Hon. Wes MacAleer, Minister of Economic Development and Tourism, and Mr. Dale Larkin, Co-chair of the Tourism Marketing Authority, announced today the 1997 Tourism Marketing and Media Strategy.
The 1997 strategy is the second year of a three-year effort designed to lengthen the traditional summer tourism season into the late spring and early fall. Heavily emphasizing the opportunities presented by the opening of the Confederation Bridge, the campaign is targeting a 15 percent growth in tourism revenues for 1997.
"We are very optimistic that this strategy will continue our solid growth of the last five years. We were the only province in the region to experience a growth in pleasure visitation in 1996 and with the opening of the Confederation Bridge, we firmly believe that we will also lead the region in 1997," said Mr. MacAleer.
The 1997 Marketing and Media Plan is aimed at the geographic markets of Atlantic Canada, Ontario, Quebec, New England and Japan and features advertising, promotional, public relations and sales tactics in each market. Martha MacIsaac of Charlottetown, currently starring in the new television series Emily of New Moon, will continue as the spokesperson.
New initiatives for 1997 include an extensive data base marketing campaign; eight-page Prince Edward Island inserts in suburban newspapers around Toronto, Montreal and Boston; "smart-phone" advertising in Ontario; bus murals in Halifax; a multifaceted bridge promotion in the Maritimes and the creation of a new sales team to address the motorcoach, auto clubs, air packagers and international markets.
Continued programs from 1996 include an expansion of the successful infomercial campaign; spring and fall direct mail pieces into Maritimes households; 15 and 30 second television ads; the Atlantic Canada Tourism Partnership; newspaper ads in Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal, Quebec City and Boston; four-page inserts in Toronto Star and Boston Globe and an expanded public relations effort.
"Our campaign this year is a natural evolution from last year's, with a continued emphasis on targeting and focusing on our key markets. It is an aggressive attack," said Mr. Larkin.
For more information, contact Rob McCloskey, Director of Marketing, Tourism PEI, (902) 368-5951.