On the whole, the tourism industry had a good year in 1995. In addition to the usual events and attractions, work progressed on strategic initiatives to promote product, market and human resource development within the industry. Also, preparations continued for the launching of the Tourism Destination Management System and the John Cabot 500th Anniversary Celebrations.
Tourist visits and expenditures in the Province have averaged 2.7 million and $460 million respectively over the last several years. The lion's share of this travel is done by residents. Resident tourist estimates for 1995 were not available at the time of writing. Even though non-resident travel declined slightly, it is generally felt that overall industry performance was on par with previous years.
The Province has a number of initiatives currently underway which are designed to both improve the tourism experience and provide the development framework for the industry to reach its full potential. To improve the quality of service and overall utilization of the Provincial park system, for instance, the number of parks under direct government control has been reduced. Some parks have been turned over to private interests with a view to modifying their services to bring them in line with regional and consumer needs.
Human resource development is a priority of the industry. More attention is being placed on professionalism, tourism awareness, and the promotion of a high-quality customer service culture. To further this goal, an advisory council comprised of industry stakeholders has established an action plan to promote skill development. Elements of this plan will be put in place over the next couple of years.
Other human resource initiatives already underway in the Province include the SuperHost Atlantic and occupational certification programs. SuperHost, a customer service and tourism awareness program recognized internationally, has already trained over 1,300 people in the Province. Occupational certification will also be offered for the first time in 1996. Approximately 100 people are expected to seek certification this year.
Development strategies are currently being prepared for the Province's top niche tourism products — cultural tourism; nature appreciation; hiking; scuba diving; canoeing and sea kayaking; fishing; and specialty winter tourism. These products offer the best potential for the Province in national and international markets. Strategies being prepared will form part of a larger product market match report which will be finalized this year.
Government has aggressively marketed the tourism product in recent years producing compelling images and messages of the Province's culture, history, lifestyle and dramatic scenery. The biggest advertising effort last year was the $1.9 million Imagine That campaign aimed at target markets in Ontario, the Maritimes, the Northeastern United States, Western Canada and the Province. Considerable effort has also been exerted to increase the number of agents featuring Newfoundland and Labrador in touring packages sold in North America, Europe and Japan. Furthermore, a marketing milestone will be achieved this year, when the first phase of the Tourism Destination Management System (see special article) goes into operation.
Preparations are continuing for the John Cabot 500th Anniversary Celebrations in 1997. Last year a modern-day replica of Cabot's boat, the Matthew, was launched in Bristol, England. The Matthew will visit the Province for 45 days in 1997, and will be one of the highlights of the celebrations. Furthermore, in February of this year the celebrations gained worldwide access with the introduction of a Cabot 500 homepage on the Internet. The address is: http://www.cabot500.newcomm.net. The Cabot celebrations are expected to bring an additional 60,000 tourists to the Province in 1997, generating considerable incremental tourism activity.
Industry performance this year will vary considerably by market segment. While the Canadian Tourism Research Institute has projected a 1.9 percent increase in domestic pleasure trips in the Province, weakness in resident tourist spending may dampen this performance. Business travel on the other hand, by both residents and non-residents, could be strong in 1996, reflecting heightened activity associated with oil and gas and mineral exploration. Also, an increase in the number of weekly ferry trips to Argentia from Nova Scotia will increase capacity and serve to promote travel to the Province.
Ongoing strategic initiatives designed to promote the industry will continue. In the area of skill development, occupational certification will be offered for the first time and more focus will be placed on education and training. Accommodation grading will enter its fifth year in the Province (see special feature), and the results of the product market match study and the air access report will be finalized. With only one year to go, preparations for the Cabot celebrations are expected to reach a feverish pace. Also, the Tourism Destination Management System is expected to go into operation just in time for the celebrations.