I don’t know if the shoemaker’s elves are the same little guys working in Santa’s workshop but I can tell you the shoemaker over here has a few stubbed toes.  We have been working to launch this new iteration of the Jessonco website for more months than I want to discuss.  Just be assured that the principle reason for the delay is that we have been diligently nose-to-the-grindstone for our clients. 

In the past month alone we launched Remington’s new design studio for high rise residents.  We sent a media trip to Anguilla hosted by the one-and-only, Nicola Blazier.  We invited Travel Media Association of Canada (TMAC) members and Toronto area travel media to a reception at the InterContinental Toronto Centre.  We also hosted Society of American Travel Writer (SATW) members at the Mill Street Brew Pub as part of recent tour of Toronto!  We also held events in Toronto and Ottawa to announce the opening of judging for the 2017 Canadian Whisky Awards.  In addition to that the team is completing yearend reporting on media relations results and planning for 2017. 

What are the big changes we see in plans for 2017?  More and more emphasis on social media, of course.  At the same time, research is showing that across all demographics including millennials, travel is the one category where readers are still looking to glossy publications.  And encouraging for us, public relations is even more relevant in this digital age.  We just have to be more savvy about research to ensure we are targeting the audiences that matter to our clients.

As we enter 2017 we are delighted to welcome two new clients onboard – the destination of Cuba and Holiday Luggage.   As we enjoy this success, we know that there are parts of the world where it is anything but business as usual.  And closer to home we are rooting for our dear friend and colleague Sharyn Thomas-Counce who has faced some major personal hurdles this year.  May 2017 bring her a return to health.  We have all been reminded that if you have that, you have everything.