Media Release For Immediate Release:
Ontario’s Near North Selects The Ben Farella Group to Redesign and Redevelop Regional Website
North Bay, ON, June 13, 2011 - Ontario’s Near North Travel Association is pleased to announce that The Ben Farella Group, North Bay, is the successful agency chosen to enhance the organization’s currently outdated website for the Near North travel region:.
www.ontariosnearnorth.on.ca.
This project was made possible by funding provided through FedNor’s Northern Ontario Development Program (NODP), which supports projects that strengthen community economic development, enhance business growth and facilitate innovation throughout the region. To find out more about FedNor, visit: http://ic.gc.ca/FedNor.
The current site will be completely redesigned and redeveloped to engage potential visitors and to offer better ease of access. The site will be of tremendous value to local businesses in the Near North travel area, as tourism generates upwards of $125 million in revenue for the region. The website is intended to launch mid-to-late September, just in time for the association’s Annual General Meeting.
“We are very pleased to partner with a local firm for this project. We feel it is important to work with a group that understands tourism in the North, and we feel we have found the perfect match” said Bunny Tucker, President of Ontario’s Near North Travel Association.
An increasing number of people rely on the internet to plan their travel. Canadians who travel to Ontario are somewhat above-average users of the internet for planning (66.4%) and booking travel (45.2%). This research, conducted by TAMS (Travel Activity and Motivation Survey 2007) only solidifies the need to invest in a website to reach potential consumers.
“We’re very excited to be working with Ontario’s Near North. We’re passionate about tourism, and about the region, so it’s a pleasure to be able to work on a project so close to home” said Ben Farella, President of The Ben Farella Group.
Ontario’s Near North region extends from Novar in the south to Temagami in the north and from Mattawa in the east to Warren in the west. The association is governed by a board of 15 elected directors, representing all parts of the region and all sectors of the tourism industry. Promotion of the area is accomplished through production and distribution of marketing materials designed to promote travel and tourism to the region.
Media Inquiries:
André Rieser, Vice President
Ontario’s Near North Travel Association
Telephone: 705-474-6634
Email: andre.rieser@gmail.com
Web: www.ontariosnearnorth.on.ca
About the Almaguin-Nipissing Travel Association (Ontario’s Near North):
The Almaguin-Nipissing Travel Association is a membership based non-profit organization that works co-operatively with government, chambers of commerce, tourist associations, and businesses to promote the travel area, which is known commercially as "Ontario's Near North." The association is the official marketing arm of the organized tourism industry within its region and has been in operation for 37 years.
About The Ben Farella Group
The Ben Farella Group is a North Bay based firm specializing in web development, social media, strategy, marketing communications, business development, and management consulting. BFG has been involved in a diverse cross section of projects and initiatives, offering its expertise, fundraising solutions, strategic planning, business solutions, and marketing communication services internationally. The company’s roots go back to 1979 with the inception of Fedeli Advertising. Since 1992, Ben Farella has been involved with its many variations including Fedeli HDL, Benjamin James, Zero Gravity and Help On Board, providing marketing, management and fundraising services to an array of national and regional client-partners. Although all of the Ben Farella related companies have been labelled as marketing communications agencies, product offerings have extended far beyond the category.
BFG’s objective has been to reinforce a broader range of services while maintaining roots in marketing communications. Through creative and strategic problem solving, BFG is able to effectively meet client partners’ needs and provide innovative solutions to assist with business and organizational growth.
