The Tourism Research Centre (TRC) at the School of Business of the University of PEI today announced the release of a report profiling visitors from the Maritime Provinces from the summer of 2007.

The report is the second in a series of short reports based on data presented in 'Overall Results of the 2007 Exit Survey' for the main tourism season of June 27 to September 30. The PEI Visitor Exit Survey is being distributed at the Confederation Bridge, Charlottetown Airport, and Wood Islands Ferry (seasonally) for a full year and is being managed by the TRC on behalf of Tourism PEI. The survey gathers information on visitor spending, accommodation use, holiday activities, customer satisfaction, repeat visitation, and more.

This report specifically compares the similarities and differences between Maritime visitors and visitors from further regions. The data analyzed was collected from June 27 to September 30, 2007, from 3,173 completed surveys.

Results show the huge importance of this regional market which encompasses over half of PEI's visitors during the stated time period. Overall, these visitors tend to stay on PEI for shorter periods of time, thus spending less per trip than visitors from further markets, but they are also loyal visitors with a clear majority being repeat visitors.

'The Exit Survey was designed so results could be cross-analyzed to provide a depth of data for further analysis. This report does an extremely good job of profiling our Maritime visitors and creates an excellent standard by which we can profile more visitors based on their origin. The Maritime market is extremely important to PEI, and it is critical that we fully understand these visitors,' stated Dr. Sean Hennessey, Faculty Director of the TRC. 'Some of these results may surprise some of the stakeholders in the industry. In addition, it is important to understand the consequences of the findings and how we can use them to improve our strategy to target these visitors.'

This is the third report to be released from data collected by the Exit Survey. Over the next 15 weeks, a series of reports profiling different segments of PEI visitors based on origin, travel party type, repeat visitation and more, will be released. The full report is available on the TRC's Website at http://trc.upei.ca/exitsurvey. Some highlights of the report include:

• Maritime visitors who visited PEI on overnight pleasure trips accounted for just over one half (50.5 percent) of total visitors to PEI during the study period from June 27 - September 30, 2007. Nova Scotia accounted for 29.5 percent, New Brunswick 21.0 percent.


• Maritime visitors are travelling on relatively short trips. On average, they are away from home just under 4 nights but because PEI is their only destination they spend almost all of their time on the Island (average of 3.7 nights).


• When Maritime visitors stay in cabins or at campgrounds they stay almost twice as long as they would in a hotel, motel, resort, B&B or inn (roughly 4.5 nights versus 2.2 nights).


• The most popular destinations for Maritime visitors are Anne's Land and Charlottetown.


• These visitors take part in almost all activities at lower rates than visitors from outside the Maritimes - especially the activities that could be termed 'touristy.' This includes visiting historic and cultural attractions, attending lobster dinners, visiting Canada's birthplace attractions, and especially visiting anything that has to do with Anne of Green Gables.


• However, these visitors are more likely to visit theme or amusement parks and attend local fairs, festivals and events than visitors from other, more distant markets. These types of activities may be viewed as specific reasons to visit a destination. That is, the Maritime market may specifically visit PEI for these reasons.


• Maritime visitors spend about the same amount of money per day as other visitors ($65.52 per person per day). As their stays are shorter, they spend less per trip than visitors from more distant markets (just under $800 per party per trip versus more that $1,200 for visitors from further away).


• On average, Maritime visitors are younger than visitors from more distant markets. This is because 35 percent are travelling as families with children. By comparison, only 18 percent of US visitors are family travellers.


• The one feature that clearly differentiates Maritime visitors from visitors from outside the region is return visitation. Maritime visitors are return visitors; in fact, more than 90 percent have been to PEI before. Two thirds have been to the Island within the past two years. Over the last five years, these Maritime travellers have visited PEI an average of 8.03 times (Nova Scotia) and 8.94 times (New Brunswick). These Maritime visitors are more than return visitors; two thirds are regular customers.


• One cause of concern which may warrant further research is the lack of new Maritime visitors and why this is the case. If there is a problem it may be a combination of a product, marketing, or competition issue. This situation needs to be understood, and is beyond the scope of the results that are available in the Exit Survey.

