“It was a long time coming, but we’re thrilled to be back.”
VISIT FLORIDA held their first tourism event in Canada in more than three years on Thursday, Sept. 15, taking over the 43rd floor Sky Suite at the posh Bisha Hotel during the middle of the Toronto International Film Festival.
“This is our first visit to Canada since June of 2019,” Meagan Dougherty Lowe, public relations director for VISIT FLORIDA, said in a one-on-one chat during a break in the reception. “It’s so great to be back.”
Representatives from The Florida Keys, Visit St. Pete/Clearwater, Destin/Fort Walton Beach, Discover Palm Beaches, Visit Pensacola, Fort Myers and Amelia Island were on hand for a fun-filled night that featured an amazing array of fresh seafood, tropical drinks and entertainment.
Lowe said the Canadian market is slow bouncing back to pre-pandemic levels, but that the same is true for other international destinations. Canadian visits for the first six months of this year amounted t 2.3 million, which his 40% lower than in 2019, she said.
There are several positive stats for the Sunshine State. Lowe said Florida’s share of the U.S. travel market was 19.7% in 2019, but rose to 22.1% last year. The age of visitors also has altered significantly in the past couple years, dropping from an average of 49.8 to 45.1 as younger families and millennials head to the state.
VISIT FLORIDA this year is putting an emphasis on culinary tourism and accessibility.
“We’ve never been known for our culinary scene, but the new MICHELIN Guide includes Miami, Orlando and Tampa,” Lowe pointed out. The state’s tourism department also will be focusing the spotlight on lesser-known chefs in other communities.
L to R: Mackenzie Comerer of Visit St. Pete/Clearwater, Meagan Dougherty of Visit Florida, Erin Cramer of Visit Florida, and Aaron-Wodin-Schwartz of Brand USA.
Lowe said Florida also wants to become known as the most accessible state in the U.S. and is working hard to make it easier for folks with all sorts of accessibility issues to visit. That effort includes posting videos of Floridians talking about how they cope with autism, or deafness, or being in a wheelchair.
Earlier in the day, the Discover America Canada group held a series of media sessions to illustrate the depth of tourism offerings in the U.S. Representatives from destinations such as Louisiana and Myrtle Beach were on hand, as were officials from Air Canada, Air Canada Vacations, Air Miles and other companies.
Raina Williams, a top executive with Expedia Canada who analyzes the U.S. tourism market, said 515 of Canadians are planning two leisure trips in the next year, and that search volume is steady.
“We’re seeing the highest hotel bookings in Expedia history,” she said, and the U.S. is a prime destination for everyone from families to couples looking for a romantic holiday.
“We’re excited to see so many Canadians heading south of the border,” she said.
Participants in the Discover America session also heard a fine presentation at lunch from former U.S. astronaut John Herrington, the first Native American in space and a terrific story teller.
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Rooftop pool at the sexy Nomad Hotel in downtown Los Angeles. JIM BYERS PHOTO
NEW LOS ANGELES TOURISM PROGRAM
Los Angeles Tourism invites visitors to discover what’s “Now Playing” in the City of Angels with the kickoff of a creative new advertising campaign spotlighting the incomparable breadth of attractions, experiences, entertainment and accommodations found only in L.A. Shot on location at several iconic L.A. sites, the spot combines live-action film, music, animation and voiceover to create a dazzling mix of campaign content.
Leading the campaign is a dynamic :30 second ad portraying a writer at work on an ever-changing screenplay that follows a group of friends as they crisscross the city, visiting L.A. highlights such as the Hollywood Walk of Fame, The Los Angeles County Museum of Art, The Music Center and Venice Beach.
“Now Playing instantly evokes what’s unique about Los Angeles,” said Don Skeoch, Chief Marketing Officer for the Los Angeles Tourism & Convention Board. “With this campaign, we’ve combined the vocabulary of the screenwriter and the visual language of cinema to creatively capture what makes L.A. an unparalleled visitor destination.”
True to Los Angeles’ identity, the ad also features top talent that give the campaign an added touch of Hollywood magic. Both ads are narrated by stage, screen and TV veteran Jenifer Lewis, who recently starred as the comedic matriarch on ABC’s hit television show, “black-ish.” Steve Aoki, Southern Californian DJ, record producer, executive and heir to the Benihana restaurant franchise also lends his creative talents with a colourful performance in the spot.
“I walk in my joy because I live in one of the most beautiful cities in the world,” said Lewis. “I love nature, the ocean, the sunrise and sunset, Los Angeles has got it all from A to Z… we live in paradise.”
Launching this week, the campaign is slated to appear in traditional and digital marketing channels, both domestically and in international markets including Australia, Canada, Mexico and the United Kingdom.
