Post on 13-Apr-2022
2019-2020 SALES & MARKETING PLAN
ContentsTABLE OF
VCB INTRODUCTION Message from
Executive Director.................4
Mission....................................5
Vision.......................................6
WE ARE GO-GETTERSPerformance Snapshot..........8
Red Tide Recovery Efforts....11
Accolades & Awards..............17
Channel Performance..........18
WE ARE INNOVATIVETravel Marketing Trends.....24
WE ARE STRATEGICStrategic Plan..................27
WE ARE FOCUSEDMarketing.........................31
Core Objectives
& Tactics...........................33
Media Mix.........................34
Seasonality/Flighting.....36
Channel Mix.....................37
New Tactics......................38
Audiences & Personas....40
WE ARE MOVERS & SHAKERSSales..................................45
Domestic Traveler..........46
International...................48
Group................................52
Sports Development.......54
WE ARE MAKING A SPLASHPublic Relations...........57
WE ARE HELPFULVisitor Services............61
WE ARE FRIENDLYGuest First....................63
WE ARE DRIVENFY 2019-20 Targets.....65
WE ARE COLLABORATIVEStaff Directory &
International Contractors....68
DEAR INDUSTRY PARTNERS,
I am pleased to present our 2019-2020 Sales & Marketing Plan alongside your dedicated
and passionate team at the Lee County Visitor & Convention Bureau.
We are much more than a destination. We are the people our visitors see every day. We are
welcoming, innovative, focused and strategic. We are helpful, driven and friendly.
Most importantly, we are better when we work together with you, our brand ambassadors.
Your VCB looks forward to our continued partnership as we make this year the best one yet.
We recognize that our community still faces challenges surrounding water quality issues.
However, we also have a lot to celebrate. Some exciting news for 2020 is that we have several
hotel development plans in the pipeline. One of the biggest projects includes the Luminary in
Downtown Fort Myers, which means we’ll have our work cut out for us – in a good way! We have
surpassed 900 graduates through our Guests First program who have earned the Certified Guest
Service Professional (CGSP) designation. This speaks volumes about our ongoing commitment to
being the most visitor-friendly destination on the planet.
Although partners report strong advance bookings for winter (great news!), we will continue to
build shoulder and off-season visitation. We are focused on implementing only the best and most
effective marketing strategies that yield returns on every dollar invested.
Our vision is for tourism to be a vibrant component of Lee County’s
economy for the benefit of current and future generations. After all, we
are one tourism family, and together we can meet any challenge.
Warm Regards,
Tamara PigottExecutive Director
WE AREWelcoming
44
To serve the broader social
and economic interests of
Lee County by marketing
the destination, facilitating
travel to the area, and
showcasing its unique
attributes for the continual
benefit of residents and the
travel and tourism industry.
OurMission
55
To continue
to build Lee County’s
reputation as
one of the most naturally
beautiful and sought-after
tourism destinations in
the world.
OurVision
66
WE ARE Go-Getters
88
$3,139,930,797
$2,663,696,764
Source: Davidson Peterson & Associates and Downs & St. Germain
In-State Visitation
Out-of-State Visitation
InternationalVisitation
Visitation and Spending
Visitation Expenditures
PERFORMANCE SNAPSHOT
524,659
795,323
2,882,320
3,893,251
267,229444,394
FY2017–18 FYTD2018–19(Oct–Sept) (Oct–June)
FY2017–18 FYTD2018–19(Oct–Sept) (Oct–June)
9
$42,110,223
$41,114,633
FY2017–18 FYTD2018-19
Bed Tax
PACING UP 1.2% YOY/ UP 7.6% YOY/
Source: Lee County Clerk of Courts Source: Lee County Port Authority Department of Communication and Marketing
4,594,287
4,943,615
FY2017–18 FYTD2018–19
Southwest Florida International Airport (RSW) Passenger Arrivals
PERFORMANCE SNAPSHOT
(Through August 2019)(Oct–Sept)
9
1010
Source: STR Data
70.6% $164.41
$116.26
69.4%
$164.82
$114.51
FY2017–18 FY2017–18 FY2017–18FY2018–19 FY2018–19 FY2018–19
Occupancy % ADR RevPAR
DOWN 1.21% YOY UP 0.25% YOY DOWN 1.49% YOY/ //
Lodging PerformancePERFORMANCE SNAPSHOT
RED TIDE
Recovery Efforts
In 2018, Southwest Florida’s coastlines had the most intense red tide outbreak in
nearly half a century. Images of contaminated water and dead sea life went viral
across mainstream media, generating billions of negative impressions.
