Northern Forest Tourism Network
Collaborating to Create a World Class Destination – Join Us!Vermont
Submitted by Gloria Bruce, Executive Director, Northeast Kingdom Travel and Tourism Association (NEKTTA)
Director@TraveltheKingdom.com, 802-626-8511 / 800-884-8001
Recognizing the value of the Canadian market, the Northeast Kingdom Travel & Tourism Association (NEKTTA) has developed an Educational and Marketing Awareness program that assists area businesses in luring Canadian travelers to the region, and hosting them once here.
NEKTTA completed a systematic assessment of the level of expertise throughout our hospitality workforce on key issues as they pertain to the Canadian traveler. Upon completion of the assessment NEKTTA concluded the following:
- A percentage of the line level staff throughout the Northeast Kingdom hospitality community was not familiar with all border-crossing locations.
- A percentage of line level staff throughout the Northeast Kingdom hospitality community were not aware of the required documentation to expedite the border crossing experience.
- A percentage of the line level staff throughout the Northeast Kingdom were unfamiliar with Canadian heritage, holidays and culture.
- The majority of the line level staff throughout the Northeast Kingdom hospitality communities were not aware of what tangible goods can and can not be carried across the border.
The results of this assessment showcased a clear need for the creation of an educational initiative which would allow NEKTTA to maximize the return on investment for marketing dollars invested in an effort to lure the Canadian traveler to the region.
To infuse the needs and wishes of the Canadian traveler into our hospitality workforce training and into our marketing efforts NEKTTA designed and implemented an educational program that was presented to area hospitality businesses to include: lodging establishments, welcome centers, chambers of commerce, restaurants, resorts, recreational outlets, area attractions, etc. The program included the following components:
Training Tools
NEKTTA designed and implemented structured training and educational tools that were distributed to Partners and are utilized to enhance the awareness and understanding of Canadian marketing opportunities, border crossing procedures, and the needs and wishes of the Canadian traveler. To follow is an outline of the tools created.
Written Training Procedures
NEKTTA crafted detailed written training procedures to serve as an introduction to the concept of luring and hosting the Canadian Market. Training procedures were designed with a full understanding of basic learning principles to ensure that trainees with varying educational skill sets and learning styles can comprehend, retain and employ the information in a manor which is applicable to them and honors the subject matter.
Train the Trainer Program
A “Train the Trainer Program” was designed to educate hospitality business supervisors, managers, and owners on the proper use and presentation of the training material. The content of the Train the Trainer Program includes a full introduction of the Canadian Market Awareness training procedures and the provision of skills to:
- Design and implement group training sessions
- Present training procedures and content
- Effectively facilitate group discussion
- Isolate and respond to individual learning needs
- Provide follow up and support to ensure the effectiveness of training and the subsequent use of training subject matter.
By training key individuals to train others throughout the region, a widespread distribution network was created while simultaneously creating a repository of knowledge so that no one entity solely owns this skill set. Trainers are community members that can best execute and employ training techniques in a manor as to ensure a broad base of the Northeast Kingdom hospitality community is reached and educated.
To further amplify the awareness of Vermont’s Northeast Kingdom additional marketing tools and strategies highlighting the Kingdom as a travel experience were created and employed throughout the Northeast Kingdom and into strategic market areas in Canada. Project highlights include:
Canadian Market Awareness Initiative with Area Businesses
NEKTTA updated content on their website to honor the Canadian traveler. This content was made available to area businesses via I-Frame. Area businesses were provided technical assistance to incorporate this detailed information about the Vermont’s Northeast Kingdom on their individual websites and within their individual marketing lure pieces (to include insertion in their E-newsletters, brochures, etc.) in such a way as to meet the needs and wishes of the Canadian traveler. When applicable content was made available in English and French.
Upon completion of the key project deliverables NEKTTA engaged in additional marketing opportunities in Canada to include an enhanced online, print, and publicity campaign.
The ability to successfully lure, host and create a return visitor from within the Canadian market will have a very real and sustainable impact on the Northeast Kingdom economy. Working in partnership with area Chambers of Commerce, area businesses, and area organizations NEKTTA can continue to execute a Marketing and Educational initiative which will allow us to successfully tap into a key target market for Northeast Kingdom businesses.
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