HOSP-1013: Introduction to Tourism

VIA Rail Itinerary

Assignment: VIA RAIL TOUR ITINERARY

Due Date: See course outline

Assignment Type: Groups of 2-3

Value: 30%

VIA RAIL ITINERARY ASSIGNMENT

Situation: As a local tour operator, you have identified an important and untapped market. VIA
Rail has trains filled with tourists going from coast to coast to coast. At present, travellers arrive
in Winnipeg on Mondays, Thursdays and Saturdays for brief two to three-hour stays. It would
be ideal to turn these low-yield visitors into high-yield tourists by encouraging them to
disembark the train and embark on the following train a few days later. To simplify this
assignment, we are only offering packages to individuals arriving on Monday and Leaving on
Thursday. That would mean that visitors would have a 3-night stay in Winnipeg.

You will create itineraries that can be purchased by train travellers. They are available from May
long weekend through October long weekend. You offer a 3-day package for tourists. You will
design a three-day package. This package is available throughout the season, meaning it cannot
run just once, it must make sense to sell it to multiple people throughout the season.

OVERVIEW:
- Dates – 2023 (high season is May to October inclusively). The tour package must be
market-ready during this ENTIRE period (people must be able to use a “buy it now” type
button)
- Duration – 3-night stay
o IMPORTANT: The train arrives at 8 am Monday and leaves at Noon Thursday
- The tour/package cannot already exist
- Tours must be viable and profitable
- Indicate who you think might like this tour and why (Your ideal target market)
- Destinations are limited to Winnipeg (you can leave Winnipeg for short day-trips within
1hr of the city’s perimeter)
- Days must fill a minimum of 10 hours
 - Include Lodging (couch surfing and Airbnb are not acceptable options, our goal is to
boost the local tourism economy)
- You must include a minimum of two paid attractions or activities per day
- You must include restaurant choices for at least 2 meals per day (except departure day).
Restaurants cannot be national chains (ex: Boston Pizza or McDonald’s), you cannot
return to the same restaurant more than once.
- You must consider transportation (how will they get from point A-B)
- You must include at least one EXTRA added option. Ex. For an extra $100 add a ticket to
XYZ (only available on these dates…)

** Note, you will learn about tour pricing in other classes. Please include Rack-Rates here –
aka the price prior to negotiation.

CONTENT:

Introduction

TOUR DESCRIPTION (Product)

- Tour Name. The name should reflect the theme or content of the tour (e.g.: History
and Heroes in Manitoba Tour)
- A brief tour overview. Imagine what a tourist might read as a description in a
brochure or a website (approx. ½ page). What is the theme? What is the
highlight(s)?
- What is your Unique Selling Proposition (USP), what makes your product special or
worth purchasing?

TARGET MARKET
- Describe which train travellers would be attracted to this tour and why (WHO IS
YOUR TARGET CLIENTELE)
- Be specific about your target and explain why this is a good fit. You can speak about
demographics, socio-economic profile, psychographics, EQ profiles or a mix of all
four. It is very important for the reader to understand who you are targeting and
why. This drives everything.
- Explain why this is a good choice. Cite at least one article that supports that this is a
good idea for a tour (could be to support the target market or other current trends).

THE TOUR PACKAGE

- A bullet point list that is titled: INCLUDED IN THIS PACKAGE (e.g.: 3 meal vouchers, 1
museum admission…). Remember that hotel stays, attractions and other paid
elements will be presented to the purchaser as vouchers.
- In paragraph form, include a detailed explanation of the 3-day itinerary. Very briefly
explain the benefit of the attraction to the guest (e.g.: DAY ONE – On this first day,
guests will visit the XYZ, a unique spot because of ABC, and ideal for ZYX. Next they
will…)
- Added « extra » item – something that can be tacked on to the package at an extra
cost to the consumer (not included in the tour price)
- Additional information that may be of help for your instructors to grasp what is
being offered and why
- On a separate page (appendix) list of partners and suppliers including websites
- Proposed Itinerary – Using the itinerary grid (Do this first – include it as an
appendix)
o Ensure that the product market-match is evident and sensible (i.e.: do not
send birders to a nightclub)
o Ensure that the sequencing and location of attractions are logical (loops and
hub and spoke are better than going all over the place in no logical order)

BUDGET (PRICE)
- List the real cost per activity, the hotel Rack-Rate, transportation, etc.
- How much would you sell it for per couple?
- Explain why you feel this price point will work for your target market.

PROMOTION
- Which advertising medium will you use, it can be more than one (print, radio,
online, other)? Explain and defend your choices, convince me that this is the most
effective medium for your target market. (HINT: you are NOT selling this to people in
Winnipeg, you are selling this to people who are on a train for several days)

INSTAGRAM
- A picture is worth 1000 words. Using www.pixabay.com or the Destination Canada,
Travel Manitoba or Tourism Winnipeg media library, or using your own photograph;
choose a single photo to help promote your product. This one image must embody
the essence of your product and appeal to the target audience. You will be marked
on photo selection and wording, not on graphic design skills.
- Superimpose slogan and your tour name to help sell your concept.
- Create a “call to action” – how will you get the word out and get the most shares
and followers as possible? (e.g.: Tag a friend to win)
- Create a hashtag (e.g.: #WpgHero2023)
SUMMARY
- Explain why this is a good addition to Via Rail’s offering and good for Winnipeg’s
tourism economy.
- Explain why this tour will be success and why people will buy it.