Tourism sector prepping campaign
Niagara organization working with businesses on safe recovery plan
Niagara Falls’ tourism sector is preparing to launch its Safe to Play campaign.
Niagara Falls Tourism, which was recently buoyed by $4.5 million in post-pandemic marketing funding from the federal government, is working with local businesses on a recovery plan, including ways to convince future visitors how they will keep them safe.
“We haven’t rolled the campaign out yet — we’re just making sure that we have all the information so that we’re ready the minute that there’s a clearance to open,” said Niagara Falls Tourism president Janice Thomson.
“We’ve got assurance from all of our members that they have implemented safety measures within their organizations.”
She said restaurants and attractions are some of the “most heavily regulated” industries.
“People who run restaurants, they have a big responsibility for the safety of their patrons, so they’re quite accustomed to those types of things — now it’s just meant to refocus,” said Thomson. “It’s the same with the attractions, they’ve got regulations in place for safety of all types. Everyone has just been refining their processes, and Niagara Falls Tourism is working with the different sectors to portray the destination as a place where it is safe to play.”
She said the “whole push” of the campaign will be “rediscovering” Niagara Falls.
“We know that millions of people have been here already, they’ve built great family traditions and memories here, and it’s always been known as a reliable destination, so that’s where Safe to Play comes in. We’re preparing, we’re making sure we’re ready.”
Thomson said Phase 1 of the campaign will be geared toward attracting visitors from within a four-hour drive in Ontario. Phase 2 will move out “slowly” into other areas of the country. Marketing toward potential American visitors will wait until the border reopens to all travel.
In a recent letter to associates about its reopening plan, which was obtained by The Niagara Falls Review, Niagara Casinos president Richard Taylor said its marketing team is working with Niagara Falls Tourism and local businesses to promote tourism and the “reopening of our community” with the Safe to Play campaign.
“Niagara is our backyard — and we are collaborating with key stakeholders to build a collective momentum and support Niagara as a safe place to visit and play.”
Mayor Jim Diodati described the campaign as “brilliant,” adding he has spoken with counterparts in major American destinations that want to take the idea “but we’ve already branded it.” “We’ve nailed down the URL, so it’s safetoplay.ca and safetostay.ca,” he said, adding the websites are not active yet.
Diodati said Ontario Tourism Minister Lisa MacLeod said on a call a few weeks ago that Niagara Falls was the first tourist destination in the province to have a recovery plan mapped out.
“This is absolutely important because staycation and the rubber-tire market is going to be what’s going to keep us afloat this year,” he said.
Diodati said branding Niagara Falls as a safe place to play and stay makes sense, pointing to the city recently being named one of the 10 safest cities in the world that are also vacation destinations, according to The Discoverer, a travel publication that produces weekly editions bringing together voices of travel writers with locals.
“And that was before any of our COVID protocols were put in place,” he said. “I know of businesses that are already implementing new technologies … to kill all germs on surfaces that will come into contact with our guests. Who better to process large numbers of people than our tourism operators — that’s what they do for a living.”