Destination Marketing 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.

Driving Awareness Through Engaging Marketing Content

Tim Lindner — Wed, 24 Jan 2024 22:22:47 +0000

How this Case Study may be relevant to you: This example of work illustrates Break the Ice Media’s strengths in developing content that inspires travel to the American Southwest.

Areas of Focus: sports and events, leisure travel, international travel, group travel, value of tourism in the community.

We built awareness and inspired travel through targeted email marketing and social media efforts.

Photo Credit: Southwest Adventure Tours

Situational Analysis

Based in Utah, Southwest Adventure Tours (SWAT) creates tours and adventures in the American Southwest and beyond. Their mission is to allow their guests to build lasting memories by creating exceptional experiences that will touch their hearts, minds and souls. SWAT specializes in tours to National Parks and offers a range of trips and unique itineraries for everyone from the adventure seeker to the leisure traveler.

SWAT hired Break the Ice Media to grow the brand presence for consumers, travel agents and other tour operators through focused and strategic marketing efforts

The Challenge

Implement creative and cohesive marketing efforts to boost growth.

Photo Credit: Southwest Adventure Tours

Objectives

Increase YOY sales.
Increase open and click through rates on all email marketing.
Develop engaging marketing content that drives awareness.
Nurture relationships with travel agents and past customers to drive repeat business.

Strategic Approach

Enhance positioning for SWAT.
Carry out key messages through all channels.
Supplement messaging through targeting digital channels.
Determine personalized messaging for travel trade and past customers.
Follow best practices to improve email marketing.
Create inspirational story content in multiple formats.
Post regularly on social media channels.
Optimize web content for organic and referral traffic.
Share relevant content with travel agents to build strong relationships.

Photo Credit: Southwest Adventure Tours

Tactics

Email Marketing: Send several emails a month targeting consumers, travel agents and tour operators.
Social Media: Utilize automated social media posting, rotating through several posts a week.
Reels: Create eye-catching reels that capitalize on trends and inspire travel.
Website: Ensure all tours are up to date on the SWAT website.

Results

First Five Months

44% open rate on consumer emails
2.3% clicks on consumer emails
21% increase in website traffic over the same period in 2022
Social media improvements compared to the previous five months:
- 8.4% increase in Facebook reach
- 41.3% increase in Facebook profile visits
- 12% increase in Facebook page likes
- 39.1% increase in Instagram followers
- 20.5% increase in Instagram engagement

Photo Credit: Southwest Adventure Tours

Result Highlights

Redesigned SWAT's email newsletter and started a dedicated and consistent email marketing campaign for three different audiences, sending 8 emails per month.
Developed 48 posts to promote National Parks, U.S. States, tour types and key messages.
Created quality reels to boost social media engagement and capitalize on current trends.

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The post Driving Awareness Through Engaging Marketing Content appeared first on Travel Alliance Partnership.

Historical Figure brings DEI to the Forefront: Auburn, NY

Tim Lindner — Wed, 07 Sep 2022 19:59:42 +0000

Harriet Tubman’s Chosen Hometown

How this Case Study may be relevant to you: This project involved applying DEI principles to a strategic PR and marketing campaign, balancing promotion goals with authentic messaging and community support.

We earned 1.7 billion PR impressions from 80 placements including feature placements in national and niche publications, and partnerships with key influencers.

photo credit: TourCayuga

Situational Analysis

Cayuga County is proudly the home of Harriet Tubman, where she lived the last 54 years of her free life. Leading up to the 200^th anniversary of Tubman’s birth in March 2022, the Tourism Office refocused the perception of the destination and repositioned itself as a place where freedom, justice, and equality are not just words, but actions supported by the entire community.

After getting the Tourism Office’s Board of Directors on board, Cayuga County created an ad hoc committee of different voices including local leaders, experts in Tubman's story and organizations representing equal rights in the area and community interest and challenges. Cayuga County Office of Tourism hired Break the Ice Media, partnered with LaLew Public Relations, to promote the County’s current and historical connections of equal rights to attract visitors.

