabis.
MEDIA The Manager, Tourism reviewed various media information including events, conferences, hosting opportunities and articles, etc. that have happened and are upcoming.
DATE AND TIME OF NEXT MEETING
The next meeting of the Tourism Advisory Committee is tentatively scheduled for Wednesday, December 19, 2018 at 8:00 a.m. in the Okanagan Lake Room.
ADJOURNMENT The Tourism Advisory Committee meeting adjourned at 5:38 a.m.
CERTIFIED CORRECT: __________________________ Chair
2019
Tactical Marketing Plan
TOURISM VERNON
CITY OF VERNON
DEC 11/2018
1
Table of Contents OVERVIEW: 2018-2022 Tourism Vernon Business Strategic Plan .................................................................................. 2
Vision ..................................................................................................................................................................................................... 2
Vernon’s Destination DNA & Attributes ................................................................................................................................................ 2
Background & Goals .............................................................................................................................................................................. 3
Strategic Framework & 23 Strategies .................................................................................................................................................... 3
Target Markets ...................................................................................................................................................................................... 4
Demand Generators .............................................................................................................................................................................. 5
2019 Tactical Marketing Plan: Campaigns & Initiatives ................................................................................................ 6
Summary ............................................................................................................................................................................. 6
Digital Marketing Campaign .................................................................................................................................................................. 7
Tourism Vernon Initiatives .................................................................................................................................................................... 7
CO-OP Marketing Program .................................................................................................................................................................... 7
Media Hosting/Relations ....................................................................................................................................................................... 8
Memberships & Associations .............................................................................................................................................................. 10
Biking Tourism ..................................................................................................................................................................................... 10
Sports & Events Tourism ..................................................................................................................................................................... 12
Indigenous Tourism ............................................................................................................................................................................. 12
Stakeholder Open Houses ................................................................................................................................................................... 13
Conferences & Travel .......................................................................................................................................................................... 13
Travel Trade ......................................................................................................................................................................................... 14
Vernon Visitor Centre .......................................................................................................................................................................... 14
Accommodation Survey ....................................................................................................................................................................... 14
Sector/Pool Projects & Initiatives ........................................................................................................................................................ 15
Tourism Vernon Destination Videos .................................................................................................................................................... 16
RTO Event in Lower Mainland ............................................................................................................................................................. 16
CrowdRiff ............................................................................................................................................................................................. 16
Website Refresh .................................................................................................................................................................................. 16
#ExploreVernon Digital Marketing Campaign ..................................................................................................................................... 16
Vernon Visitor Guide ........................................................................................................................................................................... 16
Social Media Campaign........................................................................................................................................................................ 17
E-Newsletter ........................................................................................................................................................................................ 17
Spring Industry Familiarization Program ............................................................................................................................................. 17
Photo Library and Destination Video Content ..................................................................................................................................... 17
Visitor Exit Survey ................................................................................................................................................................................ 17
Explorer Quotient (EQ) ........................................................................................................................................................................ 17
2019-2023 Tourism Budget ....................................................................................................................................... 18
2
OVERVIEW: 2018 – 2022 Tourism Vernon Business Strategic Plan
Vision The aspirational vision for Vernon as a destination: Vernon is the destination of choice on our target
market’s list of places to visit in the Thompson Okanagan.
The vision for Tourism Vernon is to: Be the most innovative and effective Destination Marketing
Organization in the Thompson Okanagan in inspiring our target markets to experience our destination.
Vernon’s DNA “Life in Vernon is comfortable, and that’s the way we like it. Spring, summer, fall or winter, we stay active
by exploring the beauty of our natural surroundings. We are a growing city and enjoy the amenities. We are
also committed to maintaining our small town charm and connection to our pioneering history.”
3
Background
One of the requirements for communities applying to the Municipal Regional District Tax (MRDT) Program for the collection of a hotel
tax is to have a five year Tourism strategy in place. The 2018-22 Tourism Vernon Business Strategic Plan was developed with significant
input from stakeholders and has been endorsed by the Tourism Advisory Committee (now Tourism Commission) and by City Council.
The plan sets the goals and vision for Tourism Vernon through to 2022. The information below is a summary of the goals, strategic
framework, strategies, target markets and demand generators. A full copy of the 2018-22 Tourism Vernon Business Strategic Plan is
available online.
Goals
1. Increase Vernon’s market share of travelers to and within BC.
2. Improve Vernon’s Net Promoter Score/Tourism Sentiment Index.
3. Increase stakeholder rating of Tourism Vernon’s overall performance.
4. Increase tourism-driven economic benefits to Vernon.
Strategic Framework
Four strategic areas have been identified to drive the strategic plan and ensure Vernon is aggressively taking advantage of short term
opportunities as well as preparing for the long term future.
Inspire Visitation through Focused
Marketing
Activate Strategic Marketing
Partnerships
Enhance Destination Appeal
Provide Visionary Leadership
Inspire increased visitation to Vernon
through targeted marketing efforts.
Leverage strategic tourism partners to extend marketing
reach and effectiveness.
Create greater destination
experience and product appeal to
better compete with other Thompson Okanagan and BC
destinations.
Provide innovative and inspiring
leadership through effective destination
management and organizational
structures.
23 Strategies Inspire Visitation through Focused Marketing
1. Build the Vernon destination brand.
2. Evolve and enhance leisure marketing efforts to complement the current focus on generating awareness and interest with a
stronger focus on referral to tourism partners for conversion for booking a trip to Vernon.
3. Increase role in travel trade sales efforts, working in collaboration with tourism businesses.
4. Increase efforts in the sports tourism market.
Activate Strategic Marketing Partnerships
5. Leverage existing and new strategic marketing partnerships and programs with local Vernon stakeholders.
6. Work collaboratively with destinations along the primary travel corridors in the Thompson Okanagan.
7. Leverage relevant sector marketing partnerships and programs for tourism growth.
8. Increase engagement of Thompson Okanagan Tourism Association (TOTA), Destination BC and Destination Canada to
improve marketing efforts for Vernon.
4
Enhance the Destination Appeal
9. Encourage and enable industry to develop new remarkable products and experiences that support the Vernon brand,
demand generators and target markets.
10. Increase focus on supporting new and enhanced festivals and events.
11. Facilitate collaboration to ensure Vernon is leveraging its unique potential as a gateway and hub for the North Okanagan Rail
Trail.
12. Provide more compelling and enticing packaged travel experiences within the destination and between destinations.
13. Ensure a positive community experience.
14. Continue to evolve the visitor services model.
15. Support the focus on understanding and protecting natural assets of the region.
Provide Visionary Leadership
16. Evolve to a Commission-managed organizational structure over time to enable Tourism Vernon to be more effective.
17. Advocate for the tourism industry within the municipality, region, and province.
18. Continue to ensure the tourism industry is inclusive of the Vernon area.
19. Continue to engage stakeholders and residents through communications and community relations activities to contribute to
an enhanced tourism development climate.
