Canada’s New Brand Strategy Aims to Position the Country as a Destination of Openness
Canada’s national tourism organization, Destination Canada, has introduced a new global brand strategy aimed at positioning Canada as a destination that encourages openness. The strategy will be revealed through a combination of traditional and innovative marketing initiatives that aim to enhance Canada’s competitiveness as a destination and attract high-value international visitors.
The COVID-19 pandemic has forced Destination Canada to adopt new marketing techniques. Canadians accounted for 80% of tourism spending last year, contributing significantly to the country’s recovery. However, with Canadian tourists planning to travel abroad this spring, Canada needs to attract international travelers, particularly from the US, it’s most important inbound market and a significant opportunity for revenue recovery.
Gloria Loree, Destination Canada’s Senior Vice-President, Marketing Strategy & Chief Marketing Officer, explained that today’s visitors want more than just a travel experience; they desire growth, enrichment, and true transformation. Canada’s unique blend of openness provides the freedom and space that travelers crave and helps the country stand out in the fiercely competitive travel marketplace.
Destination Canada’s brand ambition has led it to develop innovative ways to engage a global audience. It has partnered with TED, creating a conversation about openness through storytelling by exceptional Canadians. These TED Talks, filmed in New York City, will be published on TED.com in the spring and shared with Destination Canada’s key leisure and business events markets.
Canada’s inclusiveness and openness make it possible for visitors to have unforgettable experiences, from outdoor landscapes to Indigenous cultural experiences to urban and culinary journeys. To attract more American visitors, Destination Canada launched the Maple Leave campaign, encouraging them to take a stress-free vacation to Canada. It also launched the Open If You Are campaign, challenging misconceptions about Canada and inspiring travelers to immerse themselves in the country’s unique blend of openness.
In 2023, Destination Canada plans to launch additional brand campaigns aimed at inviting visitors to experience Canada’s open spaces, open hearts, and open minds.
