Cutting Edge

Experiential Travel
Industry Training Tools

A Collection of Worksheets, Templates and Checklists Produced in association with the 2012 Travel Manitoba Cutting Edge Experiential Travel Training Programs Its Manitobas Time to Deliver Excellence in Tourism Through Experiential Travel

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Table of Contents
We Have the Potential!! Ingredients of a Well-Crafted Travel Experience ! Steps in Crafting an Experience! Template: Steps in Crafting an Experiential Program (1)! Template: Steps in Crafting an Experiential Program (2)! New Experience Summary Overview! Market Readiness! Experiential Criteria Checklist! Product Readiness Checklist! Marketing Checklist! Managing Risk! Measuring & Celebrating Success! 1 2 5 6 7 8 12 13 14 16 18 19

Cutting Edge Experiential Travel Developed and Delivered by: Nancy Arsenault (Tourism Cafe) & Celes Davar (Earth Rhythms)

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We Have the Potential!

Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much. (Helen Keller)
We are blessed to live in a place with distinct seasons and diverse landscapes. Each brings a change of perspective and with it, opportunity and an abundance of tourism development potential. Its about great places; great people; great stories to share; and great experiences in the waiting. Harnessing this potential requires vision, passion, innovation and appreciation for that which makes our home unique. It also requires a willingness to believe that through collaboration, Manitoba experiences can be more than just activities, rather lasting memories for guests and a significant economic engine for businesses, attractions and communities. This was illustrated quite effectively in the 2012 Cutting Edge training we invested in for industry. Whether you are carving out a new niche, looking to enhance what you currently offer, or are clearing a new path for your business, attraction or community ... we hope here you will discover, your cutting edge. Colin Ferguson, President & CEO, Travel Manitoba Together as friends and industry trainers for over a decade, we hope these templates, checklists and documents are helpful to you as you implement. This collection of tools are a result of years of collaboration with the Gros Morne Institute for Sustainable Tourism, plus our individual business activities and were compiled with the help of Laurenda Madill and Mark Clarke for using in the Cutting Edge Experiential Travel Training with Travel Manitoba. We hope they are useful, and if there are questions that arise because they are out of context from the training program, please dont hesitate to contact us. Nancy Arsenault, Managing Partner, Tourism Cafe Canada Ltd. Celes Davar, President, Earth Rhythms Ltd.

Cutting Edge Experiential Travel Training (c) 2012. Authors: Nancy Arsenault of the Tourism Cafe Canada Ltd. (www.tourismcafe.org), Celes Davar of Earth Rhythms Inc. (www.earthrhythms.ca) and Todd Lucier of the Tourism Cafe Canada Ltd. (www.tourismcafe.org). The materials found in this booklet were produced for use in a Cutting Edge partnership between Travel Manitoba, the Tourism Cafe Canada Ltd, Earth Rhythms Inc. and the Gros Morne Institute for Sustainable Tourism. The content is available for personal, non-commercial, and educational use, provided that ownership of the materials is properly cited. Any commercial use of the materials, without the written permission is strictly prohibited. For permission to use specific materials, please contact Dr. Nancy Arsenault: nancy@tourismcafe.org. To discuss how to use any of these items, contact: Laurenda Madill (LMadill@travelmanitoba.com), Mark Clark (maclarke@travelmanitoba.com), Celes Davar (celes@earthrhythms.ca) or Nancy Arsenault (nancy@tourismcafe.org). Disclaimer The information, data and ideas provided herein are presented in good faith and on the basis that the Cutting Edge partnership, nor its agents or employees are to be held liable for any reason, and to any person and/or business for any damage or loss whatsoever, that occurs or may occur in relation to that person or business taking, or not taking, any action in respect of either the statements, information or research contained in this document. This information reflects the best information that is available to the authors at the time of the training and is subject to change. Tourism is a complex industry and even slight pattern alteration can significantly change the impacts. The Cutting Edge partnership is not rendering legal advice; and some opportunities or information may become outdated or not exactly as described at the time of reception. Individuals using these materials are urged to appreciate these factors and, ultimately, to interpret the information accordingly.

