Flamborough businesses shine at awards gala
Brenda Jefferies
Published on
Apr 11, 2008
Two Flamborough organizations had plenty to roar about last week, after bringing home top honours from the 10th Annual Tourism Hamilton Awards Gala.
Attended by more than 540 people, the event was held at Carmen's Banquet Centre to recognize outstanding contributions to the city's tourism industry in 2007. This year, African Lion Safari and the Rockton Agricultural Society got the nod, in the categories of Tourism Website and Agri Tourism, respectively. In all, awards were presented in 20 categories, with multiple winners in some divisions.
Over the past several years, the African Lion Safari has been recognized at the gala in a number of categories. Lori Latter, marketing manager for the park, was thrilled that the Rockton facility was the first to win the Website Award, which falls under the Marketing category.
"It's great to be the first winner of the award; we were up against some big names," she noted. Also nominated this year were Ancaster Old Mill, Art Gallery of Hamilton, Canadian International Military Tattoo, Fiddlers 3-Sheezo Media Group and Haunted Hamilton.
Latter noted that keeping up with the web site for the 750-acre park, which opens this year on May 3, is challenging - but worth it. "Seventy per cent of visitors say they go on the web site before they come," she said. "That's gone up over the years."
The African Lion Safari has maintained the same web site for a number of years, said Latter, but continual additions make it fresh for online visitors. An e-newsletter was introduced in December, and the feature has proved to be a valuable tool.
"We can see who clicked on it, opened it up, and the promotions they clicked on," explained Latter. "We have people from all over the world - including Romania and India - looking at the web site in the winter months."
The e-newsletters can target people as often as the park wants, noted Latter, with special events or promotions. "We're really excited to try it and work with it this year," she added.
Some of the most popular features on the African Lion Safari web site (www.lionsafari.com) are videos of the birth of a baby elephant and of a baby giraffe making its first run.
Ted Flett, media relations co-ordinator for Tourism Hamilton, noted that the nominees for this year's Website Award "ran a real gamut" of business operations. Features that helped the African Lion Safari stand out, he noted, included the "Did You Know?" section that provides facts on different species of animals, park maps, a full pricing schedule, a French page and the videos. The park's nomination also included impressive statistics: some 500,000 visits to the site, with more than 123,000 hits per month.
"The Website category is very challenging; it's a very fluid means of media," he noted. "The African Lion Safari is very informed and they take marketing very seriously."
Named one of the top Agri Tourism businesses in Hamilton this year - sharing the honour with the Niagara Fruit Education Centre - the Rockton Agricultural Society also keeps a sharp eye on its marketing strategy to bring tens of thousands of visitors to the area each Thanksgiving weekend. RAS General Manager Bob Campbell stressed that the key is to stick to a tried and true formula - while keeping the event fresh for visitors.
"One of the big aspects of our marketing is to promote a family fun entertainment venue," he said. "It's a tradition that families meet there Thanksgiving weekend."
Recent upgrades to the Rockton Fair include the purchase of land in 2001 to improve parking, upgrading the entrances and exits to the Old Hwy. 8 fairgrounds, the installation of new grandstand seating and new show features, such as a children's tractor pull and the heavy horse pull. The 2008 Fair will also unveil new attractions and new entertainers.
Campbell stressed that the RAS stays true to its main focus: keeping agricultural education in the limelight. In its nomination form for the Tourism Award, the RAS highlighted the involvement of the rural community in making the Fair a success.
"We're well supported by some 670 volunteer members; over 100 of those are youth members," he said. "That's a good support system to come along for the future."
Flett noted that the Rockton World's Fair has hit a winning combination when it comes to bringing members of the larger community together, by "promoting the role of agriculture in both the rural and urban communities, through education, community events and entertainment."
"This event brings people from Hamilton and far beyond, when you include the visitors, vendors, competitors and participants," he pointed out.
Additional nominees in the Agri Tourism category included Ancaster Old Mill, Dyment's Farm and Puddicombe Estate Farms & Winery.