Strength through every season ANNUAL REPORT
2025 – 2026
RIDING MOUNTAIN NATIONAL PARK
Manitoba encompasses Treaty 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 Territories and communities who are signatories to Treaties 6 and 10. Manitoba is located on the ancestral land of the Anishinaabeg, Anishininewuk, Dakota Oyate, Denesuline and Nehethowuk Nations and is the Homeland of the Red River Métis. Northern Manitoba includes lands that were and are the ancestral lands of the Inuit. Travel Manitoba respects the spirit and intent of Treaties and Treaty Making and remains committed to working in partnership with First Nations, Inuit and Métis people in the spirit of truth, reconciliation and collaboration.
ON THE COVER
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R IDING MOUNTAIN NATIONAL PARK PHOTO: WIBKE HELFRICH
CANADA’S HEART IS CALLING
Table of Contents Message from the Board
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Message from the President and CEO
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About Travel Manitoba
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Year at a Glance
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Year in Review
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Visitation and Visitor Spending Digital Engagement Leisure Campaign Results
Strategic Goals and Achievements Elevate Tourism Lead High Impact Growth Expand Market Reach Build an Aligned and Adaptive Team
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Partnership and Industry Relations
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Board of Directors
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Our People
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Financial Statements
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This document is available in alternate formats upon request. Contact us at 204-927-7800 or accessibility@travelmanitoba.com.
TRAVEL MANITOBA | 2025-2026 ANNUAL REPORT
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Message from the Board The 2025–26 year was one of both significant challenges and important milestones. Through it all, what defined Travel Manitoba was its resilience, adaptability and unwavering commitment to growing Manitoba's visitor economy. While responding to unprecedented wildfires and hosting Rendezvous Canada 2025 demanded considerable attention and resources, Travel Manitoba continued to advance its long-term vision. Throughout the year, the team remained focused on delivering results while laying the foundation for future growth. Our Board approved a new Strategic Plan that outlines key areas of focus for Travel Manitoba and creates a framework for strategic goals designed to drive the organization towards its vision and mission of growing Manitoba's visitor economy. The plan provides a clear roadmap to stimulate tourism’s long-term growth and contribution to the provincial economy by leading the marketing of Manitoba as a tourism destination and by fostering a competitive and sustainable tourism industry. With our strategic plan in place, we are grateful for the confidence and support of the Manitoba government as we continue to build. The $4.5 million in additional annual investment announced in Budget 2025, with $450,000 earmarked for Indigenous Tourism Manitoba, provides resources to help us realize Manitoba as a must-visit destination. In Budget 2026, an additional $100,000 was announced to support the work of the Manitoba Lodges and Outfitters Association. We welcome government's continued recognition that tourism is a key economic driver for the province. Under Colin Ferguson's leadership, Travel Manitoba has adapted and thrived through change. In March, Colin
announced he would be stepping down as President and CEO after more than 15 years at the helm. While it is always difficult to say farewell, we congratulate Colin on his retirement and thank him deeply for his years of service and exceptional dedication. He has driven the success and growth of Travel Manitoba through the strength of the Canada's Heart is Calling brand, strong relationships with industry and government, and his legendary care and commitment to the entire Travel Manitoba team. We wish him and his family all the best in health and happiness as this new stage of life begins. As Travel Manitoba moves into its next chapter, the Board is focused on leading the recruitment of a new President and CEO with rigor, care and transparency. We are confident that the Travel Manitoba team is well-positioned to continue building and innovating, attracting visitors, growing visitor spending and showcasing the beauty of Manitoba in every season. On behalf of the Board of Directors, thanks to our Travel Manitoba team, industry partners, government, communities and volunteers for your continued commitment to Manitoba's tourism industry. Above all, we recognize the tourism operators, entrepreneurs and frontline workers whose passion, hospitality and hard work bring Manitoba to life for visitors every day. From welcoming guests and sharing stories to creating memorable experiences in communities across the province, you are the heart of Manitoba's visitor economy.
Travel Manitoba Board of Directors
In Memory of Tim Johnston It is with deep gratitude that we remember Tim Johnston, who stepped down as Interim Board Chair in April due to health reasons and sadly passed away in May 2026. Tim was a passionate champion for northern Manitoba and brought thoughtful leadership, collaboration and a deep understanding of governance to the Travel Manitoba Board of Directors. Tim helped guide Travel Manitoba with clarity, vision and a strong focus on growth, innovation and supporting Manitoba’s tourism industry. We are grateful to Tim for his steadfast service, commitment and leadership, which will leave a lasting impact on our organization and our province.
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CANADA’S HEART IS CALLING
Message from the President and CEO As we reflect on 2025-26, one word continues to stand out to me: resilience. This past year asked a great deal of Manitoba’s tourism industry. It brought moments of success and pride alongside periods of disruption, uncertainty and hardship for many operators. Yet time and again, I saw an industry that adapted, supported one another and kept moving forward. We entered 2025 with a lot of momentum and hope. International tourism was forecast for growth and domestic travel remained strong, with more Canadians and Manitobans exploring the depth and diversity of experiences available right here in our province. Then came the most severe wildfire season on record. At the same time, political and economic uncertainty continued to shape travel decisions, trade relationships and consumer confidence. These pressures were felt across the tourism sector, from workforce challenges to fluctuating demand. Yet even in the midst of disruption, the industry showed extraordinary resolve. Operators adapted their offerings, supported residents displaced by the wildfires and stayed connected with their communities. That resilience is something worth recognizing and celebrating. In response to the wildfire season, Travel Manitoba launched the Your Heart…Right Place campaign, designed to reintroduce locals and visitors alike to Manitoba’s world-class iconic experiences, while also helping increase bookings for tourism business owners and operators in the areas most impacted by the wildfires. Despite the challenges of 2025, the underlying strength of Manitoba’s tourism economy remains clear. Our 2025-26 marketing activities generated nearly $23 in visitor spending for every dollar invested, according to a Tourism Economics report. The strong returns prove our marketing efforts are delivering the right messages to the right audiences at the right time, benefiting our province and our industry. These results demonstrate the value of strategic, data-informed marketing, particularly in an intensely competitive tourism environment. Travel behaviour is evolving quickly and the past year reinforced the importance of staying nimble.
