PKF Consulting Canada

April 25, 2014

Ms. Donna MacLeod Executive Director Northeastern Ontario Tourism 401‐2009 Long Lake Road Sudbury, ON P3E 6C3

Via email: [email protected]

RE: THREE‐YEAR STRATEGIC PLAN AND MARKETING PLAN – FINAL REPORT

Dear Ms. MacLeod:

In accordance with the terms of our engagement, PKF Consulting, in association with Birchbark Media, is pleased to submit the attached Final Report in conjunction with the development of a Three‐Year Strategic Plan and Marketing Plan for Northeastern Ontario Tourism.

The planning process has involved extensive stakeholder engagement, industry research, and collaboration with staff and Board members to gain consensus on a revised vision and mission for Northeastern Ontario Tourism, and developing goals and objectives that will ensure that the vision is indeed achieved. Priorities for meeting each of the goals of the Strategic Plan have been further integrated into an Implementation Plan for the organization to follow over the next three years. In consideration of NeONT’s status as a new organization, the Three‐Year Strategic Plan and Marketing

Plan is focused on restructuring the organization and limited new projects, which we believe is important in order for NeONT to achieve further innovation in the long‐term. It is our belief that the plan is both realistic and achievable, and attuned to the organization’s needs and industry trends.

NeONT has had a challenging history for a young organization, and several key factors have kept it from growing in a sustainable manner. As such, Year 1 of the Implementation Plan is focused primarily on restructuring. The 2014/2015 fiscal year will be a transition year, from an organizational and marketing delivery perspective, in order to meet the objectives required by TNO from a financial standpoint. In Years 2 and 3, with further development of NeONT’s unique selling proposition, engagement and innovation in marketing and product development can be further achieved.

Thus, the primary purpose of this Plan is: to embrace change at an organizational level, and to reestablish the NeONT brand with consistent messaging in print and online, in order to ensure continuity of commitment to the tourism industry in Northeastern Ontario.

Yours very truly,

PKF CONSULTING INC.

Three-Year Strategic Plan and Marketing Plan Prepared for: Northeastern Ontario Tourism PKF Consulting Inc. in association with Birchbark Media April 2014

PKF Consulting Canada

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. INTRODUCTION ‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐ 1

1.1 Organizational Background ‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐ 1 1.2 Project Background ‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐ 2 1.3 Project Scope and Work Plan ‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐ 2

2. NORTHEASTERN ONTARIO REGIONAL TOURISM ASSESSMENT ‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐ 4

2.1 Defining the Volume and Value of Tourism ‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐ 4 2.2 Region 13A Market Area ‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐ 4 2.3 Total Tourist Volumes in 2011 ‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐ 4 2.4 Main Purpose of Trip ‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐ 5 2.5 Place of Residence and Key Markets ‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐ 5 2.6 Seasonality ‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐ 6 2.7 Key Visitation Indicators by District ‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐ 7 2.8 Activities on the Trip ‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐ 8 2.9 Region 13A’s Share of Northern Ontario ‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐ 9 2.10 Region 13A’s Share of Specialty Activity Areas ‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐ 9 2.11 Summary ‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐ 13

3. WHAT WE HEARD: STAKEHOLDER INPUT ‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐ 14

3.1 Approach to Stakeholder Consultations ‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐ 14 3.2 Results: NeONT Board Members ‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐ 16 3.3 Results: Comparable RTO Interviews ‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐ 18 3.4 Results: Online Survey ‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐ 20 3.5 Results: Webinars ‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐ 28

Three‐Year Strategic Plan and Marketing Plan PKF Consulting Inc. Prepared for: Northeastern Ontario Tourism in association with Birchbark Media April 2014 PKF Consulting Canada

4. SWOT ANALYSIS OF NORTHEASTERN ONTARIO’S TOURISM SECTOR ‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐ 34

4.1 Introduction ‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐ 34 4.2 Strengths / Opportunities ‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐ 34 4.3 Challenges / Threats ‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐ 34

5. STRATEGIC ASSESSMENT OF NEONT’S MARKETING STRUCTURE ‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐ 36

5.1 Introduction ‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐ 36 5.2 Brand Analysis ‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐ 36 5.3 Marketing Strengths and Opportunities ‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐ 36 5.4 Marketing Challenges and Threats ‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐ 37 5.5 Best Bet Target Markets ‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐ 39 5.6 High‐Level Recommendations for Three‐Year Marketing Plan ‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐ 41

6. FUNDAMENTALS OF THE THREE‐YEAR STRATEGIC PLAN AND MARKETING PLAN FOR NEONT ‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐ 43

6.1 Introduction ‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐ 43 6.2 The Vision ‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐ 43 6.3 Mission Statement ‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐ 43 6.4 Operating Principles ‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐ 43 6.5 Strategic Goals ‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐ 44 6.6 Marketing Goals ‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐ 44 6.7 Timelines ‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐ 44

7. GOAL: IDENTIFY SUSTAINABLE FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES AND GROW INDUSTRY PARTNERSHIPS ‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐ 45

7.1 Objectives ‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐ 45 7.2 Short‐Term Action Items ‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐ 45 7.3 Mid‐Term Action Items ‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐ 50 7.4 Long‐Term Action Items ‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐ 51

Three‐Year Strategic Plan and Marketing Plan PKF Consulting Inc. Prepared for: Northeastern Ontario Tourism in association with Birchbark Media April 2014 PKF Consulting Canada

8. GOAL: IMPLEMENT AN EFFECTIVE AND EFFICIENT INTERNAL OPERATING PLAN ‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐ 52

8.1 Objectives ‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐ 52 8.2 Short‐Term Action Items ‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐ 52 8.3 Mid‐Term Action Items ‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐ 57

9. GOAL: MARKET STRATEGICALLY AND INNOVATIVELY, BASED ON SOUND RESEARCH ‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐ 59

9.1 Objectives ‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐ 59 9.2 Short‐Term Action Items ‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐ 62 9.3 Mid Term Action Items ‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐ 66 9.4 Long‐Term Action Items ‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐ 67

10. GOAL: FACILITATE DEVELOPMENT OF NORTHEASTERN ONTARIO PRODUCTS AND EXPERIENCES ‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐ 68

10.1 Objectives ‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐ 68 10.2 Short‐Term Action Items ‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐ 69 10.3 Mid‐Term Action Items ‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐ 71 10.4 Long‐Term Action Items ‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐ 72

11. GOAL: BECOME A RESOURCE TO DIRECT WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT AND INVESTMENT ATTRACTION OPPORTUNITIES ‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐ 73

11.1 Objectives ‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐ 73 11.2 Short‐Term Action Items ‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐ 73 11.3 Mid‐Term Action Items ‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐ 74 11.4 Long‐Term Action Items ‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐ 74

12. MARKETING ACTION PLAN ‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐ 75

12.1 Introduction ‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐ 75

Three‐Year Strategic Plan and Marketing Plan PKF Consulting Inc. Prepared for: Northeastern Ontario Tourism in association with Birchbark Media April 2014 PKF Consulting Canada

13. IMPLEMENTATION PLAN ‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐ 84

13.1 Introduction ‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐ 84 13.2 Organizational Resources ‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐ 84 13.3 Pathway for Implementation ‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐ 84

APPENDIX A: Operator Survey Results – Open‐Ended Questions APPENDIX B: Recommendations for Digital Content Marketing Strategy, Sample Social Media ROI Calculator & Sample Content Calendar Template

Three‐Year Strategic Plan and Marketing Plan PKF Consulting Inc. Prepared for: Northeastern Ontario Tourism in association with Birchbark Media April 2014 PKF Consulting Canada

1. Introduction Lake, Ontario in November 2011 to identify the optimum organizational approach to support the implementation of the 5‐year Northern Ontario Tourism Strategy for 2012 to 2017. Industry consensus was reached to 1.1 Organizational Background establish one lead organization to represent the interests of Region 13A (Northeastern Ontario) geographical area, as a means to grow tourism

receipts across the region in a strategic manner. The consensus, Northeastern Ontario Tourism (NeONT) is an independent, industry‐led referred to as The Elk Lake Accord 2011, recognized the many benefits and not‐for‐profit organization that supports the tourism sector in to a one lead approach, namely to: Region 13A – Northeastern Ontario.

 Reduce duplication; The Regional Tourism Organization now known as Tourism Northern  Clarify access to industry partners; Ontario (TNO or RTO 13) was created in response to recommendations  Streamline decision‐making; from the 2009 report, Discovering Ontario: a report on the future of tourism, through the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Sport (MTCS).  Be responsive to the marketplace; TNO represents Northern Ontario – and was the only region divided into  Provide opportunities for closer integration of rural and urban sub‐regions (13A, 13B, 13C) due to geographic size and the North’s priorities and experiences; unique marketing and travel corridors.  Provide an effective and efficient use of existing budgets/resources; Prior to 2013, Northeastern Ontario Tourism (NeONT) was operating  Provide a broader reach/leverage; and under a Transitional Team, made up of regional stakeholders and  Support alignment, cascading and coordination as part of the 1 industry representatives, who were mandated to provide marketing for 2012‐2017 Northern Ontario Tourism Strategy. Northeastern Ontario (Region 13A) on behalf of Tourism Northern Ontario, including: The Transitional Team for Region 13A was responsible for developing a Business Plan and 2‐year Marketing Plan, and NeONT was officially 1. Ontario Near North incorporated with its own Board of Directors in April 2013. 2. Rainbow Country 3. Ontario Wilderness Region In 2013, NeONT was officially contracted under a Memorandum of 4. City of North Bay Understanding (MOU) with TNO to provide Marketing for the 5. City of Greater Sudbury Northeastern Ontario sub‐region. Unlike NorthCentral Ontario (Region 6. City of Timmins 13B) and Northwestern Ontario (Region 13C) – both of which have 2 destination marketing organizations providing marketing support to Industry stakeholders and leaders from each of the Northeastern Ontario cities and regional tourism organizations came together in Elk 1 Elk Lake Accord 2011 Final Report, pg. 2 Three‐Year Strategic Plan and Marketing Plan PKF Consulting Inc. Prepared for: Northeastern Ontario Tourism in association with Birchbark Media April 2014 Page 1 PKF Consulting Canada

their respective region on a rural vs. urban basis – NeONT’s mandate  Workforce Development / Training covers marketing for the entire Region 13A. The 3 major cities of Northeastern Ontario – Greater Sudbury, North Bay and Timmins, Part of the Board’s interest in the subject Strategic Planning initiative together with a number of smaller municipalities have also become has been to determine whether NeONT has the capacity and resources partners in NeONT, and pay fees based on a per capita calculation. to be involved in all four strategic pillar areas, particularly since the organization is only mandated by TNO to provide marketing services for 1.2 Project Background Northeastern Ontario.

NeONT retained the services of PKF Consulting Inc., in association with In order to set a strong direction for the new organization as an Birchbark Media, for the completion of a Three‐Year Strategic Plan and incorporated entity, NeONT’s Executive Director and Board of Directors Marketing Plan in November 2013. retained the services of a third party consulting firm to develop an overall Tourism Strategic Plan for the organization, inclusive of a Marketing Plan that is closely aligned with the best bet markets for 1.3 Project Scope and Work Plan Northeastern Ontario. As part of this process, NeONT was looking for clarification on the vision and mission of the organization. The subject Three‐Year Strategic Plan and Marketing Plan incorporates extensive consultation within Northeastern Ontario’s tourism sector, The Vision for NeONT, which was established in April 2013, is: recommendations to refresh the existing business plan, and a plan to enhance relationships with industry partners and improve To ensure Northeastern Ontario’s tourism sector is recognized as a key communication among industry stakeholders. economic driver through the results of marketing, capacity building, product development, and investment attraction programs. The project team has worked with NeONT’s Board and Executive Director to develop a Three‐Year Tourism Strategic Plan aimed at The 4 key “result areas” highlighted in NeONT’s vision were derived achieving a more competitive and sustainable regional tourism industry from the mandate given by MTCS to all RTOs in order to guide tourism in Northeastern Ontario and better management efficiencies. growth initiatives. According to the funding guidelines provided to the RTOs by MTCS, RTOs are expected to use Ministry funding to develop The project has involved two phases: and deliver strategies to support the following destination management priorities (strategic pillars):  Phase 1 – Stakeholder Engagement and Organizational Assessment  Marketing  Phase 2 – Preparation / Review of Tourism Strategic Plan and  Tourism Product Development Marketing Plan  Investment Attraction / Investor Relations Three‐Year Strategic Plan and Marketing Plan PKF Consulting Inc. Prepared for: Northeastern Ontario Tourism in association with Birchbark Media April 2014 Page 2 PKF Consulting Canada

The study workplan has included the following steps: February 19‐24, 2014 to gain feedback on survey results and strategic directions for NeONT;  Discussions with key stakeholders including but not necessarily limited to: NeONT Board members, committee leads, and staff;  Identification of key target markets and tourism product and experience needs for Region 13A;  A review of Annual Business Plans, Marketing Strategies and Product Development Plans for both Northeastern Ontario and  Travel to Timmins and Sudbury to host 2 Strategic Planning Northern Ontario overall (Region 13); Sessions with NeONT’s Board of Directors and Executive Director;

 A review of NeONT’s 2013/2014 operating budget and  Development of a Draft 3‐Year Strategic Plan and Marketing Plan; 2014/2015 forecast;  Hosting a webinar to review the Draft Plans with Board of  A review of the most recent Statistics Canada’s Travel Survey of Directors and Executive Director; and Residents in Canada (TSRC) and International Travel Survey (ITS) for visitor volumes to Region 13A in 2011;  Integration of mutually agreeable changes into the subject Final 3‐Year Strategic Plan and Marketing Plan, and incorporation of an  Discussions with Executive Directors at comparable Regional Implementation Plan. Tourism Organizations across Ontario and best practice assessment; The following report provides the results of all research and analysis, which has been incorporated into a Final 3‐Year Strategic Plan and  An overview of the roles and responsibilities of key organizations Marketing Plan, and Implementation Plan. involved in marketing and promotion of tourism products and experiences in Northeastern Ontario;

 Distribution and analysis of an online survey to tourism operators and interested community stakeholders (203 completed responses) to assess the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats related to tourism marketing, product development, workforce development and investment attraction;

 Organization and facilitation of 3 webinars with 77 registered industry stakeholders and tourism decision‐makers from

Three‐Year Strategic Plan and Marketing Plan PKF Consulting Inc. Prepared for: Northeastern Ontario Tourism in association with Birchbark Media April 2014 Page 3 PKF Consulting Canada

2. Northeastern Ontario Regional Tourism  CD 51: Manitoulin District;  CD 52: Sudbury District; Assessment  CD 53: Sudbury Regional Municipality:  CD 54: Timiskaming District; and 2.1 Defining the Volume and Value of Tourism  CD 56: Cochrane District (northeastern portion).

The volume and value of tourism in Canada is measured by Statistics Canada through 2 primary surveys: the Travel Survey of Residents of Canada (TSRC) and International Travel Survey (ITS). In turn, the Ontario Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Sport (MTCS) customizes the data to reflect specific sub‐regional provincial regions and the formats required by MTCS’s Tourism Regional Economic Impact Model (TREIM).

In Canada, a domestic tourist is someone who took an “out‐of‐town” trip for one or more nights, or a same day out‐of‐town trip that took him/her at least 40 km one‐way from his/her home. As detailed in the following section, the significant proportion of domestic tourists travelling to Northeastern Ontario is directly attributable to the large geographic area represented by this region.

2.2 Region 13A Market Area Source: http://www.mtc.gov.on.ca/en/regions/regions.shtml

In 2011, MTCS created thirteen new tourism regions as one of the first The following market assessment has been based on the 2011 TSRC and recommendations to be implemented from the Discovering Ontario ITS survey results for Region 13A. report. Northern Ontario (Region 13) was divided into three sub‐ regions, recognizing unique products, markets and travel corridors 2.3 Total Tourist Volumes in 2011 within the region.

Region 13A (Northeastern Ontario) includes the following Census In 2011, Northeastern Ontario (Region 13A) attracted approximately 4.4 Divisions: million same‐day and overnight trips, of which 51% (2.2 million) were  CD 48: Nipissing District (excluding Algonquin Park); overnight visits. Three‐Year Strategic Plan and Marketing Plan PKF Consulting Inc. Prepared for: Northeastern Ontario Tourism in association with Birchbark Media April 2014 Page 4 PKF Consulting Canada

TABLE 2‐1 purpose of shopping, or for other personal reasons, such as medical 2011 Tourism Volumes to Region 13A appointments in one of the region’s three major urban centres. Length of Stay Total Visits % Same Day Person Visits 2,131,000 49% TABLE 2‐2 Overnight Person Visits 2,221,000 51% Main Purpose of Trip: 2011 Tourism Volumes to Total Person Visits 4,351,000 100% Region 13A Source: TSRC/ITS 2011, Statistics Canada, MTCS Main Purpose of Trip Total Visits % Visiting Friends & Relatives (VFR) 1,908,000 44% Close to 1‐in‐every‐3 visitors to 13A visited either the Sudbury CMA or Pleasure 1,296,000 30% Nipissing District. Cochrane District was the third most popular Business 463,000 11% destination within Region 13A, while the Sudbury, Manitoulin and Other Personal 369,000 8% Timiskaming Districts each attracted 8‐9% of total visitors to the Region. Shopping 316,000 7% Total Person Visits 4,351,000 100% Source: TSRC/ITS 2011, Statistics Canada, MTCS

2.5 Place of Residence and Key Markets

Residents of Northeastern Ontario generated close to 55% of total tourist visits to RTO 13A in 2011 (2.4 million trips), while the rest of Northern Ontario represented another 13% of overall visits. Visitors from Southern Ontario comprised 32%, United States accounted for about 3%, and overseas represented 1% of travel to RTO 13A. The Greater Toronto Area was the largest origin of visitors from Southern Ontario (over 30%), with the remainder of visitors from Southern Source: TSRC/ITS 2011, Statistics Canada, MTCS Ontario spread out among its regions.

2.4 Main Purpose of Trip

The majority of trips to Region 13A in 2011 were made to visit friends and relatives (44%), followed by pleasure reasons (30%), and business purposes (11%). The balance of trips were made for the primary Three‐Year Strategic Plan and Marketing Plan PKF Consulting Inc. Prepared for: Northeastern Ontario Tourism in association with Birchbark Media April 2014 Page 5 PKF Consulting Canada

TABLE 2‐3 The Golden Horseshoe, which includes the Toronto, Hamilton, St. 2011 Tourism Volumes to RTO 13A by Origin Catharines‐Niagara and Oshawa CMAs, totalled 641,000 visitors in 2011 Place of Residence Total Visits % or 15% of all visits to Region 13A.

Northeastern Ontario (13A) 2,363,000 54%

Rest of Northern Ontario 202,000 4% TABLE 2‐4 Southern Ontario 1,421,000 33% 2011 Top Tourist Markets to Region 13A Rest of Canada 203,000 5% Place of Residence Total Visits % US 136,000 3% Overseas 27,000 1% CD56: Cochrane District 1,022,000 23% Total Person Visits 4,351,000 100% CMA580: Sudbury 712,000 16% Source: TSRC/ITS 2011, Statistics Canada, MTCS CMA535: Toronto 421,000 10% CD48: Nipissing District 306,000 7% Key markets for travel to RTO 13A include: Cochrane District (1 million CD52: Sudbury District 203,000 5% trips), followed by Sudbury CMA, Toronto CMA, Nipissing District, CD57: Algoma District 176,000 4% Algoma District, Halton Regional Municipality and Ottawa‐Hull CMA. CD24: Halton Regional Municipality 132,000 3%

CMA505: Ottawa‐Hull 127,000 3% Total Person Visits 4,351,000 100% Source: TSRC/ITS 2011, Statistics Canada, MTCS

2.6 Seasonality

Approximately two‐thirds of tourists visited RTO 13A during the April to September period in 2011, with the balance of travel equally shared between the January to March and October to December periods.

Three‐Year Strategic Plan and Marketing Plan PKF Consulting Inc. Prepared for: Northeastern Ontario Tourism in association with Birchbark Media April 2014 Page 6 PKF Consulting Canada

2.7 Key Visitation Indicators by District

Figure 2‐3 provides a summary of key visitation indicators for Region 13A by the 6 major district areas.

Roofed commercial accommodation (hotels, motels, commercial cottages and cabins, bed and breakfast establishments and other forms of roofed commercial lodging) accounted for approximately one‐quarter of overnight travel to Region 13A (1.6 million person nights).

About 80% of available rooms in the Region are located in the 3 largest population bases of Sudbury CMA, Nipissing District (City of North Bay) Source: TSRC/ITS 2011, Statistics Canada, MTCS and Cochrane District (City of Timmins).

Figure 2‐3 2011 Key Visitation Indicators for Region 13A by District

Visitor Spending 14% 31% 24% 7% 12% 12% Cochrane District

Total Available Rooms 25% 29% 26% 8% 5% 8% Sudbury CMA Nipissing District

Total Population 19% 42% 22% 6% 3% 8% Sudbury District Manitoulin District Total Visitors 16% 29% 30% 8% 9% 8% Timiskaming District

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%

Source: TSRC/ITS 2011, Statistics Canada, MTCS

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Cochrane and Nipissing Districts achieved smaller shares of overall TABLE 2‐5 visitor spending in the Region in comparison to total visitors, as did Detailed Activities on Trip to Northeastern Ontario in 2011 Sudbury District, while the Sudbury CMA, Manitoulin District and Activity Total Visits % Timiskaming District all received larger shares of spending relative to Any Outdoor/Sports Activity 1,161,000 27% total visitors. Boating 449,000 10% Manitoulin Island in particular makes up 3% of Region 13A’s population Fishing 428,000 10% base, but received 9% of visitors to the Region in 2011, and 12% of National/Provincial Nature Parks 165,000 4% visitor spending. This is commensurate with the larger number of Conventions & Conferences 126,000 3% activities and smaller geographic area of this District. Sports Events 98,000 2% Historic Sites 98,000 2% 2.8 Activities on the Trip Downhill Skiing/Snowboarding 95,000 2% Cultural Performances 86,000 2% Over one‐quarter of the 4.3 million visitors to Region 13A in 2011 took Museums/Art Galleries 83,000 2% part in outdoor activities while on their trip, with the most popular Golfing 67,000 2% activities including: boating, fishing, and going to nature parks. Boating Casinos 61,000 1% and fishing alone accounted for 20% of total person trips to Festivals/Fairs 48,000 1% Northeastern Ontario or 877,000 visits, pointing to significance of this Hunting 42,000 1% premier product/experience for the region. Zoos/Aquariums/Botanical Gardens 27,000 1%

Attending conventions & conferences and organized sporting events Theme Parks 21,000 1% were the next most popular activities at 5% of overall visitation. Total Person Trips 4,351,000 100% Source: TSRC/ITS 2011, Statistics Canada, MTCS The following table outlines the most significant sources of visitation to Northeastern Ontario by activity. It should be noted that the total Statistics Canada research has played a strong role in determining the 5 number of visitors specifically engaged in recreational motorsports, pillar areas in which NeONT has forecasted its marketing activities for such as snowmobiling and motorcycling, was not provided in the 2014/2015, as agreed on with TNO. These areas are: Statistics Canada data.  Attractions & Festivals  Meetings, Conventions & Sport Tourism  Nature & Outdoors  Fishing & Hunting Three‐Year Strategic Plan and Marketing Plan PKF Consulting Inc. Prepared for: Northeastern Ontario Tourism in association with Birchbark Media April 2014 Page 8 PKF Consulting Canada

 Motorsports & Touring various potential “high‐yield” market segments of Northern Ontario’s tourism sector. The resulting analysis has some interesting implications The budgets attributed to each of these areas will be further reviewed for Northeastern Ontario and the subject strategic planning process. in Section 7 of this report. The following chart highlights key indicators from this analysis, and 2.9 Region 13A’s Share of Northern Ontario relevant data for Region 13A.

In 2011, there were 7.9 million visits to Region 13, representing 5.7% of total visits to Ontario. Visitors to Region 13 spent $1.4 Billion, accounting for 6.8% of total visitor spending in Ontario. Region 13A accounted for the largest proportion of visits and spending in Region 13 at $655 Million.

