bringing the brand to lifebanff mountain film and book festival in november, we coordinated a...

BRINGING THE BRAND TO LIFEBANFF & LAKE LOUISE TOURISM — 2016 ANNUAL REPORT

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2BANFF & LAKE LOUISE TOURISM 2016 ANNUAL REPORT

TABLE OF CONTENTS

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1 ABOUT BANFF & LAKE LOUISE TOURISM

2 MESSAGE FROM THE BOARD CHAIR AND PRESIDENT & CEO

3 STRATEGIC PRIORITIES

6 GENERATE YEAR-ROUND DEMAND

12 LEAD WITH BRAND

16 STRENGTHEN INDUSTRY ALIGNMENT

18 OPERATE A PERFORMANCE- BASED BUSINESS

22 FINANCIALS

23 LEADERSHIP

24 STAY CONNECTED WITH OUR TEAM


OUR PURPOSEInspire the world to experience the indelible awe of Banff and Lake Louise.

OUR VISION A bold and disciplined marketing organization committed to the growth of our tourism economy and the curation of our brand.

OUR STRATEGY We will grow member revenue to $9.6-million by 2020, through working with our partners to share the indelible awe of Banff and Lake Louise with high yield travellers in growth markets.

OUR MANDATE Banff & Lake Louise Tourism focuses on building year-round visitation. To achieve this we will:

» Work with our members, Parks Canada and the communities of Banff and Lake Louise

» Be governed by an elected board of directors

» Partner with Travel Alberta, Destination Canada and like-minded partners.

ABOUT BANFF & LAKE LOUISE TOURISM

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MESSAGE FROM THE BOARD CHAIR AND PRESIDENT & CEO This path to success is supporting engaged and enabled employees in generating value for our members. It’s driving demand for the entire destination: transportation, activities, accommodation, restaurants, retail, entertainment and services. It has led to increased focus on our Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Events (MICE) business development, events that extend weekends and drive mid-week visits and new ways for digital and face-to-face communications with visitors.

We are looking forward to a vibrant 2017, celebrating Canada’s 150th anniversary. With an expected influx of visitors, Banff & Lake Louise Tourism, Parks Canada and the Town of Banff are working closer than ever. We are increasing our focus on educating guests on how to be responsible visitors in a National Park, implementing new ways to find the “hidden gems” in Banff and Lake Louise and promoting year-round opportunities to visit the destination.

Sincerely,

David Roberts, Board Chair Leslie Bruce, President & CEO March 23, 2017

In 2016, we brought the Banff and Lake Louise destination brand to life. To support this brand strategy, we must work together to have it inform all that we do: the stories we tell, how we animate the destination, our communication with visitors and the values we’ve developed for our employees. With this aligned brand strategy and story, we moved from a year of transition in 2015, to one of momentum and growth last year. Thank you to our dedicated members for sharing the indelible awe of Banff and Lake Louise.

This re-examination of the destination has given us more insight into our organization and a better understanding of the Banff National Park visitor. This has led to the development of our four key pillars and nine objectives developed in 2015. This framework will drive our long-term strategy toward 2020. In 2016, we began work implementing this strategy and measuring against our key performance indicators. This is the first report against these goals and we are happy to share we exceeded most of our targets.

Some highlights included:

» Exceeded our Net Promoter Score (NPS) target for winter with 78%

» Room night growth was 5.8% higher than previous year

» Website leads were 30% more than targeted

» Unveiled new organizational values to set the foundation for how we work together.

BANFF & LAKE LOUISE TOURISM 2016 ANNUAL REPORT 3BANFF & LAKE LOUISE TOURISM 2016 ANNUAL REPORT

STRATEGIC PRIORITIES STRATEGIC FRAMEWORK FOR 2016-2020

Our mission, vision, and mandate all point towards our overarching goal: to deliver $9.6-million in member revenue by 2020, an increase from the $8.67-million target outlined in the 2016 Business Plan. A considerable amount of work has gone into finding ways to achieve this target and 2016 marks the first year executing this strategic plan.

Our work is focused on four pillars: generate year-round demand, lead with brand, strengthen industry alignment and operate a performance-based business. This requires growing visitation in our winter and shoulder seasons and defending our summer revenue. It involves working together as a destination, aligned on our brand strategy. It means leveraging key partners like Travel Alberta and Destination Canada to increase our effectiveness. This is all underpinned by an organizational culture whose values reflect the brand. This work is driving visitation to the destination, encouraging visitors to experience activities and services, motivating them to come back and increasing our marketing effectiveness.

