Tourism Nova Scotia is running a new digital marketing campaign to encourage travellers to stay longer and explore more of the province by booking a long-stay package.
We worked with 12 partners to create 17 long-stay packages through the Anchor Long-stay Package Program. Packages range across the province and all four seasons. Partners used Tourism Nova Scotia’s market research insights and received coaching from our experience development team to develop uniquely Nova Scotian travel packages for a minimum of six nights. Packages include accommodations, with some meals and authentic Nova Scotia experiences, products, or activities.
See the packages on the Stay Longer landing page.
Stay Longer Digital Campaign
In March, Tourism Nova Scotia launched a digital marketing campaign in Quebec and Ontario encouraging people to stay longer in Nova Scotia. The ads, which include social media and digital display, direct people to the Stay Longer page on NovaScotia.com where they can find packages created through the Anchor Long-stay Package Program. The campaign builds on our core advertising campaign and is running throughout March to take advantage of pent-up demand for travel.
Here are some examples of ads from the Stay Longer campaign:
Display Ad
Display Ad
Social Media Ad
Long-stay Package Research
Tourism Nova Scotia conducted research with the Tourism Nova Scotia Online Advisory Panel to determine the level of interest in longer stays, what would motivate people to stay longer, and what type of accommodations and activities they would want included in a long-stay package.
The research showed that most long-stay travellers want packages to include up to three activities and some meals. They also like flexibility, such as different room types, meal options, and optional add-ons. Research also showed that people are looking to explore more of Nova Scotia and want packages that allow them to visit multiple communities.
Creating Long-stay Packages for Your Business
Packages combine two or more tourism activities, experiences, or products for a single price. Offering a package increases convenience and ease of booking for travellers seeking an extended stay in Nova Scotia. Packages also offer inspiration for travellers by highlighting the activities, attractions, and flavours to enjoy in regions and seasons across Nova Scotia. A package could be offered by a single business or through a partnership of multiple operators.
Developing appealing long-stay packages is an opportunity to attract a new type of traveller or extend your tourism season. Encouraging longer stays can help to fill bookings on quieter days and makes it easier to forecast revenues. Packages can help raise awareness of your business and make it easy for customers to be inspired to stay longer to explore your part of the province and your unique offers.
Ready to create your own long-stay package? Here are four steps to get started.
- Use Tourism Nova Scotia’s new Long-stay Package Tip Sheet to put research into practice and create a compelling package for extended stays.
- Read the Long-stay Package Survey Report to understand what motivates people to extend their stay and what they want to see included in a long-stay package
- Use the Nova Scotia Experience Toolkit, to help you plan, price, describe, and promote your package.
- List your packages for free on Tourism Nova Scotia’s official trip planning website, NovaScotia.com. See the eligibility criteria for package listings, then log in to Partner Portal to create your listing. Your listing will appear in the packages section and be linked to your business listing.
NovaScotia.com received more than 7.5million visitors last year, and packages can help increase the profile of your business.
If you would like information or guidance on creating your long-stay package or listing on NovaScotia.com, please contact our experience development team.