TABLE 2‐6 Region 13A's Share of Region 13 and Ontario Visitation in 2011 Visits Visitor Spending Region (millions) ($Billions) Ontario 138.8 $20.8 Region 13 7.9 $1.4 Region 13 proportion of Total Ontario 5.7% 6.8% Region 13A 4.3 $0.7 Region 13A proportion of Region 13 55.0% 46.8% Source: TSRC/ITS 2011, Statistics Canada, MTCS

2.10 Region 13A’s Share of Specialty Activity Areas

As a means to increase tourism and fulfill goals set out in the 2012‐2017 RTO13 Tourism Marketing Strategy, TNO has retained the services of Research Resolutions & Consulting Ltd to undertake custom analysis of

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Market Segment Overnight Visitor Volumes to Characteristics Relevant to Region 13A Region 13A (% of RTO 13) High Yield Avid  90,000 visitors (27% of RTO13)  Fishing is a premier product for Northeastern Ontario – people come to the area Anglers  $57.1 Million (24% of RTO13) specifically to fish (Northern Ontario overall attracts anglers at 4 times the rate of all  US Avg spend = $2,360/trip overnight tourists)  CDN Avg spend = $920/trip  Most anglers in Northern Ontario are Canadian, but Americans are higher yield (stay 1 night longer on average)  Most avid anglers are older men (average age is 52 years), but future growth is expected from young people and women  Fly‐fishing attracts new anglers at a higher rate than freshwater anglers, and tends to attract higher incomes and education levels, who will travel farther  Region 13A does not have direct access to the US, which is a challenge – but 13A is the most successful in attracting overnight visits (60% Ontario, 40% US)  Ensuring the fishing experience presented exceeds standards for lodging, food and beverage, retail, etc. is very important for retaining this market High Yield Nature‐  64,000 visitors (35% of RTO13)  Over half of the high yield Nature‐Based Tourists to Region 13A are Ontario residents Based Tourists (use  $22.0 Million (33% of RTO13) (55%), and 19% American paid roof lodging)  US Avg spend = $860/trip  About 1/5 of RTO 13’s overnight tourists were engaged in an outdoor activity – BUT  CDN Avg spend = $630/trip Ontario cannot attract Nature‐Based tourists at the same rate as the western Provinces ‐ therefore high‐yield market share is smaller  Emerging trend of “glamping” is a strong opportunity area for Region 13A (with existing establishments in Timmins, Mattawa) – way to attract tourists who want to engage in outdoor activities but don’t want to “rough it”  Tourists tend to be older in Northern Ontario (average age 55) – opportunity to sell more passive outdoor experiences focus on authentic experiences and wellness  Opportunity to attract young outdoor‐oriented tourists with short, active adventure Other Nature‐Based  335,000 visitors (51% of RTO13)  Region 13A captures the highest volume of Other Nature‐Based Tourists and the Tourists (do NOT use  $67.9 Million (53% of RTO13) greatest share of spending in Northern Ontario paid roof lodging)  US Avg spend = $400/trip  This segment represents two to three times the amount of revenue that is generated by  CDN Avg spend = $260/trip the high‐yield segment for NE Ontario

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Snowmobile Tourists  30,000 visitors (37% of RTO13  Most promising target markets for snowmobile tourists in Northern Ontario are overnight visits) Canadians in Ontario & Manitoba, and near‐border states – but most American  $8.7 Million (37% of RTO13) snowmobile tourists have not travelled to Canada in the past 2 years, and most travel  CDN Avg spend = $330/trip north‐south (more difficult for Region 13A to attract)  Hard to attract tourists from near markets because they have similar terrain – domestic tourists only travel for 2‐4 nights, and require extra time/fuel to get to Northern Ontario (cost and access issues)  Appealing to “casual” snowmobilers to engage in the activity as part of a “winter experience” might increase use of hotels/motels OR pair with ice fishing  Northeastern Ontario has strong snowmobile clubs, but there are issues with connectivity of trails, heavy reliance on volunteers, and aging grooming equipment – requirement for local community support North American  76,000 visitors to RTO 13 (28%  This is a very niche market (hard to attract new visitors) – but Northern Ontario captures Hunters to RTO13 of Ontario) 28% of the province’s North American hunters annually and 42% of their spending (US (Region 13A data not  $37.0 Million (42% of Ontario) contributes half of hunting revenues) available)  Combined NA Avg spend =  Most hunters in Northern Ontario are older men (average 55 years old), but it is $640/trip becoming more common for women ‐ opportunity to develop multi‐generational hunting trips and focus on “eat local” initiatives  Length of trip in Northern Ontario is on average 6 nights, and more hunters are on pleasure trips, but most nights are spend in unpaid lodging (i.e. private cottages)  Approximately 64% of all North American hunters in Region 13 live in Northern Ontario (49,000); other Ontario residents make up 20% (15,000), followed by Americans at 16% (12,000) – difficult to market inter‐region travel at the sub‐regional level, and Canada’s market is declining  American hunters tend to be more formally educated and affluent, but few have been to Canada – opportunity to attract new tourists from Texas & NY  About 8 in 10 hunters in Northern Ontario also go fishing on overnight pleasure trips = opportunity for co‐packaging North American  Est. 47,000 to 58,000 visitors to  Very small niche market for Northern Ontario Motorcycle Tourists RTO 13 (12,000‐14,500 in 13A)  About 40,000 motorcycle tourists live in Toronto and half have travelled to Northern (Region 13A data not Ontario = largest potential domestic market for the region available)  $16‐$20 Million in RTO 13 ($3‐  American motorcycle tourists make up 47% of this market, but are concentrated in “fair Three‐Year Strategic Plan and Marketing Plan PKF Consulting Inc. Prepared for: Northeastern Ontario Tourism in association with Birchbark Media April 2014 Page 11 PKF Consulting Canada

$4 Million in 13A) weather” regions (California & Texas)  Region 13C is the most successful in drawing US tourists  25% of Northern Ontario visitors and 20% of the spending took place in Region 13A  Most N.A. motorcycle tourists are middle aged men (35 to 64)  Motorcycling tends to be the primary purpose of trip for this market, but few Canadian tourists engage in other popular outdoor adventures (fishing, hiking, etc.), and they tend to prefer small family‐owned accommodations  Motorcycle sales are declining and more research is required to understand the nature of this activity market in Northern Ontario Source: Statistics Canada’s 2010 TSRC/2011 ITS data, Research Resolution analysis

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2.11 Summary An estimated 90,000 avid anglers visit Northeastern Ontario and stay in paid roof lodging annually, spending an estimated $57 Million. Northeastern Ontario has a premier fishing product, which should In 2011, Northeastern Ontario (Region 13A) attracted approximately 4.4 continue to be presented as such in order to attract new markets and million same‐day and overnight trips in 2011, of which 51% (2.2 million) increased spending. Research indicates that fly‐fishing attracts new were overnight visits. The majority of trips to Region 13A in 2011 were anglers at a higher rate than freshwater anglers, and that this market made to visit friends and relatives (44%). Residents of Northeastern tends to attract travellers with higher incomes and education levels, Ontario generated close to 55% of total tourist visits to RTO 13A in 2011 who will also travel farther. Furthermore, about 8 in 10 North American (2.4 million trips). hunters in Northern Ontario also go fishing on overnight pleasure trips, which presents the opportunity for more co‐packaging. Snowmobiling In terms of activities, over one‐quarter of the 4.3 million visitors to presents another opportunity for cross‐over with fishing ‐ as despite the Region 13A in 2011 took part in outdoor activities while on their trip, small yield from this market, Northeastern Ontario has a premier with the most popular activities including: boating and fishing (20% of product here as well. As such, there may be an opportunity to market overall person visits). Recent research conducted for TNO by Research to “casual” snowmobilers, as part of a “winter experience” paired with Resolutions on overnight visitation supports the strong potential of both ice fishing and hotel stays. nature‐based tourism and fishing as growth areas for tourism in Northeastern Ontario, particularly since they can both be linked to other The motorcycle market is not considered a high‐volume market for travel segments. Northeastern Ontario, and more research is required to understand the nature of these visitors. Many opportunities exist within the nature & outdoors segment. For instance, the emerging trend of “glamping” is a strong opportunity area for Region 13A, which has existing establishments in Timmins and Mattawa. Glamping may be an alternative between camping and hotel stay, presenting a way to attract tourists who want to engage in outdoor activities but don’t want to “rough it”. There are also opportunities to present more “passive” activity packages for older travellers (i.e. wellness), and shorter active outdoors packages aimed at attracting the younger “active adventure” market with an interest in nature and the outdoors. Region 13A captures the highest volume of Other Nature‐ Based Tourists and the greatest share of spending in Northern Ontario, and has not been identified as a key opportunity area for these other regions from a marketing perspective. As such, the opportunity exists for NeONT to focus on this segment, while linking it to other pillar areas. Three‐Year Strategic Plan and Marketing Plan PKF Consulting Inc. Prepared for: Northeastern Ontario Tourism in association with Birchbark Media April 2014 Page 13 PKF Consulting Canada

3. What We Heard: Stakeholder Input  Inform tourism operators, various groups and individuals about the commencement of the strategic planning project;

The Three‐Year Strategic Plan and Marketing Plan have been developed  Garner support for the strategic directions, goals and objectives through extensive consultation with the public and a range of regional of the planning initiative through inclusion of stakeholders; and local stakeholders (business, public, private and not‐for‐profit), through a variety of means.  Identify regional tourism products, experiences and opportunity areas; and The following section represents a summary of information received from the project consultation process. The views expressed in this  Identify and discuss opportunities and priorities for the section of the report do not reflect the views and opinions of the development of tourism in Timmins including the role of the consulting team. The names of the individual participants are excluded community and municipality in supporting the tourism sector. to respect the privacy of the individuals and their opinions. The intent of this section is to present a transcript of the views expressed The key components of the consultation process have been: throughout stakeholder interviews, event outreach and the online survey.  Interviews with key industry stakeholders;  An online survey geared to tourism operators; and The information obtained from these consultations has been used,  Webinars geared towards gaining strategic direction from together with other research, to help develop the overall suite of industry stakeholders and decision‐makers. actions, recommended goals and objectives, and other aspects of the Strategic Plan and Marketing Plan as relevant. PKF Consulting and Birchbark Media are not responsible for comments provided to us and 3.1.1 Methodology: Stakeholder Interviews – NeONT Board reproduced in this document. Further, we do not warrant the accuracy Members / Government Agencies / Comparable RTOs of any information provided to us during the consultation.

3.1 Approach to Stakeholder Consultations Stakeholder interviews presented an opportunity to have very pointed discussions with a range of stakeholders in Northeastern Ontario’s tourism sector, including: Throughout the months of December 2013 to February 2014, consultations were held with representatives of tourism organizations,  NeONT staff, Board members and marketing committee leads; tourism operators, municipal and regional stakeholders and the public  Ministry of Tourism, Culture & Sport; at large with regard to the Three‐Year Strategic Plan and Marketing  FedNor; Plan. The primary objectives of the consultation process were to:  Ontario Tourism Marketing Partnership (OTMPC); and

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 Executive Directors at comparable Regional Tourism distributed and advertised through NeONT. Hard copies of the surveys Organizations (RTOs) were also made available at the NeONT’s office in Sudbury.

Discussions were geared specifically to considerations regarding the A total of 1,250 operators were contacted via email and 203 completed four strategic pillars mandated by the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and surveys were received in house. Sport, and how to align NeONT’s strategic directions moving forward. These discussions also presented an opportunity to gain input on best 3.1.3 Methodology: Webinars practices in other destinations. A full presentation was prepared and presented via webinar specifically With respect to best practices, a total of 7 RTOs were contacted over to gain input from tourism sector decision‐makers. The purpose of the the December 2013 to January 2014 period, including: webinars was to give stakeholders an opportunity to:

 RTO3 – The Heart of Ontario (Maria Fortunato)  Provide their feedback on results of the online survey regarding  RTO4 – Huron, Perth, Waterloo & Wellington (David Peacock) strategic directions for NeONT;  RTO9 – The Great Waterway (Libby Smith)  Discuss tourism opportunities in Northeastern Ontario;  RTO12 – Explorer’s Edge (James Murphy)  Give input on partnership opportunities for NeONT; and  RTO13 – Tourism Northern Ontario (David McLaughlin)  Participate in narrowing the strategic directions for driving  RTO13B – Algoma Country (Carol Caputo) tourism to Northeastern Ontario.  RTO13C – Sunset Country (Gerry Cariou) A total of 77 registrants participated in three webinars, which were 3.1.2 Methodology: Online Survey hosted on February 19th, 20th and 24th, 2014.

An online survey was developed by the consulting team (in both English and French) for distribution to tourism operators throughout Northeastern Ontario for the purpose of determining how NeONT can better assist tourism businesses and create value for the tourism industry in Northeastern Ontario, and how to align the organization’s strategic directions going forward.

The surveys were made available via weblink to the public as of January 24, 2014 and were closed on February 7, 2014. The online survey was

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3.2 Results: NeONT Board Members Category Description of Issue Sample Comments NeONT’s Vision  Board is divided on priority  Should NeONT “lead” or “support” other organizations’ efforts under each pillar? areas for the 4 Strategic  What are priorities for 4 pillars? (i.e. Marketing #1?) Pillars (Marketing, Product  Wants to see NeONT involved in more innovation Development, Workforce  Going forward, NeONT needs to coordinate with TNO to avoid duplication Development, Investment  Overall goal of NeONT tied to MTCS mandate = to increase tourism receipts Attraction)  Need to determine what drives people to NE Ontario (Urban vs. Rural) Marketing  Are the 5 Best‐Bet Markets  TNO mandated 5 best bet markets, but we are not sure how to prioritize our activities the right markets? ‐ Meetings, Events, Sports – should this be a city initiative?  NeONT needs a formal ‐ How do we market to the corporate travellers? marketing strategy, better ‐ Where are aboriginal, francophone, cultural tourism? tracking and communications  We are not balancing traditional marketing tactics and market/geographic segments with new ideas – seem to focus on traditional methods (sport shows and print guides)  Minimal input on how marketing initiatives are currently being tracked  General concern that there are disconnects in the committee/staff/board relationships  Need for an internal and external communication strategy  Do we have the right branding – does it cover urban and rural? Product  NeONT needs to set up  Product development is not a current area of focus, but it should be Development committee and develop a  Need to set up committee and make it a priority strategy for product  Need to consider what’s already in progress – TNO study, other regional efforts development  Need to focus on generating overnight stays  Confusion as to the purpose  Opportunity to link urban and rural operators and experiences of the Meridian online  Is it NeONT’s role to develop Best Bet regional experiences? booking system  Interest in itinerary/experience based travel  Opportunity to engage with Aboriginal Tourism Ontario and other First Nation partners  Opportunity to work with private entities (not just sponsorship)  Confusion amongst board members as to current status of rollout of Meridian system  Need to create a communication plan for operators  Concern regarding the cost of the Meridian system to NeONT

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Workforce  Longer term commitment for  This pillar is dependent on marketing and product development goals Development NeONT  Potential for NeONT to facilitate TNO initiatives  Potential for training to drive careers in hospitality/tourism  First Nations unemployment provides opportunity for matching low skilled workers to entry level tourism jobs – NeONT can work with CTHRC Investment  Divided issue regarding  Divided issue for Board – i.e. EDOs already involved Attraction commitment level  Perhaps NeONT needs to be a “connector” – act as a resource for people to contact  Potential opportunities for funding with First Nation Impact Benefit Agreements tied to natural resource projects – i.e. travel service development Partnership  Need to figure out where the  Source funding opportunities, i.e. MTCS, FedNor, OTMPC, NOHFC, Ontario Parks, Generation opportunities are, and a municipalities, regional organizations (Great Spirit Circle Trail), universities/colleges strategy for using partner  Partnership opportunities will be driven by other marketing and product development funds initiatives  Need strategy for funding when its available  Consider different approaches to partnership generation (communication) Other Issues  Should NeONT take on other  Other potential strategic directions include: resource management, tourism strategic directions? service/infrastructure improvements, industry advocacy, lobbying/accessing funds for  What are organizational local businesses strengths/challenges?  Concerns over reporting process of staff, committee structure, and role of Board in  Communication challenges approving staff initiatives  Need a more formal communication structure (i.e. within the organization and with our members/operators)

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3.3 Results: Comparable RTO Interviews Category Key Messages Best Practices / Observations Marketing  Need strong action plan and  Developing individual URL’s by experience cluster (i.e. fly fishing in Algoma Country) is an methods for tracking success easy way to track visitors and activity areas  Marketing activities need to be  Strong internet & social media focus (mobile apps, etc.), less benefit from tied to Product Development sport/consumer shows  Need to leverage DMO  Hire agency of record for branding strategy VS no branding activities  Most DMOs produce guides, RTO’s role should be focused on technology as opposed to producing regional print materials  Engage industry through committees; encourage communication between committees  Important to have an asset inventory in place  Cities are working on M&C and sport tourism strategies – not a regional role  Need to leverage DMO work on guides/maps, and branding initiatives Product  Meridian System is good for  3 of 7 RTOs are using Meridian online booking system (1 tried and rejected it); all are Development tracking, but requires offering it free for the first 1‐3 years resources  Benefits of Meridian system: good for tracking, leads to packaging  Drive product development  Challenges of Meridian system: reaching/training small operators, needs to be initiatives through partnership customized (built for hotels), staff requirements funding  Product development initiatives are primarily being driven through private and public  Develop “Best Bet” regional sector sources, as opposed to MTCS (i.e. FedNor or city, etc.) experience clusters  All RTOs are leveraging MTCS partnership funds  Important to get municipal and industry stakeholder feedback in developing “best bet” regional experience clusters – helps to define regional assets and link urban‐rural  Most RTOs are involved in creating inventories of products/experiences in their regions  Examples of tour routes: Ride Lake Superior (RTO13B), Ride the Edge (RTO12), Hiking the Waterfalls (RTO3), Shores of Lake Huron (RTO4), Heritage Areas/Towns (RTO4) Workforce  Limited budget for RTOs  Most RTOs have focused more on Marketing and Product Development Development  Most success in business  Example of successful achievements = training series for businesses, i.e. social media training workshops workshops  Need to consider seasonality ‐ when operators are available (Spring, Fall are best)  Need to get industry input and test it Three‐Year Strategic Plan and Marketing Plan PKF Consulting Inc. Prepared for: Northeastern Ontario Tourism in association with Birchbark Media April 2014 Page 18 PKF Consulting Canada

 Ability to track programs is very important  Leverage relationships with Chambers, regional labour boards, TIAO  Meridian system is an opportunity to train operators – product development and workforce development consideration Investment  Minimal commitment area for  Difficult for RTOs based on resources involved Attraction RTOs  Most feel this is role of IDO  Examples of successful achievements: ‐ Establish a database of contacts to direct investors ‐ Leverage partnerships with EDCO ‐ Create an asset management plan Other Issues  Review membership  Most RTOs charge a fee (DMOs and/or operators) fees/benefits  Fee can help to establish credibility with operators, and provide extra revenue (self‐  Develop good governance sustainability) BUT members have to see value  Develop strong Partnerships  Set up a policy board (not a working board) with Private and Public Sector  Need committees for Marketing & Product Development  Need strong communication  Set up Task Forces for specific partnership initiatives strategy (Internal & External)  Establish a “Partnership Team” or “Community Relations Committee” – talk about regional initiatives, get guest speakers  For partnership opportunities, request a business plan aligned with RTO mandate  Leverage DMO initiatives / partnership opportunities – do not duplicate DMO activities  Send a consistent message through the board, executive, committees, staff, etc.

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3.4 Results: Online Survey As of February 7, 2014, when the survey closed, 203 hospitality and tourism‐related operators in Northeastern Ontario had completed the online survey. The following charts outline the breakdown of operator respondents based on the nature of their business. Responses to all open‐ended questions posted in the online survey have been provided in Appendix A.

As shown, there was a range of both remote and urban‐based respondents. More seasonal businesses (39%) reflect the large number of lodges, resorts and cottage properties that responded to the survey (31%). Furthermore, the average annual customer base is between 500‐5,000 visitors, indicating that most respondents represented small properties.

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The following chart shows the respondents’ combined response to proposed budget allocations for NeONT based on strategic priority areas. The “priority areas” were derived from NeONT’s vision, and were defined for the operators as follows:

1) Marketing ‐ developing and implementing marketing tactics to promote the entire region (i.e. targetting "best bet" markets, media relations, digital and print communication, etc.); 2) Product Development ‐ connecting regional operators, stakeholders & communities to market interests, needs and intelligence (i.e. building packages, tour routes, etc.); 3) Capacity Building / Workforce Development ‐ cultivating the workforce through identification of resources and building knowledge and competencies (i.e. human resource/employee training, business seminars, etc.); and 4) Investment Attraction ‐ promoting and increasing tourism investment from within and outside the region (i.e. generating investor interest, directing investors to available sites, etc.)

As shown, the survey respondents identified that 47% of NeONT’s budget should be allocated to marketing, and 21% to product development, followed by investment attraction at 19% and workforce development at 13%.

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The following charts identify the respondents’ perception of the top tourism drivers for their own customer bases, as compared to where they see the top priority areas for NeONT to focus its marketing initiatives:

Top Priority Areas for NeONT Initiatives (n=192) 70%

60%

50%

40%

30%

20%

10%

0%

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The following charts identify the top 5 marketing vehicles that stakeholders use for promoting their own operations, as compared to where the respondents believe NeONT should focus its marketing dollars:

Other suggestions that the respondents felt NeONT should consider with respect to marketing activities have been detailed in Appendix A.

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With respect to product development initiatives, the following charts identify that the majority of respondents (59%) are already involved in packaging, and that 92% are willing to work on package initiatives if they aren’t already:

A list of existing package initiatives, and other suggested opportunity areas for product development in Northeastern Ontario have been detailed in Appendix A.

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With respect to workforce development and investment attraction, the following charts show the range of capacity building initiatives that are of interest to operators, and that one‐third of public sector organizations are currently involved in economic development initiatives related to tourism:

A range of other potential workforce development and investment attraction initiatives for NeONT, and a list of existing economic development initiatives currently underway in Northeastern Ontario, have been provided in Appendix A.

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With respect to NeONT partner business benefits, the survey indicated strong interest in directory listings (print and online), statistics / research, and communication. Respondents showed the least interest in call centre services, and buy‐in advertising with NeONT.

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The following charts show that only 30% of respondent businesses have an online reservation system. Of those who identified which reservations systems they use, less than half are true online reservation systems. An estimated 40% of operators were not aware that NeONT was implementing the Meridian system, but are interested in finding out more about the system, indicating that increased external communication may be required.

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3.5 Results: Webinars

The webinars were hosted on three separate occasions with a range of 25‐35 respondents per session, for a total of 77 registrants. Participants were given feedback from the online survey, and were asked to provide their feedback. The following charts provide a summary of the consolidated responses to each question.

Almost half of the webinar respondents indicated that NeONT should prioritize Marketing and Product Development, but should still be involved in Workforce Development and Investment Attraction initiatives. There was also a strong interest on the part of the participants for NeONT to focus its marketing priorities on a digital media strategy.

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Based on the top 5 tourism drivers identified by the survey respondents, the webinar respondents were asked to narrow down priorities for NeONT. As shown, Nature & Outdoors and Festivals & Events were identified as top priorities, followed by Fishing, Attractions & Touring/Motorsports. The majority of webinar respondents felt that NeONT should also be focusing on other tourism drivers from a marketing perspective, of which Culture / Arts / Heritage tourism, Sport Tourism / M&C / Corporate travel, and Family Vacations, were considered the most relevant and worthy of further research.

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The following charts highlight where the webinar respondents believe NeONT should be placing its priorities in the areas of product development, workforce development and ivnestment attraction:

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The following tables provide a long‐list of responses from the webinars with respect to potential strategic directions for NeONT, market‐ready product, and potential partnership opportunities. Best‐Bet Markets What are Northeastern Ontario’s “best bet” market‐ready products? • Lodge/resort experience packaged with urban centres and attractions; include activities such as: fishing, golfing, fine dining, museum, spa day, etc. • Motorcycle routes • Snowmobiling • Tour of Lake Timiskaming (partner with Abitibi Temiscamingue Tourism) • Fishing • Festivals and events • Sports tourism (municipalities to manage in conjunction with their community partners) • Science North / Dynamic Earth • Natural environment in general ‐ lakes, trails, natural surroundings, paddling, camping, hiking, wildlife watching, etc. • French River • Manitoulin Island – Cycling, 4th Manitoulin Passage Ride, MS Chi‐Cheemaun • Mining Tours and Cedar Meadows Wilderness Tours in Timmins • ONR’s Polar Bear Express • Chief Commanda and Ski Hill in North Bay • Historical Tours • Ontario Parks • Hunting (new bear hunt possibly) • Casinos • Outfitters ‐ wilderness tours • Eco‐tourism / Agri‐tourism / Culture and heritage tourism • Marine facilities • Heritage Silver Trail (Cobalt) • STATO Haunted Hustle • 5k, 10k and half marathon • New Liskeard Biker's Reunion • Great Spirit Circle Trail • Voyager Multi Use Trail System • Great Canadian Kayak Challenge

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Product Development Opportunities Where are NeONT’s key opportunity areas for product development?  Motorcycle tourism  Working with bus companies may provide an opportunity to help "new Canadians" explore their new home (Toronto area)  Develop a route around the mining theme  Continue work with the cultural tour of the Group of Seven  Assist tourism operators in the fish/hunt sector to improve product ‐ we need a refresh with the product we offer ‐ renewed investment in cabins, lodging, boats, guiding etc.  Continue to provide operators with idea/concepts to entice motorcycle market ‐ build tours of the region  Incorporate festivals and events into tour development  Need to be more involved in the snowmobiling product ‐ maintain the current trail system ‐ the region needs a significant investment to ensure this product is around into the future  Need a feature on NeONT’s website that is updated regularly with regional festivals and events, to provide information to people that are already in the region looking for something to do.  Create a program to assist organizers with marketing events  True outdoor opportunities for New Canadians and other urbanites seeking authentic experiences  Sport tourism development  Market rural areas within an hour’s drive of majors cities  Market the quiet beauty the north has to offer, and pair with Wellness, Nature, Organic, Fitness, hands on experiences to survive and discover: (Nature, Food, Agriculture, Geology, Geography, Biodiversity and Wholesomeness)  Focus on popularity of activities in reality TV shows, such as Survivorman  Aboriginal tourism products need to be developed to be sold to international tourists  Family Vacations  Four Season adventures  Facilitating connections between near‐ready products and existing best‐bet market ready products.  Developing links between existing strong product and lesser known products to extend length of stay and introduce lesser known product to visitors  Events/festivals (there are some unique ones)  Culinary tourism (wine/beer/liquor/syrup/berries)  Innovating the traditional tour experience with digital media/products  An all season attraction, in a gateway city such as North Bay or Sudbury....i.e. Casino, Indoor waterpark (i.e. Great Wolf Lodge)  Communication and online marketing, and better coordination between partners

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Partnership Opportunities Are there specific partnership opportunities / sources of funding that NeONT should consider?  Look to OTMPC, TNO and Northern Ontario Heritage Fund for opportunities to partner on initiatives that currently exist and may enhance NE Ontario strategies moving forward  Opportunities to enhance communications with sector specific groups by developing partnerships with organizations  Partnership with Abitbi‐Témiscamingue  FedNor and NOHFC could be possible funding partners (i.e. Event Partnerships Programming)  Create a corporate campaign to bring in major sponsor to assist with strategic priorities  Community Futures Development Corporation (CFDC) offices  Ontario Trillium Fund  Ministry of Health promotion  Working together with other RTOs and market Ontario together  Partnerships with Northwestern Quebec regions  Partnerships with communities within the region to promote existing products and programs (i.e. three major cities, let them take the lead on projects and we partner financially)  Build the partnerships of the hospitality and tourism sector ‐ provide a full list of all attractions, accommodations, outfitters, etc. and then up‐sell for packages or advertising  Looking at specialized clubs, i.e. Motorcycle tours, ATV tours, Amtrak train tours, Charity Clubs such as Rotary, Kinsmen, Lodges  Music festival bus tours  Colleges with tourism, culinary programs (i.e. Canadore College in North Bay)  Working with Chambers or Tourism organizations to assist them with their marketing efforts

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4. SWOT Analysis of Northeastern Ontario’s  Promotion of festivals and events, especially in major cities and communities, i.e. Great Canadian Kayak Challenge in Timmins Tourism Sector and Voyageur Days in Mattawa

4.1 Introduction  Premier fishing product presents lots of opportunities for co‐ packaging The following represents an assessment of the strengths and o Pre and post meeting/conference activities, additional opportunities, as well as challenges and threats to success of NeONT’s activities for hunters, “winter experience” with initiatives in Northeastern Ontario based on results of research and snowmobiling and ice fishing, etc. analysis, and stakeholder feedback.  Opportunities for joining with partner organizations already 4.2 Strengths / Opportunities obtaining funding in Region 13A: o Municipalities, First Nations communities, CFDC, etc.

 There is strong research coming out of TNO which can benefit  Opportunities for sourcing investment from organizations Northeastern Ontario (marketing, product development, focused on tourism and economic development in Northern packaging, etc.) Ontario:

o OTMPC Northern Office, NOHFC, etc.  Opportunity to create itineraries linking urban and rural based o FedNor – opportunities in the far north for experiential on research findings: tourism, projects with strong sustainability for the Examples: hotel stay before/after trip to fishing outpost, o region, particularly with traditional products industry links ‐ Dynamic Earth and real mining sites, etc.

