German Media to Tour Provincial Attractions

A group of six travel journalists from media outlets in Germany will arrive in Newfoundland and Labrador tomorrow (Friday, August 13) for an eight-day tour of attractions on the West Coast, the Viking Trail (Northern Peninsula) and the East Coast of the province. It is one of 30 international travel media tours being hosted by the province up to the end of September 2010, more than in any previous year.

"Newfoundland and Labrador competes with other global travel destinations to recruit travel media to visit us," said the Honourable Terry French, Minister of Tourism, Culture and Recreation. "Potential visitors are looking for first-hand accounts of travel experiences, so it is very valuable to have travel journalists come here to experience our culture, our heritage, and the many diverse attractions that may interest their readers or network audience."

The German journalists' stay in the province has been organized in partnership with the Canadian Tourism Commission, and the Western Destination Marketing Organization, and is supported, in part, through the Provincial Government's Travel Media Program. Approximately $20,000 has been earmarked for the tour. The anticipated German audience for the stories produced is approximately four million.

"This tour follows on the heels of a 10-day visit from Conde Nast Traveller magazine, one of the world's most recognized, respected and widely-read travel publications," said Minister French. "With a core readership of 335,000 in the UK, we are excited about the prospect of having our province featured in this magazine, which serves one of our most important international target markets."

The Travel Media Program plays an integral role in maximizing consumer and trade awareness of Newfoundland and Labrador through media coverage in key markets. Travel media includes freelance journalists, travel editors, broadcasters, producers, and travel trade media.

In 2009, the province spent $199,205 to bring 119 journalists and support crew to Newfoundland and Labrador. The advertising value of the material they produced for publication and broadcast is estimated at $13.7 million.

Since 2003, the Provincial Government has more than doubled its investment in tourism marketing, from $6 million to $13 million. The tourism industry contributed almost $850 million to the provincial economy in 2008, up from $790 million in 2007, and employs approximately 13,000 people.

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Media contact:
Heather May
Director of Communications
Department of Tourism, Culture and Recreation
709-729-0928, 697-5061
heathermay@gov.nl.ca 

2010 08 12                                                   10:15 a.m.