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STRATEGIC PRIORITIES GENERATE YEAR-ROUND DEMAND

OBJECTIVE 1: GROW VISITATION IN WINTER AND SHOULDER SEASON

» Build the brand narrative for the beyond-ski winter position through content marketing

» Grow demand around holiday periods for the core and growth target markets

» Leverage the attributes of the destination in industry niches (Adventure, Wellness, Student and Youth).

OBJECTIVE 2: DEFEND SUMMER REVENUE

» Lengthen summer – communicate the unique attributes of travelling in June and September

» Support the value perception of the experience in-destination through animation and pageantry

» Encourage in-market bookings of activities and services.

LEAD WITH BRAND

OBJECTIVE 3: BUILD DESTINATION BRAND ALIGNMENT

» Create brand alignment with members and industry partners

» Embed the brand in the visitor experience.

OBJECTIVE 4: FUEL TRAVELLER ADVOCACY

» Generate and share traveller insights to refine marketing strategy

» Tell the brand story with user generated content.

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5BANFF & LAKE LOUISE TOURISM 2016 ANNUAL REPORTPhot

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STRENGTHEN INDUSTRY ALIGNMENT

OBJECTIVE 5: WORK TOGETHER AS A DESTINATION

» Create go-to-market programs for members to join and collaborate on

» Offer marketing training opportunities to members.

OBJECTIVE 6: DEVELOP PARTNERSHIPS TO INCREASE MARKETING EFFECTIVENESS

» Work with Travel Alberta, Destination Canada and like-minded partners into aligned U.S. and international markets

» Seek unconventional partners with look-alike audiences and test marketing opportunities.

OPERATE A PERFORMANCE-BASED BUSINESS

OBJECTIVE 7: PROMOTE EMPLOYEE EFFECTIVENESS

» Build a culture that reflects the destination brand

» Live the values of the organization and use them as a filter for decision-making.

OBJECTIVE 8: OPTIMIZE INVESTMENTS

» Begin all marketing initiatives with an understanding of the target consumer and our goals

» Integrate digital marketing practices throughout the business

» Refine the management reporting system.

OBJECTIVE 9: DELIVER EXEMPLARY FISCAL PROCESSES AND AUDIT OUTCOMES

» Improve financial literacy within the team

» Deliver timely and accurate financial information to facilitate decision making

» Build best practices for non-profit management at the team and board level.

STRATEGIC PRIORITIES


GENERATE YEAR-ROUND DEMAND

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Our efforts continue to build awareness, manage relationships and educate consumers on the variety of activities in-market over the calendar year. Visitors are catching on that Banff National Park inspires indelible awe all year-round and are filling in the gaps during traditionally slower shoulder and winter seasons. In concert with this work, we continue to support summer by enhancing the visitor experience and targeting high-yield visitors – those looking to experience a wide range of activities and services in the destination.


Banff and Lake Louise is a year-round destination and a worldwide draw. By creating opportunities to showcase our destination to key influencers – meeting planners, tour operators, travel agencies – we educate key markets on our offering and drive visitation. In 2016, we generated 279,175 potential room nights through our business development tactics (MICE, travel trade, cooperative marketing campaigns), a 55% increase from our target.

Our unique attributes during winter and shoulder seasons are appealing to meeting planners, especially those looking for a wide scope of activities. Our first ever Q4/Q1 MICE Incentive Program generated 1,886 room nights and numerous destination benefits to other sectors.

Our successes included:

» Secured 41 new tour operators focused on adventure, student and youth markets; 18 more than targeted

» Conducted a Receptive Tour Operator (RTO) business development trip to Toronto focused on product training for 28 China RTOs

GROW VISITATION IN WINTER AND SHOULDER SEASON


OBJECTIVE 1

OCCUPANCY

68%

25,320NIGHTS’ GROWTH

ROOM

672,000LEAD REFERRALS

GOALS

EXCLUDING JUNE TO SEPTEMBER

RESULTS

44,480NIGHTS’ GROWTH

ROOM

EXCLUDING JUNE TO SEPTEMBER

AVERAGE ANNUAL69.9%

WEB 881,631LEAD REFERRALS

WEB

4.41PEDESTRIAN COUNTS

MILLION 11.2PEDESTRIAN COUNTS

MILLION

» Developed 34 new winter itineraries with tour operators; 19 more than targeted

» Held three winter focused MICE Canada business trips generating eight direct leads out of a possible 20

» Hosted 34 attendees at the Financial and Insurance Conference Planners (FICP) Fall Symposium and produced six leads.

