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Explorer Quotient

Say hello to your best customers. 
As Canada's national tourism marketing organization, our job is to learn everything we can about potential travellers to Canada. That's why we've gone beyond traditional market research to find out exactly why people travel and why different types of travellers seek out entirely different travel experiences.

The result, after years of research, is Explorer Quotient® (EQ).

Our innovative market segmentation tool comes from the science of psychographics – an evolution of the traditional field of demographics. Instead of defining people based on age, income, gender, family status or education level – all of which is valuable information – psychographics look deeper at people's personal beliefs, social values and view of the world. It's a major leap forward, because these factors are what drive real people to seek out certain types of experiences.

What can EQ do for you?

This award-winning, proprietary tool is changing the way travel experiences are developed, marketed and sold in Canada. If you operate a small or large tourism-based enterprise, it promises to give you a serious advantage in the competitive global travel market.

You can use the EQ intelligence to better understand your current and prospective customers. This can then enrich your tourism product development, marketing and sales activities. Simply put, EQ can help you to transform a world of explorers into some of your best customers.

Watch the video: Introducing EQ
(7 minutes)

What’s your EQ type? Take the EQ traveller quiz

 

Using EQ in your business Read more > Close >

As an award-winning proprietary intelligence tool, EQ is powering decision-making and changing the way Canadian travel experiences are developed, marketed and sold.


EQ will help you find and keep your best customer. 

Knowing who your customers are and what kind of experience they're after will help you attract your best customers and make the most of your visitor experience. 

You too can harness the power of EQ and serve up the experiences that travellers are most likely to buy. Learn how in our free Small and Medium Enterprise EQ Toolkit. You'll find links to downloadable pdf guides covering:

  • Cutting-edge EQ intelligence and insights to help you find and keep your best customers.
  • Practical ways you can use EQ to position and promote your tourism business.
  • Useful tips to help package your tourism product to better target your customers.
  • Effective tips to generate sales using EQ tools and intelligence.

EQ Case studies  Read more > Close >

Discover how Canada’s tourism industry is aligning behind the power of EQ, and how this program benefits individual organizations.

We asked a selection of destination marketing organizations and tourism businesses that are using the EQ research and its customer-centric approach to share their stories. Learn more about how EQ is making an impact on their business, stakeholders, marketing, visitor experience development and partnering initiatives.

See videos:

Read the EQ case studies:

Licensing EQ Read more > Close >

Harness the full power of EQ.
Destination marketers and businesses that promote Canada and its tourism products can license EQ. A license will provide you with tailored, in-depth intelligence on the core beliefs and travel motivations of your potential customers.

You’ll have access to our extensive suite of EQ reports that profile customers in ten international markets. You’ll also get the raw data files that will allow you to customize reporting for your own specific needs. With ongoing research updates and enhancements, staff tools and training, plus your very own Commercial EQ Quiz to use in your marketing initiatives, you’ll have rich insights and actionable information that you can’t get anywhere else. EQ can help you truly understand your customer and transform your approach to doing business.

The CTC’s licensed EQ partners have told us that EQ is more than a marketing tool. EQ has the power to affect corporate culture. It aligns staff, industry stakeholders and their support agencies together to achieve a common goal. For many, EQ has become a foundational pillar for decision-making that touches each part of the organization.

EQ Benefits
We asked our licensed partners to tell us about the benefits of using EQ. Here is some of what they had to say:

  • Deeper customer knowledge
  • More targeted campaigns
  • Alignment of corporate culture
  • Alignment of staff and industry objectives
  • Intelligence and support for third party agencies
  • A common language in which to communicate
  • An element of focus
  • Prioritizing activities with limited resources
  • A strong network of tourism professionals aligned to a ‘best practices’ EQ philosophy

Strategically incorporating EQ will help you to focus your efforts and resources on initiatives for the strongest results. With EQ, you’ll have a science-based system to help you to truly know your customer. In turn, you will be able to work cohesively with industry partners, craft rewarding visitor experiences, and build stronger marketing campaigns that align with your customers’ motivations and values.

Here are some of Canada’s tourism organizations who are using EQ:

Interested in licensing EQ for your business?  Learn more in our information brochure or contact us at eq@canada.travel.

More EQ Resources Read more > Close >

Need help or advice?  Contact an EQAT.
Look for this logo when hiring a consultant to help train your staff or to apply EQ in your business.  These professionals have received in-depth training and are ready to make sure you get the most out of your marketing efforts. 

Click here for a listing of accredited EQ experts.

You may also inquire with your provincial, territorial or regional DMO for any additional trainers in your area.

Training workshops
The CTC works in partnership with provincial, territorial and regional destination marketers to offer training workshops on EQ. Contact your PMO/TMO or DMO to inquire about the availability of any upcoming workshops in your area.

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