'Maritime visitors are very interesting, some of them have almost become unofficial seasonal residents of the Island,' said Dr. Hennessey. 'Maritime visitors are very knowledgeable about the Island and have the potential to be wonderful spokespersons. They have friends and family here, and they are obviously well accepted by Islanders. They promote the Island and its activities to their friends and family, and have really helped PEI keep in touch with the family market.'

Further information about the report can be obtained from the Tourism Research Centre, School of Business, University of PEI, at (902) 566-6096 or trc@upei.ca.

The UPEI women’s soccer program, in conjunction with SOS Children’s Villages, will host the longest-ever continual soccer match held on Island soil in the Chi-Wan Young Sports Centre on Saturday, March 15, starting at 10 a.m.

“We play the world’s truly global game and see this as a truly natural fit,” says Redmond. “We hope that you will join us in a fun day of soccer for a very worthwhile cause.”

The University of Prince Edward Island is maintaining its student enrolment levels in a highly competitive environment for Maritime universities. Statistics from the 2006–07 academic year just released by the Maritime Provinces Higher Education Commission show declining enrolments at most major universities across the region but an overall increase at UPEI. Its enrolment numbers grew for full- and part-time undergraduates, international students, and graduate students.

“We’re up in all four categories and we’re very pleased about that,” says Dr. Vianne Timmons, Vice-President of Academic Development and Acting Registrar. “But we know we can’t afford to be complacent. It is a very competitive environment right now.”

Dr. Timmons noted that the University of Prince Edward Island has placed a strong emphasis on scholarship growth in recent years to help attract and retain students. The University now offers $2.5 million in scholarships and prizes annually. UPEI staff work with PEI high schools to assist students to apply for internal and external scholarships. Last year’s 10 per cent decrease in tuition rates also made UPEI very competitive. It now has one of the lowest tuition rates in the region.

“We are working extremely hard in every way we can to ensure that we remain the university of choice at a time when demographics are changing and there are fewer high school students available,” said Dr. Timmons.

UPEI has been introducing more graduate programs in recent years and has implemented a successful strategy to attract more international students. By 2010, the university expects that international students will make up 10 per cent of the student population.

MPHEC enrolment tables are available online. 

Starting in the fall of 2008, the University of Prince Edward Island will offer an executive-style Master of Business Administration program designed for people in the workforce who are interested in pursuing graduate studies.

Offered through the university’s School of Business Administration, this exciting new program is directed at people who currently work, or who want to work, in a management or leadership position. It caters to the demands of full-time working people, with a focus on peer-to-peer learning, small class sizes, a flexible course schedule, and a variety of course delivery methods—from the traditional classroom setting and case studies to webcasting and consulting projects.

“I am thrilled that the UPEI School of Business is able to offer this executive-style MBA program to Islanders,” says Roberta MacDonald, Dean of the School of Business Administration. “The faculty and staff are looking forward to providing this unique graduate program for business education on P.E.I. With the future graduates of this program and its various initiatives, there is no doubt the MBA program will add value to the local environment.”

With specialized streams of study in Innovative Management and Biotechnology Management and Entrepreneurship, the program provides graduate students with the skills, research and experiential learning opportunities to enhance their knowledge of and employability in these fields.

Students who enter the Biotechnology Management and Entrepreneurship stream will gain the knowledge and skills to effectively manage the business of science. This program will focus on the complexities of commercialization as well as the ethical and regulatory issues that face the biotechnology industry. Graduates will be well-equipped to develop and manage new ventures and small businesses or to work in the public and private sectors in the rapidly growing biotechnology/science fields.

Students who specialize in Innovative Management will develop the skills and knowledge necessary to effectively manage within an innovative environment. Courses will combine the concepts of creativity and new ventures, real-world learning and management skills such as leadership, teamwork and dynamic thinking. Graduates will finish the program with a well-developed perspective on world issues and the skills to manage effectively within a globally competitive environment. This program is well-suited to those who are interested in studying business from new perspectives.