Produced by: Nancy Arsenault (Tourism Cafe Canada), Celes Davar (Earth Rhythms) & Travel Manitoba (2012)

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Ingredients of a Well-Crafted Travel Experience

What are the key ingredients in creating tourism experiences for visitors? How does this type of tourism differ from mass market tourism? Why should we consider creating new experiences as value-added to our parks, hotels, resorts, B&Bs, inns, golf courses, historic sites, museums, cultural centers, and community recreation centers? What are the essential ingredients that go into the crafting of a good experience? While learning and experiential travel has been evolving over the last few years, and will continue to evolve, here is a snapshot of some of the essential ingredients. It is a composite set of ingredients that has been assembled from The Experience Economy, from experiential tourism practitioners across the country, and from trial and error. It is important to understand that experiential tourism is not about get rich quick tourism. It is about a long-term approach to sustainable tourism in which new experiences are added slowly and regularly, building capacity within your community to offer these experiences, and pricing these experiences as higher-yield products that can be offered to the right visitors (niche markets who are looking for these experiences). They do not replace programs which are already working well, or programs that are designed for other markets. These new experiences may add to your inventory, or may position a new tourism experience for new markets or enhance existing programs in new ways for existing markets, adding new revenues.

Experience: Customized GPS Adventure Quest Client: 3 generations of family Venue: Resort + Golf Course + Park

Experience: Interactive Cuisine Client: Corporate Team Venue: Hotel conference room

Produced by: Nancy Arsenault (Tourism Cafe Canada), Celes Davar (Earth Rhythms) & Travel Manitoba (2012)

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Experiential Travel Program Ingredient 1. Authentic local people and their stories are at the heart of any wellcrafted experience.

The Benefits and Value

Authentic, local people provide stories from their experiences, real history, and accurate information about local traditions and culture. These people are often seniors or elders in your community, who have a passion for sharing their stories and are credible. Shared stories bring out the magic and the memories of experiences.

2. The experience is supported by positive cues.

Positive cues are things you do to help the experience be congruent with the place where it occurs. E.g. In a park; in a museum; at a community historic building; at a picnic shelter. Doing this leaves indelible impressions in the minds of travellers.

3. Multiple interactive methods and tools are used to assist in the learning process.

Daily activities or traditions (berry-picking, wood-carving, ranching, restoring streams, cooking with local foods, monitoring bison ecology, applying science to prescribed fire, catering good food for local events, making pottery) used to create an experience whereby guests can actually take part in activities not merely watching a demonstration.

4. Carefully thought out program themes and titles that intrigue visitors are very important.

Travellers are seeking unique themes and uncommon experiences: Lighthouse Picnics (walking out to a headland by a lighthouse to have a picnic near Ferryland, Newfoundland; local food and whales) Morning Tea With Moose (canoeing and having tea in Algonquin Park, with moose nearby) Owner For an Evening (owning a race horse for an evening race at the Charlottetown Race Track, PEI)

5. Use of as many of the five (5) senses as possible will lead to better immersion and intensity for the traveller.

It is easy to look and see; it takes more creativity to find innovative and inexpensive ways to incorporate other senses. The more senses, the more memorable, and the more justification for a higher price point. See, Smell, Hear, Taste, and Touch

6. Smaller groups provide better enrichment of hands-on learning.

Small groups provide better opportunities for: stories to be told, enriched and authentic learning to take place, close contact with the experience provider (more intimate), and often involve a higher price point because it tends to be more exclusive and have more preparation (labour cost) in preparing the program.

Produced by: Nancy Arsenault (Tourism Cafe Canada), Celes Davar (Earth Rhythms) & Travel Manitoba (2012)

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Experiential Travel Program Ingredient 7. Experiences involve a shift from dependence on a guides knowledge, to facilitation by the interpreter or resource specialist so that travellers are more dependent on themselves for their own learning. 8. Relevant takeaways (memorabilia) are provided during the experience. They are tangible reminders of the experience.

