Destination Battlefords targets more overnight stays and tourism dollars

The marketing plan calls for $15,000 in visitor-guide advertising revenue by February 2027, up from zero.

It also aims to distribute 10,000 visitor guides across two seasonal issues by September 2027 and attract 500 subscribers to a new email newsletter, “Under the Sun,” by June 2027.

Social media targets for June 2027 include increasing Facebook followers by 50 per cent, from 2,600 to 3,900, and growing Instagram’s following from 68 to 750.

The plan does not set numerical targets for overnight stays or visitor spending.

The organization is already active on Facebook, Instagram and TikTok. Its promotional plans include a local story each week and radio promotion under the title What’s On in the Battlefords.

Lumor told council the organization had already begun posting interviews and other content highlighting the region.

“And within like two or three videos, we’ve had over 10,000 views across our different social media platforms.”

The plan prioritizes people travelling by road, with Saskatoon, Lloydminster and the Alberta border area among its target markets. Families and young city travellers are among the audiences it wants to reach.

Other target audiences include birders, stargazers, snowmobilers, photographers, U.S. hunters and outfitters, along with sports teams, clubs, associations and meeting planners.

The council presentation also identifies local and Indigenous events and regional collaboration involving Cochin, Meota, Jackfish Lake and Table Mountain.

Another priority is developing the local directory on the organization’s website.

Coun. Lindgren, who sits on Destination Battlefords’ board, said the organization’s role is to help local groups pursue events.

Lindgren said Lumor would attend sport and recreation conferences to connect with national and regional groups and learn about making bids.

Lindgren also said the work includes finding potential users for a new arena, expressing hope that the facility would be built.

Furthermore, Lindgren said the organization received more funding a few years ago after a period when it lacked the capacity to do much beyond maintaining a small presence.

“So moving forward, it is important that we come back and talk about what we’re doing with those funds and how we’re going to do that.”

Lindgren said the organization had committed to meeting more regularly with its partners, the Hotels Association and the City of North Battleford, to seek their feedback.

On the directory, Lindgren said people do not always have accurate information about North Battleford and that more local data is needed for artificial intelligence systems to draw on.

“Our website has a directory which we are really hoping to engage with the community,” he noted.

“One of the things we’re finding is people don’t have accurate information about North Battleford, and Banky has been working on how AI is being used to drive tourism, and without data, that does not pull that here.”

“So we need to work and hear from our community. [Community members] can register on the website for free.”

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cjnbnews@pattisonmedia.com

by battlefordsNOW staff

Destination Battlefords targets more overnight stays and tourism dollars

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