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Event Tourism Contact Sheet
“Visitors to a destination whose primary reason for travel is to attend an event (sport or culture) as a participant, spectator, official, media representative or family of the participants”.
Destination St. John’s realized there was a vacuum that existed in the event tourism sector and therefore introduced an Event Tourism Secretariat and hired a Manger of Event Tourism to implement a plan for attracting sport and cultural events to Eastern Newfoundland.
The Destination
Although the St. John’s Census Metropolitan Area (CMA) is the hub of event activity due to the concentration of accommodations and infrastructure in the region, our customer (the tourist) has indicated that the actual destination is Eastern Newfoundland, a 3 ˝ hour driving radius of St. John’s (from Cape St. Mary’s to Bonavista and from to Grand Bank to Cape Spear).
OUR MANDATE
Destination St. John’s objective is to establish its credibility in the event tourism sector and demonstrate to event rights holders, sport and cultural organizations, that we place a great deal of importance on this market.
St. John’s has a rich tradition in hosting events. On the sport side we’ve had international soccer games, Olympic Hockey, Brier, national track meets, Canada Games, World Softball Championships, World Under-17 Hockey and the Scott Tournament of Hearts. On the cultural side we’ve hosted major celebrations - John Cabot 500th Anniversary, Soiree ’99, Viking 1000, choir festivals (Festival 500), Junos and East Coast Music Awards.
Destination St. John’s will strive to attract new events (or enhance existing ones) not only to the urban region of our destination, but also to the rural areas of Eastern Newfoundland. Working with local organizations, we will provide financial support, human resources and expertise where the event has a reasonable Return on Investment (ROI).
Our audience will consist of event rights holders, event organizers, event decision makers, local, regional and national sport and cultural organizations and the travel/event media will continue to be the primary targets of our campaign. The majority of our target audiences reside in central Canada (Ottawa, Toronto). We plan on assisting our local event organizations in order to maximize visitation to our destination.
SERVICES
Based on a firm knowledge of our facilities and organizational ability, Destination St. John’s will review all available events and then, working with local groups and volunteers, determine the next steps. Our level of involvement will range from consulting to actual bid development and presentation. In certain special circumstances, we may even assist in the planning and execution of the event.
Feasibility Study: Local groups are often intimidated when considering the hosting of a major event. The Manager, Event Tourism can assist in producing a feasibility study to determine the who, what, when, where, why, and how of the event.
Research: The Manager, Event Tourism will assist local groups in gathering research and information regarding the event they are considering.
Sponsorship: Public and private sponsorship is vital to execute any major event. The Manager, Event Tourism will assist in preparing a sponsorship package and recommend professionals who can help “sell” the event.
Facility Negotiations: Destination St. John’s will facilitate the entire facility issue for all major events, from selection to advice on contract negotiations.
Bid Packages: The Manager – Event Tourism will assist local groups in all aspects of the bid package where required.
Bid Presentation: The Manager – Event Tourism will provide assistance to the local group in all aspects of the bid presentation, including such costs as transportation, accommodation, electronic presentations, printing, etc.
Dave Noftall - Manager, Event Tourism
Suite 302, 291 Water Street, St. John's, NL A1C1B9
Tel: 709.739.8895 - Fax: 709.739.8897 - Toll Free: 1.877.739.8899 ext 2
dnoftall@destinationstjohns.com
www.destinationstjohns.com
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