The Challenge

Diversity, equity and inclusion work is important, yet sensitive. Developing an inclusive marketing message is not the same as applying and integrating DEI principles into an organization – and the target audience knows the difference. This campaign needed a strong and authentic message backed by community support.

photo credit: Equal Rights Heritage Center

Objectives

Increase overall awareness of Auburn, NY, as the home of Harriet Tubman, and Cayuga County’s assets and attractions.
Address and educate the Cayuga County community on Harriet Tubman’s legacy and the Office of Tourism’s efforts.
Spark interest in Harriet Tubman and Cayuga County’s history to drive conversations and actions around Equal Rights.
Inspire travel and drive visitation to Cayuga County and its partners among target audiences.
Build an audience of loyal, repeat customers who will visit time and time again, and encourage families and friends to do the same.
Increase awareness of Auburn, NY, and Cayuga County as a prime location to host meetings and events that relate to Equal Rights.

Strategic Insight

“Welcome visitors to walk in Harriet Tubman’s steps to discover their truth in Cayuga County.”

Socially conscious travelers looking to unlock the details of American history will find it in Cayuga County. It’s where Harriet Tubman’s spirit lives – in the sites and stops where she walked – and where she lives on in the communities that carry her spirit forward. For those seeking truth, Auburn is an essential stop to connect with equal rights history and each other.

To motivate socially conscious travelers to plan a visit to Cayuga County, they need to see how her spirit lives on in the community and the truth to be learned studying U.S. equal rights history where it took root.

Strategic Approach

Position Cayuga County as Harriet Tubman’s home, where her legacy lives on today.
Differentiate Auburn, NY, and Cayuga County from other destinations with Harriet Tubman history, and its attractions from other historical sites, museums and attractions within the Northeast.
Humanize Harriet Tubman, her efforts and her accomplishments to make her relatable to visitors.
Highlight Harriet Tubman’s legacy through authentic experiences, offerings and stories.
Promote the ongoing work Cayuga County is doing to live Harriet Tubman’s legacy.
Promote the individual experiences offered, the county’s unique assets, and ability to span multiple interests.
Promote the assets and experiences where all individuals will feel accepted and safe.
Promote the equal rights history of the surrounding Finger Lakes region, acknowledging the ease of exploring from Cayuga County.

photo credit: TourCayuga

Tactics

Strategic marketing plan
Proactive public relations, including press releases, story pitching, media FAM pitching and planning, influencer marketing, PR representation, strategic partnerships
Reactive public relations
Event promotion and support
Community engagement
Crisis communication plan
Content development: social media posts, monthly blogs, PR collateral, website copy
Strategic consultation on other equal rights initiatives

Results

80 placements with over 1.7 billion media impressions
Hosted 5 travel writers
Collaborated with 2 influencers
Started 3 strategic partnerships
Published 20 blogs
Posted over 100 times on Facebook & Instagram

Photo Credit: John Kucko

Listen In

Hear from TourCayuga's Director Karen Kuhl on the destination perspective of this initiative and other projects that aim to align the community around diversity, equity and inclusion.

Result Highlights

Feature piece in AAA World (2,600,000 print; 8,400,000 digital UVM) on Harriet Tubman's life for the bicentennial birthday with mentions of 5 tourism assets
Feature piece on Black News Channel (51,000 UVM) on celebrating Harriet Tubman in Auburn with mentions of 7 tourism assets
33 Instagram stories by influencer blondwayfarer (6,577 followers) with follow up feature stories on her blog Blond Wayfarer (35,000 UVM) with mentions of 24 tourism assets in the first and 16 tourism assets in the second blog
Inclusion in Boston Globe (print edition) piece on three road trip destinations with mentions of 3 tourism assets
Feature piece in Conde Nast Traveler (2,869,000 UVM) on Harriet Tubman's birthday in the Finger Lakes with mentions of 9 tourism assets
On air mention of campaign on Fox 4 News Dallas Fort Worth (1,000,000 viewership) with mention of 4 tourism assets
Inclusion of 2 partner parks in Fodor's Travel (2,750,000 UVM) piece "15 Places on the Underground Railroad Trail in the U.S."
Inclusion in Lonely Planet (3,400,000 UVM) piece on New York historic parks and monuments with mentions of 3 tourism assets
Inclusion in TravelAwaits (5,000,000 UVM) on the best sites to visit during the bicentennial
Feature piece in Travel & Leisure (5,254,000 UVM) on the bicentennial celebrations in Auburn
Inclusion in Travel & Leisure (5,650,000 UVM) piece on New York history celebrations
Inclusion in U.S. News & World Report (37,765,000 UVM) roundup of Juneteenth celebrations with mentions of 7 tourism assets
Feature piece in We Empower Magazine on Harriet Tubman's legacy in Cayuga County with mentions of 8 tourism assets