20. Facilitate and encourage industry training and development.
21. Lead the ongoing collection, analysis and sharing of performance metrics, research and intelligence.
22. Secure additional funding to resource Tourism Vernon appropriately.
23. Ensure ongoing tourism planning.
Target Markets The primary target markets for Tourism Vernon’s Business Strategic Plan have been divided into Consumer Markets and Stakeholder
Markets:
Consumer Markets
Primary
Leisure
o Active travelers
o Geographic:
Lower Mainland / BC markets
Northern Alberta / Edmonton
Southern Alberta / Calgary
o EQ Profiles: Free Spirits, Cultural Explorers, Authentic Experiencers, Rejuvenators
These are also Destination Canada’s Global EQ types
Vernon’s DNA identified EQ profiles:
Cultural History Buff
Gentle Explorer
Authentic Explorer
Travel trade – tour operators
o Free Independent Travelers (FIT) and tour groups
Visiting Friends and Relatives (VFR)
Secondary
Okanagan Day Trippers
Sports groups
Washington – Seattle/Spokane
5
o Key market for Kelowna, which creates spin-off effect and opportunities for Vernon
Tourism Vernon Stakeholders
Including municipalities, Regional District, tourism businesses, partner organizations, and residents
Demand Generators Six demand generators have been identified for Vernon. These have been identified through research and stakeholder feedback.
Future marketing and development initiatives would endeavor to include these themes.
1. Leisure Market – Outdoor Recreation
a. Consumer research demonstrated that Vernon’s appeal to visitors includes it scenery, lakes, and outdoor activities.
Almost three-quarters of visitors participated in outdoor activities.
b. Includes: hiking, cycling (trail/road), mountain biking, water sports, golf, downhill skiing, Nordic, snowshoeing,
wildlife viewing, etc.
2. Leisure Market - Festivals and Events
a. Festivals and Events are a strong travel motivator and have been identified as a key theme to attract shoulder
season visitation. Festivals and Events can support and enhance other Demand Generators, e.g., mountain biking
events, golf events, agritourism festival, ski event, sport tourism event, etc.
b. Includes cultural and performing arts events.
3. World Class Resort-based Experiences
a. Specific demand generator for targeted resort-based experiences, including Predator Ridge (golf), Sparkling Hill
(health and wellness), and SilverStar Mountain Resort/Sovereign Lake Nordic Centre (winter).
4. Leisure Market – Small Town Charm
a. Consumer research demonstrated that Vernon’s appeal to visitors includes the downtown and its small town charm,
as well as the people in Vernon.
b. Downtown
c. Culinary & Agritourism
d. Family Friendly, including attractions, heritage sites, etc.
e. Vernon residents
5. Sports Tourism
6. Travel Trade – Free Independent Travelers (FIT) and group tours
6
SUMMARY The 2019 Tactical Marketing Plan and associated budget was created in keeping with the vision, mission and strategies as laid out in the
2018-2022 Business Strategic Plan. The Tactical Marketing Plan was created with the goal of ensuring annual initiatives link back with
the Strategic Plan and support tourism stakeholders. It has also been developed to enable Tourism Vernon to assist in moving the
destination forward and to make it more competitive with other desirable destinations within the Thompson Okanagan and throughout
British Columbia.
The 2019 Tactical Marketing Plan and associated budget are based on the Municipal and Regional District Tax (MRDT) revenues collected
in 2017 and up to May 2018. It incorporates a 6% growth rate in MRDT revenues. This is less than the 8% identified in the 2018-2022
Tourism Vernon Business Strategic Plan as it factors in an adjustment due to flooding, smoke and fire challenges for the last two years.
This equates to a 2019 budgeted MRDT revenue of $1,165,720 and a 2019 budgeted total revenue of $1,576,248.
Once the collection of the MRDT began in 2010, the City of Vernon created a hotel tax reserve account. As such, any unexpended funds within the Tourism Vernon operating account are placed in the reserve. As of December 31, 2017, there was $494,173 in the hotel tax reserve. The 2019 Tactical Plan and Budget includes a $200,000 transfer from the reserve to the operating fund to supplement marketing activities. It should be noted that In October 2018, the Ministry of Finance reached an agreement with AirBnB, an Online Accommodation Platform
(OAP), to collect MRDT from their rentals. Using AirDNA – Market Minder for Vernon, it is estimated that there were 154 active AirBnB
listings from November 2017 to October 2018. It is estimated that these rentals may bring in another $50,000 or more in MRDT revenue
in 2019. As there is still uncertainty as to the amount of new revenue and the City of Vernon plans to review the regulatory framework
for short term rentals, these additional funds will be included in the 2019 budget.
This document was created in the fall of 2018 with input from the Tourism Marketing Committee:
Claus Larsen – Director of Accommodations at Predator Ridge Golf Resort
Jacqueline Birk – Sales and Marketing Manager at Sparkling Hill Resort
Kevin O’Brien – Owner at Kalavida Surf Shop and Kalamalka Classic SUP Festival
Matt Ball – Vice-President at North Okanagan Cycling Society
Susan Lehman – Executive Director at the Downtown Vernon Association
Mary-Jo O'Keefe – Owner at MoJo Tours
Gale Woodhouse – Director at the Arts Council of the North Okanagan
Troy Hudson – General Manager at Sovereign Lake Nordic Centre
Cecilia Guerrero – Regional Sales Director at PHI Hotel Group (Best Western Pacific Inn & Holiday Inn Express, Vernon)
Stakeholder Open
House:
Teaching tourism
stakeholders
about promoting
their business and
Vernon as a
destination with
digital marketing
7
2019 Marketing Campaigns & Initiatives
DIGITAL MARKETING CAMPAIGN Funds Allocated: $160,000
For 2019, Tourism Vernon plans to continue to work with Destination Think! to build upon our integrated 365 day marketing plan that
focuses on having a consistent, online campaign that drives awareness to Vernon as a destination. Campaigns would be seasonally
focused, building awareness for our outdoor activities, attractions, artisan food and spirits along with sports, arts and cultural events.
There would be a strong database acquisition component with contest offerings to increase visitor database growth and to drive
awareness and revenues to our tourism partners.
Strategies Measurable Goals
Execute a coordinated marketing campaign that is measurable
Awareness by visits to landing page, time spent on site, contest entries and choices made
Promote seasonal package offers Click through to partner offers and bookings if partners are able to track
Provide call to action links from contest page to tourism stakeholders
Click through to partners, time on site/pages
Invite interaction through opt ins for future contact Number of opt ins
Invite engagement through Explorer Quotient (EQ) quiz Number of quiz entries, EQ styles linked to geographic locations
Tourism Vernon Initiatives Funds Allocated: $222,000
To keep Vernon and partners top of mind in key target markets, including the Lower Mainland and Alberta.
