Francophone Tourism Toolkit for RTOs:
Francophone Markets
and Best Practices
Table of Contents
A MESSAGE FROM THE EXECUTIVE
DIRECTOR
2
KEY FRANCOPHONE MARKETS
FOR ONTARIO
3
KEY FRANCOPHONE MARKET: QUEBEC
4
Quebec travel to Ontario
The Quebec market
Quebec and other tourism markets
Visitation rates by market
Demographic weight and visitation rates
Survey of the demographic profile of
Direction Ontario’s clientele
Services in French
Québec Segmentation
Connaisseurs québécois
Familles rustiques
Jeunes voyageurs
4
4
5
5
6
KEY FRANCOPHONE MARKET:
FRANCOPHONE ONTARIO
Overview of the Francophone community
in Ontario
The French Language Services Act in Ontario
Francophone Ontario Segmentation
Sportifs des banlieues
Camping et pique-nique
Retraités en détente
Comparing Francophone groups from
Quebec and Ontario
KEY FRANCOPHONE MARKET: FRANCE
France market at a glance
Visitor characteristics
Leisure travel characteristics
Travel motivators
Travellers’ composition
Travellers’ activities while abroad
Planning long trips
S.W.O.T. analysis
Product strengths and weaknesses
6
13
16
17
20
23
26
26
27
28
29
32
35
38
40
40
41
41
42
42
42
45
46
47
ONTARIO’S BEST PRACTICES IN THE
FRANCOPHONE MARKETS
48
BEST PRACTICES: SERVICES
49
French Services Awareness Campaign
Free French classes for staff
Bilingual front-line staff
Translating multimedia material
Mobilizing a community to embrace
French language services
French Services Rating System
BEST PRACTICES:
PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT
Bike Train Initiative
Developing and marketing itineraries for
Francophone markets
Incorporating French culture into local events
Making experiences more accessible to
Francophone tourists
BEST PRACTICES: MARKETING
French language marketing campaign in
Quebec and Ontario
Adapting the product to answer the needs of
the market
Long-standing professional translation
relationship
Making Francophone travellers feel at home
French URL and website targeting
Francophones
Promote Ontario in French while developing
promotional tools that meet the needs of
the targeted Francophone markets
49
50
50
50
50
51
52
53
54
55
55
57
57
58
58
59
59
60
APPENDIX A
Visitors to Ontario in 2008 by origin and
by travel region
62
APPENDIX B
French Services Rating – National
Evaluation Scale
63
SOURCES/ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
64
CONCLUSION
66
ABOUT DIRECTION ONTARIO
66
A message from the Executive Director
As the Province of Ontario works with the tourism industry to implement the new Regional Tourism
Organizations (RTOs) across the province, Direction Ontario is pleased to support both the Ministry of
Tourism and the Regional Tourism Organizations in the development of Francophone markets. As a first
initiative in this effort, Direction Ontario has collected and organized extensive market intelligence on the
three major Francophone markets. The information has been compiled in this comprehensive “Francophone
Tourism Toolkit for RTOs: Francophone Markets and Best Practices”.
This toolkit will provide each tourism region with knowledge and information to guide their initiatives in
relation to the three major Francophone markets: Quebec, Francophone Ontario and France.
The first part of the toolkit identifies the three major Francophone markets available to Ontario’s RTOs,
its customers’ interests and preferences, and the tourism products that cater to those Francophone market
segments.
The second part of the toolkit identifies opportunities within the Francophone markets and highlights a
number of Ontario’s best practices which have been developed and successfully used in these markets.
It is our hope that this toolkit will help you better understand the potential of these markets and support you
in marketing your region to these markets. Direction Ontario believes that we can continue to assist you in
your efforts to attract these markets. We will be following up with each RTO to customize our knowledge
sharing and propose other support activities that we can pursue together in order to help position you in these
markets.
You will certainly want to share key elements of this toolkit with your tourism operators and relevant product
development and marketing committees. Additional copies of the Francophone Tourism Toolkit for RTOs
are available in PDF version.
I look forward to the opportunity to meet with you to pursue common initiatives and to build a strong
partnership with you and your RTO.
Yours truly,
Louise Lacroix
Executive Director
Direction Ontario
2
KEY FRANCOPHONE MARKETS FOR ONTARIO
Who are the Francophone markets?
This document will enhance each RTO’s ability to better understand and serve Francophone visitors.
These visitors are important to Ontario’s tourism industry; as such, we need to ensure we are providing
appropriate quality services and products that appeal to this market. This document will identify the
Francophone markets available to Ontario’s RTOs, an overview of those markets’ consumer interests and
examples of tourism products that cater to those markets.
“Ontario should market its destinations and experiences by strengthening
our appeal to French-speaking markets…”*
In order to create part one of this toolkit, Direction Ontario has referenced some of its earlier market
studies and reports. Every two years, Direction Ontario conducts a survey among the Francophone
clientele that uses its services to plan their trip to Ontario. Direction Ontario’s latest market studies
include Quebec travel to Ontario in 2008 and Quebec travel to Northern Ontario in 2009.
In addition, we will also reference the most recent market studies undertaken by the Ontario Tourism
Marketing Partnership Corporation, the Ontario Ministry of Tourism and Culture, the Canadian Tourism
Commission and the Tourism Network Intelligence.
Based on the findings and our analysis, Direction Ontario has identified three key Francophone
markets for tourism in Ontario:
1.
2.
3.
Quebec
Francophone Ontario
France
The second part of the toolkit highlights a number of Ontario’s best practices which have been
developed and successfully implemented in Francophone markets. We have grouped our examples in
three separate categories, though in many cases the initiatives could easily apply to more than one
category. Categories include: Services, Product Development and Marketing.
* Greg Sorbara, Ontario Tourism Competitiveness Study.
3
NO. 1 KEY FRANCOPHONE MARKET: QUEBEC
Quebec Travel to Ontario
For the first analysis of the Quebec market, we will refer to the Market Study of Direction Ontario’s Tourism
Clientele, Summer 2008 compiled by Boréale Fusion Consultation. The purpose of the market study was to present
general data about Québécois tourism activities in comparison with other markets; to evaluate the current and
potential importance of the Québécois market for Ontario’s tourism industry in comparison with other markets; to
better understand the consumer habits of Québécois tourists who are interested in travelling to Ontario; and to
evaluate the scope of Direction Ontario’s 2008 Francophone travel guide, L’Ontario en français.
The first study analysed data from the Survey of the 2008 summer tourist season (hereafter called “survey”), which was
conducted in January 2009 among 315 clients of Francophone tourism organization Direction Ontario.
“Quebec,
according to
Competitiveness
Study research,
holds the largest
untapped pool
of potential
Canadian visitors
to Ontario.”*
The survey data paint a picture of Direction Ontario’s clientele, specifically those tourists who contacted the
organization by email or by phone to receive a copy of the tourism guide and who used it to travel to Ontario. The
survey does not attempt to portray the entire profile of Québécois tourists who visit Ontario, as a large number of
them visit Ontario without a tourism guide. This latter clientele tends to have shorter stays than Direction
Ontario’s target clientele and, consequently, reflect different consumer habits.
The Quebec market, in figures
With a population of over 7.5 million people, Quebec is the second most populated province after Ontario and home
to nearly a quarter of Canada’s population. Quebec sets itself apart by the linguistic makeup of its inhabitants:
French is the mother tongue of four out of five Québécois, and one out of two Québécois can communicate only
in French.
In 2007, Québécois tourists visited Ontario 3.1 million times. According to the Ontario Ministry of Tourism, the
purpose of the trips can be broken down as follows: 1 million for leisure, 1.49 million to visit relatives or friends,
465,000 for business and 175,000 for personal reasons. Stays of one or more nights accounted for 1.9 million of
these trips. Québécois travellers spent $637 million in Ontario, broken down as follows: $456 million on overnight
stays (one or more nights) and $180 million on same-day visits.1
The Quebec market
Total population
French, mother tongue
Knowledge of French
Populationi
Total Visits
(000s)
Total Overnight
Visits (000s)
Total Expenses
7,546,131
5,920,995
7,028,740
3,144
2,503a
2,972a
1,896
1,510a
1,792a
637,000ii
507,225a
601,175a
Expenses
(one or more
nights)
456,000ii
363,100
430,354a
Sources: i) Statistics Canada, “Quebec (province)” in 2006 Community Profiles, [www12.statcan.gc.ca]
(consulted August 7, 2009);
ii) Ontario Ministry of Tourism, Ontario’s Domestic Travel Markets, 2007.
Notes:
4
a) Estimate by crossing the total number of Québécois visits to Ontario in 2007 and the demographic
weight.
*Discovering Ontario: A report on the future of tourism.
1 Ontario’s Domestic Travel Markets, 2007, Ontario Ministry of Tourism.
Quebec
Quebec is mainly a French-speaking market, but it would be a mistake to think that all Québécois
visitors are Francophones or Francophiles. A portion of Quebec’s population does not speak French and would
therefore not be influenced by French marketing campaigns, a point which deserves to be emphasized. Francophones
account for 78.6% of Quebec’s population, allophones 12.6%, and pure Anglophones 7.8%. The vast majority of
Québécois (93.1%) speak French.2 The table above presents an estimate of the tourist traffic in Ontario, based on
the Québécois demographic. It is merely an estimate, since the Ontario Ministry of Tourism does not compile
statistics on Québécois tourist traffic based on language.
Quebec and other tourism markets, in figures
In 2007, Ontarians were the main consumers of tourism products in Ontario. Quebec represents Ontario’s largest
outer-provincial Canadian market, accounting for 3.59% of Canada’s total tourist clientele (both same-day visits and
overnight stays) or 64.79% of the Canadian clientele outside of Ontario. The economic contribution of the
Québécois clientele is greater than that of the main American and overseas markets in terms of expenses with
overnight stays. According to available statistics, residents of New York and Michigan are more likely to stay
in Ontario for less than 24 hours compared to Québécois. This difference may be explained by the fact that
Statistics Canada does not provide the same definition for “person-visits” for foreign and Canadian travellers.
Regarding trips taken by Canadians, a trip is defined as the following:
travel to a Canadian destination at least 80 km one-way from home for any reason except: travel to and
from work or school (i.e., commuting); one-way travel involving a change of residence; travel of operating
crew members of buses, airplanes, boats, etc.; travel in an ambulance to a hospital or clinic; trips that did
not originate in Canada; trips longer than a year.3
For international trips, the distance travelled is not taken into account.4 Thus, trips from Detroit to Windsor, two
neighbouring cities, are counted but not those from Gatineau to Ottawa.
Visitation rates by market
Canadian visitors
Ontario
Quebec
Elsewhere in Canada
American visitors
New York
Michigan
Ohio
Overseas visitors
United Kingdom
Japan
France
Number of
Person Visits
Number of
Overnight
Person Visits
Visitor Spending
($)
Spending by
Overnight
Visitors ($)
87,531
82,679
3,144
1,708
15,063
4,485
4,744
869
2,195
419
150
124
34,444
30,928
1,896
1,620
6,566
1,254
1,233
581
1,971
395
132
107
14,855,000
13,160,000
637,000
1,058
3,494,778
570,277
659,612
245,836
2,643,614
493,211
188,235
112,671
7,391,943
5,891,785
456,000
1,044,158
2,890,467
368,830
398,224
219,783
2,546,876
481,544
181,103
107,177
Source: Ontario Ministry of Tourism, Historical Statistics,
[http://www.tourism.gov.on.ca/english/research/trends/index.html], (consulted August 3, 2009).
According to the Canadian Census of Population. See: Statistics Canada, “Quebec (province)” in 2006 Community Profiles,
[www12.statcan.gc.ca] (consulted August 7, 2009).
3 Statistics Canada, Canadian Travel Survey – Domestic Travel, 2004, Minister of Industry, 2006, p. 62.
4 Statistics Canada, International Travel – 2007, Minister of Industry, 2008, p. 65-69.
2
5
Quebec’s population is smaller than that of New York, Michigan and Ohio, but the tourist traffic from Quebec has
a higher visitation rate than the New York and Ohio markets. Regarding overnight stays in Ontario, the visitation
rate of Québécois is higher than that of Michigan. Francophone travellers from Quebec are also more likely to stay
overnight in Ontario compared with the main American markets.
Demographic weight and visitation rates, Ontario’s main markets
Quebec
New York
Michigan
Ohio
Population
Visitation Rates
7,750,504i
19,449,297ii
10,003,422ii
11,485,910ii
0.41
0.23
0.47
0.08
Visitation Rates
(one or more nights)
0.24
0.06
0.12
0.05
Sources: i) Statistics Canada, Quarterly Demographic Estimates (April 2009), [www.statcan.gc.ca],
(consulted August 6, 2009) and
ii) U.S. Census Bureau, “New York,” “Michigan” and “Ohio,” [quickfacts.census.gov], (consulted August 6, 2009).
Montréal’s geographic proximity could explain the high propensity of this market to visit Ontario. After Detroit,
Montréal is the closest large metropolitan market to Toronto. It is also closer to Ottawa than the other markets
listed. These data lead to the conclusion that the Quebec and American markets visit Ontario’s two capital cities
during their trips to Ontario, which is not always the case. For lack of more information on the entry of these
markets into Ontario, these data are listed for information only since we know that Toronto and Ottawa are the
province’s major tourist attraction hubs.
Survey of the demographic profile of Direction Ontario’s clientele
Age groups
The following chart indicates that in 2008, Direction Ontario’s main clientele was comprised of the 45-64 age
group. This group corresponds to the baby-boomers described by the Tourism Intelligence Network. In 2006, the
45-64 age group represented 37.5% of Quebec’s adult population aged 20 years and over, with a population of
159,335.5 The 20-44 age group is a larger cohort and makes up 43.9% of the adult population or 179,880 residents.
The 65 years and older age group comes in third place with 18.6% of the adult population or 82,865 residents.6
Another important source of information on the Québécois tourism
consumer is the Tourism Intelligence Network (Réseau de veille en tourisme).
The Network locates, gathers, analyzes and distributes
value-added information to enhance the Quebec tourism industry’s
competitiveness and helps its decision-makers develop forward-looking
strategies. The information is gathered from a variety of sources: databases,
surveys, reports, specialized magazines, conferences, etc.
In addition, the Network periodically calls on the expertise of recognized
experts and contributors from various fields of tourism.
5
6
6
Data on residents aged 18 and 19 years have been aggregated by Statistics Canada within the 15-19 age group and could not
be considered in this report.
Statistics Canada, “Quebec (province)” in 2006 Community Profiles, [www12.statcan.gc.ca] (consulted August 7, 2009).
Quebec
Direction Ontario’s clientele and the Québécois demographic, by age group
70
60
50
Direction Ontario’s
clientele*
40
Québécois demographic**
30
20
10
0
18-44 age group*
45-64 age group
65 years and older
* As market share for Direction Ontario’s clientele and as a percentage of the population 20 years and older
for Québécois demographic data
** 20-44 age group for statistics on Québécois demographics
Sources: Statistics Canada and results of the survey of Québécois tourists, 2008 edition.
The above chart shows that the 45-64 age group visits Ontario the most, despite the fact that it is smaller in number
than the 18-44 age group. The weight of this demographic factor being equal, the residents of the 45-64 age group
are three times more interested in Ontario than the 18-44 age group. Residents 65 years and older are slightly more
inclined to visit than the 18-44 age group. Considering its demographic weight and interest in Ontario, the
45-64 age group is without question the easiest group to reach.
Group characteristics
Direction Ontario’s main client base is comprised of couples and families across all age groups. Families represent
39.4% of its clientele, followed by people travelling as a couple (35.6%) and with friends (22.2%). Respondents who
claimed to have travelled alone or as another type of visit represent 1.1% and 1.7% of the clientele respectively.
As a family
With friends
Alone
Other
As a couple
7
Group characteristics, by respondents’ age group (in percentage)
18-44 years
45-64 years
65 years +
As a family
13.3
23.2
1.1
As a couple
5
27.1
8.3
With friends
2.2
13.3
3.9
Alone
0
1.1
0
Other
0
0.6
0.6
Although families have been in large Direction Ontario’s largest clientele, by taking into account the age group
factor, couples in the 45-64 age range are the largest group of tourists who visit Ontario.
Québécois visitors to Ontario
Québécois visitors who received Direction Ontario’s guide through the directionontario.ca website or by telephone
had a high visitation rate: 57.5% of them visited Ontario after having received the guide. Among this group,
59.7% said this was their first trip to Ontario in five years. Over half (54.1%) of vacationers said they visited a new
region after receiving the tourism guide.
