Tides
Promoting and advancing the tourism industry in Prince Edward Island
Tourism
FEBRUARY 2011
IN THIS ISSUE
Tourism Industry Association of Prince Edward Island
Importance of Workplace President's View.............................. 2 Wellness Program/Employment Mixers .............................................. 9 Executive Director's Report........... 3 TIAPEI's Tantalizing Treasures TIAPEI Tourism Conference Scholarship Fundraiser ................ 10 & Awards Gala....................................4 Translation Assistance Program......11 What's New at ACTP - February 2011 / In Touch and Informed . ..... 5 For advertising information: The Gulf Shore Way........................ 6 Imageworks Communication Group 118 Sydney Street, 2nd floor Get a Jump on Summer Hiring.......7 Charlottetown, PEI C1A 1G4 RTW – Tourism Training / Passport (902) 894.7071 to Employment / New Members ... 8 www.iwpei.com
BROUGHT TO YOU BY
Published BY TIAPEI 25 Queen Street, 3rd Floor P.O. Box 2050, Charlottetown, PE Canada C1A 7N7 Phone: (902) 566-5008 Toll-free: 1-866-566-5008 Fax: (902) 368-3605 Toll-free fax: 1-877-368-3605 POSTMASTER: Publication Mail Agreement No. 40024264 3431657 Return Undeliverable Canadian Addresses to: TIAPEI, Box 2050 Charlottetown, PE C1A 7N7
TOURISM TIDES - February 2011
PRESIDENT'S view
Dear TIAPEI Members and Fellow Tourism Operators: OPEN YOUR DOORS AND WELCOME 2011 A friend of mine always maintains that one should keep their message short and to the point. So here goes. There will always be challenges and it is your responsibility as well as the
responsibility of TIAPEI to address them. We all know our visitors have less leisure time today and there is more competition for that time. I would like to view this as an opportunity for all of us to emphasize the advantages PEI offers. Like the song by Islander Lennie Gallant "Meet Me at the Oasis", we are that oasis for relieving the stresses of everyday life, a perfect family friendly atmosphere with multi-day experiences and loads of fun things to do and see. Prince Edward Island is a cultural and culinary mecca. So damn the torpedoes and let the good times roll in 2011! Thom MacMillan President
Working Together to Show Our Island Culture to the World
A
s Minister of Tourism and Culture, I am excited for the 2011 tourism season. This year, we will show visitors the best of our Island’s cultural offerings, our culinary delights, and our exceptional hospitality. Islanders are proud of our rich cultural heritage, and our cultural attractions are part of what makes PEI a special place to visit. We will be working with industry to plan our Island Fusion Festival which is scheduled for June 16- July 3. Industry will also be essential in creating the new Arts and Heritage Trail, which will guide visitors to cultural and heritage tourism offerings from tip to tip. In 2011, we will continue to promote our culinary offerings. The Flavours Trail guide will include more industry participants and will be distributed to a wider audience. The PEI Flavours website continues to promote our local food products and experiences. Your participation is essential to the success of Prince Edward Island’s tourism industry, and I welcome any comments or suggestions on our 2011 initiatives.
