Collaboration Archives - Travel Alliance Partnership

Creating in-market demand for Eclipse drive-market visitation

Tim Lindner — Thu, 08 Feb 2024 01:47:46 +0000

How this Case Study may be relevant to you: This project involved attracting visitors from a drive market using creative, out-of-the-box integrated tactics through collaboration in a short-term campaign.

We distributed 200 cameras for an in-market activation that inspired word-of-mouth campaign activity, UGC, landing page form submissions and 25 participants at a media event.

(This campaign runs through April 8, 2024. Final results are not yet calculated.)

Situational Analysis

Visit Rochester, the official tourism promotion entity for Monroe County, NY is experiencing a major milestone event on April 8, 2024 due to its location on the Path of Totality for a Total Solar Eclipse. The destination is expecting an influx of visitors on the days leading up to the eclipse.

The Challenge

Invite guests in drive- and fly-markets to the city of Rochester to experience the once-in-a-lifetime celestial event.

Objectives

Promote the 2024 Total Solar Eclipse in Rochester, NY
Highlight Rochester, NY and the surrounding area, its tourism partners and attractions, festivals and events
Reach potential travelers in designated drive and target markets, and share the right messages at key moments in the trip planning cycle
Build the buzz around Rochester and the Finger Lakes as a destination for the total solar eclipse and beyond

Creative Tactics

Our team developed an in-market activation that combined strategic digital tactics with PR to surprise and delight the residents of Philadelphia, PA. We ordered hundreds of Kodak disposable cameras (a nod to Kodak’s roots in Rochester, NY), wrapped them in eclipse branding with instructions and a QR code on the back. Our team pre-loaded each camera with 8 iconic shots of attractions around Rochester...

...and dropped the cameras in key public areas around Philadelphia. Residents were encouraged to register their camera online for free processing, finish and develop the film, and receive a special gift during their next visit to Rochester.

Eclipse itineraries and blogs created just for the Philadelphia market were linked through the QR code.

A media event was timed in Philadelphia for the evening of the camera drop and news media were alerted to our plans ahead of time to help create brand awareness and generate buzz.

Results

Preliminary Results

We distributed over 200 cameras across Philadelphia, PA to residents and media, with form completions taking place online in the weeks following. The cameras inspired word-of-mouth among Philadelphia residents with user generated content organically shared on social media. The evening media event saw attendance from more than 25 participants, with many more invited to learn about the Eclipse. As this campaign is still ongoing, final media results have not yet been calculated.

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The post Creating in-market demand for Eclipse drive-market visitation appeared first on Travel Alliance Partnership.

Converting a live show to a virtual event while keeping profits, connections and the experience intact

Tim Lindner — Wed, 08 Jul 2020 09:18:17 +0000

How this Case Study may be relevant to you: Virtual TAP Dance is a model of how to successfully switch from a traditional live conference to a virtual event while keeping profits, personal connection and memorable experiences intact.

All eyes were on Travel Alliance Partners (TAP) in June 2020 with their bold move to be the first in the travel, tourism & hospitality industry to announce and deliver a virtual event – which overwhelmingly exceeded expectations.

Situational Analysis

Travel Alliance Partners (TAP) was created 18 years ago as an innovative way to help tour operators grow their businesses. This partner-owned corporation, comprising premier North American tour operators has combined sales of over $75M. Integral to their success are the relationships they have built with DMOs and suppliers.

TAP is well known in the travel, tourism & hospitality industry for their annual conference, TAP Dance. This event, in its 15^th year, is a preferred conference for many travel professionals because of its relaxed environment, long-standing relationships and proven format designed to impact business growth for TAP Tour Operators and their suppliers.

The Challenge

Faced with travel restrictions and dramatically reduced budgets due to the COVID-19 pandemic, TAP needed to quickly develop an event that would replace their on-site conference. Despite not meeting in person, the event needed to still have the personal and interactive elements associated with the TAP brand.

Objectives

Create an event that would allow tour operators, DMOs and suppliers to connect to ensure business development for the year ahead.
Provide the traditional level of value to event participants including tour operators, suppliers and sponsors.
Ensure a profitable event resulting in revenue to the organization.

Strategic Insight

TAP Dance was first conceived as an innovative approach to a travel industry event, with emphasis on the relationships between tour operators and the DMOs and suppliers.

Holding a conference despite the obstacles continues the TAP tradition of being an innovative leader in the travel, tourism & hospitality industry. They would demonstrate their commitment to the partnerships needed for all in this industry to be successful.

Strategic Approach

Provide guidance to stakeholders that holding a virtual event is feasible and would solidify them as an innovative industry leader.
Develop an event plan designed to create compelling interest for attendees and sponsors.
Deploy technology to support the virtual experience in an efficient and cost-effective manner.
Ensure unique elements from the live event continue in the new virtual format.

