Canadian Tourism Commission sends social influencers from 12 countries criss crossing Canada in the run-up to TBEX 2013 in Toronto

It's all aboard for a one of a kind Canadian travel adventure. The Canadian Tourism Commission (CTC) and VIA RAIL have invited 28 of the world's best travel bloggers, writers and photographers to discover  Canada on an epic journey to the TBEX (Travel Blog Exchange) North American Conference.

The 28 influencers, who come for CTC's key international markets and Canada itself are travelling from all ends of the country by train and plane to discover our country in an exciting way and to blog about their experiences.

The familiarization (FAM) trip, orgqanised by the CTC, Via Rail and several provinces, showcases Canada by giving all bloggers the chance to sample the sights, sounds, flavours and outdoor  adventures in each region.

The bloggers are split into three groups for three itineraries:


* Vancouver , BC to Jasper, AB to Winnipeg, MB edning in Toronto (by train)

*Halifax, NS, to Moncton, NB to Montreal, QC ending in Toronto (by train)


*Newfoundland , NF &L, to Charlottetown, PEI to Toronto (by air)

The bloggers will spend a couple of nights in each location and will share their Canadian tales via their own popular social networks ,and also through  the CTC's Tumblr blog.  From the UK, Sarah Lee from Live Share Travel (@LiveShareTravel) will be experiencing the delights of Newfoundland and Prince Edward Island whilst Train fan Sophie Collard  (@sophontrack)will be on board the train from  Vancouver to Toronto.

"We know that sharing authentic experiences is the best way to inspire travellers, and we're confident the bloggers will have plenty to write home about after immersing themselves in  Canadian cities, culture and cuisine", says Greg Klassen, CTC Senior Vice-President, Marketing Strategy and Communications.

CTC is a sponsor of the TBEX North American Conference, a large gathering of travel bloggers and new media content creators. This year's event takes place in Toronto June 1 - 2.

Get Social in the UK for a chance to win a Cross Canada rail adventure

The CTC is hosting a retweet contest alongside the trip with a grand prize worth $11,000 of a round trip for two on VIA rail from Vancouver to Halifax (with stops in Montreal, Toronto, Winnipeg and Jasper). There's also a $2,000 travel credit for flights and/or hotels. The contest runs until June 24. Contest details are available on the Journey to TBEX website.


About the Canadian Tourism Commission :
The CTC is Canada's national tourism marketing organisation. A federal crown corporation wholly owned by the  Government of Canada, we lead the Canadian tourism industry in marketing Canada as  a  four season tourism destination. Our vision is to inspire the world to explore Canada. With our partners in the tourism industry and the governments of Canada, the provinces and the territories, we promote Canada's extraordinary experiences in 11 countries around the world, conduct original market research , offer stunning visuals thorugh the Brand Canada Library and provide resources and toolkits to help the industry leverage Canada's succesful tourism brand: Canada, Keep Exploring. For regular updates on CTC initiatives subscribe to CTC News, search our corporate website (www.keepexploring.ca) , become a fan on www.facebook.com/ExploreCanada , follow us on @ExploreCanada , share images on Instagram or subscribe to  our Youtube site: (canadiantourism)    

-Ends-        

For further information please contact:

Nim  Singh
Tel: 0207 389 9983
Email: singh.nim@ctc-cct.ca