 Opportunity to communicate with business travelers who make  Established transportation routes in Northeastern Ontario are up 11% of visitation – tell them what they can do while they’re o Highway access along 2 major corridors linking in the area (NeONT is currently working on a regional meeting Northeastern Ontario to major target markets facility guide) (GTA/Southern Ontario – north‐south, and

Quebec/Manitoba/US – east‐west)

o Air access through Timmins and Sudbury 4.3 Challenges / Threats

 Challenge to link the vast geography of Northeastern Ontario (urban/rural), which includes a range of products at different

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levels of market‐readiness (urban attractions, nature & outdoors, long winter, etc.)

 Challenge to attract tourists given competitive pressure from other Northern Ontario sub‐regions with similar products and experiences;

 Almost half of visitors are visiting for VFR purposes, and over half of all travelers originate from other parts of Northeastern Ontario – it is challenging to market to these tourists, need to have strong, well‐defined products and experiences;

 NeONT has limited capacity and resources which have been heavily geared towards marketing o Limited experience with product development, capacity building, etc.

 Limited communication between NeONT committees and committees each doing different initiatives, with no cohesive marketing strategy is restricting success of NeONT’s marketing initiatives;

 Lack of benchmarks for success and limited tracking mechanisms in place;

 Limited awareness of Meridian online booking system within NeONT and from the operators’ perspective – hard to reap benefits without awareness and participation.

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5. Strategic Assessment of NeONT’s the Plant Icons, Earthy Background, Cross Weave borders and Image Vignette. Usage of these visual identity pieces has been inconsistent. Marketing Structure Inconsistent use of the previously recommended visual elements of the brand hinders the goal of having potential travellers quickly recognize the Northeastern Ontario brand, weakening the overall branding

5.1 Introduction efforts.

The following section provides an assessment of the current situational Presently, print and digital projects are completed in‐house by staff at environment within which NeONT is currently functioning, and the core NeONT. objectives that NeONT will need to meet in order to succeed in growing tourism for Northeastern Ontario. 5.3 Marketing Strengths and Opportunities

5.2 Brand Analysis Northeastern Ontario, from a marketing perspective, is a blank slate to some extent. As per The Northern Ontario Tourism Marketing Strategy All current and historic branding/marketing initiatives for Northeastern 2012 – 2017, one of the key issues for Northern Ontario is: Image, Lack Ontario are strongly linked to memorable wilderness and outdoor of Familiarity and Level of Interest: adventures. Current visual branding, which includes the “legendary” positioning of NeONT, uses images showing anglers, hunters, outdoor  No increase in interest or intention to travel amongst either enthusiasts and novice campers exploring the region in their own Americans or Canadians in the past year unique way. The tone of the language used in supporting copywriting  No evidence of image improvement has emphasized these experiences by positioning them to travellers as  Viewed as a remote location with nature, fishing, hunting, epic and unforgettable. The consistent use of powerful images and hiking and camping effective copywriting has laid the foundation for successful branding of  Lack of familiarity and poor appreciation of differentiating NeONT. features  Appeals most strongly to the rest of the province where The easily recognizable Northeastern Ontario logo along with familiarity is greatest companion typefaces Ehmke and Cochin have also been successfully used across print and digital platforms. This creates a great opportunity for NeONT.

In addition to the use of iconic images portraying the wilderness of Focusing efforts on content marketing opens up the door to showcase NeONT, print and online advertising campaigns have previously used what NeONT truly has to offer in a targeted and affordable way.

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Through digital storytelling NeONT can change these perceptions and 5.4 Marketing Challenges and Threats make people more familiar with the region’s differentiating features before they travel. Compelling content will stand out more because of the lack of awareness and provide the motivation for target consumers NeONT faces significant challenges and threats to its marketing success to plan travel to NeONT. as it begins to lay the foundation of an emerging brand. As such, it is important to define and acknowledge these threats in the process of Target marketing, partnership and content marketing opportunities determining the most effective path forward, in the creation of a include, but are not limited to: dynamic marketing strategy formulated to best deal with reality as it exists.

 Building synergies with TNO; There are both perceived internal (e.g. organizational) and external (e.g.  Partnering opportunities with Ontario Parks; market force) threats to the success of a marketing strategy devised for  Promoting NeONT’s proximity to Southern ON/GTA/Golden NeONT. The most apparent and/or critical threats to NeONT's marketing Horseshoe (compared to 13B and C); success are as follows:  Focusing on experiences and destinations to differentiate and

define the brand; ● Poor communication: Perhaps the most glaring threat to  value proposition – Shining a light on NeONT’s unique NeONT's ability to achieving marketing success is the systemic marketing and brand awareness that will lead not only to lack of on‐going communication and reporting taking place increased tourism, but will soften the market for future between NeONT staff, board and various marketing workforce development and encourage investment attraction; committees. The entire NeONT contingent needs to embrace  Creating new synergies, partnerships, and product development and adhere to a structured approach to on‐going among stakeholders (proactive engagement); communication.  Partnering with clubs, associations and industry (e.g. with regard to activities such as RVing, snowmobiling, motorcycling, ● Lack of enthusiasm for the “Legendary” brand: The brand at etc.); this juncture does not elicit an overwhelmingly positive reaction  Gathering valuable metrics that will lead to a greater from the existing NeONT staff, board or marketing committees. understanding of tourism and visitation within the region and In the course of the strategy herein, there will be how/why/where dollars are being spent; and recommendations made regarding how to most effectively  Educating and transitioning campers into paid roof address the issue of consistent, effective brand modernization, accommodation visitors within the region. leveraging the existing “Legendary” brand guidelines.

● Not prioritizing, based on obvious strengths: It is a threat to the overall wellness of the NeONT brand for them to attempt to Three‐Year Strategic Plan and Marketing Plan PKF Consulting Inc. Prepared for: Northeastern Ontario Tourism in association with Birchbark Media April 2014 Page 37 PKF Consulting Canada

promote all stakeholders equally. There are times when it is unique content reflective of their identity. NeONT should seek much more advantageous to push to the forefront the to claim this unique identity through the promotion of best bet (perceived) greatest, unique attractions in order to generate a attractions, destinations, events and offerings from prominent more focused interest. As an example, the current guide books and strong stakeholders via the recommended marketing list all stakeholders regardless of whether or not they have a tactics. URL or provided a phone number. ● Establishment of the Meridian System: It will be a genuine ● Limited staff resources: Continuing to have NeONT staff challenge to get NeONT stakeholders to establish wide‐scale responsible for all creative asset creation poses a threat to the buy‐in of the online Meridian reservation system (widget). This overall success of marketing. NeONT staff, at present, do not requires a coordinated and planned effort which includes necessarily possess the technical skills to execute creative and promoting the benefits of establishing the Meridian System. have not been presented with clearly defined rules and guidelines for ongoing branding (the branding guidelines, as From an external perspective, NeONT’s primary competitive threats developed, are not being fully adhered to). include:

● Managing stakeholder expectations: It will be a challenge in  RTO 13B and 13C (important to establish brand differentiation); 2014 (the short term) to manage the expectations of stakeholders when so many foundational elements and strategy  Cottage country as it extends from southern ON (Muskoka, must be established. Stakeholders must be made aware of the Kawarthas, Haliburton Highlands, etc.); and foundation that must be laid, the on‐going process of developing and building a brand.  U.S. States within proximity (Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, and Illinois). ● Achieving stakeholder buy‐in: It will be a challenge to get buy‐ in from stakeholders and develop products that encourage In order to succeed, RTO13A must emphasize the true “value” to be cooperation and cross‐promotion. A greater degree of gained by visiting Northeastern Ontario. The cost differential between communication must exit out to the stakeholders as marketing experiencing the Canadian wilderness in either Southern or Central initiatives are launched and take root and a greater focus on Ontario is marked. There is also notable non‐monetary value to be product development can be engaged. gained: the purity, the untouched landscapes, escape from the crowds and experiencing a different pace and “vibe” that is unique to the ● Claiming a unique identity: It will be a challenge for NeONT to region. claim its own unique identity, separate from that of Northern Ontario. NeONT must begin to develop and foster its own

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5.5 Best Bet Target Markets Based on OTMPC Consumer Insight Research,2 the following 4 consumer segments are considered priority best bet markets for Northeastern Ontario, as they have specific demographic profiles that Based on the Phase 1 research and analysis, from a geographic match one or more of NeONT Marketing Pillars. These include: perspective, NeONT’s Best Bet Target Markets include: Family Memory Builders (Target Pillars = Nature & Outdoors, Festivals ● Southern Ontario/GTA. In particular, southwestern Ontario & Attractions) (London, Waterloo, Guelph, Kitchener);

 This segment is driven by families with children under 18 years

● U.S. markets within an 8 to 12 hour driving distance (Michigan, of age; Ohio, Minnesota, Indiana, and to some extent New York state);  They want a playful vacation centred around building family and memories and strengthening familial bonds;

 81% agree with the statement: “my life revolves around my ● Urban centres within Northeastern Ontario itself (Sault Ste. family”; Marie, Sudbury, North Bay, etc.).  92% agree with the statement: “the reason for travel is to

create lasting memories”; From a demographic / psychographic perspective, NeONT’s Best Bet  83% agree with the statement: “the reason for travel is to Target Markets are: enrich relationship with family”;

● “Avids” (enthusiasts), nature consumers seeking rest and  They represent roughly 10% of all traveller dollars spent and respite, often travelling in social groups; 14% of the market;  They are budget‐conscious (seek out value‐driven ● Boomers, empty nesters, urban adventure travellers seeking opportunities); relaxation, rejuvenation, and discovery. Families seeking “easy  Can be reached via traditional media and, increasing, digital to buy and use” outdoor adventures and child‐friendly family media; and bonding time; and  They represent 32% of travellers residing in Ontario.

● Young urban professionals, singles and couples, seeking respite from fast lifestyles, unexpected and new adventure experiences.

2 Ontario Tourism Marketing Partnership Corporation (OTMPC) Consumer Insight Research Segmentation Overview, 2012 Three‐Year Strategic Plan and Marketing Plan PKF Consulting Inc. Prepared for: Northeastern Ontario Tourism in association with Birchbark Media April 2014 Page 39 PKF Consulting Canada

Mellow Vacationers (Target Pillars = Nature & Outdoors, Festivals &  72% would agree that exploring and learning is a key benefit to Attractions, Motorsports/Touring) travel (as compared with 25% of total travellers);  57% have visited major tourist attractions (compared with 29%  This segment wants to unwind on vacation; of overall travellers);  They prefer relaxed and low‐key experiences;  44% want to feel “excited/exhilarated” on vacation (as  This group does not require itineraries, and does not want to do compared with 25% of overall travellers); and anything new or unusual;  A group for which digital media marketing/communication is  They want experiences that set them at ease; very effective (e.g. social media).  They are not activity‐oriented, often travel as a couple (and are, on average, of an older demographic); Nature Lovers (Target Pillar = Nature & Outdoors)  78% would agree that they are Quiet and introverted vacationers (emotional feelings while travelling);  A consumer segment that is attracted to outdoor experiences  67% of these travellers agree that they are “seekers of rest and aligned to Ontario's quintessential parks and lakes offering. relaxation”;  High interested in camping, and its associated activities (hiking,  They represent 15% of the market and 10% of all traveller fishing, canoeing, etc.). dollars spent;  They align with recreational outdoor activities, not necessarily  They represent 32% of travellers residing in Ontario; and the extreme aspects of the outdoors (e.g. avid anglers and  Most effectively reached via traditional media. hunters).  The travel style is best described as basic, with camping being Up and Coming Explorers (Target Pillars = Nature & Outdoors, Festivals prevalent. & Attractions)  79% express that they greatly enjoy outdoor recreational activities (as compared to 27% of total travellers).  A growing demographic comprised of 57% visible  71% say they stay in campgrounds or in a trailer (as compared minority/immigrant (as compared with 27% of overall with 7% of total travellers). travellers);  Demographic is of mid age (30s and 40s, primarily).  A youth‐oriented group that is on its way up in the world;  Represent 4% of overall travel dollars spent.  These travellers are emerging into a new stage of life, often categorized by greater affluence and new opportunities; In addition to these consumer markets, which NeONT should continue  Travel is not about connecting with family and friends; to target from a General Marketing perspective, NeONT should also  While these travellers want to be energetic and adventurous, target the Avid Anglers and North American Hunters for the Fishing & they often begin with visiting the core tourist attractions; Hunting Pillar, as described in Section 2.10 of this report.  Enjoy Ontario and its active outdoors; Three‐Year Strategic Plan and Marketing Plan PKF Consulting Inc. Prepared for: Northeastern Ontario Tourism in association with Birchbark Media April 2014 Page 40 PKF Consulting Canada

The following chart highlights the key target markets (geographic and 5.6 High-Level Recommendations for Three-Year demographic) for each of the NeONT marketing pillars, based on Marketing Plan Statistics Canada data and OTMPC Consumer Insight Research segmentation: Shifts in online consumer behaviour have made most forms of Nature & Southern Ontario, GTA & Ottawa, and US Border traditional online advertising outdated and less effective. As people Outdoors States; Nature Lovers, Family Memory Builders, Up and share their experiences and seek out the reviews, opinions and accounts Coming Explorers, Mellow Vacationers; High Yield of others before purchasing, marketing strategies need to be Nature‐Based Tourists (average age of 55); Other increasingly social media, multi‐media and content‐based. As our target Nature‐Based Tourists; “glamping” enthusiasts (young audiences become increasingly inundated with online content, they also couples from Ontario) become increasingly sophisticated at tuning out what is not relevant to Fishing & US Border States (i.e. NY, NJ); Southern Ontario & them. Because of this, we must be more strategic and creative with Hunting GTA; Avid and Recreational Anglers and North how we package and amplify our stories. American Hunters (mostly male groups); new growth markets (women, youth from Ontario) Developing key partnerships to facilitate high quality content creation, Motorsports Southern Ontario & GTA, Manitoba, Quebec and US as well as working with influential individuals and companies who are & Touring Border States; Snowmobile Tourists; North American experts in these channels will achieve the marketing goals set within this Motorcycle Tourists (i.e. CA, TX); Mellow Vacationers strategic plan. (older couples/“empty nesters”); Recreational motorsport enthusiasts (i.e. adult males and couples) NeONT is in process of building its brand, and laying the foundation for Festivals & Other Northern Ontario, GTA (young families and VFR); success. It is critical that NeONT receives buy‐in from individual Attractions US border states (families & couples coming to fish, stakeholders and expectations are managed appropriately. As such, see Nature); Mellow Vacationers, Family Memory NeONT staff should be creating an environment conducive to the future Builders, Up and Coming Explorers growth and prosperity of its stakeholders. Meetings, Local & Regional Business associations; association and Conventions independent meeting planners; Local stakeholders that From a marketing perspective, NeONT will serve in softening the & Sport serve on boards; prior meeting & conference delegates market, thus allowing stakeholders to make a greater impact with their Tourism and trade show exhibitors; Local Sport teams & own, individual marketing initiatives. associations (i.e. Other Northern Ontario teams & associations; Provincial Sports organizations; Athletes It will be critical to develop a comprehensive strategy for measurement and spectators) of ROI and drill‐down metrics with regard to all relevant facets of marketing (e.g. print, social media, etc.).

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Each initiative will require a strong call to action, whenever possible lead back to the most direct, effective point of conversion (e.g. Meridian).

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6. Fundamentals of the Three-Year 6.2 The Vision Strategic Plan and Marketing Plan for Northeastern Ontario Tourism is a key influencer in developing a thriving NeONT and sustainable tourism sector in Northeastern Ontario, which is recognized as a key economic driver for the region. 6.1 Introduction 6.3 Mission Statement

The Three‐Year Strategic Plan and Marketing Plan has been built on our strategic assessment of NeONT’s tourism sector, best practices at To build partnerships, increase visitor awareness, and develop strong comparable RTOs, stakeholder feedback, initiatives currently underway connections with sector stakeholders to increase tourism within through TNO, and the consulting team’s evaluation of NeONT as an Northeastern Ontario. organization. 6.4 Operating Principles NeONT to The following sections provide a three‐year framework for analyze tourism resources and partners, and to encourage tourism Northeastern Ontario Tourism is committed to: development and promotion throughout the Region.

• Collaborating, communicating and working with industry The Three‐Year Strategic Plan and Marketing Plan include the following partners and communities to develop strong programs that key components: support the sector and where appropriate to generate

additional resources for NeONT;

1. A Vision; 2. A Mission Statement; • Representing the diversity of the tourism sector within the 3. Operating Principles; region; 4. A set of Strategic Goals;

5. A set of Objectives underlying each Goal; • Remaining accountable through the efficient and responsible

6. A series of suggested Action Items to meet each Objective; utilization of resources; 7. A Year 1 Marketing Action Plan; and

8. A 3 year Implementation Plan identifying the actions, roles, • Undertaking initiatives that supplement, not replace, existing responsibilities, budgets and performance measurements efforts of regional DMOs and other tourism organizations; associated with each of the Plan’s strategic recommendations.

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• Aligning the organization’s strategic initiatives with Tourism  Facilitate Development of Northeastern Ontario Tourism Northern Ontario and OTMPC’s Northern Office, where Products & Experiences; and appropriate; and  Become a Resource to Direct Workforce Development and • Ensuring consistent messaging and strategic directions are Investment Attraction Opportunities. communicated amongst all staff, committees, board members and partners. 6.6 Marketing Goals

NeONT’s Operating Principles are established to provide a foundation for its organizational culture, and are expected to permeate all Within NeONT’s goal to Market Strategically and Innovatively, based strategies, goals and tactics. on Sound Research, there are specific recommendations that need to be addressed as part of NeONT’s Three‐Year Marketing Plan: 6.5 Strategic Goals  Develop a new Website for NeONT  Develop a Digital content marketing strategy The Phase I research and analysis, stakeholder input, and Strategic  Create and Utilize an Effective Content Calendar Planning Session with the NeONT Board, has led to the identification of  Engage Third Party Agencies for Timely Creation and several recurring themes around which specific goals have been set. Distribution of Digital Content and Brand Modernization  Implement Effective Communication and Reporting Structures The following is a list of strategic goals that have formed the foundation for this Strategic Plan and Marketing Plan, and represent the primary 6.7 Timelines outcomes the organization will need to achieve in order to realize the vision. The following sections of this report detail the objectives required in  Identify Sustainable Funding Opportunities and Grow Industry meeting each of the goals of the Strategic Plan, as well as recommended Partnerships; short to long‐term action items to undertake over the next three years. For the purposes of the subject Strategic Plan and Marketing Plan, the  Implement an Effective and Efficient Internal Operating Plan; project team has applied the following timelines:

 Market Strategically and Innovatively, based on Sound  Short‐term – 1 to 12 months Research;  Mid‐term – 2 to 3 years  Long‐term – 3+ years

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7. Goal: Identify Sustainable Funding 7.2 Short-Term Action Items Opportunities and Grow Industry Partnerships 7.2.1 Refine TNO’s 2014/2015 Budget for NeONT

It is recommended that NeONT continue to use the core budget 7.1 Objectives provided by TNO for Marketing initiatives only over the three‐year period, as detailed in Section 9 of this report. NeONT’s current funding is largely derived from Tourism Northern Ontario (TNO). This funding is specifically ear‐marked for marketing It is recommended that NeONT leverage TNO partnership funds initiatives over the 2014/2015 fiscal year, however, the allocation of this primarily for Product Development initiatives, as detailed in Section 10 of this report. funding needs to be adjusted and additional sources of funding secured in order for the full recommendations of this Strategic Plan to be implemented, and to secure a sustainable tourism industry for the 7.2.1.1 TNO Core Budget Northeastern Ontario Tourism – specifically as it relates to marketing and product development over the next 3 years. For both the 2013/2014 and 2014/2015 fiscal year, NeONT has received a transfer payment from Tourism Northern Ontario in the amount of By completing the following short‐term and mid‐term action items, $1,005,000. This total was generated by an internal calculation for each NeONT is expected to meet the goal of identifying sustainable funding sub‐region, which was prepared by TNO and MTCS, and is based on total opportunities and growing industry partnership, and benefit from the fixed roof accommodation receipts for each sub‐region. following: As confirmed by TNO’s Executive Director, the current contract with  Clear allocation of the core budget funding from TNO; NeONT is to act as the marketing lead for Northeastern Ontario and  A broader base of sustainable sources of funding, and a strategy deliver marketing tactics on behalf of TNO. for allocating those funds; and  Stronger industry partnerships and resource synergies (financial Based on TNO’s Marketing Strategy for 2012‐2017, NeONT committee and human), in order to build a sustainable tourism industry for suggestions and Board approval, the 2013/14 Marketing Budget was Northeastern Ontario Tourism. prepared as follows, based on 3 primary marketing pillars.

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NEONT Marketing Budget 2013/14 NEONT Marketing Budget 2014‐15 (proposed) Nature & Outdoors $198,000 20% 1Attractions, Festivals, Broad Outdoors, Touring $552,000 55% Fishing & Hunting $179,000 18% 2 Fishing & Hunting $236,000 23% Motorsports & Touring $119,000 12% 3 Meetings, Events, Sports & Group Tour $94,000 9% Attractions & Festivals $119,000 12% General $72,000 7% Meetings, Conventions & Sports $44,500 4% Meridian $33,000 3% General Marketing (including Tracking/ROI) $310,500 31% Admin $18,000 2% Meridian $35,000 3% Total Budget $1,005,000 100% Total Budget $1,005,000 100% Further research and analysis at TNO has led to additional focus areas for marketing at the sub‐regional level. As such, NeONT’s 2014/15 The proposed 2014/2015 NeONT budget allocation breakdown has been Marketing Budget was realigned to cover the following 5 pillar areas, as arrived at by way of the detailed review and analysis of all relevant opposed to 3. research, data, and stakeholder feedback.

NEONT Marketing Budget 2014‐15 Admin Total For 2014/15, it is recommended that 31% of the budget is allocated to General Marketing, as there is a need for significant foundation brand 1Attractions & Festivals (incl. General) $331,700 $58,800 $390,500 39% building and asset creation. Of primary concern is the redevelopment of 2Meetings, Conventions & Sports (Incl. Meridian) $113,000 $18,100 $131,100 13% the existing website, www.northeasternontario.com, as recommended 3Nature & Outdoors $87,000 $15,100 $102,100 10% via the BC Hughes Website Audit. This accounts for a significant, initial 4 Fishing & Hunting $200,000 $36,200 $236,200 24% allocation of resources, in the range of $60,000. The General Marketing 5 Motorsports/Touring $122,500 $22,600 $145,100 14% fund will also be utilized in the creation of foundation marketing assets, Total Budget $150,800 $1,005,000 100% production of the guide book(s), digital content creation, and content

distribution. It is recommended that the 2014/15 core budget from TNO be adjusted to focus on Marketing initiatives under the 5 marketing A total of 3% of NeONT’s overall Marketing budget has been allocated pillars with several adjustments, as detailed below. These allocations to tracking and ROI, which has been increased from the former are discussed further in relation to NeONT’s strategic Marketing goals allocation of 1%. This line item has been reallocated within the General (Section 9), and Marketing Action Plan (Section 12). Marketing budget at $30,500 (10% of the general marketing budget). In

2014/15, NeONT will be undergoing an evolution of brand identity,

content development, and web presence. At this juncture it is

imperative that NeONT be able to accurately assess the effectiveness of Three‐Year Strategic Plan and Marketing Plan PKF Consulting Inc. Prepared for: Northeastern Ontario Tourism in association with Birchbark Media April 2014 Page 46 PKF Consulting Canada

all major marketing initiatives. Where possible, NeONT's marketing attracting families and avid anglers and setting the region apart from should include strong calls to action and encourage feedback and active the rest of Northern Ontario. participation in an effort to further ensure the success of the ROI measurement process (this is particularly true within the realm of social Furthermore, tying in promotion of Attractions, Motorsports, Fishing & media). Hunting, and other Northern Ontario experiences via the Nature & Outdoors budget, is expected to help to convert those visitors staying in With respect to the 5 marketing pillars, Nature and Outdoors has been non‐paid accommodations. allocated 20% of the overall marketing budget. The Nature and Outdoors pillar is by all accounts the most significant driver for tourism The allocations for Attractions & Festivals, and Meetings, Conventions in the region. Participation in outdoor activities is the number one & Sport Tourism have been reduced, as these are pillar areas already activity by visitors at 27%. High‐yield and other nature‐based tourists obtaining support at the municipal level. As discussed in Section 9.2.1, combined total an estimated 399,000 visitors and $90 million per year in NeONT’s focus should be on developing partnerships with DMOs, visitor spending within Region 13A. It is also recognized by stakeholders municipalities and primary attractions and leveraging existing budgets. as the top tourism driver (fishing being recognized as the second). That said, the resources allocated for marketing Nature & Outdoors can be It should also be noted that the percentage of overall budget allocated utilized to not only promote the region’s greatest natural assets, but can to a particular pillar or initiative is not necessarily indicative of its overall provide fertile ground for the better understanding of, and importance. The Meridian online booking system accounts for communication with, the visitor whose primary interest is that of approximately 3% of the proposed budget, and yet it is an integral nature. Nature and Outdoors will be the “lure” messaging; this audience component of online measurement and ROI. At present, the Meridian can be encouraged to explore the myriad of alternate experiences system is not integrated within the NeONT website in an effective way available to them in the region, including fishing and attractions. and has not yet been fully embraced by NeONT stakeholders. Though not (strictly speaking) marketing, the Meridian booking system impacts Prioritizing Nature and Outdoors is also important to help NeONT be how the success of future marketing initiatives will be measured and, as innovative and stand out from its competitive tourism organizations in such, should be maintained as an urgent short‐term priority. Northern Ontario (i.e. Algoma Country in Region 13B, and Sunset Country in Region 13C). The other two regions of RTO 13 have clearly A full Marketing Action Plan with recommended tactics under each stated that avid fishing is a top marketing priority. NeONT has a huge marketing pillar area has been detailed in Section 12 of this report. competitive advantage with its amazing landscapes and outdoor experiences combined with its proximity to the Southern Ontario, GTA 7.2.1.2 TNO Partnership Funds and Ottawa markets; a combination that 13B and 13C do not have. The landscapes and nature experiences of Northeastern Ontario are the TNO provides the full $1 Million budget for NeONT, but also provides threads that can stitch the region together. Binding rural and urban, funding for leveraging partnership opportunities with NeONT. For the

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2014/2015 fiscal year, NeONT has the opportunity to receive up to Industry Canada – FedNor plays a facilitator and funding role in $150,000 in partnership funding through TNO. Northern Ontario’s tourism sector through economic development, diversification and job creation through its Northern Ontario Partnership funds obtained through TNO are considered a means for Development Program (NODP) and Community Futures Development NeONT to broaden its financial base. All RTOs in Ontario are Corporations (CFDCs). NODP provides repayable and non‐repayable encouraged to consider a broad range of partners, i.e. destination contributions to not‐for‐profit organizations and small and medium marketing organizations, other levels of government and the private sized enterprises for various projects, including tourism; while sector. However, as identified in the MTCS Partnership Funding Community Futures provides a range of programs and services to assist Guidelines, funding from other Ontario government programs (i.e. in community economic development and small business growth. In Celebrate Ontario), OTMPC and other RTOs are not eligible, and neither Northern Ontario, FedNor works with the 24 CFDC organizations. are in‐kind donations, flow‐through from reservation systems, or capital funding. FedNor assisted with funding support for a number of projects undertaken by Rainbow Country, such as strategic planning initiatives 7.2.2 Identify Other Potential Public Sector Funding Sources and marketing internships, generally in the range of $50,000 annually. The largest project was the development of the Georgian Bay Coastal

Route, for which FedNor contributed $160,000. FedNor has also It is recommended that NeONT look at public sector organizations for provided funds for projects in smaller jurisdictions throughout the other sustainable funding opportunities specifically to leverage region, i.e. studies on cultural tourism, cycling tourism, and experiential product development initiatives, over and above the $150,000 in tourism on Manitoulin Island, as well as planning studies for the Moose partnership funds which NeONT receives to leverage for tourism‐related River Hospitality & Heritage Association. initiatives through TNO.