Motivation for visiting
The Québécois visitors surveyed were above all interested in visiting a “new region”, a reason mentioned two times
out of three for all regions. Quebec tourists in the past have spent much of their time visiting Quebec regions. They
are accustomed to visiting “regions”. Having visited most of Quebec probably more than once, they are now
seeking new “regions” to discover that are close to home. This level of interest is higher than average in Northern
Ontario and the Georgian Bay region.
The proximity of Ontario in relation to Quebec comes in second place, mentioned by 49.7% or nearly half of
vacationers. Tourism activities related to water are the third most common reason (25.4%) for travelling to Ontario.
Accommodations
In 2008, nearly half (45.9%) of Direction Ontario’s tourism clientele stayed in hotels or motels, with motorized or
trailer camping (25.4%) coming in second place; back-country camping came in third place at 10.5%. These results
destroy the myth that Quebec visitors to Ontario are primarily “campers”.
Main types of accommodations
Hotel or motel
Motorized or
trailer camping
Back-country camping
Bed & breakfast
Family & friends
Boat
8
Quebec
Number of days visited
The median stay in Ontario by Quebec tourists who received Direction Ontario’s tourism guide was seven days. The
large variation in the number of days visited in Ontario would have made the standard deviation too great and
skewed the data. To avoid presenting false conclusions, we are referring to the median stay. We also aggregated the
data to get a more accurate picture of visits to Ontario.
The following chart shows that 33.7% of vacationers visited Ontario for a period of seven to nine days. Over one
third of tourists (36%) came for a period of four to six days, 17.1% for a period of ten to twelve days and 11.6%
for a period of thirteen to fifteen days. Few of Direction Ontario’s clients came for sixteen days or more (5%) or for
a period of one to three days (6.6%). Direction Ontario’s clients stay longer in Ontario than the average Québécois
tourist: in 2007, Québécois stayed in Ontario an average of 2.9 days. This statistic excludes Québécois travellers who
come to Ontario for trips of less than one day.7
Number of days visited, aggregated data
1 to 3
4 to 6
7 to 9
10 to 12
13 to 15
16 and over
7
Ontario Ministry of Tourism, “Table 5: Person Nights spent by Canadian Travellers in Ontario and Avg. Length of Stay, 2007”
in “Ontario’s Domestics Travel Markets, 2007”,
[http://www.tourism.gov.on.ca/english/research/cdn_intl_travel/domestic_travel_markets_2007.htm] (consulted on August 23, 2009).
9
Activities
The activities people choose to do in Ontario vary from one region to another. Overall, two thirds of visitors or more
enjoy walking/hiking (71.3%), shopping (64.6%) and visiting historical sites and museums (63%) throughout Ontario.
Types of activities
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
Walking
Historical sites
and museums
Shopping
Boating
Nature
Amusement
parks
French and
Circuit
Champlain
Beaches
Other
ACCORDING TO THE TOURISM INTELLIGENCE NETWORK:
3.3 million Québécois or nearly half of the population aged 12 and older (48.6%) travelled for pleasure in Canada
at least once during the 12 months which preceded the 2009 survey. Among these vacationers, 74% travelled to
Quebec, 30% to Ontario and 5% to New Brunswick.
Some activities in which Québécois tourists took part during their trip were very popular among travellers.
Shopping was the number one activity, but one quarter of respondents chose to spend time at the beach. In
comparing surveys conducted in 2003 and 2009, we see many activities on the rise: shopping, sports activities,
participation in cultural events, hunting or fishing, downhill skiing or snowboarding, sports events and golf.8
Did you know?
• From 2003 to 2009, the number of Québécois who visited a spa at least once
jumped from 213,000 to 703,000, a 230% increase.*
• From 2003 to 2009, yoga increased by 174% (from 2% to 6% of the Québécois
population).*
• Bicycling is not only popular and on the rise, but the index in Quebec is 148, well
above the Canadian average. Of the 36% of the population who cycled in 2009,
nearly 16% practised this sport 10 times or more.*
• Attendance at certain types of attractions or cultural events increased for all except
classical music concerts and opera. More than one Québécois in five went to the
theatre at least once according to the 2009 survey, a 17% increase versus 2003.
Museums and art galleries also saw higher attendance (20% and 36% respectively).*
Réseau de veille en tourisme, « Activités, attraits et événements favoris des Québécois », November 13, 2009
[http://veilletourisme.ca/2009/11/13/activites-attraits-et-evenements-favoris-des-quebecois/].
* Réseau de veille en tourisme, « Les loisirs des Québécois », September 3, 2009
[http://veilletourisme.ca/2009/09/03/les-loisirs-des-quebecois/].
8
10
Quebec
Québécois tourism by age group
Consumer habits of the Québécois tourists described in this study are related to their age group and the people they
travel with (i.e. as a couple, as a family). The purpose of this sector analysis is to understand the habits of vacationers
by age group. The findings will be qualified, as needed, with data about the people they are travelling with.
The Tourism Intelligence Network at the Université du Québec à Montréal (UQAM) identified four demographic
segments: seniors (born in 1945 or earlier), baby-boomers (born from 1945 to 1966), generation X (born from
1967 to 1978) and generation Y (born from 1979 to 1990). These demographic segments correspond fairly closely
to the age groups used in the survey.
Motivation for visiting
The idea of discovering new regions is the main factor motivating Québécois tourists to visit Ontario, regardless of
age group. More people in the 18-44 and 45-64 age groups said that they visited Ontario for another reason than
those suggested in the survey. Among these other reasons, Niagara Falls as well as Ontario’s cleanliness and
tranquility were mentioned most often. The 65 years and older age group was less inclined to stay near water
compared to other age groups. This older group is slightly more interested in tours than the 18-44 age group, but
less interested than the 45-64 group.
Motivation by age group
70
60
50
40
18-44 age group
30
65 years and over
45-64 age group
20
10
0
Family
visit
Proximity
of Ontario
French
services
Water
Tourism
circuits
Regions
Outdoors/
sports
Other
Activities by age group
The 18-44 age group gives a high priority to activities in the great outdoors (nature). In second place, nearly 60%
of this group enjoy walking, visiting historical sites, shopping and relaxing on a beach. More than any other
demographic groups, this group enjoys taking part in outdoor activities like experiencing nature, relaxing on a
beach or boating.
The 45-64 age group prefers walking (71.4%). Like the 18-44 age group, the majority of people in this older group
also enjoy shopping, visiting historical sites and museums, and activities in the great outdoors. Boating activities,
mentioned by 33.6% of this clientele, are just as popular as amusement parks (35.8%). Activities in French and along
Circuit Champlain received equal market share at 34.5%, a significant difference compared to the 18-44 age group.
The 65 years and older group likes the same types of activities as the two other groups, namely walking (84%),
visiting historical sites and museums (76%), shopping (60%) and activities in the great outdoors (56%). Boating and
relaxing on a beach are less important for this group, who is more interested in activities in French and along Circuit
Champlain than the two other demographic segments.
11
Circuit Champlain is a tourism route developed by Direction Ontario that allows
tourists to discover 1,500 km of the world’s most extraordinary freshwater seas,
breathtaking natural beauty and Ontario’s distinct and vibrant culture.
Circuit Champlain follows the footsteps of the renowned French explorer Samuel de Champlain. After
founding Quebec City in 1608, this intrepid explorer tirelessly travelled Ontario from 1613 to 1615 through
many of its waterways: the Ottawa River, the Mattawa River, the French River, Georgian Bay, the Kawartha
Lakes, Lake Huron and Lake Erie. Today, nature enthusiasts continue to appreciate the beauty of this land.
Over the years, Direction Ontario has developed a variety of historical circuits and self-guided driving tours
along Circuit Champlain. Details are available in Direction Ontario’s travel guide and on its website.
Type of activities by age group
90
80
70
60
18-44 age group
50
45-64 age group
40
65 years and over
30
20
10
0
Walking
Historical
sites and
museums
Shopping
Boating
Nature
Amusement
parks
French and
Circuit
Champlain
Beaches
Other
Accommodations
The types of accommodations preferred across all age groups are hotels/motels and motorized camping. For the
45 years and older group, hotels and motels are particularly popular with a 48% share. Surprisingly, trailer camping is
much less prevalent among the 45-64 age group compared to the 18-44 age group and the 65 years and older
group. Families in this age group travel much less in a motorized camping vehicle than the 18-44 age group
(7.1% vs. 45.8%) and more by back-country camping (16.7% vs. 8.3%) and in hotels and motels (59.5% vs. 37.5%).
Types of accommodations by age group
60
50
40
18-44 age group
30
45-64 age group
65 years and over
20
10
0
12
Hotel or
motel
Motorized
or trailer
camping
Backcountry
camping
Bed &
Breakfast
Family &
friends
Boat
Other
Quebec
Services in French
At the time that the survey was conducted in January 2009, the majority of Direction Ontario’s Québécois clientele
considered French services to be very important, although this was rarely mentioned as a motivation for their choice
of destination. This is an interesting discrepancy: overall, 76.8% and 16.6% consider that French services are “very
important” or “important”, whereas only 4.4% stated that French services were the primary reason for visiting
Ontario. It seems that French services are valued by Québécois tourists, but that they don’t necessarily turn
towards Ontario for these services, as they are more readily available in their own province. Since
French services are favourably perceived by Québécois tourists, Ontario could attract and retain
these clients who tend to vacation more in their own province by offering more French
services.
French services are important for Québécois travellers, regardless of their comfort level
in English. It is important to note that a difference exists between Québécois who do not
speak English at all or who are at a beginner’s level and those who have an advanced or
intermediate grasp of the English language. In both cases, two thirds consider that French
services are very important, with a higher incidence among the former (91.5% vs. 67.9%).
The following chart presents aggregated data on questions about the level of fluency for oral and
written English. For example, a respondent who said he had an advanced level of spoken
English but an intermediate level of written English was classified in the “advanced/intermediate”
category.
Did you
know?
In order to make the trip
easier for them, most
French-speaking Québécois
travellers to Ontario will
plan to have someone in
their group who is
somewhat comfortable
with the English
language.
Importance of French services, according to fluency in written and oral English
100
90
80
70
60
Advanced/intermediate
50
Intermediate
40
Beginner/no knowledge of English
30
20
10
0
Very important
Important
Not very important
Not important
at all
13
Use of the French services rating scale (EFTO*)
Yes
No
Can’t remember
Don’t know
Nearly half (44.2%) of vacationers used Direction Ontario’s French services rating scale (EFTO).
Direction Ontario’s Québécois clientele appreciates French services and this is all the more true among users of the
EFTO rating scale. When asked if they wanted to receive news about Ontario’s services in French, 80.7% responded
affirmatively. Among EFTO users, this number reached 87.5%.
Interest for French services, according to use of the French services rating scale (EFTO)
90
85
80
75
70
65
EFTO users
EFTO non-users
Sum
Users of the French services rating scale tended to rely more on this tool if their English language skills were lacking.
Regardless of this observation, 48.9% of respondents who said they had advanced/intermediate level of English
used the EFTO rating scale.9 This observation leads us to conclude that the French services rating scale is useful,
even among tourists with advanced English language skills.
14
* Ontario Francophone Tourism Evaluation.
9 Note: Those respondents who could not remember if they used the rating scale or not were excluded from these results.
Quebec
Use of the French services rating scale, according to fluency in written and spoken English
56
55
54
53
52
51
50
49
48
47
46
45
Advanced/intermediate
Intermediate/beginner
Beginner/no knowledge of English
As studies show, Québécois travel more than other Canadians, but the majority choose to stay in Quebec because
they mistakenly perceive a lack of friendliness in Ontario’s attractions. A great many of them are interested in
Ontario, but they do not make the province their travel destination of choice. In fact, through its 2005 study on
Quebec tourism sponsored by FEDNOR and the OTMPC, Decima tells us that 48% of Québécois vacationers are
interested a priori in Ontario as a travel destination, but nearly half of them choose not to travel there.
The following are reasons why Québécois would rather travel in Quebec than in Ontario:
•
•
•
They are not fully aware of what Ontario has to offer;
They believe that their own province can meet all of their travel needs; and
They feel that they are poorly understood culturally and linguistically by Ontarians.10
The interest shown for travelling by Québécois sets them apart from other Canadians. They are more likely to use
guides while travelling and tourist services offered by travel destinations.11 More than any other clientele,
Québécois need to have a plan, especially when travelling in regions that do not share their mother tongue.
10
11
Quebec Tourism Consumer Research, Ontario Tourism Marketing Partnership Corporation and Industry Canada – FEDNOR/Decima,
October 19, 2006, p. 111.
During the 2007 summer season, Ontario tourist information centres noted a decline throughout the province with one
exception: tourist centres between Ottawa and Montréal saw an increase in the number of tourists. Direction Ontario does not
have access to the demographic profile of these centres’ clientele, but it estimates that the increase is due in large part to the
Québécois clientele.
15
QUEBEC SEGMENTATION
For a final analysis of the Quebec market, we will refer to the Quebec Segmentation study released by the Ontario
Tourism Marketing Partnership Corporation and Environics Analytics.
Environics Analytics gathered the following data through a segmentation system called PRIZMC2. PRIZMC2 is an
innovative consumer segmentation system that classifies all Canadians into one of 66 groups based on their
demographics, behaviours and attitudes. It is the first Canadian segmentation model to link geodemographics to
Social Values data to explain consumer behaviour. The system has been updated in January 2009 to capture the most
recent demographic, behavioural and attitudinal changes.
15 of the 66 PRIZMC2 segments are Francophone and reside predominantly in the province of Quebec. These
15 segments have been further segmented into 42 segments for more granular segmentation resulting in PRIZM QC.
The PRIZM QC segments can be used to quantify and locate but not for personification as they do not provide
statistically reliable data at this granular level. All personification is completed using the PRIZMC2 segment.
According to this methodology, there are three key segments in Quebec who have the highest potential
propensity to travel to Ontario: a) Connaisseurs québécois; b) Familles rustiques; and c) Jeunes voyageurs.
16
Quebec
a) Connaisseurs québécois
TARGET GROUP HIGHLIGHTS
• Middle-aged, large families who enjoy fun holidays with their families
• They take their families to tourist-friendly, cost-effective destinations by air with the occasional “getaway” by car
• They like to stay at hotels in fun destinations in the sun or at major American and Canadian cities
• They live in the suburbs of major cities in Quebec, including Gatineau, Boucherville, Blainville, Terrebonne
and Repentigny
• They’re big radio listeners who like news/talk, Top 40 and classic rock formats. They’ll play games, read the
paper, and research upcoming purchases on the Internet.
Top markets: Urban/suburban areas of Quebec cities - Montréal, Gatineau and Québec
DEMOGRAPHIC HIGHLIGHTS
• Middle-aged families with children under age 9
• Large household size (53% have 4+ members)
• Average HH income: $102,363 (50% above average)
• 12.6% of Quebec households (423,486)
• 14.3% of Quebec total population (1,145,191)
• 13.6% of Quebec 18+ population (855,768)
• 13.6% of Quebec 15+ population (901,174)
• 13.7% of Quebec 12+ population (944,956)
PERSONAL TRAVEL HIGHLIGHTS
• Accommodations: Hotels, motels, RV/camper and condo/apartment
• Activities/Attractions: Outdoor activities like hiking, backpacking or camping, visiting
historical sites, visiting theme parks and water parks, zoos and aquariums
• These families love to take in high culture, including evenings at the symphony and opera and curatorial
tours of museums, but they also like to kick back at the circus or a fireworks show
• On their annual camping trips, these families can be found hiking, bird-watching, kayaking and sunbathing
TRAVEL BEHAVIOURS
• Tend to be longer-range travellers with a taste for sunny climes and discount travel
• Usually travel during the summer or the winter holiday seasons
• Destinations: France, sun destinations like Cuba and the Caribbean as well as
big cities in Canada and US
Did you
know?
18% of adults in
Quebec City intend to
travel to/within Ontario
during June-August 2010
and 9% in SeptemberNovember 2010.*
* Travel Intentions Summer/Fall 2010 - TNS
17
CONSUMER PREFERENCES
TOP 5 – Arts & Culture
TOP 5 – Outdoor Activities
Performing Arts
Summer Activities
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Free outdoor concerts
Stand-up comedy shows
Live theatre
Live theatre with dinner
Rock & roll concerts
Spectator Sports
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Professional ice hockey games
Professional baseball games
Auto races
Professional football games
Professional soccer games
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Sunbathing/sitting on beach
Swimming
Hiking – same-day excursions
Freshwater fishing
Cycling – recreational
Winter Activities
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Ice skating
Skiing – downhill
Skiing – cross-country
Snowshoeing
Snowmobiling – organized trails
Theme Parks & Amusement Parks
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Amusement parks
Zoos
Aquariums
Botanical gardens
Water theme parks
Festivals & Events
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Fireworks displays
Carnivals
Exhibitions or fairs
Farmers’ markets
Music festivals
Historic Sites & Museums
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Observe urban buildings/architecture
Well-known historic sites/buildings
Other historic sites/buildings
Well-known natural wonders
General history/heritage museums
Did you
know?