The Benefits and Value As in teaching, this is a shift from the framework of an interpreter or resource specialist being a sage on the stage, to being a guide on the side. Travellers feel a greater sense of ownership of the experience and have their own authentic stories of learning as a result of taking part in the experience. Takeaways increase the value (and therefore price point) of an experience. They become the basis for personal pride and word of mouth marketing after the experience.

9. Simple activities, carefully planned, that focus on one or two main activities for travellers to take part in, are best.

Simple activities provide better retention of learning, and they provide more opportunities for travellers to have conversations with the experience provider.

10. Techniques that tap into the different learning styles and multiple intelligences provide for deeper learning and a much more engaged participant.

Howard Gardners categories of multiple intelligences includes: visual, kinesthetic, interpersonal, verbal-linguistic, intra-personal (reflection), visual-spatial, musical, and naturalistic. Providing different methods for learning create more opportunities for engaged, active travellers. In the end, one or more of these learning methods for each guest may be triggered, creating a better memory. Increases the overall price point of the experience; intensifies the experience. This type of experience crafting helps to meet the multiple interests, motivations and needs that travellers have. Additional community partners are involved in delivering the entire experience. Make your tourism experience personal and relevant for each group or visitor that arrives. They appreciate and value attention-to-details and being responsive to their interests, and will pay a higher price because of the higher perceived value. They will recognize the special efforts you made, and are more likely to recommend the experience to others.

11. Develop and enhance with WOW aspects - Integrate regional foods, a remarkable vista or place, talented storytellers, and interactive learning - together, they have a combined effect. 12. Personalization or customization of the experience leaves travellers with a feeling of deep appreciation.

Produced by: Nancy Arsenault (Tourism Cafe Canada), Celes Davar (Earth Rhythms) & Travel Manitoba (2012)

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Steps in Crafting an Experience

IDEAL TAKE-AWAY GUEST RELEVANCE

TITLE

THE EXPERIENCE Costed Priced

EXPERIENCE INGREDIENTS

RESOURCES

Market Ready
THEME STORY IDEA

ASSEMBLE SEQUENCE TEST FOCUS

MEMORIES

Produced by: Nancy Arsenault (Tourism Cafe Canada), Celes Davar (Earth Rhythms) & Travel Manitoba (2012)

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Template: Steps in Crafting an Experiential Program (1) Steps

IDEAL GUEST
Identify who your ideal guest might be for this experience. This will likely be based both on your site/business/organizational capacity as well as who you would like to select as your ideal guest. Mass Major Market Segment Niche Custom Think EQ

Your Notes

RELEVANCE

What is an entry point to a possible experience that is relevant to your site/organization, or community? Mtis culture? The mission, purpose of your business or site? An ecological story? Local cultural tradition? A local food? An archaeological find?

RESOURCES

What do you have available as resources that you could use in creating an experience? People - resource specialists? Materials needed? Tools to use? Props needed? Onsite infrastructure appropriate to experience?

THEME OR STORY IDEA

Youve got a great idea. Youve been wanting to make it come alive. So, create the story, the narrative. Brainstorm. Put some ideas down. Explore. Put these together into a storyline that connects them together and in the context of your site/business/organization.

MEMORIES FOCUS

What memories do you want the guests to take away?

What are two or three main interactive activities that the participant will actually do? Where will this take place physically? What tools, resources, materials are needed? Why is this meaningful and relevant to our guests and to our business? Make it practical (resources, flexibility, time-frames, weather)

Produced by: Nancy Arsenault (Tourism Cafe Canada), Celes Davar (Earth Rhythms) & Travel Manitoba (2012)

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Template: Steps in Crafting an Experiential Program (2)

Steps
ASSEMBLE, SEQUENCE, TEST
Create the individual components within the experience: the props, tools, materials. Purchase necessary support items. Try it out. See what works. Sequence the various experiences into an order that makes sense from introduction to activity to closure. Test out the experiences - local group Adjust, tweak.

Your Notes

CHECK AGAINST THE 12 EXPERIENCE INGREDIENTS

Use the list of 12 ingredients of a great experience and check that the activities demonstrate a clear shift from presentation to engagement.