November continues to be the destination’s biggest opportunity for growth. Occupancy rates have averaged 46% over the last four years. In 2016, we ramped up our efforts to become a quintessentially Canadian Christmas destination and created opportunities for extended visitation through unique culinary and cultural opportunities.

To access the thousands of adventurers and audience members attending the annual Banff Mountain Film and Book Festival in November, we coordinated a fixed-price culinary program, Taste For Adventure. The 10-day event resulted in 7,305 lunch and dinners served and 28 room packages sold, almost a 40% increase in the number of restaurant covers secured during 2015’s Bon Appetit Banff.

OCCUPANCY AVERAGE ANNUAL


GENERATE YEAR-ROUND DEMANDTo further grow demand in our greatest need period, we are focusing on enhancing the Christmas season. We secured a grant with the Town of Banff to build a greater sense of arrival with lights at both entrances and Central Park. We worked closely with Parks Canada, Town of Banff and many members to light up the destination in mid-November. We moved the Santa Claus parade two weeks earlier, scheduled ahead of the busy Christmas party season.

In addition, we tested hosting two events over the last weekend in November. The Banff Craft Beer Festival sold out three time slots compared to two the previous year, while extended hours allowed the Banff Christmas Market to double attendance in 2016, to 4,000 from 2,000. Our post-event survey showed 40% of visitors stayed overnight and 65% shopped elsewhere in Banff (an increase from 49% in 2015). Supported by these new and updated initiatives, November occupancy rose to 49%

in 2016, an increase of 6% from 2015. Banff National Park’s gate count for November also increased, up 12% from previous year.

We continue to test opportunities to drive overnight visitation after Easter. Concert at the Cave, a partnership with Banff Centre and Parks Canada, saw attendance increase to a sold-out 660, up from 400 in 2015.

We also introduced the Art in the Park: Gallery and Wine Hop. Over 200 visitors enjoyed artist talks, exhibits, First Nation dancing; satisfaction levels were high. We also supported the Banff Yoga Festival. The three-day wellness-focused event attracted almost 400 visitors.

During January and February, Snow Days was enhanced through additional snow and ice sculptures and an extended, family focused Big Bear event; participation increased from 1,750 from 800 the previous year.


GENERATE YEAR-ROUND DEMANDTaste For Adventure: This two-week long culinary program, in partnership with the Banff Mountain Film and Book Festival, featured 33 restaurants; the campaign resulted in a record number of member leads from the website.

Results:

» 18,202 website visits

» 23,125 leads to members

» 7,305 lunch and dinner guests booked

» 28 room packages sold.

2016’S TOP MARKETING CAMPAIGNS

A series of marketing campaigns promoted the unique year-round opportunities found in Banff and Lake Louise. These partner and member-supported initiatives helped drive consumers to our website and generated leads to members. Here are our most successful marketing campaigns of 2016:

Fishing Pilot Project: This first foray into niche marketing focused on a passionate audience of fishing enthusiasts; consumer insights and member consultation were at the forefront to building this highly-targeted campaign.

Results:


» 839 leads to members.


SkiBig3 Booyah Campaign: We collaborated with SkiBig3 to partner with Destination Canada and the Canadian Ski Council on a digital content consumer campaign targeting U.S. skiers.

Results:

» 37,031,395 impressions


» $2.32 return on ad spend.

GENERATE YEAR-ROUND DEMANDChristmas Campaign: Robust visitor research supported our Christmas marketing campaign. Built around quintessential Christmas festivities, the campaign targeted high-income visitors from Alberta and neighbouring provinces.

Results:

» 5,056,532 impressions

» 33,471 clicks

» 42,880 total pageviews

» 605 leads.


DEFEND SUMMER REVENUE


OBJECTIVE 2 With summer exceeding 90% occupancy, we continue to take steps to ensure the experience of visiting Banff and Lake Louise still inspires indelible awe. We are finding new ways to emphasize the variety of activities in-market by increasing face-to-face communications at key locations and responding to the need for more online interaction. In 2016, this included:

» Banff Visitor Experience team began using social media to interact with current and potential visitors, engaging with 282 users from July to December and generating 306 leads

» Total number of visitors engaged over the phone, through email, social media and live chat was 7,721; an increase of 20%

» Banff Avenue visitor kiosk expanded from four to seven days per week during the summer season, engaging with 13,569 visitors; a 32% increase compared to 2015

» Opened the Lake Louise Visitor Centre facility seven days a week to support a 44% increase in visitation

» Visitor Experience Specialists tested pop-up information sites at popular attractions and events throughout the year; engaging with an additional 3,890 visitors

» Worked closely with Parks Canada and Lake Louise members on the Lake Louise Hidden Treasures campaign to help decrease congestion at popular locations.

