Western Canada Assessment...o see Maple trees (not found in Western Canada) o cabins – cottage...

Project Western Canada Market Assessment Exploratory Research

Prepared for: OTMPC April, 2012

Table of Contents Executive Summary 4 Conclusions and Recommendations 17 Background 31 Objectives 32 Methodology 35 Note of Caution 37 Detailed Findings: 38 Part A - Ontario:

Historic Visitation to Ontario 39 Top-of mind Thoughts Re Ontario 40 Awareness/Knowledge of Ontario 42 Motivators For visiting Ontario 46 Barriers to Visiting Ontario 52 Time of the Year to Visit 67 Competitive Set 68 Differences Amongst Segments 79 Ability to Increase Interest in Ontario 84 What Would Entice Ontarians to Ontario 85

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Table of Contents (cont’d) Part B – Travel Planning: 86

Planning Process 87 Criteria Used to Select Destinations 88 Roles of the Planners 89 Role of the Internet 90 Role of Social Media 92 Role of the Travel Agent 93 Bundled Packages 95

Part C: Ontario Publications: 99

Summer 2011 Families 100 Couples Magazines (Fall 2009 and 2010) 114 Themes 122 Taglines 123 Tablet Usage for the Magazine 124

Appendices: 131

Appendix A 132


Executive Summary Background: • Since the recession of 2008, pleasure travel to Ontario, particularly from the US has been less

than optimal. In order to source out new areas of tourism dollars for Ontario, the OTMPC wanted to look outside traditional arenas.

• One area that the OTMPC thought might offer potential was Western Canada. In order to determine the viability of this area, qualitative consumer research was requested.

• The two key segments that the OTMPC wanted to explore were “Families” and “Couples”. In addition, Asian and South Asian sub-segments in Vancouver were also of interest.

• Between February 27th and March 7th, 2012, a series of 13 focus groups were conducted in both Calgary (4 groups) and Vancouver (9 groups). In addition, two paired interviews (4 respondents) were conducted amongst tablet users to explore their reaction to the OTMPC’s Ontario Magazine application.

• This serves as a summary of the results. Additional details are contained in the Detailed Findings section of this report.


Executive Summary (cont’d) Historic Visitation to Ontario – Impact: • A considerable number of respondents, particularly those within the Caucasian Canadian segment,

have visited Ontario in the past. Key reasons connected with visitation are to visit family/friends or to engage in business. As a result, these two segments have already experienced Ontario and do not feel a strong need to visit the province for pleasure travel.

• In contrast, approximately one-third to half within the Asian and the South Asian segments in Vancouver have not experienced Ontario, thus they are less familiar with what the province has to offer from a pleasure travel destination perspective. Having said this, while many within these two segments are intrigued with the history and architecture of Ontario, many other destinations compete for their tourism dollar since they had more advantageous climates or attractions that were considered unique.

Awareness of What There Is to Do/See in Ontario: • Outside of the more iconic attractions in Ontario such as Niagara Falls, many respondents had low

levels of awareness of what they could see/do if they selected Ontario as a pleasure destination. They acknowledged little awareness of any advertising pertaining to Ontario, thus Ontario was not top-of-mind for most respondents as a pleasure travel destination.

• Most respondents think exclusively of Toronto when they think Ontario, and for most, Toronto holds little appeal. The large city busyness, smog, traffic, impoliteness and arrogance associated with the city prevent many from considering Ontario as a pleasure travel destination. There are others however, primarily in the ethnic Couples’ segment who would find a trip to Toronto exciting and informative. But this segment needs to know more about the specific attractions Ontario would offer them and whether the attractions would be unique enough to warrant consideration.


Executive Summary (cont’d) Barriers to Considering Ontario as a Pleasure Travel Destination: • There were a significant number of barriers preventing Western Canadians from shortlisting

Ontario as a pleasure travel destination, key of which was the cost to travel to the province (flying), the cost once in-province, the time involved to fly and then navigate out of Toronto, and the lack of uniqueness to entice further investigation and consideration.

• Many Calgarians and Vancouverites sensed that Ontario, i.e. Toronto, was similar to many other large cities, including their own respective large cities of Vancouver and Calgary. Thus, they struggled to offer rationale of why they would incur hefty costs to travel to an area that was not very different from where they lived.

• Additional barriers to considering Ontario as a pleasure travel destination included confronting the intimidation of not knowing where to go once they arrived in Ontario which was considered exceptionally vast. There was a desire to travel outside of Toronto in order to experience Ontario’s nature, but since many were so unfamiliar with Ontario’s geography, the concept of traveling outside the larger cities, proved a somewhat daunting thought.


Executive Summary (cont’d) Competitive Set:

• Western Canadians considered locations such as Hawaii, Arizona, Mexico, San Francisco and Los

Angeles, along with large US cities such as New York, Boston, Philadelphia as key competitive destinations. Given the inexpensive costs to travel to these destinations, compared with the high costs associated with airfare to Ontario, the comparison seemed imbalanced. These other destinations were strongly preferred amongst most respondents. They felt they were getting better value for their travel dollar.

• To a lesser extent, even Quebec and the Maritimes were considered preferred destinations to

Ontario by a number of respondents, despite being even further distances by plane and therefore more costly to travel to.

• For all competitive destinations, it was difficult to provide support as to why Ontario should surpass them. The sunny, warm weather, beach-type destinations were particularly important to respondents since Calgarians experienced long, cold winters and Vancouverites experience rainy, gray climate conditions. Thus, escaping these weather conditions was important and strongly influenced placing these locations high on a priority list of pleasure travel destinations.

• Further, even Quebec and the Maritimes offered unique cultural experiences, more so than Ontario. And so while it would be even more expensive to travel to Quebec and the Maritimes versus Ontario, the advantage would be immersing oneself in a truly unique culture.


Executive Summary (cont’d) Differences Amongst the Segments Ethnic Segments: • South Asian Couples, followed by Asian Couples, were more apt to express excitement about the

prospect of visiting Ontario versus their Caucasian Canadian counterparts in either the Couples segment or the Families segment. Impacting this sense of excitement were seeing the iconic Niagara Falls, the Toronto night life, and most importantly seeing Ontario’s nature (outside the city, particularly the appealing Fall foliage) and the province’s historical architecture and culture e.g. museums, Parliament buildings, universities, etc.

• Caucasian Canadians expressed an indifference toward Ontario since many had already visited Ontario for business or to visit family/friends, and felt little pressure to return with their spouse/children on a separate occasion. They felt that the province simply was not unique enough to shortlist it as a pleasure destination and they could not justify spending large amounts of money on travel to a destination that would not hold strong appeal. This is not to say that they reacted overtly negative toward it, simply that they were more indifferent, and/or dismissive toward it.


Executive Summary (cont’d) Couples Versus Families:

• Overall, there was a greater interest in considering Ontario as a pleasure destination amongst

Couples versus Families. Once again, cost was a key deterrent for the Families’ segment. Because of the amount of time involved in travelling to Ontario, flying was the preferred mode of travel, particularly with children in tow. However, the cost to fly an entire family to Ontario was not feasible for most respondents within the Families’ segment, and destinations such as Hawaii and California were less expensive. Further, there was lots to do in these types of US locations for children (e.g. snorkeling, surfing, Disneyland, etc.).

• The exception was the ethnic Families’ segment, many of whom expressed an interest for their families, particularly their children, to see Canada’s historical sites, many of which they sensed were in Ontario. They were proud to be Canadians and wanted to ensure that they saw the sites that had forged such a great country.


Executive Summary (cont’d) Motivators to Visit Ontario • Respondents struggled to generate any lengthy list of reasons supporting visitation to Ontario.

However, the most frequently mentioned motivators mentioned were: Nature:

o see Maple trees (not found in Western Canada) o cabins – cottage country o nature activities – fishing, camping o lots of wide open spaces, uncongested areas

Diverse Culture: o people, foods, languages, entertainment – would provide a sense of being a

foreigner in one’s own country; educational Unique/Intriguing/Sites/Events:

o Historical – Parliament buildings, museums, architecture o Fun – Canada’s Wonderland (Families’ segment), ROM, Hockey Hall of Fame,

wineries (Couples segment) Nostalgia:

o Memories of childhood spent in Ontario; want the same memories for their children Educational:

o Places where Canada’s history developed – Parliament Hill, museums, castles, universities, etc.


Executive Summary (cont’d) Time of Year to Visit Ontario: • Undoubtedly, the Fall was the season Couples would consider visiting Ontario, followed by the

Spring. The winters were considered too cold and summers too hot and humid for most.

• For the Families’ segment, the Summer was the only time they would consider visiting Ontario since their children would be in school other times of the year.

Travel Planning Process: • Typically all within the family are involved in the pleasure travel planning process but the adults

(parents) are the primary researchers and decision-makers. However, for those with children (pre-teens and older), there is a desire to involve them in the planning process so that there will be a family “buy-in” prior to travel. This reduces the risk of disagreements and criticism once a destination is selected/arrived at.

• The Internet is undoubtedly the primary planning tool for pleasure travel, with travel agents rarely being used. Once a location has been agreed upon, respondents will “Google” the destination to discover what attractions/sites/events the destinations offer, assuming those planning the vacation lack awareness.


Executive Summary (cont’d) Bundled Packages: • There is very little interest in bundled packages, unless it involves airfare and accommodations,

and it is imperative that the cost be significantly less than respondents might source out themselves. Respondents have become very savvy in sourcing travel deals via the Internet and are prepared to “do their homework” in order to save money.

• There was very little interest in including any set activities/attractions into a bundled package for

Ontario travel overall since it restricted travellers schedules. Respondents indicated that they wanted flexibility when travelling for holidays and did not want to feel pressured to attend an attraction/event on a specific day/time. However, having said this, if the price was advantageous, consideration might be given. The key to bundling events with flights and accommodations is that there must be flexibility when the events/attractions could be experienced.

• Choosing from a menu of attractions/events i.e. a la carte and allowing respondents to pre-determine when they could be experienced, bolstered appeal somewhat. Once again however, the costing would have to be advantageous.


Executive Summary (cont’d) Ontario Magazine and Its Impact: • The Summer 2011 issue of the Ontario magazine held considerable appeal, key of which was its

ability to communicate a variety of things to see/do in Ontario. Respondents were pleasantly surprised at the variety of attractions presented. However, many of the attractions were those that they might find in their own respective provinces. This was especially true for the Vancouver respondents. It was attractions unique to the province that caught respondent’s attention e.g. Niagara Falls, Horseshoe Report “Ball”, Bollywood, Filming in Toronto, Canada’s Wonderland, Point Pelee Park, Scenic Caves, Parliament Hill, etc.

• All respondents immediately recognized “Families” as the target market for the magazine, thus relevance was strong for the Families segment members. A keen sense of cultural and geographical diversity was communicated via the magazine.

• Also holding considerable appeal were the large-size photos covering one or two pages. The photo angles and vibrant colours were attention grabbing.