TRAVEL MANITOBA | 2025-2026 ANNUAL REPORT
Direct air access continues to play a critical role. We continue to work closely with partners to strengthen connectivity, including new and seasonal Canadian flights that support interprovincial travel as well as gateways to Europe like the new Winnipeg to Reykjavik, Iceland route. Another clear shift is the growing role of artificial intelligence (AI) in trip planning. Use of our AI-powered travel assistant GuideGeek has grown considerably, nearly tripling from 13,900 visitor queries in its first year to 41,304 in its second year. Even in a challenging year, there were many moments of pride. We welcomed the global tourism industry to Winnipeg in May for Rendez-vous Canada 2025, alongside co-hosts Winnipeg Economic Development & Tourism. And we once again welcomed fans from across the country during the Grey Cup Festival in Winnipeg. Looking ahead, 2026 and 2027 will bring more major events like the National Summit for Black Canadians, the World Indigenous Business Forum and the JUNO Awards. These events reinforce Manitoba’s reputation as a place that knows how to host, celebrate and connect. This year reminded us that tourism is deeply connected to people, place and community, and 2026-27 offers an opportunity to build on that foundation with renewed focus, creativity and optimism. There is much to be hopeful about as we look to the future, and this optimism and positive momentum is in part what fueled my decision to retire as of June 30, 2026. These past 15 years have been the honour of my career and I am confident that Travel Manitoba’s future success and prosperity are well in hand. I leave knowing that the best is still to come with our innovative, creative and capable team.
Colin Ferguson President and CEO Travel Manitoba
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About Travel Manitoba VISION anitoba is a must-visit, four season destination M generating sustainable economic growth by delivering inspiring and authentic experiences in its unique urban, rural and wild settings.
MISSION Travel Manitoba will stimulate tourism’s long-term growth and contribution to the provincial economy by leading the marketing of Manitoba as a tourism destination and by fostering a competitive and sustainable tourism industry.
VALUES
› We proudly celebrate the people and lands of Manitoba. › We foster the development of our people and our industry. › We lead with creativity and are backed by data. › We value inclusivity and sustainability. › We live our brand. Manitoba is at the heart of what we do. TARGETS
› Grow visitor spending 50 per cent to $2.5 billion by 2030 › Grow visitation to 12.8 million visitors annually by 2030 STRATEGIC GOALS
Rendez-vous Canada 2025 The premiere marketplace event from Destination Canada and the Tourism Industry Association of Canada was held in Winnipeg May 28-30. Travel Manitoba co-hosted RVC 2025 with Winnipeg Economic Development & Tourism welcoming guests with special activities including familiarization tours before and after the event, city tours and host night at the Canadian Museum for Human Rights.
Annual General Meeting We welcomed the tourism industry to join us at FortWhyte Alive Buffalo Crossing on November 5 to learn about our work and hear from a panel of tourism experts sharing innovative solutions and creative opportunities facing the sector today.
› Elevate tourism as a key driver of economic growth and well-being in Manitoba.
› Lead high impact growth through insight, innovation and collaboration.
› Expand market reach by leveraging Manitoba's strong tourism brand and unique offerings.
› Build an aligned, adaptive team culture with futurefocused practices.
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CANADA’S HEART IS CALLING
Year at a Glance ENGAGEMENT
ENDORSEMENT
TOP Performer
TOP Performer
93%
96%
Likelihood to recommend as a Place to Work
Likelihood to recommend Product or Services
Employee Engagement
This Is Tourism
Our team engagement scores rank in the top performing category according to the latest results from the employee engagement survey, showing Travel Manitoba is a great place to work.
We reached new audiences and brought more attention to the career opportunities in the industry and value of tourism. The “This Could Be You” tagline showcased the depth and breadth of tourism careers while helping new recruits imagine themselves in various roles in the sector.
Hunt Fish Manitoba
Wildfire Resilience Assistance Program
We continued the work of promoting Manitoba as a worldclass destination with new and innovative ways to generate interest and excitement for our drive-to, fly-in and ice fishing experiences.
After the devastating wildfire season, we took the results of our industry survey and created the Wildfire Resilience Assistance Program to help fixed-roof accommodations at risk of wildfire purchase value protection equipment for their buildings at subsidized rates.
TRAVEL MANITOBA | 2025-2026 ANNUAL REPORT
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Year in Review VISITATION AND VISITOR SPENDING
2025 VISITOR SPENDING & VISITATION
Tourism expenditures increased by 27 per cent year over year, rising from $1.89 billion in 2024 to $2.4 billion in 2025. Visitor spending from within Manitoba rose 6.6 per cent and from other Canadian provinces increased 28.3 per cent, for gains in all categories.
25%
10%
26% 53%
TOTAL VISITOR SPENDING
85%
63%
$2,399,804,000
Total visitation grew by 4 per cent, from 10.65 million in 2024 to 11.08 million in 2025. While Manitoba resident visits remained the same, interprovincial visits increased 15.3 per cent. International visitation increased 52.1 per cent, with U.S. visits growing by 50 per cent. These results highlight the return of data collection at Winnipeg International Airport in May 2025, following its suspension during the pandemic, showing the likelihood of several years of underreported visitation from the U.S. and overseas.
