Marketing

The Marketing section plans and executes marketing plans promoting Nova Scotia as a world-class seacoast tourism destination in core markets through a variety of channels (print, TV, radio, direct mail, out-of-home, promotions, and Internet). Most of the marketing activity generates consumer responses such as information inquiries and/or reservations, which are serviced by Check In (Tourism Customer Contact System) a toll-free central reservation and information service or Nova Scotia's official tourism website (www.novascotia.com ).

The section also produces tourism literature, including our flagship publication, the 400-page Doer's and Dreamer's Travel Guide; distributes tourism literature through the Tourism Distribution Centre, operates the provincial Visitor Information Centre network; and manages an electronic library of over 50,000 images used for tourism promotions.

Product Development and Planning

The Development and Planning section provides leadership and coordination in tourism planning to develop and enhance Nova Scotia's competitive tourism products, experiences, attractions, and destinations; invests in strategic tourism projects; provides tourism development guidance to communities; facilitates initiatives that improve the quality and market-readiness of the tourism industry; provides planning and secretarial support to the Peggy's Cove Commission; inspects and licenses fixed-roof accommodations and campgrounds according to the Tourist Accommodations Act and Regulations; inspects over 1300 fixed roof accommodations and approximately 120 campgrounds, in addition to over 80 Visitor Centres throughout the province as part of the Visitor Centre Award of Quality program; and responds to visitor comments on all aspects of the tourism industry.
In addition the section provides direct liaison between the department and the Acadian community in Nova Scotia.

Sales and Partnerships

The Sales and Partnerships section has three main program areas designed to promote sales and strengthen tourism activity in Nova Scotia: the Travel Trade Program, Tourism Editorial Program, and Partnerships. Staff work with the travel trade to promote Nova Scotia as a destination for group tours and FIT (independent) travel, which involves making sales calls, hosting travel trade representatives on familiarization tours, and representing the province at travel trade shows. The section manages a tourism editorial program where staff encourage travel writers to write articles about Nova Scotia as a travel destination. On the partnership side, the section establishes partnerships with major industry and private-sector partners, including the regional tourism industry associations and major transportation partners.

Research

The Research section conducts and disseminates tourism research to support industry and government planning and decision making. Activities include measurement of tourism activity, collection and analysis of market statistics and trends, evaluation of tourism programs including marketing campaigns, and reporting of current tourism statistics and trend research to industry and government stakeholders.