By Dominic Abassi

End of the road: Nanaimo reborn as natural, spiritual destination

Feb 11, 2017 | 12:49 AM

NANAIMO — Transforming the way Nanaimo is viewed as a destination.

That was the goal when Tourism Nanaimo and local web and creative company Array Studios embarked on their 2016 campaign.

Now, as the delivery of tourism services in the harbour city undergoes a major transition, the impact of the unique and creative campaign is bubbling to the surface.

“We wanted people to feel welcome to come to Nanaimo…there’s maybe something to be missed out here,” Array’s Caleb McIntyre said. “When people think Vancouver Island, they think Tofino. For them Nanaimo is just a place they have to go through on the way…we wanted to change people’s perception of Nanaimo…being a destination in its own right, a place that could be the end of the road.”

The campaign focused on attracting a specific type of visitor — authentic experiencers, free spirits and cultural explorers. McIntyre described them as people that don’t follow the “typical vacation” style of travelling.

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“They’re fun-loving and adventurous people who are okay with going on a bit of a road trip, venturing into the unknown.”

McIntyre said the campaign showed the experiences people want when they come to Vancouver Island are “very spiritual,” looking for an escape, a chance to connect with nature and refresh.

The slogan was Meet You Here, laid over top of stunning images of the region’s most picturesque backdrops.

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McIntyre said they aimed to use modern marketing tools on the web to test imagery and potential experiences to see what got the most engagement and traction.

A follow-up report on the campaign showed ads promoting Nanaimo as a tourism destination were seen by more than 10 million people in Alberta, B.C. and Washington State.

“The Tourism Nanaimo team tapped into the influential power of people on social media who travel the world going on epic adventures and invited them…the results were incredible.”

McIntyre said images of people in the wild around Nanaimo, in places like Ammonite Falls, resonated the most. “Powerful” images of Nanaimo garnered click-through rates over twice the industry standard.

“It was this type of imagery that got people inspired and touched them in a way that made them think this is an experience I need.”

Ultimately the reasons people choose to live in Nanaimo are very often the same as why people choose to visit here, according to McIntyre. “I don’t think Nanaimo has had an opportunity to really own its assets.”

The results of the June to December campaign stretched into the typical tourism off-season. November’s Nanaimo Tourism Bulletin produced by Chemistry Consulting noted a six per cent increase in hotel occupancy over 2015.

“In the more than 20 years that we’ve been producing the Nanaimo Tourism Bulletin, November occupancy rates have never exceeded 60 per cent — so this year’s November occupancy rate of 65 per cent represents a notable increase,” stated the report.

Leif Bogwald, owner of Nanaimo-based Vancouver Island Expeditions, said his revenue doubled in 2016.

“Tourism Nanaimo was a big part of that,” Bogwald said. “The thing I liked was that it highlighted a lot of the stuff that locals take for granted that are world class. A lot of the natural beauty.”

Despite the successes of a unique and bold 2016 campaign, Tourism Nanaimo is no more. The city cut funding and laid off staff at the end of January. Tourism Vancouver Island is handling destination marketing services until a new model for the service can be created.

McIntyre said it’s a critical time to ensure the momentum created continues.

“We need to continue to work with this new image, this new brand we’ve created for Nanaimo. The promotion of these natural gems, these treasures, are what is growing Nanaimo’s tourism economy,” McIntyre said.

Chemisty’s October bulletin expressed a similar sentiment. “Nanaimo’s tourism sector seems to be on a roll and it’s hoped that tourism promotion and marketing momentum will be maintained given the recent announcement that the community is changing how tourism marketing services are delivered.”

“Nanaimo has been positioned as an end of the road, not just a spot along the way,” McIntyre said.

dominic.abassi@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @domabassi