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The post Historical Figure brings DEI to the Forefront: Auburn, NY appeared first on Travel Alliance Partnership.

Re-aligning Strategy to Meet Changing Visitor Sentiment

Tim Lindner — Wed, 30 Jun 2021 19:06:05 +0000

How this Case Study may be relevant to you: This is an example of strategy and a deep understanding of the changing visitor landscape. The marketing campaign reached target audiences in New England and other nearby drive destinations to engage with events, purchase tickets, enjoy virtual workshops and plan a future trip to a cultural attraction and its surrounding region.

We lead digital and public relations efforts, driving over 65,000 clicks, 3,000,000 impressions from social media advertising, 350,000 new users to the website, 120 media placements and 3,800,000,000 impressions from earned media efforts.

photo credit: Old Sturbridge Village

Situational Analysis

Old Sturbridge Village is one of many cultural institutions that was impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. The typical start to the village’s busy season kicks off in April of each year, largely accommodating school trips and educational groups through June. However, due to state restrictions and safety protocols around the global pandemic, the village closed in mid-March 2020 and remained closed through late June 2020, missing out on large portions of its regular revenue streams.

Research told us that as state lockdowns were lifted and businesses began to reopen, the first visitors to return to places such as OS V would be from local and regional markets. These travelers cared about health, safety, trust and flexibility above all when making travel plans, and emphasized outdoor, open-air attractions. This was a space where OS V could thrive.

On the flip side, a study conducted by Wilkening Consulting noted that only about one-third of Americans were concerned about the state of museums in the COVID landscape, and also considered cultural institutions as a “luxury expense.” With less expendable income to go around, OSV needed to compete for visitor dollars.

The Challenges

Old Sturbridge Village faced the challenge of needing to stand out in the marketplace and drive high-levels of visitation, while also adhering to state guidelines and new guest safety protocols.

photo credit: Old Sturbridge Village

Objectives

Inspire travel and increase standard daytime admission ticket sales among visitors in local and regional drive markets.
Drive up to one-third of typical visitor capacity for front-gate visitation.
Build awareness of Old Sturbridge Village’s current museum offerings, changed guest experience and updated safety procedures.
Connect with an established audience of loyal customers who will make OSV visitation a priority.
Increase sales among established and new revenue streams, including events, merchandise, on-site dining and other museum experiences, as they become available.
Drive visitors to www.osv.org to learn more, purchase tickets and engage with virtual experiences.

Strategic Positioning

Differentiating OSV from other historic attractions, museums, and living history experiences within the region and leaning into its open-air, outdoor offerings.
Promoting the OSV experience for families, couples, solo travelers, and other identified verticals.
Highlighting the ongoing need for cultural institutions and their role in preserving history, memory, and identity.
Highlighting the educational opportunities presented by OSV and its role in engaging with school-age children.
Touting special events, demonstrations, or one-time offerings that enhance the OSV experience, as they become available.
Sharing action images from the Village upon reopening to encourage others to “follow the crowd” and plan a visit.

