Destination Canada Australian Account Director – Trade, Nathan McLoughlin shares DC’s ultimate aim and gives his views on this year’s NTIAs. He also teases an upcoming incentive for travel agents!
What sets Destination Canada’s approach apart from others in the industry?
This award cements and recognises our efforts to increase education and support to our valued travel trade partners in the last 12 months.
Our ultimate aim is to generate wealth and well-being for Canadians while enriching the lives of our Australian guests. To achieve this, we are committed to values of regenerative tourism that invests in local culture and the environment.
We pride ourselves on taking an innovative approach to execute our vision.
Given this was the first NTIAs outside of Sydney for nearly two decades, how did you find the change of scenery in Melbourne? What did you love most about this year’s NTIAs?
I loved the change of scenery being in Melbourne this year. Given that we are based in Sydney, it’s always nice to travel interstate to attend events like this.
It was wonderful to see so many of our Victorian-based partners and agents that we may not necessarily see when the event is held in Sydney.
I think it would be great to see the NTIAs in alternate cities each year.
What are you most excited about that’s coming up for Destination Canada and the country?
There are a few things I am excited for that are coming up for us at Destination Canada.
Firstly, we have a couple of exciting incentives for agents who join our Canada Specialist Program and complete the training. I can’t say too much right now, as these incentives are still being finalised and will be announced very soon, but I can say it will revolve around agents travelling to Canada.
The second thing I am really excited about is our focus on both Winter and Autumn travel in Canada. They are my two favourite times to travel to Canada!
Canada is truly the home of winter, with so many great experiences on offer, from skiing, ice skating and snowmobiling, to dog sledding – and who could forget witnessing the Northern Lights!
Then, Autumn, it is the absolute best time to see Canada’s amazing wildlife, be it witnessing grizzly bears on the river banks catching salmon, orcas in BC, the polar bears in Churchill, Manitoba, or moose in the Rockies, Ontario and Quebec. It is also a great time to see the blazing fall foliage on a Canadian road trip.
What do you love most about the travel industry?
The people! We work in an amazing industry that allows us to experience incredible things, but it’s the people that make all the hard work in between worthwhile.
Celebrating with the whole industry each year at the NTIA Gala is such a great opportunity to reconnect with people in the industry that you don’t get to see too often as well as those key partners that you work with day-by-day.
Earlier this year, McLoughlin told Karryon the country’s tourism authorities will be “really positioning Canada as the home of winter” to Aussies for some time to come. Read that story.
Read our wrap of the 2023 NTIAs.
