2011/2012 Tour Operator Partnership Program

Partnership Guidelines

Introduction / Objective

Strategic tour operator partnerships are an important element of Nova Scotia’s tourism marketing efforts and an effective way to develop and sell packaged Nova Scotia product.

The Nova Scotia Tour Operator Partnership Program (NSTOPP) is developed with the objective of increasing opportunities for the optimal delivery of Nova Scotia packaged product to the travel trade and consumers. The NSTOPP is available to support those initiatives which clearly complement Nova Scotia’s strategic tourism priorities.

Nova Scotia’s Annual Tourism Plan, partnership opportunities and additional information on Nova Scotia’s product development, marketing and sales initiatives can be found on the Department’s website at www.gov.ns.ca/econ/tourism/aboutus/tourism-plan.asp.

Please contact a member of our sales team to discuss partnership opportunities. For further information contact:

Cindy Wade
Nova Scotia Department of Economic & Rural Development & Tourism
WTCC - 1800 Argyle Street, Suite 602
P.O. Box 456, Halifax, NS B3J 2R5
Tel: 902-424-4676; Fax: 902-424-2668
Email: cwade@gov.ns.ca

Eligible Activities/Projects

Projects which focus on incremental development of the Nova Scotia tourism market (visitation, revenue and product) will be considered for funding.

Examples of projects/activities which may be assisted include, but are not limited to:

Attendance at in-market trade shows /consumer shows/ marketplaces/sales missions
In-market promotional events
Direct mail campaign(s)
Familiarization tours
Advertising (strategic publications, web etc.)
Online marketing
Other activities will be considered based on their strategic "fit" with Nova Scotia’s marketing efforts.

Please refer to Appendix A - Activity and Funding Eligibility Criteria - for further clarification.

Applicant Eligibility

Nova Scotia will consider partnership opportunities from tour operators who have been in business for a minimum of one year.
Partnerships will be considered with all tour operators, whether they are Nova Scotia-based, national or international, who have the potential and the demonstrated ability to deliver increased tourism visitation and spending to Nova Scotia.
Both FIT and group operators will be eligible for the program.
Project expenditures must take place between April 1, 2011 and March 31, 2012.
Previously funded applicants must have met the program’s conditions to re-apply.

Partnership Activity Criteria

Proponents must provide the following elements within the content of their partnership request:

a completed application form and a detailed listing of your Nova Scotia product (company brochure or website is sufficient);
a marketing plan with a detailed description of the proposed activities and specifically the marketing elements (circulation / distribution volumes, frequency, distribution plans, demographics, targeted geographic markets, etc.) and how they fit within the overall marketing plan;
specific details with regard to the costs of each activity;
full disclosure of any additional partnership funding related to the proposed activities; and,
an evaluation plan specifying how results will be measured and reported to the Department of Economic & Rural Development & Tourism including timelines for the delivery of an evaluation report.

Funding/Payment

Pending annual budget approval, partnerships will be funded based on a 50/50 cost-sharing formula, unless otherwise negotiated (please refer to Appendix A).

Partnerships may be negotiated for support at any time in the annual marketing cycle. All approved activities will be funded within the Nova Scotia Government’s fiscal year (April 1, 2011 - March 31, 2012).

Partnership Reporting Requirements

All partners are required to submit an evaluation report by December 31, 2012 on funded activities indicating sales measurements for Nova Scotia. An evaluation template is provided in Appendix B.

Evaluation Process

Partnership activities will be evaluated on their compatibility with Nova Scotia’s strategic tourism priorities.

Specifically, within the budget specified for the Nova Scotia Tourism Operator Partnership Program, activities will be evaluated based upon the following:

Alignment with Nova Scotia’s Tourism Plan.
Return on investment
Past results
Demonstrated in-market experience
Company history of sound business practices
Availability of authentic, quality Nova Scotia packaged product, experiences and services. Please note that all accommodations included in packages which are part of this program must be a recognized participant in one of three quality programs: Nova Scotia Approved; Canada Select; or CAA
Detailed marketing plan with clear outline of proposed project/activities
Clearly outlined evaluation plan
Budget

Written confirmation and partner approval of all negotiated partnership elements will be required prior to implementation of tactics.