Hon. Robert Vessey
Minister of Tourism and Culture Province of Prince Edward Island
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T O U R I S M I N D U S T R Y A S S O C I AT I O N O F P R I N C E E D W A R D I S L A N D
Core Staff: Don Cudmore Executive Director dcudmore@tiapei.pe.ca
Executive Director’s Report
Colleen Bowes Co-ordinator Atlantic Canada Tourism Partnership actp@tiapei.pe.ca Kelley Keefe Atlantic Canada Tourism Partnership UK Program Manager kkeefe@tiapei.pe.ca Jamie Vander Kooi Technology Resource Coordinator jamie@tiapei.pe.ca Dianne Bishop Executive Assistant & Board Secretary dbishop@tiapei.pe.ca Lynn Dunphy Financial Administrator ldunphy@tiapei.pe.ca
Training & Education: Kathy Livingstone Director of Training & Education klivingstone@tiapei.pe.ca Lori DesRoches Administrative Assistant ldesroches@tiapei.pe.ca Rod Clark Marketing Co-ordinator rclark@tiapei.pe.ca Andrea Boehner HR Advisor aboehner@tiapei.pe.ca Debbie Mol Tourism Employment & Education Coordinator dmol@tiapei.pe.ca
Executive Committee President
Thom MacMillan
Vice President
Elaine Thomson
Secretary
Kevin Mouflier
Treasurer
Robbie Shaw
Past-President
Adam Doiron
Executive Director Don Cudmore Members at Large: Tyson MacInnis, Ed McKenna
Board of Directors David Anderson Charlene Belsher Cathy Bullied Darcy Butler Susan Cameron George Campbell Roxanne Carmody Mark Carr-Rollitt Liam Dolan Maurice Gallant David Groom Barrie Harris Mary Kendrick
Leslie Kwiatkowski Amanda MacIntyre Oralie MacKay Rhonda Maillet Sheri Lee McKenna Pat Notman Don Reid Doreen Sark Glenn Saunders Erskine Smith Amanda Stewart Barb Trainor Darrin White
Dear Tourism Operators: How time flies! The holidays are over, January has slipped by and it seems like only yesterday that the Executive and TIAPEI staff members were ramping up our lobbying plans for the Federal and Provincial elections three years ago. In October of this year, Islanders will once again head to the polls for a Provincial election and, at the last Board of Directors meeting, the Board approved the formation of an Election Readiness Taskforce. The purpose of this committee is to assist in providing all political parties in the upcoming election with a clear message on the most important and pressing issues to the Tourism sector on PEI. The members of the Taskforce have already met and have begun their work, but one thing is very clear: they need to hear from you. In our two most recent surveys, issues such as access to capital, human resources issues and taxation were identified as important. In an attempt to narrow the focus on priority issues, we have sent out a brief survey to over 600 tourism businesses to gather data to be used in the development of a policy paper. The optimum position going into an election for any organization is to understand the priorities of their sectors,
assemble them in a policy document and meet with each party to identify their position on the issues of importance to the sector. This is the intention of the Election Readiness Taskforce. This process will only help to enhance the profile of the Tourism industry with politicians and provide you the operator with the tools you need to discuss and debate the issues of importance to tourism when a candidate knocks on your door. The staff, Executive and Board of TIAPEI continues to represent you to the very best of our abilities but we need your feedback, membership and, occasionally, a commitment of your time to improve both our industry and its profile in the public
eye. In recent weeks we have submitted presentations on the Annual Minimum Wage Review and participated in a Stakeholder Roundtable: Economic Consultation on Strengthening Infrastructure and the Transportation system in the Charlottetown Region with Federal Minister Chuck Strahl. In closing, thank you for your ongoing support and I hope to see you all at the Tourism Conference & Awards Gala being held on March 2 and 3, 2011 at the Rodd Charlottetown Hotel.
"...a commitment of your time to improve both our industry and its profile..."
Respectfully submitted, Don Cudmore, Executive Director
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T O U R I S M I N D U S T R Y A S S O C I AT I O N O F P R I N C E E D W A R D I S L A N D
What's New at ACTP - February 2011 ACTP promotes better usage of research In this issue, we have highlighted the ACTP US Travel Trade Research. To read others, please visit our research page www.actp-ptca.ca/research.html or watch for the next issue of "What's New at ACTP"! Atlantic Canada's position in the US travel trade market The US Travel Trade study was undertaken to identify current trends and Atlantic Canada's position in the US Travel Trade Market. The key findings of the report are: • Because of the recession, prices (cost) were seen as the driving factor in the US travel industry in 2009. • Two thirds of tour companies (67 percent) reporting customers shopping for deals or bargains was the single most important trend now taking place in the industry. • The US itself was reported as the destination showing the greatest increase in travel in 2009. • None of the companies reported an increase in travel to Atlantic Canada in 2009 and none were expecting an increase in 2010. • Tour companies did not see prices in Atlantic Canada as
too high but they did point out that competitive destinations were reducing rates and it was having an impact. • In terms of trends in mode of travel: tour companies saw cruise as the leading growth segment in the short term because of its willingness to slash prices. Group travel is expected to remain strong with a division noted between new seniors and traditional seniors. FIT is expected to be the fastest growing segment among younger travelers. • Tour operators saw the leading product trends of the future being driven by a desire for more trip flexibility and especially the opportunity for involvement. The trip components experiential, culinary and cultural rated very high. • Atlantic Canada was seen as having low awareness in the US marketplace • Priority changes recommended to improve Atlantic Canada's image included more opportunities for involvement and more experiential experiences. • The leading trend in package sales was more web sales and less being sold by travel agents. • The overall trend in consumer
In Touch and Informed The Bed & Breakfast and Country Inns Association of PEI took as an initiative for 2010 calendar year to have a new website designed. Some grant monies from Tourism PEI contributed to having it a bilingual site.