Photo Credit: Old Sturbridge Village

Key Messages

“More than a museum” touting all that OSV has to offer
Ongoing need for historical and cultural preservation
Ongoing need for community engagement and support as a major local attraction
Opportunity for enhanced educational experiences
Opportunity for “immersive” experiences (over hands-on, which can be a deterrent for visitors) for all ages and interests
Outdoor and open-air museum experiences, coupled with the universal benefits of fresh air
Enhanced safety procedures and new social distancing and cleanliness protocols to ensure guest health
Day-trip or multi-day destination, with hours of activity and exploration (lean into drivable/staycation messaging)
Flexible booking/ticket sales (standard daytime admission available year-round for purchased tickets)
On-site food, merchandise, and nearby lodging

photo credit: Old Sturbridge Village

Results

By the Numbers

2 strategic marketing plans
9 press releases
120 media placements
3,769 Facebook event responses
65,000 link clicks
350,000 new website users
1.4 million advertising impressions
3.8 billion media impressions

Photo Credit: Old Sturbridge Village

Result Highlights

Developed two strategic marketing plans to aid in reopening for Old Sturbridge Village and partner museum Coggeshall Farm Museum.
Developed and managed monthly digital and social media advertising campaigns on behalf of Old Sturbridge Village, resulting in 26,000+ link clicks, 1,400,000 impressions, 760,000 reached, and high engagement in three top DMA targets including Boston, MA, Manchester, NH, New Haven, CT and New York.
Developed and managed digital advertising strategies around two major events: Christmas by Candlelight with over 20,000 link clicks and 900,000 impressions and Phantoms & Fire with over 7,000 link clicks and 250,000 impressions at Old Sturbridge Village.
Drafted and sent nine press releases on behalf of Old Sturbridge Village covering reopening, major announcements and closures, events and activities.
Provided ongoing public relations support including active pitching and pitch writing, garnering 120 media placements and over 3,800,000,000 total impressions.

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The post Re-aligning Strategy to Meet Changing Visitor Sentiment appeared first on Travel Alliance Partnership.

Influencer Outreach and Media FAMs Stimulate Drive Market Visitation for Open Air Museum

Tim Lindner — Wed, 24 Feb 2021 09:02:08 +0000

How this Case Study may be relevant to you: This example of work illustrates Break the Ice Media’s strengths in leveraging PR to create interest in expanded offerings and shoulder season experiences to create demand for visitation from drive markets.

In 2019, our campaign resulted in 79 placements and over 8.5 Million media impressions. Eight hosted writers and influencers from target geographies posted about The Wild Center 71 times on social media.

Photo Credit: The Wild Center

Situational Analysis

Although they had an engaged audience across social media, email marketing and their website, without a proactive PR program in place, news about The Wild Center and its unique offerings were not reaching new audiences. In addition, their current visitors were not booking available add-on experiences such as guided canoe and paddleboard excursions, which could mean added revenue to The Wild Center’s bottom line. Lastly, The Wild Center saw an opportunity to grow their shoulder season (September and October) as prime leaf peeping among an older demographic.

The Challenge

As part of an integrated marketing plan, The Wild Center engaged in a media relations campaign to drive awareness of the museum and its available experiences to help meet their visitation goals.

Objectives

Increase brand awareness of The Wild Center and its experiences / add-on offerings
Seek third party endorsements of The Wild Center through proactive PR, media and influencer relations
Drive traffic to the tickets page on The Wild Center’s website
Influence conversions on The Wild Center’s website
Increase the number of visitors during shoulder season (September and October)

Strategic Insight

The Wild Center can refresh interest in visitation by bringing attention to add-on experiences and extend the season by leaning into the natural beauty of the Adirondacks during autumn.

Photo Credit: The Wild Center

Strategies

Develop key messages designed to resonate with target audiences and motivate them to take action – consistent messages used across distribution channels (paid, earned, shared & owned).
Build on past interest of Wild Walk and create new angles to continue exposure for The Wild Center.
Focus on building interest from regional, national and Canadian media outlets.
Leverage influencers and bloggers to help extend digital reach.
Highlight available special experiences, such as behind the scenes tours, SUP and canoe excursions.
Position The Wild Center as a top destination for leaf peeping and fall foliage experiences.

