FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
October 21, 2009
TRAVEL ALBERTA RENEWS GROWING PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT WITH
EIGHT NATIONAL WINTER SPORT ORGANIZATIONS
– Pre-Olympic World Cups to showcase Alberta to millions as winter sport destination –
Calgary, Alberta – Travel Alberta and eight national winter sport organizations have renewed a landmark marketing partnership designed to promote Alberta as a premier international winter sports destination during the lead up to the 2010 Olympic Winter Games.
Following the success of the first two years of the World Cup Roundtable marketing initiative, Cindy Ady, Minister of Tourism, Parks and Recreation, announced the $850,000 extension of the agreement during a media conference at WinSport Canada’s Canada Olympic Park – the flagship facility of Canada’s first Olympic Winter Games in 1988.
“Alberta hosts most of the winter World Cup events in North America, and renewal of this agreement bolsters our international reputation as a leader in winter sport tourism, “said “Ady, who heads
Alberta’s 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games initiatives. “With our world class facilities and the winter sport World Cups that Travel Alberta has brought together under this marketing agreement, we are excited to showcase Alberta to the world.”
Travel Alberta has secured over 455 cumulative hours of international television coverage reaching more than 150 million viewers worldwide, with over 75% of those viewers coming from Travel Alberta’s target markets, primarily in Europe. This is the equivalent of over 41,000, 30-second commercials on European television promoting the province as a sport tourism destination.
Partners of the World Cup Roundtable in support of the agreement include: Alpine Canada Alpin, Cross Country Canada, Canadian Snowboard Federation, Speed Skating Canada, Biathlon Canada, Bobsleigh Canada Skeleton, Canadian Luge Association and joining the World Cup Roundtable in 2009-10, the Canadian Freestyle Ski Association.
“We’re proud to be part of the World Cup Roundtable and to be making our return to the province of Alberta for the first time since 1990. The Canada Post Freestyle Ski Grand Prix presented by Ernst & Young and the FIS World Cup attract millions of European viewers each year and we believe working together with Travel Alberta as a marketing partner is an effective way to reach international audiences as they promote the province as a winter sport destination,” said Bruce Robinson, chief operating officer of the Canadian Freestyle Ski Association.
Promotions under the agreement during the pre-Olympic winter season begin with the Bombardier Lake Louise Winterstart World Cup and the Veissmann Luge World Cup at Canada Olympic Park in late November and continue through February 2010.
“Travel Alberta’s unique partnership with eight national sport organizations will increase worldwide awareness of Alberta as a winter and sport tourism destination as the world begins to turn its attention to the Olympic Winter Games in 2010,“ said Bruce Okabe, chief executive officer of Travel Alberta.
The multi-sport agreement was co-ordinated by WinSport Canada, Canada’s leader in developing and sustaining world-class winter sport facilities. WinSport Canada is currently enhancing the legacy facilities and creating one of the most unique athletic environments in the world. The addition of the Athletic and Ice Complex will bring together the sport sciences, athlete support services and leading-edge facilities into a sport institute model.
“We applaud Travel Alberta for continuing their commitment to our winter sport athletes through this unique marketing initiative,” said Guy Huntingford, WinSport Canada’s president and chief executive officer. “Globally televised events such as World Cups have a significant impact on tourism and our province’s economy in addition to showcasing Alberta as a premier winter sport destination.”
“We look forward to hosting the Viessman Luge World Cup, the LG Snowboard World Cup, the Canada Post Freestyle Ski Grand Prix presented by Ernst & Young and FIS World Cup, and the Essent ISU Speed Skating World Cup at WinSport Canada facilities and encourage not only our friends around the world, but all Canadians to catch these exciting sporting events.”
About WinSport Canada
The Canadian Winter Sport Institute provides world-class sport facilities where Canadian athletes can discover, develop and excel. WinSport Canada owns and operates Canada Olympic Park, the Bill Warren Training Centre at the Canmore Nordic Centre, the Beckie Scott High Performance Training Centre on Haig Glacier, Camp Green on Farnham Glacier and funds two-thirds of the operating costs of the Olympic Oval in Calgary. A not-for-profit organization, WinSport Canada supports national sport organizations, encourages educational opportunities and subsidizes the operation of unique training and recreational facilities used by the nation's top athletes and the general public. WinSport Canada also provides the necessary support to host major national and international winter sporting events at the various facilities, making the Calgary/Bow Valley Corridor home to high performance winter sport in Canada. For more information on WinSport Canada, please visit www.WinSportCanada.ca.
About Travel Alberta
Travel Alberta is the tourism marketing agency of the Government of Alberta. For more information on Travel Alberta, please visit www.TravelAlberta.com.
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Don Boynton
Executive Director,
Corporate Communications
Travel Alberta
T: 403-612-8346
E: Don.Boynton@TravelAlberta.com
Tracy Cobb
National Director, Communications
and Fund Development
WinSport Canada
T: 403-247-5954
E : Tracy.Cobb@WinSportCanada.ca