advertising was more web marketing and especially more integration between web and other media (usually direct mail). • Social media was recognized as very important by 95 percent of companies. • Tour companies were very supportive of ACTP's co-operative advertising program. It was recommended as a first priority activity by 80 percent. Implications to industry • It is important to recognize that the current decline in US trade visitation to Atlantic Canada is being influenced to a significant extent by the impact of the recession (cost and closer to home vacations). While certainly not guaranteed, future recovery is possible as economic conditions improve. • Trade customers will be looking for more flexibility in their trips and the opportunity to experience "local life" at the destinations they visit. Industry should be prepared to accommodate this expectation. • Culinary experiences are now very hot products in the trade industry. This may present an opportunity (change simply dining to an experience).
• Experiential products are now so in demand with the trade that they are almost essential. Industry should be prepared to respond to this expectation. • Social media is expected to become very important in trade marketing. This should be followed as it may present very cost effective marketing opportunities. To learn more, please check out the US Travel Trade summary report or full report on the ACTP website. The Atlantic Canada Tourism Partnership — Who We Are The Atlantic Canada Tourism Partnership is a nine-member pan-Atlantic partnership consisting of the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency, the four tourism industry associations in Atlantic Canada and the four provincial departments responsible for tourism in New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island. ACTP has been in place since 1991 and is dedicated to promoting Atlantic Canada as a tourism destination of choice in key American and international markets. For more information, visit www.actp-ptca.ca
www.bandbpei.com
The site is interactive for our members, keeping us in touch and informed on our Association's activities. Our 40+ members are ready and waiting for another great tourism season. We invite you to take a look!
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TOURISM TIDES - February 2011
The Gulf Shore Way - A New Way to Discover our Scenic Coast
Cavendish area residents joined Senator Mike Duffy and Parks Canada staff at the Cavendish Destination Centre on November 10th for an event to inaugurate the new infrastructure at Prince Edward Island National Park. This intimate gathering, blown indoors by high winds, provided the opportunity to recognise not only the contributions of the Government of Canada, but the patience and support of local residents and businesses, industry leaders, Parks Canada staff, and Public Works and Government Services Canada – all of whom contributed to the success of this enormous project. Senator Duffy, a resident of Cavendish himself, provided an enthusiastic welcome and ex6
plained, "As a result of Canada's Economic Action Plan, the Gulf Shore Parkway West in Prince Edward Island National Park has received major upgrades. The improvements will benefit the park for years to come, enhancing opportunities for visitors to enjoy the national park and encouraging economic activity." The Gulf Shore Way continues along the north shore from North Rustico to Cavendish through PEI National Park, and offers unparalleled views of our beautiful coastal landscape. The reconstructed section of the highway, upgrades to visitor stopping places, creation of two new scenic look-offs, and creation of a new 9 km multiuse trail will enhance visitors' experience by providing a safer
way for cyclists, pedestrians, and others to better enjoy the spectacular views of this area of PEI National Park. Upon completion of the work currently underway, PEI National Park will be home to 21 kilometres of new roadway and multi-use trail. Parks Canada staff would like to extend a warm invitation to you, your family, and your guests to discover and enjoy all that PEI National Park has to offer. For more information, please call (902) 672-6350 or explore the PEI National Park website www.parkscanada.gc.ca/pei. Winter trail and ice conditions are available 24 hours a day on the website or by calling (902) 672-6404.