Spring, fall and winter broadcast campaigns with CTV and Global TV reach audiences in BC and Alberta. A planned CTV Winter Wellness
campaign would feature Sparkling Hill Resort and assist in promoting Vernon as a health and wellness destination. Digital contesting,
interviews and promotion via CTV’s Morning Show and news broadcasts are all part of this initiative. Although television is very
expensive, Tourism Vernon would continue to invest in broadcast by leveraging Destination BC’s marketing coop and media relation
program opportunities.
CO-OP MARKETING PROGRAM Funds Allocated: $75,000
Available to Greater Vernon partners in all sectors of the tourism industry to increase overall marketing reach for our community
through co-op funding.
Policies and procedures were introduced in 2013 to support co-op marketing projects that are initiated and driven by industry. These
programs are available to Greater Vernon tourism stakeholders and include opportunities for consortiums, trade shows and events that
promote visitation outside the Thompson Okanagan to drive overnight stays.
In 2018, with the move to a 3% MRDT, the co-op funding program was increased from $50,000 to $75,000. As of December 12, 2018,
Tourism Vernon supported 15 partners with 39 marketing initiatives for a total of $211,970 of in-market promotions with $73,105 in
co-op funding support.
It is anticipated that strong co-op participation would continue in 2019 as partners become more familiar with the program and the
opportunities to support digital and event/trade/industry shows. A review and update of the policy is planned for 2019.
8
MEDIA HOSTING/ RELATIONS Funds Allocated: $55,000
Actively increase opportunities to gain unpaid media coverage (digital, broadcast and print) to grow destination and tourism partners’
awareness regionally, nationally and internationally by hosting, developing media relationships and creating a fresh and up-to-date
media kit of story ideas. Hosting tours (as opposed to self-guided) provides journalists a richer and more engaged Vernon experience.
Attending media trade shows and hosting media dinners in key visitor markets helps to grow Tourism Vernon’s media travel database
for ongoing engagements. Tourism Vernon would like to continue to leverage DBC, TOTA and DC media relation efforts to include
Vernon in Okanagan and British Columbia media familiarization (FAM) tours.
In 2018, staff hosted 38 journalists, who produced $1.4M in broadcast, print and digital story values with an audience of 1.3 billion for
Vernon. Staff also attend Travel Media Association of Canada (TMAC), Go Media (Canadian and international journalists), Canada Media
Marketplace (US journalist) and Travel & Words (Pacific Northwest journalists) media tradeshows, meeting with over 76 travel
journalists to pitch story ideas and invite journalists on assignments to visit Vernon. Staff were able to network and build relationships
with our regional, provincial and national media teams such as Destination Canada which organizes and supports Go Media and Canada
Media Marketplace shows with pre and post media FAMs. Staff hosted a golf themed FAM with eight North American golf writers, PBS’s
Seeing Canada TV show, and an additional 16 writers at media dinners in Calgary and Toronto in conjunction with Tourism Kamloops.
This resulted in well-rounded media coverage for Vernon in Vancouver, Calgary, Toronto, and other markets in Canada, the United
States and beyond with digital stories. Journalists often post to their social media feeds throughout their stay which the Visitor Services
team leverages and amplifies in Tourism Vernon’s social channel, further increasing the exposure for the community.
Moving forward in 2019, the media relations program continues to be a priority to ensure that Vernon and our partners are top of mind
with travel, wellness, food, spirits and outdoor adventure writers and bloggers. Staff plan to update our press kit with a destination
background, fact sheet, community characters’ profiles and a story page for pitching ideas. Staff would participate in relevant tourism
industry media conferences and shows to pitch story ideas to gain destination and key tourism stakeholder exposure. This program also
builds our media database by adding relevant bloggers/social media influencers, while strengthening our relationships with TOTA, DBC
and DC along with our destination tourism partners in our region.
Staff plan to leverage and support FAMs that showcase Vernon and area tourism and industry partners. Media hosting events are
planned in Vancouver, Calgary, Toronto, and Seattle others and are being explored in US markets such as Spokane. Partnership
opportunities are being investigated with other Destination Marketing Organizations (DMOs) to pitch story ideas. Staff continue to build
our database by attending North West Travel & Words in April and the opportunities sponsored by DBC and DC once they are finalized
for 2019. Tourism Vernon is working on hosting the TMAC BC Chapter Professional Development session in Vernon.
PBS’s “Seeing
Canada” TV show in
Vernon, October
2018. From Left to
right: Tyler Dyck at
Okanagan Spirits, and
Midtown Bistro Chef,
Kelly Lacroix, at BX
Press Cidery &
Orchard
9
Example articles generated via Tourism Vernon’s Media Hosting program:
10
MEMBERSHIPS/ASSOCIATIONS Funds Allocated: $6,500
Associations increase the presence of Tourism Vernon within industry to build more effective, efficient partnerships with key
representatives from around the province and country. Additionally, associations offer a broader scope of knowledge into specific key
sectors (ie. travel trade and sports tourism). Memberships and associations are also vital to many advocacy efforts regarding Tourism
focused initiatives (ie. MRDT Regulation, Emergency Policies, etc.)
Current List of Memberships & Associations:
British Columbia Destination Marketing Organization Association (BCDMOA)
Canadian Sports Tourism Alliance
Canadian Inbound Tourism Association (CITAP)
Mountain Bike Tourism Association of BC (MBTA)
Tourism Industry Association of BC (TIABC)
Tourism Industry Association of Canada (TIAC)
Travel Media Association of Canada (TMAC)
BIKING TOURISM – Sagebrush Singletrack and Okanagan Rail Trails Contributed funds from marketing campaigns, media hosting, Visitor Guide, website refresh, sector projects, E-newsletters, TV
campaigns and digital marketing campaign.
In 2016, Tourism Vernon initiated a community biking workshop with Destination Think! to assess the opportunity and readiness of our
assets and partners to create a plan for Biking Tourism in Vernon. There are two biking segments:
1. Mountain Biking – in growth phase, there is a strong foundation of products/experiences that are ready for promotion with
keen local support and advocacy.
2. Bicycling (Road) – is underdeveloped, and requires investment in infrastructure and product to become a cycling destination,
e.g. shoulders on highway and roadways to support safe cycling. Tourism Vernon will continue to support the Intrepid Road
Race in the North Okanagan. This is a well-established race with strong international participation and understanding of riding
conditions.
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Key learnings derived from the workshop:
The focus for Tourism Vernon is on the Mountain Biking segment.
