You may have seen OHTO’s recent marketing campaign on social media or the web, what we call our Love Letter campaign. The Love Letter campaign is different from anything we’ve ever run before, mostly because this year is a different kind of year!
COVID-19 has changed the tourism world in Canada but has also placed our region in an optimal position to promote local tourism. We have a lot to offer for staycations – fantastic scenery, a variety of outdoor experiences, stellar food and drink, and plenty of accommodation options, ranging from camping to bed and breakfasts or hotel experiences.
We created this campaign to inspire local pride and a love for our regions in the local market, as a reminder of everything that makes each region unique. So far, the Love Letter campaign has been successful at tapping into that local pride and we hope it will continue to grow over the next few months.
Of course, a lot of that growth is also dependent on you, the tourism operators and destination marketers who do such valuable work in contributing to our region’s success.
The Love Letter Campaign Details
The Love Letter Campaign is a multi-layered campaign that will run until October and includes the following for each region:
- Love Letter Video
- Love Letter Story on ComeWander.ca
- Sponsored editorial with Post Media
- Digital ads targeting local residents
- Social posts
- To My Home, With Love photo contest
When the campaign was launched, tourism operators and destination marketing experts in Ontario’s Highlands were encouraged to share the content through social media and encourage followers to share on their own social media pages, using the hashtag appropriate to their region (ie. #OVLoveLetter, #LanarkLoveLetter, #FrontenacLoveLetter, #L&ALoveLetter, #HaliburtonLoveLetter).
A ‘To My Home, With Love’ contest also asks visitors and locals alike to share their own Love Letter to their region and post using their regional hashtag, with a prize up for grabs of a GoPro8, as well as great local prizes!
Why You Should Take Part
OHTO’s Love Letter campaign is hyper-local which means local businesses and individuals can have a major impact in how many people are reached. High local engagement can equate to a large collective voice and a positive impact on local travel. The more shares, the greater the reach, and the more people inspired to travel locally in your region (and your business) this summer!
How to Leverage the Campaign
This summer you don’t need to reinvent the wheel when it comes to marketing your business or region. You can build off of the Love Letter campaign to help drive business to your region or location. There are so many ways to be part of this exciting campaign, but here are a few ideas for how to use this campaign to leverage your own business profile:
- Businesses can share OHTO’s content and invite their followers to write their own love letters about their business or region using their regional hashtag. This will not only get people talking about your business, but it will also elevate your business profile and encourage positive shares about what makes your experience unique.
- Share the Love Letter video or stories to community groups and share your own message about what you love most about your region. Invite followers to enter the contest to win a free GoPro8. We all have something to share that will inspire others to discover what’s close to home this summer!
- Share the video from OHTO’s social media page to your page. A good example of the success that can be had from this simple action is the Ottawa Valley Love Letter video – 285 people and businesses shared this video and as a result of this high engagement, its had more than 114,000 overall views. Who is sharing it? Realtors, residents, business owners – anyone who loves the Ottawa Valley is taking part!
- Share the PostMedia content to your social media channels and with friends and family. This isn’t only available for destinations featured in the article, every business will want to inspire people to explore their wonderful region. The more we inspire local travel and support, the more customers you will see! You can find the story applicable to your region at the following links:
- Get Soaked, Play Hard, and Fill Your Belly in the Ottawa Valley
- 5 Lanark County Staycations to Rival a European Holiday
- Nature is Calling: Answer the Call in Frontenac County
- Staycation Safely in One of the Most Beautiful Places in Ontario
- Beat the Crowds: Why Haliburton Highlands is the Best Place to Staycation This Summer
- Dive into a Retro Summer in Hastings County
We hope you’ll consider being part of this campaign and spreading the word about how awesome your business, your community, and your region is at a time when we are all remembering that #WeAreAllInThisTogether. If you have any questions about how best to join in this marketing push, please feel free to reach out to me at julie.mulligan@ohto.ca or at 613-629-6486 extension 202.
Happy Wandering,
Julie Mulligan
OHTO’s Marketing Manager
OHTO Insider 