Tactics

Public Relations Strategy
Proactive Public Relations
Reactive Public Relations
Ongoing Pitching & Outreach
Blogger & Influencer Relations
Media FAM Coordination
Measurement & Tracking

Photo Credit: The Wild Center

Results

Break the Ice Media’s 2019 public relations campaign resulted in:

79 placements and over 8.5 million media impressions as a result of our public relations efforts (pitching, press release distribution, media alerts, etc.).
32 coordinated stories or coverage based around event announcements.
8 writers and influencers hosted from target geographies including Buffalo, Rochester, Syracuse and Saratoga Springs, NY and Ottawa, Ontario.
71 social posts from hosted writers, providing third-party endorsements of The Wild Center.
Placements that included links to The Wild Center website, mentioned the add-on experiences (behind the scenes tours, canoe excursions) and highlighted The Wild Center as a great place for leaf peeping.

Photo Credit: The Wild Center

Result Highlights

Schedule a Consultation

The post Influencer Outreach and Media FAMs Stimulate Drive Market Visitation for Open Air Museum appeared first on Travel Alliance Partnership.

Seasonal Trail uses Gamification to Augment Visitation with New Virtual Experience

Tim Lindner — Thu, 04 Feb 2021 01:29:58 +0000

How this Case Study may be relevant to you: This annual campaign required creative problem solving to develop a touchless virtual component to encourage visitation and engagement. It involved development of a gamification strategy from concept through execution.

We helped Wayne County turn their paper-and-stamp brochure into an app that saw over 8,000 unique visitors and 9 pages per visit in under 2 months. The app encouraged visitation to other assets in the region and 64% said they would like to use the app again.

Photo Credit: Wayne County Tourism

Situational Analysis

Wayne County is the largest apple-producing county in New York State, so agritourism is a large part of attracting visitors. The annual Apple Tasting Tour drives visitation into the county and the participating businesses throughout October. A stamped passport Tour Challenge encouraged consumers to visit all the stops on the trail for a chance to win a series of prizes. For 22 years, the tour was held throughout October, plus a special tasting weekend over Columbus Day.

The Challenge

Due to COVID-19, and the trail’s 23rd year, the county needed touchless tour components to drive visitation. Instead of a focus on Columbus Day weekend, efforts had to promote the month of October and educating visitors on steps farms took to stay safe.

Photo Credit: Wayne County Tourism

Objectives

Develop a touchless, virtual “replacement” for the passport to encourage visitation and engagement.

Strategic Insight

Go high-tech to make it touchless

Messaging focused on the outdoor experiences and the theme “U Pick the Way” played off the popular apple-picking activity while also showing that people could participate as much or as little as they were comfortable with. Our tech solution needed to be touchless, accessible and set the trail up for the future. The virtual tour component would replace the stamped passport for tour participation and check-ins with a virtual/online way to encourage visitation on the trail and track that visitation.

Photo Credit: Wayne County Tourism

Strategic Approach

In addition to the strategies and tactics used in past years to promote the trail, Break the Ice Media worked with Wayne County Director of Tourism Christine Worth to find and develop a touchless tech solution. What started as an idea from the farmers to host an online crossword puzzle (with an answer for each stop), turned into a full app with gamification. Working with a local tourism app development platform, we put together the Apple Tasting Tour app.

Photo Credit: John Kucko

Photo Credit: Wayne County Tourism

App Components:

Pages for each location, linked to a map
Trivia questions for each location, geofenced so people must be at the location to unlock the trivia
New stops on the trail – parks were added to give more open-air options and show off other assets in the area
Badges earned when trivia questions were answered correctly
Information on the contest and how to enter
Restaurants (the trail’s local sponsors) were also included as stops

Results

In 2020, the new app had…

Over 8,000 unique visitors and over 24,000 pageviews
13 minutes average time on site
9.31 average pages per visit
The first weekend and holiday weekend had the most app use, followed by the last two weekends in October
The map was the 3rd most-visited page on the app, with 3,094 views and an average of 3 minutes spent on the page
83 entries

Photo Credit: Wayne County Tourism

Result Highlights

In our end-of-season survey, over 90 respondents reported…

75% said they were very likely to participate again
74% said they were very likely to recommend the trail to a friend
52% had been participating for 2-5 years
54% heard about the tour from the county brochure, the next highest was Facebook at 12% (beating Word-of-mouth, 8%)
58% found the app valuable in planning and participating in 2020
60% had stopped at a newly-listed park
64% would like to use the app again, either in a browser or in an app store

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The post Seasonal Trail uses Gamification to Augment Visitation with New Virtual Experience appeared first on Travel Alliance Partnership.