OTMPC’s Northern Office works closely with OTMPC and partner Once these sources have been identified, it will be important for tourism organizations in Northern Ontario to deliver marketing NeONT staff to meet regularly with representatives from the identified programs specifically geared to Northern Ontario’s key markets. organizations to identify projects that fit shared mandates. Specific activities include:

For instance, NeONT should meet with FedNor staff to identify the areas  in FedNor’s Tourism Action Plan that match NeONT’s strategic Increasing and expanding Ontario’s northern reach for objectives relative to product development. newcomers to Ontario;  Promoting international opportunities for northern experiences Potential sources of public sector funding for strategic plan initiatives (i.e. Rendez‐Vous Canada in Ottawa and Porter Escapes); include, but are not limited to, the following:  Promoting northern cities as gateways to avid consumers; and  Continuing to examine new consumers and new markets.

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The focus for the 2014/2015 year includes: In partnership with FedNor, NOHFC provided funding to assist in a strategic planning initiative for the Moose River Hospitality & Heritage  Developing a Northern Insert – free standing insert due for Association in Northeastern Ontario. release in Jan 2015  Fly‐Fishing Ontario Trillium Foundation (OTF): Distributing funding to charities and  Motorcycle Touring not‐for‐profits, the OTF grants funds on both a community and  Group of Seven province‐wide basis, allocated towards Arts and Culture, Environment, Sports and Recreation, and Human and Social Services. Approximately OTMPC’s Northern Office has been involved with a number of initiatives 1,500 grants are awarded each year, with an annual budget of over through NeONT in 2013/2014, including: Porter Pick‐a‐bag Porter $100 million. Escapes campaign, video shoot with fly‐fishermen, and web campaign through Ride Ontario (motorcycle tourism initiative). OTMPC has also Ontario Parks is interested in working with local community partners to been involved in a number of separate initiatives with municipal develop outdoor experiential offerings, whereby Ontario Parks will partners of NeONT, including Weather Network campaign with Timmins provide the programming (i.e. Aboriginal traditions, back country and Sudbury, and FAM tours with Mattawa‐Bonfield Economic paddling, etc.) and community partners would provide services, Development on ATV tourism. attractions, accommodations, etc.

OTMPC’s Tourism Industry Partnership (TIPP) and Tourism Event 7.2.3 Develop a Strategy for Using Partnership Funds Marketing (TEMP) Programs offer support for co‐operative and event marketing initiatives that are marketed outside Ontario. The TEMP Once NeONT has identified what sources of funding are available, they provides up to $170,000 of funding, based on a percentage of an event’s need to set criteria for using those funds, in alignment with the subject tourism media buy. Strategic Plan.

The Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Corporation (NOHFC) has a One of the primary concerns expressed by NeONT partners was that mandate to build strong, prosperous Northern communities, and has during the 2013/2014 fiscal year, opportunities to use partnership implemented a number of partnership programs, which include: the funding from TNO were missed due to the lack of a Strategic Plan. Strategic Economic Infrastructure Program, the Northern Community Capacity Building Program, the Northern Innovation Program, the It is recommended that NeONT focus its core budget activities on Northern Business Opportunity Program and the Northern Ontario Marketing initiatives (see Section 9), and that partnership funds be Internship Program. primarily geared towards Product Development initiatives in the short to mid‐term, (see Section 10).

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Best practices at other RTOs point to the importance of developing  Most effective means of communication; and specific criteria to determine whether or not to initiative a project with  Whether members would be willing to pay for additional partnership funds. Examples of potential criteria include: benefits.

 Project meets goals and objective of NeONT’s Strategic Plan ‐ Ultimately, NeONT needs to determine whether an adjustment to preference may be given to product development initiatives; partner fees could provide an additional source of sustainable funding for NeONT.  Project must be located within Northeastern Ontario; NeONT has made a commitment to fostering partnerships with regional  Applicant demonstrates financial stability and supports like‐ businesses in order to grow tourism in Northeastern Ontario, which minded causes ‐ preference may be given to First Nation, involves driving visitors to the operators. However, stakeholder input Municipal, not‐for‐profit organizations, and member partners in suggests limited levels of communication with these partner businesses, the tourism sector; resulting in knowledge gaps. For instance, PKF’s operator survey showed that 68% of respondents were unaware that NeONT was  Applicant has not received previous funding through NeONT implementing the Meridian online booking system – even though the (point is to encourage new applicants); and system was already launched on the website.

 Project has relevant performance measures in place prior to The operator survey also indicated that the most important benefits to initiation. respondents require consistent messaging and frequent communication for updated data. These benefits include: 7.3 Mid-Term Action Items  Listing in NeONT publications  Partner profile page on NeONT website 7.3.1 Conduct a Poll to Review NeONT Business Partner Fees  Access to Northeastern Ontario tourism statistics and data and Benefits  Industry newsletters and updates

It is recommended that NeONT conduct a poll with partner businesses, Those benefits of least interest to respondent operators were: in order to determine:  Call centre services  Whether current benefits meet their needs;  Buy‐in opportunities for advertising programs  Which support services are of most and/or least value to  Content writing for NeONT’s social media sites partners;

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From the survey perspective, it was difficult to determine whether NeONT is currently operating under a MOU with TNO to act as the operators had less interest in participating in advertising programs due marketing lead for the sub‐region 13A (Northeastern Ontario), along to budget limitations of their own, or whether some of them had with Algoma Country and Tourism Sault Ste. Marie for 13B, and Sunset encountered bad experiences in the past. NeONT will need to do Country and the City of Thunder Bay for 13C. Essentially, NeONT was further exploration on that issue. given the contract to market Northeastern Ontario for the 2014/2015 fiscal year, but that mandate may change as TNO adjusts their budget in Over the 2013/14 fiscal year, NeONT received an estimated $65,000 future years. For instance, TNO has recently released the Phase 1 from partner funds, focused around 3 fee levels: report for its Tourism Product Development Strategy, which identified a potential to refine and enhance product on a sub‐regional level.  Municipal – fee based on per capita size;  Association ‐ $325; As such, it is important for NeONT to continually revisit the core budget  Operator ‐ $149 and other sustainable sources of funding and determine how best to meet the goals and objectives of the subject Strategic Plan and These partner funds represent a relatively small portion of the Marketing Plan. organization’s revenues; however, business partners are core to NeONT’s existence and partners may be willing to pay more to participate in additional programs.

In general, maintaining a strong relationship with partner businesses should be an integral concern for NeONT.

7.4 Long-Term Action Items

7.4.1 Revise NeONT Budgets Based on Available Funding Sources

In the long‐term, NeONT needs to identify requirements of future Memorandums of Understanding from TNO, and adjust funding goals and priorities accordingly, in line with NeONT’s vision and mission.

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8. Goal: Implement an Effective and 3 sub‐committees, which have since been divided into 5 sub‐ committees, and the committee members were expected to undertake Efficient Internal Operating Plan relevant initiatives. However, these committee members are volunteers and have been unable to carry out day‐to‐day tactics for the organization. Furthermore, these sub‐committees do not meet regularly

8.1 Objectives as a whole, and the acting chairperson is not a Board member, which leads to more fragmentation in marketing initiatives. The biggest threats to the existing health of NeONT as an organization, and its ability to fulfill the goals of this Strategic Plan, are internal in In order to meet the vision of the subject Strategic Plan, NeONT needs nature. to implement an effective and efficient Internal Operating Plan. By meeting the following objectives and completing the actions outlined in One of the key concerns identified during the Phase 1 Situational the following section, NeONT is expected to benefit from: Analysis was that communication between NeONT staff and the marketing committees could be improved, and that there are challenges  Clearly defined roles and responsibilities for staff and with the current reporting structure. Furthermore, there appears to be committee members; little coordination between the committee direction, Board approvals  Improved efficiencies and cohesiveness within the organization; and staff efforts from a strategic standpoint, and that job descriptions of and existing staff members also do not match current initiatives.  Improved communications and a foundation for stronger partnerships external to the organization. In addition to the Executive Director, there are currently three salaried positions at NeONT, including: 2 Partnership & Communications Co‐ 8.2 Short-Term Action Items ordinators (one starting in April 2014 to focus on the northern part of the region) and 1 Portal, Web and Social Media Co‐ordinator. One intern has also been hired to work on tourism asset development and 8.2.1 Embrace Change consolidating the database of operators in the region, according to the 5 marketing pillar activity areas. It is recommended that NeONT change the existing staffing plan and committee structure and reporting processes. As identified in the job descriptions for these roles, which were provided to the Consulting Team for review, there are no specific roles In order for NeONT to fulfill its vision and mission with a healthy and responsibilities allocated to Marketing initiatives. Staff are organization, NeONT needs to obtain buy‐in for Strategic Plan and currently being given tasks by the marketing sub‐committees on an ad‐ Marketing Plan from all levels (staff, committees, Board, partners). hoc basis. Originally the Marketing Committee had representation from

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Changes are required to improve the current staffing plan, reporting industry needs” (p. 21). It is recommended that committees continue to structure for staff and committees, and committee structure. These will provide high‐level direction for staff, in conjunction with one or more need to be fully communicated and understood at all levels. contracted Agencies to work on design and creative needs (i.e. print media, digital marketing, web development and brand modernization). All of these internal issues will need to be addressed in a revised Business Plan. In the case of Marketing, the Business Plan calls for this committee to “research, develop and design marketing‐related initiatives and tactics From an external perspective, the focus for the immediate short‐term on an annual basis” and to provide recommendations to the (i.e. next 2 months) is to communicate the goals and objectives of the chairperson (NeONT Board Member) for approval. It is recommended Strategic Plan and Marketing Plan to NeONT’s stakeholders. One option that this structure be revised to ensure all marketing committee leads could be to create a PowerPoint presentation and host workshops to are also Board members. Further, it is recommended that existing present the Plans in various locations across Northeastern Ontario. marketing sub‐committee leads, representing each of the 5 marketing pillars, sit on one General Marketing Committee and arrange to meet 8.2.2 Revise By-Laws and Committee Structures quarterly, in order to make decisions on key marketing action items in a concentrated strategic manner. Best practices in other RTOs suggest

that “tourism advisory committees” with specific expertise in marketing It is recommended that NeONT revise the existing committee structure each pillar areas can work more efficiently on a project‐by‐project basis. and establish a new reporting/approval/execution process, wherein: As such, it is recommended that the sub‐committees are dissolved and

those individuals who have committed to sitting on individual sub‐  Committees provide high‐level direction to staff; committees for the 2014/2015 fiscal year, should be invited to  Board members approve direction; and participate in the tourism advisory committees. Thus, it is  Staff executes strategic initiatives. recommended that “tourism advisory committees” replace the sub‐

committee for each marketing pillar. These committees will be invited It is recommended that NeONT update existing By‐Laws to reflect the to provide input into the decision‐making process, but final decisions renewed vision, mission, operating principles and goals/objectives of should only be made by the General Marketing Committee as a whole. Strategic Plan.

It is recommended that the Marketing Committee Lead will develop a Article 7 in NeONT’s existing By‐Laws defines the Mission, Value Memorandum of Understanding with the DMOs / major communities need to be Statement, and Scope of the organization. These items will regarding strategies to target Meetings, Conventions & Sports, revised as described in Section 6 of the subject report. inclusive of Group Tour markets. This may involve determining a

rotation between participating communities, or a bidding process, The Existing NeONT Business Plan identifies a need for committees to “identify strategies, meet specific needs, and create tools to support Three‐Year Strategic Plan and Marketing Plan PKF Consulting Inc. Prepared for: Northeastern Ontario Tourism in association with Birchbark Media April 2014 Page 53 PKF Consulting Canada

wherein NeONT provides sponsorship/supporting materials to attend o Do the research & facilitate the plans that come out of specific events/marketplaces. the marketing committee o Work with Digital Marketing Agency on content for For the Product Development Committee, it is recommended that the website, Northern Portal, and social media channels, NeONT Board nominates one Committee Lead who is also a Board and Ad Agency for print ads; member, as well as a minimum of 3 members to ensure decisions are o Coordinate Media Relations / Fam Trips; made in a strategic and equitable manner. o Industry newsletters; Tourism newsletters; press releases; marketing year in review reports 8.2.3 Revise Staffing Plan  1 Coordinator – fulfills Product Development and Partnership It is recommended that NeONT review existing staff job descriptions related initiatives; and provides support for General and skill sets, and adjust in order to be able to fulfill the vision and Administration responsibilities, and takes on the following roles mission of the Strategic Plan. and responsibilities:

o Arrange Partnership packages, Site visits, Presentations, Meetings; It is recommended that the current job descriptions be amended to Town Hall Developing and maintaining Tourism industry database; include responsibilities relative to fulfilling goals of the Strategic Plan o

and Marketing Plan. o Develop and maintain product development database;

o Facilitate Meridian rollout and operator training with Staffing Plan considerations: Intern.

  Executive Director – Responsible for Annual Strategic and 1 Intern (hired with TNO funding) rd Marketing Plan; oversees and approves staff and 3 Party o Monitors and maintains the Meridian online booking Agencies fulfillment of all goals related to Marketing and system, encourages operator participation and training Product Development; and specifically focuses on NeONT’s (Product Development goal) goal to: 8.2.4 Retain Third Party Agencies to Support Marketing o Become a Resource to Direct Workforce Development and Investment Attraction Opportunities (Section 11) Initiatives o Implement Year 1 Marketing Action Plan (Section 12) It is recommended that marketing initiatives be supported by third  2 Coordinators – fulfill Marketing and Communications party agencies in order to fulfill the goals of the Strategic Plan and initiatives, and take on the following roles and responsibilities: Marketing Plan with consistent NeONT branding and messaging.

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Ideally, a separate agency will be retained to conduct each of the will serve in softening the market, thus allowing stakeholders to make a following initiatives in Year 1. greater impact with their own, individual marketing initiatives. Tracking 1. Website Development advertising awareness and soft leads is an expensive and onerous task 2. Print Content / Brand Modernization for a small organization. In spite of this, it is critical that there is a a. To focus on Print Ads, Broadcast, Guidebook, Print strategy put in place for the measurement of ROI and drill‐down metrics Materials, Brand Modernization with regard to all relevant facets of marketing (e.g. print, social media, 3. Digital Marketing etc.). Even though gaining definitive ROI measurement of all tactics is a. To focus on Digital Media Strategy, Influencer not possible, each initiative will require a strong call to action, whenever Campaigns, SEO & SEM, Paid Distribution possible, and lead back to the most direct, effective point of conversion 4. Video/Photography Database Development (e.g. Meridian booking system). Performance measures will be a key factor in determining success and focus needs to be placed on what is In the case of the subject Plans, it is recommended that NeONT tangible to measure, track and gauge. consider outsourcing website development, creative design, brand modernization, digital marketing strategy content and It is recommended that NeONT develop performance measures for video/photography production through one or more preferred vendors. each priority initiative in concert with MTCS and TNO. This would involve using budget allocated within the General Marketing and 5 pillar areas, as outlined in Section 12, on a project by project It is recommended that NeONT choose 3 attractions at which to collect basis. statistics in an effort to determine campaign success/impact. The following are good examples for the short‐term: NeONT may consider retaining one Agency of Record to handle all of these initiatives; however, it is recommended that up to 4 separate  Science North (attendance and origin) agencies are retained in order to get the best possible results in each  Polar Bear Habitat (attendance and origin) area. If need be, the Website development and Digital Marketing  Great Spirit Circle Trail (occupied room nights and origin) strategy needs can be combined. Beyond the increase in tourism receipts at successful attractions in the 8.2.5 Implement Tracking / Performance Measurement Tools region, a number of other viable measures of success have been identified for NeONT’s consideration: There is a great challenge in accurately measuring success of NeONT marketing initiatives when the primary goal is building awareness and  Cooperative efforts on marketing initiatives – i.e. operators influencing travel decisions of consumers in key target markets. NeONT attending consumer shows with NeONT staff; should be creating an environment conducive to the future growth and  Digital marketing analytics; prosperity of its stakeholders. From a marketing perspective, NeONT  Amount of dollars leveraged through Partnership projects;

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 Achieving buy‐in from stakeholders – i.e. increase in partner Partner Satisfaction and Feedback: NeONT is in the process of building businesses; its brand (laying the foundation). In the short‐term, as the brand is being  Total packages sold through Meridian online booking system; and established within the marketplace, it is critical that NeONT receives  Enhanced accommodation performance. buy‐in from individual stakeholders and that their expectations are managed appropriately. Measuring advertising awareness might be Short Term Performance Measures: As the digital assists and strategic unrealistic for NeONT; however, gaging stakeholder satisfaction is not. direction are being charted for NeONT there are really only a few Regularly checking the pulse of the tourism community will provide methods that can be used to accurately measure success. NeONT with factual and anecdotal performance measures from the specific businesses that stand to benefit from the marketing efforts. Digital Marketing Analytics: With Google Analytics, among many other things, NeONT will know where visitors are coming from, what Dollars leveraged through partnership / members: Eventually, if proper promotions work, monitor search traffic and keywords and determine stakeholder engagement is conducted and NeONT receives support what content within the website is generating the most traffic. from stakeholders, they can be solicited to become members. The NeONT organization and marketing tactics need to be well established To be more targeted, beyond visits, NeONT should establish a set of to show value to the broad stakeholder base. trackable website goals. These include actions visitors take on the website that can be tracked using website analytics. Meridian Sales: Tracking direct sales via the Meridian system will be the easiest performance measure to record. However, it will in no way be a Other key metrics that should be gathered on a monthly basis include: fair success measure until the NeONT brand is strong and holds a digital identity. Until then NeONT will have difficulty generating online sales. It  goals conversions is also very important to note that much of this measurement hinges on  amount of traffic the successful revitalization of the website ‐ developing an online sales funnel and working out all the current site issues. Meridian sales should  top referrals not be a prioritized success measure until these things are in place.  pages visited

 time on site Leverage OTMPC/TNO Initiatives: TNO is investing, with OTMPC  social URL shares Northern Partnerships, in annual tracking research to measure  keyword rankings awareness and returns on investment. NeONT is encouraged to actively  top keyword referrals participate and use the approach as part of their performance measures  total back links and research for future strategic decisions.  top content rankings  social media statistics

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Enhanced accommodation performance: PKF Consulting offers 8.3 Mid-Term Action Items customized accommodation monitoring reports for MTCS and a number of RTO’s on a monthly and annual basis. 8.3.1 Continue to Modify Staffing Requirements in line with TNO Internal Audit Establishing performance measurements is the most efficient way for organizations to maximize their effectiveness and demonstrate their value to stakeholders. Such measurements also help to inform future TNO is currently undergoing an Internal Audit looking at gaps that need strategic planning and decision‐making, and measure progress and to be addressed in the current staffing plan, and how positions can successes against set objectives, while demonstrating accountability. better align with performance measures. Preliminary gaps have been identified in the areas of partnership generation and product The development and implementation of performance measurements development, given the vast geography covered by Region 13, and ideally needs to reflect certain principles, such as: limitations to communication in the North.

 Practicality – with ability to change/evolve as needed TNO is also looking to update policies and procedures to better align  Affordability – easy to implement and sustainable with the 4 strategic pillars mandated by MTCS.  Transparency – clear outcome and output measures  Inclusivity – reflects results of research and public input It is recommended that NeONT consider the results of this audit in any  Strategic relevance – tie back to set goals and objectives future staffing considerations for the mid‐term (i.e. 2015/2016 and 2016/2017 fiscal years). There may be opportunities for NeONT to In order to ensure that the initiatives proposed in this Strategic Plan are carry out specific initiatives in conjunction with TNO, or with funding working to grow tourism for Northeastern Ontario, it is important to set assistance provided by TNO. up performance measurements for NeONT to implement. Furthermore it will be important for NeONT to recognize that before becoming 8.3.2 Enhance Internal and External Communication involved in any partnership opportunities, there has to be a reporting Strategy mechanism in place with which to measure success. It is further recommended that any performance measures that are established It is recommended that the Executive Director works with the Board to must: develop a strong internal and external communication strategy. A  Meet the mission statement for the Strategic Plan to increase comprehensive communication strategy, which should identify how overnight tourist visits & spending in Northeastern Ontario; and information, awareness creation, advocacy, network building, conflict  Be relatively easy to collect and track through available mitigation, and communication platforms will be supported, is essential resources. for NeONT’s success.

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The following key elements should be addressed in the communication strategy:

 More effective communication (internal and external to organization) and a more coordinated (effective) effort;  Consistent vision and commitment to brand standards;  More frequent external communications, in the form of newsletters, website updates, and social media; and  Measurable results based on well‐understood goals and objectives.

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9. Goal: Market Strategically and will be allocated a percentage of the overall NeONT marketing budget. The Marketing Committee Lead for each pillar will work with the Innovatively, based on Sound Research General Marketing Committee to determine how their budget will be allocated for each of the following:  9.1 Objectives Print advertising  Consumer shows  Micro‐site initiatives (where applicable) NeONT’s marketing goals contain several key elements and  Partnerships (OTMPC) recommendations, all based on strengthening stakeholder buy‐in,  Broadcast (radio/TV) building relationships with influencers and creating shareable content to be published on NeONT’s digital platforms and social media properties. A total of $30,500 will be allocated in Year 1 within the “General Marketing” budget category for tracking, the gathering of metrics and NeONT is a young organization and has been given a primary mandate the measurement of ROI across all marketing pillars. However, the of marketing the Northeastern Ontario sub‐region on behalf of TNO. As Marketing Committee will need to work with the Executive Director on such, it is integral that the organization undertake all initiatives in a recommendations for tracking the performance of any given individual strategic manner, particularly with respect to tactical initiatives under marketing initiative (as the most effect method of tracking and the 5 marketing pillar areas. determining efficacy may vary depending upon the nature of the initiative and its intended audience). Over the next 3 years, NeONT will continue to focus its marketing plan across five pillars, as defined by TNO: It is recommended that the Marketing Committee engage in a project management platform, such as: Basecamp.com. This will allow all  Nature & Outdoors documents and assets to be cost‐effectively shared, reviewed, and  Fishing & Hunting approved with ease in real time. All participants will be able to better  Motorsports & Touring assess possible synergies and partnerships between the 5 marketing  Attractions & Festivals pillars, allowing for a more efficient leveraging of overall resources.  Meetings, Conventions & Sports While it is true that there should be a formal communication plan devised for reporting between the Marketing Committee and back to Each of the five marketing pillars will operate with one Marketing the Executive Director, it is perhaps even more critical that a fluid Lead, who receives input from a Tourism Advisory Committee. method for constant communication (e.g. Basecamp) be embraced. Marketing Leads will make decisions strategically as one General Marketing Committee, with approval from the Board, before reporting The NeONT Executive Director and Staff are responsible for managing back to the Executive Director for staff execution of tasks. Each pillar the process by which promotional assets and communications are

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created and/or produced. That said, NeONT has limited capacity with its fundamental identity will be established. Increasing respect to internal resources and budget. It is therefore critical that the the level of engagement and employing more Marketing Leads become proactive advocates for their own initiatives sophisticated, dynamic messaging techniques for all as much as possible, in conjunction with advice provided by the online and consumer touch points will occur. Tourism Advisory Committees. The Marketing Committee should endeavor to provide the NeONT staff with as much lead time as possible  Long‐Term Outlook: to coordinate or create any communication or creative asset required o The on‐going marketing beyond the Year 3 mark will see for an upcoming event or initiative. As well, while all primary marketing NeONT developing a strong product offering that reaps communications will be coordinated and sent out by the NeONT the benefits of increased brand awareness. NeONT's Executive Director and staff, the Marketing Committee Leads should online presence will be more robust (a maturity) in proactively engage, when possible, those stakeholders who specifically terms of its wealth of digital content and booking have a vested interested in a large event, push, or initiative that is facilitation capabilities. NeONT will continue to support pending (e.g. Ontario Bikers Reunion, Voyageur Days, etc.). the efforts of its stakeholders while leveraging its synergy with TNO. The following is an overview of the key objectives for the Three‐Year Marketing Plan: The following are broad objectives that NeONT needs to achieve in order to fulfill its mandate for TNO, and reach the goal of Marketing  Short‐Term Outlook: Strategically and Innovatively, based on Sound Research. Action items In Year 1 of the Marketing Plan, NeONT must focus on within each of these objectives have been further broken down with building the foundation of its brand and consistent specific action items in the Marketing Action Plan (see Section 12). messaging. While focusing on the five marketing pillars, NeONT should define its unique value proposition (i.e. Redevelop Website Nature & Outdoors as the “lure”). Establishing systems  NeONT to follow the recommendations of the BC Hughes for measurement and the gathering of metrics will be Website Audit – Option C: Porting of Current Website Database, crucial as the plan shifts and evolves into the mid and which recommends developing a new website, and porting of long‐term, ensuring future brand health, maintaining the current website content / database into an open source (or growing) activity and receipts across all pillars. CMS like Wordpress.  The current NeONT website does not deliver a dynamic and  Mid‐Term Outlook: efficient visitor experience. The way in which content is o Year 2 and Year 3 should see the further development presented and organized, in terms of navigation and delivery and refinement of the NeONT marketing message and does not facilitate or encourage bookings or provide the kind of method of delivery. By this time, the NeONT brand and detailed information that would (in most cases) lead to the