Students can complete the program in a minimum of 23 months and a maximum of six years. Applications may be submitted and reviewed at any time, but the deadline for submission to start the program in September 2008 is June 16. A. maximum of 25 to 30 students will be admitted to the program this year.

Information sessions are being held throughout the month of March. For more information about these sessions and the program, contact the UPEI School of Business at (902) 566-0564 or visit http://business.upei.ca/.

The latest book published by Island Studies Press, an imprint of the Institute of Island Studies at UPEI, will be launched on Thursday, March 20, in the Province House Lecture Theatre, Charlottetown, from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m.

Entitled “Pulling Strings: Policy Insights for Prince Edward Island from other Sub-National Island Jurisdictions,” the book is based on research emerging from a project on sub-national island jurisdictions that has been underway at UPEI since 2004. It contains chapters by Godfrey Baldacchino, Hans Connor, Crystal Fall, Barbara Groome Wynne, Kathleen Stuart and Lawrence Liao. The introduction is by John Eldon Green, and the conclusion by Jean Mitchell.

The book proposes this question: “What policy lessons can Prince Edward Island consider from a global review of over 100 similar islands?” Looking at islands from Bermuda to Tasmania, from the Cook Islands to the Faroes, “Pulling Strings” discusses how P.E.I. can make the best of its autonomy for political and economic advantage. More specifically, the book discusses “the power of jurisdiction” in such areas as political sovereignty, the environment, human resources and immigration, sea and air transportation, and social capital and the social economy.

The book is co-edited by Godfrey Baldacchino and Kathleen Stuart. Baldacchino, who hails from Malta, is the Canada Research Chair in Island Studies at UPEI, and Stuart, from Meadowbank, P.E.I., is a sessional professor in Island Studies at the university.

The book, which sells for $24.95 plus GST, can be purchased at the launch or from the Institute of Island Studies. All proceeds go to support the Institute of Island Studies’ publishing program.

Because there are limited seats in the venue, people who wish to attend are asked to RSVP by calling (902) 566-1717 or by e-mailing kstuart@islandtelecom.com.

Sociology students at the University of Prince Edward Island are translating into action the lessons they are learning in the classroom.

On Friday, March 28, students in Professor David Varis' Sociology 102B course will host a kitchen party to raise awareness about poverty and funds to fight it. The party will be held in the courtyard of the W.A. Murphy Student Centre from 1 to 4 p.m.

Varis says that a number of students came up with the idea of contributing back to the community, after spending the last year learning about social inequality, poverty and other social issues in his introductory course.

"I am very proud of my students for organizing this awareness event," he says. "It reflects the degree to which students of this generation are responding to issues that are global in nature but require attention locally."

The event will feature guest speaker Mike MacDonald, manager of the Upper Room Soup Kitchen, as well as remarks from event co-ordinator Joan Diamond and entertainers Tim Chaisson, Tian Wigmore, David Wigmore & Friends, Jeremy Murphy and Colette Cheverie. Donations will be accepted at the door, and all proceeds will go to the Upper Room Soup Kitchen in Charlottetown.

For more information, please contact Joan Diamond at jdiamond@hollandc.pe.ca or (902) 629-4248.

A new business succession initiative aimed at encouraging entrepreneurship opportunities for people aged 34 years and younger has been developed by the UPEI School of Business and the PEI Department of Development and Technology.

As a new initiative, “The Adopted Son or Daughter Program” encourages youth to consider a career as an entrepreneur by removing such obstacles as financing, lack of experience and the need for ongoing mentoring. In addition, many Island business owners are looking to reduce their workload or to retire, and are currently contemplating options to begin the process of ownership change. Bridging the gap between youth and existing business owners is a win-win situation.

PEI Business Development will provide five-year, interest-free loans to enable participants to purchase a minimum of 10 to 25 per cent of the shares in an existing business. “These loans will give young entrepreneurs access to equity that they may have difficulty acquiring on their own,” says Richard Brown, Minister of Development and Technology. “This program will also address the needs of business owners who are looking for someone to take over when they retire. It’s addressing the needs of both young entrepreneurs and the business community.”

