VANCOUVER, Nov. 10 /CNW/ - In just two short years, Canada has jumped from the world’s 12th most respected country brand to No. 2. The ranking comes from the Country Brand Index by FutureBrand of New York, NY. The Canadian Tourism Commission (CTC) will be present at the official announcement tomorrow in London, England at the World Travel Market (WTM), one of the world’s largest travel, trade and media showcases. FutureBrand ranked Canada No. 12 in 2006; last year, No. 6; and for 2008, Canada hit No. 2, while Australia took the top spot. “It’s proof the ‘Canada. Keep exploring’ tourism brand, developed four years ago in collaboration with Canada’s tourism sector, is sound, solid and working,” said Michele McKenzie, CTC president and CEO. The FutureBrand ranking comes on the heels of other significant brand recognition - the influential Lonely Planet guide book publisher recently named Canada one of the Top 10 Countries for 2009, describing it as a place of “life-changing experiences, festivals and events, and cosmopolitan, cultured and foodie-filled cities.” The CTC is at this week’s WTM to roll out its 2009 global marketing strategy, which focuses on inspiring travellers to choose Canada as their next vacation destination. CTC is showcasing the emotion of real travellers having profound personal Canadian travel experiences, and is bringing these to life in its first-ever global TV and internet campaign. The centerpiece is a series of video clips shot by actual visitors to Canada. Great moments include an adventure-seeker “ziplining” above a raging creek in Whistler, BC-home to several events during the Vancouver 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games, and awestruck nature lovers watching a collapsing iceberg off Newfoundland. The CTC has started airing the 15-second clips as broadcast TV spots and online videos in selected markets. The videos are designed to “create a movie about Canada” in the viewers’ minds. “This new strategy captures the spirit of the Canadian travel experience-it’s personal, engaging and informal, and it’s at the heart of our tourism brand,” McKenzie said. The Canadian tourism industry will be the greatest beneficiary of the Vancouver 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games when more than 3 billion viewers around the world tune in. With a $26 million federal investment, the CTC is leveraging the international exposure to drive tourism to Canada through innovative strategies such as this 2009 campaign. Said McKenzie: “Exposure like this comes only once in a lifetime; collectively with our tourism industry, we will take Canada from cold to cool-and show the world that this is where great stories happen, and the time to visit is now.”

August 29, 2008

The Village of Pemberton is being flooded with positive feedback about its now world famous music festival.

Pemberton hosted an online survey during various stages of the festival and asked respondents to identify how it affected them before, during and after the event that drew an estimated 40,000 people to Pemberton.

The survey, which took festival feedback between July 6 and Aug. 7, drew over 100 responses that ranged anywhere from outright thanks to complaints about traffic congestion that kept people on the road between Whistler and Pemberton for three hours.

One respondent suggested using a train to take people to and from the festival if it happens next year, while another said the event “woke up this sleepy little one-horse town of ours” and put it on the map.

Yet another respondent, however, heaped shame on the Pemberton Chamber of Commerce for “selling out to Live Nation for the money.”

But despite some negative feedback, Chamber President Paul Selina, a staunch proponent of the festival, said he has been “overwhelmed” by the amount of positive comments he’s received about the festival.

“The majority of the community have really embraced the festival and got behind the concept of it returning,” he said. “It has actually been more successful than we could have imagined.”

Selina said the flurry of positive feedback for the festival could be a factor in convincing the Agricultural Land Commission (ALC) to allow the event on the same site next year.

The ALC only approved the festival site, which took place on lands falling within the Agricultural Land Reserve, for non-farm use for a single year.

The ALC cited concerns that having an annual festival on the property could debilitate “some of the best agricultural land in the province.”

“I really do feel… we’re actually all on the same page,” Selina said of the ALC’s decision. “I think there’s a little posturing going on and I think that can be overcome with some decent dialogue.”

Mayor Jordan Sturdy was also surprised at the amount of positive feedback about the festival.

