Industry update: Canada’s tourism industry maintains social-media momentum.

2012-07-19 — /travelprnews.com/ — Facebook’s stock price might have taken a dip after its controversial stock-market flotation, but its popularity continues among the Canadian travel industry. Naturally, it features in the next edition of the Canadian Tourism Commission(CTC)’s bird’s-eye view of the action in cyberspace.

This series highlights the hard graft of CTC’s partners and friends from across the industry at all levels, so—no blushing, please—feel free to share your business’s best work.

• Tourisme Montréal teamed up with those fine folks at National Geographic Traveler mag to produce a new iPad app for foodies. “A Taste of Montreal” whets the appetites of visitors through storytelling, photos, videos and insider tips. The app has five sections: restaurants, markets, hangouts, iconic food and My Montreal. There are also recipes from local top chefs such as Chuck Hughes so visitors can try the flavours at home.
• Speaking of apps, have a gander at Tourism Toronto’s “See Toronto.” Available on Android, Apple, BlackBerry and Windows tablets and smartphones, it’s the fast way to search for events, attractions, shopping and more while in the city.
• Completing an app hat-trick is the one from Kootenay Rockies. The free KOOTENAYapp has all the info visitors would want to plan a trip around the region, and when they get there from food to lodging to wellness. Special features include “Near Me” and “Event Notifications.”
• The Delta Chelsea Hotel in Toronto, ON, has been running a Facebook contest, designed to raise 10,000-plus Facebook likes. The carrot at the end for consumers is the chance to win a long-weekend getaway for a year, with two-night luxury accommodation for every long weekend in 2013.
• Another solid source of ideas for travel experiences in the Vancouver Coast & Mountains region is604 Pulse. This blog from resident Vancouverite Robyn Hanson is proving increasingly popular with its mix of personal and informative blog posts, ranging from 10 quirky cafés or best places for bbq.
• Tourisme Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean in Quebec is one of a select bunch of Canadian destinations to have its own Foursquare page, which shows off many local tourism businesses under one virtual roof, making it extremely useful to travellers. It’s also a centrepiece of the summer La Quête des Géants summer promotion.
• BC start-up Travergence recently unveiled a new Facebook app to help travellers discover activities online. The app features tourism businesses on the Travergence website as well as on hotel websites such as Hilton and Best Western.

Do you have or have you seen innovative examples of social-media travel marketing? CTC will be running this series every quarter (promise!), so keep those recommendations coming in. E-mail the Corporate Communications team or drop us a tweet @ctccct.