Destination Think is poised to lead destination marketing in Campbell River with long-term strategic plan

Think Staff

28 March 2017

Destination Think is pleased to announce a partnership with the City of Campbell River in British Columbia, Canada. Under a new long-term agreement, Think will bring its globally recognized destination marketing expertise to promote Campbell River. Destination Think employees on location will be responsible for tourism management while reporting directly to the City. The partners will work collectively to provide modern tourism promotion, visitor servicing and experience development.

Campbell RiverAs a tourism destination, Campbell River is a hidden gem located on Vancouver Island. It draws visitors seeking world-class fishing, access to wildlife and nature, First Nations culture, and the rugged scenery that can only be found on Canada’s west coast. The community also supports a lively local arts and culture scene that includes festivals, galleries, historic sites, and performances – not to mention an annual chainsaw carving competition located on the city’s coastal Seawalk.

Think’s Chief Strategist William Bakker looks ahead to the untapped potential for tourism: “We are excited to see that Campbell River envisions a forward-thinking future for tourism management. This will allow us to use a nimble approach to execute destination marketing in the way that today’s consumer environment requires.”

That environment has been changing quickly. Since Destination Think’s inception in 2009, the company has led the industry by innovating many aspects of destination marketing, including promotion, word-of-mouth advocacy, visitor servicing, experience development, strategy and tourism planning. Staff from Think’s Vancouver headquarters will support the team on the ground in Campbell River by executing these services.

“At the heart of this new partnership is a commitment to the visitor experience in Campbell River,” says Bakker. “We will integrate experience development and promotion. This is important because word of mouth, social media, and technology trends have placed more power in the hands of consumers. Visitors and residents can now tell the world exactly what they think of a destination, and this is tipping the balance of power away from traditional advertising.”

Amid rapid industry changes, Destination Think is thrilled to open this new chapter of destination management with Campbell River. Residents and tourism industry alike can be proud of their City’s commitment to strengthening tourism through an innovative approach and improving the Campbell River experience for all.

8 Comments

  1. Dean Parsonage

    Congratulations to Destination Think! and welcome to Campbell River. Yes we are a true “hidden gem” and i look forward to meeting you guys and working with you in the future.
    This is good new for C.R

    Regards

    Dean Parsonage
    50North Adventures

    Reply
    • David Archer

      Thank you for the warm welcome, Dean! We look forward to collaborating with the City and community.

      Reply
  2. Cathy Kaardal

    Congratulations Ben and team… well done. Very exciting to hear its Destination Think that is going to set the forecast for Campbell River tourism… My Aussie mates just text me to say.. “these guys never stay in the box”… I think I already knew that…
    Oh by the way, there are 30,000 Discovery magazines sitting in a warehouse for 2017, can I handle that for you. 🙂

    Cheers the Whats On Digest team, Vancouver Island.

    Reply
    • Ben Vadasz

      Hi Cathy,

      Thank you for the positive support. We look forward to working with the Campbell River community to set the future for the modern visitor experience. We look forward to having you, Rotary and the What’s On team involved in the process. The team is in CR soon and we will be in touch soon after.

      Cheers, Ben.

      Reply
  3. Dave Petryk

    Congratulations William and the Destination Think team. Our team at Tourism Vancouver Island is looking forward to working with you. Campbell River has huge potential to grow tourism and with the right leadership we are optimistic that the opportunities will be realized.
    Dave Petryk

    Reply
    • William Bakker

      Thanks Dave, we’re very excited about the opportunity and we look forward working together.

      Reply
  4. James

    Congrats Destination Think!
    I’m stoked to meet you guys and equally excited for Campbell River!

    Reply
  5. Tanya L Oliva

    Hello David, William, Ben and the rest of the amazing team at Destination Think!

    I was referred to your job posting for Executive Manager of Destination Marketing for the City of Campbell River,by Colleen Evans, City Councillor and President/CEO of the Campbell River Chamber of Commerce.

    Based on my depth of experience in marketing/PR/stakeholder engagement with leading companies in Canada, combined with my incredible passion for the City of Campbell River, it would be a dream to work with Destination Think! to achieve the incredible potential of CR as a travel destination for visitors from across BC, Canada, and worldwide!

    My application has been submitted via LinkedIn and I look forward to the opportunity of a personal interview for this exciting and dynamic leadership position.

    Many thanks in advance for your consideration.

    Carpe diem!

    Tanya Oliva

    — Born in Beautiful BC, Raised in North Vancouver, Living the Dream in Campbell River —

    Reply

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