“ OUR WORK IS FOCUSED ON EMPHASIZING THE VARIETY OF ACTIVITIES IN-MARKET BY INCREASING DIGITAL AND FACE-TO-FACE COMMUNICATIONS AT KEY LOCATIONS.”

GOALS RESULTS

GROW OCCUPANCY TO:

86%87%SUPPORT OCCUPANCY LEVELS

91% FOR BOTH JULY AND AUGUST

OCCUPANCY: IN JUNE AND

IN SEPTEMBER

89%88%SUPPORT OCCUPANCY LEVELS

93% FOR BOTH JULY AND AUGUST

IN JUNE AND

IN SEPTEMBER


LEAD WITH BRAND In 2016, we completed the rollout of our new brand. This important work allows us to clearly define who we are, what we do and why visitors should experience Banff and Lake Louise. It lets us build meaningful relationships and emotional connections between the destination and visitor. It lets us sell the overall experience, from activities and accommodation to retail and restaurants. Long after leaving Banff and Lake Louise, our supporters continue to share and reminisce about their holiday online to like-minded followers and we continue to find ways to make it easier for them to do so.

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LEAD WITH BRAND

> 75%> 80%

NET PROMOTER SCORE (NPS):

GOALS RESULTS

WINTER

SUMMER

78%79%*


WINTER

SUMMER

We officially launched the redesigned BanffLakeLouise.com in 2016, delivering a better user experience with more inspiring information about our destination. The site offers detailed information about attractions, activities and facilities. Early results are encouraging — web lead referrals are 30% higher than anticipated.

Our new website was designed to be an adaptable platform to test marketing initiatives. In 2016, we tested ways to generate website leads by moving the booking tool to the top of the accommodation page, increasing click-through rates by 120%.

We also tried various calls to action for users to purchase park passes. Online sales for 2016 Day Passes were 31,632 and Discovery

Pass sales 4,071; up from 22,718 Day Passes and 2,400 Discovery Passes in 2015. We will continue to test new initiatives to increase leads to our members.

To finalize our brand rollout, we completed the redesign of our Visitor Centre physical spaces. We also updated our new identity on signage, promotional materials, business cards, e-newsletter templates, e-signatures, office space, stationery and ad templates. Work continues in 2017 to offer training opportunities for members to learn more about the brand and how it can be used to inspire people to experience the indelible awe of Banff and Lake Louise.

* Please note: Cumulative rainfall, the announcement of whirling disease during a busy fishing week and traffic congestion led to an NPS score of 65% the week of August 22; the overall NPS score is 81.5% if that outlier is removed.

BUILD DESTINATION BRAND ALIGNMENT

OBJECTIVE 3


LEAD WITH BRANDNational Geographic Traveler named Banff National Park ‘Best for Nature’ in their annual ‘Best of the World’ edition and featured the destination prominently on its cover. This coverage garnered worldwide media attention with 197,024,393 potential views, our most successful coverage since #ProjectSnow (546,166,468 potential views).

We also participated in Destination Canada’s annual Canada Media Marketplace with top-tier journalists, influencers and online content marketing media. We continue to pursue these impactful opportunities.

The most significant media visits and publications in 2016 included:

» Forbes, freelance journalist Larry Olmsted. Reach: 2,777,370

» CBC, Calgary Herald, Western Living, Avenue; Julie Van Rosendaal. Combined reach: 3,840,695

» The Telegraph, freelance journalist Leslie Woit. Reach 103,000,000

» Lonely Planet, Alex Howard. Reach: 450,000 print; 40,008 YouTube views.

LONELY P L ANE T / Fa l l 2 0 1 630 Fa l l 2 0 1 6 / LONELY P L ANE T 31

Banff, Lake Louise and Peyto Lake in Alberta

are the Canadian Rockies at their best: glacier-

capped peaks, soul-stirring waterfalls and 1,000

miles of blissfully quiet trails.

Begin in Banff Town, a hamlet of restau-

rants, nightclubs and shops just minutes from

the wilderness. Swing by the Whyte Museum of

the Canadian Rockies (whyte.org) for an exhibit

telling the story of Banff and the pioneers who

carved out a home in the Rockies. Then ride up

to the summit of Sulphur Mountain via the Banff

Gondola (brewster.ca). Take in the alpine views

or stick around for lunch at one of the summit

restaurants before riding back down.