1. Continue to develop the products related to these niche experiences.
2. Build Vernon’s reputation through promotion.
Actions:
1. Continue to foster collaboration
a. Tourism Vernon worked in collaboration with the North Okanagan Cycling Society (NOCS) to create a Bike Festival in
Vernon which launched in May 2017.
b. Started communications with Mountain Biking BC to create a mountain biking corridor for the Okanagan, which
resulted in the creation and launch of the Sagebrush Singletrack Trail from Penticton, Kelowna, Vernon and Kamloops
in 2018 - https://www.mountainbikingbc.ca/sagebrush-singletrack/
i. In 2019, Tourism Vernon plans to continue to work in collaboration with Mountain Biking BC, Tourism
Kelowna and Tourism Penticton to promote the Sagebrush Singletrack Trail with DBC sector funding.
2. Industry Education
a. Tourism Vernon hosted a Vernon DNA workshop on June 20, 2017.
b. Educating our local bike rental partners about the potential for year-round rentals.
i. In 2017, Sun Country invested in a fleet of rental bikes for year round riding including fat bikes.
c. Working with wine tour operators to add biking the new Okanagan Rail Trail to their wine tour itineraries for the 2019
season.
i. Okanagan Cheers Vernon and MoJo Tours plan to offer wine and biking tours.
d. Educating our accommodation and tourism partners on the opportunity to grow Biking Tourism in Vernon.
i. Bike Readiness Presentation to Tourism Stakeholders at Tourism Vernon Open House on January 17, 2019.
Opportunity for accommodation and tourism partners to sign up to receive a free bike friendly audit
with recommendations by Matt Ball from NOCS.
ii. Recognizing the opportunity for Biking Tourism in Vernon, Predator Ridge Golf Resort has fully embraced
becoming bike friendly at their resort by implementing bike storage, fixing and cleaning stations, developing
and launching the new Granite Trail at the resort and planning to offer bike shuttle service from the resort
for their guests and residents to the Okanagan Rail Trail.
3. Promotions
a. 2018
i. Pinkbike Campaign for Sagebrush Singletrack Trail - https://www.pinkbike.com/news/destination-showcase-
the-okanagan-british-columbia.html
ii. #OkanaganExploring spring and fall campaign with Zen Seekers.
How to explore the best of Vernon by bike - https://www.zenseekers.com/story/how-explore-best-
vernon-bike
Folks can once again “ride” the rails of the Okanagan Valley -
http://www.zenseekers.com/story/folks-can-once-again-ride-rails-okanagan-valley
iii. September - supported Intrepid Ride in Vernon with Marketing Coop funding.
iv. Influencer and Asset Development with Scott Bakken.
b. 2019
i. Marketing Sector Partnership with Mountain Biking BC to promote an Okanagan Biking Corridor and
mountain biking in and around Vernon.
ii. Rail Trail Marketing Campaign with DBC Open Pool Funding project with Tourism Kelowna, District of Lake
Country and City of Kelowna.
iii. Additional biking content for Tourism Vernon Visitor Guide and website.
iv. Vernon Bike Festival - 4 day event with a family friendly ride with Marketing Coop funding support.
v. Intrepid Road Race – annual road race in the North Okanagan with international riders who are comfortable
with riding conditions.
vi. Incorporation of biking into marketing campaigns – digital, broadcast, print and media hosting.
12
Rail Trail Images Produced by Tourism Vernon Media Hosting & Sector Pool Projects
SPORTS & EVENTS TOURISM Funds Allocated:
$35,000 for contract services
$15,000 for activities
Based on the Strategic Business Plan 2018-22, Tourism Vernon is looking to expand efforts to attract additional sport and event tourism
to the community. A strategy and plan would be required to maximize the potential of this subsector. The North Okanagan Sport and
Culture Society is interested in taking a lead role in this initiative on a contractual basis for Tourism Vernon. The group is scheduled to
present to the Vernon Tourism Commission at its December 19, 2018 meeting. Discussions about partnership opportunities would be
discussed at that time.
INDIGENOUS TOURISM Funds Allocated: $10,000
Indigenous Tourism is a key cultural pillar for attracting visitors to Canada and BC. The City of Vernon and the Okanagan Indian Band
(OKIB) signed a relationship accord in the fall of 2018 as part of the Community Economic Development Initiative (CEDI). Based on the
lack of indigenous tourism products/activities in the Vernon area, the Marketing Committee felt it was important to include dedicated
13
funding to support Indigenous Tourism creation and growth in and around Vernon. Initiatives would be done in partnership with the
OKIB and their efforts to move Indigenous Tourism forward.
STAKEHOLDER OPEN HOUSES Funds Allocated: $14,000
In January 2018, Tourism Vernon hosted our first tourism industry partners’ open house. Over 100 partners registered for the event.
There were partner booths and networking time pre and post presentations.
Presentation Topics:
1. Tourism Vernon Marketing Opportunities and Funding Support
2. Tourism Vernon Economic Impact
3. Tourism Vernon Visitor Centre Information Services and Support
4. Vernon Place DNA
In 2019, Tourism Vernon plans to host regular meetings with our tourism industry partners in Vernon in January, April, July and October.
We are also required as part of our participation in the 3% MRDT program is to undertake a Stakeholder Survey.
The first stakeholder meeting with industry is planned for January 17, 2019 at the Vernon Lodge, with the following topics:
1. How to Prepare and Sell Your Experiences/Products for the Asian Markets
2. How to Make Vernon More “Rail Trail” and Bike Ready
3. Tourism Vernon Visitor Services Update: Vernon from a Tourist’s Perspective & More
4. How to Access Tourism Funding for Marketing
5. General Economic and Tourism Update for Vernon and Area
6. Incorporating Vernon’s DNA and Local Culture into Your Tourism Businesses to Drive Awareness and Length of Stay
CONFERENCE/TRAVEL
Funds Allocated: $10,000 Conferences allow Tourism Vernon staff to connect with and learn from other industry professionals, contribute to tourism industry-shaping discussions and maintain a leadership presence at industry meetings and functions. Conferences are also a requirement of provincial funding for the Vernon Visitor Centre.
Strategies Measurable/Benefits
Attend annual BC Tourism Industry conference with TIABC
Connect with industry members and discuss issues faced by the industry; build partnerships
Attend Visitor Centre Network conference Keep up to date on Destination BC expectations and requirements for operation of Visitor Centre
Attend TOTA AGM, Summit and meetings Connect with regional stakeholder partners; keep informed of new or emerging opportunities Attending TOTA functions provides better access to information that can then be shared with industry
Attend BC DMO Assn. AGM and strategy sessions Discussion of issues facing other DMOs, particularly issues around the collection and use of the Hotel Tax (Municipal and Regional District Tax)
Arrange tourism industry meetings in Vernon as required
Communicate with industry on a regular basis
14
TRAVEL TRADE Funds Allocated: $40,000
Tourism Vernon staff plan to participate in select travel trade shows and regional events that provide access and exposure to our key
markets and support our tourism stakeholders. Tourism Staff plan to continue to grow our Travel Trade programs and market reach.
