As the snow was piling up at home, even in the torrential rain California was a more desirable place to be than Canada. Such was the case earlier this month as Visit California and some 35 destination partners hosted a couple of dozen members of the Canadian trade for a reverse mission in San Diego, followed by post conference FAMs throughout the state.

But hot ballooning – nope. Meandering through vineyards on horseback, nuh-uh. Even breakfast on a patio overlooking the Pacific was too wet for waffles.

However, such is the promise of those kinds of experiences that Visit California (VC) was promoting anyways, even if they were enduring several inconvenient days of (otherwise much-needed) rain when guests had dropped by.

“Whether you want to just have a drink by the pool or go skiing in the mountains, there’s something for everyone in California,” declared Visit California’s Kristin Bonilla, who said that the organization’s current “Ultimate Playground” marketing campaign showcased just that, while pairing both the “abundance and diversity” of America’s third-largest state.

“We’re very open-minded in California, and we encourage everyone to play in their own way,” she said.

Bonilla noted that the campaign is actually underpinned by research from the US National Institute of Play (NIP), which advocates that the ability to play – for all ages – is as important to good health as sleep.

To that end, a clever, colourful Visit California video spot that follows a beach ball being batted across a number of destinations and experiential locations across the state was unveiled.

VC is also inviting travellers to its web site to discover which of NIP’s eight play personalities best apply to them: collector, competitor, explorer, director, storyteller, joker, creator/artist, and kinesthete (mover).

“It’s a fun way to think about how you plan (a trip),” Bonilla said.

A second tenet of California’s current promotion is to position the state as an “wind in your hair” ultimate road trip destination, which similarly highlights the diversity and endless opportunities that California offers, from big city boulevards to desert highways.

“Canadians love road trips,” Bonilla observed. “You love that freedom to explore on your own, take the stress away with access to a car and really have control over your itinerary, and add multiple stops to your destination.”

In Canada – California’s No. 2 market (after Mexico) – Danielle Noel of Visit California Canada (Zeno Group) says the campaign plays (no pun) perfectly north of the border.

“We really think there’s an opportunity to showcase California more prominently as a sun destination – getting to the beaches and just enjoying the sunshine, in the winter months especially,” she said. “Then the Road Trip is a very key theme, especially in the Spring when we’ll have a live spot (to the soundtrack of Creedence Clearwater Revival’s catchy ‘Up Around the Bend’) airing.

“And then the diversity of the ‘Ultimate Playground.’ So, there’s a California itinerary for everyone, whether its culinary, wine, adventure, wellness… California truly has it all!”

The marketing strategy also accounts for the challenging rate of the Canadian dollar, with Bonilla acknowledging, “We know Canadians prioritize value-driven and cost-effective ways to travel. And given the recent trends with the dollar, we know this is more important than ever.”

To that end, Visit California intends to highlight deals and experiences that “make it worth coming to California for.”

Canadian view

Taking part in a California Reverse Mission panel were Kelly Schmitt, Spoiled Agent; Madeleine Brydon, WestJet; Sam Youssef, TravelBrands/Red Tag; Sandra Costa, Porter Airlines; Viktor Spysak, Air Canada; and Danielle Noel, Visit California CanadaSam Youssef, VP of Marketing for TravelBrands and Red Tag Vacations, said Canadians’ three pillars of travel – sunseeker, adventurer, and family (including theme parks) – are all easily satisfied in California, and that as such, for his company, the state appeals to a good blend of its customer base.

Indeed, he suggested that those selling the destination “streamline the experience” and create packages such as “sunshine and surf” or “wine and wellness in the desert.”

“There are so many options,” he noted.

WestJet’s Portfolio Manager, North America, Madeleine Brydon, observed that the state is a convenient three-hour flight from Western Canada and can serve as both a short three-day/four-night stay or a full-week holiday.

“It’s that diversity, it’s getting the word out that it’s not just Disneyland. You can do more,” she said. “Disney is a shorter stay, but you can roam more, you can see more: it’s all about the adventure and reminding and educating (clients) more.

“And yes, the dollar is huge, but we can create value around the opportunity. It doesn’t have to be a luxury, all-star experience.  You can still travel on a budget.”

New to the state with service to Los Angeles and San Francisco, Porter Airlines has been so encouraged by the “spectacular response” to its routes that the Toronto-based carrier further added San Diego and Palm Springs flights last December, not least as an option for those who have already been to the big cities.

“California offers sun, arts, entertainment, a connection to Hollywood, nature – there’s just so many advantages,” said Sandra Costa, the airline’s marketing and partnerships manager.

For eastern Canadians, California also has the advantage of offering a completely different experience from a traditional Florida holiday, she added, noting that longer flights from the east also encourage travellers to stay longer.

And with the likes of Porter’s growing service (along with WestJet and Air Canada) there is plenty of lift for Canadians to get there.

“California,” she concluded, “is totally a country within a country. From the beaches to skiing, and deserts to Redwoods, there are so many things to do. It ticks so many boxes!”

(Ed. note: Stay tuned for our own road trip around the state, sampling destinations represented at the reverse mission, in a future issue.)