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creation of a visitor itinerary, encouraging the growth of for creating captivating content that were contained in tourism receipts and positively impact the amount of time and the 2012 Digital Strategy for Northern Ontario. money spent in the region. As an example, at present, the o Video Content ‐ Video is an extremely powerful events calendar (which has links from every public page) is medium and with the advance in technology the cost of completely empty, without any events listed. entry has been drastically reduced. We are now at the point where online customers have grown to expect Develop a Digital Content Marketing Strategy (see further detail in quality websites to have video. The challenge for many Appendix B) is to produce video content that both tells a story and  A sound digital content strategy will drive traffic and matches the brand quality. NeONT should allocate transactions to NeONT and its partners. Quality, shareable resources to the creation and procurement of online content will help you build an engaged social media audience. video content. Search Engine Optimizations allows you to create your own o Influencer Campaigns ‐ A key part of NeONT’s content success on the Web. marketing strategy should be the development of an  Optimized Content Marketing is the art of understanding exactly influencer campaign. Influencers can help drive what your prospects and customers need to know and awareness of NeONT’s unique travel offerings, deliberately producing optimized content based on keywords promotions and create user generated content that that are driving organic search traffic and conversions. Then, connects with prospective travellers and supplies delivering optimized content in a relevant and compelling way NeONT with a unique and reliable source of content for to grow NeONT’s business by distributing the content through use in digital and print campaigns. It is recommended its social networks and other digital marketing platforms. that NeONT contract the services of a third‐party  Content must be targeted to the audience’s needs. To appeal to agency to develop and execute the influencer campaign. online consumers, content must be visually engaging, highlight the geographic location of each product and be relevant to the Create and Utilize an Effective Content Calendar current and upcoming seasons. Incorporating these elements  Having fresh, relevant content on the NeONT website is crucial. into the content, and utilizing a content management system Consistent content development can be a challenge, but NeONT's allows for the content to be tagged will increase exposure and marketing success will be reliant on the on‐going development of generate greater results fresh, relevant content.  Digital content creation can be categorized into the following  At a minimum, NeONT should develop a monthly content three main areas: calendar to define what is needed and when. The content o Internal Content ‐ Internal content is sourced from calendar will serve to guide, plan, organize and maintain digital NeONT staff and/or stakeholders. We highly content in coordination with the events and initiatives that are recommend NeONT staff follow the recommendations being planned within all committees, across all pillars. A sample

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content calendar template has been included in Appendix B. the execution of marketing deliverables and metrics gathered (i.e. ROI). Engage with a Third Party Agency for Timely Creation and Distribution  Marketing Committee members should meet regularly with their of Digital Content Tourism Advisory Committees (representing each pillar), in an  It is recommended that NeONT establish a relationship with a effort to ensure that all opportunities to coordinate efforts are mid‐level size agency that can provide on‐going creative explored and evaluated. Members are encouraged to partner, execution for the design and layout of foundation creative assets. where viable, and brainstorm possible synergies. It is recommended that this agency be hired for work to be  Marketing Committee Lead should interact with the Executive completed on a project by project basis (rather than on‐going Director once a month to provide high‐level direction to staff, and retainer). This agency would work initially with NeONT in shaping communicate results of the quarterly reports as needed. the creative vision based on the established branding guidelines.  This agency should be utilized for all of the heavy‐lifting asset 9.2 Short-Term Action Items creation. This would include the establishing of a series of print

ads relevant to each of the five pillars, incorporating iconic 9.2.1 Implement Year 1 Marketing Action Plan imagery. These ads will serve in setting the look and tone for the initial branding/marketing push. NeONT staff will be tasked with creating messaging and sourcing images for daily social media Under the new internal operating structure, it is recommended that consumption, however, it should be the AOR (with guidance from the staff and Marketing Committee members work together to the NeONT Executive Director) that oversees the creation of implement the Year 1 Marketing Action Plan. critical messaging for all paid media buys and ad placement – using budget from the general marketing and five pillars as The Year 1 Action Plan is designed to adhere to the recommended required. marketing pillars set forth by TNO. Within the Action Plan, specific budgets have been allocated to individual pillars. Implement Effective Communication and Reporting Structure  NeONT's Executive Director should oversee the creation of a It is important that NeONT partner with/engage a third party AOR communication plan that ensures the Marketing Committee and (Agency of Record, or group of Agencies of Record) that has the ability NeONT staff are aware of on‐going priorities, upcoming events, to guide the organization through the linear process of modernizing the marketing initiatives, partnerships, etc. NeONT brand, and developing a specific plan for the development of  NeONT Marketing Committee should meet quarterly and provide creative assets, to be set against a content calendar inclusive of media quarterly reports for the NeONT board’s review, and staff buys, broadcast dates, and pending consumer shows. The AOR(s) will be execution. These reports will provide details with regard to their able to assess the needs of NeONT against the best bet value of media on‐going action plan, in addition to progress made with regard to buys and opportunities within targeted regions as they relate to key

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demographics. NeONT will receive more cost‐effective marketing • Digital asset development (e.g. web ads, graphic elements solutions should they be able to partner with a small to medium‐sized required for Facebook contests, etc.) agencies that can provide service on the majority (if not all) of NeONT's • Direction with regard to radio and broadcast ad development production and/or media planning/buying needs. (i.e. ensuring consistency with the re‐vamped brand as it evolves – they may not produce the actual audio or video assets It is recommended that NeONT develop up to four RFPs and award but will provide valuable direction). contracts to cover the following marketing initiatives: • Development, design, and layout of new all‐in‐one NeONT guidebook. 1. Web Development • Develop/design a re‐vamped consumer show/marketplace presence (e.g. banners/backdrops) that would be consistent 2. Ad Agency – for Media Buys and Planning with brand modernization. a) Print advertising • Guidance with regard to implementation of influencer b) Broadcast advertising campaign(s) c) Guide book and printed collateral • Guidance with regard to the development of web content d) Brand modernization • Guidance with regard to the development of iconic imagery (i.e. this firm may not be contracted for photography/videography 3. Digital Marketing but can provide valuable guidance and insight per the effective a) Digital strategy development ongoing development of the NeONT brand). b) Paid content distribution c) Search engine optimization and search marketing It is recommended that NeONT’s marketing initiatives be adjusted in d) Influencer campaigns consideration of the following priorities within each marketing pillar area: 4. Video and Photography Production  General These agencies will be able to provide guidance and production support o Primary focus is the redevelopment of the NeONT for all of the following: website, as per the Website Audit recommendation • Media buy/content calendar (the AOR will assist in the o Creation of a digital marketing strategy development of a best bet media buy strategy for both print o Collection of professional video and photography and broadcast) o Combining the 3 guide books into one lure piece • Brand modernization (brand guidelines and potential tagline development inclusive) • Print ad/asset development (copy inclusive)

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 Nature & Outdoors  Meetings, Events & Sports o Needs to be a primary budget area for NeONT (primary o Marketing in this area should not be a regional initiative – role for the region) the Marketing Committee should work on developing an o Consider packaging experiences with other activities, MOU for the DMOs/municipalities to represent NeONT in particularly those linked to fixed roof accommodation marketing related initiatives (not camping) o NeONT to work on facility guide and act as a resource for o Emphasis needs to be placed on premier products and municipalities sending representatives to marketplaces experiences, and on finding links to other activity areas (M&C, attractions, etc.) The full Year 1 Marketing Action Plan is provided in Section 12 of this report.  Fishing & Hunting Also a primary budget area for NeONT (primary role for o 9.2.2 Brand Modernization the region) o Fishing is a premier product o Consider placing less focus on hunting Given NeONT’s existing budget and input from both Board and staff members, it is not recommended that NeONT undergo a complete  Motorsports & Touring rebranding. However, the brand needs to be modernized with the o This should be a regional initiative, but at a secondary assistance of an AOR (agency of record). The “Northeastern Ontario” level with less budget font treatment/logo is to remain intact. The way in which that logo is o Focus should be placed on a few key projects, i.e. positioned and how it is incorporated with new graphic elements will capturing casual snowmobilers, partnering w/ OTMPC to evolve. promote motorcycle routes, etc. Branding insight, as found within the TNO Marketing Strategy 2012‐  Attractions & Festivals 2017 (equally relevant/appropriate to NeONT), provides the following o This should be a regional initiative, but at a secondary in relation to the positioning Northern Ontario brand (page 19): level as well o Focus on developing partnerships with primary “Our distinct difference, our sweet spot, will become how people react attractions and municipalities (i.e. Sudbury for Science on an individual level to our diverse, inspiring and grand experiences. North, Manitoulin for GSCT, etc.) People will visit Northern Ontario to totally escape and discover their own souls again. They will be inspired here like nowhere else because there is more here: more outdoors, more ways to refresh and exhilarate, and a more welcoming environment, thanks to our diversity of offers

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and the warmth of our people. Emotional deployment/words/thoughts With regard to print, it is recommended that existing brand guidelines that express the idea further include: Gasp. Scent. Sigh. Fresh. Refresh. for Northeastern Ontario be revised to take into account current Revive. Rest. Respite. Renew. Peace. Reach. Fly. Find. Forge. See. Soul. trends in graphic design and user generated images that appear in Clean. Green. Awe. Aspire. Breathe.” social media applications.

The treatment of the Northeastern Ontario “brand” is less about the Current trends in graphic design suggest a simple and clean appearance. treatment of a logo and more about how it placed alongside, and While the Cross Weave border, Earthy Background and Plant Icons have within, elements that further define the key destinations and an organic feel that Northeastern Ontario wants to convey to potential experiences to be found within the region. travelers, those same visual elements also risk being interpreted as old‐ fashioned. When used alongside vibrant images of green trees in the NeONT must ensure that the overall brand positioning and brand wilderness or clear blue lakes, the visual tone could be interpreted as messaging is presented in a way that is clear, consistent and effective in rustic and primitive rather than comfortable. all facets of media and marketing (e.g. social media, print, broadcast, etc.). Those elements to be defined include: It is recommended that moving forward, the Cross Weave Border, Earthy Background and Plant Icons be removed from the Brand  Design and layout specifications Guidelines for Northeastern Ontario.  Voice  Associated imagery (including the establishing of iconic imagery) It is recommended that the easily recognizable Northeastern Ontario logo and companion typefaces continue to be used as they are This process (as guided by the AOR) should also take into consideration presently. By no longer using the extraneous design elements, strong the treatment of all digital assets moving forward (e.g. web ads, images of outdoor experiences Northeastern Ontario now become the promotional videos, broadcast spots, etc.). These guidelines should focus of print and digital advertising and branding efforts are more reflect those facets of tone and treatment expressed in these assets as cohesive. well, such as: For executing the process of brand modernization and the production of 1. Visual tone/feel (imagery, energy level, editing style) consistently branded print and digital properties, it is recommended 2. Voiceover (an AOR may recommend having one voiceover that NeONT contract the services of a third‐party graphic design or talent for all video and radio productions) advertising agency (AOR). This will streamline the design and planning 3. Music (e.g. an AOR may explore the possibility of cost‐ process, allowing NeONT staff to focus on other initiatives. effectively licencing recognizable music to provide additional production value – a piece that could be used in multiple spots)

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9.2.3 Enhance External Communication to Provide the established and agreed upon branding and support the efforts of Stakeholders with Timely Information on Marketing Strategy any on‐going marketing campaigns and initiatives. and Tactics In Year 2 and Year 3, the objective of having an effective website is to

facilitate the increase in bookings and tourism receipts via the Meridian NeONT must maintain communication with all applicable stakeholders system and in ensuring that visitors to the site are provided with all with regard to marketing strategy and tactics in an effort to ensure that possible tourism‐related information in the most efficient, dynamic way they are able to effectively coordinate their individual marketing efforts possible. with that of NeONT. NeONT should also encourage stakeholders to become as proactive as possible in establishing mutually‐beneficial 9.3.2 Develop a Coordinated Action Plan for Consumer partnerships with other stakeholders within NeONT, assisting with Shows future product development.

Furthermore, in the short‐term, it is recommended that NeONT It is recommended that NeONT develop a coordinated action plan for communicate the main messages of the Strategic Plan to current attending consumer shows, which is aligned with the 5 pillars, in order partner businesses in order to maintain their connection to the to achieve greater lead generation and sales conversion. organization and demonstrating their value as partner businesses to NeONT (i.e. NeONT will be going through a transition year, the website Staff/partners attending the shows and working the booth and floor on will be redeveloped, etc.). Staff will need to close existing partnership behalf of NeONT must be proactive in engaging attendees, provide sales, but should not actively seek out new partnerships until brand consumers relevant information, and offer assistance relevant to sales modernization/web development is complete. conversion and bookings. The shows are to be conduits for the building of greater brand recognition and an opportunity to gauge reaction to 9.3 Mid Term Action Items that brand (metrics and feedback).

To maximize the effectiveness of consumer shows NeONT should: 9.3.1 Continue Website Redevelopment with Meridian Booking Functionality  Reduce the number of shows attended annual to 6 primary It is recommended that NeONT ensures that its website is capable of shows ‐ 2 each for Fishing & Hunting, Motorsports and Nature & communicating effectively by delivering an effective and engaging Outdoors; experience. As previously identified, recommendations from the BC  Create a larger presence at the shows by securing space for Hughes website audit include developing an entirely new website. This partners within the vicinity of the NeONT booth; redesigned and redeveloped NeONT website must be consistent with  Work closely with show organizers to enhance pre‐promotion, media attention and exposure where possible; Three‐Year Strategic Plan and Marketing Plan PKF Consulting Inc. Prepared for: Northeastern Ontario Tourism in association with Birchbark Media April 2014 Page 66 PKF Consulting Canada

 Create a dynamic visitor experience in the booth, and consider 9.4.2 Grow Brand Recognition in Best Bet Markets adding an interactive element, such as a fishing simulator or live

music; It is recommended that NeONT continue to seek increased brand  When possible, partner with OTMPC to further enhance your recognition in “Best Bet” markets. exposure and promotional opportunities. NeONT’s overall objective is the fundamental increase in tourism  Ensure the booth can be staffed with NeONT employees. Do not receipts. NeONT will continue to strive to provide a market that is rely on stakeholders, however they can be utilized when receptive; a market in which the primary stakeholders' promotional possible; and efforts resonate with much greater effective (an increased ability to  Choose a primary goal for each show (leads collected, leverage NeONT initiatives and build upon its influence in best bet interactions with visitors, guide books distributed) and let the markets). The general public will have a greater appreciation for the goal guide the decisions on all aspects ‐ booth design, staffing, value inherent to Northeastern Ontario region as whole and its top literature, etc. destinations and attractions.

9.4 Long-Term Action Items

9.4.1 Grow Online Brand Presence

It is recommended that in the long‐term, NeONT continue to increase its online brand reputation and presence. NeONT's objective will be to serve the ongoing needs of online visitors seeking specific, drill down information on relevant attractions, events and accommodations. The stakeholder database must be integrated online in a meaningful way that dovetails with site functionality to provide an effective and efficient user experience that leads to sales conversions and online bookings. The brand is to have matured and significant brand differentiation will have been achieved. NeONT will continue to establish greater exposure through digital content distribution and thus will gain ownership of the search engine real estate for the most important NeONT keywords.

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10. Goal: Facilitate Development of These initiatives will ultimately have a direct impact on NeONT, and the organization needs to consider the implications of such strategies on Northeastern Ontario Products and any future initiatives. Experiences Industry feedback obtained throughout this study points to a significant interest in pursuing initiatives aligned with product development in 10.1 Objectives Northeastern Ontario, in association with marketing activities. More specifically, the Board identified that NeONT’s role needs to include

having “influence” over the development of products and experiences Based on the current research being conducted for TNO, and for the that will drive tourism to Northeastern Ontario. There is also a strong purposes of NeONT’s Strategic Plan, Product Development is defined as: concern on the part of the Board to link urban and rural operators and

experiences, and on creating itinerary‐based travel routes through the “Connecting operators, stakeholders & communities to market interest, Region. needs and intelligences to facilitate and ignite the development of compelling reasons to visit and spend money in Northeastern Ontario.” Best practices also confirm the important of linking product

development with marketing activities, and developing “best bet” Product Development is one of the four strategic pillars that RTOs have product and experience clusters to market on a regional basis, building been mandated to focus on by MTCS, in order to grow tourism within on the premier asset base within each region. One of the ways in which their respective regions. TNO is currently working on a Product other RTOs have been able to source opportunities for product Development Strategy for Region 13 to identify which products are development and track the success of packages is by encouraging currently available and which are under development, and what roles operator participation in an online booking system (i.e. Meridian). and responsibilities are required to further product development in the long‐term. In consultation with NeONT’s Board of Directors, the consulting team

has identified the following objectives and short to long‐term actions for TNO is also rolling out a Packaging and On‐Line Sales Initiative within NeONT to complete in order to Facilitate Development of Northeastern each of the 3 sub‐regions. This initiative will incorporate 15 two‐day Ontario Products and Experiences. workshops throughout Northern Ontario, which will give operators the opportunity to learn about the benefits of packaging and build their  Short‐Term Outlook: own packages to 75% completion. The ultimate goal is to have 80‐100 In Year 1 of the Strategic Plan, NeONT needs to focus on Northern Ontario based packages online by year‐end 2014. The first building the Product Development Committee, liaising round of workshops begins in April, with two sessions in Northeastern with TNO on existing product development related Ontario (Timmins and Sudbury). booking initiatives, and launching the Meridian online

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system. This committee should communicate  Improved linkages between urban and rural operators; frequently with the Marketing Committee. Operators  Creation of a “hub” for tourist movement in Northeastern need to be encouraged to buy into product Ontario, with clusters/circuits of attractions and activities development opportunities, particularly packaging (“spokes”) that can be based around a particular theme or initiatives with a goal to get these onto the Meridian destination; and system. Package opportunities should start small with  Effective plan for launching the Meridian online booking system individual operator offerings. that benefits all parties.

 Mid‐Term Outlook: 10.2 Short-Term Action Items o Year 2 and Year 3 should see the further development and growth in packaging opportunities for the Meridian system, including multiple operators working together. 10.2.1 Set up Committee to Implement Product Development The goal for the Product Development Committee is to Strategic Plan Goals & Objectives consider opportunities for linking experiences, particularly urban and rural, in line with marketing It is recommended that NeONT establish the Product Development initiatives under the 5 pillars. Committee, with one Board member acting as Lead, who will provide guidance to NeONT staff for implementing all product development  Long‐Term Outlook: related initiatives. o In Year 3 and beyond, NeONT can begin to consider where there are regional clusters of strong product and The Product Development Committee lead should communicate experiences offerings, i.e. considering destinations and frequently with the Marketing Committee lead, to ensure there is communities as “hubs” and activities/products as consistency between marketing pillar initiatives and product “spokes”. NeONT should continue to support the development opportunities. efforts of its stakeholders, while leveraging opportunities underway through TNO, particularly with Staffing would need to be adjusted so that one staff member is respect to new tourism trends. specifically involved in product development initiatives, as articulated in Section 8 of this report. In meeting these objectives and completing these actions, NeONT is expected to benefit from: In the short‐term, the following key action items are recommended for the Product Development Committee:  Clearly defined “Best Bet” Regional products and experiences, which are consistently promoted by the organization;

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1. Liaise with TNO to identify relevant results of the Product for packaging and promotion, including those that have Development Strategy and Packaging and Online Sales been identified in the following chart (please note that Initiative for Northeastern Ontario this list is not exhaustive):

 Phase 1 of the Product Development Strategy points to Destinations / Communities Products / Experiences a few “quick wins” for Northern Ontario, including:  3 cities (Sudbury, North Bay and motorcycle touring product, development of packages Timmins)  Fishing lodges and sample itineraries, outdoor recreation and nature  Manitoulin Island  Provincial Parks and private camp adventure, sport tourism, cultural and heritage tourism,  Killarney / French River grounds snowmobiling and snowmobile trails, Great Lakes  Temagami Region  Back country canoe/kayak camping Coastal Route, and fishing/hunting. Key “success”  Cochrane  Cottage rentals and resorts stories in Northeastern Ontario include: Great Spirit  Timiskaming  Day visits to attractions Circle Trail, Motorsports (ATV Ontario, snowmobile  Mattawa Voyageur Country  Festivals product), Fishing, Science North/Dynamic Earth, etc.  Moosonee  Hotels and Inns  Chapleau Region  Hunting lodges  Touring ‐ snowmobile and motorcycle  The spring series of workshops for TNO’s Packaging

Initiative is beginning shortly, with a session in Sudbury

in late April, and Timmins in mid‐May. These sessions 3. Track product development initiatives within Northeastern will be geared towards helping operators create their Ontario jurisdictions own packages

 A number of operators and communities across 2. Refine database of existing products/experiences and Northeastern Ontario are already involved in packaging available packages according to 5 pillars areas for Marketing initiatives, including, but not limited to:

i. Accommodation & theatre packages (Cobalt);  NeONT has a database of existing operators in the ii. Stay & Play golf packages (Chisolm, Haileybury); region, which is extensive, but is continuing to be iii. Accommodation and ferry crossing packages updated – this can be used as a base for refining the list (Chi Cheemaun, Great Spirit Circle Trail); of premier products in the region iv. City of Timmins (25 written packages in Travel

Guide);  Research and stakeholder input points to various “best v. Packages for corporate partner organizations bet” market‐ready destination and products/ (not always independent leisure) experiences, which can be highlighted as opportunities Three‐Year Strategic Plan and Marketing Plan PKF Consulting Inc. Prepared for: Northeastern Ontario Tourism in association with Birchbark Media April 2014 Page 70 PKF Consulting Canada

4. Develop criteria for potential partnership projects NeONT needs to better define the value of the system for the organization itself, as well as to the operator partners and the consumer  Potential criteria for participation in must be – and define its functionality at all levels. This may involve product/experience based, but not infrastructure based development of a workshop for Board, staff and committee members, (see Section 7 for optional criteria) and an information session for operators and other key stakeholders. In the immediate‐term, NeONT staff also needs to ensure the Meridian 5. Work with signature product and experiences to identify system is integrated properly throughout the website. Currently, the partnership opportunities system is only functional via the home page.

 CTC has recognized 2 Northeastern Ontario product Once the value of Meridian has been communicated, and operators are within their Signature Experiences Collections, including buying in to available programs, NeONT needs to establish annual “Experience the Past, Enjoy the Present” – Great Spirit targets for operator participation. This can be the role of the Intern Circle Trail, and “Glamping in the Canadian Boreal from TNO, who can communicate with his or her counterparts in the Forest – WildExodus Adventures, and attractions like other sub‐regions. The TNO Intern also needs to work with operators to Science North / Dynamic Earth already have well‐ enhance existing packages to add to the online system, and undertake established partners; NeONT needs to work with these training programs. assets to identify best bet partnership opportunities for product development (i.e. packaging options); In the short to mid‐term, NeONT’s main objective is to maintain  Other opportunities for partnership include: linking communication with the industry to ensure all stakeholders are familiar existing tourism routes (i.e. Manitoulin cycling, Highway with the system and its functionality. 11 heritage routes), Aboriginal Tourism initiatives, etc. 10.3 Mid-Term Action Items

10.2.2 Meridian Reservation System Familiarization and 10.3.1 Facilitate Development of Itinerary Based Theme Launch Completion Routes through Partnerships

It is recommended that NeONT’s Executive Director work with It is recommended that NeONT’s Product Development Committee Meridian’s customer service department, and create a communication investigate existing and potential trails and tour routes prepared by plan to generate buy‐in from stakeholders. other organizations, and consider opportunities for packaging and

promotion. In this case, it would be up to NeONT’s partner The first step of this plan is to articulate benefits and functionality of businesses/operators to put routes/package together and deliver them, the Meridian online booking system internally and externally. Three‐Year Strategic Plan and Marketing Plan PKF Consulting Inc. Prepared for: Northeastern Ontario Tourism in association with Birchbark Media April 2014 Page 71 PKF Consulting Canada

while NeONT would work on potential linkages (i.e. urban/rural 10.4.2 Explore New Tourism Trends connections). TNO is currently undertaking a vast amount of research based on Best practice research provided a range of itinerary‐based tour routes in Statistics Canada / FedNor sponsored data analysis, as well as public other jurisdictions, including: Ride Lake Superior (RTO 13B), Ride the consultation. The results of these studies should be used by NeONT’s Edge (RTO 12), Hiking the Waterfalls (RTO 3), Shores of Lake Huron (RTO Product Development Committee to further explore new opportunity 4), Heritage Areas/Towns (RTO 4). areas and partnership opportunities. It is recommended that funding for

exploration of new product development opportunities should be The Committee needs to guide NeONT Staff by identifying funded by partnership funds in the long‐term (3+ years), and should not opportunities, seeking out partnerships, and using funding criteria to come from NeONT’s core budget. initiate projects.

The survey and webinar results pointed to specific areas of interest for It is recommended that funding for these initiatives should be coming Northeastern Ontario tourism‐related stakeholders, such as: developing from Partnerships and Public Sector sources (See Section 7). First Nations trap‐line guided tours.

10.4 Long-Term Action Items

10.4.1 Identify “Best Bet” Regional Clusters of Market-Ready Products

Using existing research and Meridian tracking data, it is recommended that the Product Development Committee works with NeONT staff to determine clusters of experiences in NE Ontario, and group experiences accordingly, in tandem with work being conducted by the Marketing Committee.

In line with the objectives of the product development goal, NeONT should focus on aligning “best bet” products and experiences (spokes) around destinations “hubs”.

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11. Goal: Become a Resource to Direct The following action items are expected to be the primary responsibility of NeONT’s Executive Director, who serves as the primary point person Workforce Development and for the organization. Investment Attraction Opportunities 11.2 Short-Term Action Items

11.1 Objectives 11.2.1 Develop Workforce Initiative Database

As previously identified, MTCS has mandated that all Regional Tourism Organizations focus their activities under 4 strategic pillars: It is recommended that the Executive Director identify workforce development initiatives that are being undertaken by other  Marketing organizations throughout Northern Ontario, and maintain a database  Product Development with relevant opportunities for partner businesses.  Workforce Development Opportunities/initiatives may extend beyond Northern Ontario, but it is  Investment Attraction recommended that in the short‐term, NeONT focus on regional

initiatives. Best practice research indicates that most RTOs are prioritizing marketing and product development initiatives, and allocating less of Potential organizations with which NeONT can consult on workforce their resources (financial and human) towards workforce development development related initiatives include: TNO, regional DMOs, EDOs, and investment attraction initiatives. This Three‐Year Strategic Plan Community Futures, Great Spirit Circle Trail, colleges/universities, etc. recommends a similar focus for NeONT. Opportunity areas of most interest to the stakeholders through our

public consultation were: With respect to Workforce Development / Capacity Building, the objective for NeONT is:  Social Media Training workshops  To partner with existing organizations and funnel workforce  Build Basic Tourism Packages development opportunities directed by other entities to  Develop Tourism Experiences/Itinerary members  Tourism/Hospitality Service Training

With respect to Investment Attraction, the objective for NeONT is:  Educational Sponsorship / Bursary  To gain awareness of new opportunities for tourism investment,  Workforce database (matching jobs/employers) act as a resource, and funnel opportunities to the appropriate  Tourism/Hospitality Awards night contacts  Basic Business Tools (bookkeeping, marketing, etc.)