As an emerging destination, Tourism Vernon has been challenged to receive invitations to Destination Canada sponsored travel trade
events like Canada’s West Marketplace and Rendevous Canada. These events help us to support our hotel and tourism partners in
selling Vernon to international tour operators for FIT, group and educational tours.
Current hotel partners participating in Travel Trade Shows include Sparkling Hill Resort, Predator Ridge Resort, Prestige Hotel Group
(Vernon Lodge and the Prestige Hotel Vernon), PHI Hotel Group (Best Western Pacific Inn & Suites and the Holiday Inn Express) and
Sandman Hotels. Other hotel partners with Travel Trade contracts include Village Green Hotel, Super 8 and Fairfield Inn & Suites.
Attraction and activity partners participating in Travel Trade include Predator Ridge Resort (golf groups), Davison Orchards, Planet Bee
& Honeymoon Meadery, the Historic O’Keefe Ranch, SilverStar Mountain Resort and Camelot Haven Alpaca Farm.
In 2018, Tourism Vernon worked in collaboration with our tourism partners to clarify, showcase and produce translated collateral to
support operators in China, Japan and Korea. Trade Shows included Showcase Canada in Beijing, which Tourism Vernon attended to
support our partner the PHI Hotel Group, which resulted in an additional 6,950 room bookings to Vernon with an average daily room
rate of $139 for estimated hotel room revenues of $933,000 for winter 2018/19. Tourism Vernon also attended the Canadian Inbound
Tourism Asia Pacific (CITAP) Winter Function in December with partner Sparkling Hill Resort to promote Vernon activities with local BC
RTOs.
Tourism Vernon supported efforts by Predator Ridge and Sparkling Hill Resorts to educate and grow interest for Vernon products this
fall, as they undertook sales and education meetings with RTOs in Richmond/Vancouver and Calgary. RTOs visited included HIS Canada,
JPAC, North American Golf Vacations, Kootour, VanFun, Canadian Grande Holidays, NTS, BestCan, AIR North, Canada One Travel
In 2019, Tourism Vernon plans to:
Create a trade show event with RTOs in Richmond to showcase Vernon’s hotel, activity and attraction partners to a Remote
Tour Operator audience.
Work with Vernon’s stakeholders at open house events to better prepare our products and services for this market.
Work with DBC to present new Vernon products to travel trade and media markets.
Continue to attend Canadian Inbound Tourism Association (CITAP) winter trade event.
Seek additional marketing opportunities in the growing Asian travel trade sector to promote Vernon.
Continue to work with the Thompson Okanagan Tourism Association (TOTA), Destination BC and Destination Canada to
leverage their tour operator FAMS for Vernon.
VERNON VISITOR CENTRE Funds Allocated: $189,345
The Vernon Visitor Centre and its staff are key to the Vernon visitor experience. They are the first point of contact for many in-person
visitors, as well as instrumental in many marketing projects and initiatives. As visitors begin to use the web and online tools more and
more to explore and research a destination, the Visitor Services team has had to become more creative in how they reach out to and
engage the Vernon Tourism Market.
In 2018, the Visitor Services team took on the implementation of the DBC Accommodation Survey, organizing the Tourism Vernon Open
House and supporting the Tourism Manager with events and activities including media hosting.
In 2019, pop-up Visitor Booths at key locations and events throughout the high season would be a priority. The idea is to bring the
Visitor Centre to the visitor, rather than the other way around. In addition to front-line visitor information and greeting, the Vernon
Visitor Centre staff assist with the media hosting, surveys, social media, potential consumer shows and many other supporting marketing
projects.
ACCOMMODATION SURVEY Funds Allocated: $2,500
15
Tourism Vernon and DBC plan to continue to work together with our accommodation partners to produce a survey that reports on
monthly aggregated occupancy rates, average daily rates, visitor origins, market segments and length of stay for visitors. 2016 was a
very busy year for our accommodators and there were challenges collecting data from enough partners to create two segmented
reports (accommodation with under 60 rooms and accommodation with 61+ rooms). Staff would continue to work with the Tourism
Commission and DBC to better collect data in a timely and regular fashion.
SECTOR/ POOL PROJECTS & INITIATIVES Funds Allocated: $70,000
Staff continue to leverage and support our agency and media relation efforts with direct buys to extend reach and awareness. Tourism
Vernon would continue to leverage the DBC Sector and Open Pool Funding opportunities.
In 2018, Tourism Vernon participated in eight DBC Sector and Open Pool Funding Marketing Projects with 21 partners to leverage
$85,284 into $458,527 in marketing campaigns:
1. Creation of the Sagebrush Singletrack Trail with Mountain Biking BC (Pinkbike campaign)
2. Creation of the Triang-Ale Trail with Tourism Kamloops and Shuswap (BC Ale Trail campaign)
3. Vernon Golf Consortium with BC Golf Marketing Alliance and our four golf partners – Predator Ridge, The Rise, Vernon Golf &
Country Club and Spallumcheen Golf & Country Club (May to October)
4. #OkanaganExploring with Zen Seekers Media (Spring and Fall)
5. Trails with Tourism Kamloops and Shuswap (Winter)
6. Visual Content & Influencer with Scott Bakken (Spring and Fall)
7. Circle Mural Cities Tour
8. Regional Campaign with TOTA for Fire Recovery (25% for Winter and 75% in Spring 2019)
Images from BC Ale Trail Sector Project, Featuring Vernon’s Marten Brewing Co
16
TOURISM VERNON DESTINATION VIDEOS Funds Allocated: $20,000
Destination Videos serve as multi-purpose assets allowing for multiple uses across multiple platforms including websites, social media,
T.V. and also act as an on-site selling tool at trade shows, industry events and travel trade meetings. Tourism Vernon plans to work with
the procurement team to find a videographer to create four to six season and segment destination videos for Vernon with short clips
for each season and sector activities for biking, wellness, food, water sports, winter and art and culture.
TOURISM VERNON RTO EVENT IN LOWER MAINLAND: Funds contributed as part of Travel Trade initiatives
Tourism Vernon staff hope to create an event with RTO’s in Richmond to showcase Vernon hotels and tourism products. The objective
will be promoting Vernon and its products to international markets that work regularly with RTOs, and also create interest to book stays
and activities in Vernon for group, education and FIT business.
CrowdRiff Funds Allocated: $13,000
User generated content continues to grow in strength for creating engagement and advocacy for destinations. Destination BC recognizes
this trend and is currently leveraging CrowdRiff to manage Instagram images for permissions and usage for its social media and
traditional marketing channels. Tourism Vernon would like to align with our provincial partner and leverage user generated imagery to
add to our image bank library, social media and other marketing channels. In 2018, Tourism Vernon developed two commercials using
User Generated Content. However, it is desirable to take this one step further and integrate CrowdRiff to load new user generated
imagery to our website to create interest and a constant showcase of new and fresh Vernon imagery to drive interest for Vernon.
