Stellar Reputation
Can you feel the love?
Well, the international love affair with Canada is showing no signs of cooling off, with a new study by the Reputation Institute revealing that Canada is the top country in the world to visit, live in, study and attend or organize events.
Key drivers in the 2014 Country RepTrak report were the fact that Canada was “a beautiful and enjoyable country” that had “friendly and welcoming people” and made “contributions to global culture,” as well as having a safe environment.
Canada was also ranked number two with the best reputation overall, after three consecutive years holding the top spot in the study.
The Reputation Institute, which operates in 30 countries, is known as the world’s leading reputation management consultancy. The 2014 Country RepTrak report is based on the online answers from 26,000 consumers in the G8 countries and focuses on the 55 countries around the world with the highest GDP. Trust, esteem, admiration and good feelings the public holds towards these countries, as well as quality of life, safety and attention to the environment are all major factors in the results. According to the Reputation Institute, there is a clear correlation between a country’s reputation and the income it receives from tourism.
Greg Klassen, Canadian Tourism Commission (CTC) president and CEO (Interim), commented: “For international travellers, conventions and meetings held in Canada can be the first spark that ignites interest in doing business that leads to investment, in addition to exploring the unique experiences that our country offers.”
Klassen pointed out that: “Canada’s leadership in such areas as natural resources, life sciences and aerospace technologies helps make us an important destination for international meetings and conferences.”
The CTC’s chief marketing officer, Jon Mamela said: “It’s fantastic that the world holds Canada in such high esteem, which helps make our country such a desirable place to visit. Looking ahead into 2015, we will continue to offer diverse experiences to curious travellers keen to live a life less ordinary by enjoying our incredible nature, dynamic cities, unique culture and local lifestyles.”
Photo Caption: The warmth of Canada’s people is a key driver in making the country the No. 1 place to visit in the 2014 Country Reptrak report. Photo courtesy – Tourism Saskatchewan