6% of adults in Quebec City
intend to travel to Toronto
during June-August 2010
&
5% of adults in Quebec City
intend to travel to
Niagara Falls during
June-August 2010.*
The Connaisseurs québécois segment gathers information from a wide variety of
sources, including official sources (guides), TV ads, and direct mail.
18
* Travel Intentions Summer/Fall 2010 - TNS
Quebec
Connaisseurs québécois
These families love to take in high culture, including evenings at the symphony and opera and
curatorial tours of museums, but they also like to kick back at the circus or a fireworks show. On their
annual camping trips, these families can be found hiking, bird-watching, kayaking and sunbathing.
MEDIA SOURCES
• Television: Light to medium viewers; movies, news/current affairs, soaps, cartoons, reality and
contest shows are popular genres
• Radio: Medium-heavy listeners; news/talk, adult contemporary, mainstream and classic rock
• Newspapers: Best sections are local & regional news, national & international news, movies & entertainment
• Magazines: Best titles include Coup de pouce, L’Actualité, 7 jours, CAA Magazine, Reader’s Digest, Châtelaine (FR)
• Internet: Medium to heavy users who play online games, read online newspapers and research products
online
• Direct: Somewhat favourable opinion of flyers at door, likely to use flyers for shopping
COMMUNICATION THEMES
• Emphasize the fun factor with these consumers: they are looking for intensely pleasurable,
emotive experiences
• They have an interest in spirituality and are searching for meaning in their lives
• They like to experience and reflect upon the cultural differences they come across in their travels
• They are sceptical of both big and small business and look to the government as a source of
information they can trust
CREATIVE MESSAGING
• Middle-aged families with children of all ages living in the suburbs; family is an important factor
for them
• Physical beauty and attention to detail are important for ads and mailers; images of attractive,
professional families appeal to them
• They like to be on the leading edge with new and exciting products and like to be looked upon as
having all the latest by their peers
These families
are less likely
than the
average
Ontarian
to make
their travel
reservations
online.
TOUCH POINTS
• Radio ads on news/talk, adult contemporary and classic rock stations
• Online ads on newspapers and search-related ads (e.g. Google ads)
• Flyers and catalogues delivered to the door – they are typically responsive to all forms of well-designed
direct mail
SOCIAL VALUES & TRAVEL MOTIVATIONS
These families are on a constant journey to create more meaning in their lives. They are strong believers in Social
Darwinism and experience a sense of urgency to get ahead in life, with little desire to step back, reprioritize work
or money, and lead a simpler existence. Still, these families often find themselves pursuing pleasure and happiness
with little regard to their duties, which often finds them purchasing beautiful clothing and housewares and
indulging in delicious food and wine. They love being the first to try new things, and they’ll often tell everyone
they know about a great new product or restaurant, or a wonderful place to go on vacation. They often enjoy
opportunities to step out of their comfort zones – trying a new ethnic cuisine or visiting a new city for a few days
– although these experiences often leave them feeling sure that nothing is quite as special as the familiarity and
comfort of home.
19
b) Familles rustiques
TARGET GROUP HIGHLIGHTS
• These middle-aged families enjoy the outdoors with friends and extended family
• They will drive to campsites throughout Quebec, Northern Ontario or the American Northeast,
and occasionally fly with a package deal
• They tend to travel according to their kids’ school calendar: primarily in the summer, and
occasionally to a sun destination in the winter
• They are found outside of large and small Quebec cities such as Saguenay, Lévis, Terrebonne and
Saint-Jérôme
• They are heavy TV viewers and like to watch movies, news, documentaries and game shows
Top markets: Near small cities – Saguenay, Lévis and Terrebonne
DEMOGRAPHIC HIGHLIGHTS
• Middle-aged families with children of all ages
• Large household size (39% have 3+ members)
• Average HH income: $69,074 (average)
• 30.2% of Quebec households (1,017,517)
• 30.9% of Quebec total population (2,467,720)
• 31.1% of Quebec 18+ population (1,962,347)
• 31.1% of Quebec 15+ population (2,058,748)
• 31.1% of Quebec 12+ population (2,139,971)
PERSONAL TRAVEL HIGHLIGHTS
• Accommodations: RV or camping, motels, package tours, friends/relatives
• Activities/Attractions: Carnivals, free concerts, some historical sites, zoos and water parks, cycling and ATVing
• Aside from a few kid-friendly activities like zoos, these families are less likely than the average to vacation in
urban settings
• They like vacations that give them the opportunity to use their toys, including golf packages,
snowmobile/ATV excursions, cross-country skiing or hunting
TRAVEL BEHAVIOURS
• Family-oriented travellers who like to share their time with friends and extended family. They usually travel
locally by car, RV or camper and occasionally fly on package trips.
• Destinations: Parks and campgrounds around Quebec, Ontario and the Maritimes. These families are strong
for travel to Northern Ontario.
20
Quebec
CONSUMER PREFERENCES
TOP 5 – Arts & Culture
TOP 5 – Outdoor Activities
Performing Arts
Summer Activities
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Free outdoor concerts
Stand-up comedy shows
Live theatre
Rock & roll concerts
Live theatre with dinner
Spectator Sports
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Professional ice hockey games
Auto races
Professional football games
Professional baseball games
Horse races
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Sunbathing/sitting on beach
Swimming
Freshwater fishing
Hiking – same-day excursions
Motor boating
Winter Activities
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Ice skating
Skiing – downhill
Snowshoeing
Skiing – cross-country
Snowmobiling – organized trails
Theme Parks & Amusement Parks
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Zoos
Amusement parks
Botanical gardens
Aquariums
Water theme parks
Festivals & Events
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Fireworks displays
Exhibitions or fairs
Carnivals
Farmers’ markets
Music festivals
Historic Sites & Museums
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Observe urban buildings/architecture
Well-known historic sites/buildings
Other historic sites/monuments
General history/heritage museums
Well-known natural wonders
The Familles rustiques segment is more inclined to gather travel information from
information received in the mail, the advice of friends and relatives, TV ads,
as well as some official travel guides.
21
Familles rustiques
Aside from a few kid-friendly activities like zoos, these families are less likely than the average to
vacation in urban settings. They like vacations that give them the opportunity to use their toys,
including golf packages, snowmobile/ATV excursions, cross-country skiing or hunting.
MEDIA SOURCES
• Television: Heavy viewers; movies, news/current affairs, documentaries, soaps, game shows are popular
• Radio: Light-medium listeners; adult contemporary and mainstream top 40
• Newspapers: Best sections are local and regional news, food, fashion/lifestyle, classifieds, automotive
• Magazines: 7 jours, Coup de pouce, Reader’s Digest, CAA Magazine, Châtelaine (FR)
• Internet: Light users who use instant messaging, access current news and search for specific info on the
Internet
Light Internet users
in general, these
families tend to
avoid purchasing
any part of their
trips online.
They are more
likely to be more
responsive to
information
received
in the mail.
COMMUNICATION THEMES
• Appeal to the image-conscious nature of these consumers and their need for status recognition
• They are not looking for a cultural experience: they want to visit places that feel familiar and where
the culture and language are known to them
• Emphasize the small business angle, and even relationships with their local travel agencies
CREATIVE MESSAGING
• Middle-aged families with children of all ages who like the familiar and the comfortable
• They are status-conscious and image is important to them; “keeping up with the Joneses” (or in this case,
the “Tremblays”) is important to them
• They want to be pampered on their vacations and bring back interesting stories to share about their travels
TOUCH POINTS
• TV advertisements during movies, news/current affairs, documentaries, soaps and game shows
• Newspaper ads in local/regional news, food, fashion/lifestyle or automotive sections
• Generally lighter on the Internet, but frequent news sites
• Flyers and catalogues
SOCIAL VALUES & TRAVEL MOTIVATIONS
These blue-collar families may sometimes feel a little left behind by the rapid pace of technology and the labour
market, and yearn to return to simpler times. One of the ways that they cope with this feeling of disconnection is
in a constant quest for status recognition, even among their similarly middle-class peers. They love to buy new
things – particularly toys like Skidoos and ATVs – which are on display in their yards or garages. As they see it,
these toys help them spend time outside with friends and family, and provide a steady stream of good stories to
share at the dinner table. Like many other Francophone families they too are motivated by a strong need for
pleasure and happiness, leading them to enjoy a little pampering on vacation. These families prefer to have both
big and small decisions laid out neatly for them, and can easily get turned off by ethnic diversity.
22
Quebec
c) Jeunes voyageurs
TARGET GROUP HIGHLIGHTS
• These young active singles and couples love to explore sun destinations and nearby cities
• Car trips are common, but they’ll fly off-peak to sun or international destinations a couple times
a year
• They look for deals on transportation and accommodations, but spend (sometimes extravagantly)
on activities and entertainment once they arrive
• They are found in Quebec’s larger cities, often near the universities
• The Internet is their main source for most of their news and consumer information, although they also
read sections of the daily paper at high rates
Top markets: In large cities – Longueuil, Laval, Montréal-Est, Mont-Royal
DEMOGRAPHIC HIGHLIGHTS
• Young urban downscale singles and couples
• 45% are 1 person households (48% above average); above-average
proportion of lone-parent families
• Average HH income: $53,284 (22% below average)
• 20.4% of Quebec households (687,690)
• 17.0% of Quebec total population (1,356,020)
• 17.7% of Quebec 18+ population (1,118,823)
• 17.5% of Quebec 15+ population (1,158,550)
• 17.3% of Quebec 12+ population (1,190,611)
Did you
know?
22% of adults in Montréal
intend to travel to/within
Ontario during JuneAugust 2010 and 9% in
September-November
2010.*
PERSONAL TRAVEL HIGHLIGHTS
• Accommodations: B&Bs, with friends and relatives, hotels,
and all-inclusive resorts
• Activities/Attractions: Visit historical sites, visit parks/city gardens, attend
art galleries/museums/science centres, attend music festivals
• These active young urbanites enjoy a range of activities in both the city and the countryside
• They particularly enjoy an opportunity to get outdoors, and are strong for active sports like kayaking,
hiking and skiing
TRAVEL BEHAVIOURS
• They like to go on short trips as well as the occasional escape to somewhere warm, taking in the historical
sites, galleries and music festivals
• Destinations: Popular scenic locations as well as periodic trips to sunny destinations; likely to seek out
cheaper accommodations like B&Bs or the homes of friends and relatives
* Travel Intentions Summer/Fall 2010 - TNS
23
CONSUMER PREFERENCES
TOP 5 – Arts & Culture
TOP 5 – Outdoor Activities
Performing Arts
Summer Activities
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Free outdoor concerts
Live theatre
Rock & roll concerts
Stand-up comedy shows
Classical/symphony concerts
Spectator Sports
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Professional ice hockey games
Professional baseball games
Auto races
Professional football games
Horse races
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Sunbathing/sitting on beach
Swimming in lakes
Hiking – same-day excursions
Kayaking/canoeing – freshwater
Cycling – recreational
Winter Activities
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Ice skating
Skiing – downhill
Snowshoeing
Skiing – cross-country
Snowboarding
Theme Parks & Amusement Parks
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Amusement parks
Zoos
Botanical gardens
Aquariums
Water theme parks
Festivals & Events
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Fireworks displays
Music festivals
Exhibitions or fairs
Farmers’ markets
Carnivals
Did you
know?
10% of adults in Montréal
intend to travel to Toronto
during June-August 2010
&
11% of adults in Montréal
intend to travel to Niagara
Falls during June-August
2010.*
Historic Sites & Museums
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Observe urban buildings/architecture
Other historic sites/monuments
Well-known historic sites/buildings
Well-known natural wonders
Art galleries
The Jeunes voyageurs segment is more inclined to gather travel information from
travel guidebooks and trade shows, official guides, the advice of family and
friends, and some TV ads and programs.
24
* Travel Intentions Summer/Fall 2010 - TNS
Quebec
Jeunes voyageurs
These active young urbanites enjoy a range of activities in both the city and countryside. They particularly
enjoy an opportunity to get outdoors, and are strong for active sports like kayaking, hiking and skiing.
MEDIA SOURCES
• Television: Light viewers; documentaries, mini-series, soaps and talk shows are popular genres
• Radio: Medium-heavy listeners; news/talk and classical/fine arts stations
• Newspapers: Best sections are international news, movies & entertainment, business & financial,
editorials and food
• Magazines: Best titles include L’Actualité, Coup de pouce, Châtelaine (FR)
• Internet: Medium-heavy users who use instant messaging, research products online, and download music files
• Direct: Very unfavourable opinion of flyers received at door; most likely not to use flyers or coupons for
shopping
COMMUNICATION THEMES
• They are open-minded, and an emphasis on cultural activities and exposure to different cultures and
new ideas will appeal to them
• Their own roots are important to them, and they like opportunities to learn more about their own
cultural history
• Flexibility and creativity resonate strongly with this group, so the ability to choose their own path will be
important to them
CREATIVE MESSAGING
• Young urban singles and couples who are looking to explore and experience new things, especially in
situations that allow for social interaction
• Emphasize brands and destinations that allow them to explore Francophone history outside Quebec in an
interactive manner
• Ethical companies and services, especially where the environment is concerned, will usually be their first choice
• Seek thrills and emotional stimulation
Despite their
generally
strong
Internet use,
this group
is not as likely
to purchase
travel online.
TOUCH POINTS
• Online communications
• Radio ads on news/talk and classical/fine arts stations
• Newspaper ads in international news, entertainment, business and food sections
• Not receptive to direct marketing
SOCIAL VALUES & TRAVEL MOTIVATIONS
These young individualists savour every opportunity to learn from others and express their personal creativity. They
are particularly interested in learning about their own cultural heritage and exploring Francophone culture outside
of Quebec, whether in Ontario and the Maritimes or elsewhere in Le Monde Francophone. They like to be the first to
try new things, and are particularly interested in “authentic” cultural travel experiences that enhance their
perspectives on life and provide lots of stories to share with their friends. Concern for the environment is particularly
strong among members of this group, and they will go out of their way to buy products and services that are
produced in an ethical, environmentally friendly manner. When it comes to travel, this group wants to have it all,
but on a budget: they’ll spend freely on activities but usually stay where they can get a discount.
Conclusion Quebec
The Quebec market is totally under-explored for many of Ontario’s RTOs and there are many opportunities for the
whole province to increase its share of that market. It is important to note that Ontario has everything it takes to
attract Quebec tourists: our products, the province’s geographical proximity and its ability to meet the needs of this
clientele, coupled with the fact that Québécois are looking for new close-by destinations and have rarely visited
Ontario, are all competitive advantages for Ontario compared to other destinations.
25
NO. 2 KEY FRANCOPHONE MARKET:
FRANCOPHONE ONTARIO
Overview of the Francophone community in Ontario*
According to Statistics Canada 2006 census, Ontario’s Francophone community numbers 582,690, i.e. 4.8% of
the province’s total population. It represents the largest Francophone market in Canada outside Quebec.
The distribution of the Francophone population in Ontario is as follows: 41.5% of Francophones live in Eastern
Ontario; 28.7% live in Central Ontario; 22.5% live in Northeastern Ontario; 5.9% live in Southwestern Ontario;
and 1.4% live in Northwestern Ontario.
Ontario’s Francophone Population – Regions
One in four
residents of
Northeastern
Ontario is
Francophone
(24%)*
Region
Ontario
East
Francophones
Total
Population
582,695
242,055
12,028,900
1,578,960
Francophones in
Total Population
%
4.8
15.3
167,235
8,158,825
2.0
34,390
1,514,140
2.3
130,825
544,600
24.0
8,190
232,370
3.5
– RTOs: 9, 10, 11
Central
– RTOs: 2, 3, 5, 6, 8
(Some 1, 4, 7, 11, 12)
Southwest
– RTOs: 1, 4, 7
Northeast
– RTOs: 12, 13a, 13b
Northwest
– RTOs: 13c
Source: Statistics Canada, Census of Population, 2006
One in six residents of Eastern Ontario is Francophone (15.3%)*
26
* Office of Francophone Affairs, “Demographics” [http://www.ontario.ca/en/communities/francophones/profile/ONT05_024276].
Ontario
The French Language Services Act in Ontario1 (FLSA)
In accordance with Ontario’s French Language Services Act, the provincial government must provide services in
French in its offices located in designated areas of the province. There are currently 25 designated areas under the
FLSA. For an area to obtain designation under the Act, Francophones much make up at least 10% of its population;
urban centres must have at least 5,000 Francophones.