WEBSITE REFRESH Funds Allocated: $25,000
With the launch of the new Tourism Vernon website in 2016, web-based opportunities and resources maximize awareness of our
community and engage viewers using audio, video and interactive mapping to portray Vernon’s experiences. Feature modules and
promotional pages push partner offers and the marketing initiatives drive traffic to TourismVernon.com for additional information on
the destination, tourism partners and activities. As such, TourismVernon.com must be an up-to-date, fresh and engaging platform acting
as a valuable first point of contact for interested and returning visitors alike.
In 2019, Tourism Vernon plans to build upon www.tourismvernon.com with new content to reflect new tourism products/services in
Vernon and our surrounding area and incorporate interactive maps for the Vernon Tasting Trail for food and libations. The goal for 2019,
is to increase awareness around our partner’s offers and business locations. CrowdRiff continues to be integrated into the site to collect
and showcase fresh Vernon imagery.
#EXPLOREVERNON DIGITAL MARKETING CAMPAIGN Funds contributed as part of Digital Marketing Campaign
In 2019, Tourism Vernon would continue to build on the engaging #ExploreVernon campaign. With a 365 day approach, #ExploreVernon
provides ramp up for shoulder seasons (ie. Vernon Fall Festival) to drive engagement and awareness through digital and social media
channels. It also gives visitors (and locals) an opportunity to share their exceptional Vernon experiences in real time. In 2016, the Explore
Vernon campaign was able to leverage imagery and comments from locals and visitors about why they love Vernon to create two strong
TV commercials showcasing the best Vernon has to offer in the fall and winter. #ExploreVernon would continue to engage visitors from
our top three key origin markets - Vancouver, Calgary and Edmonton.
OFFICIAL VERNON VISITOR GUIDE Funds Allocated: $52,000
The official visitor guide is a vital piece to the Vernon tourism experience. The annual guide would be produced building upon current
content and layout. Ad sales reached over $20,000 in 2018. The guide provides valuable visuals and details regarding Greater Vernon’s
17
tourism and stakeholder offerings. This vital marketing piece is disbursed throughout the valley and at key industry events and
tradeshows and frequently utilized by tourists and residents alike as a Vernon reference piece.
SOCIAL MEDIA CAMPAIGN: Funds allocated as part of the Vernon Visitor Centre and staffing costs
The Vernon Visitor Centre and Tourism Vernon staff handle the day-to-day posting on all social channels (Destination Think! manages
all paid posts and paid targeted social advertising). In 2019, the Vernon Visitor Centre staff would work more closely with Destination
Think!’s campaign initiatives to align messaging and seasonal pushes.
Tourism Vernon would continue to promote and highlight events, tourism businesses and the destination using social media. Tourism
Vernon would also continue to participate in Destination BC’s social media visitor network program.
As a result of social media efforts last year, Facebook ‘followers’ grew from 6,312 to 10,780, up 71%. The top five origin cities for
Facebook fans are Kelowna, Vancouver, Kamloops, Edmonton and Calgary. Twitter followers increased from 3,284 to 4,233 followers,
up 29%. The Tourism Vernon Instagram channel is new but rapidly growing with a fan base of 6,000.
E-NEWSLETTER: Funds allocated: $22,000
Currently, Tourism Vernon produces the following e-newsletters: regular consumer, quarterly travel trade, quarterly media, six week
season golf and regular industry e-newsletters. These efforts would be ramped up in 2019 to create engagement and an active
community to support promoting Vernon.
SPRING INDUSTRY FAMILIARIZATION PROGRAM Funds Allocated: $6,000
This program focuses on educating Vernon front-line and BC Visitor Centre staff on what to see and do in Vernon to promote
ambassadorship. The program is undertaken in May prior to the start of peak tourism season.
Photo Library and Supporting Destination Video Content Funds allocated as part of destination video, media and marketing project costs
Additional EQ style photography is required to ensure advertising and publications are current and meet expected industry standards.
Funds have also been allocated towards the production of additional, shorter destination videos supporting the larger, longer
destination video. The shorter, supporting videos would address specific segments (ie. cycling).
Visitor Exit Survey Funds allocated: $5,000
Pending funding and resources, Tourism Vernon would investigate the implementation of a Visitor Exit Survey with Destination BC or a
third party research firm. Tourism Vernon needs to better understand the actual experiences and origins of visitors to develop better
campaigns for Vernon. A survey would need to be created to implement online and through visitor intercepts. The survey would be
promoted through accommodations and attractions, as well as the Visitor Centre and SilverStar Mountain Resort.
EQ (Explorer Quotient) Funds allocated: FREE to Destination BC Partners
EQ is a market segmentation tool used by Destination BC, the Canadian Tourism Commission and the Thompson Okanagan Tourism
Association. Other entities, like Travel Alberta and Travel New Brunswick, have used it successfully to market their experiences.
Destination BC is now offering this program for free to all BC tourism partners.
18
2019-23 Tourism Budget
2019 2020 2021 2022 2023
1-232 - MARKETING REVENUE 50,000 52,000 53,000 54,000 55,000
1-360 - SALES OF GOODS & SERVICES 13,000 13,100 14,600 14,899 15,000
1-377 - RACKING FEES (TOURISM) 4,250 4,250 4,000 4,000 3,750
1-523 - HOTEL TAX (MRDT) 1,165,720 1,235,663 1,309,803 1,388,391 1,471,695
1-526 - TOURISM BC GRANT 25,000 - - - -
1-792 - INTERNAL REVENUE 118,278 121,235 124,266 127,373 130,557
1-875 - FROM HOTEL TAX RESERVE 200,000 50,000 - - -
1,576,248 1,476,248 1,505,669 1,588,663 1,676,002
2-140 - LABOUR NON-UNION 249,051 257,974 263,925 270,019 276,292
2-200 - GENERAL SUPPLIES 1,275 1,200 1,200 1,000 1,000
2-204 - OFFICE SUPPLIES 3,000 3,000 4,000 4,000 5,000
2-224 - MAILING COSTS 7,500 7,500 7,500 7,500 7,500
2-231 - FOOD & COFFEE 27,313 32,000 35,000 39,000 42,000
2-283 - VEHICLE RENTALS 3,500 3,500 4,500 4,500 5,000
2-326 - UNIFORMS & CLOTHING 6,000 6,000 7,000 7,000 8,000
2-329 – TRANSPORTATION 14,770 16,000 19,000 20,000 23,000
2-332 - CONFERENCE & COURSES 21,165 24,750 27,000 29,500 31,500
2-333 – ACCOMMODATION 14,820 19,500 22,000 23,500 25,000
2-334 - MEAL PER DIEMS 5,125 5,750 6,700 7,200 8,150
2-450 - ADVERTISING/PROMOTION 961,084 837,179 835,482 902,832 970,698
2-499 - GENERAL CONTRACTS 241,345 241,345 250,812 250,812 250,812
2-610 - CELLS/MOBILITY 2,500 2,750 2,750 3,000 3,250
2-700 - COST OF GOODS SOLD 10,000 10,000 11,000 11,000 11,000
2-920 - FLEET CHARGE 7,800 7,800 7,800 7,800 7,800
1,576,248 1,476,248 1,505,669 1,588,663 1,676,002
*Note – The City of Vernon budgets annually in five year increments. Budgets for 2020 through 2023 would be reevaluated on an
annual basis to reflect the needs and priorities at that time.