The governor declared a state of emergency in August 2018. The number of
visitors to The Beaches of Fort Myers & Sanibel decreased significantly, taking a
major toll on the tourism industry.
To offset plummeting visitation figures and attract new and past travelers to
the destination, we implemented an integrated marketing campaign with
three goals:
• Convey that water conditions in the county had returned to their
beautiful, normal state
• Notify travelers that they were welcome and encouraged to visit
• Encourage residents to support their local businesses
Campaign elements included paid media planning and placement, public
relations outreach, and social media advertising. Communication to locals
included social media advertising, local print and radio placements, and email
marketing efforts.
RED TIDE Recovery Efforts Campaign Overview
1212
RED TIDE Recovery Efforts Campaign Overview, Continued
For visitors, a tiered paid-media approach was used, which
encompassed programmatic-dynamic display, native content,
paid emails, digital broadcast extensions and linear TV. The
programmatic ads featured real-time user-generated content
(UGC) images of beach conditions. Native and email featured
destination activities while TV and broadcast extensions used the
“Sea For Yourself” copy.
Public relations outreach and crisis communication efforts were
implemented both during and post-red tide outbreak. These
efforts included:
• Media mission in New York City connecting us
with more than 100 journalists
• Satellite media tour (SMT) – TV and radio in
15-minute increments for three hours – aimed
at primary markets
• Brand partnership with Vineyard Vines
• Press trips to the destination so journalists could verify
that the beaches were back to their normal, gorgeous state
1313
RED TIDE Recovery Efforts Campaign Overview, Continued
To date, our overall efforts have garnered over 1 billion media impressions in
over 500 media placements. As a result of the media mission, a 30-minute
episode of “Raw Travel” was filmed in destination and has already aired in
more than 170 domestic markets. The SMT garnered 297 broadcast airings,
generating over 5 million positive media impressions in our key markets,
including New York, Chicago, Atlanta, Philadelphia, Hartford, Nashville,
Cleveland-Akron and more.
When Vineyard Vines launched its spring line, it promoted the destination
in its e-newsletter twice (over 1 million subscribers) and in an Instagram
post (1 million followers). Our immediate press push for feature stories
was extremely fruitful, with 16 writers traveling over three months with
assignments in The Boston Globe, Outside, Family Traveller, Travel Weekly,
Travel Pulse, National Geographic Traveler, Coastal Living, Forbes, Fodor’s
Travel and others.
1414
RED TIDE Recovery Efforts Campaign Overview, Continued
We applied for – and received – grant funds from VISIT FLORIDA that were used
in a successful mobile-first New York Times social and digital campaign, as well
as a Google DMO partnership program to assess and replace assets.
#OneLee was the home grown advocacy component to encourage support of
the local economy. It included ads in local print publications, radio, paid social, a
landing page on The Beaches of Fort Myers & Sanibel website, and eCRM efforts.
We created custom ads for local print publications and radio, geo-targeted social
advertising, and an email template for partners to send to their proprietary
databases encouraging support of their respective businesses.
1515
RED TIDE Recovery Results
PROverall, PR efforts to date have garnered more than 1 billion media impressions in over 500 media placements as a result of ongoing coverage from media relations efforts.