4%
TOTAL VISITATION
1%
11,083,000
15% 6%
Other Canadian Provinces
Manitoba $1.27 billion spent 9.37 million visitors
$614.30 million spent 1.13 million visitors $544 spent per visitor
$136 spent per visitor
United States
Overseas
$361.63 million spent
$151.72 million spent
471,000 visitors
111,000 visitors
$768 spent per visitor
$1,367 spent per visitor
Source: Statistics Canada – National Travel Survey (NTS) – 2025 Final Estimates Statistics Canada – Visitor Travel Survey (VTS) – 2025 Final Estimates
DIGITAL ENGAGEMENT Our content continues to resonate with strong response rates on our e-newsletters, high levels of engagement on our blog posts and millions of YouTube video views. See how much we’ve grown! This year's results are from April 1, 2025 to March 31, 2026, followed by last year's results.
Website Results
Guide-Geek
Social Media Results**
e-Newsletters Results
1.7 million 1.4 million
+21% users
12,157 3,810
+219% users
222,636 217,757
+2% total subscriber list
177,695 175,700
+1% Instagram
2.1 million 1.8 million
+17% sessions
41,304 13,900
+197% messages
16.88% 14.88%
+13% open rate*
165,213 162,027
+2% Facebook
1.3 million 1.1 million
+18% blog views
3.47% 3.33%
+4% clickthrough rate
48,355 47,200
+2% TikTok
1:35 minutes 1:41 minutes
-6% time spent on blog
*excludes Apple privacy opens
8,503 7,000
+21% LinkedIn
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Video Results 9.1 million 2.7 million
+237% YouTube views
**number of followers/fans
CANADA’S HEART IS CALLING
LEISURE CAMPAIGN RESULTS Each year, Travel Manitoba runs two large seasonal leisure marketing campaigns – one in the spring and summer (SP SU) and one in the fall and winter (FA WN) – to drive visitation to and within Manitoba. We highlight the core pillars of what makes Manitoba so remarkable, including road trips, stunning stays, Indigenous experiences, urban escapes, northern adventures and festivals and events. Our marketing approach is focused on generating awareness and interest in Manitoba as a tourism destination with our target markets and key traveler segments. We want to reach potential visitors with the right message at the right time. We do this using a wide array of tactics including videos, web and digital as well as print and radio ads and offer heavily subsidized marketing partnership opportunities to tourism operators.
CAMPAIGN BY THE NUMBERS
We also work with our partners, including Destination Canada (for our northern lights campaign), as well as Expedia, Air Canada, LoKnow, TripAdvisor, Fresh Tracks and Sojern. The SP SU campaign ran from April until September with some activities paused during the summer due to the wildfires. Primary markets included: Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Northwestern Ontario, Alberta, Quebec and North Dakota. Secondary markets included: Minnesota, Los Angeles, Atlanta, Chicago and Denver. This year’s FA WN Campaign was in market with the Your Heart... Right Place messaging beginning in September, and regular activities occurred from October to March. Primary markets were: Manitoba, Ontario, Alberta (Calgary) and North Dakota. Secondary markets were: Quebec, St. John’s, Atlanta, Chicago and Denver.
SPRING SUMMER
FALL WINTER
Hotel Bookings
25,539
24,943
Airline Tickets
5,280
4,623
Gross Bookings
$5.6 million
$5.77 million
Business Leads to Partners
109,792
153,291
Website Visits
778,900
1.06 million
Northern Lures Distributed
0 (due to wildfires in the north)
120,000
Hosted Media & Influencers
22
21
Sign-ups and Contest Entries
11,150
817
Impressions
75.1 million
298 million
Clicks
1.29 million
1.15 million
Campaign Video Views
7.65 million
22.1 million
TRAVEL MANITOBA | 2025-2026 ANNUAL REPORT
$1.175 million total investment
$1.3 million total investment
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Strategic Goals and Achievements We implemented a new strategic plan as a bold and focused approach to aligning our work within Travel Manitoba, building on the work of the Manitoba Tourism Strategy. These are some of the highlights of our strategic achievements over the past year under our four key pillars of focus:
• Elevate tourism as a key driver of economic growth and well-being in Manitoba. • Lead high impact growth through insight, innovation and collaboration. • Expand market reach by leveraging Manitoba's strong tourism brand and unique offerings. • Build an aligned, adaptive team culture with future-focused practices.
› STRATEGIC GOAL:
Manitoba Economic Impact Study Results
Elevate Tourism as a Key Driver of Economic Growth and Well-Being in Manitoba Tourism generates tax revenues that support education, healthcare and infrastructure development in Manitoba. Our strategic and productive partnerships can drive economic growth, create career opportunities and showcase why Manitoba is a wonderful destination to visit and a great place to call home.
This Is Tourism We invested in a new phase of our award-winning This is Tourism campaign, targeting youth and post-secondary students by featuring a ‘day in the life’ of young tourism workers. The campaign was in market in February and March 2026, when many students begin looking for summer jobs. The campaign generated over half a million impressions on streaming service ads and 2.5 million impressions on YouTube. The Google display ads garnered a click-through rate of 11.61 per cent, with 4 million impressions on TikTok with a click through rate of 7.13 per cent. We also presented to newcomers and job seekers in the Francophone community on potential career paths in the tourism industry in February.
We worked with Tourism Economics to get a better understanding of the economic impact of Manitoba's tourism industry using the latest tourism visitation and visitor spending data from 2024. The results found that tourism supported 25,333 jobs and generated $385 million in provincial taxes.
Tourism Awards The third Annual Tourism Awards were held in partnership with Winnipeg Economic Development & Tourism on April 10, 2025 in the Fort Garry Place Grand Ballroom. The Honourable Nellie Kennedy, Minister of Sport, Culture, Heritage and Tourism and His Worship Mayor Scott Gillingham joined in welcoming 410 attendees to the sold-out event and presenting the awards. The tourism awards were held during National Tourism Week, a Tourism Industry Association of Canada initiative, with activities taking place all week to highlight the benefits of tourism to economy, culture and community.
Tourism Industry Association of Manitoba (TIAM) Advocacy Forum We were pleased to support TIAM’s Advocacy Forum and Annual General Meeting October 6-8. Several team members presented or participated in panel discussions. We shared important insights, connected with industry members and continued to build strong relationships.