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T O U R I S M I N D U S T R Y A S S O C I AT I O N O F P R I N C E E D W A R D I S L A N D
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Charlottetown: 902-629-1200 Summerside: 902-436-8882
TIAPEI has, once again, partnered with Holland College and with East Prince Youth Development Centre to host job fairs in both Charlottetown and Summerside. The 2011 Tourism Job Fair will be held at Holland College Tourism and Culinary Centre, 4 Sydney Street, Charlottetown on Thursday, February 17, 2011 from 9am-4pm. “The success of previous job fairs is a testament to the importance of these events on Prince Edward Island for both tourism recruiters and job seekers,” says Thom MacMillan, President of TIAPEI. “Job seekers look forward to these annual events where they can meet with dozens of potential employers in one convenient location.” The goal of the Tour-
ism Job Fair is to provide job seekers, students, employers, training institutions and government agencies a central location to network. Attendees have the opportunity to learn about the exciting employment and educational opportunities that the Prince Edward Island tourism industry has to offer. Job seekers have the advantage of being able to meet directly with businesses and can potentially submit their resume, be interviewed and hired all in one day. Job seekers of all ages, skills, abilities and educational levels that desire to work in the Prince Edward Island tourism industry will be in attendance. The Summerside Job Fair will be held at Waterfront Mall on April 7, 2011. This event showcases a wide variety of industries including tourism. For information on the job fairs please contact Beth at 902566-5008 or bdoyle@tiapei.pe.ca. This project is funded in whole or in part by the Canada/Prince Edward Island Labour Market Development Agreement. 7
TOURISM TIDES - February 2011
RTW – Tourism Training For a number of years Holland College and the Tourism Industry Association of PEI have been offering language and hospitality training for newcomers to Canada. The program is designed to improve the language level of the student while increasing their knowledge about tourism. The students will receive
training and certification in Ready to Work, SuperHost, Tourism Essentials and Canadian Workplace Essentials and an opportunity to participate in an on-the-job work placement or tourism volunteer experience. For more information please contact Debbie Mol at 902-5665008 or by email dmol@tiapei. pe.ca
New Members
Welcome New TIAPEI Members
PEI Crafts Council Inc. The Holman Grand Hotel
Insight Marketing ScotiaMcLeod
ArtisanPEI
The Holman Grand Hotel
Insight Marketing
ArtisanPEI.com
PO Box 1030 Charlottetown, PE C1A 7M4 902-894-6044 902-393-5612 www.theholmangrandhotel.com The Holman Grand Hotel, an exciting, new, full-service boutique hotel opening in June 2011, will provide discerning guests to Charlottetown with stylish, urban facilities in a convenient and historic central downtown location. Its physical connection to shopping, theatre, arts and dining, together with its genuine, individualized service, will make it Charlottetown's most welcoming and vibrant accommodations host. We will feature 80 guest rooms with spectacular views, a pool & fitness facility, a 100-seat restaurant, 2500 square feet of naturally lit meeting space, an upscale and urban dĂŠcor, all with an "Island" feel. 8
51 University Ave Charlottetown, PEI C1A 4K7 902-393-7011 insightmarketingpei.com Insight Marketing provides organizations with a fresh look at today's marketing, showing them how to integrate new marketing tactics with tried and tested strategies that are still relevant today. Along with creating marketing plans, strategic plans and social media plans, Insight Marketing successfully creates and executes branding campaigns, offers personalized training and hosts numerous workshops on a variety of topics.
ArtisanPEI.com is a group of producing studio artisans who provide hands-on, experiential learning for visitors in our shops. Seemingly from nothing with skill and the magic of the creative process we create the beautiful. From a lump of clay, or a blob of paint, or lengths of twisted threads, or choice woods, or precious metals and jewels, we transform it all. Come out this summer with your visitors and take in a demonstration or sign up for a class. Visit our website for more details and images and our NEW videos.
Passport to Employment Through Tourism Will you be hiring soon? If you are looking for experienced workers, trained in Tourism Essentials, this is your opportunity! The Tourism Industry Association of PEI in partnership with the PEI Department of Innovation and Advanced Learning and the Government of Canada will once again be offering "Passport to Employment Through Tourism Programs" in Charlottetown, Summerside and Montague. We are excited about this continued partnership and the value this training has to our sector! This project is designed to provide Tourism operators with accomplished, trained, mature individuals looking to re-enter the workforce and ready to put their experience and knowledge to work in the tourism labour market. If you would like more information about this program, please contact Debbie Mol 566.5008 or email dmol@tiapei.pe.ca
T O U R I S M I N D U S T R Y A S S O C I AT I O N O F P R I N C E E D W A R D I S L A N D
Importance of a Workplace Wellness Program! "Hi! My name is Jonathan and I'm an executive chef at a very busy, high-end restaurant. I'm a full-time employee, and have been working in this position with the same employer for over eight years. The job is challenging and the people I work with make it fun and exciting! It is very fast paced, includes long periods of standing and can be quite taxing and stressful both physically and mentally. Living a healthy lifestyle is very important to me, in both my career as well as my personal life. If I can do anything to alleviate stress in order to live a healthier and longer life, I'll do it! My employer has a great Safety program, but doesn't offer any sort of Wellness program. I started researching what other employers are offering for wellness and found a majority of them have a Workplace Wellness Program; some offer programs to help quit smoking; partial/full payments for gym memberships or gym equipment; corporate challenge events; wellness accounts, etc. I'm starting to think I should apply to one of these other establishments, one that really shows concern for my wellbeing." In today's business climate, the health of employees is often directly related to the health of the company. Increased job satisfaction, improved morale, reduced injuries and increased productivity are just some of the benefits of having a Workplace Wellness Program and adopting a healthy attitude. Retain your
best employees and develop an affordable and creative wellness program today! Contact Andrea Boehner, HR Advisor at 566-5008 or aboehner@tiapei.pe.ca for a free consultation on Wellness in your Workplace!