WEB TRAFFIC AND DESTINATION VISITATION
Partner Websites:
• Direct Inquiries: 25% increase from October (15,374) to December (19,256)
• Only includes partners who allowed us to tag their site
• Inquiries are view-throughs to partner sites after being exposed
to any placed/tracked media
Overall YoY Site Traffic: 47.84% increase from 10/29/18–12/31/19
1616
TIER 1 PAID MEDIASojern, Digilant, Expedia:
• Impressions: 23,118,974
• Inquiries: 560,191
Sojern:
• Flight Searches: 108,536
• Hotel Searches: 136,679
• Return on Ad Spend: $167.27 : $1
TIER 2 PAID MEDIANative (TripleLift):
• Inquiries: 663,936
Email (e-Target):
• Emails Delivered: 2,500,000
• Open Rate: 20.6% at 514,378
opens (vs. 10–15% benchmark)
TIER 3 PAID MEDIADigital Broadcast Extension (Teads):
• Completed Video Views: 1,144,206 (36% vs. 12% benchmark)
• Inquiries: 1,146,262
:30 TV (Boston, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Columbus, Detroit, Indianapolis,
Milwaukee, Minneapolis, St. Louis):
• Impressions: 11,595,777
#ONELEE
• Print Gross Impressions: 718,012
• Radio Gross Impressions: 913,800 + added value
• Paid Social Impressions: 243,831
• #OneLee landing page views: 6,361
• Additionally, the #OneLee campaign efforts contributed to
a 23-percent increase in attendance at the Island Hopper
Songerwriter Fest in September 2018.
PAID SOCIAL
• Landing page views: 25,503
• Impressions: 1,247,059
• Cost per page view: $0.50 (vs. $1 benchmark)
• Engagements: 51,181
MEDIA More than $3M negotiated in paid media added value
Exceeded cost-per-thousand goal of $15 at an efficient $10.45
SOCIALSocial media content generated a 30% YoY increase in traffic to FortMyers-Sanibel.com
Executed five social media sweepstakes, contests, giveaways, etc. that garnered 184,759 unique entries collectively
Partnered with 15 influencers, hosted nine in destination, to garner 6.4M impressions
ECRMLaunched new Vacation Date Reminder email series
Exceeded click-to-open rate targets for website leads, reader service leads and digital lead generation leads
PUBLIC RELATIONSGarnered 3,275,669,884 media impressions, including 74 top-tier editorial placements to-date,
including New York, Boston, Atlanta, and more
Hosted 27 journalists across eight group and individual media FAMS, from publications including National
Geographic, Forbes, Fodor’s Travel, Travel Weekly, Atlanta Journal-Constitution, and more
Hosted NYC Tap Takeover Media Event in partnership with Travel Massive and Fort Myers Brewing Co.,
and secured 60+ attendees including media, influencers and other travel industry professionals
ACCOLADESCondé Nast Traveler 2019 Readers’ Choice Awards, Top 30 Resorts in USA/Florida
The 20 Best Beaches in Florida – Fodor’s Travel
The 50 Best Vacations for Kids in the U.S. – PureWow
The 15 Best Beaches in Florida – Condé Nast Traveler
The Most Beautiful Seaside Towns in America – Reader’s Digest
Florida’s Best Beaches for a Relaxing, Sandy Getaway – Departures
SALESGroup RFP room nights sourced increased 29% Contracted group meeting room nights increased 9%
HSMAI ADRIAN AWARDS (2018 CAMPAIGNS, AWARDED FEBRUARY 2019) GOLD
Facebook Mobile Video
National Seashell Day with Guinness World Records
Summer Campaign Radio
SILVER
Wedding Niche Campaign
Following the Fictional Footsteps of Doc Ford on Two Islands
in Old Florida – feature in Lexington Herald-Leader (print with online syndication)
BRONZE
Website Personalization – Marketing Technology
ETSY AWARDS Best Use of Video
VISIT FLORIDA FLAGLER AWARDS
(2018 CAMPAIGNS, FINALISTS IN THE FOLLOWING CATEGORIES)
Direct Marketing, Vacation Reminder Email series
Mobile Marketing, Island Hopper Songwriter Festival app
Out-of-Home, Winter Direct Flights Campaign
Print Advertising, Meetings Campaign
Radio Advertising, Beach Babble
Special Event, Guinness World Records – National Seashell Day
Television Advertising, NCAA Basketball Tip-Off
Resource/Promotional Material – Consumer, Brew Trail Map
Performance Highlights AwardsACCOLADES & AWARDS
1717
FY2018–19 Targets Source FY2018–19 Results
OVERARCHING
Bed Tax Increase bed tax receipts by 1% over final FY2018 collections Audited Returns
Bed Tax FY through August 2019:
$41,114,633
up 1.2% YoY
Out-of-State Domestic Visitation Grow out-of-state visitation in paid accommodations by 2% over final FY2018 visitor count Visitor Intercept Survey
Full FY data
available until 11/14
In-State Visitation Maintain in-state visitation in paid accommodations Visitor Intercept Survey
