Wins, Kudos, Updates and more
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HAVE YOU REGISTERED FOR THE DESTINATION TORONTO AGM?
The Destination Toronto Annual General Meeting is on Thursday, June 9, 2022. The event will take place in person and include a networking reception following the meeting.
Stations will be set up by department at the reception, where DT Team members are encouraged to chat with stakeholders and answer any questions they may have.
Please register and mark your calendars if you've not yet done so:
Date: June 9, 2022
Time: 3 pm
Location: Metro Toronto Convention Centre, South Building
Registration Ends: June 6, 2022
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NEVER HAVE I EVER - HOW TO ENGAGE
Never Have I Ever, TO Confessions’ (NHIE) is the 2022 evolution of the 2021 NHIE campaign launched in August 2021.
In 2022 NHIE Confessions leans into our audience revealing their own Toronto NHIE confession in light and playful ways. The campaign is designed to create greater consumer engagement within the campaign content.
Need to know:
- Timing: une 2nd-July 31st
- Audience:
- Hyperlocal (GTA);
- Ontario markets of London, Windsor, Sudbury Kitchener/Waterloo, Niagara, Ottawa; and
- Montreal (French creative).
How can I engage with the campaign?
- Like, Comment and Share NHIE content on DT social media platforms including LinkedIn;
- Follow and use the #NeverHaveIEverTO hashtag in your own platforms;
- Have fun with it! Do your own NHIE and share!
Watch for a fun staff survey in the coming weeks - we want to learn more about your Never Have I Ever confessions!
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WELCOME
Welcoming our newest Destination Toronto team members:
Bronte Dowse, Brand Content Intern (she/her, pronounced BRON-tay). Bronte recently finished the Public Relations Postgraduate program at Humber College and will now support the team with always-on content and campaigns for the Leisure/Consumer segment. Bronte starts her day with a massive cup of coffee (& is open to recommendations for the best cup in the city), knows a thing or two about dogs, and has just returned from a week-long trip to Italy, which we hear was epic.
Ivana Davidovic, GSS Sales Coordinator (she/her). Ivana has a variety of experience throughout her career that includes hospitality, where she has worked at a hotel in Serbia as a Sales Coordinator & Event Planner. Ivana is super excited to join Destination Toronto and has demonstrated a passion for this industry. We look forward to Ivana joining our GSS team.
If you've not done so yet, feel free to send them a note to say hi and introduce yourself!
CONGRATULATIONS!
The Michelin Guide announcement on May 10th was a huge success, garning over 550 million earned impressions. Media pick up hit top publications in the United States like MSN, Mashed and Food & Wine, Canadian National pubs like the Globe and Mail, Daily Hive, and Financial Post, Toronto favourites, Toronto Life, Narcity, Toronto Sun, and Toronto Star, broadcast on CBC Radio, CTV News, and CP24 and more. Huge kudos goes to Sarah Jarvis and the media relations and communications team for their efforts. Read more about the announcement and what it means for Toronto in the Terminal.
On May 24, the GSS Team were pleased to deliver the Opening Reception for RVC22. The reception was a full house at Steam Whistle Brewery, where guests were welcomed with "shopping tokens" to be used at a night market that was created. The night market consisted of seven stations, representing 7 distinct neighbourhoods of the city. Each station offered three items significant to the neighbourhood. Guests "shopped" with their tokens, for items such as Expresso Beans from Little Italy, Candied Fennel from Little India, Baklava from Greektown and a Korean Spice Blend from Koreatown. The market was a great success and a terrific representation of Toronto’s cultural diversity.
Cristina Massullo, Destination Services Manager, welcomed Baby Luca Matthew Trichilo on Saturday May 14 at 10:06pm, weighing 8lbs 11oz and 52 cm long. Big sister Elisa is over the moon but not a fan of the cries we are told. Everyone is doing well and taking advantage of the newborn cuddles. Huge congratulations to Cristina and family and welcome to the team Baby Luca!
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Do you have a win or kudos you want included in next month's newsletter? Email us with your shout out!
