May/June 2010
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Travel Alberta Update
Alberta readies itself for future market growth in Asia/Pacific By Bruce Okabe Chief Executive Officer, Travel Alberta In challenging economic times, partnership is a key ingredient to success, and in my view, Travel Alberta’s partnership with Edmonton Tourism ranks among our most solid. The overall strength of our industry is largely the result of strong business relationships coupled with superior market knowledge. In anticipation of China’s expected finalization of Canada’s Approved Destination Status (ADS), we’re pleased to announce that Travel Alberta is further augmenting its relationship building and market knowledge capacities within the Asia/Pacific region with the addition of two highly respected and extremely knowledgeable tourism industry professionals. Effective July 1st, Joe Volk comes on board as Travel Alberta’s Vancouver-based Market Development Director. Joe will be responsible for enhancing relationships for Travel Alberta and Alberta industry partners with Asian Receptive Tour Operators located in Vancouver. Joe will drive itinerary development and distribution of high-quality travel experiences as well as new collaborative marketing approaches that will provide the greatest return on investment for both Alberta industry and receptive operator partners. Prior to joining Travel Alberta, Joe spent 35 years with VIA Rail in western Canada. Most recently he was Director, International Sales and Marketing, responsible for all international marketing and sales activities for VIA’s network. Joe also served as President of the Canadian Inbound Tourism Association Asia Pacific (CITAP) from 1999 until 2006. We’re also pleased to announce that Maria Yang has been named as Travel Alberta’s Market Development Director for China, and will be co-located within the Canadian Tourism Commission’s Beijing office. Maria, who has been Travel Alberta’s Marketing and Public Relations Director in China for five years, has more than 24 years of experience in communications, public relations, marketing and sales for organizations including the Canadian Tourism Commission, Delta Airlines and Northwest Airlines. In her new role, she will be working closely with the CTC on market development and education programs as Canada awaits formal ratification of ADS from China. China is forecast to produce 100 million outbound travellers by 2020 which will make it the largest tourism market in the world. Travel Alberta recognizes the strong role that Edmonton Tourism and its industry partners continue to play as members of “Team Alberta”, and their efforts to gain a foothold in the Chinese market in advance of ADS being granted. We’re confident that as a result of past and present relationship building done by Edmonton Tourism in cities like Shanghai, Beijing, Harbin, Jinan, and Chengdu, Edmonton will be ideally positioned to capitalize on heightened Chinese interest in Canada once ADS is finalized.
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