Background

Tourism Quality Assurance of Newfoundland and Labrador (TQANL) is an industry organization supporting tourism in the province. The organization changed its name in 2014 from Canada Select Newfoundland when it adopted a broader mandate than simply administering the Canada Select program in the province. It now oversees and implements a number of quality assurance programs to ensure that accommodations meet standards.
Along with the name change came a requirement for rebranding the organization, and for a website that would not only project the new name and role of the organization, but would actively assist in putting TQANL forefront in the provincial tourism industry.

Approach

In-depth sessions were held with the Program Manager and other members of TQANL to understand the issues facing the organization, the requirements and opportunities, and to identify the target market. A full web plan was developed that demonstrated how the website can be a focal point for the organization. A key strategy for the website was identified as elements that will encourage interaction with tourism operators.
An important component of the strategy is the creation of a Badge of Quality that tourism operators can easily incorporate into their own websites. This badge dynamically adjusts itself on the operator’s website so that it is always current, and the operator never has to change their website as they subscribe/unsubscribe to programs, or change their accommodation star ratings. From the viewpoint of TQANL, it provides visibility and linkages from operator websites throughout the province.
To implement the plan, the branding for the organization was updated, and a strategic website was created as outlined. The site was optimized for search engines and custom Google Analytics were included. The badge widget was created, with the code easily accessible to operators by accessing a members section of the site. To further support the role of TQANL in various quality assurance programs, the website was set up to permit clients to submit application forms, see personal reports, and submit payment directly through the website.

Results

The new brand for TQANL continues to be expanded across the province, and traffic from the badges remains a top driver of traffic to the website. The badge has been implemented on numerous client websites, increasing visibility of the organization. Clients are beginning to use the features of the website to download and submit payment for their specific facilities, saving time and effort for staff.