Strategic integrated marketing campaign leads to high economic impact in 2020

Tim Lindner — Tue, 15 Dec 2020 01:16:03 +0000

How this Case Study may be relevant to you:

This example of work illustrates our strengths in strategic planning and the tool we developed to help destinations plan for strategic recovery during the pandemic. It also demonstrates how we executed an integrated, short-term campaign. We drove strong results in a very short period, using a high-impact, strategic approach.

An integrated, holistic approach is more effective than siloed tactics. We started by taking the Finger Lakes Countrysides through our Recovery RoadmapTM process: a two-hour planning workshop with their team and stakeholders followed by a full strategic plan outlining goals, strategy, audiences and key messages. Through that process, we determined that the following tactics would best engage with the visitor in the short-term, at each step of the customer journey, with each touchpoint and channel working together to provide a unified, strategic message.

Yates County is in the heart of the Finger Lakes Region of New York State. It borders three of the area’s major lakes – Seneca, Keuka and Canandaigua and encompasses 30 of the region’s world-class wineries and two wine trails. Its convenient location among the region’s attractions give visitors access to shape their own vacation. The area is known for its beautiful countryside, boutique offerings, and small-town atmosphere where visitors come to escape – all of which tied into the county’s effort to rebrand as “Finger Lakes Countrysides.”

Photo Credit: Yates County Chamber of Commerce

Situational Analysis

Yates County wanted to engage in a robust campaign to increase occupancy at area lodging establishments to mitigate and recover from the lack of travel and economic effects of COVID-19. Their goal was to increase single-day and overnight trips, looking towards an aggressive, short-term and high-impact campaign concentrating on driving leisure travel from August through October 2020.

Research told us that as state lockdowns are lifted and businesses begin to reopen, the first visitors to return were seeking out small-town destinations over big cities. They were finding and frequenting open-air spaces and participating in outdoor activities first, traveling primarily from local and regional markets, within a 2- to 4-hour drive. Travelers cared most about health, safety, trust and flexibility above all when making travel plans during the pandemic, and, by leaning into its unique positioning as a scenic, outdoor, small-town and “countryside” destination and leveraging the Finger Lakes brand, Yates County had an opportunity to stand out in the marketplace and thrive.

The Challenge

Engage in a robust digital marketing and public relations campaign to

Increase occupancy at area lodging establishments
Increase single-day and overnight trips
Drive leisure travel from August through October.

Photo Credit: Yates County Chamber of Commerce

Objectives

Increase overnight bookings among accommodation partners within Yates County that will lead to increased occupancy tax collections.
Increase revenues for Yates County businesses that will lead to increased sales tax revenue.
Create a foundation for the Yates County Tourism office to build upon in 2021 and beyond.

Strategic Insight

Create your own wide-open escape in the Finger Lakes Countrysides, your hometown away from home.

The area may feel rural but with access to so many experiences nearby, you can craft your own memorable experience. Finger Lakes Countrysides is full of outdoor beauty – from wide-open spaces to water and waterfalls to wilderness. The community is friendly and laidback, making visitors feel right at home. Travelers will choose Finger Lakes Countrysides because they are looking for a close and safe vacation spot where they can connect with their family or friends.