Head north to Lake Louise, where a network

of trails spiders out into the sawtooth horizon.

Don’t miss the hike-in teahouses, including Lake

Agnes Tea House. Less than an hour’s drive from

Lake Louise is Peyto Lake. You’ve probably seen

the indescribable blue of this lake in a thousand

publicity shots, but there’s nothing like gazing at

the real thing, especially since the viewing point

is from a spot several hundred feet above the

water. It’s best visited in early morning, between

the time the sun first illuminates the water and

the first tour bus arrives.

For more information, pick up Lonely Planet’s Banff, Jasper & Glacier National Parks guidebook or visit banfflakelouise.com.

Glacier-fed Peyto Lake is about 28 miles north of Lake Louise, Alberta, in Banff National Park.

GET THERE

Calgary International Airport, about 11 miles

northeast of downtown, has flights from most

major West Coast cities that clock in at under

three hours; it’s then 145 miles, or about a 90-

minute drive, west to Banff. All major car rental

firms are represented at the airport; many hotels

offer transfer service.

STAY

The opulent Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise (from

$350; fairmont.com/lake-louise), on the shores

of the lake, is a good option if you’re looking for

a splurge with a view. For something more rustic,

try Deer Lodge (from $137; crmr.com), which has

renovated rooms in an original 1920s hand-hewn

log structure.

DO

Black and grizzly bears might be the stars of the

show here, but the area is also home to elk,

bighorn sheep, mountain goats and birds. Lake

Minnewanka is best for spotting bighorns, bears

and wolves, while elk hang out at the Vermilion

Lakes. Head out early with binoculars to catch a

glimpse of these magnificent creatures.

JUST

IN F

OU

LKES

BANFF NATIONAL PARK brings the wild Canadian Rockies within reach.

Easy Trips

AwardWinning!

Best New Magazine25FALL 2016

Our experts guide you from America’s most surprising city to the pristine tip of Patagonia

The Cultural Heart of SPAIN

T R AV E L SECRETS

A Wine Trail in (the Other) GEORGIA

¡ H O L ACUBA! How to Go Now

The Best Things in VEGAS

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Easy Trips to BERMUDA, BANFF, SANTA BARBARA, DENVER

&

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FALL 20

16


LEAD WITH BRANDVacations fuel anticipation. Travellers to Banff and Lake Louise build excitement online before, during and after their visit. By making it easy for visitors to generate and share their stories, we increase the likelihood that their enthusiasm will motivate others to visit.

In 2016, our Banff Snow Days nation-wide social media contest #SnowmanShowdown challenged Canadians to build their best snowman and be entered to win a trip to Banff and Lake Louise. We built a 16-foot-tall snowman in downtown Banff to promote the

contest and animate the destination. The increased prominence from this social media contest exceeded our expectations of 100 entries and 500,000 impressions with 265 entries and 3.1-million impressions.

To further animate the destination and cement Banff and Lake Louise as a Christmas destination, we:

» Received a Town of Banff grant for a Christmas lighting project to develop a sense of arrival at both entrances to the town site

» Increased animation in Banff Avenue Square and Central Park and mobilized street carolers.

“ BY MAKING IT EASY FOR VISITORS TO SHARE THEIR STORIES, WE INCREASE THE LIKELIHOOD THAT LIKE-MINDED FOLLOWERS WILL BE MOTIVATED TO VISIT.”

> 75%> 80%


GOALS RESULTS

WINTER

SUMMER

78%79%*


WINTER

SUMMER

* Please note: Cumulative rainfall, the announcement of whirling disease during a busy fishing week and traffic congestion led to an NPS score of 65% the week of August 22; the overall NPS score is 81.5% if that outlier is removed.

FUEL TRAVELLER ADVOCACY

OBJECTIVE 4


STRENGTHEN INDUSTRY ALIGNMENT We want members to know a sound business plan is in place and see value and satisfaction in the work our staff experts provide. To do this, we are committed to finding new approaches that make sure members and partners have enough information to inform and support this work. Through workshops, training programs and increased two-way communication, we build on our collective knowledge.