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11.2.2 Develop Investment Opportunity Database 11.3.2 Communicate Investment-Related Information to Investors and Partners

It is recommended that the Executive Director identify tourism‐related investment projects currently being undertaken in the region by It is recommended that the Executive Director collaborate with NeONT’s economic development agencies and other private or public‐private Board members to create a strategy for communicating information and partnership entities. research relevant to potential investment opportunities to relevant stakeholders, and to facilitate information sharing between economic The survey identified 28 existing projects, which have been listed in development offices throughout Northeastern Ontario. Appendix C. 11.4 Long-Term Action Items Other best practice initiatives include:  Establishing a database of contacts to direct investors 11.4.1 Work with Partner Funding to Develop New Initiatives  Leveraging partnerships with EDCO for Workforce Development / Training  Creating an asset management plan

11.3 Mid-Term Action Items Should NeONT have additional funds to leverage through partnerships in the long‐term, it is recommended that the Executive Director consider partnering on workforce development opportunities that 11.3.1 Communicate Workforce Development Events to would have the most potential / value for members. This may require Members further polling of partner businesses. In the mid‐term, it is recommended that the Executive Director investigate integrating database information into a Workforce Appendix A provides a long list of Workforce development‐related Development Event Calendar, which can be posted on NeONT’s initiatives that would be of interest to NeONT stakeholders. website.

Another recommendation is for NeONT to create a forum to get feedback on the value of specific events to members, in order to determine long‐term opportunities for workforce development and training‐related events.

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12. Marketing Action Plan

12.1 Introduction Furthermore, the General Marketing budget includes $42,000 for the design and production of a single guidebook (as opposed to the existing 3 books). The “guide” should be story driven and experience focused. The following section sets out the 2014/2015 annual tactical guide for Providing readers with a taste of what differentiates NeONT as a travel NeONT to follow in order to fulfill the Marketing Strategic Goals set out destination. Stories and content should be matched with online content. in Section 9 of this report. The Action Plan has been created for use in Produce a digital version of the “guide” that is optimized for viewing on Year 1 (2014/2015), and should be revisited for each year of the Three‐ tablet computers. Year Marketing Plan, based on existing sources of funding and results of performance measurement. As per the TNO Marketing Strategy 2012‐2017 (page 80):

As identified in Section 7, it is recommended that the 2014/15 core Participation by the RTO sub‐regions in Northern Ontario marketing budget from TNO be adjusted to focus on Marketing initiatives under initiatives provides an opportunity to enhance and refresh the approach the 5 marketing pillars according to the following allocations. to some traditional marketing tactics as follows:

NEONT Marketing Budget 2014‐15 (proposed) “Address the current reliance on and need for multiple print General Marketing (including Tracking/ROI) $310,500 31% publications via consolidation. It is recommended that an Nature & Outdoors $198,000 20% inventory of existing publications is conducted to determine Fishing & Hunting $179,000 18% where publications might be brought together into a single initiative.” Motorsports & Touring $119,000 12%

Attractions & Festivals $119,000 12% This single guidebook should push to the forefront NeONT's best bet Meetings, Conventions & Sports $44,500 4% destinations and experiences. It should no longer be, primarily, a listing Meridian $35,000 3% of all businesses within the region. Best bet partners should be Total Budget $1,005,000 100% highlighted and provided with additional advertising opportunities.

The General Marketing budget includes $30,500 budget for Tracking and Note: the existing (3) guidebooks will be utilized while quantities last, ROI, which represents 3% of NeONT’s overall Marketing budget. This through 2014. The design and layout of a new all‐in‐one guidebook has been adjusted upwards from $10,400 (1% of overall Marketing should begin, with an AOR, in Q3 of the 2014/15 fiscal. budget), as this is considered a transition year for NeONT.

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With respect to the budget allocations within the 5 Marketing Pillars, Motorsports Southern Ontario & GTA, Manitoba, Quebec and US Recommended initiatives under each pillar area are provided in the & Touring Border States; Snowmobile Tourists; North American following tables with accompanying budgets. Motorcycle Tourists (i.e. CA, TX); Mellow Vacationers (older couples/“empty nesters”); Recreational The Marketing Leads representing each marketing pillar will need to motorsport enthusiasts (i.e. adult males and couples) work together in a strategic manner to determine how their respective Festivals & Other Northern Ontario, GTA (young families and VFR); budgets will be allocated for each of the following: Attractions US border states (families & couples coming to fish, see Nature); Mellow Vacationers, Family Memory  Print advertising Builders, Up and Coming Explorers  Consumer shows Meetings, Local & Regional Business associations; association and  Micro‐site initiatives (where applicable) Conventions independent meeting planners; Local stakeholders that  Partnerships (OTMPC) & Sport serve on boards; prior meeting & conference delegates  Broadcast (radio/TV) Tourism and trade show exhibitors; Local Sport teams & associations (i.e. Other Northern Ontario teams & It should be noted that budget allocations for the preceding initiatives associations; Provincial Sports organizations; Athletes within each pillar area are flexible, based on Marketing Committee and spectators) consensus and Board approval. The budgets presented in this document have been selected based on best practices, tourism marketing trends, visitation statistics for Northeastern Ontario (Region As described in Section 9, in order to maintain consistency, better 13A), and knowledge of the key target markets within each respective coordinate and maximize budget, it is recommended that NeONT work pillar, as described in Section 5.5 and summarized below: with third party marketing agencies for the following areas:

Nature & Southern Ontario, GTA & Ottawa, and US Border 1. Website Development Outdoors States; Nature Lovers, Family Memory Builders, Up and 2. Advertising, creative and brand modernization Coming Explorers, Mellow Vacationers; High Yield 3. Digital Marketing Nature‐Based Tourists (average age of 55); Other 4. Video/photography production Nature‐Based Tourists; “glamping” enthusiasts (young couples from Ontario) Fishing & US Border States (i.e. NY, NJ); Southern Ontario & Hunting GTA; Avid and Recreational Anglers and North American Hunters (mostly male groups); new growth markets (women, youth from Ontario)

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Pillar: General Marketing Budget allocation: $301,500 (31%)

Initiative Objective Performance Measurement Budget Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4

Undergo the immediate fixes that are needed to enable the website to function Meet the recommendations of the Website Updates √ efficiently ‐ as per the recommendations provided by the BC Hughes Website Audit. Website Audit (Option C)

$60,000 A fully functioning website that is (19%) Work with Web Development Agency to create new website, which will be a responsive in design, promotes Website Redesign primary asset for the growth and prosperity of NeONT. We recommend Option C – dynamic content, is optimized for √ √ / Overhaul Porting of Current Website Database ‐ new website within open‐source content search and directs visitors to management framework. Meridian system

Work with Digital Marketing agency to initiate a comprehensive content marketing Detailed social media analytics ‐ strategy that works to create, source and distribute compelling and shareable online Social / Digital follower, engagement and content $30,000 content. Reach and engage with past and potential customers through social media √ √ √ √ Content Marketing distribution. Website traffic & goal (10%) outlets (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Google+ primarily), blogs and other online conversions distribution opportunities.

Paid Content Work with Digital Marketing Agency to create NeONT content and grow the social $6,000 Distribution & media following by targeted demographics through paid promotion / distribution. Website traffic & goal conversions. √ √ √ (2%) Advertising This includes Facebook advertising and YouTube advertising.

Video / Work with Video/Photography production company to develop a digital storytelling Video views, Website traffic & goal $75,000 Photography strategy focused around producing high quality short online videos/photographs √ √ √ conversions (24%) Production that highlight NeONT’s distinctive tourism experiences

Work with Digital Marketing Agency to develop an influencer outreach strategy that An increase in online mentions of fosters partnerships with bloggers and content producers that align with NeONT’s Influencer NeONT, website referrals, goal $6,000 target markets and product offerings, as well as having the ability to produce and √ √ Campaigns conversions, backlinks and search (2%) distribute high value content. Examples include: Planet D (Adventure Travel Blog) engine rankings. and The Happy Camper (Kevin Callan)

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Pillar: General Marketing Budget allocation: $301,500 (31%)

Initiative Objective Performance Measurement Budget Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4

Work with a Digital Marketing Agency to work on search engine optimization of the Increased search engine rankings $15,000 SEO and SEM NeONT website paired with a targeted Google AdWords campaign to reach √ √ √ and website traffic (5%) customers during their online travel research phase.

Work with Ad Agency to produce a single high value magazine style lure piece that incorporates all marketing pillars, as opposed to 3 separate books. The “guide” should be story driven and experience focused. Providing readers with a taste of Distribution numbers and $42,000 Print (guide book) √ what differentiates NeONT as a travel destination. Stories and content should be downloads (14%) matched with online content. Produce a digital version of the “guide” that is optimized for viewing on tablet computers

15% allotted for Administrative work associated with this marketing segment. $46,000 Administration ‐ √ √ √ √ (15%)

Contract one or more companies to gauge the effectiveness of the above initiatives $30,500 Tracking & ROI TBD √ √ √ (10%)

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Pillar: Nature and Outdoors Budget allocation: $198,000 (20%)

Initiative Objective Performance Measurement Budget Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4

Work with an ad agency to reach and increase awareness of the nature and outdoor Print experiences within the target markets through the use of timely/targeted print Distribution/impressions and $50,000 √ √ √ Advertising (magazine/newspaper) advertising. Potential ad placements in Explore Magazine, Canoe Roots website visits (25%) Magazine, Outpost Magazine and Canadian Geographic.

Work with an ad agency to plan, schedule and create radio or TV spots that have a targeted Broadcast message with an online fulfillment. Elements of the message must be visible online during the Brand awareness and increase in $30,000 √ √ Advertising campaign. Broadcast outlets for consideration include: Barrie and Ottawa CTV, Travelscope and website traffic (15%) CHUM FM.

Amount of partnership funds Support existing OTMPC tactics ‐ such as the Outdoor Adventure Contest, photo shoots and OTMPC leveraged, impact in new markets $30,000 partnered representation at US or overseas events ‐ for broader market reach and leveraging √ √ √ √ Partnerships and marketing assets (e.g. (15%) assets. video/photo) gained

FAM Trips / Work with OTMPC to secure media FAM trips and provide OTMPC with story ideas for media Earned media impressions/value $10,000 √ √ √ √ Media Relations relations and website backlinks (5%)

Attend targeted nature and outdoors consumer shows to build awareness of NeONT experiences, distribute the “guide” and drive traffic to the website. Consumer Attendance numbers, database $40,000 Where possible leverage partnerships for broader exposure and work with the show organizers √ Shows growth, guide distribution (20%) to capitalize on pre‐show promotional opportunities. Recommended Priority Shows include: the Toronto Adventure Show, and Ottawa Adventure Show.

Actively seek partnered marking opportunities with other relevant and complimentary Other organizations that will help NeONT reach target markets more efficiently and cost effectively. Amount of partnership funds and $8,000 Partnership √ √ √ √ Partnerships should also be used to test new / less traditional markets and/or marketing impact in new markets (4%) Initiatives tactics. An example of a potential partner is: Ontario Parks.

$30,000 Administration 15% allotted for Administrative work associated with this marketing segment. ‐ √ √ √ √ (15%)

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Pillar: Fishing and Hunting Budget allocation: $179,000 (18%)

% of Initiative Objective Performance Measurement Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Budget

Work with an ad agency to plan, schedule and create print ads that will reach the target markets and increase awareness of the fishing and hunting experiences and destinations Distribution/impressions and $64,000 Print Advertising √ √ √ √ within the region. Media outlets must match the target markets such as Ontario Out of website visits (36%) Doors.

Engage an ad agency to plan and purchase radio or TV spots that have a targeted message Broadcast Brand awareness and increase in $18,000 with an online fulfillment. Consideration of broadcast buys should be made to weekend √ √ √ Advertising website traffic (10%) fishing shows.

Amount of partnership funds OTMPC Support existing OTMPC Fishing and Hunting Program tactics ‐ such as fishing show leveraged, impact in new markets $18,000 √ √ √ √ Partnerships partnerships ‐ for broader market reach and leveraging assets. and any marketing assets (e.g. (10%) video/photo) gained

FAM Trips/ Media Work with OTMPC to secure media FAM trips and provide OTMPC with story ideas for Earned media impressions/value $9,000 √ √ √ √ Relations media relations. and website backlinks (5%)

Attend targeted fishing and hunting consumer shows to build awareness of NeONT experiences, distribute the “guide” and drive traffic to the website. Where possible leverage partnerships for broader exposure and work with the show Attendance numbers, database $36,000 Consumer Shows √ √ organizers to capitalize on pre‐show promotional opportunities. Recommended Priority growth, guide distribution (20%) Shows include: the Toronto Sportsman Show, and the London Boat, Fishing and Leisure Show.

Actively seek partnered marking opportunities with other relevant and complimentary Other Partnership organizations that will help NeONT reach target markets more efficiently and cost Amount of partnership funds and $7,000 √ √ √ √ Initiatives effectively. Partnerships should be used to test new/less traditional markets and/or impact in new markets (4%) marketing tactics. Examples of potential partners include: OFAH and Ducks Unlimited.

15% allotted for Administrative work associated with this segment. $27,000 Administration ‐ √ √ √ √ (15%)

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Pillar: Motorsports and Touring Budget allocation: $119,000 (12%)

Initiative Objective Performance Measurement Budget Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4

To increase the awareness of NeONT as a destination for motorsports and touring to Print targeted motorcycle, snowmobile, ATV and boating enthusiasts through working Distribution/impressions and $36,000 √ √ Advertising with an ad agency that will help identify best bet outlets, such as Super Trax website visits (30%) Magazine

Maintain a micro‐site that showcases the unique motorsports and touring Website traffic & goal $12,000 Micro‐site √ √ √ √ opportunities and tangible product offerings within the region conversions. (10%)

Support existing OTMPC tactics for broader market reach and leveraging assets. Partnership funds leveraged, OTMPC impact in new markets and $18,000 √ √ √ Partnerships marketing assets (e.g. (15%) video/photo) gained

Work with OTMPC to secure media FAM trips and provide OTMPC with story ideas Earned media FAM Trips / $12,000 for media relations impressions/value and website √ √ √ √ Media Relations (10%) backlinks

Attend targeted motorsport consumer shows to build awareness of NeONT experiences, distribute the “guide” and drive traffic to the website. Where possible Consumer Attendance numbers, database $18,000 leverage partnerships for broader exposure and work with the show organizers to √ √ Shows growth, guide distribution (15%) capitalize on pre‐show promotional opportunities. Recommended Priority Shows include: the Toronto Snowmobile Show, Toronto Motorcycle Show.

Actively seek partnered marking opportunities with other relevant and Other complimentary organizations that will help NeONT reach target markets more Amount of partnership funds $5,000 Partnership efficiently and cost effectively. Partnerships should also be used to test new / less √ √ √ √ and impact in new markets (4%) Initiatives traditional markets and/or marketing tactics. Examples of potential partners include: OFSC and OFATV.

15% allotted for Administrative work associated with this segment. $18,000 Administration ‐ √ √ √ √ (15%)

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Pillar: Festivals and Attractions Budget allocation: $119,000 (12%)

Initiative Objective Performance Measurement Budget Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4

Work with an ad agency to plan, schedule and create print ads that will reach the target markets and increase awareness of the festivals Distribution/impressions and website $48,000 Print Advertising and attractions within the region through the use of print √ √ √ √ visits (40%) (magazine/newspaper) advertising in such outlets as Today’s Parent and Ottawa Family Living magazine.

Work with an ad agency to plan, schedule and create radio or TV spots that have a targeted message with an online fulfillment. Broadcast Brand awareness and increase in $24,000 Elements of the message must be visible online during the √ √ √ Advertising website traffic (20%) campaign. Broadcast outlets for consideration include Barrie and Ottawa CTV, and CHUM FM.

Amount of partnership funds OTMPC Support existing OTMPC tactics, such as the Festivals and Events leveraged, impact in new markets and $12,000 √ √ √ √ Partnerships program, for broader market reach and leveraging assets. any marketing assets (e.g. (10%) video/photo) gained

FAM Trips / Media Work with OTMPC to secure media FAM trips and provide OTMPC Earned media impressions/value and $12,000 √ √ √ √ Relations with story ideas for media relations. website backlinks (10%)

Actively seek partnered marking opportunities with other relevant and complimentary organizations that will help NeONT reach target Other Partnership markets more efficiently and cost effectively. Partnerships should Amount of partnership funds and $5,000 √ √ √ √ Initiatives also be used to test new / less traditional markets and/or marketing impact in new markets (4%) tactics. Examples of potential partners include: Attractions Ontario and Festivals & Events Ontario.

15% allotted for Administrative work associated with this marketing $18,000 Administration ‐ √ √ √ √ segment. (15%)

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Pillar: Meetings, Conventions and Sports Tourism Budget allocation: $44,500 (4%)

Initiative Objective Performance Measurement Budget Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4

Develop a strategy and agreement with municipalities on how Formal MOU agreement signed and $22,500 Marketplaces NeONT can support the coordination of their representation, and √ √ √ √ total leads from marketplaces (51%) follow up of key industry marketplaces.

In partnership with the municipalities, produce printed marketing $15,300 Print Collateral Distribution numbers √ √ √ √ materials for key industry marketplaces. (34%)

15% allotted for Administrative work associated with this marketing $6,800 Administration ‐ √ √ √ √ segment. (15%)

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13. Implementation Plan

13.1 Introduction 13.3 Pathway for Implementation

The subject Three‐Year Strategic Plan and Marketing Plan is built on our The following chart sets the direction, identifies the actions, roles and strategic assessment of the potential, role and capacity of the responsibilities associated with each recommendation of this Three‐ Northeastern Ontario to support the long‐term development of Region Year Strategic Plan and Marketing Plan. It must be noted that the 13A’s tourism sector, and fulfill its mandate with Tourism Northern degree of implementation, and the timing of implementation, will be Ontario. This document provides a multi‐year framework for NeONT to contingent on the successful restructuring and sustainability of work with partner organizations to analyze tourism resources, and to Northeastern Ontario Tourism as an organization. encourage tourism development and promotion.

The primary purpose of this Plan is: to embrace change at an organizational level, and to reestablish the NeONT brand with consistent messaging in print and online, in order to ensure continuity of commitment to the tourism industry in Northeastern Ontario.

13.2 Organizational Resources

Appropriate and effective resource allocation will be critical to the successful implementation of the Three‐Year Tourism Strategic Plan and Marketing Plan. At the core of the marketing activities will be NeONT’s Executive Director, three Coordinators, and the Marketing and Product Development Committees, who will have the responsibility for monitoring the implementation of the Plan, acting as a resource for sector partners as needed. Collaborative engagement with TNO, OTMPC, as well as private and not‐for‐profit partners will be required within the scope of work as well.

Three‐Year Strategic Plan and Marketing Plan PKF Consulting Inc. Prepared for: Northeastern Ontario Tourism in association with Birchbark Media April 2014 Page 84 IMPLEMENTATION PLAN FOR NORTHEASTERN ONTARIO TOURISM'S THREE‐YEAR STRATEGIC PLAN AND MARKETING PLAN Timeline Budget Step Action Year 1 Q1 Year 1 Q2 Year 1 Q3 Year 1 Q4 Year 2 Year 3 Role/Responsibility Allocation for Performance Measurement (Apr‐ (Jul‐ (Oct‐ (Jan‐ (Apr/15‐ (Apr 16‐ Year 1 Jun/14) Sep/14) Dec/14) Mar/15) Mar/16) Mar/17) 1 Establish project buy‐in from Board, Committees and Staff re: Strategic Plan & Marketing Plan Apr‐14 Board / Executive Director Increased commitment from NeONT Board, staff and stakeholders; Stronger organization with clear mandate and communication structure. 2 Reallocate 2014/2015 budget based on key strategy measures; Primary budget allocations: May‐14 Executive Director / Finance More focused marketing campaigns; increased stakeholder buy‐in; 31% General Marketing; 20% Nature & Outdoors; 18% Fishing & Hunting, 12% Motorsports & Committee increased overnight visitors to the region in defined target markets Touring, 12% Attractions & Festivals; 4% Meetings/Conventions/Sports; 3% Meridian

3Create a presentation and host workshops to communicate goals of Strategic Plan & May‐14 Board/Executive Director Increase partnership revenues; increased stakeholder buy‐in; enhanced Marketing Plan (external communication strategy) brand exposure through partner marketing channels

4 Implement revised Marketing Committee structure, including nomination criteria and Jun‐14 Board/Marketing Increased commitment from NeONT Board, staff and stakeholders; reporting process; Recommendation to have one General Marketing committee with former Committee/Tourism Advisory Stronger organization; goals of strategic plan and marketing plan heads of the 5 sub‐committees that meets quarterly to make decisions and provide high‐level Committees achieved on schedule; change in partner involvement on Tourism direction to staff Advisory Committees

5Revise roles and responsibilities for Staff – including new Partnership Coordinator and intern; May‐ Board / Executive Director Increased commitment from NeONT Board, staff and stakeholders; Recommendations: 2 Coordinators of Marketing/Content Strategy & Communications, 1 Jun/14 Stronger organization Coordinator of Partnership Sales/Product Development & General Admin (database, Meridian Training); 1 Intern for Meridian roll‐out (Year 1)

6 Establish criteria for Product Development Committee and nominate a minimum of 3 Apr‐ Board / Product Development Increased commitment from NeONT Board, staff and stakeholders; members; and ensure NeONT has presence at TNO Packaging workshops via this Committee May/14 Committee Stronger organization

7 Establish meeting structure for all Marketing and Product Development committees; xxxxxxMarketing Committee / Product Increased commitment from NeONT Committees, staff and Recommendation is for individual committees to meet quarterly to make decisions on Development Committee / Finance stakeholders; Stronger organization relevant initiatives, and once annually together to share successes, plan for upcoming year Committee

8Marketing Committee to develop selection criteria and establish Tourism Advisory x Board/Product Development Increased commitment from NeONT Board, staff and stakeholders; Committees with specialties in each pillar area, if required (i.e. Fish/Hunt committee). For Q1 Committee Stronger organization 2014/2015, these committees may be comprised primarily of existing sub‐committee members 9 Develop RFP and hire firm to implement Website Development strategy xMarketing Committee/ Executive $60,000 A fully functioning website that is responsive in design, promotes Director dynamic content, is optimized for search and directs visitors to Meridian 10 Website agency to develop an all‐new, robust, effective web presence for NeONT x Web Development Agency / system Marketing Committee / Executive Director 11 Revise and implement consumer show strategy targetting average of 2 specific shows per xMarketing Committee / Executive Increased attendance numbers, database growth, guide distribution, marketing pillar Director website hits 12 Make arrangements to attend Snowmobile/ATV show for Motorsports in October (promotion, xxxMarketing Committee / Executive $9,000 Increased attendance numbers, database growth, guide distribution, travel, booth preparation, etc.) Director / Staff website hits 13 Meridian familiarization and launch completion ‐ work with Meridian's customer service to xxxx Executive Director / Staff / Meridian $35,000 Increased number of operator participants, and package offerings; fully create a plan for stakeholder communication, develop a workshop for Board familiarization, functioning Meridian system on website and host an information session for operators

14 Hire Intern to help train operators and maintain Meridian system on website x Executive Director Increased number of operator participants, and package offerings on Meridian 15 Create an external communication strategy, and communicate the main messages of the xExecutive Director / Staff Increased partner businesses and partnership revenues; increased Strategic Plan to current partner businesses (i.e. NeONT is restructuring, but continuing to stakeholder buy‐in and brand exposure provide value); Partnership Coordinator needs to close existing partnership sales, but should not actively seek out new partnerships until brand modernization/web development is complete 16 Develop a clear strategy aimed at determining the ROI of targeted initiatives. xBoard / Executive Director / $30,500 Benchmarks for accommodation and attraction attendance tracking, and Recommendations: collect performance statistics for 3 attractions/festivals; collect contact Marketing Committee statistics for NeONT Stakeholders; ability to gauge success of marketing details from interested parties at consumer shows and marketplaces, track accommodation campaigns, and weed out least effective ones going forward performance, Google analytics, etc. Track which trade and consumer shows are attended by staff, and what Marketing Pillars are being represented; develop a strategy to determine which ones continue to be of value and which ones should be removed from the rotation

17 Develop an MOU for DMOs/major Northeastern Ontario communities to target the Meetings, xMarketing Committee / Board / $44,500 More consistent representation at trade shows/marketplaces and Conventions and Sports market and Group Tours segment ‐ including a strategy for Executive Director increased attendance, database growth, guide distribution, website hits representing NeONT as a region

Three‐Year Strategic Plan and Marketing Plan for Northeastern Ontario Tourism Prepared by: PKF Consulting in association with Birchbark Media April 2014 IMPLEMENTATION PLAN FOR NORTHEASTERN ONTARIO TOURISM'S THREE‐YEAR STRATEGIC PLAN AND MARKETING PLAN Timeline Budget Step Action Year 1 Q1 Year 1 Q2 Year 1 Q3 Year 1 Q4 Year 2 Year 3 Role/Responsibility Allocation for Performance Measurement (Apr‐ (Jul‐ (Oct‐ (Jan‐ (Apr/15‐ (Apr 16‐ Year 1 Jun/14) Sep/14) Dec/14) Mar/15) Mar/16) Mar/17) 18 Develop RFP and hire Ad Agency to work in conjunction with the Marketing committee on: xBoard / Marketing Committee / $327,200 Increased distribution of guide and number of contacts in operator Print Ads, Broadcast, Guide Book, Print Materials, and Brand Modernization Executive Director database; number of downloads of visitor guide via website; increased NeONT brand awareness in target market based on involvement in 19 Implement Brand Modernization strategy ‐ a simple but clear take on the existing NeONT xAD Agency /Marketing Committee social media channels and direct feedback; increased number of brand that can be used to provide consistent messaging in all print and digital content / Executive Director overnight visitors from target markets; increased partner businesses working with NeONT based on improved value proposition