• The key suggested changes to the magazine that would enhance appeal, according to respondents, were organizing the magazine around very obvious themes (City, Nature, History, Cultural Diversity, Theatre, Wineries, etc.), reducing the amount of copy, reducing the amount of advertising upfront, and including a more intriguing and attention grabbing picture of the iconic Niagara Falls.


Executive Summary (cont’d) Couples - Fall 2009 and Fall 2010 Issues:

• The Couples’ Fall issues were highly appealing and respondents immediately realized the issues

were targeting Couples. • The 2009 issue was particularly appealing since it was perceived to be better organized around

specific themes.

• Both issues were appreciated for their ability to include spectacular Fall foliage photos. This was especially true of the 2010 issue.

• Both issues were also appreciated because they included attractions which were focussed on uniqueness. Additionally, the inclusion of historical sites was appreciated, particularly by the ethnic segments.

• Reaction to the Couples’ issues’ covers was mixed. Respondents liked the 2010 photo since it showed two couples and the beautiful skyline of a big city which connoted excitement. However, this cover also appeared a bit staged and the smiles on the people were perceived to be somewhat phoney/staged.

• In contrast, the 2009 cover was more credible and less staged, but the inclusion of only three people suggested a “family picnic” scenario rather than an issue targeting Couples.


Executive Summary (cont’d) Tablet Downloading: • There was not a strong interest in downloading the tablet version of the Ontario magazine, despite

the ease with which it was downloaded. The size of the download was considered excessive (185 megabytes) and respondents were more apt to prefer a paper copy that could be shown to/passed amongst family members. Accessing the magazine via the Internet was preferred above the tablet version.

• The checkerboard approach which allowed scrolling the pages in a horizontal and a vertical direction was appreciated by respondents, although not every page permitted horizontal and vertical scrolling. Further, there was inconsistency in the ability to flip and tap pages.

• Respondents liked the Users’ Guide section but preferred a larger font for easier reading, and less copy. In fact, respondents preferred less copy overall throughout the tablet version of the magazine.

• Respondents wanted additional links for more detailed information, or the ability to tap each photo and drill down into additional detail/information if they so desired. They also expressed a strong and consistent desire for an interactive map on every page. Since many respondents knew so little about Ontario, this interactive map would provide a sense of travel time and distance for travelling in Ontario.

Colleen Paterson Research Associates Inc.

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Executive Summary (cont’d) Tablet Downloading: • While the photos in the tablet version of the Ontario magazine were considered very dramatic and

highly appealing, there was an imbalance between the size of the photos and the copy. The photos were too large and overshadowed the copy for the tablet version of the magazine.

• Similar to comments made by respondents viewing the paper copy of the Ontario magazine, the

tablet users liked the calendar for planning purposes.

• Also appealing was the audio, although respondents wanted a function that would allow them to control the volume and the ability to mute.


Conclusions and Recommendations (cont’d) 1. Based upon initial research, the Western Canadian market does not appear to

offer significant opportunity from which to source Ontario pleasure travel dollars for the OTMPC at this point in time. This is not to say that targeting this segment is impossible, simply that significant resources might be required to convince Western Canadians to consider Ontario as a pleasure travel destination.

Rationale:

• The competitive set consisting of destinations such as Hawaii, California and

Arizona exhibit exceptional strength across three key pillars – warm weather, uniqueness of area/attractions and cost. Respondents acknowledged that Ontario cannot compete with these destinations on the weather and cost dimensions, and while not convinced that there are enough unique things to see/do in Ontario, it was encouraging to see that they were somewhat swayed, albeit marginally, on the uniqueness dimension, once exposed to the Ontario magazine.

• Thus, to convert this Western Canadian segment to Ontario pleasure travellers, considerable time and resources would be required.


Conclusions and Recommendations (cont’d) 2. If a decision is made to pursue the Western Canadian market, it is

recommended that the ethnic Canadian Couples’ segment be given priority, and that the South Asian sub-segment by targeted first. However, it should be recognized that the size of this latter sub-segment (i.e. the South Asian Couples’ segment) is relatively small and the resources required to successfully entice members to Ontario for pleasure travel might be somewhat expensive.

Rationale: • Couples are more apt to consider Ontario as a pleasure travel destination versus

the Families’ segment. Couples have fewer expenses, greater disposable income to spend on themselves (versus children), have travel on their “radar” to a greater extent, have greater flexibility regarding time of year to travel and length of trip, and travel spontaneity is stronger.

• The cost factor strongly prohibits many within the Families’ segment from

considering Ontario as a pleasure travel destination, particularly when there are so many other more reasonably priced and interesting destinations to consider.

• The ethnic Couples’ segment was more open to considering Ontario as a destination given their interest in knowing more about the history of Ontario, coupled with their interest in seeing Ontario’s nature. This was particularly true of the South Asian sub-segment. However both the Asian and the South Asian segments are relatively small, relative to the Caucasian Canadian segment, thus careful attention should be paid to the potential ROI.


Conclusions and Recommendations (cont’d) 3. In enticing any Western Canadians to Ontario for pleasure travel, the OTMPC

should investigate and potentially offer, packaged airfare and accommodations bundles that are advantageous.

Rationale: • Since airfare cost was identified as one of the largest barriers preventing travel to

Ontario, if the OTMPC can obtain advantageous costs via its airline suppliers, and then bundle the airfare with highly competitive accommodation prices, there may be an increased potential for Western Canadians to consider Ontario.

• It should be noted that in addition to offering a cost-effective bundled airfare and accommodations package, providing added-value wherever possible, should be considered. Added-value might include coupons, reduced-price dining and event offers, etc. This would provide further impetus to Western Canadians to consider Ontario.


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Conclusions and Recommendations (cont’d) 4. It will be important to organize any Ontario pleasure travel marketing

efforts around themes.

Rationale:

• Respondents repeatedly suggested that themes be used when communicating the attractions/events in Ontario. This finding was reinforced when respondents viewed the various Ontario magazine publications. Organizing ideas by themes makes it easy to plan the pleasure travel and provides ideas of what to do when visiting a pleasure travel destination.

• Themes suggested by respondents included: The “Big” City Excursion (shopping, cultural diversity, diverse foods, attractions in

and around the city, etc.) Nature, Lakes and Cottages Historical Education/Significance (museums, government buildings (e.g. Parliament

Buildings), universities, castles, etc.) Sports (professional sporting events, Hockey Hall of Fame, etc.) Kid Fun (e.g. Canada’s Wonderland) Outdoor Sports (Fishing, hunting, camping, canoeing, white water rafting, kayaking) Theatre (Shaw Festival, Stratford Festival) Wine Country (Niagara Falls, Niagara-on-the-Lake) Culinary Diversity (experiencing a diversity of cuisines)

• Needless to say, the specific theme would have to correspond to the appropriate

segment e.g. Couples versus Families.


Conclusions and Recommendations (cont’d) 5. It will be imperative to continue to focus on the attractions/events that are

unique to Ontario and that any visuals used in promotional activities capture the uniqueness of the attraction/event.

Rationale: • Respondents need a reason to select a pleasure destination and if cost is a

key barrier to considering Ontario, other motivators such as uniqueness must be highlighted since this creates intrigue.

• Any visuals depicting Ontario must be eye-catching and capture the uniqueness of the attraction/event. For example, unique attractions such as Niagara Falls must be shown in a way that elicits strong, positive reaction and indicate that that attraction is a “must see”.


Conclusions and Recommendations (cont’d) 6. While capturing the “big city” adventure theme is important, it is also

important to ensure that in addition to capturing Ontario’s largest city i.e. Toronto, other cities such as Ottawa be highlighted. In addition, since historical significance is very important to many Western Canadians, first-hand insights into the many attractions/events that have contributed to the development of Canada’s history (e.g. government buildings, museums and monuments) are worth highlighting. Rationale:

• While Toronto is considered an enticing destination to experience the cultural

diversity that Ontario has to offer, and therefore should receive attention, many Western Canadians have already visited Toronto for business or pleasure, thus it is familiar to them.

• However, other cities such as Ottawa are less familiar but are steeped in Canadian history. Many respondents, particularly the ethnic segment, expressed an interest in becoming more familiar with Canada’s history, and might consider pleasure travel to Ontario for this reason.


Conclusions and Recommendations (cont’d) 7. There is a keen interest in seeing Ontario nature, particularly the Fall maple

foliage. Thus, any efforts to entice Couples to the region should ensure that the Fall foliage, particularly the brilliant colours associated with the Maple leaves, is highlighted. Rationale:

• While many respondents expressed an interest in seeing Ontario’s “nature”,

nature is something that is not exclusive to Ontario. Thus, while seeing the Fall foliage is the primary driver, coupling unique events around an excursion to see the natural environment would be enticing.

• Additionally, ease of accessibility to see the attractions amidst the Fall colours will be important, as well as ensuring that any excursions are cost-effective.


Conclusions and Recommendations (cont’d) 8. Any opportunity to provide easy access to view Ontario’s Fall foliage would

increase interest in the area for the Couples segment. This could include pre-arranged transportation and/or easy access maps and directions. Rationale:

• Since respondents are so unfamiliar with the geography of Ontario, but yet

recognize that the province is vast, having a better idea of how to see Ontario’s Fall foliage would be advantageous and increase the potential travellers’ likelihood of considering Ontario.


Conclusions and Recommendations (cont’d) 9. Any marketing efforts that target the Families’ segment should focus on the

Summer season since that is the preferred time for travelling with children. Rationale:

• School schedules typically prevent families from considering any other

time of the year for travelling.


Conclusions and Recommendations (cont’d) 10. While the Ontario 2011 magazine targeting the Families’ segment holds

considerable appeal, consideration should be given to incorporating several changes to further enhance overall likeability.

Rationale:

• The Ontario magazine was highly appealing for respondents and was

undoubtedly perceived as a publication for families. It was appreciated for the inclusion of vibrant, eye-catching photos that captured the uniqueness of certain Ontario attractions/events. The large one and two-page visuals were particularly enticing. Importantly, the magazine communicated that there were a number of unique activities/events offered within Ontario.

• A few changes however were suggested by respondents to further heighten the appeal of the publication. Namely:

ensure that the themes are very obvious reduce the amount of copy ensure that the Niagara Falls visual was more captivating/attention-

getting i.e. show more of the Falls themselves that captures the iconic attraction that it is


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Conclusions and Recommendations (cont’d) 11. Given that the Couples’ segment offers the greatest potential for Ontario

pleasure travel, and that Couples would consider Fall as the season for travel, it will be important that any Fall magazine issues continue to capture the vibrancy of Ontario’s Fall colours.

Rationale: • Overall, the Fall 2009 and the Fall 2010 Couples’ issues held considerable

appeal amongst all respondents, particularly amongst the Couples’ segment. The ability of the magazine visuals, particularly the Fall 2010 issue, to capture what Ontario has to offer in the Fall season was appealing. However, it will be important to ensure that the themes are clearly delineated, as per the Fall 2009 issue. Further, it will be important to ensure that couples, rather than single individuals (as per the 2009 cover) are shown throughout the magazine.