Tactics

Technology: identify and implement technology to meet all pre-event requirements for the website, registration, payment and meeting arrangements. Manage all technology tools throughout the event. Train event participants on technology to ensure ease of use during the event.
Event Planning: Create and manage an event project plan to ensure event was delivered on time and within budget.
Marketing: Create email and social media campaigns to promote the event.
Sponsor Value: Identify unique tools to ensure exposure for sponsors throughout the event.
Participation: Create opportunity for registered attendees to bring a guest, increasing meeting value to both the suppliers and tour operators.

Results

We had resounding feedback from attendees, TAP Tour Operators and sponsors that the event far exceeded expectations.

With 500+ private virtual meetings, hundreds of attendees, entertaining videos, international guests and fun virtual activities, the event was a welcome reprieve from the distance that the pandemic had put between people who are used to seeing one another every year.

Result Highlights

Conducted 546 virtual meetings over three days for travel professionals from 5 different time zones to connect for business development.
Created 22 hours of varied event programming over three days including general sessions, roundtable educational sessions, B2B appointments, a wellness break, happy hours, networking and evening entertainment.
Developed unique virtual event sponsorships for 22 sponsors including virtual photo booth, online trivia contest, happy hour cocktail recipe demonstration and on-screen sponsor logo overlay for added exposure.
Created an online event content gallery including 13 videos played throughout the event, photo gallery and digital brochure.
Exceeded attendance goals and executed a profitable event that replaced what would have been a revenue shortfall for the year.
Feedback from attendees, TAP Tour Operators and sponsors was that the event far exceeded their expectations.
Solidified the organization as a bold and innovative leader in the travel, tourism & hospitality industry.

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The post Converting a live show to a virtual event while keeping profits, connections and the experience intact appeared first on Travel Alliance Partnership.

Creating Year-Round Demand with Storytelling & Strategy

Tim Lindner — Fri, 26 Jun 2020 01:07:58 +0000

How this Case Study may be relevant to you: The Haunted History Trail is a shining example of a multi-stakeholder project, as it is a state-wide initiative with over 30 county participants and 85 individual locations, managed by Genesee County Tourism Marketing Director Kelly Rapone.

In the 2017-18 season we earned 178 million media impressions. 64% of Trail Partners attributed an increase in attendance in 2017 to the Haunted History Trail program.

Batcheller Mansion Inn, Photo credit: Amity Photos

The Haunted History Trail of New York State is a collection of over 90 creepy, spooky, and downright haunted locations that offer experiences for visitors interested in the paranormal.

Situational Analysis

While most people consider “haunted” to be a fall or October activity, the Haunted History Trail has a unique shoulder season of winter, spring and even summer.

The Challenge

Give the trail a year-round presence to promote trail awareness and inspire travel in drive-to markets of NYS. Also, visitors don’t always know how to travel a trail with hundreds of stops spread across the state.

Mount Hope Cemetery

Objectives

Inspire travel and drive visitation among leisure travelers to haunted attractions, inns and restaurants.
Promote trail awareness – both online and in print. Increase awareness of the Haunted History Trail’s attractions and events.
Create year-round demand for the Haunted History Trail product.
Promote statewide travel within participating NYS vacation regions.
Generate interest in events and new offerings on the trail.

Strategic Insight

The Haunted History Trail has a unique product and needs to promote it to visitors interested in spooky travel year-round. Travelers interested in this “taboo tourism” are looking for a thrill, and not necessarily just in the fall.

Focus on the experiences and tell the trail’s story.

Photo: Dr. Best House
Photo credit: Amity Photos

Strategic Approach

Position Haunted History Trail stops as year-round destinations.
Create themes and develop content that inspires travel
Highlight destinations and experiences on the trail.
Explain to visitors how they can travel the trail.
Position NYS as an industry leader in the creation of cultural trails.
Manage trail partners and assets and keep abreast of new and current trail offerings.

Tactics

Public relations: generating earned articles and influencer engagements.
Social media: strategic posting on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
Facebook advertising: executing campaigns to drive attendance at events and encourage requests of the trail’s printed brochure.
Content marketing: regularly updating content on the trail’s website such as blog posts, and managing the annual print brochure including writing copy and overseeing the design.
Developed a photo library to support all initiatives. Planned photo FAMs for a photographer to capture stops along the trail. Created a photo library using Zenfolio for storage and as a sharing tool for media, stakeholders and internal use.
Asset management/stakeholder communications: staying on top of new trail offerings and keeping partners well-informed.

Museum of Wayne County, Photo credit: Amity Photos

Genesee Falls Inn, Photo credit: Amity Photos

Results

According to a 2017 Economic Impact study conducted by Young Strategies, the Haunted History Trail partners reported an increase in year-over-year attendance with two-thirds (64%) attributing the increase in attendance to the Haunted History Trail program.