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STRENGTHEN INDUSTRY ALIGNMENTOur annual membership survey shows a strong understanding and consensus of Banff & Lake Louise Tourism’s role. It helped to identify our strengths and areas for improvement. The 2016 Member Survey showed 71% of respondents find value in the membership, no change from last year, though member satisfaction dropped 10% from 2015 to 59%. In 2016, we:

» Renewed Tourism Improvement Fee (TIF) agreement for two, six-year terms with the Town of Banff

» Reached agreement on renewal with all but two properties located outside of the Town of Banff as of December 31, 2016

» Member training offered throughout the year focused on brand, social media, becoming “China Ready” and winter-specific product development; a total of 6 workshops were offered with a combined attendance of 140

» Hosted a Meet and Greet with 20 members and Visitor Centre staff to support training and product knowledge development

» Unveiled a new format and decreased frequency of our High Points member e-newsletter; open and click rates show positive results at 32%

and 5% respectively.

$6,639,7062016 MEMBER REVENUE

GOALS RESULTS

$8,002,3382016 MEMBER REVENUE

DEVELOP PARTNERSHIPS TO INCREASE MARKETING EFFECTIVENESS

Partnerships are important to increasing our marketing effectiveness. Alignment with Travel Alberta, Destination Canada and other like-minded partners helps to seed growth and generate increased funds by teaming up to target similar audiences.

We partnered with Destination Canada, Tourism Edmonton and Tourism Calgary to host Bell Media and millennial influencers Craig McMorris and Marie-France Roy. Shooting included snowboarding at Sunshine Village and a trip to Sundance lodge. The content created will be distributed on air and through MUCH Music social channels.

Other partnership highlights from 2016 include:

» Worked closely with Travel Alberta and Destination Canada to drive the winter message in China, hosting several media opportunities in preparation for the new Beijing to Calgary flight

» Won the bid to host a Meeting and Incentives Forum, in partnership with Travel Alberta and Destination Canada, allowing us to showcase the destination to U.S. and International meeting planners

during winter.> $825,000

GENERATE LEVERAGED FUNDING THROUGH PARTNERS

GOALS RESULTS

$969,346

GENERATE LEVERAGED FUNDING THROUGH PARTNERS

WORK TOGETHER AS A DESTINATION

OBJECTIVE 5

OBJECTIVE 6


OPERATE A PERFORMANCE- BASED BUSINESS

To achieve our goals we need a high-performing team that learns from its results and responds accordingly. This requires an inspiring and supportive environment where employees are engaged and enabled to make decisions that add value to our members. Our internal culture must be reflective of our brand, letting employees live the values of the organization. Improved decision-making also comes from updated fiscal processes and IT infrastructure that allows us to increase our return on investment and make data-informed decisions.

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OPERATE A PERFORMANCE-BASED BUSINESSIn response to the Employee Effectiveness Survey completed in 2015, our efforts focused on engaging and enabling frustrated and disengaged employees and we successfully increased our overall effectiveness rating. Motivating our employees and supporting their creativity can lead to higher revenue growth and lower turnover. To support this ongoing work, we unveiled new organizational values to set the foundation for how we work together.

In 2016, we also:

» Launched a new performance management process that considers how an employee lives our organizational values, sets future goals and monitors development and on the job skills

» Filled key positions throughout the year, including: Woodrow Oldford, Director, Consumer Marketing; Mark Zanetti, Business Development Manager, MICE Canada; Devaan Ingraham, Social Media Manager; Ruth Millican, Member Engagement Manager; and Paul Nolin, Senior Manager, Events and Animation.

48EFFECTIVENESS SCORE

GOAL RESULTS

TEAM MEMBER 62EFFECTIVENESS SCORE

TEAM MEMBER

PROMOTE EMPLOYEE EFFECTIVENESS

OBJECTIVE 7


OPERATE A PERFORMANCE-BASED BUSINESSWe review and refine our target markets regularly. With year-over-year visitation to Canada from Mexico up 33 per cent in the first quarter of 2016, we adjusted our business development and digital marketing approaches to increase our efforts attracting this emerging audience. Based on research developed with partners, our resources are directed towards key growth markets including Canada, U.S., U.K., and China. Investments were also made to maintain secondary markets and monitor others.

In addition to training visitor staff to observe and respond to social media users, we conducted a listening project to better understand our U.S. ski audience and their use of social media. Our destination’s social conversation is dominated by sightseeing and nature posts, accounting for nearly 60% of the conversation. This affirms that the full winter product offering is a clear differentiator for us. This has led to work identifying markets with a strong appetite for winter travel and the use of in-market representatives to attract these potential visitors.

To ensure digital marketing initiatives are successful, we begin all initiatives with an understanding of the target consumer and our goals. We regularly monitor campaign conversion rates, website visits, demographics and other analytics. In 2016, we regularly adjusted and optimized the SkiBig3 Booyah Campaign. The return on ad spend was $2.32, up from the $1.97 in 2015.