GALLERY ATTENDANT Art Gallery of Southwestern Manitoba Brandon, MB
EXPLORE OPPORTUNITIES
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PHOTO: MIKE SUDOMA
THIRD ANNUAL TOURISM AWARDS
CANADA’S HEART IS CALLING
WORLD ARCHERY YOUTH CHAMPIONSHIP
Sports Event Funding Pilot Project Recognizing that securing regional, national and international events is an important driver of economic growth, we launched a pilot project to provide funding support for eligible sport organizations hosting amateur championships and tournaments. In total, we allocated $100,000 in support of our events acquisition work for 20 sporting events like the Canadian National Pickleball Championship, World Archery Youth Championships and Special Olympics Provincial Summer Games.
Canadian Council of Tourism Ministers Presentations Manitoba shone on the national stage during the Canadian Council of Tourism Ministers co-chaired by the Honourable Rechie Valdez, Minister of Women and Gender Equality and Secretary of State (Small Business and Tourism) and the Honourable Nellie Kennedy, Minister of Sport, Culture, Heritage and Tourism. President and CEO Colin Ferguson talked about the power of brand in tourism and Vice-President of Marketing Cody Chomiak presented on the impacts of artificial intelligence during the conference in November. Along with our collaboration, the province showcased some of the tourism attractions and connected ministers directly with tourism operators to discuss key topics like innovation and emergency preparedness.
Annual General Meeting We hosted our Annual General Meeting on November 5 with an audience of 150 guests and partners from industry and government at FortWhyte Alive Buffalo Crossing. A panel discussion with Natalie Thiesen, Vice-President of Tourism at Winnipeg Economic Development & Tourism, Jessica Jackson of Eagle Nest Lodge, Garrett Fache of Wild Loon Adventure Co. and Connie Lawrence of the Keystone Centre brought unique insights and inspiring conversation.
PHOTO: WORLD ARCHERY
ANNUAL GENER AL MEETING
TRAVEL MANITOBA | 2025-2026 ANNUAL REPORT
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Marketing Return on Investment Findings
$23:$1 $180
MILLION
$33
MILLION
ravel Manitoba’s marketing returns T $23 in visitor spending for every dollar invested. isitors spend $180 million in V Manitoba as a direct impact of Travel Manitoba’s marketing. Travel Manitoba marketing generated $33 million in provincial tax revenue, or $4.14 in provincial tax revenue for every marketing dollar invested in 2025-26.
Source: 2025-26 Economic Impact of Travel Manitoba Marketing,
PHOTO: @JDUBSCAPTURES
Tourism Economics
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CANADA’S HEART IS CALLING
Strong marketing performance isn’t just about tracking impressions or clicks, it’s about creating measurable impact for Manitoba's tourism economy. We contracted Tourism Economics to conduct a study on the return on investment (ROI) for Travel Manitoba's marketing spend through data collected from our marketing partners at Adara, Expedia, Sojern, Air Canada and Hatch64 along with Statistics Canada, Tourism Economics and our own data. Our marketing performance reflects the value of a diversified approach that meets travellers where they are and connects them directly to bookable experiences across the province.
TRAVEL MANITOBA | 2025-2026 ANNUAL REPORT
According to the 2025-26 study, our overall marketing efforts (leisure marketing, travel trade and Hunt Fish) generated $23 in visitor spending for every dollar spent. Travel Manitoba generated $4.14 in provincial tax revenue for every dollar invested in our marketing in fiscal year 2025-26. This study proves that our marketing is multiplying value for our industry partners and the Manitoba economy. As we execute our 2026-27 Marketing Plan, the results from 2025-26 prove that strategic, data-informed marketing investments continue to deliver meaningful returns for industry and government alike.
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NATIONAL INDIGENOUS RESIDENTIAL SCHOOL MUSEUM OF CANADA
› STRATEGIC GOAL:
Lead High Impact Growth through Insight, Innovation and Collaboration We collaborate with national organizations and lead coordination with tourism businesses, regional groups, stakeholders and governments to unify our efforts in growing tourism in Manitoba. We share market intelligence to help businesses, governments and stakeholders understand consumer trends and make informed decisions to grow visitation.
Indigenous Tourism Assessment INDIGENOUS TOURISM MANITOBA CONFERENCE
Indigenous Tourism Manitoba and Travel Manitoba partnered with Celeste McKay Consulting and Probe Research to interview and survey members of the tourism industry. The goal of the project was to identify the key educational, training and relationship building needs of Manitoba’s Indigenous tourism industry and non-Indigenous operators looking to take action towards reconciliation.
Memorandum of Understanding Supporting Indigenous Tourism Manitoba (ITM) Recognizing the importance of the Indigenous tourism sector in growing Manitoba’s tourism economy, we renewed our MOU with Indigenous Tourism Manitoba and the Indigenous Tourism Association of Canada at the ITM conference held in September at Elkhorn Resort Spa and Conference Centre near Onanole. FLIN FLON
Sports Sponsorships We sponsored the Winnipeg Jets during their 2025 playoff run, as well as the Goldeyes and the Sea Bears, including in-game rotating advertisements at Saskatchewan and Manitoba games and a prize giveaway to Churchill for four to See the Bears.
Grey Cup Northern Tour Taking advantage of the opportunity created by hosting the 112th Grey Cup in Winnipeg in November, we partnered with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers and the CFL to make the Cup itself a tourist. In October, the Grey Cup visited the communities of Flin Flon, Thompson and Churchill on a Travel Manitoba sponsored Northern Tour. In addition to creating opportunities for community members to experience the Grey Cup, the tour also raised northern Manitoba’s profile with CFL fans across the province and Canada.
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CANADA’S HEART IS CALLING
Funding to Support Francophone Tourism
ST. BONIFACE MUSEUM
Travel Manitoba secured $368,000 in federal funding from Canadian Heritage for a three-year project to expand Frenchlanguage tourism product availability, strengthen bilingual service capacity and support development of the Francophone tourism workforce. Projects initiated through this funding include a Francophone Tourism Workforce assessment and a French Language Service Offering assessment for 10 tourism attractions and businesses.