20 Develop one comprehensive NeONT guidebook. Ad Agency to work with Marketing xAD Agency /Marketing Committee Committee on design and layout. Note: current guides would run their course, with regard to / Executive Director consumer show (and mailout) distribution. 21 Establish an effective print and broadcast media buy calendar and ad creative xx AD Agency /Marketing Committee / Executive Director

22 Ensure creative and artwork is complete for Great North Publication ‐ OTMPC partnership xAD Agency /Marketing Committee initiative (deadline Nov. 6, 2014) / Executive Director 23 Develop RFP and hire Digital Agency to work in conjunction with the Marketing committee on: xBoard / Marketing Committee / $57,000 Change in social media analytics ‐ follower, engagement and content Digital Strategy, Influencer Campaigns, SEO & SEM, and Paid Distribution (needs to follow Executive Director distribution; increased website traffic; increase in online mentions of website development) NeONT, website referrals, goal conversions, backlinks and search engine 24 Establish an effective social media marketing and communication strategy, which would x Digital Agency / Marketing rankings include a detailed content calendar Committee / Staff 25 Book agreed upon Consumer Shows for Feb/Mar 2015 for Nature & Outdoors, Fishing & xMarketing Committee / Executive $85,000 Increased consumer show attendance numbers; operator database Hunting, Motorsports Director / Staff growth; increased guide distribution and website downloads 26 Develop RFP and hire Video / Photography Agency to develop resource of digital media. x Photo Video Agency / Marketing $75,000 Enhanced database of videos and photographs of quality tourism Committee / Staff experiences; increased video views, website traffic & goal conversions; increase brand awareness (social media involvement and direct 27 Develop resource of valuable photographic and video assets. Executive Director to work with xx Photo Video Agency / Marketing feedback) NeONT staff and committee (where possible) to assess the value of existing assets ‐ work with Committee / Staff a photographer and videographer to execute based on an efficient, cost‐effective shooting schedule. 28 Staff to seek out potential funding sources for future regional product development projects xx Executive Director / Product Increased partnership involvement and dollars levered; increased and maintain a database of funding potential ‐ i.e. if partner comes to NeONT with Development Committee overnight visits to the region; enhanced exposure of NeONT through opportunity (i.e. extension of Heritage Trail on Highway 11), NeONT could use database and partner marketing channels and partner involvement in 5 marketing assist in sourcing funding application pillar areas 29 Liaise with TNO to identify results of Product Development Strategy & Packaging Strategy x x Product Development Committee / $150,000 Change in number of quality tourism experiences and packages available Staff across the region; increased package sales through Meridian; increased overnight visits; enhanced accommodation performance; positive 30 Continue to refine database of existing products/experiences and available packages in NE ON xProduct Development Committee / customer feedback via social media channels; increased partner according to 5 marketing pillars Staff involvement in regional projects and dollars levered; increased synergies 31 Informally track private and public sector product development initiatives in different NE ON xProduct Development Committee / with TNO initiatives and increased funding for product development jurisdictions ‐ i.e. maintain a database of packages offered throughout the Region Staff

32 Investigate trails and tour routes through revised database, and look for packaging xxxProduct Development Committee / opportunities ‐ using funding sources identified by staff in Year 1 Q1 Staff 33 Identify tourism‐related investment projects currently being undertaken within Northeastern xxxExecutive Director / Staff Increased investor inquiries regarding new tourism investment Ontario (i.e. by economic development agencies and other private or public‐private opportunities (through NeONT or regional economic development partnership entities) and create an investment project database organizations); increased tourism development in the region; increased visitor spending 34 Review MOU with TNO for the 2015/2016 fiscal year; goals for NeONT may change based on xxxExecutive Director / Finance Clean audit of finances; increased partnership dollars levered; strategic TNO requirements, and it's important to adjust budget to fulfill new mandates Committee plan and marketing plan deliverables met; increased partners and positive partner business feedback 35 Prepare a survey focusing on NeONT benefits, support services, communication tactics, fee‐ xBoard / Executive Director / Staff Increased number of partner businesses working with NeONT based on for‐service potential and distribute to partner businesses and analyze results improved value proposition; increased revenue from partnership sales

36 Update Partnership Sales strategy to actively seek out new partnerships based on results of xExecutive Director / Staff Increased number of partner businesses working with NeONT based on survey, new branding / digital presence, etc. improved value proposition; increased revenue from partnership sales

37 Build a calendar on the website integrating workforce development initiatives x Executive Director / Staff Number of operators participating in workforce development initiatives; increased level of customer satisfaction with service levels in the region

38 Create a strategy for communicating investment related opportunities to relevant xExecutive Director Change in the number of investors inquiring about the region, increased stakeholders and facilitate information sharing between economic development offices in NE visitor spending as a result of regional tourism investment Ontario

Three‐Year Strategic Plan and Marketing Plan for Northeastern Ontario Tourism Prepared by: PKF Consulting in association with Birchbark Media April 2014 IMPLEMENTATION PLAN FOR NORTHEASTERN ONTARIO TOURISM'S THREE‐YEAR STRATEGIC PLAN AND MARKETING PLAN Timeline Budget Step Action Year 1 Q1 Year 1 Q2 Year 1 Q3 Year 1 Q4 Year 2 Year 3 Role/Responsibility Allocation for Performance Measurement (Apr‐ (Jul‐ (Oct‐ (Jan‐ (Apr/15‐ (Apr 16‐ Year 1 Jun/14) Sep/14) Dec/14) Mar/15) Mar/16) Mar/17) 39 Identify "hubs" of NE Ontario destinations, and the best bet packages/tour xxProduct Development Committee / Increased overnight visits to the region; positive customer feedback via routes/experiences that link them Staff social media channels; increased partner involvement in regional projects and dollars levered; increased packages sold through Meridian; increase website hits; increased number of quality tourism experiences and visitor spending

40 Explore new trends and look for product development opportunities ‐ follow research x Product Development Committee / Increased number of research projects conducted; change in quality Staff tourism experiences developed as a result of research projects; increased partnership on regional projects and dollars levered

41 Leverage funding to work with other organizations to deliver customized training/workforce xBoard / Executive Director Number of operators participating in workforce development initiatives; development opportunities for stakeholders increased level of customer satisfaction with service levels in the region; increase in number and range of training sessions offered

Three‐Year Strategic Plan and Marketing Plan for Northeastern Ontario Tourism Prepared by: PKF Consulting in association with Birchbark Media April 2014 PKF Consulting Canada

APPENDIX A:

OPERATOR SURVEY RESULTS - OPEN-ENDED QUESTIONS

Three‐Year Strategic Plan for Northeastern Ontario Tourism PKF Consulting Inc. Prepared for: Northeastern Ontario Tourism in association with Birchbark Media April 2014 PKF Consulting Canada

MARKETING

Suggested Marketing‐related Activities for NeONT

 Review only for northern regions like destination north was doing at the beginning.  Need to develop proper resources in order to be better prepared when dealing with the trade. Need mechanism/staff support to carry out timely follow‐ups.  We feel the marketing part of the web is saturated. We feel advertisement is not what the outfitter needs. We need organizations need to get involved with: Protecting our resources, Negotiate terms with government officials in respect to water, fuel, septic systems, etc. that will eventually shut many outfitter downs. Provide funding to assist outfitters in this process, Work toward providing funding so other outfitters don't have to close their doors, because train service no longer being offered. If none of the above is handled properly there will be no need to advertise!  MTO signage for establishments on the highways  Re‐Establishing Tourist information Centres  Tailor marketing to different demographics and interests (e.g. arts, outdoor activities, single people, etc.).  When we speak to the public, the majority isn't aware of Manitoulin Island.  Creating a NeONT campaign on travel opportunities in our area. Each business can provide a description of what they provide.  More visibility ‐ Billboards, road signage, Festivals/Events, Consumer show ‐ Harrisburg Show, Printed media in ONRoute, Media Relations, TV Broadcast.  Cobalt is the epicentre for any and all tourist driven initiatives. It is a Parks Canada National Historic site and was named by TVO as Ontario's MOST HISTORIC town. No other area, town, city or region can make this claim. It's 100% unique. Whatever you do...it ALL starts with Cobalt.  Yes, bill boards in the border cities, and main corridors like interstate 75, the QEW, and slogans on the radio, i.e. "I love New York", very important, radio blurbs about the North and its offerings. Print media is still important too, older folks read magazines, we used to share an entire page , could do so again  Consider more partnership marketing programs with ongoing local programs to extend the reach of both budgets.  Wrapping city buses, etc.  Media Relations and more Northern Coverage.  Always thought a very innovative but thought out billboard campaign along Hwy #400 would assist in self identifying Northeastern Ontario ‐ capitalize on the misunderstanding of 'going up north' with the GTA ‐ something to the effect of defining the real up north and tie it to having a legendary experience but make it a very clean simple campaign that provides a very clear message  Flyers sent in mail or booklets as there is a large market that travel & do not have electronics, e.g. Amish, Mennonite communities

Three‐Year Strategic Plan for Northeastern Ontario Tourism PKF Consulting Inc. Prepared for: Northeastern Ontario Tourism in association with Birchbark Media April 2014 PKF Consulting Canada

 Consumer shows and sport shows could help build a good network for marketing business partnerships. Also, focus all marketing on educational, value‐added content that makes our businesses the reigning experts in their industries.  Advertising the local business in tourism marketing media will go a long way...  No suggestions at this time.  Harrisburg Sports Show  Focus marketing‐related activities in the 519 area code region.  More visual marketing a picture says a thousand words, ask people to submit their photos. Better than a hired photographer.  outdoor activity possibilities, private accommodations possibilities  Obstacle Races, Foot races, Outdoor sporting events.  It would be great to see less focus on the typical destructive extraction tourism models. The North is changing; tourists want a new experience where they can be in quiet nature without the threat of motor sports or the need to kill animals for sport. We would also like to see more rewards‐‐ as in help with marketing, sharing of events etc.‐‐ going to alternative businesses like ours, we don't ask for much and bring a lot of people to the area putting the North in a different category for an entirely new audience.  Assistance with information centres ‐ training staff  Market Events in entire region; open up an option to send in events to add to your events calendar for free; the more we offer the more will come visit our region.  Research and measurement  Attracting Buses, Advertisement to Northern Ontario's to experience their back yard

PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT

Existing Package Initiatives

 For the month of April, we are trying to develop packages with the musical "Les Miserables" to be held in Englehart. We hope that this high‐calibre production with help us to sell packages.  I had tried this in early 2000 with Blue Sky Region but did not have any success. But I am always open to suggestions if the package/partner makes sense to my business. This year I am planning on setting up package with local golf course for a stay and play package.  Sudbury, North Bay, Cochrane & Moosonee  with the golf clubs

Three‐Year Strategic Plan for Northeastern Ontario Tourism PKF Consulting Inc. Prepared for: Northeastern Ontario Tourism in association with Birchbark Media April 2014 PKF Consulting Canada

 We build and maintain a Multi‐use trail system consisting of about 300km. We are working with trail users in other nearby communities and have considered connecting the trails to attract individuals or groups who would be interested in touring from place to place. Set up package deals including accommodations in both destinations would be one idea.  Not much around here to offer as a package deal.  This is something I think Manitoulin needs to come together TO DO!  Yes ‐ on the condition that the operator's product is good quality  Question17 above‐‐a discount is offered to partner for booking not to consumer from our end  At this time we are involved with a Tourism Strategic Plan for the Moosonee and Moose Factory Area with Moose Cree First Nation and MoCreebec Council of the Cree Nation.  We do not sell anything at the library, but offer free internet and information access to people passing through the city, and are often the first point of contact, especially since we operate longer hours that many small businesses in the downtown area. Partnering with other culture/heritage organizations would be a good way to promote them within the city.  Parents of campers could stay with local Accommodation operators.  Municipal government as such steps must be followed to ensure compliance.  Would love to work with other operators  I would like to partner with golf courses, i.e., 3 days golfing and 3 days fishing  we used to package with the ONTC Polar Bear Expense  Always willing to assist in product development.  boat tours, ATV runs  This would be a neat idea, but we are an attraction with free admission so it would be difficult to find something valuable to both sides  Currently Vice‐ Chair of Burk's Falls & Are Chamber of Commerce, as well as on Board of Directors for Explorer's Edge RTO 12. Partake in Fuel & Fun programs with EE..... Great success!!! Need to develop more programs and initiatives unique to our area...  Our location makes it difficult as we are quite remote  We work with other operators and with Great Spirit Circle Trail and with the Chi Cheemaun.  Would like to incorporate a motorized vehicle loop, with other operators (four season). Would like to co‐ordinate multiple lodge vacation package.  We see the importance of providing a packaged product to our customer and would be willing to partner up for greater exposure  When in Great Britain the tourist centres and operators could assist in booking arrangements and earn credits for their assistance. If you book other accommodation for the tourist the operator would either call ahead and confirm or email the arrangements.  Parkbus could be helped to bring people on to Manitoulin from the south  We are always willing to create new partnership  N/A meaning not sure. Would need to give it some thought and consider some examples

Three‐Year Strategic Plan for Northeastern Ontario Tourism PKF Consulting Inc. Prepared for: Northeastern Ontario Tourism in association with Birchbark Media April 2014 PKF Consulting Canada

 I would like to connect to bus companies, other music event venue providers in Ontario

Potential Product Development Opportunities

 City of Sudbury has developed an "app" for their tourism market (Derek Young is the contact).  It's getting a little crowded south of us.  Communities need lots of help developing products for their respective communities. The ARTEM Cultural Centre has developers 7 interactive cultural tours (Interactive community tours / Temiskaming Interactive Circuit) which are offered on the app store by typing "temiskaming". It is also possible to download the app for android version and html on the site: www.centreartem.org. On the site you will find also a manual of "best practices" that could assist other communities or groups who would like to develop similar experiences.  White Moose experiences of Foleyet, Archie's Rock Timmins, Geo‐Tour Timmins, Cliff climbing at Horwood Lake Foleyet  Inter community connected Multi use trail system.  Public relations  Once again, making our business environment more business friendly by the following examples. Examples: Giving longer lead times to meet new regulations ‐ not 30 days. Securing government funding to help outfitters meet the requirements or honor grandfather clauses to older camps that are in safe working order. Negotiating with government officials for terms that meet the tourist industries needs not a one policy fits all businesses.  Be more active not with lodges and resorts but with potential customers. You are busy with us getting more and more info from us. Start attracting more visitors for our area!!!!  We are starting to partner with businesses to create Stream side tours. We offer educational presentations about our stream restoration efforts and conduct stream side tours explaining the benefits of our stream restoration efforts. The other businesses offer accommodations (facility, lodging etc.), meals (meals to bring on stream side tours), services (kayaking, horseback riding, yoga, meditation, art, fly tying & fishing, etc.) to add to the packages. Each business brings their product to the package and everyone gets a piece of the earning.  The development of tour guides who are competent in various activities.  Our area is very disorganized, it is our hope once our plan is done we can organize our tourism initiatives, operators and other items to provide a better tourism product for visitors to our area. We have tons of potential to develop tourism in our area and regionally with our coastal communities.  Help townships/municipalities to work better with the ministry of transport with highway/secondary road signage to towns and local attractions.  Outdoor experiences ‐ we live in an area abundant with natural resources  I think we should focus on getting more tourism to Timmins via targeted marketing in areas closer to Timmins with events and activities. Attractions such as the polar bears in Cochrane bring people to their small community. Even people from Timmins. Winter activities seem to be limited, truck pulls and mud runs etc., motor cross races, mountain bike events much like the great kayak challenge, seem to bring many tourist, truck pull in New Liskeard, there are many local motor crossers who travel Sudbury to use their track. Stop wasting time trying to attract people Three‐Year Strategic Plan for Northeastern Ontario Tourism PKF Consulting Inc. Prepared for: Northeastern Ontario Tourism in association with Birchbark Media April 2014 PKF Consulting Canada

from Toronto when they can travel 2 to 4 hours to get anything that we offer, why drive 9 hours when all the events we provide are a mere 4 hour drive away maximum. Thanks  Information offices need to be open longer hours and on weekends, especially in the summer. Staff must be knowledgeable about current services, locations, and changes and proactively on top of things (e.g. if an attraction suddenly shut down from a power outage). Attractions should focus on long‐standing aspects of heritage, rather than just "flash in the pan" trends and related merchandise should come from local sources and be unique to the area (e.g. local artists/artisans), rather than just feature Timmins plastered on an item mass‐produced overseas.  Investment in current attractions to make them better or add value to them. Ensure all attractions, hospitality and tourism businesses have equal promotion. Sport tourism, conventions and meetings also need spousal or family programs available. Website needs to be more user friendly and publications need to be improved on.  For Michipicoten First Nation and First Nations in general, I feel that an emphasis in Experiential tourism would be beneficial. Most First Nations do not necessarily have a product for sale but they can offer experiences; for instance, traditional ceremonies (sweat lodges, medicine teachings, naming ceremonies); hunting, fishing, trapping and gathering experiences; language teachings; dancing, drumming, Pow Wow, etc.  We have aboriginal specific training including crafts, tours and storytelling. Ritchie Falls Resort also provides hunting, fishing, ATV trails and snowmobiling. We are currently in the process of expansion including the construction of 3 new cabins and 1 conference centre.  Transit system Cell phone reception  Silver FM awaits the decision of the CRTC regarding obtaining our license to broadcast. We expect to have their decision in hand within these next 6 weeks. [mid March at the latest] It is our hope that, upon receiving a favorable response, we will be on the air/up and running by this coming fall. One of our main goals will be to promote the area of South Temiskaming [Temagami to Englehart inclusive] as a unique and first rate tourism meca. As previously outlined...it ALL starts with Cobalt. Cobalt is the KEY to making this a worthwhile, valid and successful venture.  Cobalt ‐ Ontario's most historic town. chosen by TVO in 2001 Haileybury ‐ Ghost of the Hardy Boys. Leslie McFarlane wrote 19 of the first 21 of the Hardy Boys mystery series while living in the community  We need attractions in the NeOnt region, specifically North Bay....  We are really looking at complementing our mining heritage with a cultural approach  Need to start thinking outside the box ‐ no more sport shows with brochure distribution programs ‐ i.e. find a spokesperson for the region that will endorse the product  Eco Tourism promoting to the Asian market  The Ontario Museum Association has a relatively new initiative at www.museumsontario.ca that is a place for attractions to manage their own listing and shows you what else is in the region. It's a neat idea that could be adapted  Develop initiatives and offerings with unique flavour to our area, not to follow "cookie‐cutter" approach to following products offered in other regions.  More on the Group of 7, as they worked a lot in Northern Ontario  I need the reservation for any workshops or art classes on my store website... I cannot afford to over book. Three‐Year Strategic Plan for Northeastern Ontario Tourism PKF Consulting Inc. Prepared for: Northeastern Ontario Tourism in association with Birchbark Media April 2014 PKF Consulting Canada

 Windsong Music Festival in Powassan is drawing music fans from all over Ontario and is partnered with Best Western in North Bay. In 2013 the Toronto Globe and Mail arts column chose the festival as it's Critic's Pick for music in culture. BUT we are still an unknown event locally.  Sorry no suggestions to offer at this time  Sudbury Tourism launched a Meridian system recently and the overall benefit to us was 0. No packages booked.  I think there is a largely untapped market for wellness retreats. The focus in Northeastern Ontario tends to be on hook and bullet tourism and I think there is a large market for eco‐tourism and retreats, especially for our European visitors  Target specific groups such as gold wing motorcycle clubs  Enhance signage.  I think there is an opportunity to focus in on some women group sessions. i.e. many women do weekend getaways with other females, in spa like/wellness/healing environments. The NE area has been focused on men dominated activities. I believe there is an opportunity to work with First Nations groups and host sweat lodge/wellness seminars for women.  The Village Noel Temiskaming event is led by the francophone "Centre culturel Artem" and aims to present its first NeONT Christmas market in November 2014. For more information, contact 705‐647‐8500.  Couldn’t google wolf hunting in this area...Would love to set up a special trapline ride along trip. Have had interest, but it is minimal. It is something we would be able respond to.  More local resorts would be beneficial for jobs and retail.  Farm shows, lifestyle shows, as more southern Ontario farmers are drawn to the north to "escape", to hunt, fish, snowmobile, and cottage. Actually, reaching cottagers to inform them of the "extras" available in our area (i.e., they are here to relax at the cottage, on the lake, and may not be aware of the awesome attractions, restaurants, events, services, etc. available.)  Walleye restocking initiatives  Supply local pictures  Bring a "tour de Sudbury" bike race. Obstacle racing, triathlon, RAGNAR races to town. The 30‐35 year old male/female is being a driving force for athletic income.  Snowmobile, boat rental organizations/company looking for partners  We technically do not take reservations but service appointments and do not know if that software would be too tailored to the tourist Outfitter/Lodge rather than service industry.  Our race track needs to be promoted more. We need more camp grounds.  Greater connections between urban experiences and the great outdoors  MS Chicheemaun, counted over 4000 cycles in the 2013 season. Experimental tourism seams to pick up.  Group outings not ethnic groups.

Three‐Year Strategic Plan for Northeastern Ontario Tourism PKF Consulting Inc. Prepared for: Northeastern Ontario Tourism in association with Birchbark Media April 2014 PKF Consulting Canada

WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT

Opportunities for workforce development / capacity building

 Access to a workforce database that could match people who are looking for work with the employers who are seeking them in specific tourist areas.  Bookkeeping programs, i.e. basic Excel  Business grants to help expand local businesses  Customer service training, "soft skills", training for non‐commercial/non‐profit organization staff & volunteers  Accredited Service Training  High Schools to offer tourism/hospitality service training and hands on skills for our industry.  Reward systems for attracting staff and volunteers  Offer programs online AND in print  Marketing tools and strategy development  Determine training needs at grassroots level, i.e. discuss with accommodation groups such as Timmins' HOST  Provide information on other association opportunities for operators (i.e. Ontario Museum Association)

INVESTMENT ATTRACTION

Existing economic development / investment attraction initiatives

 Chairperson for the McGarry Township tourist committee  Callander ‐ Marina, park improvements, waterfront redevelopment  Explorer's Edge RTO 12 : Social media workshops Explore the Edge packages Fuel & Fun program for fringe season packages  Phase 2 Feasibility Study for Georgian Bay Cycling Route (900km)  Municipal website promotion of local festivals and events  I am the Chair of the Manitoulin Island Cycling Advocates (MICA) www.manitoulincycling.com. We initiated the Georgian Bay Cycling Route, partnered with LAMBAC and are currently in phase 2 of the feasibility study for this 900km route. PowerPoint and info available on our website.  I am the Economic Development Officer for the Sagamok Anishnawbek First Nation.

Three‐Year Strategic Plan for Northeastern Ontario Tourism PKF Consulting Inc. Prepared for: Northeastern Ontario Tourism in association with Birchbark Media April 2014 PKF Consulting Canada

 I participate on the organizing committee of Village Noel Temiskaming.  I was hired in November as Community Economic Development Intern through the FedNor Program.  Involved with the forestry sector working to brand new buildings that reflect our culture in Northern Ontario  Mattawa Voyageur Days  MNDM involvement in the Northern Ontario Growth Plan ‐ tourism in a priority sector, opportunity to align strategies  Municipal economic tourism development  New development committee Matachewan, LCC Kirkland Lake, Board Member NOTO  Not for profit (not gov't or public sector agency) but yes involved in EcDev and Investment Attraction  Staff includes Economic Development Officer developing community profile and advertising  This role is for Economic Development Groups. We are often consulted; however, we are not the lead.  Timmins 20/20  Lake Temiskaming Tour.  Almaguin Highland Economic Development Committee's Showcase Almaguin 2014 (Economic Development Day).  Rainbow Routes Association ‐ fund and develop non‐motorized routes for walking, cycling and snowshoeing.  We have partners in the economic development in Timmins as well as we are a part of the chamber.  Town of Cochrane ‐ working to reinvent the Polar Bear Habitat

Opportunities for investment attraction

 Advertising the art galleries and art education through the tourism industry...  Again look at successful areas‐what really attracts tourists‐ I don't think it is actual sites. i.e. Shania Twain Centre that failed.  Festivals and events wrapped to utilize current tourism opportunities in the area  I am sure part of your discovery efforts to determine who and what organizations are involved in investment attraction but what can TNO and NeOnt do to be part of IDO efforts to work together.  In the north our natural resources should be recognized and investments be made to let tourist know about their importance and letting them have a hands on experience. These are opportunities that people that live in cities aren't able to access on a regular basis. Fishing opportunities (learn to fish or camp), canoeing adventures, learn about local culture etc.  Infrastructure ‐ improved transportation (e.g. shuttle buses, especially during statutory holidays), a large indoor facility with proper acoustics that can host concerts (e.g. Timmins Symphony to Rock bands) and includes classrooms/studios, instructional rooms, proper lighting, more free wi‐fi hotspots (e.g. Roy Nicholson park does not have Wi‐fi); repair and maintain buildings and make sure they are accessible  investment in sight seeing areas on trails, POI

Three‐Year Strategic Plan for Northeastern Ontario Tourism PKF Consulting Inc. Prepared for: Northeastern Ontario Tourism in association with Birchbark Media April 2014 PKF Consulting Canada

 Main streets need a facelift. Paint, signage, just a general sprucing up. The area looks tired and forgotten. Help Englehart fix up their train exhibit. Give the area museums some spit and polish.  Manitoulin Island has all kinds of potential for Resorts, artesian shops, goat cheese factory, Restaurants, water parks etc... if the current available Real‐estate/potential was known.  Montreal River History  Need more investment in some of our seasonal attractions ‐ to be made year round.  No suggestions at this time  Non‐motorised trail development outside of ALGONQUIN PARK quite apart from Snowmobile and ATV trails  none at this time  North Bay Casino  Northern Ontario Cycling race taking advantage of the MTO pilot project Paved Shoulder infrastructure on Hwy 6 and soon on Hwy 551 on Manitoulin.  Provincially connected Multi use trail system is one idea we are considering.  real estate that makes sense for retired people  River and Sky Camping and Music Festival. www.riverandsky.ca  small industry, relatively inexpensive land, upgrade of highways/accessibility (i.e. Chi Cheemaun ferry ‐ could be upgraded to high speed cat ferry, hovercraft, expending destinations to Northern Michigan, Killarney, SSM  Temagami sure needs something here to attract & it is prime place too  Temagami's waterfront has open areas for development and some businesses that are closed that would be a benefit to any investors wanting to start something new.  The race track  There is a need for resorts/camps to upgrade facilities. A program of low interest loans or assistance would go a long way to improving our industry  Tour buses, making people aware of Manitoulin Island and more activity need to be created.  Wakeboarding in Timmins  Waterfront attraction  We are currently looking into developing partnership with businesses overseas.  We have thousands of lakes and rivers and no resorts. This is a key product that needs to be developed in the north in an easily accessible location.  We need municipal governments committed to tourism development with dedicated annual budget amounts for tourism initiatives

Three‐Year Strategic Plan for Northeastern Ontario Tourism PKF Consulting Inc. Prepared for: Northeastern Ontario Tourism in association with Birchbark Media April 2014 PKF Consulting Canada

NEONT STRATEGIC DIRECTIONS

Where do you see new opportunities for NeONT's strategic direction over the next 5 years?