Conclusions and Recommendations (cont’d) 12. While the tablet version of the Ontario magazine held some appeal, there is

a small likelihood that respondents would download the current version onto their tablets. It is recommended that the magazine be revised for tablet usage to increase the likelihood of downloading. Rationale:

• While the Ontario magazine itself was appealing, it was considered too large a file to download onto a tablet. While the actual downloading was effortless and non-problematic, the amount of tablet space used to house the magazine was large, and therefore it was considered inconvenient to download it onto one’s tablet. More importantly, respondents seemed to want a paper copy of the publication to share with others in the family and to use for travel planning.

• The ease of navigating the electronic version of the magazine was particularly appealing as a result of the checkerboard approach utilized which allowed users to flip pages either horizontally or vertically. However, there was inconsistency in this function throughout the magazine. Additionally, there was an inability to be able to tap on pages in order to magnify them, or to drill down into more detailed information.

…..continued


Conclusions and Recommendations (cont’d) Rationale:

• Reducing the amount of copy and creating a better balance between the

photos and the amount/size of copy should also increase overall likeability. Respondents complained of not being able to read the copy because the font size was too small. Thus, increasing the font size should address this issue.

• The Users’ Guide was very helpful to respondents but again, reducing the amount of copy and increasing font size should increase overall functionality and ability to navigate seamlessly.

• The inclusion of the Ontario map was appealing for respondents but they requested an interactive map that could be viewed on every page. This feature is particularly important since many respondents recognize that Ontario is large and they are unsure of the time/distance between any two points of interest.



REPORT

Background • Throughout the 1990s and into the new millennium, pleasure travel visitation to

Ontario had been strong. However, the 2008 global recession weakened pleasure travel overall. Visitation to Ontario from two key segments, i.e. the US and Europe, softened.

• Consumer confidence in economic recovery continues to remain volatile, and in order to compensate for the decline in visitation to Ontario from historically strong markets such as the US and Europe, the OTMPC is interested in exploring other potential markets from which to source pleasure travellers.

• One market that has been identified as offering potential for the OTMPC is the Western Canadian market.

• In order to assess the potential of this market, exploratory consumer research was requested.

• The purpose of this document is to outline the results of consumer research conducted in the Western Canadian market.


Objectives • The overall objective of the study was:

• More specific objectives were:

to better understand the current knowledge level and experience level among

Western Canadians with regard to Ontario;

to better understand the perceptions of Ontario as a travel destination in an absolute sense, and versus Ontario’s competitive set (as identified by Western Canadians);

to shortlist a prioritized set of motivators and barriers associated with pleasure travel in Ontario;

to better understand the competitive advantage Ontario would have versus its primary competitive set (USP - Unique Selling Proposition)

……..continued

to obtain insights into the attitudes and behaviours of

Western Canadians with respect to pleasure travel overall, and more specifically, with

respect to Ontario pleasure travel


Objectives to better understand the trip cycle Western Canadians would like to engage in

when considering Ontario travel, specifically: o approach to planning o information sources to rely on o mediums used/relied upon o length of trip envisioned o interest in packaged/bundled trips (package components) o types of activities

to assess the receptivity to, usefulness of, and reactions to the content of the

print and tablet versions of the Ontario magazine; to better understand the emotional components associated with those

considering Ontario travel; to better understand how the Western Canadian segments (i.e. Families and

Couples) vary, if at all, by specific area (e.g. Vancouver and Calgary) and ethnic sub-segment (e.g. Asian, South Asian and Caucasian.)


Objectives • Results will be used to address the following needs:


A. Ontario Travel Parameters: • to understand key Ontario product drivers • to identify ways to build on Ontario strengths • to identify ways to overcome any barriers to Ontario

travel

B. Communication: • to provide insights for communication development • to obtain overall reaction to the Ontario magazine, and

more specifically, to determine its relevance and likeability

• to identify suggested improvements to the Ontario magazine specifically

C. Segment Differentiation:

• to assess differences in attitudes and behaviours toward Ontario travel by market and by segment

Methodology Overall: • A series of 13 focus groups and two paired interviews were held in Western Canada

amongst two key segments – couples and families. In addition, two key ethnic segments were included in the study. Details are outlined below.

Centre Calgary Vancouver

Number of Groups • 4 • 9 Dates • February 27th

• February 28th • February 29th • March 1st • March 5th • March 6th • March 15th

Canadian Couples • 2 groups • 2 groups Canadian Families • 2 groups • 2 groups Chinese Immigrant Couples • N/A • 1 Chinese Immigrant Families • N/A • 1 South Asia Couples • N/A • 2 South Asia Families • N/A • 1

Paired Interviews • N/A • 2 paired interviews • March 15th – 1

Canadian Couples; 1 Canadian Families


Methodology Recruiting Criteria: • The overall criteria used to recruit respondents are listed below and more detailed

recruiting specifications are found in Appendix A.

COUPLES FAMILIES • Married or co-habiting • 40 to 60 years • No children under 18 years living

at home • Mix of Empty Nesters (adult

children do not accompany parents for pleasure travel) and Childless Couples

• All will be university educated (have at least one university degree)

• Minimum household income $100K

• Lead busy-on-the-go lifestyles

• Married or co-habiting • Have children 4 to 16 years living in the

household full-time – 1younger group of children (4 to 10 years) and 1 group 11 to 16 years) per centre

• A good mix of children’s ages, thus reflecting a good mix of participants’ ages

• Children engage in pleasure travel with the parents

• May have other children outside the children’s age parameters

• All will be university educated i.e. at least one university degree

• Minimum household income $100K • Lead busy-on-the-go lifestyles


Note of Caution

This research was based on the results of 101 respondents, thus the results are qualitative in nature. Caution therefore should be exercised when projecting

the results to the population as a whole.


DETAILED FINDINGS


Historic Visitation to Ontario • Approximately half to three-quarters of respondents throughout the groups,

particularly the Caucasian Canadian (non-immigrant) respondents in Vancouver and Calgary, indicated that they had visited Ontario in the past.

• Reasons for visitation included:

family/friends resided in Ontario (especially prevalent in Calgary Canadian

Families and Couples segments)

business travel – typically visit Toronto only

business travel, and then extended visit by a few days to see the area

vacation – pleasure travel (only a few – primarily the ethnic segments e.g.

Asians and South Asians)

children attending university in and around the GTA area (University of Toronto,

University of Guelph, Queen’s University, University of Waterloo)


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Top-of-Mind Thoughts re Ontario Homework: • As a homework assignment, respondents were asked to develop a collage of a single

preferred pleasure travel destination. Respondents were asked to bring this homework to the groups for discussion, unaware that they were going to be discussing pleasure travel within Ontario and that OTMPC was the sponsor of the research.

• Despite choosing a wide variety of “favourite” pleasure destinations, very few respondents in either Calgary and Vancouver selected Ontario as their first-choice pleasure travel destination. Preferred destinations were Hawaii, and larger US cities such as New York and San Francisco.

• The exception was a few Asians and South Asians in Vancouver who selected Ontario. In these few cases, the pleasure destination was more apt to be Toronto specifically, rather than Ontario.


Top-of-Mind Thoughts re Ontario (cont’d) Top-of-Mind Thoughts:

• For most respondents, especially those who have never visited Ontario, Ontario is

equated with Toronto. In fact, several respondents throughout the discussion referred to the province of “Toronto”.

• The second list of prevalent top-of-mind thoughts associated with Ontario were:

nature and the natural environment overall (trees, lakes);

the spectacular beauty of the Fall foliage;

Niagara Falls; and

Ontario’s vastness

Ontario Toronto


Awareness/Knowledge of Ontario Overall:

• Awareness levels pertaining to Ontario, and what it has to offer as a pleasure

destination, varied amongst respondents. • As could be expected, Caucasian Canadians (non-ethnic) who have lived in Canada

for a long period of time/always, are more knowledgeable about Ontario, and their knowledge is more accurate, versus many of their Asian or South Asians counterparts who are less familiar with Canada.

• However, it is worth noting that there were many Caucasian Canadian Calgarians and Vancouverites who have lived in Canada their entire lives and are not very familiar with Ontario, its geography, or what it has to offer as a pleasure destination. Additionally, they have inaccurate information about Ontario, or seem disinterested in knowing more about Ontario, since a pleasure trip to Ontario is not something they are contemplating.

• It should be noted that the attitude amongst this segment was not one of dislike toward Ontario, simply more one of disinterest and lack of enthusiasm. Ontario simply is not top-of-mind for them as a pleasure travel destination.


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Awareness/Knowledge of Ontario Lapsed Users - Business Travellers/Friends & Relative Visitors: • For Calgarians and Vancouverites overall who have either visited Ontario regularly

for business, or who visit family/friends in Ontario, awareness/knowledge levels of Ontario are stronger. However, for most within this segment, there is no strong desire to return to Ontario for a separate pleasure trip with their spouses/partners or their children.

• Business travellers, regardless of ethnicity, typically travel into Toronto only and consider it large and busy. Most do not feel a need to return for pleasure. There was no connection to pleasure, just business.

• Those visiting family/friends have explored Ontario to some extent and have experienced major attractions such as Niagara Falls but the key reason they are in Ontario is to connect with friends/family. However, they will make some effort to visit a few attractions while they are in the province. They did not express a strong desire to return to the province, and explore it more extensively. Most simply would re-visit friends/family.


Awareness/Knowledge of Ontario Non-Visitors: • For those who have never visited Ontario for pleasure, do not travel to Ontario for

business, and do not have family/friends in Ontario, awareness/knowledge of the province is much more limited, as could be expected.

• However, many were intrigued by Ontario. Their awareness of Ontario centred on several key areas of interest:

Big City: A desire to see Canada’s largest city i.e. Toronto, considered very cosmopolitan and active

Niagara Falls: An iconic and popular travel destination – a “wonder of the world” Ontario’s Naturalness: Particularly the Fall foliage which is considered

breathtaking Cottage Country : Not sure what the “cottage country” concept is but have heard

about it and consider it intriguing – in the midst of nature History: Ontario’s architecture and government buildings/museums hold intrigue –

Vancouver and Calgary are relatively new and lack the same type of history and old architecture

Cultural Diversity: Ontario is considered culturally diverse (melting pot), and offers a glimpse into other cultures, their food, and their entertainment

• Each of these intrigues are discussed in greater detail throughout the report.


Awareness/Knowledge of Ontario Segment Differences: • Many within the Asian and South Asian sub-segments, particularly those within the

Couples segment, reacted in a more positive way toward Ontario, versus their Caucasian Canadian counterparts, despite knowing very little about Ontario. The exception, once again, was those who had travelled to Toronto for business, or those who had family in the GTA area. In these latter cases, most reacted similar to the Caucasian Canadian segment.

• As a result of the positive perception of Ontario amongst Asians or South Asians who had never visited Ontario, they were more apt to place Ontario on their potential pleasure travel destination “list”.

• However, their knowledge level of what Ontario had to offer the pleasure traveller was very limited and restricted to the more well-known attractions such as Niagara Falls, and Canada’s Parliament Buildings. It should be noted that many were unsure of whether Canada’s Capital was Toronto, or another Canadian city e.g. Ottawa.

