Make Nova Scotia Your Winter Tourism Destination

Nova Scotia is heating up winter with an aggressive marketing and promotional campaign to promote travel to the province between January and April.

The new campaign includes television, print and radio advertising, along with information on Nova Scotia's Web site, explorens.com . A direct mail program is also targeting over 300,000 households in Atlantic Canada.

"We're placing more emphasis on the winter season with a well- rounded campaign," said Rodney MacDonald, Minister of Tourism and Culture. "This supports our government's commitment to market Nova Scotia as a year-round tourism destination."

These marketing activities are all part of the long-term strategy for year-round tourism developed by the Nova Scotia Tourism Partnership Council, a joint industry-government team that leads provincial marketing and tourism development initiatives.

"For 2001 our approach will be two-fold," said Paul Stackhouse, council chair and general manager of the Holiday Inn Harbourview. "We're building awareness in the minds of Atlantic Canadians about Nova Scotia as a destination for winter trips while providing them with concrete ideas about what they can see, do and purchase during their winter vacation here."

People calling in response to the campaign will receive a Nova Scotia Winter Activities Planning Kit, which includes everything a visitor needs to plan a winter vacation in Nova Scotia. The kit consists of five guides: the Nova Scotia Winter Coupon book, the Halifax Entertainment Season Guide, the Taste of Nova Scotia Chef's Select Restaurant Guide, a Winter Guide produced by tourism associations in southwestern Nova Scotia, and museumnews, the Nova Scotia Museum newsletter, which features special March break activities. The five publications include coupons for special winter packages, information about winter festivals and special events, select menu items for winter dining and a variety of family and children's activities.

Packages are available by calling 1-800-565-0000.

The 2001 mid-winter campaign builds on a successful program launched this time last year.

Nova Scotia's tourism industry revenues are estimated at $1.25 billion, which translates into jobs for some 35,000 Nova Scotians. Tourism is also a significant export industry, with more than half of the money generated coming from outside the province.