Francophone Recreational Vehicle Visitors Travel Manitoba worked to develop a blog targeting RV travelers crossing the province on Highways 1 and 16 and promoted it on Haltes–VR Gratuites, a popular resource for Francophone RV travelers in Quebec. We also attended the Montreal RV Show, hosting a booth with Tourisme Riel and Winnipeg Economic Development & Tourism.
Trails Development Given growing interest in exploring trails and nature from visitors, our staff attended the grand opening of Squirrel Hills Trail Park and Parks Canada’s forum in Riding Mountain National Park. Travel Manitoba also sponsored Trail Talks at Riding Mountain National Park in October.
Campaign Evaluation Survey We worked with Probe Research to survey 1,500 Manitobans in January on their travel patterns, future intentions and advertising awareness, among other key topics. One third of respondents indicated that Travel Manitoba ads improved their view of Manitoba tourism, which is on par with previous campaigns. One third of respondents said the ads influenced them to seek out more information about Manitoba travel or vacation opportunities. Manitoba’s appeal as a vacation destination is steady but fewer Manitobans are planning a trip in Manitoba (as of January 2026).
AI Brand Sentiment Study Travel Manitoba is tracking what AI says about Manitoba.
PHOTO: DAN HARPER
We’ve monitored ten key questions across the six largest large language models (LLMs) and are building a measurement framework focused on AI visibility, brand sentiment and destination perception over the past year. In March, we implemented additional measurement enhancements through a platform called Athena. Athena allows us to ask more than 150 questions each week across the top six LLMs providing significantly deeper insights. The study now provides Travel Manitoba with a stable baseline to measure the impact of AI Optimization (AIO) strategies and content interventions moving forward.
TRAVEL MANITOBA | 2025-2026 ANNUAL REPORT
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THE WHITESHELL
The 2025 Wildfires and Wildfire Resilience Assistance Program Summer 2025 was Manitoba's worst wildfire season in 30 years, with an early start and closure of Whiteshell Provincial Park right before the May long weekend. Communities across the north and eastern parts of the province were evacuated throughout the two separate States of Emergency. Our focus during the summer was on proactive communications and marketing with sensitivity and strategy. We recognized the impact global coverage of the wildfires was making on Manitoba’s reputation (40,000 media hits in May and June alone, in media outlets like the BBC, the New York Times and Der Spiegel) and proactively worked with industry associations on a unified media response. We strengthened our Know Before You Go pages on our website and added web alerts, updated our GuideGeek AI travel assistant and shifted to strategically marketing areas that were ready and able to welcome visitors. As September rolled around, Travel Manitoba launched a recovery campaign with the tagline “Your Heart...Right Place” to locals and visitors alike, reintroducing Manitoba’s world-class and iconic experiences. The campaign aimed to help increase business for tourism owners and operators who lost bookings and visitation during the peak travel season. Through striking visuals and a new webpage, the campaign helped direct visitors to communities and businesses that were ready to welcome them. With the theme of travelling with your heart in the right place, the campaign showcased Manitoba’s iconic landscapes, stunning places to stay and unique local operators — inviting visitors to reconnect with their favourite places and uncover new adventures across the province.
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Stunning visuals featured Whiteshell Provincial Park, northern Manitoba and a variety of open accommodations and attractions, encouraging visitors to explore responsibly and support local communities with road trip itineraries, travel deals and planning resources. The campaign was promoted through digital, print, radio and cinema ads targeting key markets including Manitobans, Canadians and international travellers. Recognizing that lost business was only part of the challenge, we surveyed the industry in September to better understand the scope of the wildfire season. We’re grateful to the industry for their time and their candor in filling out our survey. The results revealed that the industry needed support for future wildfire preparations. We reviewed options based upon these results and developed a subsidized value protection equipment program with training for eligible tourism businesses to help prevent losses and devastation from future wildfires. The Wildfire Resilience Assistance Program (WRAP) launched in January, accepting applications from tourism lodges and operators most at risk from wildfires. Under the program, eligible tourism operators could purchase Value Protection Units (VPUs) at a 90 per cent discount of the equipment cost. Each VPU is fully compatible with Manitoba Wildfire Service equipment and includes all the supplies needed to pump water through a sprinkler system to help prevent the building from catching fire. There were 56 successful applicants who received one or more of the 116 VPU kits we offered, along with FireSmart training. Thank you to Manitoba Wildfire Services for their advice and guidance on the program.
CANADA’S HEART IS CALLING
› STRATEGIC GOAL:
Expand Market Reach by Leveraging Manitoba’s Strong Tourism Brand and Unique Offerings Our work to expand market reach begins with growing brand awareness in priority markets to meet the demand of high value travellers, promoting places ready to welcome visitors and integrating our unique Manitoba experiences. We identify the most effective channels and digital environments and ensure marketing investments help drive visitation, spending and strong ROI.
2025-26 Angling Campaign Our agency, Hatch64, led the campaign with three phases including drive-to, fly-in and ice fishing, resulting in:
• 47.7 million impressions • 322,500 clicks • 3.52 million video views • 260 flight searches • 1,683 hotel searches The U.S. campaign achieved significant year-over-year growth across all key metrics, while the Canadian campaign recorded stronger lower-funnel outcomes, particularly in hotel and flight bookings.
L AKE WINNIPEG
Fish MB brand To compete in the international market, we created a new Fish MB brand with 13 lodges and outfitters represented at Rendez-vous Canada 2025.
Hunt Fish strategic growth plan A newly launched strategic plan guides sector development by prioritizing workforce and product readiness through building industry workforce retention, entrepreneurial activity and product development. These development projects aim to ensure that Hunt Fish Manitoba can balance strong marketing efforts with the capacity to deliver world-class, trade-ready experiences.