• Overall, both the Asian and South Asian respondents expressed an interest in seeing what was outside the big city of Toronto i.e. the nature throughout Ontario (e.g. large Maple Trees, farms, the Thousand Islands, etc.). Once again, this was particularly applicable to the Asian and South Asian Couples’ segments.


Motivators to Visiting Ontario Overall: • Overall, respondents struggled to articulate a list of motivators associated with Ontario

pleasure travel. Further, the list that was generated was not particularly extensive. Driving respondents’ inability to generate an extensive list of motivators were: a lack of awareness of Ontario as a province and what it could offer the

pleasure traveller; a lack of interest in visiting Ontario since it was perceived to be very similar to

the respective city/province they lived in. • This was especially true for Caucasian Canadian Vancouverites and Calgarians.

Further, there was little genuine excitement in delineating their list of reasons to motivate someone to consider Ontario as a travel destination.

• In contrast, South Asians and to a slightly lesser extent, Asians, all living in Vancouver, spoke more enthusiastically about Ontario versus their Caucasian Canadian counterparts. Their list however mirrored that offered by the Caucasian Canadian segment in both Vancouver and Calgary. Their lack of awareness of what Ontario offered the Ontario traveller impacted their limited ability to delineate an extensive list.


Motivators for Visiting Ontario • The most frequently mentioned motivators (non-prioritized) for considering pleasure

travel to Ontario mentioned by all segments were: Natural Setting:

o Maple Trees - the beauty of nature, particularly in the Fall with the large, maple tree leaves and their accompanying vibrant colours

o Cabins – cottage country o Nature activities – the fishing and camping environment o Lots of wide, open, spaces; not congested; calm, not busy

“You know the three pack of peppers that you buy [at the supermarket],

that is the true colour of the trees [in Ontario].”

“For me, I’m looking at the lakes, camping, canoeing and for me it will be a destination for next summer.”

“Maple highway in the Fall.”

“I visited Toronto, and then I went outside Toronto.

It was stunning. There is so much to discover.”


Motivators for Visiting Ontario Cultural Experience:

o Cultural uniqueness/diversity - sense that you are a foreigner – different

sounds, foods, languages, cultures

o Cultural diversity – melting pot (Note - this response pertained primarily

to Toronto)

o Special events – TIFF or a concert with a big name entertainer

o Architectural history – old buildings – historical, knowledge acquisition

with the past


Motivators for Visiting Ontario Unique/Intriguing Sites/Events:

o Different from other places – culturally, environmentally, e.g. Ottawa’s

Parliament buildings, historically (steeped in history)

o Unique tourist sights e.g. Niagara Falls, Canada’s Wonderland (Canada’s

largest theme park), Hockey Hall of Fame, wineries

o Unique festivals

o Concerts with well-recognized entertainers

o ROM

o Cottage Country (unique experience to Ontarians)


Motivators for Visiting Ontario (Verbatims) “My son plays hockey. We might go to the Hockey Hall of Fame.

That might be a reason to go [to Ontario].”

“I don’t think they do enough marketing about Canada’s Wonderland. We should be proud of it. This is Canada’s largest theme park.

This is our Disneyland of Canada.”

“When I hear people around the table talking about Ontario, it does get the short end of the stick versus the east coast. I think Ontario has a lot to offer, like Niagara Falls.”

“[Motivators] Wineries. We have wineries here [Vancouver] but I always like to try new wines.”

“TIFF, now that’s a signature event. Everyone knows that. Across the world. We know about that.”

“But that’s one city [Ottawa] that I would go to because

of all the museums and the Parliament buildings.”

“You gotta package it in with Cottage Country because we don’t have that here [in Calgary]. It just doesn’t exist. If you’re from Ontario, that’s where you spend your summers.”


Motivators for Visiting Ontario Nostalgia/Educational:

o Parents: had been to Ontario as children and wanted their children to have the

same memorable experiences wanted their children to know Canada’s history

“I’m interested in doing a cross-Canada trip. This is part of your identity.

You could stop at different destinations.”

“I want my kids to see Ontario. I did that as a kid and I want my kids to experience that…. I want them to see their own backyard.”

o Asians/South Asians: wanted to become more familiar with Canada’s history and

architecture

“Ontario has some of the oldest history in Canada.”


Barriers to Visiting Ontario • A considerable number of barriers associated with visiting Ontario were listed by

respondents. In fact, the barriers significantly outnumbered the motivators. They included (non-prioritized): Lack of Awareness/Not Promoted Well:

o Simply do not know a great deal about Ontario, what to do and see

“The US does a better job of creating an image. I’m more familiar with it [US].”

Cost (airfare/once there):

o too expensive, especially relative to the exotic destinations they can choose from for the same cost to fly to Ontario

o particularly important for the Families’ segment – simply unaffordable for most (2 adults and at least 2 children)

o taxes are high i.e. the PST (Calgarians PST exempt) o Bellingham, US – inexpensive flights to more exotic destinations o accommodations are less expensive elsewhere e.g. US


Barriers to Visiting Ontario (cont’d) Time Intensive:

o flying time is significant (4 to 5 hours) o time moving through/clearing Toronto airport o time exiting the Toronto airport area via the highways o too much time to schedule a vacation – too much planning – cannot plan

spontaneously – too vast to know what to do and see

Lack of uniqueness: o can experience the same thing at home; lacking intrigue o nothing new, unique o lapsed users - nothing “calling them back”; already visited there o lacking knowledge of what else there is to do, besides visiting a big city like

Toronto – can get that at home o uncertain of how far to go to see nature/Fall foliage o “stopover on your way to somewhere else”


Barriers to Visiting Ontario (cont’d) Toronto:

o many think of Toronto when they think of Ontario – not in favourable terms o fear of the 400 highways surrounding the Toronto airport (busy, fast,

congested) o the pollution of Toronto; smog o the busyness of Toronto o too industrial, commercial, businesslike o unfriendly, arrogant people – “Centre of the universe” mentality o city is too big, too vast – uncertain of where to go, what to do outside the

GTA area o lacks historical significance o suffering economically – “on the download” i.e. “downturn”; not thriving like

Western Canada Weather:

o extremes – too cold in the winter and too hot/humid in the summer

Vastness: o intimidating o not sure of where to go and what to do; especially true of the Families’

segment


Top Barriers to Visiting Ontario • Undoubtedly, the three barriers mentioned repeatedly by nearly all respondents, and

especially the Caucasian Canadian segment in both Calgary and Vancouver were:

1. Cost of Flight

“Allegiant Air. Once I flew home [Vancouver]

from Arizona for $35.00. I kept the ticket because

no one would believe me.”

“There was somewhere in Ontario I was going to travel to, but it was over

$700.00!”

“I love to support Canadian travel but it’s

so expensive.”

“For the same amount of money to go to Ontario. I can go to so many other

places, for the same amount of money and

travel time.”


Top Barriers to Visiting Ontario

2. Time-Consuming to Get There

“It’s a haul to get out there. Then out of

Toronto, it’s another 6 to 8 hours

to get anywhere. It all adds up.”

“You lose two days of

travel time. When you look at it on a map, it seems like it’s on

the other side of the world. It’s so far.”

“Vancouver is a prettier city. It’s just so far to get

there [to Ontario] to something that isn’t

as interesting as what we have here [out west].”


Top Barriers to Visiting Ontario

3. Lack of Uniqueness/ Awareness of What is Unique

“I’ve already been there a number of times and I

have to say, there’s nothing calling me back.”

“It’s too familiar. It’s a nice experience but it’s not unique

enough. I can go to Banff and get the same experience

as I can get from the Thousand Islands.”

“To me, my first thought is that Toronto is just a big

Vancouver or Calgary. It’s too much like home. It’s like Edmonton. There’s

gotta be something to draw me there.”

“You only have so many dollars to spend and you’re thinking of some place new

and exciting. Ontario doesn’t have that

much omph.”


Barriers to Visiting Ontario – By Segment Caucasian Canadian

(non-immigrant) Segment

“Canada will always be there.”

Indifference/too familiar

“We can see

Canada anytime.”

Families’ Segment

Not certain there is enough

to do for the children

Cost to get them there!

Couples’ Segment

Costly to get there!

More exotic locations to

visit

“It’s cheaper to go somewhere south than to go to Toronto. If I’m gonna fly to Toronto, I

don’t want to see another big city.”

“It’s expensive there as well. So why

spend $600 to $800 when I can spend it

to fly to Hawaii.”

“Travel in Ontario is so expensive. You can go to Mexico or

Cuba much cheaper than going

to Ontario.”


Barriers to Visiting Ontario (Verbatims) Toronto:

“They brand it like it’s the centre of the universe.”

“Toronto is not tourist friendly.”

“Calgary is cleaner and friendlier than Toronto”.

“Ontario. [Toronto] It’s a busy city. And there’s not much in it.”

“Driving out of Toronto. If you don’t know about the rush hour , it starts at 2:30 or 3:00 o’clock

and it goes to 7:30 or 8:00 o’clock.”

“It’s something that’s on your mind. To get on a freeway [401] like that, it’s just not possible.”

“I associate it with work. Like you, my head office is there.”

“That’s the problem with Toronto, you do think GTA and you don’t think Niagara Falls or the Escarpment. I’ve been to Niagara-on-the Lake and it’s stunning!”


Barriers to Visiting Ontario (Verbatims) Toronto (cont’d):

“My experience with Pearson airport has never been good. You land and it takes 30 minutes to go through

the terminal. You walk around in there, it’s tough. I want to avoid it.”

“With driving in that area, I find it very nerve wrecking. I don’t like being on those six lane highways, especially with children in the car.”

“It’s [Toronto] a little overwhelming for people because it’s so big!”

“There are amazing places in the world. I’ve been to Toronto. I think it’s a big concrete mess.

LA is the same but there’s the ocean [in LA].”

“The arrogance in Toronto is a little more unattractive than attractive.”

“My perception of Ontario is Toronto. And then everything else in Ontario is very dispersed. So there’s lots of driving from place to place. That’s not appealing to me at all.”


Barriers to Visiting Ontario (Verbatims) Cost:

“It costs so much to do anything there. They’ve got the HST. It’s expensive.”

“I need to know that I’m going to get good value for my dollars. To part with them, and then to be

disappointed, is something you don’t want to do, so you go for the sure bet. You go where you know.”

“When I look at what it costs me to go to Ontario, it’s gonna cost me less to go to Arizona or New York.”

“It’s expensive to fly back there. By the time you add your taxes up, you can go to New York. I can go to cities in New York . If the prices are as high as some these more exotic places,

That’s going to be a barrier.”


Barriers to Visiting Ontario (Verbatims) Indifference/Familiarity/Lack of Uniqueness:

“Northern Ontario is shield country. I’d go back but I have a lot of other things [places] on my list.”

“The only thing that would take me there is if something else took me there [e.g. business/family].

It just doesn’t call. Saskatchewan isn’t on my radar either.”

“I think our Rockies are beautiful. You can get everything right here in our own backyard.”

“I like being a foreigner [in other pleasure destinations] but I don’t feel like that in Ontario.”

