Asia/Pacific

CTC's Asia/Pacific Marketing department includes

Australia
China
Japan
South Korea

Contact
Kyoko Manabe, Executive Director (Acting), Asia/Pacific
e-mail: manabe.kyoko@ctc-cct.ca
Tel. 604-638-8374

Yukiyo Toyoda, Marketing Specialist, Asia/Pacific
e-mail: toyoda.yukiyo@ctc-cct.ca
Tel. 604-638-8372

Jill Lee, Project and Administrative Officer, Asia/Pacific
e-mail: lee.jill@ctc-cct.ca
Tel. 604-638-8371

What we do

• We put together a comprehensive marketing strategy and make sure our team stays on track.
• We advise marketing committees, plus Canadian and overseas partners, on opportunities in the Asia/Pacific region.
• We collaborate with potential partners and clients, and negotiate new partnerships.
• Our team conducts research and gathers market intelligence on new market opportunities, market trends and marketing communication.
• We coordinate international marketing forums and missions which focus on opportunities, trends and ways to grow travel to Canada from the Asia/Pacific region.
• Our team researches, evaluates and creates strategic approach models to enter emerging markets.

Market snapshot – Asia/Pacific

• Target audience 25 to 64 years old (total pop. - 2005): 811.2M
  
• By 2010, target audience forecast: 865.8M
  
• Total outbound travel (2005): 67.2M
  • Short-haul travel: 47.3M
  • Long-haul travel:19.9M
• Canada’s market share of long-haul travel (2005): 4.7 percent
• Total spend in Canada (2005): $1.3B
  
• Asia/Pacific is the second-largest source region for outbound tourists.
  • 19.8 percent of global tourism, or 151.2M travelers (WTO, 2005)

Asia/Pacific – Key Trends

• Explosion of outbound travel from Korea/China/India.
• Travellers want ‘an experience’ not just a ‘trip.’
• Savvy travellers – know the difference between a ‘cheap deal’ and ‘value for money.’
• Celebrities/media heavily influence consumer decision.
• Shift from group to fully-independent travel.
• Leading-edge technology is born in Asia.
• Internationally known attractions – signature sites still popular. Need to leverage.

Asia/Pacific – Opportunities

• Maximize trend in fully-independent travel/semi-independent travel.
• Exploit growing niche segments – ski, honeymoon, spa and golf… experiential products.
• Capitalize tremendous in-market partner support.
• Innovative and emerging use of electronic media/devices.
• Interest in meetings and incentive travel.

Asia/Pacific – Challenges

• Macro factors – volatility of currency, inflation, fuel pricing and world threats.
• Lack of brand saliency.
• Perceived as a nature-only destination, expensive, boring and far away …stale image.
• High airfare and limited air capacity (direct flights).
• Fierce competition.
• Travel to short-haul destinations growing.
• Declining ski market.

Initiatives

Priority 1 – Differentiate Canada.

• Reposition Canada to offer more than just beautiful scenery… utilize existing icons to leverage new experiential, regional and seasonal offerings… Focus of effort.
• Build brand equity through all initiatives (by all partners).
• Differentiate travel experiences.
  • Stale….to…experiential.
  • Segment interest – new travel experiences.
• Work in partnership with travel industry to raise awareness.

Priority 2 – Leverage partner investment.

• Enhance and build partnerships with traditional and non-traditional partners.
• Focus of effort = product development and integrated promotions.
• Clients C to B; B to key accounts.
• Create win/win scenarios with industry leaders; i.e., Scenic tours
• Economy of scale/scope:
  • Share learning with CTC team.
  • Global publications.

Priority 3 – Develop one-to-one relationships with customers.

• Take full advantage of Customer Relationship Management initiatives and localized websites.
  • Create programs that drive target consumer to our site. This will give us segmented data for future use.
• Develop measurable e-marketing platform: web hits; fulfillment requests; campaign results…
• Take a leadership role and create opportunity for partners.

Priority 4 – Allocation for maximum return on investment.

• Engage the high-yield traveller to buy Canada–now.
• Do not forget volume business.
• Develop an integrated approach to all trade, media relations, PR and consumer initiatives.

Priority 5 – Create demand for increased air capacity.

• Expand airline partner base and air capacity = market growth.
• Charters.
• Take a leadership role to leverage partner investment and grow Canada’s share of voice.

Priority 6 – Take advantage of media exposure generated by Canada’s 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

• Leverage 2008 Beijing Summer Olympic and Paralympic Games.
• Position Canada as a key overseas ski destination in South Korea, Japan and Australia.
• Carry the Olympic Games logo on CTC material and take full advantage of its marketing power.
• Identify partners and opportunities.
• Develop integrated communication strategy… increase Canadian share of voice.

Emerging Markets

India
It makes good business sense to invest in several markets. Why? To maximize return and reduce risk. The Economists predicts India will become the world’s third-largest economy by 2026. Fuelled by economic growth, India’s outbound travel market is growing. The number of outbound travellers has doubled over the past decade, jumping from 2.7 million in 1994 to 5.4 million in 2004. In 2005, India visitors to Canada increased 14 percent to 78,000.

Business and “visiting friends and relatives” travel now make up the largest number of trips from India. Because of India’s strong and sustained economic growth, and its enormous outbound travel potential, we need to thoroughly research India and develop an emerging market strategy.

CTC Road Show  

Asia/Pacific Committee