Hunt Fish at World of Concrete We attended the World of Concrete, the commercial construction industry’s flagship event, in Las Vegas. Hunt Fish Manitoba’s premiere lodges and outfitters offered incentive travel options to business leaders and decision-makers, generating 29 qualified leads and bumping our U.S. based website traffic.
Angling Sector AI Sentiment Study A generative engine optimization (GEO) and large language model (LLM) analysis of how Manitoba’s angling experiences are represented in responses is helping us to understand how to better support the sector. The pilot project with Destination Canada and Wild Signal shows opportunity to position Manitoba as the Fly-in Fishing capital and shape our direction on media, public relations and partnerships to increase visibility and authority amongst anglers and bots.
TRAVEL MANITOBA | 2025-2026 ANNUAL REPORT
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AGRITOURISM CORRIDOR STR ATEGY EVENT AT FORTWHY TE ALIVE BUFFALO CROSSING
Field to Fork Agritourism Corridor
PHOTO: DESTINATION CANADA
Selected by Destination Canada as a successful applicant to their destination corridor project, the Field to Fork Agritourism Corridor Strategy launched in partnership with Tourism Saskatchewan and was supported by Skift consulting firm. The strategy was presented in September to 50 stakeholders at FortWhyte Alive Buffalo Crossing. We signed an MOU with Tourism Saskatchewan, established an advisory committee and contracted the Culinary Tourism Alliance for work in 2026. We also met with the Honourable Glen Simard, Minister for Municipal and Northern Relations, to discuss barriers to the strategy’s success.
Arts, Culture and Heritage TORONTO INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL
We embarked on a data sharing project with key partners in the arts, culture and heritage sector to develop a better understanding of the guests who visit them. Visitor segmentation profiles were created with the data shared by the participating partners and the findings were presented back.
WestJet St. John’s – Winnipeg Route Promotion We showcased Manitoba’s iconic destinations at St. John’s International Airport with a looping video on large screens to raise awareness of the new non-stop route and inspire travel to Manitoba among outbound passengers.
Toronto International Film Festival Activation Coinciding with the launch of our Fall Winter campaign, we looped a northern lights video on a digital display on the broadside of a truck driving equipment around at the Toronto International Film Festival. The ad included a call to action to book now and drove awareness among high value travellers for a reasonable investment. TR AVEL MANITOBA HEARTWARMING HUT
Travel Manitoba Heartwarming Hut Heartshaped on the outside and covered with reflective mirrors on the inside, the Heartwarming Hut celebrated the warmth of Manitoba inside and out on the frozen Nestaweya River trail at The Forks. The iconic trail opened in January and Travel Manitoba’s first warming hut slid onto the ice sharing Manitoba’s four-season tourism message with artistic flair and functionality.
Visitor Information Centres Our year-round Visitor Information Centres at The Forks and Emerson welcomed guests to Manitoba and our seasonal locations at Kirkella and The Whiteshell provided information and travel counsel from June 14 to September 14, 2025.
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CANADA’S HEART IS CALLING
UNITED STATES TOUR OPER ATORS ASSOCIATION 2025
Travel Trade Activities Working with global tour operators, travel advisors and hosted buyers to attract high value travellers, our Travel Trade team are ambassadors for our tourism brand. Through Familiarization (Fam) tours and marketing activities, the team showcases the attractions, destinations and tourism operators that make Manitoba an unforgettable experience. Trade Shows Attended
• Signature Regional Forum • Virtuoso Travel Week • Incentive Canada • Signature Travel Network • Virtuoso Adventure Community (pop-up virtual)
• Focus Australia • Showcase Asia • United States Tour Operators Association • Educational Travel Consortium Fam Tours Hosted
• Abercrombie & Kent – Churchill summer itineraries • Harbourfront Wealth Management – Site visit and incentive trip to Churchill
• Winnipeg Economic Development & Tourism, Heartland International Travel and Tours – Business events and incentives day trip to Churchill
• Fresh Tracks and Frontiers North Adventures – Luxury advisors in Churchill
• Winnipeg Economic Development & Tourism – DERtour advisors in Winnipeg
• Divine Destination Collection – Site visit to Churchill Joint Marketing Initiatives
INTERNATIONAL MEDIA MARKETPL ACE
Germany – We published seasonal stories with Denkzauber including paddling in the North and hidden gems and scenic bike trails as part of our outreach in this market. We worked with SK Touristik, CRD Touristik, America Unlimited, Go2Travel and Argus Reisen to promote Manitoba to the highly engaged market. Australia – The General Sales Associate for Travel Manitoba attended and presented to the Entire Group Trade Shows in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane on our behalf. Our joint marketing activities included working with QANTAS, Combank and Karryon. United Kingdom – Our marketing activities included working with Selling Travel. We also sent newsletters featuring operators like Churchill Wild, FortWhyte Alive Buffalo Crossing and Indigenous tourism experiences to subscribed operators.
Travel Media Activities Total Earned Media Value: $14.4 million Total Views: 6 million Sponsored Media and Influencer Visits
• German journalist toured Portage la Prairie, Winnipeg Beach, Gimli, Hecla and Gull Harbour.
• Group of ten 2SLGBTQ+ travel media and content creators
visited Churchill and festivals in southern Manitoba and The Whiteshell.
• Travel writer hosted in Churchill during the summer. • Travel writer hosted as part of Frontiers North Adventures Photo Tour.
Travel Media Events Attended
• Travel Media Association of Canada (TMAC) • Destination Canada’s GoMedia • International Media Marketplace (IMM)
United States – We renewed our Zapwater Communications contract and were featured on the Today Show in a Halloween segment aired to tens of millions of viewers.
