Following an event, hosted by Ottawa Mayor Jim Watson on Friday, to announce that Ottawa has reached the milestone of one million residents, Ottawa Tourism launched www.CanadaInOneCity.ca to share a new approach toward presenting Ottawa on the world stage.
Meetings industry suppliers, marketers, communicators, and storytellers in Canada’s capital can use the website to find resources that reflect the city’s unique attributes and its appeal to the global meetings, events and convention markets.
The goal is to align communication from local stakeholders to create the strongest message possible and build Ottawa’s reputation with external audiences through storytelling. The resources summarise Ottawa’s brand asCanada in One City, which fulfils the promise that “Ottawa is where you can connect with Canada’s soul.”
“This is an exciting time for Ottawa, as we unveil this new place brand,” says Michael Crockatt, President and CEO of Ottawa Tourism. “Announcing this new approach in conjunction with Ottawa reaching 1 million residents underscores the correlation between Ottawa’s visitor economy and the residents who benefit from the spending of tourism dollars in our destination. In fact, visitors spend more than $2.2 billion each year in our community.”
Photo credit: Ottawa Tourism
The new place brand includes four broad themes which combine to create the idea of Canada in One City. The brand themes are explored at www.CanadaInOneCity.ca and can be found with excerpts below:
- Canada’s Village: “Whether it is your first time visiting, where you have spent the last semester, or the last 10 years of your life living here, Ottawa welcomes you with a friendliness and accessibility unique to G7 capital cities that wield a similar level of economic and political might.”
- Connect with Canada: “All Canadian cities are part of the fabric of the country, but not all cities are an embodiment of the country itself. In this regard, Ottawa is distinct. This is where you can connect with Canada at any moment in time. You can see beyond the present moment into what has been and what is yet to come.”
- Joie de vivre: “It can be found in the joy of conversation, eating, travel, or celebration; it is the joy of living. Ottawans love to enjoy life, to live better, to find and pursue happiness in the place they call home and in its people.”
- Ottawa’s Legacy: “Both our physical and social cityscapes reflect Ottawa’s many coexisting legacies. Each generation adds a new layer to our history. This city has long been home to changemakers, pioneers and those who can see beyond what is, to what can be… From policy, economy, and trade to culture, education, healthcare and the environment, fundamental Canadian values become reality in Ottawa.”
The resources are the culmination of a long-term project undertaken by Ottawa Tourism and the City of Ottawa with international consultants Destination Think! to uncover Ottawa’s unique attributes— its Place DNATM—and develop Ottawa’s brand identity.