“The feedback has been overwhelmingly positive,” he said. “I find that fascinating, because generally speaking my experience with feedback has been that… the naysayers are more than happy to provide feedback, and the supporters are hard-pressed to provide feedback.

“That suggests to me that there’s real support there. Otherwise, why would people bother to say this is a good thing?”

Though Sturdy was surprised at the amount of positive feedback, he wasn’t surprised at all that people had good things to say about the festival.

“By experiencing the festival, I felt that the feedback was going to be positive,” he said. “That was my experience, and that was my experience talking to people.”

A public meeting on the impacts of the Pemberton Festival is scheduled for Sept. 18 at 7 p.m. at the Pemberton Community Centre. Anyone interested in commenting on the festival is encouraged to attend.

“We recognized that changes needed to be made, but they had to be ones that truly made a difference for all stakeholders involved,” explained John O’Neill, president of O’Neill Hotels & Resorts Ltd.  “We’ve spent many, many months candidly discussing what would work to make owning and/or buying a unit the right investment for all involved, so the changes that have been made to the terms of agreement are not just a collaboration of input between owners and ourselves, but also the franchise division of Westin Hotels.”  O’Neill also stated that an investment partnership, of which they are a part, has also recently purchased a substantial number of hotel suites in the Westin, which will further align them with the other owners.

In addition to this new management agreement the interests of all stakeholders will be further enhanced with the planned multi-million hotel refurbishment program for the 8-year old resort hotel, which is to begin in spring 2009. Acknowledging the importance of this new management agreement and the need for the changes to be win-win for all, Starwood Hotels & Resorts, franchise operators of Westin Hotels & Resorts worldwide, will be contributing $1 million to the refurbishment program.

“We’re very pleased with the changes to the terms of the new agreement for current and prospective condo owners at the Westin,” said Colin Yip, president of the Strata Corporation at The Westin Resort & Spa. “For several years the owners have attempted to renegotiate several aspects of the hotel management agreement and it has finally come to fruition. The key to the new deal was changing the contract from a gross revenue focus to a shared net income focus which will result in more money in owners’ pockets. With the winter Olympic games just under two years away, the opportunities of a better bottom line can be more optimistically realized with these welcomed changes.”

Opened April 3, 2000 and twice-named the #1 ski resort hotel in North America by Condé Nast Traveler, The Westin Resort & Spa has just recently been awarded the Four Diamond-designate from AAA/CAA for the eighth consecutive year.  As well, the Westin has been given the nod by AWARE with its Whistler Environment Business Award and the Hotel Association of Canada’s Three-Green Key eco-award, which recognizes the numerous green-friendly initiatives in place at the hotel.

For more information contact:

John O’Neill, President, O’Neill Hotels & Resorts Ltd. – 604.633.2850

Colin Yip, President, Strata Corporation – Contact Judy Ursulan – 604.935.4302

Rocky Mountain Resort Comparison Sales Statistics

Rare 2.5 bedroom townhome in Forest Park! Improvements include a sun room, finished deck and storage shed, new fridge and stove and hot water tank. Economical and energy efficient pellet stove helps keep the house warm! Walk the Valley Trail to the Creekside Gondola and Dusty’s. Perfect starter home or weekend retreat!

Super 5 bedroom mountain view home, bright & sunny, located a 5 minute walk to the Village in prestigious Whistler Cay Heights. Island kitchen with granite and new appliances, maple floors, family room with fireplace, and games/theatre room with wet bar. (Games room over Garage is non-conforming space). Huge fenced yard & deck, and bright 1 bedroom suite.

Fabulous 3 bedroom, 3 1/2 bath townhome with a private garage and hot tub walking distance to Whistler Village! The views of Whistler and Blackcomb Mountains are superb! Beautifully appointed with granite and stainless kitchen, heated slate bathrooms and vaulted ceiling in the living room. Here is your opportunity to buy a whole ownership or choose who you will share with-either quarter ownership or half ownership. Nightly rentals allowed. Monthly maintenance fees include everything-property taxes, hydro, and strata fees.