Designated areas:
RTO 1
•
•
•
County of Essex: City of Windsor;
Towns of Belle River and Tecumseh: Townships
of Anderdon, Colchester North, Maidstone, Sandwich South, Sandwich West, Tilbury North,
Tilbury West and Rochester
County of Kent: Town of Tilbury; Townships of
Dover and Tilbury East
County of Middlesex: City of London
RTO 2
•
Regional Municipality of Niagara: Cities of
Port Colborne and Welland
RTO 3
•
City of Hamilton: all
RTO 5
•
•
City of Toronto: all
Regional Municipality of Peel: City of
Mississauga, City of Brampton
RTO 7
•
County of Simcoe: Town of Penetanguishene;
Townships of Tiny and Essa
RTO 9
•
•
•
•
RTO 10
•
•
•
City of Ottawa: all
County of Prescott: all
County of Russell: all
RTO 11
•
County of Renfrew: City of Pembroke;
Townships of Stafford and Westmeath
RTO 13a
•
•
•
•
•
•
City of Greater Sudbury: all
District of Cochrane: all
District of Nipissing: all
District of Sudbury: all
District of Timiskaming: all
District of Parry Sound: Municipality of
Callander
RTO 13b
•
District of Algoma: all
RTO 13c
•
•
District of Kenora: Township of Ignace
District of Thunder Bay: Towns of Geraldton,
Longlac and Marathon; Townships of
Manitouwadge, Beardmore, Nakina and
Terrace Bay
County of Dundas: Township of Winchester
County of Glengarry: all
County of Stormont: all
County of Frontenac: City of Kingston
Though the French Language Services Act does not apply to RTOs, it is important to be aware of the presence of
large numbers of Francophones in each RTO area in order to provide services and information that would either:
motivate Francophones to stay in your own region; or assist you in developing appropriate and relevant marketing
tactics if targeting another region in Ontario to visit your region.
1
Office of Francophone Affairs, “French Language Services Act, Map of Designated Areas”
[http://www.ofa.gov.on.ca/en/flsa-mapdesig.html].
27
FRANCOPHONE ONTARIO SEGMENTATION
There is very little analytical research on the Francophone Ontarian traveller but we know, anecdotally, that
similarly to their Quebec cousins, they are very receptive to Francophone products and are very interested
generally in “experiencing” their own province. They respond well to Francophone marketing initiatives and there
are a number of synergies that apply to both product development and marketing initiatives for both
markets of Ontario.
The only piece of tourism research that we are aware of on the Francophone traveller from Ontario is the Ontario
Francophone Analysis and Segmentation study recently released by the Ontario Tourism Marketing Partnership
Corporation and Environics Analytics.
Environics Analytics gathered the following data through a segmentation system called PRIZMC2. PRIZMC2 is an
innovative consumer segmentation system that classifies all Canadians into one of 66 groups based on their
demographics, behaviours and attitudes. It is the first Canadian segmentation model to link geodemographics to
Social Values data to explain consumer behaviour. The system has been updated in January 2009 to capture the most
recent demographic, behavioural and attitudinal changes.
According to this methodology, there are three key segments in Francophone Ontario who have the highest
potential propensity to travel to Ontario “staycation”: a) Sportifs des banlieues; b) Camping et pique-nique; and
c) Retraités en détente.
28
Ontario
a) Sportifs des banlieues
TARGET GROUP HIGHLIGHTS
• These large, established families have a zest for life and love opportunities to spend time together,
particularly out in nature
• Holidays are spent with their families, either flying to large tourist-friendly cities in Canada and the US,
or driving to national/provincial parks
• A moderate budget limits them to one annual destination holiday and a few smaller camping and
fishing trips
• They are moderate users of all media: they like to shop with catalogues, coupons and inserts from their
newspapers and magazines
Top markets: In the suburbs of Ontario’s mid-sized Southern cities and larger Northern cities: near Ottawa,
Windsor, Sudbury and Cochrane
DEMOGRAPHIC HIGHLIGHTS
• Middle-aged and older families with children of all ages
• 50% have 3+ members
• Average HH income: $84,334 (5% lower than average)
PERSONAL TRAVEL HIGHLIGHTS
• Accommodations: RV/camper, hotel, camping, motel
• Activities/Attractions: Mostly outdoor activities like water parks, zoos, pro sports, hunting/fishing, and
just spending time in nature
• While they do travel to a new or favourite city each year, these families are not particularly strong for
most urban/cultural activities
• They enjoy spending time in nature, particularly when it involves fishing or a ride on an ATV
TRAVEL BEHAVIOURS
• Family travellers who like to take week-long excursions by minivan or RV and tend to try to keep
expenses down
• Destinations: Big Canadian cities and the tourist attraction cities in the US, as well as family-type trips for
camping, visits to parks and hunting or fishing
29
CONSUMER PREFERENCES
TOP 5 – Arts & Culture
TOP 5 – Outdoor Activities
Performing Arts
Summer Activities
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Live theatre
Free outdoor concerts
Rock & roll concerts
Ballet/dance performances
Stand-up comedy shows
Spectator Sports
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Professional ice hockey games
Professional baseball games
Auto races
Professional football games
Professional basketball games
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Sunbathing/sitting on beach
Swimming
Freshwater fishing
Motor boating
Hiking – same-day excursions
Winter Activities
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Skiing – downhill
Ice skating
Skiing – cross-country
Snowboarding
Snowshoeing
Theme Parks & Amusement Parks
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Amusement parks
Zoos
Water theme parks
Botanical gardens
Aquariums
Festivals & Events
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Farmers’ markets
Fireworks displays
Exhibitions or fairs
Carnivals
Religious festivals
Historic Sites & Museums
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Observe urban buildings/architecture
Well-known historic sites/buildings
Other historic sites/monuments
Well-known natural wonders
General history/heritage museums
The Sportifs des banlieues segment is more inclined to gather travel information
from TV programs and travel websites, though they generally are below the
provincial average on most channels.
30
Ontario
Sportifs des banlieues
While they do travel to a new or favourite city each year, these families are not particularly strong for most
urban/cultural activities. They enjoy spending time in nature, particularly when it involves fishing or a ride
on an ATV.
MEDIA SOURCES
• Television: Moderate viewers; mini-series, variety/award specials, CFL football; Le Canal Nouvelles, Canal D,
Météomédia
• Radio: Moderate listeners; mainstream top 40/CHR, classic rock, country
• Newspapers: Favourite sections are sports, general news, movies & entertainment
• Magazines: Best titles include Cosmopolitan, Coup de pouce
• Internet: Moderate users; online activities include playing games, using instant messaging, searching for
information
• Direct: Likely to use catalogues and newspaper/magazine inserts in shopping, also stronger than average for
coupons and average use of the Internet and mail order for shopping
COMMUNICATION THEMES
• Keep it simple – these consumers are not big on complexity and they are not overly interested in original
touches
• Intensity & pleasure – they will seek out some level of variety in their travel and are willing to shrug off
responsibility for a little fun
• Familiar novelty – with a preference for the familiar but also a willingness to experience other cultures,
they will likely enjoy exposure to other cultures in a setting that is not too alien
CREATIVE MESSAGING
• They are not very open to risk-taking and will like familiar scenes and family-oriented messaging
• The importance of their local region and a small-town feel should be emphasized, given their strong sense
of regional identity and scepticism toward big business
• They want to feel pampered on their vacations and bring home interesting stories to share
TOUCH POINTS
• TV ads during mini-series or awards shows
• Radio ads on Top 40, country or classic rock stations
• Newspaper ads in sports, general news or entertainment
• Catalogues and community newspaper or magazine inserts
These families
are generally
weak for
booking travel
over the
Internet;
when they do
need to make
arrangements,
they’ll contact
their travel
agent or call
the provider.
SOCIAL VALUES & TRAVEL MOTIVATIONS
These families’ yen for pleasure makes them great candidates for trying a little bit of everything on their vacations.
They’re proud of their local cultural heritage, and enjoy opportunities to learn more about their distinctively
French Canadian history. They constantly try to find meaning in their lives, which often leads them to seek out
intense thrills to be experienced individually or as a family. It could be that part of the reason they search for
meaning is that they feel somewhat left behind or out of touch with mainstream culture in Ontario – they are not
very comfortable with complexity and like trying new foods and cultural activities every once in a while, but
without venturing too far out of their comfort zones. They often look to the government as an institution they can
trust for providing accurate and good quality information and services, while remaining sceptical of big business.
31
b) Camping et pique-nique
TARGET GROUP HIGHLIGHTS
• These established middle-class families like to spend their time outdoors, and particularly like learning
about their own cultural history
• They travel with their family by car, with the occasional flight to a sunny destination
• The majority of their holiday time is spent camping and fishing in favourite national/provincial parks, and
visiting museums and fairs in Ontario’s larger cities
• Heavy TV watchers, they tune in to dramas, documentaries and makeover shows at high rates. They are
heavy readers of magazines with a preference for fishing, art, nature and gardening formats.
Top markets: In small towns and exurbs surrounding Ontario’s mid-sized cities – near Sudbury, Timmins, Barrie
and outside Ottawa
DEMOGRAPHIC HIGHLIGHTS
• Established families with older teens at home; some empty nests
• Medium-size; over 50% have 2 or 3 members
• Average HH income: $73,540 (17% less than average)
PERSONAL TRAVEL HIGHLIGHTS
• Accommodations: Camping, motels, all-inclusives
• Activities/Attractions: Exhibitions and fairs, science museums, outdoorsy activities like hunting, swimming
and hiking
• Like many other Ontario Francophones, these families generally prefer outdoorsy activities to spending time
in big urban centres
• Hunting/fishing and motorsports are particularly enjoyable for these families
TRAVEL BEHAVIOURS
• Seasonal family travellers (March Break and summer) who like to go on week-long trips with their families
as well as weekend getaways to closer destinations, generally within driving distance
• Destinations: National and provincial parks, occasionally they will fly. They tend to enjoy local attractions
like exhibitions and fairs as well as outdoorsy destinations.
32
Ontario
CONSUMER PREFERENCES
TOP 5 – Arts & Culture
TOP 5 – Outdoor Activities
Performing Arts
Summer Activities
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Live theatre
Classical symphony concerts
Rock & roll concerts
Free outdoor concerts
Stand-up comedy shows
Spectator Sports
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Professional ice hockey games
Professional figure skating
Professional football games
Professional baseball games
Auto races
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Sunbathing/sitting on beach
Swimming in lakes
Freshwater fishing
Motor boating
Kayaking/canoeing – freshwater
Winter Activities
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Ice skating
Skiing – downhill
Snowmobiling – organized trails
Snowshoeing
Snowmobiling – overnight trips
Theme Parks & Amusement Parks
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Amusement parks
Zoos
Aquariums
Botanical gardens
Water theme parks
Festivals & Events
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Farmers’ markets
Music festivals
Carnivals
Exhibitions or fairs
Religious festivals
Historic Sites & Museums
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Observe urban buildings/architecture
Well-known historic sites/buildings
Well-known natural wonders
General history/heritage museums
Other historic sites/monuments
The Camping et pique-nique segment is more inclined to gather travel information
from official travel guides, TV programs and ads, and information received by mail.
33
Camping et pique-nique
Like many other Ontario Francophones, these families generally prefer outdoorsy activities to spending time in big
urban centres. Hunting/fishing and motorsports are particularly enjoyable for these families.
MEDIA SOURCES
• Television: Heavier viewers who watch mini-series, documentaries, soaps and makeover shows
• Radio: Light listeners; best stations are top 40, adult contemporary, classic rock, oldies
• Newspapers: Light readers of dailies, heavy readers of local community papers
• Magazines: Heavier readers; genres include fashion, gardening/homes, art, nature and ecology
• Internet: Moderate to light users; go online to chat/use newsgroups, will click on ads, use instant messaging
• Direct: Somewhat favourable to flyers directed to the door, are likely to shop using mail order, catalogues,
coupons and flyers delivered to the door
These families are
not strong
Internet users,
and when
they travel
they prefer to
make
arrangements
over the phone
or in person, or
via their local
travel agent.
34
COMMUNICATION THEMES
• Emphasize wilderness activities, not urban cultural pursuits
• These are cost-conscious travellers; emphasizing the economic advantages of local travel will resonate
• Keep it simple. They are not fans of complexity or trying out new things. Tried and true is what they prefer.
CREATIVE MESSAGING
• Established families with older teens at home and some empty nesters, generally blue collar
• Emphasize the “fun factor” and the opportunity to get away from the stresses of daily life
• Their strong sense of regional identity means they will feel an affinity to the local areas they visit
TOUCH POINTS
• TV ads especially on mini-series, documentaries, soaps
• Magazine ads in fashion, gardening/homes, art, nature and ecology titles
• Advertisements and articles in Francophone community newspapers
• Flyers delivered to their doors, catalogues
SOCIAL VALUES & TRAVEL MOTIVATIONS
Whether in their daily lives or on vacation, these households are pleasure-seekers who love their toys and spending
time in nature. These families have a strong motivation to “keep up with the Joneses”, whether by buying new
things, spending more time with family and friends, or taking pleasurable vacations that give them an opportunity to
use all their “toys”. Their communities are often tightly-knit, and families have a strong sense of regional identity
that they enjoy developing through trips to historical sites and exploring the great outdoors. Like their wealthier
Francophone counterparts, this group also feels a step out of touch with mainstream life in Ontario and
experiences displeasure adapting to different ways of life – on vacation they tend to avoid the cities and their
diversity, and when planning their trips they stick to maps and guidebooks, generally disinterested in the Internet.
Ontario
c) Retraités en détente
TARGET GROUP HIGHLIGHTS
• These retirees enjoy low impact outdoor activities they can share with their family and friends
• They will travel by car or RV to parks throughout Canada; usually their trips last longer than one or
two weeks
• These travellers know what they like and are unlikely to try new things
• Their holidays are usually budget conscious, but they will occasionally splurge on a cruise or an overseas
bus tour
• They are heavy users of TV, radio and newspapers; they are favourable towards flyers delivered to their door
Top markets: In small, remote communities throughout Northern and Eastern Ontario: the Kawartha Lakes area,
Elliot Lake, Sudbury, Prince Edward County and Cornwall
DEMOGRAPHIC HIGHLIGHTS
• Empty-nested retirees; some are widows or widowers. When kids are present they tend to be in their teens.
Few adult children live at home.
• Small households, 69% have 1 or 2 members
• Average HH income: $64,807 (27% below average); many households live on fixed income from pension
or savings
PERSONAL TRAVEL HIGHLIGHTS
• Accommodations: RV/camper, camping, rented condo, motel
• Activities/Attractions: Professional sporting events (especially figure skating), ATV and snowmobiling,
hunting and fishing
• This group is at ease exploring the countryside and enjoys a wide range of outdoorsy activities
• Favourite vacation activities for these older travellers include ATV and snowmobiling, watching wildlife,
hunting and fishing
TRAVEL BEHAVIOURS
• Generally these folks travel in off-peak seasons, usually taking trips by car and RV and travelling on a budget
• Destinations: Parks in Atlantic and Western Canada are more common than travel within Ontario. They like
trips to remote provincial or national parks.
35
CONSUMER PREFERENCES
TOP 5 – Arts & Culture
TOP 5 – Outdoor Activities
Performing Arts
Summer Activities
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Live theatre
Rock & roll concerts
Free outdoor concerts
Live theatre with dinner
Stand-up comedy shows
Spectator Sports
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Professional ice hockey games
Professional baseball games
Auto races
Horse races
Professional figure skating
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Swimming
Sunbathing/sitting on beach
Freshwater fishing
Motor boating
Hiking – same-day excursions
Winter Activities
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Skiing – downhill
Snowmobiling – organized trails
Ice skating
Skiing – cross-country
Snowmobiling – overnight trips
Theme Parks & Amusement Parks
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Amusement parks
Zoos
Botanical gardens
Water theme parks
Aquariums
Festivals & Events
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Farmers’ markets
Exhibitions or fairs
Fireworks displays
Music festivals
Carnivals
Historic Sites & Museums
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Observe urban buildings/architecture
Well-known natural wonders
Well-known historic sites/buildings
General history/heritage museums
Other historic sites/monuments
The Retraités en détente segment is more inclined to gather travel information
from direct mail, TV ads and past experience. They are weaker for online,
travel guides and official sources.
36
Ontario
Retraités en détente
This group is at ease exploring the countryside, and enjoys a wide range of outdoorsy activities.
Favourite vacation activities for these older travellers include ATV and snowmobiling, watching wildlife,
and hunting and fishing.