CREATE A TITLE? (3 or 4 words) WRITE A SHORT STORYLINE

TAKEAWAY (MEMORABILIA)

What can your guests take away as a result of this experience? Is it tangible - in the hand?

MAKE EXPERIENCE MARKET READY

Cost out accurately Price for intended markets Marketing materials Web ready

Produced by: Nancy Arsenault (Tourism Cafe Canada), Celes Davar (Earth Rhythms) & Travel Manitoba (2012)

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New Experience Summary Overview

Title / Theme of experience:

Target market (s):

Location for this experience (the venue):

Name of experience provider(s):

Length of time for overall experience:

Summarize your itinerary on the following page.

Produced by: Nancy Arsenault (Tourism Cafe Canada), Celes Davar (Earth Rhythms) & Travel Manitoba (2012)

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The Experience - Summary Itinerary

Time Frame

Venue / location

The Experience

What makes it experiential

Notes:

1. This is a summary template for a single experience, identifying the sequence of each experience and ensuring that you have given thought to making it experiential. 2. Each single experience is a module which can then be assembled into a full-day package, a multi-day package, or customized for other clients building on some of the experiences that you have created with your partners. 3. Make sure to identify all costs correctly, to arrive at your final selling price. Include commissions if the experience will be commissionable.

Produced by: Nancy Arsenault (Tourism Cafe Canada), Celes Davar (Earth Rhythms) & Travel Manitoba (2012)

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Tying it all Together

Title (three or four words): Theme (that underlies and ties the whole experience together):

Some things to think about

Are you including unique local food and cuisine? Organic?

Summary of your IDEAL GUEST: Who is your ideal guest? What are they interested in? What motivates them?

What have you done to minimize and manage your risk and liability?

How does this experience help you to meet their travel motivations?

What could you to add retail items that are made locally in your community?

Size of group? Minimum? Maximum?

Where are they coming from (origin)?

What have you done to ensure that it reflects responsible tourism and sustainable tourism practices?

Why might this experience interest them?

What will you do to crossmarket other opportunities/ experiences?and build your partnerships?

What are the three (3) MOST important benefits that they are looking for?

Keyword phrases associated with this group?

Produced by: Nancy Arsenault (Tourism Cafe Canada), Celes Davar (Earth Rhythms) & Travel Manitoba (2012)

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Headline (title) - 25 - 30 words

What is your call to action? How do they book? Tel # to call: Website: Email: Twitter name: Skype name: Procedure to book: Selling price? Min/Max #s: Dates available/ season:

Short Description about the experience (50 - 125 words)

Your UFE: What makes this a truly unforgettable Manitoba experience?

What are your marketing vehicles?

WEB Your website Other portals, community websites, tourism associations Travel trade websites - national, international TRAVEL MANITOBA PARTNERSHIPS OPPORTUNITIES Web Print Broadcast Cooperative Marketing Travel Trade

What photos and videos will you need to help promote this experience?

Media Relations PRINT Brochure Rack card SOCIAL MEDIA

What can you do to build for credibility?

Blog - Business, Community Twitter - Business Facebook - Business Page Other

Produced by: Nancy Arsenault (Tourism Cafe Canada), Celes Davar (Earth Rhythms) & Travel Manitoba (2012)

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Market Readiness
On the following pages, we have provided you with several important tools. These checklists have been set up so that it is easy for you to take your experience and any new ones that you create, and immediately run them through these checklists to make sure that you have considered some key things. While there are lots of checkboxes, dont be intimidated by them. Think of them as a 2-minute reminder. Get your experience together. Take a quick look at them; see if anything has been missed. Let your eyes flow over the trigger questions that are provided. Get in the habit of using them to keep improving your experiences. These checklists can be used to: Improve and refine your experiences Create better multi-day packages Improve your marketing Manage risk thoughtfully Be more savvy on the web Create a quality experience that sells!