International Visitation Increase international visitation in paid accommodations by 4% over final FY2018 Visitor Intercept Survey
Length of Stay Maintain length of stay Visitor Intercept Survey
Visitor Recall 35% or higher recall of destination advertising Visitor Intercept Survey
PAID MEDIA
Impressions 710,000,000 Ad Services 929,464,717
Total Inquiries 25,000,000 Google Analytics/DoubleClick 53,318,396
Total Leads 300,000Google Analytics/SW Direct/Exact Target/VCB/
DigiMag111,317
CPM $15 Contracts $10.70
Added-Value Placements Negotiate $2,000,000 in added-value placements Contracts $3,042,551
SOCIAL MEDIA
Facebook Followers Increase Facebook followers by 50,000 Facebook 47,353
Twitter Followers Increase Twitter followers by 3,000 Twitter 3,859
Instagram Followers Increase Instagram followers by 10,500 Instagram 13,275
Website Referrals 200,000 referrals to the website Google Analytics 242,604
Total Social Media Engagements 2.5 million engagements Facebook, Twitter, Instagram 3,969,318
Total Social Impressions 110 million impressions Facebook, Twitter 123,951,593
CHANNEL PERFORMANCE
1818
ECRM
Website Leads
Unique Open Rate Maintain a 22% open rate ExactTarget/Google Analytics 21%
Click-to-Open Increase click-to-open rate to 24% ExactTarget/Google Analytics 26%
Reader Service Leads
Unique Open Rate Obtain open rate of 15% ExactTarget/Google Analytics 16%
Click-to-Open Obtain a click-to-open rate of 19% ExactTarget/Google Analytics 28%
Digital Lead-Generation Leads
Unique Open Rate Obtain open rate of 10% ExactTarget/Google Analytics 11%
Click-to-Open Obtain click-to-open rate of 18% ExactTarget/Google Analytics 23%
All Leads
Partner Referrals 27,500 ExactTarget/Google Analytics 19,382
Guidebook Requests 3,300 ExactTarget/Google Analytics 3,134
PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT
Event Development Maintain event room night count, increase media impressions 5% Events/Venues 12% increase in room nights overall
Attractions Marketing Maintain number of attraction marketing applicants, increase visitation and impressions by 5% Applications2% increase in applicants; 18% increase in attraction
visitation; 12% increase in impressions
FY2018–19 Targets Source FY2018–19 Results
WEBSITE
Average Pages/Visit Average 2.5 pages viewed per use. This takes into account general and promotional traffic Google Analytics 2
Guidebook Conversions 1.2% of total website visitors request or view guidebook Google Analytics 1.6%
eNews Sign-Ups Capture 25,000 email opt-ins Google Analytics 39,714
Average Visit Duration Average time spent on site 2:00 Google Analytics 1:28
Lodging Partner Referrals Maintain 22% of visits to include a referral to a partner site Google Analytics 27%
CHANNEL PERFORMANCE
1919
FY2018–19 Targets Source FY2018–19 Results
INDUSTRY RELATIONS
Guests First Training 1,755 participants (+5%) and 158 CGSPs (+10%) VCB Count 1,829 (+9.5%)
Guests First Training 96 sessions (+5%) VCB Count 112 sessions up (+23%)
Team Tourism Events Host a minimum of five events VCB Count Hosted six Team Tourism partner events
Award Recognition Encourage 700 E Awards nominations VCB Count Recognition program successfully executed
Tourism AmbassadorsContinue to nurture and grow a team of over 135 well-trained
volunteer Tourism Ambassadors to assist visitorsVCB Count
135 volunteer Tourism Ambassadors and 1 student intern directly assisted over 194,000 visitors arriving at the
Southwest Florida International Airport via our five Visit Florida Certified Visitor Information Centers
MEDIA RELATIONS
Media Impressions Reach 3.2 billion global media impressions Vocus and any other monitoring services 3,275,669,884
Group and Individual Media FAMSIncrease the amount of global group and
individual FAM tours to 120VCB Count 91
Media Interviews/Desksides (media tours, phone or email interviews, events outside of destination)
Increase the number of global media engagements (media tours, phone or email interviews, events outside of destination) to 350
VCB Count 154
Top-Tier Editorial Coverage (NEW)Increase domestic tier 1 editorial coverage
(according to VCB guidelines) by 10%VCB Count 74
NJF - 154 (AFAR, Philadelphia Media Meetings, NYC Travel
Massive, IMM, NYYTT)
NJF - 74
SALES – DOMESTIC & INTERNATIONAL
Meeting/Conference Conversion Increase room nights from leads generated by VCB to 233,500 (+5%) Simpleview 286,352 (+29% growth), 123% of target attained