MEDIA SOURCES
• Television: Heavy viewers; top programs include figure skating, crime dramas, golf, movies, CFL and hockey
• Radio: Heavy listeners; best stations are country and golden oldies
• Newspapers: Heavy readers of both dailies and local community papers
• Magazines: Moderately heavy magazine readers; best genres include senior citizens, gardening and homes,
current affairs, art, and travel/tourism
• Internet: Light Internet users; many do not have access to the Internet or have dial-up connections
• Direct: Favourable towards flyers delivered to the door; routinely use these and coupons, catalogues, and
newspaper inserts when shopping
COMMUNICATION THEMES
• Keep it simple and risk-free for these consumers: they take comfort in the familiar
• Emphasize outdoor adventures in Ontario that offer the traditional comforts of home
• Budget-minded consumers who will be attracted to the economy of local travel
• Emphasize regions and their attractiveness; avoid cultural exploration
CREATIVE MESSAGING
• Empty-nested retirees; generally older with some widows or widowers
• They are proud Canadians and extra proud of their small communities and Francophone heritage
• They place a great deal of emphasis on the importance of family and tend to be more traditional in their
world view
• A small business approach will appeal to them
TOUCH POINTS
• TV commercials, especially during movies, crime dramas, figure skating, golf, hockey and CFL
• Newspaper ads in both dailies and local community papers
• Magazine ads in senior citizens, gardening & homes, current affairs and travel & tourism titles
• Avoid the Internet
• Flyers delivered to the door, catalogues and newspaper inserts
These older
folks do their
best to avoid
using the
Internet – and
when they do,
they are
unlikely to
provide credit
card or other
personal
information.
SOCIAL VALUES & TRAVEL MOTIVATIONS
These older couples and singles generally do not like to venture out of their comfort zones. As with the other
Francophone groups, regional identity is important to them, and they enjoy opportunities to connect with key
aspects of their culture, whether at home or on holiday. It is important to them that they feel welcomed and
comfortable in their surroundings, which often relates to the availability of French-language materials and
programs at parks, historic sites, and other attractions they like to visit.
Keeping in touch with nature is important to them, as is maintaining healthy families and spiritual lives. Living
on fixed incomes, they have some financial concerns about the future and try to keep their lifestyles as low-cost
as possible. These households spend very little time (if any) on the Internet and are often concerned about
privacy, the accuracy of information, and their own ability to find what they’re looking for.
Conclusion Ontario
When we think of French markets, it is automatically easier to focus on our Quebec neighbours to the East or on
Francophone Europe. We tend to forget that there is a considerable number of French-speaking Ontarians living
throughout Ontario. The potential is huge to encourage them to “staycation” in their own province (and in many
cases, using the same promotional materials used to attract Quebec visitors).
37
Comparing Francophone groups from Quebec and Ontario
There is a considerable opportunity to leverage marketing materials developed for the Quebec marketplace to reach
Ontario’s Francophone segments (or vice versa), as two of the three sets of segments share much in common.
We have included a comparison of similarities between the Quebec and Ontario Francophone markets to
highlight the real synergies that exist between both markets.
Upper-Middle-Class Families
Connaisseurs québécois (CQ) and Sportifs des banlieues (SB)
Quebec
&
Ontario
Leverage creative imagery, but modify message and media.
Key similarities between Quebec and Ontario segments
DEMOGRAPHICS
• Families with school-aged children
• Homeowners
• Mix of educational attainment and job categories (although college education is most common
• Live mainly in suburbs or larger cities
SOCIAL VALUES
• Like to try a few new things, but only in controlled settings
• Strong for primacy of the family
• Both travel to gather stories to share, enrich relationships with spouse and children, and feel challenged
and energized
• Both groups enjoy luxury accommodations and pampering
TRAVEL AND LEISURE
• Similar seasonality in their travel (school calendar)
• Similar types of destinations and expenditures: moderate spenders, and a mix of destinations in Canada
and the US
• Enjoy kid-friendly activities like circuses, water parks, theme parks and zoos
MEDIA
• Consistent for TV and flyers/direct mail; moderate for the Internet (although neither is strong on
booking on the web)
38
Middle-Class Families
Familles rustiques (FR) and Camping et pique-nique (CP)
Quebec
&
Ontario
Leverage creative, messaging and most media.
Key similarities between Quebec and Ontario segments
DEMOGRAPHICS
• Families with kids at home
• Own homes built in the 1970s and 1980s
• Lower education levels; high school, trade school education
• Job types are primarily blue collar
• Very low diversity
SOCIAL VALUES
• Like to try a few new things, but only in controlled settings
• Both travel to gather stories to share, enrich relationships with spouse and children, experience some
pampering
• Feel disconnected from technology and the labour market
• Quest for status recognition – lots of “toys”
• Low need for escape
TRAVEL AND LEISURE
• Similar seasonality in their travel (school calendar)
• Very similar spending patterns (low to moderate)
• Similar accommodations: camping, motels
• Similar activities: ATV, snowmobiling, hunting/fishing, ice skating
MEDIA
• Strong for TV, lighter for radio
• Good for community newspapers
• Good for direct mail
39
NO. 3 KEY FRANCOPHONE MARKET: FRANCE
For the review of the France market analysis, we will refer to four key studies on the French market: (1) France
Tourism Market Profile, 2009 Update; (2) Global Tourism Watch, Year 3, France Key Findings 2009 - both studies
released by the Canadian Tourism Commission; (3) Évaluation du potentiel du marché français envers les provinces de
l’Ouest du Canada (Evaluating the potential of the French market in Western Canada), released by Chaire de tourisme
Transat ESG UQAM; and (4) Tourisme des Français, Les activités des touristes lors de leurs voyages (French tourism:
Activities of French tourists while on vacation), released by Direction du Tourisme, TNS Sofres (France).
The numbers don’t lie: Travel from France to Canada is still growing
Based on Statistics Canada’s May 2010 report, France visitation to Canada increased 8.6% versus May 2009,
compared to 8.2% for Germany and 1.2% for the U.K.1
In June 2010, France travel to Canada showed a 6.6% increase over the same month in 2009, resulting in
37,000 same-day and overnight trips.2
The reality is that travel to Canada from France continues to grow. The question is: Is Ontario getting its fair share
of that market? According to the Canadian Tourism Commission, in recent years, while the French market has
increased to Canada, Ontario’s share of the French market coming to Canada has diminished.
France market at a glanceCTC
France is the second largest overseas country in terms of inbound travel
to Canada, with $541M in receipts, 404,500 overnight trips and a
12.2% increase in 2008 over the previous year. In 2008, France improved
its share of overnight receipts by 2.1 points and accounted for 24.7% of
total European core market expenditures in Canada.
Overseas visitors by country of residence
France accounted for 5.5% of Ontario’s overseas visitors.4
Country
U.K.
Japan
Germany
France
Mexico
Country
India
China
South Korea
Australia
Italy
Quebec (91%) continued
to be the top destination in
Canada for French travellers
in 2009, followed by
Ontario (79%) and British
Columbia (69%).3
OS Visitors
to Ontario
3.6 %
3.5 %
3.3 %
3.2 %
3.0 %
Statistics Canada’s International Travel: Advance Information service bulletin for May 2010
[http://www.statcan.gc.ca/pub/66-001-p/66-001-p2010005-eng.pdf].
2 Statistics Canada’s International Travel: Travel between Canada and other countries, June 2010
[http://www.statcan.gc.ca/daily-quotidien/100819/t100819d1-eng.htm#tab1ftnote5].
CTC France Tourism Market Profile – 2009 Update, Canadian Tourism Commission.
3 Global Tourism Watch, Year 3, France Key Findings 2009, Canadian Tourism Commission.
4 International Travel Survey 2008, Ontario Ministry of Tourism and Culture.
1
40
OS Visitors
to Ontario
17.2 %
6.4 %
6.1 %
5.5 %
5.3 %
Did you
know?
France
2008 all (France) visitor characteristics - CanadaCTC
•
Summer remains the most popular time to travel with 45.4% of French travellers visiting during this period,
followed by spring (22.5%) and fall (17.0%)
Direct air capacity increased by 6.8% in 2008 and was forecasted to grow by 1.8% in the following year
Average spend per trip: $1,337; third consecutive year of growth
Average number of nights per trip: 17.3%; higher than both German (16.7 nights) and UK (13.6 nights)
travellers
Average spend per night: $77
39.2% of travellers to Canada travel alone
•
•
•
•
•
2008 leisure travel characteristics - CanadaCTC
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
$450.4M overnight leisure receipts
Leisure travel accounted for 86.2% of all France travel to Canada with 348,679 overnight trips
Summer remains the most popular season to travel (49.7%)
Those aged 45 or younger represented the highest proportion of French leisure travellers (50.5%)
Leisure travellers make up approximately 86.2% of the visitation and 83.2% of receipts
Average spend per trip: $1,291 (leisure travellers)
Average spend per trip: $1,626 (business travellers)
Average number of nights per trip: 18.2
Average spend per night: $71
Quick factsCTC
All visitors by age
65+
55 to 64
45 to 54
35 to 44
25 to 34
-24
11.9%
21.2%
16.4%
12.1%
18.3%
20.1%
Leisure visitors by age
65+
55 to 64
45 to 54
35 to 44
25 to 34
-24
13.5%
20.8%
16.0%
11.6%
15.4%
22.7%
Business visitors by age
65+
55 to 64
45 to 54
35 to 44
25 to 34
-24
5.1%
23.1%
19.4%
16.4%
32.3%
3.7%
All travellers by gender
Male:
52.7%
Female:
47.3%
Leisure travellers by gender
Male:
49.6%
Female:
50.4%
Did you
know?
Among French leisure
travellers, the further the
destination is from home,
the longer they stay. Trips to
faraway destinations (Asia,
the Americas, overseas) have
an average duration of nearly
2 weeks.4
Business travellers by gender
Male:
71.8%
Female:
28.2%
Accommodations
Hotel/motel
Friends/family
Camping/cottage
Combination of at least
two categories
France Tourism Market Profile – 2009 Update, Canadian Tourism Commission.
« Le tourisme des Français en 2007 », Direction du Tourisme, TNS Sofres.
32%
26%
2%
40%
CTC
4
41
Travel motivators5
Top 10 key motivations for visiting Canada and the regions
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
Seeing beautiful scenery
Visiting national parks and protected areas
Observing wildlife in their natural habitats
Exploring vibrant cities that are in close proximity to nature
Experiencing a country’s unique character and local lifestyles
Exploring nature in close proximity to a cosmopolitan city
Seeing historical and cultural attractions
Experiencing aboriginal culture and attractions
Sampling local flavours
Multi-day touring on your own by car or train
90%
87%
85%
84%
82%
81%
80%
78%
72%
68%
The reality is that Ontario is not well known to the French tourism media and French tour operators, hence their
reluctance to sell Ontario. Over the years, Direction Ontario has worked closely with this market to overcome this
barrier. Direction Ontario strongly believes that if French tourists were more aware of Ontario’s tourism products,
they would be more motivated to visit Ontario while they travel to Canada. We need to increase Ontario’s visibility
in that market so that while they come to Canada they will spend time or more time in Ontario.
Travellers’ compositionCTC
Composition of travelling party – all:
• Travelling with children:
• 3 or more adults:
• 2 adults:
• Travelling alone:
11.6%
11.1%
38.1%
39.2%
Composition of leisure travelling party:
• Travelling with children:
• 3 or more adults:
• 2 adults:
• Travelling alone:
13.6%
11.7%
41.4%
33.3%
Composition of business travelling party:
• Travelling with children:
• 3 or more adults:
• 2 adults:
• Travelling alone:
0%
7.4%
18.3%
74.4%
Travellers’ activities while abroad
96% of trips to another country involve participating in at least one activity, versus only 81% in metropolitan
France. Apart from winter sports and leisure activities that are more frequent in metropolitan France, almost all other
activities are practised more frequently out of country. This is particularly the case for water sports and cultural
activities. Visits to cities, natural sites and outdoor places and museums, exhibitions, monuments and historical sites
are 3 to 4 times more frequent during out-of-country travel. In 2007, tourists visited a city during nearly one trip
out of two to a foreign country.6
Global Tourism Watch, Year 3, France Key Findings 2009, Canadian Tourism Commission.
« Tourisme des Français, Les activités des touristes lors de leurs voyages », Direction du Tourisme, TNS Sofres.
CTC France Tourism Market Profile – 2009 Update, Canadian Tourism Commission.
5
6
42
France
Trips taken by one or two adults involve the highest level of activity*
The fewer adults there are in the group, the more the activities practised are diverse and frequent. Stays involving
one or two people are rarely “inactive” in terms of the definition used herein (respectively 13% and 14% of all
stays). This number jumps to 21% within groups of 3 or 4 people and to 24% for groups of over 5 people.
The influence of the number of people in the group is particularly prevalent for cultural activities (visits to a city,
natural sites and outdoor places or museums, exhibits, monuments and historical sites). These types of activities
are more frequent among groups of one or two people, with a peak frequency among groups of two, except for
attending a festival, concert, play or cultural event which is more frequent among people travelling alone (4% of stays).
For sports activities, hiking is most often done in groups of two, while sporting activities involving lessons during the
stay are practised during individual stays (snowboarding, sailing, dinghy sailing, catamaran sailing, windsurfing, power
boating, jet skiing, water skiing, diving, horseback riding). Some sporting activities are practised in small groups of over
four people: downhill skiing, sailing, dinghy sailing, catamaran sailing, windsurfing, tennis, racket sports, golfing.
Among leisure and various activities, walking is the most frequent activity regardless of the number of people in the
group. The second most popular activity is swimming/spending time at a beach, and the third most popular is
shopping in town for stays involving groups of one to three people. This order is reversed for groups of over three
people. Compared to cultural or sporting activities, leisure and various activities show less of a decrease with an
increased number of people in the group, except for swimming/spending time on a beach which is distinctly more
frequent among groups of two or three people. Conversely, gourmet dining is much more frequent for group stays
(6% of stays among groups of 5 to 10 people and 8% of stays among groups of over 10 people).
Travel with children gives rise to leisure and sport activities*
In general, people who travel with children tend to practise fewer activities. While only 15% of stays without
children do not include practising any particular activity, this number increases to 23% for those travelling with one
child and decreases to 21% and 20% for those travelling with two and three children respectively.
Cultural activities decrease dramatically among people travelling with children. This decrease is very marked among
people travelling with even one child, especially for visits to a city, visits to museums, exhibits, monuments and
historical sites, as well as visits to natural sites and outdoor places. However, visits to a market, fair and flea
market are more stable (approximately 6% of stays participate in this activity).
On the other hand, some leisure or sporting activities are more frequent during stays with children. This is the case
for walking, swimming, spending time at a beach, going to an amusement park, water park or animal park,
downhill skiing and biking.
For travellers with one child, inactivity peaks are related to the child’s age and to the fact that it is not always
feasible for people travelling with very young children to practise various activities. Since the majority of families
have two children, their participation rate increases on some activities as the children get older. This is the case for
visiting natural sites and outdoor places and walking, which are relatively compatible activities with children.
* « Tourisme des Français, Les activités des touristes lors de leurs voyages », Direction du Tourisme, TNS Sofres.
43
Tourists stay active regardless of their age, but the activities change over time*
In general, the percentage of stays involving no activities is the highest among the 25-39 age group (over 20%).
On the other hand, among the 15-19 age group and the over 50 age group, practising at least one activity is the most
frequent and involves about 85% of stays.
Although practising an activity does not decrease with age, the types of activities change over time.
Sporting activities are more frequently practised by people under 55. Some activities are very specific to the
15-19 age group (snowboarding, sailing, dinghy sailing, catamaran sailing, windsurfing, surfing, sea kayaking or
other water sport, group sports) and the 20-24 age group (kayaking, rafting, other white water sports, group sports),
while golf is characteristic of the 30-34 age group. Downhill skiing is most popular among the 35-49 and the
15-19 age groups (family vacations). After 55, sporting activities tend to be less frequent except for hiking which
is most often practised by seniors (up to 79 years old).
Cultural activities are in general more frequently practised by people over 50, except for attending a festival,
concert, play or cultural event which is more frequent among people under 30, and visiting a city for the 20-24 age group.
The increased frequency of cultural activities among older travellers is particularly prevalent for visits to a museum,
exhibit, monument and historical site, as well as visits to natural sites and outdoor places. For these activities, the
highest frequency is noted among the 65-79 age group. After 80, there is a dramatic decrease in cultural activities.
Concerning leisure and various activities, walking is the top activity among all age groups. Walking is slightly more
frequent among the 15-30 age group and stabilizes at about 25% of all stays. In the same way, gourmet dining is
stable at about 5% of all stays for travellers over 30. Only handicrafts and gardening are clearly more frequent for
travellers over 55 (about 10% of stays). On the other hand, shopping in town becomes less and less frequent with
age (decreasing progressively from 16% of stays for the 15-19 age group to 7% for people over 80). Swimming,
spending time at a beach and going to an amusement park, water park or animal park are most frequent among the
30-44 age group, especially if they are travelling with children. These activities get progressively less frequent after
45 years for swimming and after 40 years for amusement parks.