19
DEFINITIONS AND ACRONYMS
ADR – Average Daily Rate
BCDMOA – British Columbia Destination Marketing Organization Association, membership of 54 city destination
marketing organizations in British Columbia that collection the MRDT
Conversion - visitor has taken an action that leads to a purchase, e.g., a hotel booking
CMM – Canada Media Marketplace, US travel journalist show organized by Destination Canada
DBC - Destination British Columbia, the provincial DMO that promotes British Columbia as a destination
DC – Destination Canada, the national DMO that promotes Canada as a destination globally
DMAI – Destination Marketing Association International
DMO – Destination Marketing Organization, e.g., Tourism Vernon is a DMO
EQ – Explorer Quotient profiles identify why and how different people like to travel and the communication style
that appeals to them
FAMS – familiarization trips for media or travel trade to experience destinations activities/attractions to produce
stories or sell local products
FIT – Fully Independent Traveler, e.g., not travelling on a group tour
ITAs – International Tourist Arrivals, the # of tourists who travel to a country other than their usual residence
Leisure market/traveler – travel for pleasure, e.g., not for business, sports, visiting friends/family, etc.
MRDT – Municipal Regional District Tax
NOCS – North Okanagan Cycling Society
OAP – Online Accommodation Platforms that sell accommodations, e.g. AirBnB
OKIB – Okanagan Indian Band
OTA – Online Travel Agency, e.g., Expedia, Booking.com, etc.
Referral – sending leads from Tourism Vernon to our Tourism partners’ online channels, the visitor services team
or staff
RTO – Reciprocal Tour Operators, businesses that work with international tour operators to bring FIT and groups
to Canada
TIABC – Tourism Industry Association of BC
TMAC – Travel Media Association of Canada
TOTA – Thompson Okanagan Tourism Association, the regional DMO
Travel Trade - people and companies that resell travel products, i.e., Jonview Canada, Gap Adventures
VFR – Visiting Friends and Relatives
AB MB BC ON SK USA UK Local Europe Other Total
Toll Free 4 17 4 1 26
Regular 3 28 1 79 111
Emails 2 24 1 84 2 113
Packages 3 3
253
2018
Total TF 333
13 560
5
6
2
26
Total
23
7
69
12
Services
111
DATE RANGE:
PHONE CALLS
TOTAL
*Some calls may have more than one inquiry
TOLL FREE INFORMATION VISITORS % Change over 2017
Event/Attraction 19 Website Other
Relocation Print ORGANIZATIONS ASSISTED
Requested Total Regular Source Total Parties 41.1%
Phone Number Website Tour Total Visitors 35.3%
Silver Star 3 Repeat Visits Name of Group Assistance Provided
Roads Other (Word of mouth) Queen Silver Star Class Class training Teresa
TOTAL 26 Total BA5 Event Hosted & organized
REGULAR CALL LINE Diwali Attended events
Services 2 Ellison Elementary Tourism Presentation grade 3 classes
Accommodation 2 Boardroom Rentals Schedules & Invoiced
Requested Total Regular Source Agreement Accord Supported / Attended
Phone Number 6 Website Tour Referendum Event Attended Teresa Sierra
Event/Attraction 26 Website Other Teen Junction Community fundraiser support
Relocation 2 Print Giant Pumpkin Weigh In Oraginized found pumpkins
36 Open House meeting & Organize Planning started, date set
Stakeholder 29 Created all organic social content
Silver Star 12 Repeat Visits Giant Pumpkin Paddle Organized event media ect
Roads Other (Word of mouth) Parade Float Carnival Started
Accommodation
TOTAL 111 TOTAL
Monday Tuesday WednesdayThursday Friday Saturday Sunday 0
7137 6341 5812 4782 5127 6641 6067 41907
98415 98630 69612 64926 61349 65072 73352 531356
Mon Tue Wed Thur Fri Sat Sun Totals
3205 2941 3472 2170 2279 2693 2577 19337
55%
3%
15%
8%
19%
1%
Totals
1
2
3
Tourism Vernon
Twitter Activity Twitter Followers 4230 Increase of 31
Instagram 5827 Followers
WEBSITE VISITS
Facebook Klout =
Day
Organic
Paid Campaign
Direct Traffic 2526
WEBSITE TRAFFIC Acquisition
Organic 9498
Social 1455
Email 4
Total Visits 17248
Referring Sites 480
Display 3285
Emails Sent
Relocation
MAIL OUTS SENT EMAIL INQUIRIES
TOTAL Other/ Stakeholders 64
Info Pkg Accommodation Camping 12
Advert Pack Vernon Information Requests 36
City of Vernon - Room Revenue