We have provided you with the following checklists: Experiential criteria checklist Product readiness checklist Sustainability and responsible tourism checklist Marketing checklist Web readiness checklist Measuring success questions Managing risk checklist

Travel writer, and former editor of Escape Magazine, Joe Robinson, wrote about authenticity in an outstanding article entitled "Real Travel" in UTNE Reader magazine. He speculates that behind the growth of adventure travel, home stays, ecotourism, spiritual tours and all this specialty travel, is a "craving for authentic experience." He quotes from Dean MacCannell's book, The Tourist (Schoken, 1976), who says travelers want to nd "a connection between truth, intimacy, and sharing the life behind the scenes."

Produced by: Nancy Arsenault (Tourism Cafe Canada), Celes Davar (Earth Rhythms) & Travel Manitoba (2012)

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Experiential Criteria Checklist

How does your experience meet the following criteria?
Experiential Product Criteria What memories to you want to create? What specifically makes this experience engaging? Which senses are engaged? (Sight, sound, touch, taste, feel) What do you want guests talking about, blogging about, posting to Trip Advisor after they go home? What do you anticipate they will take pictures of to anchor their memories? What community specialists/storytellers are involved? What makes them special? Have you captured their story for marketing purposes? What makes this experiential package unique to your location in Manitoba (found nowhere else in the world)? E.g Place names, local colour, local people, your experts, the materials, the venue. What has been done to make the program and activities personalized, unusual, and intimate? What has been done to coach the experience providers, partners or suppliers to ensure they understand the experience and your expectations? What have you done to help the participants have success with this experience (learning, fun, engagement, authentic)? Assessment of experience What needs to be modified or changed to make it more experiential?

Produced by: Nancy Arsenault (Tourism Cafe Canada), Celes Davar (Earth Rhythms) & Travel Manitoba (2012)

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Product Readiness Checklist

How does your experience address the following elements of being product-ready for distribution into the marketplace? That is, have all of the elements involved in crafting the experience and delivering it in a quality manner on the ground been addressed?

Product Readiness Factor Do the activities or experience reinforce the theme? (the underlying unifying principle that meets the needs of the niche market you are targeting) What is the program title? What are the minimum / maximum numbers for this program? Do you have a short summary itinerary and program description that includes times, locations, and length of time for each activity?

Assessment

What needs to be modified or changed to make it more experiential?

What resource materials do you need to help achieve success? (Field guides, instructions typed out in advance, maps, air photos, tools, GPS waypoints, materials for activity) Are they in a tote or container, pack, or somehow easily stored for each program that will be delivered? Is there a map / air photos of any walking routes? Advance Information: What trip preparation information is provided? What kind of advance information is provided? Have your checked for food allergies and made the appropriate adjustments for the guests? Do you have information about any physical limitations or challenges of the participants? Have you modified your program to respond? Waiver Is it ready? Has it been sent out in advance?

Produced by: Nancy Arsenault (Tourism Cafe Canada), Celes Davar (Earth Rhythms) & Travel Manitoba (2012)

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Product Readiness Factor Delivering the Experience Are the roles and responsibilities of everyone involved in delivering the program clearly defined? (be that the guide, host, community specialist, etc.) Have you piloted the experience? Are the props in place? Locations for the experiences? Are the locations appropriate to the experiences and planned activities? What kind of instruction or demonstration will be provided to set the participants up for success?

Assessment

What needs to be modified to make it more experiential?

What positive cues are being used to reinforce the authenticity of the experience? (Note: A cue is something that is used in a subtle way to trigger an intensified or enhanced appreciation of the experience.) What will you do if the weather doesnt cooperate What is your contingency plan? Ability to adapt program possible? Is any special clothing needed (aprons, warm clothing, etc.) to ensure its safe, warm, or more comfortable? What will you do if the client asks for the program to be modified for their specific needs? What changes might you make? How will this affect the price? Can you respond quickly? What could be done to customize or personalize this experience for specific groups?

