Northern Tourism Industry Standards and Learning Program
Business, Market & Trade Ready Standards
The Northwest Territories, Yukon and Nunavut have established a Business, Market and Trade Ready Learning Program to help northern tourism suppliers increase their global competitiveness when selling their products and experiences. The program outlines tourism sector standards for the three levels of readiness (business, market and trade) and provides insights, explanations and examples for businesses to utilize and incorporate in their operations.
The learning resources will help businesses establish and maintain consumer confidence through the development of consistent policies and processes. The learning tools are also aimed at growing capacity in the northern tourism industry and promoting a better understanding of the opportunities and requirements of working within the travel trade distribution sales channels.
The BMT Standards training program is available online or can be taken through in-person workshops delivered in Canada’s North. Participants who complete the workshop – either online or in a classroom setting – will gain a deeper understanding of how to enhance their readiness and make successful connections with consumers in a global marketplace.
Why you should take the training
Understanding how to sell your tourism experience is just as important to running a successful business as delivering an exceptional experience when customers are with you. The BMT Standards learning program provides you with best practice advice and examples on how to sell direct to consumers or through travel trade distribution sales channels.
Communicating with travellers planning their vacation is a year-round activity. Knowing when and how to reach them while they are planning is essential to making sure they budget time and money to take your tour, visit your attraction or stay with you. Whether selling direct to consumers or through travel trade channels, this training helps you meet your client’s expectations while gaining confidence to close the sale.
Completion of this training program will help demonstrate to Northwest Territories Tourism your readiness to participate in applicable marketing programs and initiatives.
Isn't it time to reach out new markets, develop partnerships, and promote your tourism business to the world?
How to take the training
- On-line Training
- The BMT program is accessible online anytime. A module in the program may take anywhere between 2 and 5 hours, however the pace at which a learner comes through the training is flexible in how the tool is designed, so that tourism suppliers can schedule their learning time online in a way that fits their schedule. In each module there may be more than one activity or quiz to be completed along with accompanying resources.
- If you want to take the online training, you can register by clicking the link below. If you would prefer a facilitated workshop, read further.
- BMT Registration page
- Facilitated Group Workshops
- Facilitated workshops can be arranged by requesting a workshop from the Government of the Norwest Territories, Department of Industry, Tourism & Investment.
- The facilitated workshop includes group and independent activities, refreshment breaks, shared real-life experiences, and a take away resource workbook. The modular structure of the workshop enables the training to be scheduled over one or two days, depending on the workshop participants’ experience in the tourism industry and with tourism marketing, the size of the group and whether the group will be taking the Trade Ready Module or not.
- Information on how to request a facilitated workshop is available at: iti.gov.nt.ca/en/TourismReady
- Certificate of Completion
- Both the online program and facilitated workshops include a certificate of completion. This certificate should be provided by the learner to Northwest Territories Tourism when seeking to be recognized as market or trade ready for NWT Tourism marketing partnership purposes. These should be emailed to: marketing@spectacularnwt.com
Standards
Standards – Business Ready
Business Ready refers to a business that has all its licenses, permits and insurance in place in order to operate legally.
- BR1
- Provide owner/operator contact information (include contact name, business name, mailing address, telephone number, and email address)
- BR2
- Be in good standing with all applicable licenses, insurance and legislative requirements.
Standards – Market Ready
To be Market Ready, a tourism supplier must meet the Business Ready criteria (above) plus meet the following criteria:
- MR1
- Has an email address and telephone number operational year-round. If closed for the season, provides automated response through voice mail, answering service and/or email.
- MR2
- Has marketing materials such as brochures, rack cards, website or social media presence.
- MR3
- During operating season, the business maintains at least a 24-48 hour response time to inquiries and at least a 24 hour response time to reservations/booking requests.
- MR4
- Has a published consumer billing, payment and cancellation policy.
Standards – Trade Ready
Being Trade Ready refers to a business that markets to and through the travel trade distribution sales channels; understands commission or net pricing; agrees to trade booking and cancellation policies.
Being Trade Ready means the tourism supplier meets the Market Ready Criteria plus the following criteria:
- TR1
- Has been market ready for at least one year or has successfully operated a tourism business working with the travel trade.
- TR2
- Offers wholesale, net or commissionable rates to Travel Trade throughout the negotiated time period, provides these rates at least one year in advance of the selling season and guarantees those prices during the selling season.
- TR3
- Responds within 24 hours year-round to requests, enquiries, reservations and cancellations from Travel Trade.
- TR4
- Has trade-oriented booking, payment and cancellation policies for groups and fully independent travellers.
- TR6
- If participating in Destination Marketing Organization-led Travel Trade Familiarization Tour, is prepared to offer a shared investment and/or reduced pricing (complimentary) in hosting Travel Trade.
- TR7
- Provides image/rich media files in a format required by the destination marketing organization or receptive tour operators for marketing purposes along with up-to-date product descriptions/information sheets.
These standards serve as a guideline for tourism suppliers working with the travel trade. Standards may vary depending on the specific negotiated agreement between the tourism supplier and the travel trade partner.