December-1-17 Opening video link: https://youtu.be/oKvsF7v4gNc As some of you know, I moved here a year and half ago from Vancouver to join Tourism Nova Scotia, and I can honestly say I feel more at home than any other place I’ve lived. I’m so proud to be working with all of you to bring more visitors to the province, so they too can experience the beautiful people, communities, activities and attractions that make Nova Scotia so unique and special. Like many of you, I’ve worked in the tourism industry my entire career and I absolutely love it! I love it because tourism is fun, but more importantly, it’s a fast -paced, global business sector that is the economic backbone of many rural communities, cities, provinces, states, and countries around the world. GenomeDX Confidential 1
December-1-17 Thinking about the future in the context of “What if…?” is the theme of my presentation today. It’s amazing how one little question can trigger so many reactions – fear, regret, hope, creativity, inspiration… As I reflect on some of the great things that have happened this year and share what’s on the horizon, let’s think about what we’ve learned, where we’re going, and how we can continue to grow our tourism industry over the long term. Let’s envision the possibilities through the lens of “ What if?” GenomeDX Confidential 2
December-1-17 According to the World Travel and Tourism Council, the tourism industry contributes $7.6 trillion dollars USD, or 10.2% of global gross domestic product, and accounts for 1 in 10 of all jobs on the planet. Tourism spurs innovation and entrepreneurship in communities of all sizes. GenomeDX Confidential 3
As you can see from this chart, by welcoming more visitors to Nova Scotia, we’re enabling growth across many sectors. What may surprise you, is that accommodations account for just 15 per cent of all tourism spending in the province. Whether visitors are staying in licensed accommodations, with friends or relatives or elsewhere, one thing is clear: we need places for people to stay for tourism revenues to grow. 4
As you know, Nova Scotia’s tourism industry has a goal to double annual tourism revenues over a ten-year period to $4 billion by 2024. Tourism Nova Scotia tracks our industry’s progress against this goal annually. Looking back to when the Ivany Commission released its Now or Never Report in 2014, the Commission called it “an urgent call to action for Nova Scotians to help improve the province’s economic outlook.” We (tourism businesses, governments, and communities) rose to the challenge and quickly aligned behind the $4 billion goal. We did so because we believe we can have a more profitable, sustainable tourism industry in Nova Scotia, and we know that our efforts will have a lasting impact on future generations. In some instances, we have put our personal or local interests aside to pursue opportunities that will deliver greater results for our province. Some of us have had to shift how we operate and perhaps even reinvent ourselves. All of us are persevering through change with our sights set on the future. 5
December-1-17 First I want to congratulate all of you on what’s been another banner year for tourism in Nova Scotia. While full- year estimates won’t be available until February, the numbers we have today tell a fantastic story! As of the end of September, we’ve welcomed nearly 2 million non -resident overnight visitors to the province, which is 9 per cent more compared to last year. Preliminary estimates suggest tourism revenues will reach $2.7 billion dollars by the end of the year —that’s $100 million more than last year. These results are not by chance. We’re working hard, we’re working collaboratively, and we’re working strategically to inspire people to choose Nova Scotia. GenomeDX Confidential 6
December-1-17 This year, Canada’s 150 th birthday enticed visitors to travel within Canada and explore all that we have to offer as a destination. Parks Canada’s free admission and innovative guest programming contributed to double-digit visitation growth at almost all of their sites across Nova Scotia. GenomeDX Confidential 7
December-1-17 We also celebrated Canada’s 150 th birthday with major events like the Rendez-Vous 2017 Tall Ships Regatta , which drew visitors to the Halifax Waterfront and 10 other ports across the province between June 30 and August 16. Each port showcased what makes their community unique and special, incorporating culinary, entertainment and historical elements into their programming. No two ports were alike, and locals and visitors enjoyed free access to tall ships from around the world. Congratulations to Jen Angel and her team at Waterfront Development and to each host community for bringing this event to life. GenomeDX Confidential 8
December-1-17 The Tall Ships Regatta wasn’t the only major event that played a part in motivating travel to the province this year. The Celtic Colours International Festival , which takes place every year across Cape Breton Island, welcomed thousands of festival-goers from all corners of the world. We celebrate the “What if…?” passion behind this festival and everything it has done over the past 20 years to motivate travel and boost business during the month of October. GenomeDX Confidential 9
December-1-17 From community suppers to cultural immersion experiences, festival guests are wowed by the warm hospitality of locals, amazing musical performances, and the beauty of Cape Breton. I got to experience it myself this year and I loved the whole experience. GenomeDX Confidential 10
December-1-17 Another major event that is helping to extend the tourism season (which is so very important) in the Annapolis Valley is Devour! The Food Film Fest. This year’s festival, which also happens to be the world’s largest gastronomic film festival, took place from October 25-29 offering five days of film, food and wine experiences. Momentum for this event continues to grow. Devour! has hosted celebrities Gordon Pinsent, Jason Priestly and Anthony Bourdain to name a few, and has caught the attention of international media. GenomeDX Confidential 11
December-1-17 Festival creators Michael Howell, Lia Rinaldo, and the team at Devour are an inspiring group of “What if…?” thinkers! Not only have they developed partnerships to maximize opportunities and impact, but they are continually coming up with ways to improve the experience for festival goers. This year, they partnered with Grape Escapes Nova Scotia Wine Tours to offer shuttle service from Halifax to Wolfville, expanding travel and accommodation options for attendees. They’ve also extended beyond their festival week to offer satellite Devour food and film experiences throughout the year. GenomeDX Confidential 12
December-1-17 Another important aspect of our tourism industry is the cruise business. Cruise ships bring thousands of visitors to Nova Scotia every year via two large ports in Halifax and Sydney, and various small ports along our coasts. According to the Halifax Port Authority, 173 cruise ships visited Halifax this year carrying 292,722 passengers. These are record-breaking numbers which account for a 27% increase in vessel calls and 23% increase in passengers. The Port of Sydney welcomed 82 cruise ships and almost 120,000 passengers. Fantastic! GenomeDX Confidential 13
December-1-17 In addition to retailers, restaurants and attractions, local tourism operators benefit greatly from cruise business. For example, in Cape Breton, Eskasoni Cultural Journeys , a unique Mi’kmaq experience provider, hosted 62 cruise ship tours between May and October. They provided cruise ship passengers with hands-on cultural tours on Goat Island, giving them a glimpse into traditional Mi’kmaq ways of life through authentic activities, like smudging ceremonies, learning the art of basketry, and joining in traditional dance. There are so many great stories out there. I wish we could highlight them all. My colleagues and I at Tourism Nova Scotia certainly love hearing about them, so please don’t hesitate to reach out and share them with us. GenomeDX Confidential 14
December-1-17 As you know, Tourism Nova Scotia’s mandate is to lead the growth of Nova Scotia’s tourism industry and maximize the value of tourism to Nova Scotia’s economy. Today, we’re pleased to share our five -year strategic plan, Growing Export Revenue, with you. This is Tourism Nova Scotia’s strategy. It helps our employees, our shareholder, tourism businesses and other stakeholders understand why, how, and what we are going to do to deliver on our mandate. It expands on the strategic framework we have been talking about since 2015 when Tourism Nova Scotia was first created. GenomeDX Confidential 15
December-1-17 Our strategic pillars remain the same; however, this document provides more context and rationale for how we will partner and invest our resources to drive tourism growth. We’re attracting first -time visitors; investing in markets of highest return; focusing on world- class experiences that will motivate travel to the province; and we’re working to build tourism confidence. GenomeDX Confidential 16
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