“I’ve already been there a number of times and I have to say, there’s nothing calling me back.”

“Toronto is the same as Calgary, only on a bigger scale.”

“It’s one of those things where you think, “I’ve been to Toronto” and then you push it aside. And I’d sooner go to somewhere more exotic.”

“It’s beautiful. But it’s close to home so I don’t think of it as a pleasure destination for me. I’ve seen the place

so I’d sooner see something new.”

“There are a lot of other places I’d go to first. Warmer beach destinations or Disneyland for the kids.”


Barriers to Visiting Ontario (Verbatims) Indifference/Familiarity/Lack of Uniqueness (cont’d):

“When you travel to Toronto, it’s just another metropolitan city.”

“The question is what else is there to do [other than Toronto].”

“I like the lake district in Ontario. But I can get that in BC, and that is so close. I would much rather

save the money and go south. Ontario is a lovely area, but so is Alberta.”

“There are a lot of other places in the world that are more interesting. They [Ontario] have a lot of what we have.”

“I’ve been there for business and pleasure, so I’ve seen what I would want to see. It doesn’t

excite me to go back. ..Ontario needs a make-over every time to excite me.”

“Toronto doesn’t have something that is it’s own.”

“It must have something neat to see. We just don’t hear much about beautiful Ontario.”

“There’s not much to see. Basically, it’s a big city.”

“Outside the Golden Horseshoe area, there’s nothing there. It’s just wilderness.”


Barriers to Visiting Ontario (Verbatims) Time Involved:

“I like to go north [northern Ontario] but now you’re talking 4 hours by plane (to Toronto), then another few hours to go north. Then you have to rent a car. It’s a road trip!”.

“It’s so big. Too overwhelming if you don’t carve it [the province] up. You have to localize it.”

Weather:

“Weather. They didn’t have much snow here but you’re going to be killed in the winter. We’ve had a good winter this year. Then, in the summer, it’s like 100 degrees!”


Barriers to Visiting Ontario (Verbatims) Competitive Set:

“The Fall colours are beautiful in the east but I’d rather see Quebec.”

“Living next to BC, it’s a tough sell. I’d go to Washington [State] and Oregon before I’d go to Ontario.”

“It’s not a destination for holidays. I’m thinking warmer [climate]”

“Everything you can do in Ontario, you can do in Quebec. And there’s more history in Quebec. Those Fall colours, I miss them but you can get them in Quebec.”

“Time is really of the essence too. When you have a family and very little vacation,

you need to maximize when you go, and with Ontario you have to take a plane and its expensive so you might as well go to Maui.”

“There’s lots of bashing [between Calgary and Toronto]. So I would prefer to go to the Maritimes because of

the perception of being stuffy and a sense of rivalry [in Ontario].”

“Ontario is beautiful but you have just as much beauty here. And the plane ride. If you’re getting on a plane for 3 hours, I’d be getting myself down to Mexico.”

“It’s the same as Chicago. It’ll be pretty seeing the Fall foliage. Other than that, it’s not different.”


Barriers to visiting Ontario – Verbatims By-Pass /Afterthought Destination:

“My destination is the Maritimes, so I’d probably head through the States and by-pass Ontario.

It’s a little quicker. Maybe head into Ontario on the way back.”

“I rated it [Ontario] high because I had to drive my daughter there [Queen’s university in Kingston]. It was a lovely trip. But I did it because my daughter was going to school there.”

“I would tack Ontario onto New York. Visit family, or if you’re there on a conference,

[tack on a few extra days].”

“Outside the GTA, you’ve got Peterborough, Kingston, the Thousand Lakes. It’s all beautiful but I still wouldn’t go back there unless I had friends there.

They give me that special experience.” Colleen Paterson Research Associates Inc.

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Time of Year to Visit Ontario • The ideal time of the year to visit Ontario varied by the two key segments i.e. Families

and Couples.

• Families preferred the Summer season since their children were not in school, and Couples preferred the Fall since it was cooler, it was less busy/congested, and they could view the Fall foliage.

“I have loved the big trees and the huge maple leaves, so if that was of great interest, I’d love to see the trees in the Fall. So if I had to go, I’d go then.”

• For nearly all respondents, the Ontario winter was considered cold and therefore not

an ideal time to visit the province. Since Calgarians experience severe cold during their own winters, they are more apt to escape to a warmer climate during the winter, and while Vancouverites’ winters are mild, there is a lack of sunshine. Therefore many prefer to also escape to a sunny, warm destination.

Couples Families


Competitive Set • Ontario’s competitive set varied by location (i.e. Calgary versus Vancouver) but the

common elements defining destinations competing with Ontario for the pleasure traveller were:

warm, sunny (guaranteed sun) destination

inexpensive flight cost

ability to fully relax – do not want fast, chaotic pace, for the most part

unique things to see/do safety

something to keep the children occupied – Families’ segment


Competitive Set • Three general tiers within the competitive set were defined by respondents. While

they varied by respondent to some degree, undoubtedly Tier 1 was mentioned most often.

TIER 1 Most often mentioned

Warm, sunny

Beaches

Exotic/Nature

TIER 2 Mentioned frequently

Big US city

Lots to do; vibrancy, excitement

Uniqueness; known for something

unique

TIER 3 Mentioned less

frequently

Canadian location, typically a city

Educational – History/Museums/Gov’t

Fall foliage


Competitive Set – Tier 1 • Primary Mentions: Both Calgarians and Vancouverites:

• Warmth • Beaches • Culture • Relaxation • Inexpensive

to travel to • Fun, unique

things to so (surfing, snorkeling)

• Unique culture

CALIFORNIA

• Theme Parks (e.g. Disneyland)

• Warmth • Beaches • Golf • Wineries • Shopping • Pro sports

HAWAII


Competitive Set – Tier 1 (cont’d)

• Nature • Mountains • Lakes • Hiking • Fishing

BRITISH COLUMBIA


Competitive Set – Tier 1 (cont’d) • Calgarians:

Arizona

• Warm; sunshine • Close to Calgary • Inexpensive to fly

to

Mexico

• Warm • Close to Calgary • Inexpensive packages • Food; music • Cultural experience • Caution – safety is an

issue!

Cuba

• Warm • Close to Calgary • Inexpensive packages • Unique culture

Las Vegas

• Warm • Beautiful

sunrises/sunsets • Lights/shows; over-the-

top experience • More of everything • Inexpensive packages • Sight seeing – Hoover

Dam • Shopping • Fun, exciting!

Arizona


Competitive Set - Tier 2 • For both Calgarians and Vancouverites:

“I want to see steam coming out of the manholes.”

“I’ve seen it [New York] on Law and Order. I’ve seen it for 100 years!...I want to see things like that. There’s so much there. Whereas with Toronto, it’s like “It’s Toronto!”. It’s too close to home.

It’s too much like Calgary. It’s too much the same.”

“The US media has done a great job of making us familiar. We don’t know what is in Ontario.”

• Exciting; interesting!

• Vibrant; diverse; sophisticated

• Always something new; diversity

• Shopping; theatre; dining (street food); Yankees; David Letterman; Central Park; Macy’s; Ground Zero; Empire State Building, Greenwich Village, Guggenheim Museum, Statue of Liberty, Brooklyn Bridge


Competitive Set – Tier 2 (Cont’d) • Also mentioned, although not nearly to the same extent, but for similar reasons:

San Francisco Boston Philadelphia Washington Chicago

• Unique: Largest

Chinatown Wine country Cable Cars Golden Gate

bridge bike (free) Ferry Alcatraz

• Convenient - everywhere in a half hour

• No need to rent a car; sites are easily accessible

• Can purchase City Pass, City Tour

• Unique: History

• Educational • Cost: Inexpensive

to get to Inexpensive

to stay Smithsonian

– no charge

• Unique: History



to stay

• Unique: History



to stay • Shopping • Waterfront

• Unique: History

• Educational • Cost Inexpensive


to stay • Shopping


Competitive Set - Tier 3 • For both Calgarians and Vancouverites:

“There are lots of festivals. They have the comedy festival, “Just for Laughs”.

They are big festivals. They are big acts like Seinfeld. And it doesn’t cost much.”

Montreal Quebec City

• Historical • Educational for children;

romantic for couples • A “foreign” experience • Unique – culture and

events • Beautiful Fall foliage


Competitive Set - Tier 3 (cont’d)

Maritimes • Unique culture • Slow pace/relaxation • Family friendly • Historic significance • Anne of Green Gables • Unique cuisine (seafood)

Newfoundland (in particular): • Highly aware of Newfoundland

advertising; very intriguing and noticeable; but none mentioned pleasure travel to Newfoundland – cost an issue?

“Newfoundland is not just a large, cold rock. It has history. I thought it was

Norway.”


Additional But Less Frequently Mentioned Competitors • Florida:

Sunshine Relaxation Kennedy Space Centre Epcot

• South Carolina:

Warmth Pro sports History Architecture Southern Cuisine Puerto Rico

• Ottawa:

“I’d like to see a Canada Day celebration in Ottawa. That would be fun.”


Competitive Advantage For Ontario • It was difficult for respondents to cite a core difference/advantage for Ontario

• When pressed the following were mentioned most frequently:

Nature - Ontario’s Fall colours/foliage and outdoors

History: o old history, unlike the newer history of the west

o Canada’s Capital – Ottawa and the Parliament Buildings - educational


Differences Amongst Segments • While overall there were few differences amongst the various segments, there were

two differences worth noting: Couples Versus Families’ Segments: There was a greater interest in Ontario

as a destination for Couples versus Families Ethnic Segment Versus Caucasian Canadian Segment: There was a

stronger interest in Ontario amongst the Asian segment, and especially the South Asian segment, versus the Caucasian Canadian segment.

Couples: • Couples were more apt to see the potential of Ontario as a travel destination versus

their Families’ segment counterpart. However, this was only after being exposed to the Ontario magazines (Summer 2012, Fall 2009, and Fall 2010). Post-magazine exposure, there was an increased awareness of the unique things to do in Ontario.

• It should be noted that although the interest increased amongst the Couples’ segment, it was only a marginal upward shift.

• The primary contributor to any shift in interest in Ontario as a Couples’ pleasure destination was amongst the South Asian Couples, and to a lesser extent, the Asian Couples ethnic segment.


Differences Amongst Segments (cont’d) Families Segment: • While approximately one quarter within the Family segment wanted their children to

know and experience all of Canada, particularly the historical significance of Ontario, the location of the Parliament buildings, the universities, etc., this desire was traded off due to the perceived prohibitive cost of flying the entire family to Ontario and the concern that there might not be enough to keep the children occupied/satisfied.

• Once again, driving interest amongst the Families’ segment was the Asian Family segment, and to a greater degree, the South Asian Family segment.

• Several parents acknowledged that their children would be studying Canadian history in middle school and therefore visitation to Ontario would be helpful as the children approached this age.


Differences Amongst Segments (cont’d) Caucasian Canadian Families Segment:

• Additionally, the Caucasian Canadian Families segment was much more likely than

their ethnic counterparts to be nostalgic about any experience they might have had in Ontario when they were children e.g. beaches, history, nature, time spent outside the “big city”. Needless to say, this was limited only to those few Caucasian Canadians who had experienced Ontario in any way as children.