44
* « Tourisme des Français, Les activités des touristes lors de leurs voyages », Direction du Tourisme, TNS Sofres.
France
Planning long trips7
New European research on travel revealed that Europeans start planning their long-haul trips 35 to 40 weeks
before their departure date.
•
•
Planning time: 40.6 weeks
Reservation date: 17.2 weeks before departure
The firm Insignia published a report in February 2008 on French travellers’ consumption habits. The firm developed a
purchase cycle model which was evaluated in six countries, including France. The model was applied to
23 million potential visitors. The different steps are as follows:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Step 1:
Step 2:
Step 3:
Step 4:
Step 5:
Step 6:
Step 7:
Awareness
On the list of dream destinations
On the list of destinations seriously being considered
Creating a vacation scenario
Planning a detailed itinerary
Finalising details about the flight and stay
Purchase
Focus groups within this same study were used to divide the French long-haul market into five segments:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Local culture (25%): meet and interact with local residents, experiencing the local lifestyles
Observing nature (21%)
Participation in outdoor activities in nature (8%): soft adventure
“Resort style” (21%): relaxing, sunshine and luxury
City life and culture (25%)
Did you know?
Internet Usage
According to internetworldstats.com,
world Internet usage is estimated to be
1,596 million users, or 23.8% of the
world’s population. France ranks third
highest for Internet usage in Europe,
with 40.9 million Internet users,
65.7% of the French population and a
market share of 10.4% of all European
Internet users.CTC
7
Évaluation du potentiel du marché français envers les provinces de l’Ouest du Canada, Chaire de tourisme Transat ESG UQAM.
France Tourism Market Profile – 2009 Update, Canadian Tourism Commission.
CTC
45
S.W.O.T. analysisCTC
Strengths:
• The French love the Canadian outdoors;
• Stressful French lifestyle is a key driver for travel to Canada;
• Long-haul outbound travel market remains robust;
• Canada has a strong presence, ranking first as a dream destination;
• Increasing appetite for winter travel; Quebec has been developing this winter market for years;
• Rates as number one for vibrant cities close to nature against other competitive destinations;
• High interest in aboriginal tourism;
• Canada is rated the highest as an environmentally-friendly tourism destination by the CTC.
Weaknesses:
• Economy is expected to remain weak in 2010 yet travel numbers for this year appear healthy;
• Canada is considered relatively expensive vis-à-vis other competitive destinations;
• Decrease in marketing purchasing power with a weakening Canadian dollar;
• Canada is undistinguished against competition in terms of luxury/pampering and culture.
Opportunities:
• The population is aging (over 55); the number of people with more time to travel and more disposable
income is expected to increase;
• Over one in four of the potential France market have not taken a trip to Canada;
• Canada’s competitive position is strong in France, where it is second only to the US as a considered
destination;
• Indicative of their general enthusiasm for Canada, French travellers express above-average interest in
visiting other regions of the country;
• Opportunity to leverage the historic French connections in regions outside of Quebec;
• Increase in marketing purchasing power with strengthening Canadian dollar;
• Strong propensity to travel long-haul – France is the only GTW (Global Tourism Watch) market to see an
increase in travel intentions in the face of adverse market conditions.
Threats:
• Fierce competition – number one barrier to visit Canada is “other places they want to see more” and that
may hamper conversion;
• Strengthening of the Euro against the US dollar may encourage French travel to that country;
• Low-cost carriers favouring short-haul destinations.
46
CTC
France Tourism Market Profile – 2009 Update, Canadian Tourism Commission.
France
Product strengths and weaknesses8:
General Product Strengths
• Beautiful scenery
• Cities close to nature
• National parks/protected areas
• Wildlife
• Proximity to nature
General product weaknesses (important to travellers but not favourably rated)
• Local flavours
• Unique character/local lifestyles
• Aboriginal culture
• Historical/cultural attractions
• City culture
Niche product strengths
• Multi-day touring on own
• Summer activities
• Resorts in natural settings
• Land-based journeys
• Water-based journeys
• Other winter activities
• Ski/snowboard vacations
Niche product weaknesses (important to travellers but not favourably rated)
• City activities
• Major events
• Food/wine festivals
• Culinary learning
• Multi-day group tours
• Entertainment
Conclusion France
A higher proportion of French take long trips compared to Americans (2/3 of all trips versus 1/2 of all trips). The
French have more vacation time than their North American counterparts and are now “obligated” to take two weeks’
vacation between May 1 and October 1 of each year thanks to the recent Loi sur la réduction du temps de travail (RTT)
(Law on the reduction of hours worked). On average, the French receive five weeks of vacation time per year.
Air service between Ontario and France is stable and could easily be increased if the numbers warrant it. Travel from
France to Canada continues to increase at a healthy rate. There is “low hanging fruit” in this market that can be
converted into “bums in our Ontario beds” with some concerted efforts from all of us. We can increase our share
of that market.
8
Global Tourism Watch, Year 3, France Key Findings 2009, Canadian Tourism Commission.
47
ONTARIO’S
BEST PRACTICES
IN THE
FRANCOPHONE
MARKETS
It is always a challenge for a tourism operator or a tourism region to develop new marketing strategies, product
development initiatives or new service delivery models to target new developing markets. Yet research has repeatedly
shown that different markets require different approaches and that investment tailored to new markets proves
successful if done in a strategic way. In many cases, these initiatives need not be expensive to implement. To
demonstrate the success of such initiatives, Direction Ontario has identified a number of tourism operators and
regions in Ontario that have successfully implemented new strategies to attract Francophone markets.
This second part of the toolkit highlights a number of Ontario’s best practices which have been developed and
successfully implemented in Francophone markets.
We have grouped our examples in three separate categories, though in many cases the initiatives could easily apply
to more than one category. Categories include: Services, Product Development and Marketing.
Many more examples are available by contacting Direction Ontario. The following examples demonstrate that here
in Ontario there are best practices that are easy to implement and effective in achieving their goals. For ease of
reading, we have kept the examples relatively short, but more information on each of these best practices can be
obtained by contacting either the operators or regions directly or Direction Ontario.
An interesting finding that we discovered while compiling these examples, and talking to the operators and regions
that have implemented these initiatives, is that many of them did not even realize they were pursuing best practices.
They were just doing these things “because it made sense.” This is often the case. Best practices, in many cases, are
just “common sense.”
We salute all our participants who accepted to be a part of this exercise and thank them, on your behalf, for
sharing their stories with all of us.
48
Best Practices: Services
SERVICES
The importance of French language services is always debated when discussing services tailored to the Francophone
markets. Many people point out that Franco-Ontarian, Quebec and French tourists travel the world and “get by”
with speaking English. Though that is true, the special efforts that any establishment, operator or region can make
to “improve the quality of the visit” for these consumers will be remembered and will both increase the level of
satisfaction of their visit and promote, through word of mouth, visits from their families and friends, as well as the
all-important repeat business.
In previous pages, we have highlighted how the Francophone markets do their research using Francophone
research tools. This section will underline the importance of providing some services in French in order to “close
the deal.” Sometimes the attitude demonstrated by an establishment or an operator – a simple “Bonjour” when
welcoming a Francophone visitor – can make a difference rather than a full bevy of services.
Over sixty percent of the organizations surveyed by Equinox in 2007 believed that offering services in French to
Ontario’s Francophone tourism clientele is “important” or “very important.” These interviews were mainly conducted
with destination marketing organizations.1
The following businesses or organizations give us a good overview of the potential strategies and best practices that
can be adopted in the Services category:
Best practice: French Services Awareness Campaign
TOURISME FRANCO-NIAGARA, Welland, ON (RTO 2)
www.bonjourniagara.com
Tourisme Franco-Niagara is a DMO based in Welland, Ontario. Since the Niagara region is a
highly-sought destination for French-speaking markets, Tourisme Franco-Niagara and its partners
developed an annual French visitor’s guide called “Les saisons.” The purpose was to extend the
French visitors’ stay by providing them with more information in their language about the
destination.
In 2007, Tourisme Franco-Niagara launched the “Bonjour Niagara” campaign – the development
and branding of Niagara as a “French-friendly” destination. The purpose of the on-going
campaign is to better serve the French-speaking guests by identifying French-speaking service
providers in the Niagara region. It also empowers property management with identification icons
(i.e. Bonjour logos, posters, window decals, pins and tent cards) and supports properties that
actively promote their business in French and identify that property as “French-friendly.” The
campaign promotes community pride in the Francophone community of the Niagara region and
provides training to staff at information centres, hotels, wineries, etc. on the needs of Frenchspeaking guests. The program also provided tools for industry participants to feel more competent
in serving their French-speaking guests.
The many results of the campaign include: making the French-speaking guests feel welcome in
Niagara; easily identifying the French-speaking staff; raising awareness on a local level about the
possibility and importance of adding French-speaking people to the staff and the availability of
bilingual staff in Niagara; and encouraging young people (either bilingual or French immersion
students) that speaking French is important when job searching.
Tourisme Franco-Niagara also actively promotes the Niagara region in the Quebec marketplace
by attending four consumer and trade shows per year.
1
Equinox, op. cit., p. 48-49.
49
There are many other simple but effective initiatives to improve customer service in French to the Francophone
markets. Here are a few simple best practices:
Best practice: Free French classes for staff
STONE GATE INN, Orillia, ON (RTO 7)
www.stonegateinn.com/Francais/index.cfm
A few years ago, the Stone Gate Inn decided to offer French courses to its employees. The
employees had the option to take the course or not, and the Stone Gate Inn covered the cost for
those who were interested. In addition, the Inn actively seeks to hire bilingual employees and
its menus are translated into French.
Best practice: Bilingual front-line staff
HÔTEL BOUTIQUE LE GERMAIN TORONTO, Toronto, ON (RTO 5)
www.germaintoronto.com/fr/page-daccueil
The Le Germain hotel chain, which is headquartered in Quebec, always tries to find qualified and
bilingual employees to work at its establishment outside Quebec. The reception service is always
bilingual between the hours of 7 a.m. and 11 p.m. Even the Anglophone employees must
answer the phone or welcome guests with a simple “Bonjour.”
Simple efforts such as these, which reach out to Francophones, add that extra value that all visitors look for.
Best practice: Translating multimedia material
ST. JACOBS COUNTRY, St. Jacobs, ON (RTO 4)
http://www.stjacobs.com/html/stjacobs_fr1.html
The Mennonite Story Visitor Centre in St. Jacobs quickly saw the value of the Francophone
markets once it started getting involved with these markets. As a first initiative, the Centre
translated its 11-minute multimedia piece, “Telling the Mennonite Story.” The website is now also
available in French and suggested itineraries are offered in French. The Centre has found that the
French-speaking visitors provincially, nationally and internationally are very pleased to have
these options and that these services add to visitor satisfaction levels.
A community that has really appreciated the importance of French language services for repeat visitation is
Wasaga Beach.
Best practice: Mobilizing a community to embrace French language services
WASAGA BEACH CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, Wasaga Beach, ON (RTO 7)
www.wasagainfo.com
For many years, Wasaga Beach has advertised to the Québécois. Over the years, on the advice
of Direction Ontario, the municipality has paid closer attention to the needs of Francophone
tourists who come to bask in the sun of Wasaga’s sandy beaches each summer. Over the years,
a number of new initiatives have been implemented: city billboards in French and English,
distribution of stickers identifying the availability of French services to merchants in town,
employees pursuing French language training, recruitment of French-speaking employees who
are available to offer services in both languages. In particular, emergency care workers working
for the municipality adapted their hiring practices to include French-speaking employees
because of the increase in Francophone visitors.
Quebec is a very large market for Wasaga Beach and Wasaga has definitely seen the benefits of marketing to
Quebec and offering French language services.
50
Best Practices: Services
Best practice: French Services Rating System
DIRECTION ONTARIO, Based in Kapuskasing, ON (RTO 13a)
www.voyagesontario.com
For eight years, Direction Ontario has presented Francophone tourists with a French language
services rating system indicating the level of French services they can expect from tourism
businesses and attractions in Ontario. The system works and Direction Ontario has received
positive comments from Francophone tourists, who have an informed idea of what they can
expect when visiting Ontario. Surveys conducted by Direction Ontario reveal that Francophone
consumers who use the rating system are generally satisfied with the French services they received
in Ontario – in many cases because they knew what to expect before arriving at the establishments
or operators that they visited during their stay.
Users of the French rating scale tend to rely on this tool if their English language skills are
lacking. However, regardless of this reality, 49% of respondents who said they had an
advanced/intermediate level of English still used the rating scale and found it useful for their
own purposes. This observation leads Direction Ontario to conclude that the French services
rating scale is useful, even among tourists with advanced English language skills.
Three years ago, the success of this rating system in Ontario was discussed with the national
Réseau de développement économique et d’employabilité (RDÉE) and all provinces and territories
working with the RDÉE in the Francophone tourism sector. As a result of this national dialogue,
a National Rating System, based on Direction Ontario’s model, was launched nationally, with a
new standardized national symbol (fr) to be implemented across the country.
The system covers four categories, where two of the categories evaluate front-line services and
the other two evaluate printed and on-line promotional services.
Tourism businesses can be evaluated on their marketing material (website and brochures, guides,
etc.), their product development/communications (signage, menus, forms, etc.), and front-line
services in French available either at all times, upon request or during peak season. Each
category is identified with a coloured “fr”, either in red, blue, green or yellow, depending on the
services provided. A copy of the French Services Rating Evaluation Scale is attached as Appendix B.
51
PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT
The Equinox study on strategically marketing to Francophone tourists, presented to the Ontario Tourism Marketing
Partnership Corporation (OTMPC) in July 2007, demonstrated that a strong correlation exists between the Québécois’
interest for a tourist destination and the offer of tourism products.2
The more a region can produce tourism products that meet the needs of a given market, the more likely that
market will be to visit that destination. Beyond adapting its tourism marketing, the tourism industry must also offer
appropriate products to first attract then retain a tourism clientele in any given destination.
Internationally, many studies have emphasized the importance of product development in destination marketing.
In an environment where consumers’ tastes are ever-changing, product renewal is a prerequisite to arousing
consumer interest for a tourism destination.3 It would be wrong to conclude that the existence of Francophone
products is the only deciding factor in the choice of a tourism destination by French-speaking tourists. However, it
is true to say that Francophone products are an “added value” and are one of the deciding factors in their choice of
a tourist destination.4 The vacationer’s decision-making process is a complex one and is not influenced by one
factor alone.
52
2 Equinox, “Marketing Strategy Focusing on French language Visitors: Foundation document,” presented to the Ontario Tourism
Marketing Partnership Corporation, July 2007, p. 61.
3 Partial bibliography: Middleton, V.T.C. & Clarke, J. 2001. Marketing in Travel and Tourism. 3rd Edition. Oxford: ButterworthHeinemann. Murphy, P., Pritchard, M.P. & Smith, B. 2000. The Destination product and its impact on traveller perceptions.
Tourism Management 21 (2000). pp. 43-52.; Smith, S.L.J. 1994. The Tourism Product. Annals of Tourism Research Vol. 21, 3.
pp. 582-595.; Pearce, D. 1989. Tourist Development. Second Edition. London: Longman Scientific and Technical.
4 Following bibliographical research and sixty interviews with tourism stakeholders in the province, Equinox reached the following conclusion: “It is important to note that French language services, including Francophone signature events, are not drivers
for French language visitors. They are “an added-value,” a condition among others that can make the difference between
going and not going.” (Source: Equinox, op. cit., p. 73.)
Best Practices: Product Development
The following examples represent excellent and very successful initiatives in the Product Development category:
Best practice: Bike Train Initiative
TRANSPORTATION OPTIONS, Toronto, ON (RTO 5)
www.biketrain.ca/bienvenue
The Bike Train Initiative introduced bike racks onboard select passenger rail trains to destinations
across Ontario, making cycling holidays easy and accessible. Cycling is very popular in Quebec
and Québécois have a long history of visiting other countries by bike excursions. Statistics clearly
indicate that cycling is a popular activity with Québécois who now enjoy cycling in several
countries, as this travel trend continues to grow. In fact, the number of cycling enthusiasts has
doubled in Quebec over the past 25 years. Direction Ontario published a report in August 2006
outlining regions in Ontario that would benefit from developing and growing this activity. The
report is still very valid and can be used as an important reference document for those regions
who wish to capitalize on this activity.
The Bike Train Initiative is a project of Transportation Options, a non-profit organization
dedicated to stimulating sustainable systems of transportation.