In 2016, our efforts included:

» Built monthly key performance indicators at individual, business unit and team level to monitor performance

» Implemented processes and tools, including an editorial calendar, to support our evolution as an integrated marketing team

» Integrated digital marketing practices throughout the business.

GOAL RESULTS

OPTIMIZE INVESTMENTS

OBJECTIVE 8

SCOPE AND DEFINE OPTIMIZE INVESTMENTS MEASURE

SET GOAL FOR 2017 ADMIN COSTS <10% OF TOTAL EXPENDITURE

BANFF & LAKE LOUISE TOURISM 2016 ANNUAL REPORT 21

GOAL RESULTS

DELIVER EXEMPLARY FISCAL PROCESSES AND AUDIT OUTCOMES

OBJECTIVE 9 Our 2015 audit was completed successfully with compliments from our auditor that it is the highest quality Banff & Lake Louise Tourism has prepared to date. In 2016, we continued to focus on initiatives that improve our fiscal processes and IT infrastructure.

This included:

» Transferred email platform to Microsoft Office 365 servers, reducing the risk of email outages due to local power or internet problems

» Worked with a consultant to redesign the structure of our financial system for reimplementation in January 2017, enabling us to obtain better financial information leading to improved decision-making

» Introduced periodic budget forecasting to the organization to better anticipate results throughout the year.

CLEAN AUDIT OUTCOME

CLEAN AUDIT ACHIEVED

OPERATE A PERFORMANCE-BASED BUSINESS


FINANCIALSBANFF & LAKE LOUISE TOURISM STATEMENT OF REVENUE AND EXPENSES, YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2016

ACCOUNTABILITYWe are committed to transparency. Disclosing how funds collected from our members are spent instills confidence that we have the best practices in place. To ensure accountability, an Audit and Finance Committee consisting of three Board of Director members reviews and approves financial reporting and retains an external auditor. Our financial statements are audited annually by Manktelow & Company Chartered Accountants.

2016 ACTUALS 2016 APPROVED BUDGET 2015 ACTUALS

REVENUE

Financial Contributions

Lodging Sector 6,514,406 5,995,257 5,736,344

Retail Sector 425,372 415,662 403,982

Restaurant Sector 407,212 413,039 416,747

Ski Sector 235,775 242,863 224,158

Other Sectors 538,988 572,885 485,675

8,121,753 7,639,706 7,266,906

Other Revenue 193,491 100,200 99,035

Total Revenue 8,315,244 7,739,906 7,365,941

EXPENDITURES

Business Development 1,439,378 1,580,434 1,628,545

Consumer Marketing 1,939,592 2,022,436 2,072,412

Visitor Experience 1,069,142 1,036,105 931,686

Finance and Administration 499,460 500,430 482,070

Salaries and Benefits 2,443,798 2,555,500 2,326,044

Total Expenditures 7,391,370 7,694,906 7,440,757

Surplus (Deficiency) 923,874 45,000 (74,816)

Amortization 73,339 45,000 37,843

Surplus (Deficiency) of Revenue over Expenses 850,536 0 (112,659)


LEADERSHIP We are governed by a Board of Directors. Made up of 14 representatives, 12 are elected and represent the business categories that make up our industry and two are appointed. Parks Canada is represented by the Banff National Park Superintendent and the Town of Banff by its Mayor. The Board meets monthly, and also has three standing committees:

» Executive: consists of four elected members: Chairperson (David Roberts); Vice Chairperson (Pete Woods); Treasurer (Sean O’Farrell); and Secretary (Ken McMurdo). The committee convenes between Board meetings to consider issues that require immediate attention. They are also responsible for the evaluation of the performance of the CEO on an annual basis.

» Governance and Nominations: three members—Barb Pelham, Ken McMurdo, Daymon Miller and Pete Woods—oversee the nomination procedures for the election of Board members, provide advice on matters of policy related to governance, privacy and conflict of interest.

» Audit and Finance: made up of three members— Ron Bateman, Sean O’Farrell, Daymon Miller and Dave Riley—this committee oversees the structure and form of Banff & Lake Louise Tourism’s financial reporting, review and approve financial statements and retain the external auditor.