“I had a very good time with my family as a kid and I want to live it again.”

“I want to capture my childhood and memories.”

“We discover ourselves in terms of how to be a family.”

“I miss the Atlantic feel. I would love my kids to have that experience.”


Differences Amongst Segments (cont’d) Pride:

• In addition to connecting as a family overall, and building family memories, the

emotional benefit associated with a family visit to Ontario was linked to Canadian pride, and particularly visiting areas where much of Canadian history was forged.

• Several Asians, and South Asians in particular, were proud to be Canadian and expressed an interest in seeing Ontario to fully connect with Canada’s history. The Canadian history knowledge level within both the Asian and South Asian segments was very limited, particularly for those who had not been living in Canada for any extended period of time. However, they realized that the bulk of Canadian historical significance was linked to Ontario.

• These ethnic segments were interested in seeing the Capital of Canada (despite many not really knowing what city it was located in), Canada’s Parliament buildings, and its unique/old architecture.


Ontario Visitor Profile • It was difficult for many respondents to articulate the profile of the individual who

would visit Ontario. There were a number of visitor profiles mentioned.


Ability to Increase Interest in Ontario • Respondents failed to shift Ontario significantly higher on their list of potential

pleasure travel destinations, despite having discussed the topic for two hours and being immersed in several of the OTMPC publications.

• Any upward shift in interest was due to heightened awareness of what unique attractions to visit while in Ontario. Events such as TIFF, Bollywood Festivals, unique rock concerts, unique festivals, the aesthetically appealing Fall foliage, and the historic culture/architecture all held appeal.

• Preventing a more significant upward shift of Ontario with respect to pleasure destination choices was the perceived expense related to traveling to Ontario by air, the time involved in getting there – air time, airport time, exiting the airport and the lack of a large number of unique things to do once in Ontario.


So……..What Would Entice Western Canadians to Ontario • Enticing Western Canadians to Ontario is a very difficult, though not impossible, proposition. The

core elements of a strategy to entice this segment to Ontario would be: 1. Heightened Awareness: Increased awareness of what Ontario has to offer is essential for

this market since most know so little about the province. 2. Cost-Effective Transportation There: Inevitably, it would have to be much less expensive to

fly to Ontario in order to increase the viability of attracting this Western Canadian segment.

3. Interaction with Nature: Transportation to the natural areas outside of Toronto would also be an enticement to visit Ontario. But this transportation would have to be seamless and cost-effective.


PLANNING FOR PLEASURE TRAVEL


Pleasure Travel Destination – Typical Planning Process 1. Discuss possible destinations as a couple/family

(including type of holiday e.g. beach, touring, etc.)

2. Discuss budget

3. Ensure that holiday time is available

4. Shortlist destination(s)/select the destination

5. Research the destination: Internet – Google location, check flight

prices, accommodations, events, things to do at the destination, etc.

Go to the official destination’s web page Check with friends/relatives Check blogs/forums (e.g. Asians –

Rolia.net)

6. Book/confirm travel arrangements

Triggers – Need a break; need some relaxation, fun, sunshine/warmth

Only a few will check blogs/forums – mainly Asians

All use the Internet; first research stop; critical tool


Criteria Used to Select Travel Destination

• Criteria used to select a pleasure travel destination would vary but the most frequently mentioned criteria included:

budget

amount of time available for the pleasure vacation

time of year

what others in the family were looking for/from a destination

amount of time to travel to pleasure destination

end benefit e.g. relaxation, rejuvenation, family “connecting” time

curiosity to visit a new destination


Pleasure Travel Destination – Roles Assumed by the Travellers • Spouses typically initiate a conversation pertaining to destination.

• Both will start to investigate unless time pressures prevent one from being involved.

Then, one spouse will take the lead in the investigational process.

• Younger children have a limited role. However, as the children approach the 9-10, pre-teen or teen years, they become more involved in the family’s decision-making process. Parents are generally looking for “buy-in” from pre-teens and older children to ensure that they will be pleased once they arrive at the pleasure destination.


Role of the Internet • Undoubtedly, the Internet is a critical travel tool that is very well-utilized for

researching potential pleasure travel destinations. It is also used to book the travel. • It is the first “go-to” source according to nearly every respondent.

• To source information pertaining to pleasure travel in Ontario, nearly all respondents

would Google:

“Travel Ontario”

“Tourism Ontario”

“What to do in Ontario”


Role of the Internet (cont’d) • Popular booking Internet sites include:

AirBNB.com Dealfind.com Expedia.com Groupon.com Homeaway.com Hotels.com Hotwire.com Igoyougo.om Kayak.com LastMinuteDeals.com Lovehouseswap.com Priceline.com Redweek.com Tripadvisor.com Travelocity.com VRBO.com (Vacations by Owner) Wimco.com


91

Role of Other Social Media • Few referenced any other social media used, with the exception of the Asian segment.

• One female within the Asian segment referenced the Rolia.net site which is an online

community for Chinese-Canadians to share information. Others within the group immediately recognized and acknowledged the site.

• There was moderate interest amongst a few respondents in sourcing a QR code that would permit them to receive information pertaining to travel to Ontario on their mobile phones. Sourcing this code from magazines or other promotional materials was perceived as being easy and convenient.


Role of Travel Agents • Travel agents play a minimal or non-existent role for most respondents when it comes

to their pleasure travel. The preference amongst nearly all respondents is to make pleasure travel arrangements themselves.

• Key reasons supporting booking their own travel arrangements were: less expensive more options to source (they dig deeper) agents don’t really care, for the most part i.e. they won’t do a lot of legwork to

source out a “good deal”

• However, a few respondents indicated that they use agents on occasion but more for those destinations that are very foreign, or when respondents feel that they might:

miss a flight miss a connection (e.g. flight, boat, etc.) need accountability in case something goes wrong

• The Asian and South Asian segments were more often to indicate that they would

consider using a travel agent, especially if they were unfamiliar with a destination.


Role of Travel Agents - Verbatims “If we’re going to a place where it’s so foreign that we don’t have any language skills, then yes [I’d use an agent]. If Ontario, then no. I’m not going to sit on a bus with other people.”

“It we got into trouble, we had someone [a travel agent] to call.”

“I just booked a trip in May to Mexico and I used a travel agent

because I have never been there before.”

“Travel agents will not take responsibility. And they won’t look hard for a bargain. They won’t walk the extra mile.”


Interest in Bundled Packages • Overall, there was not a great deal of interest in bundled packages for pleasure travel

to Ontario. Bundled packages were defined in a variety of ways: A. flight and accommodation only B. flight, accommodation and events/points of interest C. flight, accommodation, events/points of interest, meals

• However, there was interest in bundling just the flight and hotel, assuming the costs

were less than what respondents would pay by booking on their own.

• The key reasons supporting lack of interest in bundled packages that included interests/activities were:

not particularly cost effective – most feel they can get better prices by surfing the Internet themselves and creating their own package

too structured/limiting/lacking flexibility if a pleasure trip is bundled with activities/sight seeing events built in

perceived for those older i.e. retired than the maximum 60 year old age group included in this study “Packaging! Yeah, when I turn 80 or something like that. With kids it’s so

unpredictable [in terms of] what your going to do. It’s better to have flexibility.”

• Bundled packages were ideal for areas they were not familiar with and had never been to and might be perceived as unsafe e.g. Mexico. These types of bundled packages were considered “All Inclusives”.


Interest in Bundled Packages Segment Differences: • Interest in bundled packages varied by segment. A few respondents within the South

Asian Couples’ segment were interested in a bundled package for several reasons:

they had not been in Canada for a long period of time, thus were unfamiliar with/intimidated by making travel arrangements to Ontario since they were uncertain of where to go once they arrived and what to see;

they did not have family/friends/business associates in Ontario, thus could not rely on any advice/assistance in planning the trip;

they wanted to avoid being bombarded by vendors selling their wares

• This ethnic sub-segment was not as familiar with Ontario as the Caucasian Canadian segments, and thus wanted a package to ensure that they could safely see the key attractions Ontario had to offer and had transportation to the sightseeing destinations. At minimum, they want their airfare and hotels bundled.

“One good thing about the packages is that you have an idea of what you can do if you don’t have an idea about the points of interest.”

• Those in this segment who were more familiar with Ontario via visiting friends or

family in the past felt confident that they would customize a trip to Ontario on their own cost effectively and with ease, and therefore bundled packages lacked appeal.


Interest in Bundled Packages Segment Differences: Dual Destination Packages: • A few within the South Asian Couple’ segment expressed an interest in “dual”

packages i.e. a package that allowed visitation for a few days in Toronto or Ottawa and then a few days outside the larger cities to explore the more natural aspects of Ontario. All agreed that this would be particularly appealing during the Fall season and most applicable for those in the Couples’ segment.

• A second “dual” package referenced was combining seeing the sights in a large Ontario city such as Toronto and then travelling to a warmer climate such as one of the Caribbean Islands.


Interest in Bundled Packages Families:

• Families realized that they required flexibility with regard to traveling with their

children, thus bundling activities/events with the flights/accommodations lacked appeal. Spontaneity was considered critical. More importantly, relevance was an issue. A fear expressed by most of the Families’ segment members was that a package might be too structured. Since pleasure travel was centred on relaxation and escaping routine, packaging might involve too much structure, thus prevent relaxation.

“I have a backpacker’s mentality. I wake up each day and plan things day by day.”

“I like to know what I’m doing but I also like the flexibility.”

• Choosing from a menu of events/activities and therefore customizing their own

package held some interest for several within the Families’ segment.


ONTARIO PUBLICATIONS


Ontario Magazine • All respondents were shown copies of three OTMPC publications and asked for their

reaction. The Ontario Summer 2011 issue was shown first for reaction and discussion, followed the Couples Fall 2009 and Couples Fall 2010 issues.


Summer 2011 Fall 2009 Fall 2010

Ontario Magazine Ontario Summer 2011 Issue: • Overall, the Ontario Summer 2011 issue was highly appealing.

• However, all segments immediately indicated that it was for Families rather than Couples, thus the appeal amongst the Families’ segment was greater than that for the Couples’ segment. However, the Couples’ segment indicated that the magazine, albeit not relevant for them, was well-produced.

• The magazine was effective in heightening awareness of all the events/places/attractions and unique factors that contributed to considering Ontario as a pleasure destination. Even those familiar with Ontario were pleasantly surprised by the number and breadth of attractions.


Ontario Magazine (cont’d) • Of particular appeal were the large, single and double page magazine photos of

unique attractions. The angle of many of the photos was intriguing, the colours vibrant and eye-catching, and the attraction being advertised was considered intriguing.


Ontario Magazine (cont’d) • The calendar contained in the Summer 2011 issue also held great appeal since it

allowed a snap-shot view of what there was to do in Ontario, and it created a sense that planning around these various events would be interesting, exciting, and easy to do. In essence it would provide a planning framework.