Originally developed by Toronto cyclist Justin Lafontaine and launched in partnership with VIA
Rail Canada between Toronto and Niagara in 2007, the Bike Train has proven to be a fun,
economic and environmentally friendly way to enjoy a cycling getaway. Getting to the destination
is made easy as passengers travel in comfort while their bicycles are safely secured in a baggage
car with bike racks. During the summer months, the Bike Train connects Toronto with
destinations all across Ontario, providing cyclists of all abilities easy access to the Greenbelt, to
wine and culinary regions, to northern lakes and forests, to off-the-beaten-path towns and
villages, to world-renowned natural and historical sites, and to thousands of kilometres of
recreational trails and on-road cycling routes.
Over 2,500 passengers have travelled on the Bike Train since 2007, and routes include TorontoNiagara, Windsor/Essex, Muskoka, North Bay, Eastern Ontario and Montréal. The Bike Train also
provides a catalyst for cycle tourism infrastructure and program development in regions that are
served.
The Francophone market was targeted through French brochures, bilingual website content,
attendance at the Montreal Bike Show, and through partnerships with Vélo Québec and VIA
Rail. Transportation Options has received an increase in inquiries from Francophones, due in
part to promotions by the partners mentioned above as well as their French Bike Train brochures
and bilingual website content.
The Bike Train Initiative has been a success due to its collaborative partnership nature. Over
50 tourism organizations, businesses and governments from across Ontario have participated in
the development, launch and promotion of the Bike Train.
Transportation Options will continue to promote the Bike Train to the Francophone markets in
Ontario and Quebec and hopes to expand its bilingual services in the coming year.
53
Best practice: Developing and marketing itineraries for Francophone markets
RIDEAU HERITAGE ROUTE TOURISM ASSOCIATION, Ottawa to Kingston, ON (RTOs 9, 10 & 11)
www.circuitpatrimonialrideau.ca
The Rideau Heritage Route Tourism Association (RHRTA) is a Destination Marketing
Organization mandated to promote the Rideau Heritage Route by developing and marketing
promotional programs. The Rideau Heritage Route, comprised of the Rideau Canal, its adjoining
towns and villages and the cities of Ottawa and Kingston, offers a variety of world-class heritage
experiences.
In response to an increased demand for a detailed itinerary for canoeists and kayakers
interested in paddling a section or the entire length of the Rideau Canal, the RHRTA developed
the long-awaited Rideau Heritage Route Luxury Paddling Itinerary. This colourful itinerary takes
you on a 10-day adventure from Kingston to Ottawa along the historic Rideau Canal, Ontario’s
only UNESCO World Heritage Site, complete with paddling tips, portages, accommodations,
sights along the route and more.
The Quebec market makes up 27% of visitation to the Rideau Canal and the Francophone
markets have traditionally had a healthy appetite for outdoor recreation, so this itinerary has been
very appealing to them. The “luxury” element adds an extra option for the trip as paddlers can
camp at the fully serviced lock stations along the way or at waterfront B&Bs or inns.
The most current segmentation profiles also show that 16% of Ontario and Quebec households
are seeking responsible/sustainable tourism options and 20% of domestic travellers in Ontario
are looking for green tourism options. Paddling provides green transportation and leaves a small
footprint on the asset.
The results show an increased number of paddlers on the Rideau Canal and an increase in
overnight stays along the route. For example, visitation numbers from the Rideau Acres Resort
indicate a 5% increase in 2009 over 2008 for the Quebec market and an increase in the
average length of stay from 2 to 3 nights.
In 2010, the RHRTA noticed that the second most requested keywords on its website were
“canal Rideau en bateau” (“Rideau Canal by boat”) which was not the case in the previous year.
The RHRTA also noticed a considerable increase in the amount of Quebec visitors to its website.
Aug 2010 website visits by Province
63.8%
Ontario
30.5%
Quebec
Aug 2009 website visits by Province
75%
Ontario
19.3%
Quebec
This is a success story in its first year of existence. Most of the success is due to having brought
together a group of local experienced canoeists and kayakers who contributed a wealth of
information to this itinerary. The organizers also listened carefully to the current paddle market
to make sure its needs were being addressed.
Additional itineraries will be developed for optional activities that will link to other activities that
paddlers have identified as being of interest to them such as cycling, hiking, museum visits and
historic walking tours.
54
Best Practices: Product Development
A simple but effective initiative to improve Product Development to attract the Franco-Ontarian market can be found at:
Best practice: Incorporating French culture into local events
SAINTE-MARIE AMONG THE HURONS – FIRST LIGHT EVENT, Midland, ON (RTO 7)
http://www.saintemarieamongthehurons.on.ca/french/index.html
Every year, for the past eleven years, Sainte-Marie among the Hurons holds its annual event
“First Light/Premières lueurs.” Local and surrounding communities are invited to enjoy an
enchanted evening on the historic site. Anglophone, Aboriginal and Francophone heritage comes
to life in a celebration of Christmas with a historic flair. In the process, Sainte-Marie makes an
effort to highlight the local and regional Francophone heritage by showcasing French talent such
as traditional folkloric entertainers and displaying local Francophone crafts. The Restaurant
Sainte-Marie hosts a “Café français” where the public is welcome to feast on a supper specially
prepared for the occasion. There is a special effort to underline the importance of both the
historical and the current Francophone presence in the Huronia region, and working with local
Francophone partners is a key element to this initiative. In addition to opening its doors to the
general public, the organization targets local and regional Francophone school children and
their families to participate. Festivals and Events Ontario has named the popular event one of
Ontario’s “Top 100” events.
This is an excellent example on how to successfully outreach to the local and regional
Francophone markets in Ontario. Many organizations across the province use this approach to
build up their local or regional tourism base during the slower months of the tourism cycle.
One of the most successful Product Development initiatives in all of Ontario for Francophone markets is the
Taste Trail/Arts Trail in Prince Edward County.
Best practice: Making experiences more accessible to Francophone tourists
TASTE TRAIL/ARTS TRAIL, Prince Edward County, ON (RTO 9)
www.tastetrail.ca/fr/index.html
The Taste Trail was developed and launched as a partnership between Taste the County, the
wine and culinary community of the region, and the Municipal Economic Development Office
in July 2004. Later, the Arts Trail was started with support from the Prince Edward County
Cultural Round Table (which also started out of the Municipal Economic Development Office)
and funding from the Trillium Foundation. The first Arts Trail guide was produced in 2008.
Participants on both trails are charged a yearly fee - $1,500 for new members and $1,150 for
returning members. These rates have remained in place over the past few years. All the components
of the trails (guide book with map, website, road-side signs) are completely supported by user
fees, e.g. government funding, donations, company investments, charges to the end-user,
partnerships.
The Taste Trail is a “route” through Prince Edward County that links regional culinary
businesses under a single theme, packaging the experience in an easy-to-drive, self-guided tour
and encouraging tourists to experience and visit the participating businesses via a guide map,
a website and road signage. The Taste Trail is about more than tourism and hospitality: at its very
core is the importance of local agriculture and what is grown and made in the region. The Arts
Trail does the same for artists. Initially, both trails were developed independently. But in 2010,
a combined guide was produced, with the objective of increasing the number of guides in
circulation (from 30,000 separate guides in print to a total of 60,000 combined guides); it was
also clearly recognized that the wine and food consumer was also the art customer.
55
In the summer of 2005, the Taste Trail received funding to translate and produce the first bilingual
Taste Trail guide and to update the website to be bilingual. The original objective was to make
experiences in the county more accessible and welcoming to Francophone tourists. The Prince
Edward Lennox and Addington Community Futures Development Corporation, with funding
assistance from Industry Canada, helped fund the initiative to make the Taste Trail bilingual.
The long-term goals of the Taste Trail remain the same:
1. Drive high-yield culinary Anglophone and Francophone tourists to Taste Trail
businesses.
2. Offer value-added experiences (the trail itself, promotions, Taste Trail packages).
3. Support the branding of Prince Edward County as a culinary tourism destination.
4. Create a financially sustainable model for the Taste Trail.
The Trail’s success is measured by the return rate of participants that is generated every year.
In 2008, 21 artists signed up for the Arts Trail; in 2011, there will be 31 participating studios
and galleries. The Taste Trail will have over 31 venues in 2011.
Based on reports and feedback from members and anecdotal evidence, the proportion of
Francophone visitors has grown substantially since the initiation of the Trail, so much so that
on certain days some people say that “you only hear French in the area.” Generally there has been
an increase of Francophone traffic to the region overall. Reports from the Trail’s partners
(accommodations and restaurants) have shown that a greater number of Francophone tourists
are visible during the summer months. Attention from the French media has increased
substantially, proving that the Trail’s efforts to draw attention in the Francophone markets have
been successful.
In the opinion of the Trail’s organizers, this best practice for Francophone markets succeeded
because of the business model itself. They took an existing successful best practice, which had
already increased tourist interest in the region, and marketed it using similar techniques to
Francophone markets.
The region used the same model with both the Taste Trail and the Arts Trail guide/website. Few
changes were made with the addition of the Arts Trail. Since the Taste Trail model proved to be
successful, the organizers simply stuck to the same model to bring the Arts Trail to their
Francophone visitors.
56
Best Practices: Marketing
MARKETING
“Ontario should market its destination and experiences by strengthening our appeal to French-speaking markets.”5
This is a very powerful statement. Though it can mean on the one hand that Ontario must, as a destination, develop
more aggressive marketing campaigns in Francophone markets in order to better tell our story and sell our
experiences, it also means that smaller steps can also make a difference. Many organizations are unsure of how big
these initiatives need to be, but we would like to highlight a few which, though they required some additional work
and focus, represent initiatives that can be duplicated in many other areas across the province.
The following businesses have initiated successful Marketing initiatives that cater specifically to the Francophone
markets and have yielded strong returns for them.
Best practice: French language marketing campaign in Quebec and Ontario
OTTAWA TOURISM, Ottawa, ON (RTO 10)
www.tourismeottawa.ca
The first Marketing best practice focusses on a traditional marketing campaign. It demonstrates
the effectiveness of being in a market for a reasonable period of time in order to gain traction,
presence and credibility.
Ottawa Tourism started targeting the province of Quebec six years ago based on an awareness
program. The Quebec market, especially Montréal, has been very positive for Ottawa. The
strategies used are television, radio and print marketing. It uses the same strategies in Ontario
to capture the Franco-Ontarian market.
Combinations of practices are used to target Québécois travellers year-round; however, the
summer months are its heaviest ones. Ottawa Tourism’s return on investment has proved to be
very successful during the past four years. It experienced its strongest summer campaign in the
summer of 2010 (Ottawa, on y va), as the conversion rate was 11 to 1.
Ottawa Tourism hires the research firm Harris Decima Research to measure the success of its
marketing campaigns’ performances in the Quebec market. Findings in the last report revealed
“nothing short of great marketing performance … top of mind awareness has hit the highest
point since it started six years ago …” Harris Decima Research tracks all advertisements of
Ottawa Tourism.
Ottawa Tourism also attends tradeshows and marketplaces in Quebec.
Ottawa Tourism stresses the fact that since 2008, its new booking engine has helped
tremendously to attract Francophone visitors. It is now experiencing an increase of online
bookings from France. Both the website and call centre services are offered bilingually and much
attention is given to the SEO (Search Engine Optimization) by locating relevant keywords in
French. Ottawa Tourism also has in-house staff to proofread its French promotional material and
increasingly seeks to hire bilingual employees.
Ottawa Tourism targets the Francophone markets of Ontario and Quebec and it is certain that
the number of visitors from France would significantly increase if airlines offered direct flights
from France to Ottawa.
5 Greg Sorbara, Ontario Tourism Competiveness Study, 2009.
57
On the other hand, not all Marketing initiatives need to be so elaborate or comprehensive to get the message across
to the Francophone markets that you are “open for business.” In many cases, Francophone tourists do not need to
have all services provided in French when they get to a destination, but they do research their destination on French
websites or through French promotional materials and efforts to attract them in their own language go a long way
to striking their interest and “closing” the sale. What follows are a few “simple” but very effective examples of
initiatives that make a difference in attracting Francophone tourists.
Best practice: Adapting the product to meet the needs of the market
STONE GATE INN, Orillia, ON (RTO 7)
www.stonegateinn.com/Francais/index.cfm
The Stone Gate Inn sees the Francophone markets as a huge potential rather than a complex
puzzle. After having been asked to volunteer at a trade show in Montréal a few years ago, the
owner of the Stone Gate Inn jumped at the chance. Why? “Because there are 7.5 million people
in Quebec, and this fact alone made it worth exploring.” Though the owner could only speak
English, some visitors to the booth were receptive while others had little interest in communicating
with him in English. He quickly became aware that even though the market could understand
spoken English most of the time, when it came to reading promotional material, Québécois
wanted French products.
After participating in the trade show, the importance of having a French brochure became
evident. This led to an important initiative by the Stone Gate Inn: it started with a French insert
in its English brochure. Eventually it produced a totally separate French brochure. The owner
personally ensures the delivery of his brochures. He drops them off at CAA offices and tourist
information centres in the language they request. In Quebec, they want French. In Ontario, it
depends on the community. In the words of the Stone Gate Inn’s visionary, “You need to find out
what the market wants and offer it. It’s as simple as that.” Though the owner cannot identify one
activity in particular that draws Québécois to his region, he did mention that many Quebec
visitors appear to golf in the area.
Best practice: Long-standing professional translation relationship
MARINELAND, Niagara Falls, ON (RTO 2)
www.marineland.ca/fr
Having retained the same translator over the years, Marineland saw the opportunity to add a
French component to its website. The competent translator knows Marineland's products and
services inside and out and ensures that its message is well presented to the Francophone
consumer, rather than simply proceeding with a word-for-word translation. Word-for-word
translations can sometimes be very dangerous, as they alienate potential customers if the
message is not communicated correctly. It is important to work with a translator who is familiar
with the tourism business and its terminology or to build a relationship with someone who will
get to know the sector and the business. Never use translation programs and online translation
tools. They lead to approximate and inaccurate translations, and embarrassing situations at times.
Poor translations can actually be a deterrent to Francophone visitors as they project the image
that the attraction or business is not concerned with the quality of its marketing and services.
Marineland decided to get its website professionally translated since its greatest concentration of
Francophone visitors hails from Quebec. Over the years, Marineland discovered that many of its
guests and potential guests did not speak or understand English. Since Marineland does not
have many French-speaking employees, it is hoping that the French component of its website
will better serve Quebec consumers in their own language, hence enhancing the
opportunity to make a sale through French language promotional material on its website.
58
Best Practices: Marketing
A fourth Marketing best practice demonstrates a different approach and a comprehensive sensitivity to marketing
to Francophone markets.
Best practice: Making Francophone travellers feel at home
BROOKSTREET HOTEL, Ottawa, ON (RTO 10)
www.brookstreet.ca/francais.php
At Brookstreet, they believe that the best way to attract the Francophone market is by addressing
that clientele directly in their native tongue. If time and budget permit, all marketing materials
(brochures, rack cards, posters, etc.) are produced bilingually. Brookstreet has a bilingual
website, bilingual advertisements and bilingual signage throughout the hotel. French menus are
available and employees are trained to address Francophone clients in French. Once
Francophone guests enter the hotel, the staff ensures that they feel right at home, with the
objective of generating repeat visits. The current total for Francophone leisure guests from
Quebec alone is 11%. The overall number of Francophone guests is much higher (including
other markets and corporate, group tour and government guests); however, the hotel's reporting
system does not distinguish Francophone clientele in those segments.
The practice is most effective in making the traveller feel at home in a different destination.
Think of when you visit a different destination: you welcome staff greetings in your own
language, menus that you can understand and signage that allows you to get around comfortably.
Again, since many travellers do their research in their own language, promotional material in
their language makes a huge difference in attracting them to your establishment.
Our final example in this category is taken from the Georgian Bay region.
Best practice: French URL and website targeting Francophones
GEORGIAN BAY COASTAL ROUTE, Georgian Bay, ON (RTOs 7, 12 & 13a)
www.bonjourbaiegeorgienne.com
The first best practice of the Georgian Bay Coastal Route was to get a French URL. This simple
initiative is not often understood by regional organizations or operators. Search engines like
Google look at all aspects of words in a website, URL included. If the URL matches the page name
(title), plus paragraphs, plus image names, plus keywords, it will most likely award more “points”
for taking the time to follow the proper procedures, thus giving you a great ranking in search
engines. One of the things Google looks for when it catalogues pages is the density of the
keyword usage. What’s more, having a specific French URL allows the marketer to specifically
track its ads or campaigns.