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PHOTO: MADDY REICO
RBC WINNIPEG CONVENTION CENTRE
Rendez-vous Canada 2025 showed the world why Canada’s Heart is Calling From May 28 to 30, Manitoba welcomed over 1,500 tourism professionals from across Canada and around the world for Rendez-vous Canada (RVC) 2025 in Winnipeg. RVC and the impact of tourism was acknowledged with a statement in the Manitoba Legislature from the Honourable Nellie Kennedy, Minister for Sport, Culture, Heritage and Tourism. Held each year by Destination Canada and the Tourism Industry Association of Canada (TIAC), RVC is Canada’s premier travel trade show, bringing together international travel buyers with Canadian tourism businesses in a marketplace-style event. Among the visitors were more than 400 international travel buyers representing 22 global markets, each experiencing firsthand the depth and diversity of Manitoba’s visitor offerings. As proud co-hosts alongside Destination Canada and TIAC, Travel Manitoba and Winnipeg Economic Development & Tourism helped spotlight Manitoba on a global stage and generate an estimated $4.6 million in economic impact. In addition to showcasing Manitoba’s vibrant tourism sector, RVC also generated $90 million in signed business activity on the marketplace floor. Over the course of three days, 30 Manitoba-based tourism operators, including
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10 first-time participants, took one-on-one appointments with travel buyers from around the world, building valuable relationships that will support future bookings and longterm growth for Manitoba’s tourism economy. Another eight sellers represented Indigenous Tourism Manitoba as part of the Indigenous Tourism Association of Canada’s marketplace presence. The last time Winnipeg hosted RVC was in 2010, and this was our opportunity to show the world all the exciting new attractions and transformations that have reshaped our city since then. To help our guests navigate their way, we enhanced our AI travel assistant GuideGeek with detailed information about RVC to make it even easier to enjoy their stay. In addition to city tours offered to all attendees, nearly 200 international buyers and travel media also took part in pre- and post-event familiarization tours. While the week was one of celebration, it unfolded alongside growing challenges as wildfires impacted parts of the province. Many members of the national and international tourism community in attendance at RVC rose to the occasion with donations and financial contributions to the Canadian Red Cross to aid Manitoba wildfire response efforts.
CANADA’S HEART IS CALLING
PHOTO: MADDY REICO
MANITOBA ADVENTURE DOGS 2025
PHOTO: MADDY REICO
PHOTO: MADDY REICO
RENDEZ-VOUS CANADA MARKETPL ACE FLOOR
RENDEZ-VOUS CANADA MARKETPL ACE FLOOR
WINNIPEG ART GALLERY – QAUMA JUQ
FORTWHY TE ALIVE FAM TOUR
HOST NIGHT AT CANADIAN MUSEUM FOR HUMAN RIGHTS
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› STRATEGIC GOAL: Build an Aligned, Adaptive Team Culture with Future-Focused Practices Strong internal teams are built through commitment to collaboration, the dedication of leadership to deliver timely decisions supporting strategic priorities and clear communication at every step. Walking the walk, we revisit our policies regularly and offer skills development opportunities for employees to grow and improve. We are committed to Reconciliation, Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging along with finding new ways to be more accessible and environmentally sustainable to ensure Travel Manitoba remains inclusive and future focused.
Policy Updates and Development The following policies were updated in 2025-26:
• Artificial Intelligence (AI) • Collection of Accounts Receivable • Corporate Credit Card • Financial Reporting • Payment Requisition • Capital Asset Management
Organizational Structure Changes
Training and Development
Linda Whitfield retired in June after 20 years with Travel Manitoba. Louise Waldman, Director of Communications, stepped into the role as Vice-President of Communications and Strategic Engagement. Several other organizational moves, including renaming Destination Management to Tourism Growth and Research, along with additional personnel changes, have helped to position Travel Manitoba for greater future success.
All members of the Travel Manitoba team completed antiracism training mandated by the Province of Manitoba, including a group training session in December 2025. Visitor Services held their annual orientation and customer service training in June for travel counsellors.
Employee Engagement Survey We completed our regular employee engagement survey, receiving Top Performer results that demonstrate why Travel Manitoba continues to be an employer of choice. Aligned with our values, we continue to look for ways to improve and seek feedback through meetings to share results with staff and learn from them.
OVERALL RESULTS ENGAGEMENT
ENDORSEMENT
TOP Performer
TOP Performer
4.0 /5 n/c vs. Prior Year
Likelihood to recommend Product or Services
+0.3% vs. Benchmark
›
+15% vs. Benchmark
›
›
›
4% vs. Prior Year
Likelihood to recommend as a Place to Work
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TOP Performer
96%
93% +20% vs. Benchmark
OVERALL AVERAGE
n/c vs. Prior Year
Average across all questions using a 1 to 5 scale
CANADA’S HEART IS CALLING
PHOTO: ALEX DE VRIES
CHURCHILL
Partnership and Industry Relations Thank you to our tourism partners for working with us to grow the tourism industry. Our partnership opportunities fit any budget and include a variety of options from mentions in our 10 Things to Do in Manitoba blog to our various boulder campaigns. These are just a few of the strong results we delivered this year for our partners: 10 Things to Do in Manitoba Partnership Results
CTV Morning Live Partnership Results
15.80% open rate*
12.8 million total impressions
3.53% click-through rate
Scan the QR code for a complete list of our 2025-26 partners.
6,824 clicks to partner links *excludes Apple privacy opens
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Board of Directors Tim Johnston Interim Chair
John Gunter President & CEO Frontiers North Adventures
Connie Lawrence CEO and General Manager Keystone Centre
Sara Stasiuk Chief Executive Officer The Forks
Trevor Clearwater Executive Director Manitoba Children’s Museum
Manisha Pandya Principal, Chartered Professional Accountant Baker Tilly HMA LLP
Drew Fisher President & CEO RBC Winnipeg Convention Centre
Julia Tetrault (ex officio) Director, Strategic Priorities Sport, Culture, Heritage and Tourism
Megan Brisco Community Support Worker Dufferin School
Hijab Mitra Founder Mistecture Architecture & Interiors
Ida Albo Managing Partner & Co-owner The Fort Garry Hotel, Spa and Conference Centre
Bernie Wood Special Representative International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers
Gab-Riel “Pit” Turenne Owner/Operator Aikens Lake Wilderness Lodge
Patrick McKay Owner TDMS Consulting Ltd.
