Canada ranked No. 1 country brand in the world
tourism leads results
VANCOUVER, Nov. 5 /CNW/ - In just four short years, Canada has become the most respected country brand in the world. It bumped the US from the top spot as it leveraged the 2010 Winter Games to extend the global reach of its tourism brand.
The ranking comes from the Country Brand Index by FutureBrand, a New York-based global brand consultancy. Michele McKenzie, president and CEO of the Canadian Tourism Commission (CTC), will be present at the formal awards ceremony on Nov. 11 in London, England, at the 31st annual World Travel Market (WTM), one of the world's largest travel, trade and media showcases.
After launching the revitalized tourism brand—Canada. Keep exploring—six years ago, Canada leapfrogged from 12th place in 2006 to sixth place in 2007, and jumped again to second place in 2008, a position it held again in 2009. This year, the US ceded the coveted premier spot to Canada. Amid this jostling, Canada's tourism brand has emerged as powerful, engaging and vibrant in an intensely competitive international tourism marketplace.
As Ms. McKenzie sums up, "Several years ago, CTC set out to refresh Canada's tourism brand in anticipation of being on the world stage in 2010. We believed that—with the right strategy—a legacy of the Games could be more interest in Canada as a travel destination, and ultimately more visitors."
The CTC and our partners seized the once-in-a-generation opportunity provided by the Games to showcase Canada's tourism brand internationally. We placed stunning video shot from coast to coast to coast directly into the hands of broadcasters from all the countries in which the CTC markets. Initial results of the CTC's marketing campaigns conducted before, during and after the Games indicate that the number of trips booked has increased over 2009 as a result of the awareness created of Canada as a top-ranked travel destination.
The CTC's Olympic strategy, which runs to the end of 2012, was funded by a $26 million federal investment.
RESOURCES:
- Video:
Broadcast and internet quality video, including beauty footage of Canada and testimonials by international personalities, are available here.
http://ctc.pathfireondemand.com
About FutureBrand and the Country Brand Index (CBI)
CBI, now in its sixth year, is a comprehensive study by FutureBrand, a leading global brand consultancy, of more than 3,000 international business and leisure travellers.
CBI identifies emerging global trends in the world's fastest growing economic sector—travel & tourism—and examines how countries are branded and ranked in a variety of categories, such as best country to travel to, best country that showcases its historic assets, best place to extend a business trip to, most environmentally oriented and most friendly locals.
CBI incorporates global quantitative research, expert opinions and relevant secondary sources for statistics that link brand equity to assets, growth and expansion. The result is a unique evaluation system that provides the basis of rankings and insights about the complexities and dynamics of country brands. The full report will be available on the FutureBrand website on Nov. 7, 2010.
About the CTC
The CTC is Canada's national tourism marketing organization. Our vision is inspiring the world to explore Canada. With our partners in the tourism industry and the governments of Canada, the provinces and the territories, we advertise and market Canada in 12 countries around the world, conduct industry research and studies, and promote product and industry development. For daily updates on CTC initiatives, subscribe to CTC News, available through RSS feeds and by e-mail. Become a fan on Facebook, follow us on Twitter, subscribe to our YouTube channel or check out new photos on Flickr!
For further information:
Margaret Nevin
Senior Communications Advisor / Conseillère en communications
Canadian Tourism Commission / Commission canadienne du tourisme
Tel / Tél 604.638.8406
Cell 604.376.6690
[email protected]
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