Photo Credit: Yates County Chamber of Commerce

Strategic Approach

Build awareness for the new “Finger Lakes Countrysides” brand and new strategic positioning
Build awareness of the Finger Lakes Countrysides destination experience, its tourism stakeholders and its major assets
Promote single and multi-day trips with overnight stays in the destination among regional markets within a 3- to 6-hour drive to increase overnight accommodation bookings
Bolster late summer and fall season visitation and sales tax revenues by increasing demand for destination experiences
Drive visitation to the new Finger Lakes Countrysides website to encourage further engagement with destination materials and future bookings

Photo Credit: Yates County Chamber of Commerce

Key Messages

Create your own home away from home. Settle down and snuggle up in one of Finger Lakes Countrysides’ established hotels, boutique B&Bs or private vacation rentals.
Create your own relaxation. Slow down and sit back as you enjoy the quiet escape of Finger Lakes Countrysides.
Create your own connection. Feel right at home with the friendly shops and small businesses who provide personalized experiences.
Create your own memories. Enjoy established traditions or create new ones. Finger Lakes Countrysides leaves an impression you will crave.
Create your own outdoors. Get outside and explore the beauty of Finger Lakes Countrysides, whether you prefer water activities or on-land experiences.
Create your own fun. Find what you enjoy in Finger Lakes Countrysides among water, wine and wilderness.
Create your own sophistication. Choose from a diverse blend of culinary and craft beverage experiences.
Create your own nightlife. Cozy up to the local wine bar or stargaze next to a bonfire on the beach.
Create your own vacation. Finger Lakes Countrysides is full of exciting possibilities, all within reach.

Targeting

Targeting Method

A key cornerstone of this campaign was the use of 2019 mobile ID data, collected from visitors who had made a daytrip or booked an overnight visit to the Finger Lakes Region at any point within the previous year.

We used this data in our Digital Retargeting, Pay per click (PPC), Over the Top (OTT), Facebook and Instagram campaigns to find and target visitors who are loyal to the region and most likely to make a return visit in 2020.

Photo Credit: Yates County Chamber of Commerce

Result Highlights (to date, December 2020)

Launch of Finger Lakes Countrysides website, brand and new social channels, with over 8,800 fans/page likes gained on Facebook July-October among target audience.
4,336,617 impressions garnered July-October through digital retargeting, PPC, OTT, Facebook and Instagram ads.
32,493 clicks driven to the landing page July-October through digital retargeting, PPC, OTT, Facebook and Instagram ads.
7,891 conversions tracked July-October from the landing page to Finger Lakes Countrysides lodging pages and lodging partners.
Two regional travel writers hosted in the destination, during the time of COVID-19, with 37 social media placements totaling over 64,000 impressions and two dedicated feature stories to-date.
Ongoing implementation of COVID Response Satisfaction Survey among regional partners and stakeholders, to survey current visitors and track responses on health, safety, cleanliness, customer service, adaptability and more.

ROMI based on Mobile ID Tracking Results:

12,810 Total Visitors came to the Finger Lakes Countrysides during the months of August-October 2020.
7,155 of those visitors booked an overnight stay spending an average of 2.3 days in the county
5,655 of those visitors came for a daytrip spending an average of 4.5 hours in the area

This represented $2,899,381 in total visitor spend over the three-month campaign.

For every $1 invested in this campaign, we delivered $41 in visitor spending to the Finger Lakes Countrysides.

A 4042% Return on Marketing Investment

Finger Lakes Countrysides Landing Page

Finger Lakes Countrysides Digital Ads

Finger Lakes Countrysides Facebook Ads

Schedule a Consultation

The post Strategic integrated marketing campaign leads to high economic impact in 2020 appeared first on Travel Alliance Partnership.

Taking Charge of a Shoulder Season to Reposition Winter for Locals & Visitors

Tim Lindner — Wed, 02 Dec 2020 02:17:44 +0000

How this Case Study may be relevant to you: This campaign used the PESO model to develop a holistic approach to marketing, driving visitation and hotel occupancy within a destination.

We earned 5.61 million media impressions in just four months, created video content that received 18,038 YouTube views, and 52,036 Facebook views. The campaign was covered by Huffington Post and The Weather Channel, and won 6 industry awards.