Martijn van Luijn Manager, Economic Development City of Dauphin
(Stepped down April 2026 and passed away in May 2026)
Manager Community Futures North Central Development Corporation Inc.
Our People All of the work Travel Manitoba does is only possible with creative people who call Manitoba home. We love our province and are passionate about sharing everything it has to offer with the world.
Scan the QR code for our staff list
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CANADA’S HEART IS CALLING
THE FORKS
Financial Statements
PHOTO: WIBKE HELFRICH
FOR THE YEAR ENDED MARCH 31, 2026
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Independent Auditor’s Report
To the Members of Travel Manitoba
The Audited Financial Statements and Our Report Thereon
Opinion
We expressed an unmodified audit opinion on the audited financial statements in our report dated June 17, 2026.
The summary financial statements, which comprise the summary statement of financial position as at March 31, 2026, the summary statement of operations and accumulated surplus and summary statement of remeasurement gains for the year then ended, and related note, are derived from the audited financial statements of Travel Manitoba (the “Organization”) for the year ended March 31, 2026. In our opinion, the accompanying summary financial statements are a fair summary of the audited financial statements, in accordance with the criteria disclosed in the Note to the summary financial statements. Other Matter The summary financial statements of the Organization for the year ended March 31, 2025 were audited by BDO Canada LLP who expressed an unmodified opinion on those summary financial statements.
Management’s Responsibility for the Summary Financial Statements Management is responsible for the preparation of the summary financial statements in accordance with the criteria described in the Note to the summary consolidated financial statements. Auditor’s Responsibility Our responsibility is to express an opinion on whether the summary financial statements are a fair summary of the audited financial statements based on our procedures, which were conducted in accordance with Canadian Auditing Standards (CAS) 810, Engagements to Report on Summary Financial Statements.
Summary Financial Statements The summary financial statements do not contain all the disclosures required by Canadian public sector accounting standards. Reading the summary financial statements and the auditor’s report thereon, therefore, is not a substitute for reading the audited financial statements and the auditor’s report thereon.
MNP LLP
Chartered Professional Accountants Winnipeg, Manitoba June 17, 2026
True North Square - 242 Hargrave Street, Suite 1200 - Winnipeg MB R3C 0T8, Canada
1 877 500 0795 T: 204 775 4531 F: 204 783 8329
MNP.ca
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CANADA’S HEART IS CALLING
TRAVEL MANITOBA
Summary Statement of Financial Position
As at March 31, 2026
2026
2025
Financial Assets Cash and cash equivalents
$
4,324,006
$
3,183,200
Trade accounts receivable
247,362
237,736
Inventories held for resale
215,200
–
4,786,568
3,420,936
2,812,853
1,857,433
745,463
659,845
1,830,389
484,741
5,388,705
3,002,019
(602,137)
418,917
Tangible capital assets
432,580
438,257
Prepaid expenses
305,875
414,401
738,455
852,658
Liabilities Accounts payable and accruals Employee future benefits Deferred revenue
(Net debt) net financial assets Non-Financial Assets
Accumulated Surplus
$
136,318
$
1,271,575
Accumulated Surplus is Comprised of: Accumulated operating surplus Accumulated remeasurement gains $
135,371
1,270,178
947
1,397
136,318
$
1,271,575
Approved on behalf of the Board of Directors:
Director
Director The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements
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TRAVEL MANITOBA
Summary Statement of Operations and Accumulated Surplus
For the year ended March 31, 2026
2026 Budget
2026
2025
Revenue $
Province of Manitoba
18,365,000
$
964,000
Partnership and leveraged marketing
17,028,912
$
1,014,507
13,865,000 1,040,360
Other initiatives - Federal and provincial funding
360,000
556,679
448,494
Other
150,000
120,384
166,070
Merchandise revenue
90,000
71,332
91,161
19,929,000
18,791,814
15,611,085
18,308,225
17,419,933
13,420,181
Expenses Marketing and industry relations
1,792,584
1,565,085
1,207,348
Visitor services
973,191
888,142
873,706
Amortization
55,000
53,461
39,790
21,129,000
19,926,621
15,541,025
(1,200,000)
(1,134,807)
70,060
1,270,178
1,270,178
1,200,118
Corporate services
Annual surplus (deficit) Accumulated surplus, beginning of the year $
Accumulated surplus, end of the year
70,178
$
135,371
$
1,270,178
TRAVEL MANITOBA
Summary Statement of Remeasurement Gains
For the year ended March 31, 2026 2026
Accumulated remeasurement gains, beginning of year
$
Unrealized losses attributable to: Foreign exchange loss Accumulated remeasurement gains, end of year
1,397
2025 $
(450) $
947
1,760 (363)
$
1,397
Note to Summary of Financial Statements Basis of Presentation Management is responsible for the preparation of the summary financial statements. The summary financial statements presented include only the summarized statement of financial position, the summarized statement of operations and accumulated surplus and the summary statement of remeasurement gains. They do not include the statement of changes in net financial assets, the statement of cash flows, and notes to the financial statements. Copies of the audited financial statements for the year ended March 31, 2026 and the Schedule of Compensation for the year ended December 31, 2025 may be obtained from Travel Manitoba by calling 1-204-927-7800 or 1-800-665-0040.
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CANADA’S HEART IS CALLING
PHOTO: WIBKE HELFRICH
CHURCHILL
TRAVEL MANITOBA | 2025-2026 ANNUAL REPORT
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Travel Manitoba 21 Forks Market Road Winnipeg, Manitoba R3C 4T7 1-800-665-0040 www.travelmanitoba.com
Find us on social media @travelmanitoba 29
CANADA’S HEART IS CALLING