TWEPI launches largest-ever ad campaign to bring visitors to Windsor-Essex
TWEPI Chief Executive Officer Gordon Orr said 33 per cent of visitation comes from the U.S. in Michigan and Ohio, but they see a lot of opportunity through the Southwestern Ontario corridor up to the Greater Toronto Area.
Orr, speaking at TWEPI's annual general meeting, said that along with the usual U.S. advertising campaigns, they're going to be hitting homes through that Southwestern corridor with direct mail ads, along with strong digital advertising, and they're working with Destination Ontario on several broadcast campaigns to generate greater visitation.
Orr said it's the biggest multi-pronged campaign they've ever done.
'Normally, we focus more heavily on the U.S. and some in domestic. This year we're putting more money into the domestic market; we're still spending the same amount in the U.S., but at the same time we're looking at local campaigns,' he said.
'So, we're making sure it's a multipronged approach.'
It comes as the trade war and other policies initiated by U.S. President Donald Trump have reduced travel to the U.S. as more people consider staycations throughout Ontario and Canada.
Orr said they're cautiously optimistic about the upcoming summer season.
'The economy will play a big role, and consumer confidence will play a big role,' he said.
'At the end of the day, we know the Americans are still coming over, and we know our domestic visitation, because of the patriotism that Canadians have shown, is going to increase. So, we're optimistic that it's going to happen.'
A Conference Board of Canada report released May 29 finds fewer Canadians are making plans to travel into the U.S. at all.
Just 27.1 per cent said they're likely to visit the U.S. in the next few years, down from 53.2 per cent last fall.
The think tank estimates that shift could redirect up to $8.8 billion into Canada's domestic tourism sector this year, as more Canadians cancel U.S. trips and stay closer to home.
At the same time, American visitors to Canada are also declining, with a 10.7 per cent drop in land arrivals in April.
- Written by Rusty Thomson/AM800 News.
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