"The Adopted Son or Daughter Program" was developed by local businessperson and UPEI entrepreneurship professor Mike Cassidy. “The biggest problem we have in entrepreneurship is: Does the person stepping into a business really understand the business? Do they know how to operate the business on a daily basis?” says Cassidy. “This program allows the young person to gain valuable experience and equity in the business. The young entrepreneur has to keep in mind the concept of ‘work to learn,’ not ‘work to earn,’ and the benefits of long-term gain.”

Mike Cassidy experienced the benefits of this business model when he and 29-year-old Cory Peters purchased Enviroage Plastics Industries Limited in 2004 on a 50-50 basis. The arrangement has worked out so well that the two have also acquired the Charlottetown OK Tire Store business. Cory Peters, a UPEI/UNB graduate, says, “The fact that I have a senior, more experienced and successful business person to bounce ideas off of, to redirect me and to show me how to tackle situations that arise in business — it’s huge. I owe it all to Mike for taking me under his wing.”

Dr. Roberta MacDonald, Dean of the UPEI School of Business, is excited about the program and believes it fills a need within the province. “We have many young people wanting to get into business knowing that experience and finance are two of the biggest challenges,” she says. “'The Adopted Son or Daughter Program' addresses both these issues. We are thrilled our program has attracted the attention and funding support from the John Dobson Foundation, a strong supporter of entrepreneurial activities at post-secondary institutions in Canada. Without our provincial government and the Dobson Foundation, 'The Adopted Son or Daughter Program' could not have been launched.”

Anyone wanting more information on the program can contact Joan Fleming at the UPEI School of Business, 566-0975, jofleming@upei.ca, or Brian Keefe, PEI Business Development, 368-6300, bwkeefe@gov.pe.ca.

A “green” chemist at the University of Prince Edward Island who is working to develop vegetation-based plastics to reduce our dependence on petroleum-based products and minimize our impact on the environment has just been recognized by the Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI). Dr. Michael Shaver will receive $83,731 towards the cost of essential equipment for his research on the design of homogeneous catalysts for application in green chemical reactions and polymerizations.

Green chemistry is a set of chemical ideals that drive many chemists towards sustainable and environmentally friendly operations. Dr. Shaver's research goals involve the making and breaking of bonds in order to create value-added products. Some products are precursors for drugs, some are polymers (plastics) with special properties unavailable through other methods, while others produce biodegradable and renewable plastics.

"Research on the environment is a definite strength in the Faculty of Science and the University as a whole. This award to Dr. Shaver is a testament to his innovative research program," says Dr. Christian Lacroix, UPEI Dean of Science.

"I am excited about receiving this recognition from CFI and the infrastructure it will bring to my laboratory," says Dr. Shaver. "This equipment will kick-start our research into biodegradable plastics and also provide UPEI chemistry students with hands-on access to state-of-the-art instrumentation."

Currently, Dr. Shaver is focussing on the synthesis of a biodegradable, renewable polymer, polylactic acid or PLA, which is made from agricultural by-products. He is using novel catalysts to control the properties of the polymers produced and build them into larger structures. This will expand the number of applications that the plastics can have by giving them increased stability and a much higher melting point. The future applications will lead to collaborations with engineers and biomedical scientists who can use these specialty polymers in their fields without having to worry about any associated waste.

The $83,731 investment from the CFI will assist UPEI to purchase a high-performance liquid chromatography system for gel-permeation chromatography, a single station glove box equipped with a carbon solvent filter, and a gas-chromatography/mass spectroscopy system.

CFI is an independent corporation created by the Government of Canada to fund research infrastructure. The CFI's mandate is to strengthen the capacity of Canadian universities, colleges, research hospitals, and non-profit research institutions to carry out world-class research and technology development that benefits Canadians.

Photo: Guided by Dr. Michael Shaver, of the UPEI Department of Chemistry (right), Marieke Hutchinson, a third-year chemistry student, works with chemicals in a glove box in the UPEI chemistry department’s synthetics lab.