Produced by: Nancy Arsenault (Tourism Cafe Canada), Celes Davar (Earth Rhythms) & Travel Manitoba (2012)

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Marketing Checklist

Marketing should only occur if you have made sure of the preceding three critical elements that your experiential tourism package is experientially ready, product ready and environmentally responsible. Now, you are ready to engage in active marketing - to market and SELL the experience.
Marketing Considerations What are your main methods for marketing this experiential tourism package? Why are you are using these marketing tactics? Have you described both the features and the benefits of this experience to your prospective guests? Are there opportunities to partner with Travel Manitoba? How will you invest in these opportunities? Assessment Follow-up Actions

Web-Readiness Checklist
Web marketing will be a key means to reaching your clients. Whether you market directly from your website, or through other websites, you will need to prepare copy (text) and photographs or video that accurately position the experience, and attract the right people to purchase your package. The following are some important web marketing considerations to check in advance of your product launch.
Web Marketing Considerations Which medium will you use to market your experience online (photos, audio, videos and/or text)? Do you have the photo and testimonial permission to use the collateral in marketing? How does the content in your web copy reflect the target markets you want to attract? Can the visitor see themselves in the photos? Create a picture in their mind of the experience?

Assessment

Follow-up Actions

Do your metatags, URLs, and page descriptions accurately present the tourism experiences and activities?

Produced by: Nancy Arsenault (Tourism Cafe Canada), Celes Davar (Earth Rhythms) & Travel Manitoba (2012)

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Web Marketing Considerations Does the web page title identify clearly what this experience or destination is about? Do you have a headline that offers a bold promise about this new experience in the main body of the web description? What are the best keywords (or phrases) that should be included within the main body content web description for this experiential tourism package keywords that describe the experience and attract the ideal guest? Is the contact information for contacting you or booking the program available on every page? (physical address, email, telephone) What alt tags have been provided to identify any photos or images used? Have you checked any web-links that are in the copy of your text, to make sure that the links work? Have you ensured that your web content on all websites has a consistent product description, contact information, and call to action? How does the web content (copy and images) capture the experiential aspects - the things that people do and interact with?

Assessment

Follow-up Actions

Produced by: Nancy Arsenault (Tourism Cafe Canada), Celes Davar (Earth Rhythms) & Travel Manitoba (2012)

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Managing Risk
The following are some key questions to help you keep thinking about managing risk, and thereby ensuring safe visitor experiences, limiting your liability, and keeping your premiums down.
Managing Risk Do you have liability insurance? How much are you covered for? How recently have you reviewed your insurance policy? Does it cover these experiences that you are creating? Assessment and Actions

Do your experience partners have insurance? If not, how can you help them to address this? Do you have a safety plan (including emergency response) if there is an accident at your location or in your place of business or your operation? Or at the location where the experience is taking place? Do you or those who are facilitating your program have First Aid certification? What other certifications, standards or qualifications should your staff carry? Have your staff taken part in the frontline staff training programs for customer service in Manitoba? Are your volunteers and staff annually updated so that your insurer knows who your employees are? Are there any safety hazards at your site that should be rectified and improved? Do you use a waiver of liability and release form for your individual guests or groups (to cover activities, photos, videos and other digital uses)?

Produced by: Nancy Arsenault (Tourism Cafe Canada), Celes Davar (Earth Rhythms) & Travel Manitoba (2012)

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Measuring & Celebrating Success

As you collectively begin to craft, market and sell new experiences, it will be helpful to look at a few criteria. The following questions will help you assess your success in marketing your new experiences.

Success What does success look like?

Assessment

Key Performance Indicators

What qualitative measures of success are you using? (E.g. Trip Advisor, customer experience feedback forms, post-visit contact, etc). How are you extracting from the words and tracking this information so it informs your product development and marketing? What quantitative measures of success are you tracking? (e.g. Number of experiences sold, Number of participants, Profit margin and other financial measures, Market reach, Number of new experiences in the market annually, Number of partners developed, Hours of coaching required to bring an experience provider to delivery, etc.) Identify 5 to 10 max that you want to track regularly to monitor your business and inform decision making. How are celebrating success?

Produced by: Nancy Arsenault (Tourism Cafe Canada), Celes Davar (Earth Rhythms) & Travel Manitoba (2012)

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