Discover a Nova Scotia Favourite
Maritimers are being reminded they don't have to travel far to visit a place with countless things to do, as the province launches its 2009 regional marketing campaign: Discover a Nova Scotia Favourite.
The campaign focuses on the many unique experiences Nova Scotia has to offer such as surfing at Lawrencetown Beach, winery tours in the Annapolis Valley, rafting through the Bay of Fundy, and exploring the beautiful landscape of Cape Breton. It also highlights the many events and festivals across the province like Tall Ships Nova Scotia 2009, Celtic Colours International Festival and the Halifax International Busker Festival 2009, among others.
"With so much happening throughout our exciting province, we wanted to remind Maritimers to get out and discover their favourite Nova Scotian experience," said Bill Dooks, Minister of Tourism, Culture and Heritage. "Many of these experiences are unique to Nova Scotia and highlight our many tourism, cultural and heritage assets.
"The campaign is consistent with our 2009 New Realities, New Directions tourism plan and will help us capitalize on the trend of people travelling closer to home."
The regional campaign includes TV, newspaper and online advertising. The campaign will kick off at the Saltscapes East Coast Expo this weekend, April 24-26, at Exhibition Park in Halifax.
The television ads will begin airing Monday, April 27, and run until late October.
"With more than 20,000 Atlantic Canadians visiting the Saltscapes show this weekend, it is a great opportunity to showcase everything Nova Scotia has to offer," said Mr. Dooks.
"This show is the start of the vacation planning season for many Atlantic Canadians. The Nova Scotia Pavilion will have lots of activity to entice people to discover their Nova Scotia favourite this summer."
The marketing plan also includes enhancements to provincial visitor information centres. The centres will have new images, racks for brochures and pamphlets, and digital screens to promote local attractions and encourage longer visits. New features have been added to novascotia.com, including Google maps and live online chat with visitor services staff.
The province will expand its online marketing strategy by using social media sites such as Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. These sites allow for direct communication with visitors to promote the province and learn more about their travel habits. Visitors can also share their Nova Scotian experiences with the rest of the world.
For more information on the regional marketing campaign, or to view some of the ads, visit www.novascotia.com or visit the Nova Scotia Pavilion at the 2009 Saltscapes East Coast Expo.