Once the Georgian Bay Coastal Route had given itself a French URL, it decided to promote its
destination to the upscale adventurers and roamers of Quebec. Therefore it opted for a very quick,
easy and affordable Google AdWords strategy. Google AdWords allows you to create ads and
choose relevant keywords. When people search on Google using those keywords, the ad you
created may appear next to the search results. For example, if the browser types in “plage baie
Georgienne” (“Georgian Bay beach”) and those are some of thechosen words for the advertiser,
the ad will appear on the search page. It’s a way to advertise and to target an audience that’s
already interested in the product or experience. Through its AdWords strategy, the Georgian Bay
Coastal Route positioned the many experiences surrounding the beaches and parks in the region
– which it knows appeal in particular to the upscale adventurers and roamers of Quebec – as well
as the Georgian Bay area in general.
59
And finally, we would like to share two Marketing best practices from Direction Ontario. With over eight years in
the business of marketing Ontario to Francophone markets, Direction Ontario has developed some best practices
that have been recognized by experts in the field. The two examples that we will briefly review are the Francophone
tourism guide and the website.
Best practices: Promote Ontario in French while developing promotional tools that
meet the needs of the targeted Francophone markets
DIRECTION ONTARIO, Based in Kapuskasing, ON (RTO 13a)
www.voyagesontario.com
The Francophone tourism guide: L’Ontario en français
The importance of printed guides as one of many tools for the consumer is well documented
internationally. The explosion of commercial guides like Lonely Planet with over 500 titles and
Rough Guides shows how interested people are in this type of publication. A tourism guide “made
in Ontario” favourably influences the choice of Ontario as a destination among consumers and
encourages them to stay longer in the province.
From a Quebec perspective, the Tourism Intelligence Network in Quebec underlines the point
that even though 35% of Québécois use the Internet to plan their trip, 62% of Quebec travellers
still look for tourist information once they are on the road.6 We know that this is a marketing
tool very specific and relevant to the Quebec market.
At Direction Ontario, the guide is written from the outset in French; it is not a straight translation
from an English version. French nuances and a “French flair” are added to the guide, making
references to Quebec examples so that Quebec consumers can understand the references and
explanations in the guide (e.g. Lake Nipissing is comparable to Lac St-Jean in size); the guide
also highlights the Francophone cultural events and attractions that Quebec consumers might
be more interested in visiting. In essence, Direction Ontario’s approach is based on the idea that
the Quebec tourism market has specific cultural needs.
Direction Ontario’s French Services Rating Scale, which is referenced earlier in this document,
evaluates all the listed establishments in the guide (a feature that is very popular with the readers,
according to Direction Ontario’s annual surveys).
Now in its ninth year of existence, L’Ontario en français is a resourceful travel information guide
which contains hundreds of tourism operators throughout the province of Ontario. Its
electronic counterpart (e-guide) on the web receives over 1,000 unique visits per month; 40% of
the e-guide visitors consult its pages for 2 to 15 minutes and 20% of visitors for 15 minutes or more.
In the Quebec marketplace, the guide is distributed at specific trade shows such as Bienvenue
Quebec and at consumer shows such as RV, boating and motorcycling shows. In Ontario, the
guide is a sought-after and valuable tool at Ontario Travel Information Centres.
60
6 Les brochures sont-elles encore efficaces ?, Claude Péloquin, Tourism Intelligence Network,
http://veilletourisme.ca/2006/02/09/les-brochures-touristiques-sont-elles-encore-efficaces.
Best Practices: Marketing
Direction Ontario’s conversion rate for the guide is extremely high: 57.5% of Québécois visitors
who received and consulted L’Ontario en français have travelled to Ontario. Among this group,
59.7% said this was their first trip to Ontario in five years. Over half (54.1%) of vacationers said
they visited a new region after receiving the tourism guide.
Again, for those who received the guide before their trip and used it to plan their visit to
Ontario, the median stay was 7 days, compared to the average of 2.9 days for Québécois who
did not plan their visit with L’Ontario en français.
The website: Bonjour Ontario
Direction Ontario’s Bonjour Ontario website has seen a large increase in traffic since the summer
of 2009. The number of daily unique visitors has increased from 1,500 to 2,500, a 67% jump.
The increase can be explained by the addition of many new components through a major
revamping of the site. Direction Ontario changed the look of the website and refined its layout
to make browsing easier. The content was diversified with the objective of maintaining good
referencing results in search engines like Google. Direction Ontario also wanted to offer the best
venue (or visibility) for its members. Many ways were used to accomplish this goal. First, work
was done on the visual aspect of the site. In addition, a new URL address, VoyagesOntario.com,
was added, as well as a number of French themed URL addresses, reflecting the experiential
offerings of Ontario – an approach that has also now been repeated in the guide
(e.g. lacsontario.com, campingenontario.com, plagesontario.com). Other additions to the website
include locating members on a Google map, adding points of interest in the regions and a photo
gallery. The website attracts over 2,500 unique visitors per day and search engines like Google
and Yahoo recognize over 9,000 of its pages.
Conclusion
The Ontario tourism landscape is full of other examples, both large and small, to develop marketing, product
development and French language services for Francophone markets. These initiatives can be adapted very easily
to target other emerging destinations and other language-sensitive markets.
These initiatives make Ontario more welcoming to these markets and highlight our cultural diversity and our
openness to the world.
In the end, best practices in Francophone markets are simply just good “business practices.”
61
APPENDIX A
The following table indicates the number of visitors to Ontario in 2008, by origin and by travel region.
Visits by Origin by Region - Number of Visits
TR = Travel Region
Origin
TR 1
Total
Ontario
Quebec
Manitoba
Other Canada
US
Overseas
TR 2
TR 3
13,370,405 10,292,999
TR 4
TR 5
TR 6
TR 7
TR 8
TR 9
TR 10
TR 11
TR 12
TR 13
7,109,496
7,932,400 19,126,255
7,035,410
9,169,119
4,657,182
6,324,004
5,907,460
4,039,750
3,432,326
5,953,369
7,090,248 13,790,723
6,478,532
8,728,874
4,460,977
4,608,072
3,502,197
3,702,058
3,194,053
4,303,076
372,413 1,306,723
76,926
18,661
89,305
9,365,196
5,363,648
6,458,801
61,055
107,419
51,080
40,278
561,371
24,677
23,136
15,484
7,985
7,322
11,109
8,522
65,491
1,996
8,523
5,159
2,269
29,820
2,321
2,140
356,306
83,651
51,207
53,482
43,046
560,331
39,046
40,179
15,698
70,968
212,959
22,800
12,619
57,508
3,718,864
3,922,666
353,475
601,838
2,521,100
290,462
229,460
112,312
1,126,796
428,099
200,879
130,446
1,100,004
133,654
840,738
181,548
148,468
1,627,238
200,699
138,946
47,550
143,486
427,663
34,766
74,407
47,171
Source: Statistics Canada, Travel Survey of Residents of Canada 2008.
62
APPENDIX B
French Services Rating
National Evaluation Scale
Name of organization: __________________________________________
Address: ______________________________________________________
City: _________________________________________________________
Postal Code: ___________________________________________________
Province: _____________________________________________________
Postal address: (if different from above)
________________________________________________________
City: ________________________________________________________
Postal Code: __________________________________________________
Province: _____________________________________________________
Each colour-coded FR symbol guarantees a certain type of
service in French. Red means the establishment uses French
promotional tools; blue means that written documents are
available in French; green means that French is spoken
during peak season or on request; yellow means that French
services are available at all times.
– Website and brochure in French
– regulations, signage, labels, menus and
forms are available in French on site
– French is spoken during peak season or
on request
Contact person: ________________________________________________
Phone: _______________________________________________________
Email address: _________________________________________________
Website: ______________________________________________________
Category 1
a)
Marketing
Website
1. Is your Website in French?
__ Yes
__ Do not apply
c)
Category 2
a)
Product development
Restaurant
1. Do you have a menu available in French?
__ Yes
__ No
__ Do not apply
b) Accommodation
1. Is the information in your rooms available in French?
(how to make a call, hotel services, etc.)
__ Yes
__ No
__ Do not apply
Attractions/Museums
d) Outfitters/Guides
1. Are your guides, contracts and release forms available in
French?
__ Yes
__ No
__ Do not apply
b) Brochure
1. Do you produce a French or bilingual brochure?
__ Yes
__ No
– no service in French
1. Is the interpretation in your attraction/museum available
in French?
__ Yes
__ No
__ Do not apply
__ No
If yes, your Website is in French:
__ Entirely
__ Partially
– French is spoken at all times
Category 3
Partial French services
1.
Are services in French available upon request?
__ Yes
__ No
2.
Are services in French available during peak season?
__ Yes
__ No
Category 4
1.
Services in French at all times
Do you have a minimum of one French speaking employee
at reception on each work shift?
__ Yes
__ No
63
ONTARIO TOURISM MARKETING PARTNERSHIP CORPORATION
http://www.tourismpartners.com
•
•
Quebec Segmentation, July 2009, Environics Analytics
Ontario Francophone Analysis and Segmentation, June 2009, Environics Analytics
The Ontario Tourism Marketing Partnership Corporation hired Environics Analytics to gather the following data
through a segmentation system called PRIZMC2. PRIZMC2 is an innovative consumer segmentation system that
classifies all Canadians into one of 66 groups based on their demographics, behaviours and attitudes. It is the first
Canadian segmentation model to link geodemographics to Social Values data to explain consumer behaviour. The
system has been updated in January 2009 to capture the most recent demographic, behavioural and attitudinal
changes.
15 of the 66 PRIZMC2 segments are Francophone and reside predominantly in the province of Quebec. These
15 segments have been further segmented into 42 segments for more granular segmentation resulting in PRIZM QC.
The PRIZM QC segments can be used to quantify and locate but not for personification as they do not provide
statistically reliable data at this granular level. All personification is completed using the PRIZMC2 segment.
CANADIAN TOURISM COMMISSION
http://en-corporate.canada.travel/Corporate/Flyout.page?id=222&fid=372
•
•
France Tourism Market Profile, 2009 Update, Canadian Tourism Commission
Global Tourism Watch, Year 3, France – Key Findings, 2009, Canadian Tourism Commission
As a world-class leader in tourism research and intelligence, the CTC lets the facts and figures do the talking, offering
data, market intelligence, industry analysis and e-business initiatives to support strategic and operational decisions.
ONTARIO MINISTRY OF TOURISM
http://www.tourism.gov.on.ca/english/research/travel_intentions/index.html
•
Travel Intentions Summer/Fall 2010, TNS Canadian Facts
The Ontario Ministry of Tourism seeks to increase investment in Ontario’s tourism industry by developing appropriate
tools to foster an attractive climate in which to invest. Through its agency, the Ontario Tourism Marketing
Partnership Corporation, the program markets Ontario as a year-round world-class travel destination. They work
in partnership with our agencies, attractions, boards and commissions and the private sector. These partnerships
maximize the economic, cultural and social contributions of its agencies and attractions and stimulate economic
growth, job creation and stronger communities.
OFFICE OF FRANCOPHONE AFFAIRS
http://www.ofa.gov.on.ca
•
Profile of Ontario’s Francophone Community, 2009
Created under the French Language Services Act, the Office of Francophone Affairs works together with the
ministries to ensure that the Act is applied. With assistance from the French Language Services Coordinators,
it ensures that the public has access to services in French in the 25 designated areas. It also provides information
on the province’s Francophone population to other levels of government and the public.
Specifically, the OFA supports the Minister Responsible for Francophone Affairs in the development of Frenchlanguage services, policies and programs that meet the needs of Ontario’s Francophones; provides expert advice on
matters relating to Francophones and the delivery of French-language services; gathers and provides information
on Ontario’s Francophone community; and acts as a link between the Francophone community and government
ministries and their agencies.
64
Sources/Acknowledgements
LE RÉSEAU DE VEILLE EN TOURISME (The Tourism Intelligence Network)
http://veilletourisme.ca
•
•
Les loisirs des Québécois, September 3, 2009
Activités, attraits et événements favoris des Québécois, November 13, 2009
The Tourism Intelligence Network is an organization devoted to strategic intelligence gathering in the field of
tourism. It was launched on January 30, 2004 by the Transat Chair in Tourism at the Université du Québec à
Montréal (UQAM) School of Business Administration, with the financial support of Canada Economic Development
– Quebec Regions and Tourisme Québec.
STATISTICS CANADA
http://www.statcan.gc.ca
•
•
Statistics Canada’s International Travel: Advance Information service bulletin for May 2010
Statistics Canada’s International Travel: Travel between Canada and other countries, June 2010
Statistics Canada, a member of the Industry Portfolio, produces statistics that help Canadians better understand their
country – its population, resources, economy, society and culture.
LE CORRIDOR TOURISTIQUE FRANCOPHONE DE L’OUEST
www.ouestcanadien.ca
•
Évaluation du potentiel du marché français envers les provinces de l’Ouest du Canada, Chaire de tourisme
Transat ESG UQAM
The Corridor touristique francophone de l’Ouest (Francophone Tourism Corridor for Western Canada) is an
initiative that links Western Canada’s Francophone communities and their tourism businesses. Its objective is to
stimulate the tourism industry of its member French-language communities. L’Ouest canadien en français is
coordinated by the four provincial Francophone Economic Development Organizations (FEDOs) comprised of the
Economic Development Council for Manitoba Bilingual Communities, the Société de développement économique de la
Colombie-Britannique (British Columbia Economic Development Corporation), the Conseil de la Coopération de la
Saskatchewan (Saskatchewan Cooperation Council) and the Conseil de développement économique de l’Alberta
(Alberta Economic Development Council).
RDÉE ONTARIO
http://www.rdee-ont.ca
•
•
Le tourisme des Français en 2007, Direction du Tourisme, TNS Sofres
Tourisme des Français, Les activités des touristes lors de leurs voyages, Direction du Tourisme, TNS Sofres
A special recognition to Mr. Alain Brosius from RDÉE Ontario for sharing his valuable market intelligence on the
Francophone markets in Europe.
RDÉE Ontario promotes economic development and employability in Ontario’s Francophone communities to
ensure that they remain vital and sustainable.
DIRECTION ONTARIO
http://www.directionontario.ca/publications.cfm
•
Market Study of Direction Ontario’s Tourism Clientele, Summer 2008
65
Conclusion
Working in Francophone markets should be seen as a continuous process. There is a certain inherent learning
curve to working in each of these markets.
The Franco-Ontarian market is the easiest to reach and is consistent with the current “staycation” focus of many
RTOs. It also gives RTOs an opportunity to develop Francophone consumer promotional materials and evaluate their
service delivery capacities at little extra costs.
The Quebec Francophone market is the next of these markets easiest to reach and attract. As we have seen through
the consumer preferences and the best practices components of the toolkit, we have the products, they only need
to be “tweaked” a little to appeal to the Quebec consumer.
The market from France is the third level of the continuum. Your services and products need to be able to compete
with other world-class products – but your returns are higher. The visitations from France continue to increase to
Canada, so the cost of getting French visitors to come to Ontario can be shared with other domestic suppliers,
regions or provinces who already work in that market.
It is our hope that the consumer preferences and best practices contained in this toolkit are considered practical and
conducive to supporting RTOs and their members who plan, first: to do a quick analysis and evaluation of the
Francophone markets that they intend to either target or continue serving; and second: to implement new
approaches to better serve those markets. Ontario experiences clearly demonstrate that we can be successful in
these markets.
About Direction Ontario
For the past nine years, Direction Ontario has been the leader of Francophone tourism in
Ontario. The vision of this non-profit organization is to work with the newly formed Regional
Tourism Organizations in order to showcase Ontario’s tourism products and increase the
number of Francophone visitors to Ontario.
Since 2005, Direction Ontario has been compiling statistics on the growth of Francophone tourism traffic in
Ontario resulting from its activities. The purpose of these market studies is to allow Direction Ontario’s partners to
better understand the consumer habits of the Francophone tourists in order to identify their specific needs and
future product development opportunities, as well as to evaluate the scope of its tourism guide. In recent years,
Direction Ontario, in collaboration with RDÉE Canada, developed a rating scale for French services which has now
been adopted at the national level. This essential tool for tourists who don’t speak English also has the potential to be
adapted for other markets (i.e. Chinese, Spanish, etc.).
The development of Francophone markets and products has been the cornerstone of Direction Ontario’s tourism
strategy. Based on studies that show the importance and the potential of the French-language tourism market in
Ontario, Direction Ontario wants to create viable tourism infrastructures by positioning its activities to meet the
needs of its partners and its clientele by offering Francophone and bilingual experiences and products.
In partnership with other tourism industry organizations, Direction Ontario has been involved in several projects
and initiatives, such as the promotion and strengthening of French-language services, various market studies, the
development of regional tourism projects, the creation of promotional networks including Alliance Club, and the
improvement of relations between Ontario’s tourism industry and Francophone markets. On the promotion front,
Direction Ontario has led initiatives in consumer trade shows, published a tourism guide and launched marketing
campaigns in Quebec.
66
Notes
67
68