Ontario Magazine (cont’d) • Finally, the magazine gave a sense of the diversity within Ontario both culturally and

geographically. It also provided a clear sense that there were ample activities for children to engage in.

• The one common insight with regard to the summer 2011 Families magazine was that many of the photos showing nature could easily be accessed in their own respective provinces.


Ontario Magazine (cont’d) Suggested Improvements: • While the Summer 2011 issue held considerable appeal, there were several

improvements suggested by respondents.

• Spearheading this list was the organization of the magazine. Respondents repeatedly expressed a keen interest in viewing the magazine by “themes”. This made it easier for planning and dove-tailed with the overall planning process since many respondents indicated that during the planning process, they first decided what type of vacation they were interested in. While themes might have been included in this issue, they were not readily apparent.


Ontario Magazine (cont’d) • Examples of themes included:

The “Big” City Excursion (shopping, cultural diversity, diverse foods, attractions in and around the city, etc.)

Nature, Lakes and Cottages Historical Education/Significance (museums, government buildings (e.g.

Parliament Buildings), universities, castles, etc.) Sports (professional sporting events, Hockey Hall of Fame, etc.) Kid Fun (e.g. Canada’s Wonderland) Outdoor Sports (Fishing, hunting, camping, canoeing, white water rafting,

kayaking, etc.) Theatre (Shaw Festival, Stratford Festival) Wine Country (Niagara Falls, Niagara-on-the-Lake) Culinary Diversity (experiencing a diversity of cuisines)

• It should be noted that these themes might not necessarily be mutually exclusive. Rather, a core theme might then incorporate additional themes, events.

• Specific and more detailed likes and dislikes pertaining to the Ontario Magazine follow.


Ontario Magazine (cont’d)

Likes Reason Supporting Likability

OVERALL:

• Cover • Appealing; not staged; relevant for them and their families

• Calendar – page 16-19 • Easy/quick reference for planning; provides ideas; like to see festivals and “jamborees”

• Diverse cultures shown • Welcoming, educational

• Lots of children’s activities shown • Children would not be bored

• “Real” people shown • Increases relevance; not staged/phoney

• Spectacular photos • Intriguing, breathtaking, noticeable, large; not just of Toronto • Increases overall likeability, relevance, appeal, interest

• Page 64 - Map of Ontario • Gives a sense of how vast Ontario is; assists in planning

• More Ideas - Pages 67,68, 71, 72, 75, 76, 79, 80, 83, 84, 87, 88, 91

• Intriguing; suggestions appreciated; informative

SPECIFIC PAGES:

• Page 4/5 - Hammock • Displays genuine fun

• Page 6 - Contributors • Like to know who has contributed

• Page 8 - Elephants • Children can experience hands-on; educational yet fun; majestic; adventurous

• Page 9 – Horseshoe Report Ball • Children can experience hands-on; fun; unique

• Pages 22 - Landscape • Unique to Ontario; interesting to Asian segment

• Page 24/25 – Filming in Toronto • Unique; exciting; interesting architecture (buildings) in background; particularly noticeable by the South Asian community 107



SPECIFIC PAGES (cont’d)

• Page 27 - Bollywood • Unique; diverse culture; noticed and appreciated immediately by the South Asian segment

• Page 28 – Casa Loma (Asians)

• Unique; historical significance (Asian)

• Page 30/31 – Nature, Cottages

• Unique; peaceful; sets a mood – definitely not in the city

• Page 34/35 – Canada’s Wonderland

• Page 36 – Long Point Eco-Adventures

• Excitement!! Something for the kids to do (Highly appealing photo)

• Interesting; educational

• Page 39 – African Lion Safari • Interesting; educational; fun for the children




SPECIFIC PAGES (cont’d)

• Page 40/41 – Sandbanks Park • Intriguing; newsworthy; unaware that Ontario had beaches

• Page 55 - Food • Intriguing foods; culturally unique cuisine

• Page 58/59 – Cobble Beach The Wow Factor

• Visually breathtaking; unique view

• Page 66 - Point Pelee • Unique; breathtaking; spacious (Asian); unique

• Page 78 – Scenic Caves in Collingwood

• Unique; vibrant colours are noticeable, appreciated; sense of majestic views

• Page 84 – Parliament Buildings Ottawa

• Educational; things for kids to see

• Page 85 – Parliament Hill Ottawa Fireworks/Concert

• Generates a sense of pride; fun; interesting; educational

• Page 90 – Dorion Span Bridge • Spectacular view; something for the family to do; unique; demonstrates adventure



Dislikes/Suggested Changes Reason Supporting Suggested Changes

OVERALL:

• For Families only • Note: This was not considered a dislike, as much as it was considered an observation. Once respondents, especially those in the Couples segments, were made aware that the magazine was targeting Families, they understood and provided feedback where applicable.

• Lacking uniqueness/USP – visuals pertaining to nature

• Seemed very similar to BC in particular

• Not a clear delineation of themes • Want to see publication organized by themes; considered a “scatter gun” approach

• Too much copy • Would not read; distracting; would use the Internet to read more

• Not enough focus on the historical and architectural components of Ontario

• Want to see more history (culturally and geographically e.g. the museums, architecture, Ottawa, churches, castles, etc.); particularly true for the Asian segment, followed by the South Asian segment

• Lacking maps • Cannot get a sense of how vast Ontario is, location of places, time and distance required to travel there, distance from one region to another

• Too much advertising • Early pages devoted nearly exclusively to advertising; distracting

• No trademark Ontario Fall foliage shown

• Strong desire to see this; once an explanation given that this was a Summer issue, respondents understood

• Shopping component missing • Many respondents, particularly the Couples segment tend/want to build in shopping when travelling for pleasure



Dislikes/Suggested Changes Reason Supporting Suggested Changes

OVERALL:

• Page 69 - Niagara Falls visual disappointing

• Expect to see a spectacular view of the Falls rather than “kids in raincoats”

• Copy font colour difficult to read

• Gray colour considered drab

• Missing the “big city” experience (South Asian Couples segment)

• A few wanted to stay in Toronto only and felt that the “city experience” was missing

• Missing a 1-800 number

• A few want to be able to call a representative

• Missing coupons • Desirable and a further enticement to travel to Ontario, given the cost to fly there; contributes a sense of value


Ontario Summer 2011 Magazine – Differences By Segment Calgary Versus Vancouver: • Overall, Calgary respondents had a more favourable reaction to the magazine versus

their Vancouver counterparts.

• Vancouverites felt that the magazine was less than effective in communicating Ontario’s uniqueness as a pleasure destination. A great deal in the magazine reminded them of British Columbia and what it had to offer the pleasure traveller. This was especially true of the Caucasian Canadian segment in Vancouver.

• It’s not that the Vancouver respondents expressed negativity toward the magazine, simply that they did not find it unique enough.

“This looks like BC. Everything they have, we have.”

“If you put BC across the top [of the magazine] you’d get this.”

“We already have everything they do.”

• However, both segments indicated that the magazine heightened their awareness that there was more to do in Ontario than originally thought.


Ontario Magazine – Differences By Segment Asians and South Asian Segments:

• The Asian Couples’ Segment was looking for additional information pertaining to what

to do outside larger cities like Toronto. They had experienced large cities in their respective native countries, and excursions outside the larger cities in order to view Ontario’s unique nature (geography and wildlife) held greater appeal. Once they viewed the Fall Couples’ issues, they became more interested.

• They were also interested in Canada’s Capital and the history and architecture associated with it.

• They considered the Toronto city experience very similar to that offered by many larger cities and could not easily delineate a reason to visit yet another large city.

• There were a few respondents however within the South Asian Couples’ segment

that expressed a desire to see more of what Toronto as a city had to offer. Those who had not visited Toronto thought of it as “…a metropolitan [cosmopolitan] city. It’s the New Delhi of Canada.”


Couples’ Magazine – Fall 2009 & Fall 2010 Issues • Respondents in all groups were shown the Fall, 2009 and Fall, 2010 Ontario Couples’ publications for their reaction.

Overall: • There was no confusion amongst any of the segments that these two publications

were targeting Couples.

• Both issues held significant appeal for all respondents, especially the Couples’ segments.

• While the “Families” segment acknowledged the magazines’ appeal, they also acknowledged lower relevance since they had younger children who were travelling with them for pleasure and therefore would not be able to engage in most of the Couples’ activities outlined. However, the Families segment, particularly those in Vancouver, were pleasantly surprised not only by the number of activities to engage in in Ontario as a Couple, but by the cosmopolitan feel of Ontario, both of which held appeal.

• All segments agreed that there were an abundance of activities to engage in in Ontario after perusing the magazines for Couples.


Couples Magazine – Fall 2009 & Fall 2010 Issues Comparison of the Two Versions: Relevance: • Of the two publication versions, The Fall, 2009 issue was considered more relevant

versus the 2010 issue.

• The 2010 issue was considered by some to be targeting the younger couples i.e. in their 20s or 30s while the 2009 issue seemed more relevant and appealing for them as 40 to 60 year olds.

“The 2010 [issue] is more appealing to those 20 years younger. Too glossy, too slick-like.”

Approach/Themes:

• The 2009 issue was appreciated for its neat layout, and organized theme-approach to Ontario pleasure travel. It was easy to discern the types of events a traveller might engage in if visiting Ontario. This compartmentalized approach was appreciated by all.

“[Appealing themed organization] It’s like the spas. If it’s a girls’ weekend away, you don’t have to sift through everything. You get right to it.”


Couples Magazine – Fall 2009 & Fall 2010 Issues Comparison of the Two Versions (cont’d):

• In contrast, the 2010 issue lacked themes, according to respondents. Further, the

2010 issue contained too much advertising which detracted from the content.

“The first couple of pictures seem like a lot of advertising. It wasn’t until I got to the calendar pages before I got to the “wow” factor.”

Fall Foliage: • The Fall foliage (maple tree) scenes that easily and uniquely identified Ontario which

respondents had referenced spontaneously early in the discussion, were appreciated when detected in the 2009 issue. Further, the visuals found on pages 25 (Algonquin Park), page 27, and page 30 (Deerhurst) were well-received and communicated the Fall foliage nicely.


Couples Magazine – Fall 2009 & Fall 2010 Issues Fall Foliage: • The 2010 issue captured the Fall foliage to an even greater extent via the inclusion of

photos on pages 3 (Hamilton), 26 (golfing), 27 (exploring the great outdoors), pages 30 and 31 (The Great Outdoors) and page 43.


Couples Magazine – Fall 2009 & Fall 2010 Issues Comparison of the Two Versions (cont’d): • Particularly appealing for all respondents was the Fall photo on pages 34 and 35

(There’s No Place Like This). More Fall foliage was captured on page 38 (Thunder Bay and Awawa Canyon), page 41 (Chaffey’s Lock), and page 42 and 43 (Campbellford, Headwaters and Bruce County).

Train Travel:

• The inclusion of the train in the 2010 issue suggested adventure and something

unique.


Couples Magazine – Fall 2009 & Fall 2010 Issues Comparison of the Two Versions (cont’d): History: • The Asian and South Asian segments particularly liked the inclusion of historical

attractions in the 2010 issue.

