Tourism Divisions

International Sales and Marketing

Canadian Marketing

VTC employs two full-time people and two in-country marketing representatives to manage Canadian marketing. 

*Virginia's largest international market and #1 international market to the US is Canada.

*Virginia welcomed 572,600 Canadians in 2010 representing a 3.6% increase.

*Spending by Canadian visitors to Virginia was $133 million in 2010, representing a 16.6% increase from 2009.

*The total nights spent in Virginia was 1,929,700 in 2010, representing a 13.3% increase from 2009.

*The Canada-US exchange rate continues to be favorable. The Canadian dollar posted a slightly stronger exchange rate in 2010, meaning Canadians could spend less of their own currency to purchase the same value of American goods compared with the year before.

*Virginia has a great promimity to Canada(80% drive, 20%fly) - a 10-hour drive from Ontario and a 12-hour drive from Quebec.

*There's a large interest in shopping, sightseeing, visiting friends/relatives, outdoor sports including golf, wineries, nature, beaches, history, and more.

Opportunities are available to exhibit with VTC at any travel trade and consumer show that we participate in, including brochure distribution. 

FY2012_CanadianOpportunities

Canada Objectives:

• Increase Canadian visitation by 4%
• Conduct a minimum of 60 sales calls to third party sellers
• Conduct a miniumum of 6 site tour inspections
• Leverage the marketing and promotions by 60% annually through marketing partnerships
• Increase inquiries from consumer advertising programs in Ontario and Quebec by 6%
• Implement 5 multi-media grand promotions in the territories of Ontario and Quebec
• Achieve a minimum of 50 story placements highlighting the Virginia tourism product
• Produce of minimum of $500,000 in Canadian earned media

Canada Tactics and Strategies:

The markets in Ontario and Quebec are managed by Pulse Communications and Travel Marketing on behalf of VTC and together these two organizations will be responsible for the following strategies:

• Sales Collateral Distribution Distribute promotional materials to authorized sales agents, media, and to the general public and distribute promotional materials received from VTC’s clients
• Sales Calls/Seminars Conduct sales calls throughout the year. Conduct a minimum of four (4) CAA training seminars per year. The seminars will be conducted with one CAA office in four (4) key participating offices across the CAA Ontario network
• Familiarization Tours Plan and execute at least three (3) educational familiarization tours (FAM Tours) to include a group golf media FAM which will include 1-2 Pulse Communications and Travel Marketing staff members, travel trade and individual media. 
• Consumer Shows Plan, coordinate, and staff trade shows.
• Promotions/Advertising Develop, manage, and evaluate a variety of promotional campaigns.  In addition, assist with the implementation of a year- round advertising campaign for VTC.
• Memberships Maintain membership in Travel Media Association of Canada (TMAC), VISIT USA, Association of National Tourist Office Representatives (ANTOR), and Society of American Travel Writers-Canadian Chapter (SATW) on behalf of VTC