News release

Tourism Campaign Named Canada's Best

Tourism, Culture and Heritage (Dec. 2003 - Jan. 2011)

For the second time in the last three years, Nova Scotia's tourism marketing campaign has been named Canada's best.

The Tourism Industry Association of Canada has declared Nova Scotia's 2005 tourism marketing campaign as the winner of its National Award for Tourism Excellence.

"In a year when tourism numbers are down in many areas of Canada, including Nova Scotia, it was more important than ever to have an excellent campaign," Rodney MacDonald, Minister of Tourism, Culture and Heritage, said today, Oct. 25. "Nova Scotia's tourism marketing campaign comes from shared planning and decision-making between the province's tourism industry and government. I would like to thank everybody from the industry who worked with government to put this campaign together."

The marketing campaign is a key instrument of Nova Scotia's 2005 Tourism Plan, developed through the Nova Scotia Tourism Partnership Council. Established in 1997, the council brings tourism operators and government together to ensure Nova Scotia's annual plan and supporting activities best reflect the tourism marketplace.

"We're delighted to see Nova Scotia's tourism marketing campaign garner national acclaim," said Charles Clerk, chair of the Nova Scotia Tourism Partnership Council and president of Island Beach Company. "With so many factors affecting our industry beyond Nova Scotia's control, it's important that our marketing be distinctive and effective. This is a strong foundation to build on."

Corporate Communications Limited (CCL) of Halifax worked with the department on the creative development of the campaign.

"This campaign appealed to the emotional attachment visitors have when they come to Nova Scotia," said Chris Keevill, CCL's president and chief operating officer. "People feel better about themselves when they visit Nova Scotia and that's the kind of experience the campaign was meant to convey."

This year's campaign, which featured the music and songs of Nova Scotians Mary Jane Lammond and Matt Mays, resulted in increased visitor enquiries and greater visitor awareness in markets such as Ontario, Quebec and New England. The campaign consisted of TV and print advertising, direct mail and e-marketing.

The awards were handed out Monday, Oct. 24, at Canada's Tourism Leadership Summit in Quebec City. Two years ago, Nova Scotia's Right Here, Right Now regional tourism marketing campaign earned a the Tourism Industry Association of Canada's National Award for Tourism Excellence.