 Identify “Best bet” products/experiences – bring operators together to create bundles  Providing organizations with relevant tourism statistics  Working with private sector to fund festivals/events/conferences to grow tourism  Aboriginal cultural tours. We hope to connect with and partner with our First Nations communities to provide diverse tourism packages.  Active packaging programs  Advertising our beautiful quiet North to people that like quiet places, where nature is allowed to shine. Like Birders, hikers, cyclists, surfers, sailing. Attracting young farmers, gardeners to our region. Celebrating what we still have, free natural space in a non‐intrusive way. Providing opportunities to visitors that seek what we have and making all efforts to stay who we are. Unique, raw, fresh, clear, clean and natural.  Amateur athletic events  Another organization with no idea what next  Communications and collaboration between different organizations and sectors.  Competing with other RTO's for tourism $$$. Develop unique branding & hard sell to establish brand recognition...example: Muskoka region recognized all over the world, listed as 1 of top 10 must visit in the world by National Geographic....  Continuing their great job on the magazines. Developing training sessions with Tourist Centres in NEONT remote areas. Snowmobile trails in NEONT  Creating tourism packages that can cover 3 or more days that include daytrips to communities outside Greater Sudbury eg. French River, Killarney, Manitoulin Island  Doubling 400 Longer ferry service to Manitoulin island  Eco Tourism, Events, Arts  European market ‐ awareness of what Northern Ontario has to offer  experimental tourism, non‐motorized tourism,  Exploiting the currency exchange advantage that Americans in particular will be able to enjoy once again as the exchange rate drops to eighty five cents.  Focus more on the 519 area code area. Surprised that this area was not mentioned in an option to choose from is a previous question # 11.  Focus on lots of smaller niche groups.  Focus should be on a buy in by all stakeholders and then move forward as unified and committed ‐ "one for all and all for one"

Three‐Year Strategic Plan for Northeastern Ontario Tourism PKF Consulting Inc. Prepared for: Northeastern Ontario Tourism in association with Birchbark Media April 2014 PKF Consulting Canada

 Got to get the ball rolling. Got to organize and get everyone on the same page. What's good for one is potentially good for ALL. And...again...it ALL starts with Cobalt. Temagami to Englehart. NO further. Make the area too big and you'll lose focus. This'll take 5 years to accomplish and establish. THEN and only then can you even begin to consider direction. Get the project up and running FIRST.  greater communication between similar businesses opportunities to tap into corporate businesses  Hard to say  Hidden gems, the vast wilderness  Hopefully diverse and different packages directed at different interests/groups of people  Hwy 400 coming north ‐ better infrastructures needed to accommodate needs. ‐ Visitor Information centres, gas stations, etc.  I believe consistent and clear communication with those involved under NeONT would be beneficial.  I don't fully understand the question.  I think it would be interesting to see NeONT target different markets and place some more importance of cultural destinations and cultural hubs. The boom in the development of arts & culture in a place like Sudbury makes it a promising technique. Too often are arts and culture events/attractions placed under the same umbrella as historical attractions and other tourism areas.  If I understand correctly, I see a lot of opportunities, especially getting people acquainted with our region. Spend more money to tell people from other regions that Highway 11 does not end in North Bay. So more work in southern Ontario and across Canada.  Increased effort in the area of product development with an emphasis on small (rural) tourism businesses  Investment Attraction in the North, especially farming opportunities that are growing exponentially as the farming workforce dwindles.  Last year, the partners around Lac Temiscamingue developed a joint brochure. 20% of our visitors were interested in doing a tour of the lake. The same number exists on the other side of the border. We can profit from this partnership by including this market in our strategies.  Lots of potential for Northern Ontario. We have a lot of open areas that are not developed and these could be a tourist destination for a lot of people.  Marketing Strategy with appropriate publications and website that is up to date with current info. Secondly, investment attraction for current attractions to expand.  More effort needs to be spent on product development vs. marketing. From a marketing standpoint, need to be more innovative and get out of sport shows. The sport show budget is more than likely the largest component of the marketing strategy and produces limited results. Need to be more focused in marketing with the limited resources available. Simple but tactical in the messaging to very specific target markets. Utilize the data TNO is producing on the different sectors to identify key demographics, markets and product considerations.  More Northern Ontario publication displayed in our and other Information Centre.  Motorsports Festival and Events  NeONT should replace the marketing that the industry does; it should reinforce and lead the development of new marketing opportunities and initiatives that increase awareness of what the region has to offer.

Three‐Year Strategic Plan for Northeastern Ontario Tourism PKF Consulting Inc. Prepared for: Northeastern Ontario Tourism in association with Birchbark Media April 2014 PKF Consulting Canada

 New partnership between existing members.  Now that 69 is mostly four lane, the Toronto market. So many TO people come to Killarney and Manitoulin Island and take the overpass through Sudbury.  Opening up Ontario as the place for all to vacation, relax and enjoy.  Opportunities with other countries.  Outdoor events like geocaching, triathlons, and bike races.  Personally no, but as much richer urban centres will take tourist clients, the small regions will suffer. There is nothing to do about it, because it's logic. There is also the global economy while hurts us.  Product and attraction development  Promote For active adults to relocate full time here.  Promoting the area in any efficient way  Promoting the smaller regional areas outside the core Timmins, Sudbury, North Bay promotions.  Purchasing packages for small business to reduce the cost of such things like utilities, supplies, equipment, maintenance agreements etc.  Radio advertising especially during morning and evening rush hour traffic.  Reinvestment of tax and licencing dollars back into area.  Sell the first nation and nature experience oversea. That is a growing sector. The Asian market should also be developed that way.  Social media and cultural attractions seem to be the hot topic at the moment. Grabbing attention of the youth is very important and this has to be approached differently than in the past.  The Gateway cities would really benefit from added advertisement. Creating a draw to those centres will increase interest on seeking more.  The tourism trend that we are seeing (because of what we offer) is people very interested in local food, organic farming and quiet getaways. Life is very busy and I think people need to escape, shut off and get in touch with nature, food and each other. I would think it would be prudent to strategize towards this trend of agri‐tourists and food and nature enthusiasts.  To develop an all‐encompassing lure piece for all of Northeastern Ontario, all in one book, showing Northeastern Ontario only.  To partner with Sudbury Tourism and other city tourism organizations to discuss future product development opportunities and to not just focus on marketing and training. Some of the main issues that we face in Northern Ontario are a lack of new attractions and facilities as well as access to capital for tourist outfitters to improve their product. If our product doesn't improve and we don't add new attractions or develop existing product then we will keep having a declining interest from tourists in the USA and abroad.  unsure  USA, Overseas. Need to develop, promote signature experiences, and use these as anchors for everything we do. Glamping, Great Circle Spirit already sanctioned as such. Need to draw attention to Top 100 Festivals & Events in Northern Ontario.

Three‐Year Strategic Plan for Northeastern Ontario Tourism PKF Consulting Inc. Prepared for: Northeastern Ontario Tourism in association with Birchbark Media April 2014 PKF Consulting Canada

 Visitor centres with infrastructure to draw to local area ‐ gas, food courts, tours, events, packaging to include local tourist accommodations and offerings  With the dropping dollar we need to look back to the USA. We also need to remind the Toronto population that there is more to cottage country than Muskoka. I think there is a large European market that is interested in eco‐tourism.

Additional suggestions / feedback regarding the tourism sector in Northeastern Ontario

 A Parks Canada National Historic site? Who else can claim that anywhere near here? It's a well‐kept secret. So there is no benefit. Ontario's MOST HISTORIC town. No one else can claim that. There is but one. Put 'em both together and you give passersby a legitimate reason to stop...or at least to make plans to return. Get the word out. Hit those with it as they drive through. Give 'em a reason [many reasons] to stop.  Above comments  Already suggested that all staff know the individual companies well so they know how to talk about each entity, not just pass out brochure..be trained to communicate to potential guests for us who pay marketing dollars and send our brochures with the NeOnt staff. Pick the best sport shows, stay alert and with a smiling face, learn to reach out to potential clients  An active packaging program led and funded NEONT could also serve as a conduit for information/networking/capacity building for the industry  Any advertising to promote NEOnt is great!  Border crossing has to be made easier...We don’t want criminals...but if a DUI is over 5 years old it shouldn’t count anymore. I know someone with a 23 yr. old conviction, hasn’t drunk in 12 years and was turned away. What ever happened to common sense?  Clean up rest areas  From a camping perspective, I find that there are a lot of people with ideas, but it is always difficult to materialize their ideas ‐ most often because of lack of money. I need to say that I'd like to see people travel outside of summer, not just in July. It's incredible that it's easy to keep people in the region for whole week by just talking to them about the history of the region.  Help support via wide spread advertising for ferry & train tours & expose to all the jewel of Canada's great lakes regions.  Hwy signage promoting regions almost non‐existent to travellers passing through.....Identify marketing shortfalls and correct asap to define areas for potential tourists, drawing them, to want to explore the region. Follow with a social media campaign (usually at no/ very little cost) to drive interest.  I believe there needs to be an active and engaging employee base for NeONT. Have employee's spend time at different businesses or specific locations to meet with business owners/staff to really know how the business is doing/what they could do better. Need faces for the NeONT group out in the area.  I have not been involved in Tourism as a full time occupation and it has been a very steep learning curve for me. I am feeling more comfortable now with tourism and how it can be very beneficial for Moosonee, Moose Factory and North Eastern Ontario. Three‐Year Strategic Plan for Northeastern Ontario Tourism PKF Consulting Inc. Prepared for: Northeastern Ontario Tourism in association with Birchbark Media April 2014 PKF Consulting Canada

 I love the webinars. Please continue the webinars.  I think the bulk of tourism is associated with our natural resources. Hunting, fishing, boating, resorts. The other component is the "traffic" of people travelling through the area on route to western Canada. For me, it's luring visitors from the GTA with our festival and making them see that we are not that far away. We are the Near North, and a worthy choice to drive to for the weekend.  In a broad sense, I attended your AGM and found it interesting that the members present were not voting on the new board, budget, etc. It seemed to only be the existing board. I would suggest a little clarification on why we are members if you are going to hold an annual general meeting and not allow the members to vote.  It is certainly a shame that many tourism kiosks have closed, it would certainly be nice to see these re‐open.  It would be great if this survey could represent the growing interest in cultural tourism. We need more data pertaining to a regional context in order to establish best bet markets and develop product accordingly.  It's a long road, but I believe we are off to a good start ‐ all the best! I look forward to working with you!  Keep price low for small business the only ones that get the Big benefits is the Big businesses  Listen to what customers want.  Lobbying with other partners to have side by side off road vehicles and ATV double riding on public roads in rural area would benefit our type of businesses to better access ATV trails.  Look at the opportunities to increase tourism receipts beyond the hunt/fish  Municipalities have a role to develop events and sports tourism. At a loss to identify what NeONT can do to assist in these efforts other than assist in marketing. To see reasonable success, NeONT needs to re‐focus on core components of their strategic plan and see those efforts through. For too long our tourism organizations were all over the map and took on too much with extremely limited resources. This is a great opportunity to see tangible results if the organization agrees not to take on too much.  Near North Ontario Northern, Ontario Northeastern Ontario, etc. How many of you trying make money for living trying to help, but you don't know what to do!!!  Need the opportunity to freely advertise in the Tourism industry  Need to have proper marketing material to promote the area and not just lure pieces.  Needs to be marketed more  Observe what Northwestern is doing.  Offer packages and opportunities for customized/personal experience for future stakeholders and tax payer.  People don't come here because there are places to stay overnight. In promoting the region, don't focus so much on accommodation opportunities, but more on why they should come here at all. Once they're here, or have been tempted to come, then the accommodations listings will look after themselves. These should not be the main thrust of tourism targeted literature and marketing campaigns, but that's usually all I see in regional tourism campaigns is "where to stay" and/or "where to shop", rather than why you should be doing those things here in the first place

Three‐Year Strategic Plan for Northeastern Ontario Tourism PKF Consulting Inc. Prepared for: Northeastern Ontario Tourism in association with Birchbark Media April 2014 PKF Consulting Canada

instead of somewhere else. There's nothing that they can buy here that that can't buy somewhere else more easily, so don't focus on that! If people want to shop, they should go to Toronto, not Northeastern Ontario. And it is pretty much a given and assumed up front by tourists, that there are places to stay pretty much everywhere in the world that a tourist would want to go. That's not what's going to get them here! Just get them here, and then they'll buy stuff here, including accommodations, by default. As a tourist myself, it really turns me off when I'm trying to learn about a destination and all the travel literature will tell me is where to stay and where to shop. It's really a pet peeve of mine!  RV parks don't need a lot of advertising, and with the price of gas they are nearly all full timers, hotel and motels fit a need but not really a vacation, actually getting people to drive up to $1.50 a liter of gas to spend a week has taken a big toll of lodges and resorts. The current commercials for go rv'ing really don't get to interest people that don't have a driveway to park one, any resort or lodge near a big town won’t have an issue but for the guys in the middle of nowhere that is the trick to promoting NE Ontario.  Selling the North to Northerners  Snowmobile opportunities in NeONT area need a better marketing program.  stay connected industries and government agencies  Student programing or internships for those interested in going into the tourism sector. It’s hard to get help that know about what is expected in the tourism sector. Buses that will bring new immigrants to the north to showcase what we have available here.  Sunset and Northwest is quite visible in marketing their area ‐ TV ads, TV shows, and hi visibility at sports shows, internet, etc.,  Take a second look at the Meridian system. Other regions with a similar mix of business types have found the system to be having serious problems, unable to work with American Plan and MAP bookings. It's also prohibitively expensive for small businesses.  Thank you for the survey. We are currently focusing on our strategic direction as we are beginning to learn that newer, more exciting activities and marketing strategies must be changed to fit the current target markets.  Thank‐you for offering this questionnaire in French.  The ferry to Manitoulin Island must run from May 1 to Nov 25. Our tourism needs a longer ferry service. My season is restricted because of the lack of ferry service.  There are many organizations in that area trying very hard to increase tourism, but I would like to see that they all coming together building ONE organization to be more efficient and knowing what they are doing!! Instead of heaving many individual once doing nothing else than politics!!  TV advertisement is best.  Untapped and relatively unknown ‐ the area as a "whole' should be packaged and exploited  We are making some interesting progress. Need to ensure that we deliver from an HR standpoint.  We are way behind other areas, in tourism marketing ‐ the government's decision to move from travel associations to the RTO system did not go smoothly; as such we have lost a few years with little to no marketing. Still not sure the government made the right decision ‐ but here's hoping that 2014 is much better.  We do need to showcase all we have to offer. Southern Ontario need to know the province continues past Huntsville.

Three‐Year Strategic Plan for Northeastern Ontario Tourism PKF Consulting Inc. Prepared for: Northeastern Ontario Tourism in association with Birchbark Media April 2014 PKF Consulting Canada

 We feel that we are very fortunate to have a product such as northeastern Ontario to promote and that it is key to just inform tourists what we have to offer. As a small business we rely on organizations such as you to be able to promote to the right markets in the right places as we do not have the knowledge or the funds to do so properly. Hopefully by working together we can accomplish the goal of attracting tourists to our beautiful area.  We need high‐speed internet accessibility.  Would like to see some advertisement regarding Manitoulin Island and NOT just the ferry. Majority people I speak with are discouraged because of the ferry (Toronto and further South clientele) as they say it is too expensive and not worth it. Would like to see suggestions to the Southerners as to why it's not a bad idea to drive by car and see 'what they've been missing along the way"!  You should try to do everything to keep the nature untouched. It’s our biggest capital! Especially: Start an initiative to ban all Seadoos from all lakes (except really big ones) in the whole region.

Three‐Year Strategic Plan for Northeastern Ontario Tourism PKF Consulting Inc. Prepared for: Northeastern Ontario Tourism in association with Birchbark Media April 2014 PKF Consulting Canada

APPENDIX B:

RECOMMENDATIONS FOR DIGITAL CONTENT MARKETING STRATEGY DEVELOPMENT, SAMPLE SOCIAL MEDIA ROI CALCULATOR & SAMPLE CONTENT CALENDAR TEMPLATE

Three‐Year Strategic Plan for Northeastern Ontario Tourism PKF Consulting Inc. Prepared for: Northeastern Ontario Tourism in association with Birchbark Media April 2014 PKF Consulting Canada

Recommendation for Digital Content Marketing Strategy Development

A sound digital content strategy will drive traffic and transactions to NeONT and its partners. Quality, shareable content will help you build an engaged social media audience. Search Engine Optimizations allows you to create your own success on the Web.

Optimized Content Marketing is the art of understanding exactly what your prospects and customers need to know and deliberately producing optimized content based on keywords that are driving organic search traffic and conversions – then delivering optimized content in a relevant and compelling way to grows NeONT’s business by distributing the content through its social networks and other digital marketing platforms.

Content must be targeted to the audience’s needs. To appeal to online consumers, content must be visually engaging, highlight the geographic location of each product and be relevant to the current and upcoming seasons. Incorporating these elements into the content, and utilizing a content management system allows for the content to be tagged will increase exposure and generate greater results.

Each piece of content created for NeONT website should meet the following criteria:

• Inform consumers • Serve a function • Answer a need • Provide value and create the WOW Factor • Be found through search engines, targeted ads, social media, or PR campaigns.

By stimulating a genuine interest, there is potential to create shareable and viral content that the target audience wants more of.

To further support this process, it is recommended that market research be conducted with potential consumers in the targeted geographical areas. This research will provide key information on how to best inform, serve, answer a need and provide value to the audience groups.

By creating a content‐focused mindset, NeONT can effectively position themselves as players in the ‘content business’ based on today’s digital trends. Understanding the differences between a hunting style and a fishing style and ensuring a healthy balance between the two concepts will create more opportunities for success.

Three‐Year Strategic Plan for Northeastern Ontario Tourism PKF Consulting Inc. Prepared for: Northeastern Ontario Tourism in association with Birchbark Media April 2014 PKF Consulting Canada

Digital content creation can be categorized into the follow three main areas:

1. Internal Content 2. Video Content 3. Influencer Campaigns

Internal Content

Internal content is sourced from NeONT staff and/or stakeholders. We highly recommend NeONT staff follow the recommendations for creating captivating content that were contained in the 2012 Digital Strategy for Northern Ontario, and outlined below:

Is the content unique? √ Conduct research to determine if there is a need that is not being addressed. √ Idenfy new or beer ways to meet that need. √ Assess other forms of effecve content to idenfy unique factors.

Is the content useful? √ Ensure that the content is relevant to the needs of the target audience. √ Allow the content to idenfy and cater to an unmet need. √ Provides a clear soluon for the needs of the target audience. √ Is the content well executed? √ In accordance with the editorial calendar, the Content Coordinators are responsible for working within their teams to develop and implement an execution model that generates compelling content and measures results. √ Is there a strong call to acon? √ Is it tagged correctly for indexing by search engines? √ Does it link to relevant information on other sites where appropriate? √ Does it lead consumers to share, comment or otherwise engage? √ Does it add a creave element to using technology or interacng with others?

Is the content fun? The content can be developed in a variety of ways depending on the communication objective and identified key message. The following provides a list of themes to accomplish this:

Three‐Year Strategic Plan for Northeastern Ontario Tourism PKF Consulting Inc. Prepared for: Northeastern Ontario Tourism in association with Birchbark Media April 2014 PKF Consulting Canada

 Entertaining  Amusing  Inspiring  Hilarious  Uplifting  Silly  A welcomed distraction

Does the content make good use on the right channels?  Digital Channels  Search  Online Display Ads  Email Marketing  Social Media  Mobile  Traditional

7 Steps to Creating Captivating Content When creating captivating content the following 7 steps may serve as a guide.

Step 1 : Educate and organize teams around creating content  Identify other people who can add value and insight into the content development process.  Recognize that a balanced blend of art and science creates captivating content. Mix analytical techniques with creativity to accomplish this.  Pair right and left brain thinkers by creating teams comprised of creative and logical/analytical individuals.  Develop a holistic and creative approach.  Work with external organizations and agency partners to expand the reach when possible (OTMPC, CTC, DMO’s, Cities, Attractions, etc.)

Step 2 : Develop ideas based on customer behaviours, attitudes, and lifestyles  Do not focus primarily on the product ‐ incorporate consumer needs into content.  Think about what the consumer may be doing when engaging in the content and how you can enhance it. Daily activities may include:  Exercising,

Three‐Year Strategic Plan for Northeastern Ontario Tourism PKF Consulting Inc. Prepared for: Northeastern Ontario Tourism in association with Birchbark Media April 2014 PKF Consulting Canada

 Waiting for an appointment or a flight  Hanging out in the park  Commuting to work  Cooking at home  Doing housework  Relaxing at home • Research • Understand the target market needs and wants to create content that enhances daily activities, customer insights and behaviours.

Step 3 : Define and own value proposition • Think in terms of the consumer: o “If I were a target customer would I be interested in this content?” o “Would I pay a nominal fee for this content? Is it worth something?” *If both answers are yes, the ability to create captivating content exists.

Step 4 : Leverage the existing customer base to find test ideas • Identify special things you can do for existing customers and how you can engage them in the new content. • Determine specific ideas on how to design new content for existing customers.

Step 5 : Build an Engagement Map • Detail the path you want consumers to take after the initial hook. • Integrate the map with your Marketing Communication Plan to ensure consumers have a seamless set of experiences. • Develop benchmarks that tie into your overall Marketing Communication Plan to properly measure engagement and ROI based on the Measurement. • Choose a number of shares, likes, and comments that indicate you’ve met your goal for the online reach of the story. Setting these goals is relatively simple and they can be monitored automatically with most major analytic programs.

Step 6 : Buy Media to Build Reach • Invest in online and offline paid media to get word out about the content. • Target influential people associated to the target audiences and networks. • Draw attention using a balanced approach of paid media and digital channels – traditional media, paid search, organic search, optimization techniques, and permission based marketing, etc.

Three‐Year Strategic Plan for Northeastern Ontario Tourism PKF Consulting Inc. Prepared for: Northeastern Ontario Tourism in association with Birchbark Media April 2014 PKF Consulting Canada

Step 7 : Stay Flexible: Attract, Engage, Measure • Be prepared to change based on consumer needs. • Spend less time debating about what will work and more time creating stuff that goes out to the field. • Let the consumers be the judges. • Share success stories with the partners.

ATTRACT ‐ Create and disseminate content into the marketplace. ENGAGE ‐ Allow consumers to engage with content (or not). MEASURE ‐ Monitor results based on Evaluation Methods

The objective is to find an effective way to deal with empowered consumers and create content that the target market will seek out and welcome. This can be done through content that is serious, practical, influential, convenient, and entertaining.

Each type of content has its own specific requirements that relate to these overall principles.

Video Content

Video is an extremely powerful medium and with the advance in technology the cost of entry has been drastically reduced. We are now at the point where online customers have grown to expect quality websites to have video. The challenge for many is to produce video content that both tells a story and matches the brand quality.

NeONT should allocate resources to the creation and procurement of online video content.

Video will be critical to the success of NeONT's online marketing. Many don't realize that YouTube is the number two search engine in the world. Video is such an effective means of conveying information. People pay close attention to faces. Our brain is hard‐wired to use the human face as a gathering point for information and believability.

NeONT should allocate marketing resources to the creation of compelling, original video content. However, NeONT should also (perhaps more importantly) reach out into the realm of social media, seeking to leverage the experiential videos of visitors to the region. Build the delivery of video assets into Facebook contests. Ask for visitors to provide the unique imagery that you require (family outings, highlights from the big fishing trip, sunsets, snowshoeing adventures, campfires, etc.).

Three‐Year Strategic Plan for Northeastern Ontario Tourism PKF Consulting Inc. Prepared for: Northeastern Ontario Tourism in association with Birchbark Media April 2014 PKF Consulting Canada

We are accustomed to the quality and intimacy of amateur/social media video. Your audience is accustomed to sharing. Virtually everyone can now shoot in HD (via their phone). Leverage these experiential assets as much as possible. They provide great value and can serve as authentic endorsements.

Influencer Campaigns

A key part of NeONT’s content marketing strategy should be the development of an influencer campaign. Influencers can help drive awareness of NeONT’s unique travel offerings, promotions and create user generated content that connects with prospective travellers and supplies NeONT with a unique and reliable source of content for use in digital and print campaigns.

Declining organic reach on Facebook and other social media channels, as well as the importance of the content developed by influencers in search engine ranking are key reasons why NeONT should include an influencer campaign in their marketing efforts.

It is recommended NeONT contract the services of a third‐party agency to develop and execute the influencer campaign.

Direction on building an influencer campaign

Set goals Goals are specific to each campaign. Goals may include but are not limited the following: ‐ grow Facebook, Instagram or Twitter fan counts ‐ increase awareness of NeONT as a travel destination ‐ promote a festival or specific activity in NeONT ‐ generate written content or user generated photographs ‐ promote a limited time offer or contest

Create a campaign Strategies for engaging influencers are specific to identified goals. Opportunities and ideas for campaigns include: ‐ A series of guest and sponsored posts ‐ Facebook chats ‐ Twitter parties ‐ Instagram geo‐tagging

Three‐Year Strategic Plan for Northeastern Ontario Tourism PKF Consulting Inc. Prepared for: Northeastern Ontario Tourism in association with Birchbark Media April 2014 PKF Consulting Canada

‐ Blog link‐ups ‐ FAM or blogger experience trips

Identify and contact influencers Influencers can include celebrities, active social media followers from Facebook, current residents and advocates of NeONT and bloggers within the family travel, outdoor gear, hunting, angling and adventure sport niches. Set clear goals and expectations, as well as compensation for the influencers upon completion of a successful campaign.

Execute and evaluate campaign Once the campaign has ended, track to see how traffic, social media followings and travel intentions to NeONT have been impacted. Monitor social mentions, hashtags, referral traffic and social shares to evaluate social media impact and determine if the appropriate target audience was reached.

Three‐Year Strategic Plan for Northeastern Ontario Tourism PKF Consulting Inc. Prepared for: Northeastern Ontario Tourism in association with Birchbark Media April 2014