Mark Your Calendars!
The Tourism Human Resource Sector Council is pleased to invite you to participate in the upcoming Tourism Employment Mixers, at the Rodd Charlottetown Hotel from 1-3 p.m. on the following dates: Wednesday, March 16th Newcomers to Canada Wednesday, March 23rd Mature Workers
season, this is great opportunity to prescreen job candidates in a comfortable setting! Participation is free. For more information contact Andrea Boehner at aboehner@ tiapei.pe.ca or call (902) 5665008. Please register before March 11th to ensure adequate space is available.
If you are a Tourism employer preparing for the upcoming 9
TOURISM TIDES - February 2011
TIAPEI's Tantalizing Treasures Scholarship Fundraiser
2 Longworth Avenue, Charlottetown, PE C1A 5A2
Tel: 902-566-3131 Fax: 902-628-1982 Toll Free: 888-566-3131
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The ENCOUNTER – Pirates have plundered our Treasure Chest. It is empty!
• Buy a bottle from the Liquor Store or a gift certificate from your favourite restaurant to donate!
The QUEST – Help TIAPEI fill the Treasure Chest in time for March 3rd
• Due to Provincial Regulations, homemade wine cannot be accepted.
The RULES OF ENGAGEMENT – Donate a restaurant gift certificate, a bottle of wine or a cultural creation to the Treasure Chest
• Donate a piece of your own artwork.
The TREASURE MAP – All donated treasures will be numbered and grouped in two hoards based on estimated value: Under $50 and Over $50 • All treasures must have a minimum $15.00 retail value, BUT valuable treasures are welcome! • Wines may vary in color, type, nationality and vintage. Restaurant gift certificates could be a 3-course dinner for two or whatever value you choose! Cultural contributions must be local! • Donate a special bottle from your wine cellar, or a gift certificate from your restaurant! 10
• Donate a creation from your favourite local artist: painting, sculpture, music, etc. • D onate a copy of a favourite cookbook, theatre tickets or even tickets to cultural experiences: anything at all!
Sales & Service
Contact us today to book your advertising space for 2011! Prince Edward Island HANDBOOK Guide to Charlottetown Charlottetown Map PEI Vacation Map Restaurant & Menu Guide PEI Motorcycle Touring Map PEI Coupon Savings Book New Beginnings Green Gables Shore Guide
On March 3rd, attendees make a set contribution and get Treasure in return! Bring your donation(s) to the TIAPEI office by Tuesday, March 1st at noon or call Rod at 566-5008 to make arrangements for pick up. Don't delay...make your donation(s) today! All proceeds will benefit the TIAPEI Scholarship Fund.
N EW FO R 20 11 !
Points East Coastal Drive Guide
118 Sydney Street • 2nd Floor • Charlottetown, PE C1A 1G4 902.894.7071 • www.iwpei.com • sales@iwpei.com
T O U R I S M I N D U S T R Y A S S O C I AT I O N O F P R I N C E E D W A R D I S L A N D
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This island inspires dreams. We help make them happen. Whether it’s owning a quaint B&B or an award-winning restaurant – whatever dreams Prince Edward Island inspires in you, we want to help you achieve them. At Grant Thornton LLP we offer a full range of audit, tax and advisory services. We’re the largest accounting firm on PEI, and we know how to help you turn your dreams into reality. For more information about our services or to contact a Grant Thornton adviser near you, please visit www.GrantThornton.ca Charlottetown (902) 892-6547
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