Three National Geographic photographers piled into a bright-yellow RV to criss-cross Atlantic Canada, capturing the region’s rugged beauty and everyday life as part of Destination Canada’s “Life in Canada Is …” campaign.

For the latest entry in Destination Canada’s continuing Open Assignment collaboration with National Geographic, the project sent Ami Vitale, Matthieu Paley and Kiliii Yuyan through Prince Edward Island and Newfoundland and Labrador to document down-to-earth moments, from oyster fishing to iceberg spotting. Initiative was enlisted to work on strategy, creative direction and execution for the project.

Each brought their own unique perspective: Vitale focused on women and wildlife, Paley on food and its provenance and Yüyan on the connections between people, land and sea.

For Gloria Loree, CMO and SVP of global marketing at Destination Canada, the campaign uses novel means to set the country apart in a crowded travel market.

“It explores what it’s like to ‘live like a Canadian’ and move beyond a simple list of must-see spots,” Loree tells strategy. “The project intended to capture transformative travel experiences, including jaw-dropping natural beauty, inspiring people with heartfelt stories, and opportunities to connect, explore and find oneself.”

Launched last month, the work is a continuation of Destination Canada’s multi-year paid-content partnership with National Geographic, which Loree describes as a natural fit for the destination marketing organization’s belief that “travel is a force for good.”

Previous collaborations have included the “Fiennes Return To The Wild” program, which followed explorer Ranulph Fiennes and his cousin, actor Joseph Fiennes, on a journey through British Columbia, as well as earlier iterations of the Open Assignment photography project.

This year’s promotion leans heavily on National Geographic’s global reach and reputation: its magazine alone reaches 25 million readers per issue, while its social channels have more than 444 million followers, including one of Instagram’s largest non-celebrity accounts with 280 million followers.

Amplification extends far beyond a National Geographic microsite that features a 12-minute “Life in Canada: 15-Day Roadtrip Adventure” film documenting the photographers’ journey.

Content will also appear in carousels on social channels and video pre-roll custom edits have been launched on Disney+, YouTube and NatGeo.com. Destination Canada is also promoting the work through its own channels and through trade-channel activations. The NatGeo YourShot competition has been launched in to further expand engagement.

Loree says the campaign aligns with Destination Canada’s new “Canada, naturally” platform, which positions everyday Canadian activities as extraordinary experiences for international visitors.

“This work brings that creative wrapper to life by leaning into the unique perspectives of each photographer,” Loree says.

Targeting “culture seekers” and “refined globetrotters” in the the 25 to 55-plus age range, the campaign is aimed at travellers from the U.S., U.K., Mexico, France, Germany, Australia, Japan, South Korea and China. Loree says the demographic personas are defined as people who learn through culture, value immersive experiences and gravitate toward relaxed destinations with rich heritage and natural wonders.

Success will be measured less by immediate bookings than by longer-term brand health, Loree says. Destination Canada tracks two key metrics: “Meaning” (how relevant Canada is to travellers) and “Uniqueness” (how differentiated it is from competitors). Marketing KPIs include brand lift, earned media and industry awards, while content metrics such as video-completion rates and time spent will be used to evaluate engagement.

The campaign comes as the national tourism organization looks to build on momentum from strong visitor numbers and a top global-favourability ranking. Canada recently tied with Switzerland for the top spot Reputation Lab’s RepCore Nations ranking for 2025.

For Loree, maintaining that standing means continuing to invest in storytelling that resonates with audiences globally.

“This work all contributes to the overall desired goal in growing and maintaining Canada’s world recognized reputation as open and welcoming. This has never been more important given the current uncertain times.”