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An at-a-glance look at the month ahead for the DT teams.
DEPARTMENT NEWS: WHAT'S ON THIS MONTH
GLOBAL SALES & SERVICES
DESTINATION SERVICES UPDATES
- June is a busy month for Global Sales & Services being in-market in various locations to promote and showcase business events on behalf of Toronto. Business development initiatives for the Global Sales team include our attendance at bid presentations and key industry events to meet our Association & Corporate Planner clients across the globe. Below is a sample of some of the larger events we are planning to attend in June.
GLOBAL SALES
- ISPRS Bid Presentation - June 5-10 Nice, France, Destination Toronto will present our Toronto bid for the 2026 Congress of the International Society of Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing. Toronto is competing against South Korea and China. A "win" means Toronto will welcome close to 3000 delegates to Toronto in July 2026, representing an economic impact of close to $8 million.
- Global Sales events:
- Conference Direct Annual Partner Meeting - June 12-16, 2022 - San Francisco, CA
- Association Forum- Forum Forward - June 21st - Chicago, IL
- Destination Canada -'Collision' Tech Sector FAM & Dinner - June 21-22, 2022 - Toronto
- MPI World Education Congress - June 21-23, 2022 - San Francisco, CA,
- FICP Education Forum - June 22-24, 2022 - Pasedena, California
- ASAE Executive Leadership Forum - June 22-24 - Calgary
- CAEM Annual Conference – June 25-27 Hamilton, ON
- The Meetings Show – June 29-30 London, UK
TRAVEL TRADE
June is filling in quickly with the Destination Services Team heading to Year Prior activations such as Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM), American Water Works Association (AWWA), ESports and HITEC as well as Services Site Visits such as PCI Security Standards Council.
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GLOBAL MARKETING
- Business Events Marketing
- Working with ad agency on a supporting Cultures Evolve Here video for use across our channels as well as for industry partnerships and attendance building/year prior content.
- In partnership with Destinations International’s marketing & communications team we are working to drive attendee registrations; build engagement and excitement for the Annual Convention.
- Year prior contesting support for Hospitality Industry Technology Exposition and Conference (HITEC) 2023 and American Water Works Association (AWWA).
- Developing LinkedIn campaign strategy and execution for DT content, as well as for attendance building.
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Attending the Travel Media Association of Canada's annual Conference and Media Marketplace.
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The team will host a number of individual media and influencer visits throughout June.
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Planning Destination Toronto's first food truck road trip for NHIE.
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Hosting Mexican Welcome Back to Toronto press trip, June 16-20.
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Hosting UK freelancer York Membery, June 8-12; Wellness & Sustainable Toronto press trip, June 23-27.
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UK Media mission June 21-25.
- Leisure Marketing
- Never Have I Ever, TO Confessions launching June 2nd in Canadian markets.
- 'You've Gotta See What We See' in creative and paid media development for a July launch in key US markets of Washington, DC, San Fransisco/San Jose, Chicago & New York/New Jersey.
- Core creative idea to this campaign: Diverse Torontonians share their enthusiasm for all the amazing things Toronto has to offer by inviting Americans to enjoy what they enjoy about the city
- Hilton Hotels Content Series going live in June with video and articles of some of Toronto's tourism. insiders showing off their best day in Toronto. Videos and articles will go live on the DT content hub by mid-June.
- Working in close collaboration with the Leisure Trade team, executing Joint Marketing agreements with Germany's America Unlimited and CANUSA tour operators are live and in-market.
DESTINATION DEVELOPMENT
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Business Intelligence Team is building key quarterly reports for the second quarter ending at the end of June. The new suite of reports was launched earlier this year and the Q1 editions, including the Sales Production Report and Marketing Insights Report, can be found in The Terminal.
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The Tourism Relief Fund application window has closed and nearly 200 applications were received. Now the focus turns to assessment of eligibility and of the strength of the projects by an evaluation panel of representatives from Mississauga, Brampton and Toronto to determine the final recipients.
