In this issue, you’ll see what Tourism Squamish has been up to in the last quarter, and what our plans are for the coming year; what’s new, our goals and the areas on which Tourism Squamish will focus in 2009. You’ll also learn about  new marketing opportunities for your business, great contests and much more.

What's New For 2009

Tourism Squamish is focused on building its membership to increase the accessibility of market-ready product to visitors, thereby increasing business to our membership and tourism partners. Our key focus is overnight stays.

2009 Goals

• Grow awareness of Squamish as a destination of choice
• Drive incremental room nights to the Squamish accommodation sector
• Drive business to Tourism Squamish members

Target Markets for 2009 marketing plan

Lower Mainland and Washington State drive markets.

2009 Areas of Focus

1. Growing Squamish Signature Events
   • Focus on Squamish’s “signature” festivals and events to capitalize on their notoriety and the participants and visitors attending these events to promote and increase overnight stays year-round.
   • Increase overnight stays in relation to these events
   • Assist with packaging and marketing around the events
2. Growing Corporate and Association Meeting / Conference Business
   • Direct and targeted contact with meeting planners and associations hosting small to medium-sized conferences and meetings.
   • Incorporate overnight stays, meeting packages, activities etc. during the stay.
   • Develop pre and post stay opportunities

Marketing Opportunities

2009 Squamish Signature Events

The Squamish events calendar is jam-packed with exciting events and festivals throughout the coming year. But we need our Members to help make these events successful. To support the growth of these events, ensure continued tourism development and bring increasing numbers of visitors to the area, Tourism Squamish is counting on Member support for these events and festivals.

Please familiarize yourself with the list of 2009 Squamish Events and Festivals available at the new  Members' Resources area of the Tourism Squamish website, and then contact us at Tourism Squamish with the offers you would like to include in upcoming marketing support for these events.

For example: You could offer event participants and spectators special discounts or rates on accommodation, food, products or services. Or you may want to host a meal or social event, sponsor a start or finish line booth or put on a fundraiser. Be creative!

However large or small your interest or contribution, we want to hear from you!

Keep an eye on the Members' Resources section of our website - we'll be posting more opportunities for you on this page.

Upgrade your Web Profile – Special Promotion extended until April 2009

Want to get more out of being a member of Tourism Squamish?

Upgrade your membership and let us help you become even more visible to Internet traffic on the Tourism Squamish web site.

Why you should upgrade your membership NOW:
* Special Offer EXTENDED until April 15 2009*

Get a FREE upgrade from Garibaldi to Tantalus membership – pay only $99!

Tantalus Membership - $199 annual fee - now only $99! Includes:

• Email Address
• Up to 175 Word description
• Listing in up to four categories
• Downloadable PDF Brochure
• One logo
• Up to 3 images
• Link to website

Contact us for your FREE upgrade!

Tickets Anyone?

Remember to let your guests know the Tourism Squamish Sales Desk at the Adventure Centre is the one-stop-shop for a wide variety of tickets including:

• Pacific Coach Lines YVR Airport Shuttle Bus reservations and tickets to and from Squamish, Whistler and YVR
• Discounted Whistler Blackcomb 1-day lift tickets that include access to the Peak 2 Peak Gondola!
• Discounted Whistler Olympic Park nordic day passes
• Discounted Squamish & Lil’wat Cultural Centre tickets
• BC Museum of Mining tickets
• West Coast Railway Heritage Park tickets
• Community event tickets including Wild at Art (Wild For Food #1 & #2 as well as the theatre sports ‘Loggers Showdown’), Between Shifts Theatre performance tickets, and much more.  

Tourism Squamish partners with MyPlanet 360

MyPlanet360.com & SeatoSky360.com

Tourism Squamish has partnered with MyPlanet 360°, aka SeaToSky 360°, to give visitors a virtual pre-visit experience of our Squamish businesses and outdoor attractions.

MyPlanet 360° is a local Squamish business creating high definition 360° Tours with unlimited visual scope. They work with the tourism industry to help educate tourists about the beautiful and unique attributes of local businesses, parks, and recreational opportunities in the Sea to Sky corridor.

Special offer to our members:

• 15% rebate or 2 months free on a 360° Tour of your own business (sign up before March 15th)
• FREE integration of your 360° Tour into your TourismSquamish.com business profile with a Tourism Squamish membership

Key features and benefits

• Free & easy sharing & integration of all our 360° Tours, YouTube™ style - powerful viral marketing
• Impacting, interactive visuals - guaranteed to leave a lasting memory
• Your Full Screen 360° Tour on your site, partner sites... anywhere really
• Your 360° Tour on MyPlanet 360° - additional exposure
• Complete in-house production - perfect quality control

Tourism Squamish encourages you to take advantage of the great tool MyPlanet 360° has to offer. Join the growing number of Squamish businesses who are making the most of this fantastic product. Here is your chance to create an on-line 24/7 open house of your business and area with a lasting impression that is sure to create a buzz.

Don't forget to use any of the 360° Tours on MyPlanet360.com for your website free of charge! You can also visit www.tourismsquamish.com to see what 360° Tours we have already used. If you are interested in your own business 360° Tour or want to sponsor a 360° Tour, please contact MyPlanet 360° to find out more.

For details visit:

Free content: www.myplanet360.com

To join: www.myplanet360.com/join
info [at] myplanet360 [dot] com
1 604 815 4360

Find Us On Facebook

Tourism Squamish has launched our own Facebook page!  With 150 million people around the world now actively using Facebook, and almost half of them using Facebook every day, the time was right for us add our presence.  

Check out our Facebook Page and become a Fan - we'll be using this platform to spread the word about what Squamish has to offer.

I Love Squamish

There is a lot to love about Squamish! Let us know what you love about living in Squamish, and we’ll post it here.

I Love Squamish … because there are more things to do here than I have time to even consider – even in the winter! Alpine or Nordic skiing, snowshoeing, ski touring, snowmobiling, hiking, biking, fishing, flightseeing and sightsee. And there’s even fascinating history & culture to learn about! There’s no place I would rather live, work and play!

Feeback

Let us know what you think, and what you’d like to see in future editions of the Member Newsletter. Our mandate is to give you the most comprehensive tourism marketing resource – right in your in-box! So let us know how we can improve our communication efforts – and we’ll talk to you next time.