When Travel Alberta was initially formed in 2000,
it launched a long-haul advertising campaign marking the province's
return to North American marketing after a considerable absence. To
determine the most suitable direction for the new campaign, Travel Alberta
retained Cameron Strategy to assist in charting its course and measure
its performance.
Working with Travel Alberta, Cameron
Strategy conducted a number of focus groups to fine tune a number of
creative concepts for the launch campaign.
The next stage was to evaluate the performance of the
campaign, which ran from late February through to June 2000, in travel
and lifestyle magazines, as well as in newspapers and on specific
cable television stations in U.S. and Canadian markets. The research
was specifically designed to evaluate the impact of the campaign on
the awareness of Alberta as a pleasure trip destination, advertising
awareness and recall, and the image of Alberta among leisure
travelers. Cameron Strategy also conducted an Internet survey of
visitors to Travel Alberta's web site to assess the site's role in
fulfilling consumer inquiries motivated through promotional
activities.
The results of the tracking research with leisure
travelers in Dallas and Toronto indicate that the campaign had only a
marginal impact on awareness in Alberta. Nevertheless, among travelers
recalling the advertising, it is having the desired effect - improving
Alberta's image as a vacation destination. Interviews with Canadian
Tourism Commission (CTC) staff representing Canada in the U.S. also
uncovered a common sentiment in the industry towards the new campaign:
"Travel Alberta needs to continue - they are just starting to build
awareness, and you can't do that overnight."
Based on this initial positive response, Travel Alberta has
continued their 2001 long-haul advertising campaigns in Dallas and
Toronto, and expanded the program to San Francisco. With the 2001
tracking research currently underway, Cameron Strategy continues to
help improve Alberta's tourism promotion efforts by working closely
with Travel Alberta.
For more information, visit http://www.travelalberta.com/
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