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Leveraging the opportunity of Collision, DT is working closely with the City of Toronto Economic Development and partners Toronto Global and Toronto Region Board of Trade on a major Toronto showcase pavilion. The team will announce the formation of the Toronto Inc partnership at the pavilion at Collision later this month.
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VITAL RESOURCES
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Thank you to everyone for joining the 519 Fostering Queer and Trans-Inclusive Spaces-Workshop.
You are invited to visit the519.org to further your learning, but in the meantime here are two additional links shared by facilitator Jo Jefferson for further reading:
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Each edition of PULSE, we’re asking 3 questions to 3 phenomenal DT team members. We’re willing to bet you’ll learn a few tidbits about some of our fave DT people.
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Monique Holmes
(she/her)
Human Resources Manager
Do you prefer working from home or working at the office?
I prefer to split my time between home and office; home is great when I need to concentrate on work; the office is great to remind me to see people and get out of my house.
What destination is at the top of your 2022 travel list?
We are planning some time away to Pelee Island; one of the southernmost points in Canada. It is a small island in the middle of Lake Erie, it is filled with butterflies, birds and snakes (all snakes are non-venomous). We will not need our car while on the island and can get around on our bikes.
What’s one Toronto hidden gem you swear by?
Tommy Thompson Park (aka The Spit). It is a lovely park at the foot of Leslie St. At the very end of the park, it has the most amazing view of Toronto.
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Tahnee Malazdrewicz (she/her)
Marketing & Media Relations Coordinator
What is the most unique thing you have within reach of your desk?
When I was in the office a couple weeks ago, Vanessa and I found an old cardboard cutout of Drake’s head with a stick attached to it. I took it home and stuck it in a planter in front of the window that overlooks my street. It scares me walking up to my house on a daily basis so I can only imagine what other people think walking by.
Tell us about your most memorable trip
In 2017 I went on a three-week trip with a friend to Lisbon, London and Scotland (Edinburgh and the Isle of Skye). I honestly thought that Scotland would’ve been my least favourite of the three, but it ended up being the exact opposite. I still regret not spending more time there because it’s incredibly beautiful.
When someone tells you they’re visiting the 6ix, what’s the first thing you recommend experiencing?
Toronto Island – specifically Hanlan’s Point. If you know, you know.
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Sarah Jarvis (she/her)
Director, Community Engagement
What is the most unique thing you have within reach of your desk?
Our cat Suki Desu (unless Wallis the dog has shoved her out of the way). She is usually within arm’s reach of wherever my “desk” is these days. Our family cats always have Japanese names, as a nod to the connection my family has to Japan. Suki has also been known to hit send on a few emails. Cat hair is bad for keyboards by the way.
What is your favourite destination outside of Toronto
NYC obviously. BUT for this exercise I am going to opt for the South Shore of Nova Scotia, because it feels like home. Fav spot there is Hirtle’s Beach, a vast beach with stunning scenery at every angle and the best place to beachcomb and collect stones. Some of my happiest family memories have been created here. Fish Shack in Lunenburg is the best spot to grab a bite. Pick up a book from Block Shop and wander up to the top of the hill to listen to the live music on the bandstand during the Folk Harbour Festival.
What’s your favourite Toronto restaurant?
The charming Dreyfus at 96 Harbord St. French(ish) restaurant named after the wrongly convicted French artillery officer at the center of a political scandal the Dreyfus Affair. The very romantic Harbord Village spot is nestled inside a red-brick row house and the outstanding cuisine is equally as good as the wine list. Chef is Zach Kolomeir, expat from my all-time favorite Canadian resto, Joe Beef. Kolomeir grew up Jewish in a French city and the merging of those influences is featured in the menu. Offerings change daily, so just ask your server “where it’s at tonight.” Lake Inez is a close second.
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Celebrating Work Anniversaries!
Alice Au - eighteen year anniversary (June 2, 2004)
Amy Shen - three year anniversary (June 1, 2019)
Heather Neale - three year anniversary (June 3, 2019)
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ARE YOU FOLLOWING OUR SOCIAL CHANNELS? CHECK THEM OUT
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