Multi-media savvy earned Tourism Tofino's 2013 "Get Your Surf On" campaign top honours at Tourism Vancouver Island's 51st annual gala awards ceremony this week.
Acting general manager of Tourism Tofino, Jenn Houtby-Ferguson said the award for multi-media marketing was a huge honour.
"This award is presented in recognition of all the hard work Tourism Tofino has done as it relates to Surf Month .. It's presented by our peers and with our peers; to be a standout among that crowd is really a huge honour," Houtby-Ferguson said.
Launched in September 2013, the campaign integrated targeted messaging, advertising, social media and contests as well as media outreach.
All Tofino surf shops and surf schools participated in the campaign development process, Houtby-Ferguson said.
"Year over year, we're seeing growth in shoulder-season months, directly attributed to the campaign," Houtby-Ferguson said.
"We're definitely seeing a significant increase both in terms of awareness as well as increases in sharing on social media. That also generates buzz," she said.
Tourism Tofino is a destination marketing organization
(DMO) promoting Tofino's extensive attributes, local events and hospitality industry businesses. Tourism Tofino also partners with other tourism organizations to create awareness of regional tourism initiatives for visitors worldwide.
Tourism Vancouver Island is one of six regional destination management organizations in British Columbia that represent Destination British Columbia through the delivery of co-operative marketing and community development programs.
EDITOR'S NOTE: Corene Inouye, a member of Tourism Tofino's Board of Directors and Director of Operations at Jamie's Whaling
Station and Rainforest Inn, was also honoured at the event with the "MVP Award" recognizing her outstanding contributions to Vancouver Island's tourism industry. More about this in next week's Westerly News.