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Parks Canada: Dave McDonough, Melanie Kwong (Alternate)

Town of Banff: Karen Sorensen, Stavros Karlos (Alternate)

Lake Louise: Robin Locke

Improvement District #9: Dave Riley

Lodging: Ron Bateman, Sean O’Farrell (Treasurer), David Roberts (Chair)

Restaurant: Trevor Long, Jessica Pacheco

Retail: Ken McMurdo (Secretary), Barbara Pelham

Transportation, attractions, entertainment: Daymon Miller

Service: Mark Hendrikse

Ski: Pete Woods (Vice Chair)

EXECUTIVE TEAM

Leslie Bruce, President & CEO

Stuart Hart, Director, Business Development

Woodrow Oldford, Director, Consumer Marketing

Nancy DaDalt, Director, Visitor Experience

Mandy Grant, Director, Finance and Administration

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Leslie Bruce President & CEO 403-762-0274 lbruce@ banfflakelouise.com

BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT

Stuart Hart Director, Business Development 403-762-0278 shart@ banfflakelouise.com

Darcy Peirce Wells Business Development Manager, Europe and Australia 403-762-0288 dwells@ banfflakelouise.com

Lukas Prochazka Business Development Manager, Asia 403-762-0273 lprochazka@ banfflakelouise.com

Mark Zanetti Business Development Manager, MICE Canada 403-762-0271 mzanetti@ banfflakelouise.com

Aysun Lynch Business Development Manager, MICE U.S./International 403-762-0281 alynch@ banfflakelouise.com

Ryan Elliott Business Development Manager, The Americas 403-762-0277 relliott@ banfflakelouise.com

Ally Reeves B2B Marketing Manager 403-762-0286 areeves@ banfflakelouise.com

Jamie Stevenson Business Development Coordinator 403-762-2591 jstevenson@ banfflakelouise.com

CONSUMER MARKETING

Woodrow Oldford Director, Consumer Marketing 403-762-0280 woldford@ banfflakelouise.com

Diane Bures Senior Manager, Consumer Marketing 403-762-0275 dbures@ banfflakelouise.com

Mark Friesen Consumer Marketing Manager 403-762-0292 mfriesen@ banfflakelouise.com

Sarah Dinham Brand Manager 403-762-8483 sdinham@ banfflakelouise.com

Devaan Ingraham Social Media Manager 403-762-0289 dingraham@ banfflakelouise.com

Jonny Bierman Media Coordinator 403-762-9457 jbierman@ banfflakelouise.com

Cuan Jooste Digital Manager 403-762-0293 cjooste@ banfflakelouise.com

Victoria Holowiski Digital Analyst 403-762-0291 vholowiski@ banfflakelouise.com

VISITOR EXPERIENCE

Nancy DaDalt Director, Visitor Experience 403-762-0283 ndadalt@ banfflakelouise.com

Paul Nolin Senior Manager, Events and Animation 403-762-7905 pnolin@ banfflakelouise.com

Liz Armstrong Events Manager 403-763-2043 [email protected]

Eva Bloudoff Coordinator, Events 403-762-0284 ebloudoff@ banfflakelouise.com

Barb Bean Senior Manager, Visitor Experience 403-763-2039 bbean@ banfflakelouise.com

Jose Reineking Supervisor, Lake Louise and Field Visitor Centres 403-762-7964 jreineking@ banfflakelouise.com

Deanna Langlois Supervisor, Banff Visitor Centres 403-762-8421 dlanglois@ banfflakelouise.com

Ruth Millican Member Engagement Manager 403-762-0276 rmillican@ banfflakelouise.com

FINANCE AND ADMINISTRATION

Mandy Grant Director, Finance and Administration 403-762-0272 mgrant@ banfflakelouise.com

Heather Siggs Financial Accountant 403-762-0287 hsiggs@ banfflakelouise.com

Mikey MacDonald IT Manager 403-763-2044 [email protected]

Laurie Cantello Governance and Administrative Assistant 403-762-9226 lcantello@ banfflakelouise.com

Sarah Rideout HR Manager 403-762-0292 srideout@ banfflakelouise.com

STAY CONNECTED WITH OUR TEAMThere are many ways to learn more about us. We want to hear from you and look forward to staying connected. Email [email protected] to subscribe to High Points—our member newsletter—and Street Talk for events information.

CONNECT WITH US AND OTHER VISITORSwww.banfflakelouise.com

Twitter.com/Banff_squirrel

Instagram.com/banff_lakelouise

Facebook.com/banffnationalpark

Youtube.com/user/banfflakelouise2


WWW.BANFFLAKELOUISE.COM

THANK YOUTHANK YOU TO OUR DEDICATED MEMBERS FOR SUPPORTING SHARING THE INDELIBLE AWE OF BANFF AND LAKE LOUISE.

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bringing the brand to lifebanff mountain film and book festival in november, we coordinated a...

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