NOTESANNUAL REPORTANNUAL REPORT

2018-20192018-2019

PrescottRussellTourism.ca I info@tprt.ca I 1 (800) 361 7439

PRESCOTT-RUSSELL

TOURISM

BOARD OF DIRECTORS (2018-2019)

EXECUTIVES Marie-Chantal Pilon (President) Ogenêt B&B et RéceptionsAudrey Lizotte (Vice-President) Ferme l’Artisan FarmMichel Villeneuve (Secretary-Treasurer) Vergers Villeneuve & Blueberry Farm

DIRECTORSMario Laplante 417 Bus LinesBenjamin Bercier Cassel BreweryStéphane Sarrazin Mayor, Alfred-Plantagenet TownshipLaura Beauchesne Beau’s All-Natural Brewing Co.Peter Webb Gîte Cedar Drive B&BPierre Leroux Mayor, Russell Township

TEAMMariève Desmarais Executive DirectorGeneviève Duval Communications & Marketing Coordinator (since May, 2019)

Éric Charlebois Co-Executive Director (left April,l 2019)Marie-Claude Sabourin Administrative & Event Officer (left January, 2019)Valérie Carter Promotion & Communication Agent (left January, 2019)

SUMMER STUDENTSAmélie Durocher-Bourdon Student - Promotional AgentBrianna Lécuyer Student - Promotional AgentTyler Morris Student - Web Community AnimatorMikaël Gareau Student - Web Community Animator

A WORD FROM OURPRESIDENT

Since 2011, long before Prescott-Russell Tourism was a destination marketing association as we know it today, the mission I had set for myself and the vision that motivated me, has been to showcase our beautiful region as well as our members.

The TPRT team did their utmost to achieve their goals, the majority of the time with a modest budget, and thus achieve enviable results through actions and activities that put the region on the map. It is now time for me to step down from my presidency and

give way to the next generation, in order to meet new challenges and focus on values that are important to me, namely my health, my family and my company.

Now that I am stepping down as president to the organization that has become TPRT, I wish you to dream big, to work hard, to always smile and the results will come! Get together, meet people, be curious about your business neighbors, build partnerships, get involved, work as a team and be proud of what you can bring. You are all important and key players in the adventure of tourism in our region. It is not only up to the organization to make the region shine but to each of us.

Marie-Chantal Pilon, Ogenêt B&B et Réceptions, Owner

TABLE OFCONTENT

INTRODUCTION

ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS Traditional Media Web and Social MediaDISTRIBUTION

CONCLUSION

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6

9

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A YEAR OF UNCERTAINTIES, BUTHOPEFUL

INTRODUCTIONThanks to strong partnerships, including the United Counties of Prescott-Russell and Ottawa Tourism, Prescott-Russell Tourism began the year 2018-19 with confidence, recognizing that the region was increasingly acquiring a strong brand and recognized as a rural destination. With a strong membership and growing awareness of the value and impact of a growing tourism industry, the TPRT team has continued to share its resources with a range of organizations while working with conviction and dedication; staying on the lookout for new opportunities.

On the other hand, a major blow was felt by the organization in April 2019, namely the total cut of provincial funding to OTR 10, which includes Tourism Ottawa and Prescott-Russell Tourism. This resounding blow deprived TPRT of the necessary funds to realize the planned progress in its commercialization and development activities for the year. And so, the organization had to revise its goals and strategies for the coming years.

Pending the release of the new Provincial Tourism Strategy and its impact on the structure and funding of entities such as Destination Marketing Organizations, including TPRT, it is critical for the organization to continue building strong partnerships with its members, municipalities and regional and provincial acolytes to ensure this transition to a new strategic structure for the development of a regional tourist destination.

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PARTNERSHIPS

OUR MEMBERSOver the past year, we have established visibility partnerships with The Review, Beau’s Oktoberfest, le Festival de la Bine de Plantagenet, Wendover Western Festival, Calypso and Ottawa Tourism (which ended on March 31, 2019), as well as 8 companies / members as part of our coupon promotion program. These agreements with other media opportunities have allowed TPRT to total a staggering total of 15 million impressions.