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Total % Change2010 702,968.50$ 768,936.50$ 1,485,304.00$ 1,415,377.50$ 2,889,705.50$ 2,551,201.00$ 1,858,076.50$ 1,155,945.50$ 768,376.50$ 753,819.50$ 14,349,711.00$ 2011 699,056.00$ 837,102.50$ 861,104.00$ 1,095,337.50$ 1,544,455.50$ 1,817,156.50$ 2,684,710.00$ 2,780,183.00$ 1,973,015.00$ 1,424,672.00$ 848,743.00$ 842,334.00$ 17,407,869.00$ 21.3%2012 794,615.50$ 1,105,016.50$ 1,173,229.00$ 1,268,465.00$ 2,285,391.00$ 1,621,327.00$ 2,919,829.50$ 3,284,812.50$ 2,328,976.50$ 1,509,722.00$ 1,059,623.50$ 987,429.50$ 20,338,437.50$ 16.8%2013 801,318.50$ 1,186,675.50$ 956,991.50$ 2,014,194.00$ 1,243,468.50$ 2,878,874.50$ 2,947,323.00$ 3,757,051.00$ 2,311,629.50$ 1,419,812.00$ 1,267,531.00$ 1,139,881.00$ 21,924,750.00$ 7.8%2014 1,290,395.50$ 1,338,290.00$ 1,942,191.50$ 1,757,476.00$ 2,300,416.50$ 3,049,154.50$ 3,580,431.00$ 4,478,388.00$ 2,571,537.50$ 1,720,704.00$ 1,500,940.50$ 1,257,419.50$ 26,787,344.50$ 22.2%2015 1,454,707.00$ 1,551,115.50$ 1,677,728.50$ 1,647,654.00$ 3,182,546.00$ 4,201,741.50$ 3,159,170.50$ 4,788,584.50$ 3,077,951.00$ 3,149,637.00$ 759,991.00$ 2,180,237.00$ 30,831,063.50$ 15.1%2016 879,425.00$ 2,103,761.50$ 1,876,028.50$ 2,681,321.00$ 2,517,654.00$ 3,537,898.50$ 5,535,615.00$ 5,817,534.50$ 3,580,390.00$ 2,445,096.00$ 1,588,500.00$ 2,099,562.50$ 34,662,786.50$ 12.4%2017 1,133,689.50$ 1,703,297.50$ 2,078,411.00$ 2,451,555.50$ 3,275,104.50$ 4,445,792.50$ 5,634,117.50$ 4,854,401.00$ 4,419,028.00$ 2,637,020.50$ 2,106,212.00$ 2,160,059.00$ 36,898,688.50$ 6.5% 29,995,397.00$ 2018 1,420,819.67$ 2,153,488.67$ 2,218,639.67$ 2,276,274.67$ 3,468,788.67$ 4,510,147.00$ 5,616,404.33$ 4,852,731.33$ 3,893,002.33$ -$ -$ -$ 30,410,296.33$ 1.4% ESTIMATE FOR SEP% Chg16/17 28.9% -19.0% 10.8% -8.6% 30.1% 25.7% 1.8% -16.6% 23.4% 7.8% 32.6% 2.9% 6.5%% Chg17/18 25.3% 26.4% 6.7% -7.1% 5.9% 1.4% -0.3% 0.0% -11.9% -100.0%$Change 17/18 287,130.17$ 450,191.17$ 140,228.67$ (175,280.83)$ 193,684.17$ 64,354.50$ (17,713.17)$ (1,669.67)$ (526,025.67)$ 414,899.33$
City of Vernon - Municipal Regional District Tax (MRDT-NET minus TEP & Admin)
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Total % Change2010 14,059.37$ 15,378.73$ 29,706.08$ 28,307.55$ 57,794.11$ 51,024.02$ 37,161.53$ 23,118.91$ 15,367.53$ 15,076.39$ 286,994.22$ 2011 13,981.12$ 16,742.05$ 17,222.08$ 21,906.75$ 30,889.11$ 36,343.13$ 53,694.20$ 55,603.66$ 39,460.30$ 28,493.44$ 16,974.86$ 16,846.68$ 348,157.38$ 21.3%2012 15,892.31$ 22,100.33$ 23,464.58$ 25,369.30$ 45,707.82$ 32,426.54$ 58,396.59$ 65,696.25$ 46,579.53$ 30,194.44$ 21,192.47$ 19,748.59$ 406,768.75$ 16.8%2013 16,026.37$ 23,733.51$ 19,139.83$ 40,283.88$ 24,869.37$ 57,577.49$ 58,946.46$ 75,141.02$ 46,232.59$ 28,396.24$ 25,350.62$ 22,797.62$ 438,495.00$ 7.8%2014 25,807.91$ 26,765.80$ 38,843.83$ 35,149.52$ 46,008.33$ 60,983.09$ 71,608.62$ 89,567.76$ 51,430.75$ 34,414.08$ 30,018.81$ 25,148.39$ 535,746.89$ 22.2%2015 29,094.14$ 31,022.31$ 33,554.57$ 32,953.08$ 63,650.92$ 84,034.83$ 63,183.41$ 95,771.69$ 61,559.02$ 62,992.74$ 15,199.82$ 43,604.74$ 616,621.27$ 15.1%2016 17,588.50$ 42,075.23$ 37,520.57$ 53,626.42$ 50,353.08$ 70,757.97$ 110,712.30$ 116,350.69$ 71,607.80$ 48,901.92$ 31,770.00$ 41,991.25$ 693,255.73$ 12.4%2017 22,673.79$ 34,065.95$ 41,568.22$ 49,031.11$ 65,502.09$ 88,915.85$ 112,682.35$ 97,088.02$ 88,380.56$ 52,740.41$ 42,124.24$ 43,201.18$ 737,973.77$ 6.5% 511,527.38$ 2018 39,258.88$ 59,772.88$ 61,597.04$ 63,210.77$ 96,599.97$ 125,756.96$ 156,731.06$ 135,348.42$ 108,477.52$ 846,753.50$ 65.5% 790,303.27$ 108000% Chg16/17 28.9% -19.0% 10.8% -8.6% 30.1% 25.7% 1.8% -16.6% 23.4% 7.8% 32.6% 2.9% 278,775.89$ % Chg17/18 - 3% 73.1% 75.5% 48.2% 28.9% 47.5% 41.4% 39.1% 39.4% 22.7% -100.0% -100.0% -100.0%
1,074,489.81$
2017 737,973.77$ 6.5%2016 693,255.73$ 12.4%2015 616,621.27$ 15.1%2014 535,746.89$ 22.2%
The Top Honeymoon Destinations in the World 2013 438,495.00$ 7.8%2012 406,768.75$ 16.8%2011 348,157.38$
126,624.10$ 150,810.72$
$535,756.89
$616,621.27
$693,255.73
$737,973.77
$500 000
$550,000
$600,000
$650,000
$700,000
$750,000
$800,000
City of Vernon - Municipal Regional District Tax
$-
$20,000.00
$40,000.00
$60,000.00
$80,000.00
$100,000.00
$120,000.00
$140,000.00
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
2014, 2015, 2016 and 2017 MRDT Monthly Revenues
2014
2015
2016
2017
2010 286,994.22$ 2011 348,157.38$ 2012 406,768.75$ 2013 438,495.00$ 2014 535,756.89$ 2015 616,621.27$ 2016 693,255.73$ 2017 737,973.77$
20102011 2011 17,408,000$ 2012 2012 20,338,000$ 2013 2013 21,925,000$ 2014 2014 26,787,000$ 2015 2015 30,831,000$ 2016 2016 34,663,000$ 2017 2017 36,899,000$
Account: 216 1 10000 523
36,898,689$ 34,662,787$ 30,831,064$
Accommodators Revenue 14,349,711$ 17,407,869$ 20,338,438$ 21,924,750$ 26,787,345$
$286,994.22 $348,157.38
$406,768.75 $438,495.00
$0
$50,000
$100,000
$150,000
$200,000
$250,000
$300,000
$350,000
$400,000
$450,000
$500,000
2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017
$17,408,000
$20,338,000 $21,925,000
$26,787,000
$30,831,000
$34,663,000
$36,899,000
$-
$5,000,000
$10,000,000
$15,000,000
$20,000,000
$25,000,000
$30,000,000
$35,000,000
$40,000,000
2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017
Room Revenue