• However, the 2010 issue seemed too focused on city attractions according to many respondents, particularly the Couples’ segments who wanted to see more of what there was to do outside the city.


Couples Magazine – Fall 2009 & Fall 2010 Issues Comparison of the Two Versions (cont’d): Unique Attractions: • The inclusion of TIFF was appreciated since it was considered an event unique to

Ontario and would generate a sense of fun, excitement and glamour for visitors.

• The inclusion of the ferris wheel ride with children seemed out of place in the 2010

issue and confused many respondents who assumed the magazine was for Couples. This also applied to several other family photos included in the Fall 2010 publication.


Couples Magazine – Fall 2009 & Fall 2010 Issues Comparison of the Two Versions (cont’d): Cover:

• Finally, the cover of each of the issues was met with mixed reaction. The inclusion of

the Toronto skyline on the Fall 2010 issue was appreciated and conveyed excitement and escapism, although the couples on the cover were considered too staged.

“The people don’t look as inviting [as the Ontario 2011 Summer magazine]. They have false smiles and look very polite. They are stereotypical people.”

• The cover of the 2009 issue did not reflect couples since there were three people, rather than four. In addition, it conveyed more a sense of a family reunion, and therefore the cover did not match the appealing internal contents.


Suggested Themes • Given the interest in themes, respondents were asked to separate into two groups

and generate motivating concepts that might be conveyed about Ontario in order to entice Western Canadians to the province.

• As indicated earlier, the various themes that surfaced included: The “Big” City Excursion (shopping, cultural diversity, diverse foods, attractions

in and around the city, etc.) Nature, Lakes and Cottages Historical Education/Significance (museums, government buildings (e.g.

Parliament Buildings), universities, castles, etc.) Sports (professional sporting events, Hockey Hall of Fame, etc.) Kid Fun (e.g. Canada’s Wonderland) Outdoor Sports (Fishing, hunting, camping, canoeing, white water rafting,

kayaking, etc.) Theatre (Shaw Festival, Stratford Festival) Wine Country (Niagara Falls, Niagara-on-the-Lake) Culinary Diversity (experiencing a diversity of cuisines)


Suggested Taglines • Suggested taglines that were generated by respondents included:

“A little more to do than you thought” “There’s lots to do here” “Find an animal in you” (Hunting, fishing theme based) “Find sensuality in you” “Come explore the other part of Ontario” “Come see the other side of Canada” (Natural elements/nature) “Experience our culture” “Come to the other London” (Parliament/Government Buildings) “Rediscover Ontario again” “See it all” “The Heart of Canada” “The Centre of It All” “An Alternative to Europe”


Interest in Downloading Publications to a Tablet Background: • Approximately one quarter to one third of respondents in the focus groups owned a

tablet (e.g. an iPad, etc.)

• (Note: Respondents in the focus groups were not screened to own a tablet while the four paired interviewees were all screened to own a tablet. In addition, the paired interviewees were asked to download the Ontario Magazine app and view the publication prior to the discussion.)

Overall:

Downloading:

• For the two paired interviews (4 respondents), all of whom downloaded the Ontario magazine onto their tablets, reaction toward the downloading process was consistent. The download itself was easy and seamless for all 4 respondents. None encountered any problems.


Interest in Downloading Publications to a Tablet • There was only weak interest however in downloading the Ontario magazine to a

tablet amongst most respondents. They felt that they would have already planned the trip to Ontario from the paper copy of the magazine and that the magazine could be easily shared with others within the family during the planning process.

• Further, half of respondents felt that the file size at 185 megabytes, was far too large to download.

“You’re residing on my machine [tablet] and taking up my space.”

• For one respondent however, she saw the value in having the magazine on her tablet when she was actually in the province. This would allow her to source out other things to do/see while on vacation in Ontario.

Functionality/Navigation: • Checkerboard Approach: The checkerboard approach which allows users to scroll

horizontally or vertically, was appealing and appreciated. There was an easy flow from story to story (page to page). However, several respondents hadn’t realized that they could slide sideways, as well horizontally. In fact, they just happened to stumble upon this function.


125

Downloading the Publication to a Tablet Functionality/Navigation (cont’d): • Copy/Text: There was strong agreement that there was too much text overall in the

magazine, and that the text was too small.

• Inconsistent Flipping Ability: While it was very easy to flip through the pages and to view the pages either horizontally or vertically, there was inconsistency on some pages whereby you could not flip either horizontally or vertically.

• Inconsistent Tapping Ability: There was also a desire to be able to tap down into each element (e.g. picture) to get more detailed information but tapping did not present any results. Thus, this inconsistent ability to tap was frustrating.

• Audio: The inclusion of audio was interesting and appreciated by respondents, although most wanted to be able to turn the audio off should they choose to.

• “Done” Function: Respondents liked the fact that it was very easy to access the

button at the bottom of the page and the “Done” button.

• Scroll Bar at Bottom: Several respondents had to search to find the “scroll” bar/button at the bottom of the page. They wanted it to be more obvious to locate.


Downloading the Publication to a Tablet Functionality/Navigation (cont’d): • User Guide: The User Guide was extremely helpful in providing the tablet user with

instructions of how to use the various symbols and what each represented. However, respondents were quick to point out that the instructional font size was very small and there was far too much copy accompanying each point within the User Guide section. There was also a desire to tap on the screen in order to enlarge the font size.

• Maps: Highly appealing was the ability to enlarge the maps e.g. Muskoka by simply pressing the “red button”, and also appealing was that each page had a link for “more information”. However, there was a strong desire on the part of all respondents to have an interactive map on each page since many were unfamiliar with the time, distance and route required to travel to an attraction, or between attractions. Additionally, respondents wanted to be able to tap on each page to drill down into more detailed information.

• Additional Links: Respondents expressed a desire to have additional links to more

detail information pertaining to costs, restaurants and accommodations.


Downloading the Publication to a Tablet Aesthetics: • Photos: The magazine photos were highly appealing and appreciated for their

vibrancy and clarity. They were highly engaging but respondents wanted to be able to enlarge them simply by touching their screens.

• Balance - Photos/Copy: Additionally, as attractive as the photos were, several respondents felt that the balance between the photos and the copy was not in sync. The large-sized photos made it difficult to read the small-sized accompanying copy. Further, an explanation of where each photo was taken was missing.

• Font Colour: The gray colour of the copy font was difficult to read and there was no option to enlarge the font via a magnifying glass.

• Calendar: The Calendar was highly appealing overall and respondents particularly liked the ability to “click on”/select each month. Once again, respondents wanted to be able to tap on the screen to obtain additional, detailed information. One generic link button at the bottom was considered insufficient.


Downloading the Publication to a Tablet Aesthetics: • Calendar Colours: The calendar colours, one for each of the three months, were

likeable and enabled the user to easily select the month they were interested in when considering travelling to Ontario.

• Cover: The photo of the girl on the front cover was also likeable as was the list of contributors to that particular edition of the magazine.

• Advertising: The advertising seemed to annoy several of the respondents and they felt that it “got in the way” of the magazine and its function. Further, it contributed to a sense that the pages were “too busy”.

• Missing: One respondent suggested that a shopping component be added to the magazine.


Interest in Downloading Publications to a Tablet Alternative Approaches: • Two of the more technically savvy respondents suggested that a “flipboard” approach

might be used rather than the checkerboard approach. The flipboard approach was considered a more contemporary technological approach, was more aesthetically pleasing to the user, involved pictures only (initially), was more “alive”, and was multi-dimensional. It also increased the user’s ability to easily navigate by simply tapping on the picture to drill down into additional detail.

Future Contact: • Half of the 4 respondents indicated that they would be open to subscribing to

notification when the new season of the magazine became available.


APPENDICES


Appendix A – Recruiting Criteria 1. Couples:

• Married or co-habiting • 40 to 60 years • No children under 18 years living at home (18 to 27 years) • Mix of Empty Nesters (children do not accompany them on pleasure travel) and Childless Couples • All will be university educated (have at least one university degree) • Minimum household income $100K • Lead busy-on-the-go lifestyles

1a. Canadian Couples: • As per “Couples” above, plus…. • Have lived in Canada for at least 20 years • Have lived in their respective provinces for at least 5 years • None has lived in Ontario in the past

1b. Chinese Immigrant Couples: • As per “Couples” above, plus…. • None has children under 25 years living at home • Have immigrated from China (mainland or Hong Kong) within the past 2to 15 years ago • Immigrated directly to Canada • Have lived in Canada for at least 2 years • Have lived in British Columbia for at least 2 years

1c. South Asian Couples: • As per “Couples” above, plus…. • None has children under 25 years living at home • Have immigrated from either India or Pakistan within the past 2 to 15 years ago • Immigrated directly to Canada • Have lived in Canada for at least 2 years • Have lived in British Columbia for at least 2 years


Appendix A – Recruiting Criteria (cont’d) 2. Families:

• Married or co-habiting • Have children 4 to 16 years living in the household full-time – 1 group younger children (4 to 10 years) and 1 group 11 to

16 years) • Ensure a good mix of children’s ages, thus reflecting a good mix of participants’ ages • May have other children outside the children’s age parameters stated • All will be university educated i.e. at least one university degree • Children travel with the parents for pleasure • Minimum household income $100K

2a. Canadian Families: • As per “Families” above, plus…. • Have lived in Canada for at least 20 years • Have lived in their respective provinces for at least 10 years • None has lived in Ontario in the past

2b. Chinese Immigrant Families: • As per “Families” above, plus…. • Have immigrated from China (mainland or Hong Kong) in the past 2 to 15 years ago • Immigrated directly to Canada • Have lived in Canada for at least 2 years • Have lived in British Columbia for at least 2 years 2c. South Asian Families: • Have immigrated from either India or Pakistan in the past 2 to 15 years ago • Immigrated directly to Canada • Have lived in Canada for at least 2 years • Have lived in British Columbia for at least 2 years •


Appendix A – Recruiting Criteria (cont’d) • Additionally, all respondents were also be screened to include the following:

50% males/50% females Ensure a good mix of incomes at/above $100K Have traveled for pleasure at least once in the past 12 months either within or outside their own province Ensure a good mix of light, moderate and heavy Have stayed in paid, overnight, commercial accommodations for at least one evening when travelling for

pleasure at least once in the past 24 months Are not adverse to pleasure travel Are not adverse to discussing the topic of travel, and more specifically discussing travel in Ontario All are familiar with and use the Internet, at minimum occasionally i.e. at least once per month Use any one or more of the following media at least once per week – television, radio, magazines,

newspapers All read English magazines and newspapers at least once per week Creative, articulate No sight, hearing problems At least 80% per group are employed (either full-time or part-time); ensure that no more than two per group

are unemployed (unless a conscious decision to stay-at-home was made, retire/early retirement) Exclude any students. Comfortable and confident expressing their opinions in group situations Standard industry and occupational exclusions (e.g. are not employed, nor are family members employed, in

the tourism, travel, market research, advertising, marketing industries, media, government at any level, etc.)


Western Canada Assessment...o see Maple trees (not found in Western Canada) o cabins – cottage...

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