Canada’s New Government, through the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA), along with the four provincial government departments responsible for tourism and the four provincial tourism industry associations today announced the newest round of Tourism Technology.com (TT.com). This pan-Atlantic project helps Atlantic Canada tourism operators attract more visitors to the region by strengthening their technology capabilities.
“Canada’s New Government continues to work with its partners to strengthen the tourism industry, and in turn, the economy of Atlantic Canada,” said The Honourable Peter MacKay, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Minister of ACOA. “The growing use of the Internet in tourism and travel planning requires tourism operators to keep up-to- date with technology and our investment of almost $500,000 in this program will assist them in accomplishing this goal.”
Established in 2000, TT.com was created out of a partnership between Canada’s New Government through ACOA, the four provincial governments, and industry associations with the mandate to encourage Atlantic Canada tourism operators to increase their use of technology. This new project focuses on the development and delivery of curriculum that will better position operators to make educated decisions about their business practices and bring their technology usage to an even higher level.
“We’ve put a heavy emphasis on the Internet in our tourism plan and the marketing campaign that flows from it because we know that 70% of our potential visitors research and plan their Nova Scotia vacations online,” said Len Goucher, Minister of Tourism, Culture and Heritage. “This joint initiative will help tourism operators in Nova Scotia and our neighbouring provinces expand their abilities to target their customers online as well.”
Canada’s New Government, through ACOA’s Tourism Atlantic, will contribute $495,000 towards tourism technology. The four provincial departments responsible for tourism will contribute $60,000 each towards the project, with the four provincial tourism associations adding $30,000.
“Advances in technology, rising traveler expectations, and continuous competition to lure the consumer all require the main players to keep up with industry trends. Advancing technology capabilities is vital for success,” said Don Cudmore, Chair of the TT.com committee. “The Technology Resource Coordinator is in place to advise tourism operators on how they can improve their websites to become more competitive in the industry.”
One Technology Resource Coordinator (TRC) is employed through TT.com in each province. The TRC’s are trained to evaluate the existing online presence of a website and to create a checklist with tourism operators to help them move to the next level in technology practices – online, real-time inventory capabilities.
The TRC’s, who are well known throughout their respective regions, will be a key strength of the program. The coordinators will take on a mentoring role, delivering the curriculum during one-on-one sessions to tourism operators who sign up through their respective provincial associations.
Tourism operators interested in this program should contact their provincial industry associations for more details.
For more information, please contact:
Jana Parker
ACOA PEI & Tourism
902-368-0264
Adèle Poirier
Nova Scotia Department of Tourism, Culture and Heritage
902-424-6427
Michelle Sears
Technology Resource Coordinator
Tourism Industry Association of Nova Scotia
902- 496-7481
Michelle_Sears@tians.org