New Brunswick is inviting the world to discover our province through a new five-year tourism plan.
The plan, titled The Invitation, comes as pandemic-related border measures continue to loosen.
Tourism Minister Tammy Scott-Wallace said they want our province to become Atlantic Canada’s top vacation destination.
“We’ve missed our family and friends from outside of Atlantic Canada for more than two years now,” Scott-Wallace said during the unveiling on Monday in Saint John.
“We invite them all to come back, see what they’ve been missing, and what is new and exciting in New Brunswick.”
In a news release, the department said it plans to implement the strategy by:
- A master storytelling initiative that will use marketing efforts to feature residents showcasing pride in their communities.
- Delivering authentic experiences which are unique to the province.
- Fostering a strong sense of pride of place by highlighting the unique character of the province’s communities.
The plan also includes a summer sweepstakes contest called #RSVPNB encouraging residents to invite their friends and family to visit their favourite places and attractions.
The winners will receive an all-expenses-paid trip for them and three of their guests to experience the best of what the province has to offer, with the help of a personal travel concierge.
“We want to make people see, hear and feel like New Brunswick is their place in the world,” said Scott-Wallace. “The Invitation showcases our province as the best place to visit, live, and build businesses.”
The strategy includes a number of metrics, which include increasing overnight visits by 33 per cent to 1.45 million, and boosting the province’s Tourism Sentiment Score — or online traveller’s perceptions of our province and its tourism offerings — by 21 per cent, from 16.5 to 20.
In addition, the province hopes the plan will help contribute to its goals of growing the province’s labour force to 405,300 by the end of 2024, achieving net interprovincial migration levels of 1,000 each year, and welcoming 7,500 newcomers annually by 2024.
“Not only is tourism a serious economic driver in its own right; every visitor to our province is also a potential new student, resident, business owner or investor,” said Paulette Hicks, CEO of Envision Saint John, the region’s growth agency.
“We need to lean into our natural assets, be proud ambassadors and invite the world.”
Scott-Wallace declined to discuss the dollar figure of the new plan, saying the information would be released in the coming weeks.
Plan Welcomed By Tourism Association
Those who work in the province’s tourism industry are welcoming the new strategic plan.
The Tourism Industry Association of New Brunswick said COVID-19 has been “devastating” for their industry.
“We’re the first ones hit, as everyone knows, and we will be the last ones to recover,” said Carol Alderdice, president and CEO of the association.
Despite the hardships of the past few years, Alderdice said things are shaping up well heading into the busy summer season.
“The phones have been ringing off the hook since the regulations were removed and I don’t know that you’ll be able to find a cottage or a campground right now if you don’t hurry up and book it,” she said.
Alderdice said the timing of Monday’s announcement is important as many people are now starting to plan their summer vacations.
She also noted that the first cruise line of the season is expected to arrive in Saint John in a few weeks.
Addressing Labour Shortages
The tourism industry across Canada is facing labour challenges as a result of COVID-19, and New Brunswick is no exception.
Danielle Timmons with Aquila Tours in Saint John said they are working to recruit as many people as possible before cruise ships begin arriving.
“We have lost some folks over the last two-and-a-half years and we haven’t had that opportunity to rehire,” said Timmons, but we’re doing a lot of work provincially and nationally to try to make that happen.”
Saint John is expecting 70 cruise ships this season, with the first slated to arrive in late April.
Timmons said she is seeing high demand in the cruise industry along with a lot of excitement.
“People have been waiting and waiting. We have a lot of people regularly, one, two, three, four times a year, so people are really excited to cruise back to Saint John again because it’s been two-and-a-half years since they’ve been here,” she said.