NSTA Product Development Priorities 2014 & 2015. Presentation by Erin Hume, Tourism Development Officer, Nova Scotia Tourism Agency. March 26, 2015

1. Cabot Trail Solutions Conference
March 26, 2015
Development Priorities

2. Packages & Experiences

3. Packages & Experiences
• Increased profile for operators—for FREE
 Enhanced listing on NovaScotia.com
 Travel planning is easier for visitors—extend their stay
 Creates partnerships among operators, while
leveraging their marketing reach
 Packages/ Experiences are used in other NSTA
marketing activities, such as monthly email campaigns,
which are sent to 72,000+ people
• Currently 31 Packages and 18 Experiences in the
Cabot Trail region listed on NovaScotia.com

5. Leverage Reach

6. Development Priorities

7. Cabot Trail
Outdoor
enthusiast
Cultural
enthusiast Culinary
enthusiast
• Working to elevate the Cabot Trail as a world class
destination
• Collaborating with
partners to implement
Roger Brooks’
recommendations (2013)
• Priorities:
 Kiosks
 Viewpoints
 Gateway Signage
 Enhance Signage

8. Celtic Shores Coastal Trail
Outdoor
enthusiast
Cultural
enthusiast Culinary
enthusiast
• Nova Scotia’s first destination trail targeting cyclists
 Travel motivator
 69% of PEI visitors plan to visit the Confederation Trail
prior to travelling
 PEI trail visitors account for over $2.7M annually
 2010 VES found that 39% (1.04M) of visitors to NS took
part in outdoor activities
 If every outdoor enthusiast spent $5 more during their
stay, tourism $$ would increase by a minimum of $2.03M

9. Celtic Shores Coastal Trail
Outdoor
enthusiast
Cultural
enthusiast Culinary
enthusiast
• To succeed as a destination
trail, the CSCT needs:
 Industry Support
(packages/experiences, trail-
themed products/services)
 Municipal Support
(infrastructure, bike racks,
signage, washrooms)
 Community Awareness &
Support

11. Paddling
Outdoor
enthusiast
Cultural
enthusiast Culinary
enthusiast
• TCT waterways project
 Identifying paddling routes
across the Bras d’Or Lake
 Identifying and developing
access points
 Community consultations
were held over the winter
• Connection to other
initiatives:
 Bras d’Or Lake UNESCO
Biosphere Reserve
 Cape Breton Blueways

12. Culinary
• Enhanced promotion of our high-quality culinary
experiences
• Currently, there are two culinary experiences in the
Cabot Trail Region
 Baddeck Culinary Creations: A 100km Menu
 Fall Fungi Foraging and Feasting
• What could be added?
 Crab/ oyster-based experience – Top of the Island?
 Seafood-based Acadian cuisine?
 Lobster experience?

13. Cultural
• Currently, there are three cultural experiences in
the Cabot Trail Region:
 Lantern Walk Through Time (CBHNP)
 Shipwrecks, Ruins & Pottery on Cape Breton Island
(Learn about Highland Scots and meet CB artisan – Top
of the Island)
 Atlantic Fisheries Bike Tour on the Cabot Trail (Learn
about fishery at Top of the Island)
• What could be added to better showcase your
living Acadian, Mi’kmaq, and Celtic cultures?

14. New CTC and NSTA Partnership
• NSTA to oversee onboarding of
provincial signature experiences
• Canadian Signature Experiences
must be trade-ready
• Interested in becoming a Canadian
Signature Experience?
 Review the CSE program info on
CTC website
 Contact Heather Yule, Acting
Manager of Development, NSTA at
902-798-6768 or
heather.yule@novascotia.ca