Our strategic approach is informed by Vision 2026, which provides the blueprint for industry growth.  It is also based on a strong foundation of knowledge, experience, and insights relating to the tourism and travel landscape, as well as primary research (e.g., Visitor Exit Surveys, TAMS surveys), statistics, and tourism marketing publications and travel reports (e.g., Destination Canada, TIAC, World Tourism Organization).

 

Industry Challenges and Opportunities

For Newfoundland and Labrador, there’s no such thing as an accidental tourist. It takes deliberate planning and determined effort to visit here.

Travel distance, time, cost, and access are barriers for visitors and competitive disadvantages for Newfoundland and Labrador’s industry. Access and affordability are critical components to the future success of the tourism industry. Getting here, and travelling around, can be challenging and expensive compared to more ‘mainstream’ destinations in Canada. Vision 2026 identifies access as a key challenge, and the goal is to continue to identify and implement collaborative business solutions with transportation partners.

The challenges do not end there. A short peak season, capacity constraints during peak season, availability of and access to labour supply make a tough job even harder.

Despite these barriers, there is incredible opportunity within Newfoundland and Labrador for tourism. 

A Growing Demand for Experiential Travel. Our biggest opportunity group do not see themselves as ‘tourists’, but as increasingly sophisticated and experienced ‘travellers’ seeking more unusual places and experiences ‘off the beaten track’. Trends such as a growing demand for experiential travel, and a desire for original experiences that have a sense of unpredictability and authenticity, present Newfoundland and Labrador with a growing opportunity to tap into the needs of future travellers.  

A Renewed Focus on Target Markets. We continue to use research and consumer insights to refine our traveller-centric approach to segmentation as it relates to understanding travel behaviours and emotional motivations. Future refinements to target audience segmentation will help deliver high returns on investment for our marketing efforts. 

Building on the Newfoundland and Labrador Brand. The greatest opportunity continues to lie in the ‘creativity’ brand positioning and personality for Newfoundland and Labrador – and the creative strategy and execution, which will romance, reflect, and express it. Advertising campaigns continue to put Newfoundland and Labrador higher than ever on travellers’ radars as being a distinctive destination; creating exceptional and valuable ‘buzz’ among our biggest opportunity group. More importantly, it evokes a rich emotional response and desire to visit this naturally exotic and unexpectedly different place.

To achieve Newfoundland and Labrador’s industry potential and compete on a national and international tourism scale, we have created detailed strategies for growth.

 

Marketing Objectives

In 2023, non-resident visitation to Newfoundland and Labrador was over 525,700, and total tourist spending reached over $1.4 billion.

Overarching marketing objectives for Newfoundland and Labrador are to continue to increase the number of visitors from our core markets, encourage our visitors to stay longer and to experience more thereby increasing the tourism industry’s annual contribution to the economy.

Across all marketing initiatives we aim to improve on critical marketing objectives, including:

• Increase visitation and expenditures annually.
• Build on Newfoundland and Labrador’s brand awareness in priority markets.
• Increase tourism brand engagement and build traveller advocacy for Newfoundland and Labrador.
• Move the target audience of potential travellers from awareness to interest to action.

 

Marketing Growth Strategy

Vision 2026 provides blueprint for extraordinary growth:

• Newfoundland and Labrador will be a thriving tourism destination offering an authentic and unforgettable experiences through the ‘creativity’ brand pillars of our people, culture, and natural environment.

Generating growth in visitation and revenue begins with the Vision 2026 mission to:

• Inspire travellers through authentic experiences that embrace our natural creativity, environment, and unique culture for the sustainable benefit of our people and our province.

Newfoundland and Labrador uses paid, owned, and earned marketing as the engine to power the desired growth strategy.

The tourism product experience – in the form of people and program-based brand experiences – also have a large role to play in increasing length of stay, amount of money spent, and overall tourism revenues.

To be successful, we continue to focus and concentrate our budgets and resources on the best opportunities and create fully integrated programs and campaigns that move potential travellers through the travel pathway from persuasion to purchase (from awareness, to desire, to trip planning, to visitation).