TOURISM SIGNAGE PROGRAM : The program consists of 51 members, translating into 78% of members who are eligible for the program and 88 signs.

COMMUNICATIONS & OPPORTUNITIES : TPRT staff sent 13 newsletters to its members as well as 14 newsletters to the public to ensure they were well informed about opportunities and upcoming activities.

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WENDOVER WESTERN FESTIVAL

86

ADVERTISINGCAMPAIGNS

TRADITIONAL MEDIA

With the required budget revision due to the loss of OTR and provincial funding, the 2018-19 budget had to be revised in its traditional media investments to maximize its visibility as a destination. By availing itself of 23 media opportunities, including advertising and media content creation and support, TPRT has reached nearly 7.1 million people.

TPRT has decided to modify its promotion strategy via traditional media with a focus on attracting visitors to brands and companies in the region. For example, a coupon promotion campaign was tested, with interesting spin-offs. Participating members of the TPRT Coupon Program : 16 tourism companies of various sizes and industries, have been able to count a good number of customers with a discount coupon on hand, and thus attract new visitors-clients. An example of this success, Garden Path Homemade Soap, was able to collect 40 TPRT coupons during the summer season! This campaign will be analyzed and renewed during the next year.

MEDIA REACH

ADVERTISINGCAMPAIGNS

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Reach 2017 2018 2019Acts of information - TIC 41,889 42,147 39,723

Distribution 163,644 122,754 74,983

Trade shows and Events 783,000 331,600 346,400

Web (unique visits on tprt.ca) 38,000 29,505 30,697

Facebook and Twitter (likes) 3,171 3,421 4,235

Facebook (reach) 1,178,168 224 260 289,080

TPRT van (300 impr. X km) 9,000,000 6,720,000 6,000,000

Advertising and Sponsorships 12,799,936 2,671,623 15 084 556

Public Newsletters 25,970 22,320 30,562

TourismePrescottRussell.ca | info@tprt.ca | (800) 361-7439

DÉCOUVREZPRESCOTT-RUSSELL

Procurez-vous la carte vélode l’Est de l’Ontario.

30+PISTESSUR ROUTE

35DE SENTIERSDE VÉLO DE

72DE SENTIER

RÉCRÉATIF

LE LONG DELA RIVIÈRE DESOUTAOUAIS

3CIRCUITSONTARIO/QUÉBEC

KM

KM+MONTAGNE

Prescott et Russell est un véritable paradis pour les cyclistes, qui voient se dérouler devant eux des centaines de kilomètres de pistes et de voies à travers la campagne paisible.

Que vous soyez adepte de vitesse et en quête de dépassement de soi ou que vous profitiez d'une randonnée en famille, nous vous offrons les parcours et les circuits qui vous séduiront, le long de la rivière des Outaouais, de la rivière Nation, vers le cœur des terres et d'un village enchanteur et authentique à l'autre.

L'air y est cristallin, au rythme rassurant de votre propre propulsion, la brise effleurant votre visage, aux premières loges tout au long de votre incursion dans la nature de tout.

Venez là où ciel et terre se lient enfin.

WEB AND SOCIAL MEDIAFirst off, we noticed that 41% of the searches on our website were coming from mobiles. The number of sessions on our website (www.tprt.ca) has increased by 5% (30,697 sessions), and new sessions make up 80% of the traffic, while the number of viewed pages decreased by 0.17% (65,809 views).

The organization also registered a 20% increase in Facebook followers and a 10% increase as far as Twitter followers. The newsletter also shows a 15% increase from last year. These figures are attributed to the various marketing campaigns and the firmly established partnerships.