Note: Visit Syracuse is the Destination Marketing Organization (DMO) for Syracuse, New York and Onondaga County’s official Tourism Promotion Agency (TPA).

Photo Credit: Visit Syracuse

Situational Analysis

In Syracuse & Central New York, winter is off-season for tourism. With the region’s snowy reputation, hotel occupancies fall to nearly 40% in January from highs of 80% in August (functionally sold out). Yet, top attractions operate all year. For growth to occur, it must be in winter.

With a need to generate higher levels of hotel occupancy during the winter season, Visit Syracuse was looking to change the perception of winter vacations in Syracuse and Central New York.

The Challenge

To succeed, Visit Syracuse needed to overcome negative perceptions—both internal & external. In addition, they couldn’t rely on typical advertising and promotions which historically showed little return.

Photo Credit: Visit Syracuse

Objectives

Position Syracuse and CNY as the “Official Home of Winter”
Prioritize spending to the most lucrative target markets
Communicate with stakeholders
Build social media and video content

Strategic Insight

Syracuse and Central NY doesn’t just handle winter – they embrace it.

Messaging and positioning are extremely important for influencing and, in this case, changing a visitor’s perception of the destination. This multi-faceted campaign created awareness of Syracuse as a winter destination as groundwork for moving the needle on shoulder season visitation.

Photo Credit: Visit Syracuse

Strategic Approach

Create a simple message: Syracuse owns winter, has fun with it and is proud of it.
Permeate Visit Syracuse’s channels with positive winter messaging for locals, visitors and stakeholders.
Humorously position CNY as a fun destination in all seasons.

Photo Credit: Visit Syracuse

Destiny USA Street Team

Winter Welcome Rally

Six More Weeks!

Winter is interviewed by Jim Cantore, The Weather Channel, at Punxsutawney's Groundhog Day

Tactics

Destiny USA Installation & Street Team: Created and installed a wall display for shoppers to take & post winter-themed photos with 6 fun characters. A street team and video crew on Dec. 10 encouraged visitors to use the photo wall and collect testimonials for use in future videos.
Meet “Winter” Video Series: An actor in seasonal makeup, “Winter” became the spokesperson for the overall campaign, showing the season as fun-loving, irreverent and always interesting. Meet Winter video series launched twice weekly on social media.
Winter Welcome Rally: In a “fake news” press conference, timed for the quietest news week of the year, “Winter” was welcomed to his official hometown. State, county & municipal officials took part in the good-natured event, along with several reporters.
Visit Syracuse FAM Trip: A familiarization tour for 8 travel journalists visited Syracuse in conjunction with the Winter Welcome Rally.
Six More Weeks: The team “hacked” America’s #1 annual weather story, Punxsutawney’s Groundhog Day, with a PR stunt built on a creative news hook. The team bucked common desire for early spring and “protested” for 6 more weeks of winter. The team used social media/streaming video to amplify the message, trailed by an imbedded video crew hired to draw attention & capture B-roll.
Blog: Continued Winter’s exploration of his home with a blog written in his voice, posted on the Visit Syracuse website, Facebook & Twitter.

Results

The campaign generated goodwill and support from local elected officials and piqued the interest of tourism partners who re-evaluated winter as a viable market.

Photo Credit: Visit Syracuse

Result Highlights

Over the course of 5 weeks, 9 videos featuring Winter were released, receiving 18,038 total views on YouTube and 52,036 total views on Facebook
Generated significant media attention with 561,442,540 total impressions in just four months from 38 placements, including stories on Huffington Post and The Weather Channel.
Hosted 11 writers on media fams. Collectively, they posted 156 times in addition to Retweeting VisitSyracuse posts.

Award Recognition

Ragan's PR Daily, Publicity Stunt
Gold HSMAI Adrian, Integrated Marketing Campaign
Gold Davey, Promotional/Branding
Gold MarCom, Public Relations Program
Bronze Telly, Video/Shows/Segments
PRSA PRism, Creative Tactics

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The post Taking Charge of a Shoulder Season to Reposition Winter for Locals & Visitors appeared first on Travel Alliance Partnership.

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