Photo: Wing's Castle
Photo credit: Amity Photos

Result Highlights

82 media placements and over 178,000,000 media impressions.
Inclusion in SmithsonianMag.com (11.3M) roundup, with mention of both the trail and a trail partner.
Two feature pieces (online and in print) by Time Out New York that mentioned 14 individual trail partners.
Facebook page grew by 40% in 2017 and 23.6% in 2018. Twitter saw 22% growth in 2017 and 8.9% in 2018, and Instagram saw 90.4% growth in engagement year over year.
Won Silver Davey Award and PRSA PRism Award for the 2018 social media campaign.
Promoted Facebook posts reached 207,384 unique users across two years for events and drove conversions on the website. Many events sold out, pointing to paid social as an indicator of the success.
Facebook advertising generated 61,586 brochure requests in 2017 and 85,123 in 2018.
Reimagined 36-page printed guide with narrative copy and increased visuals.
Won PRSA Award of Excellence and MarCom Award Honorable Mention for the 2018 printed brochure.

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The post Creating Year-Round Demand with Storytelling & Strategy appeared first on Travel Alliance Partnership.

Attracting Canadian Travelers to Upstate New York Destinations

Tim Lindner — Thu, 14 May 2020 02:22:18 +0000

How this Case Study may be relevant to you: This project involved attracting visitors beyond gateway cities, travel public relations, influencer marketing and media FAM planning for a multi-stakeholder collaborative effort.

We earned 7.74 million PR impressions from 15 media visits including feature placements in major in-market publications, and influencer placements.

Photo Credit: Chautauqua County Visitors Bureau

Situational Analysis

Canada is the number one inbound international market for New York State. With 25% of all Canadians living in the Golden Horseshoe a region in Southern Ontario that includes Toronto and borders the northern shores of Lake Ontario.

Upstate New York destinations consider Canadian Travelers a top target market - specifically Toronto, Ottawa, Hamilton and other areas in the Ontario province.

The Challenge

After crossing the border, Canadian visitors typically stop in Buffalo, N.Y. on their way to New York City, and spend very little time in the other destinations across Upstate New York.

Photo Credit: Livingston County Area Chamber of Commerce & Tourism

Objectives

Build awareness of destinations in New York State between Buffalo and NYC.
To inspire travel and visitation among leisure travelers in Toronto, Ottawa, Hamilton, and surrounding areas within the Ontario province of Canada through media coverage of partner destinations and attractions.

Strategic Insight

Curiosity & Surprise.

Beyond Buffalo and New York City, destinations across Upstate New York are largely unknown to many Canadian visitors. We aimed to pique Canadian visitors’ curiosity with a range of exciting offerings just over the border – and positively surprise them with endless opportunities during their visit.

Photo Credit: John Kucko

Strategic Approach

Position Upstate New York as a destination of endless opportunities, found just across the border.
Highlight experiences, packages and events relevant to key audience segments within the Canadian market.
Build awareness of program partners among Canadian travelers.
Foster relationships with Canadian media.
Drive visitation from target markets to CO-OP partners websites to learn more.

Photo Credit: Watkins Glen Area Chamber of Commerce

Tactics

Media Kit Development: a full suite of press kit materials including a one-sheet of top offerings/attractions for each partner in the program
Media Relations/Outreach: pitch Canadian media following an editorial calendar with key themes
Media Events/Deskside Visits: attending select media events and organizing deskside visits in the Ottawa and Toronto markets
Media FAM Hosting: work closely with partners to coordinate potential hosting opportunities as they arise, creating itineraries and securing post-visit coverage.
Tracking & Reporting: providing monthly and year-end reports

Results

First Year Results

9 media visits
14 media placements
48 social media placements
1,240,000 media impressions.

Second Year Results

6 media visits
7 media placements
43 social media placements
Over 6.5 million media impressions.

Photo Credit: John Kucko

Result Highlights

Feature piece in CAA Magazine (114,000 UVM) on new museum in partner county.
20 Instagram posts by influencer Food.Diva (21.2K followers) and 32 Instagram posts by influencer LittleBlackPearls (14.2K Followers) featuring program partners.
Feature piece in Escapism Toronto (50,000 Circulation/206,000 UVM) on accommodations in a partner county.
Two feature pieces on program cities by Planetware.com (2,000,000 UVM).
Inclusion of 5 partner ski resorts in an online roundup by Planetware.com (2,000,000 UVM).
Two-page print spread in Foodism Toronto (50,000 UVM) that featured 1 program partner and 4 of its tourism assets.
Two-page print spread in Ottawa Life (200,000) that featured 1 program partner and 9 of its tourism assets.

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