To cap it all off, we focused on Instagram to broadcast photos of the region, as well as to promote the events and the Beau’s Oktoberfest contest. This translates into 122 publications, representing an increase of 40%. The impression rate, meanwhile, increased by 180% and the reach increased by 47%.

The number of users and visits to our website and social pages have continued to grow. In September 2019, the launch of the brand new website Prescott-Russell Tourism was made. This new site , more accessible, simple to use, is the result of several months of work and will include several elements that are found today in the dynamics of a solid web presence, a larger space for photo and video, a section for packages / coupons, etc.

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ADVERTISINGCAMPAIGNS

3,329

289,08017,062

31,861

655

PAGELIKES

TOTA

LRE

AC

H

PUBLICATIONS

678 595

163

81,819

FOLLOWERSTWITTER

FOLLOWERS

30,697

T W E E T S

80

MOST

36%

V I S I T O R SNEW

CALENDAR

TOT

AL

IMPRESSIONS IMPR

ESSI

ON

S

TOTA

L

REACHTOTA

L

TOT

AL

SESSIONSTOTAL

POPULAR

HAWKESBURYGETAWAY

OPENRATE

39

2,009

SUBSCRIBERSPUBLIC NEWSLETTER

BLOGNEWSLETTERS

P O S T S

DISTRIBUTION

DISTRIBUTIONTPRT has published The 2019 Visitor’s Guide. The Guide was created in partnership by The Review and TPRT, distributed by The Review locally and externally by TPRT. This guide presents most of the major activities and all member companies and municipalities in the region. In all, 30,000 copies of the Guide have been distributed. In addition, TPRT produced the Prescott-Russell / Ottawa cycling map, in partnership with Ottawa Tourism, as well as providing a distribution and promotion partnership for the Prescott and Russell United Counties and Eastern Ontario Snowmobile Trail maps, to only name a few.

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Distribution per year 2017 2018 2019

Member promo leaflets 27,561 14,239 26,768

TPRT promo items 7,883 3,315 1,034

Rack cards 7,200 9,132 2,000

Guides and Cycling Maps 87,343 70,838 30,000

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FESTIVAL DE LA BINE DE PLANTAGENET

September 14 to 16, 2018

FÊTE DU CANADA - MARINA DE LEFAIVRE

Le 1er jullet 2019

EXPOSITION AGRICOLEDE SAINTE-HYACINTHE

Du

TRESHING MACHINES GUINESS RECORD

ST-ALBERT August 11, 2019

SOCIAL MEDIAOVERVIEW 2018-2019

SALON VR - QUÉBECMarch 21 to 24, 2019

ONTARIO TOURISM INFORMATION CENTER in Chute-à-Blondeau

June 15, 2019

WENDOVER WESTERN FESTIVAL July 13, 2019

TRACTOR PULL - CASSELMANJuly 6, 2019

BOBOUL PIZZA’S FAMILY DAY

August 25, 2019VANKLEEK HILL FAIR

August 15 to 18, 2019

EXPOSITION AGRICOLEDE ST-HYACINTHE

July 18 to 27, 2019GoMedia Tour

August 10, 2019

OTTAWA RIVER FESTIVALJune 28 to July 1, 2019

CANADA DAY - MARINA DE LEFAIVRE

July 1, 2019

IT

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CONCLUSION

The year 2018-19 was a consolidation of our foundation following a few setbacks then followed by the loss of provincial funding by RTOs and some changes in staff. This instability has forced the organization to reshape itself and revise its strategic planning for the coming years.

The year 2019-20 will therefore be pivotal for the future of the organization and regional tourism as a whole. The Board of Directors and the TPRT team will have to reinvent several elements of its mandate in order to remain stable and vital to the development of this important industry for the region. TPRT has the dedication and the tools to do it: its members, including companies that are so important to the economic vitality of the region, as well as its team and board of directors, who will bring new ideas and concepts to the organization continues to grow as a must-see for the development of Prescott-Russell’s rural destination.

Record Guiness Treshing Machines, St-Albert, ON