| Journal: TWUK | Section: |
| Title: | Issue Date: 29/05/00 |
| Author: | Page Number: 48 |
| Copyright: Other |
Marketing campaign pays off for Quebec province
QUEBEQOIS eyes were smiling at Rendezvous, in view of the province’s anticipated popularity for 2000/2001.Good news followed the cooperative television campaign undertaken with the Canadian Tourism Commission and other provinces from December 26-March 1. Of the 14,000 enquiries that followed, 5,677 declared a positive interest for Quebec.
This places the province ahead of Ontario with 4,532 enquiries, British Columbia with 4,388 and Alberta with 745.
Destination Quebec director Josephine Wiggall Lazarus acknowledged that while repeat clients who had already visited the west must account for a high number of the enquiries, there were other issues at stake.
“We’ve spent a lot of money marketing Quebec in the past few years. We’ve put in Quebec-only ads in addition to our co-operative marketing, we’ve targeted a younger, affluent, more independent type of traveller and we have a lot of new, fresh exciting products.”
Among these products are the new iSci science centre at Vieux Port in Montreal and the Quebec-Windsor train product offered by VIA Rail. VIA has announced that most of its recent funding boost of almost £180m will be spent on revamping the route – which represents 85% of its revenue – with refurbished and brand new trains.
Quebec’s new products are also focused more on the regions, including the maritime area, Charlevoix and southern Quebec, which Wiggall Lazarus likened to New England, but without the cost.
Other good news included an increase in the total tourism budget for 2001 and 2002, though final levels have not been set. “The majority of the increase will be spent on an awareness campaign aimed at getting people into agencies and asking for the Quebec product,” said Wiggall Lazarus.