Meeting Leads Grow room nights contracted to 44,431 (+3%) Simpleview 46,807 (+9% growth), 105% of target attained
FAM Trips Host 125 domestic and international travel professionals VCB Count 207 travel professionals, 166% of target attained
Client Events Conduct a minimum of 30 domestic and internatioanal client events VCB Count 44 client events, 147% of target attained
Wedding Leads Increase leads generated by VCB to 246 (+5%) Simpleview 211 leads, 86% of target attained
CHANNEL PERFORMANCE
2020
Media• Shifted focus from lead-generating efforts such as seasonal sweepstakes to high-impact
integrated packages and content in order to reach prospects in a contextually relevant
environment and drive higher intent and, ultimately, bookings. Moving away from sweeps
entries as qualified leads and focusing more on tactics proven to drive brand engagement
and create brand loyalty allowed for a 112% increase in inquiries YOY.
• Negotiated over $3 million in added-value media, exceeding the goal of $2 million by 52%.
With a greater emphasis on integrated packages and high-impact media, it allowed for
consolidation of efforts, both digital and traditional, across premium publishers. This shift
also helped drive down the CPM to $10.70, out performing the goal of $15.
Web• In comparing personalized to non-personalized sessions, pages per session improved by
22.91%, time on site improved by 76.9% and bounce rate was reduced by 18.7%.
• Given the increased engagement with the website, partner referrals in personalized sessions
improved by 104.3%. We also added quarterly featured partner offers starting in Q2 2019
that continue to be well-received by users. We are testing additional placements for offers
throughout the website.
• We refreshed a series of creative assets, including assets used to promote the Visitor Guide.
Where September 2018 was the lowest of nine months for Visitor Guide requests, September
2019 was the third highest month for requests.
CHANNEL PERFORMANCEInsights and Learnings
Social • Adjusted content focus by channel to ensure content is appealing to different age
demos and gain additional share of voice across major social media platforms.
Shifting strategy led to new efforts for Island Hopper Songwriter Fest. The new
content specific to each channel magnified our reach and generated increased
YOY performance.
• Put a greater emphasis on trends per channel to ensure we’re reaching our target
audiences on the channels followers are engaged with. This insight led to our Shore
The Love campaign, which produced our strongest results for the year, including over
3.5M impressions, 9,000 new email leads, and 230,000 engagements in the span of a
month-long period.
2121
ECRM• Expanded upon content personalization based on trip timing with our Vacation Date
emails. Providing the inspirational and informational content with relevant timeliness
helped increase engagement with the series, thus keeping our engagement across all of
our emails consistent.
• Continued to optimize ongoing email campaigns by leveraging Terminal audiences
and targeting subscribers with personalized email content. Over time, subscribers will
be more engaged with our campaigns.
CHANNEL PERFORMANCEInsights and Learnings
PR• Focused on securing coverage in a mix of top-tier national and key regional media
outlets such as The Washington Post, Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Boston Magazine,
Boston Globe, Reader’s Digest, Washington Life magazine, USA Today, Lonely Planet,
Coastal Living, Travel Channel and Fodor’s Travel. This was accomplished through
a mix of proactive pitching, media missions and events in key markets, and hosting
media on trips in the destination.
• Secured broadcast coverage for full-length episode features such as “Raw Travel”,
resulting in exposure to 835,000 live viewers. Additionally, pitched short-term leads
for programs including the TODAY Show, leading to over 2,235,612 impressions across
target markets, including Cleveland, Ohio; Washington D.C.; and Austin, Texas.
2222
WE AREInnovative
Traveler SentimentTRAVEL MARKETING TRENDS
According to the third-quarter results published in MMGY Global’s travelhorizons™ report, a
study that indicates future travel spending and intentions, positive perceptions about travel
are back up after displaying a slight dip last year. The Travel Sentiment Index (TSI), a combined
measure of six travel intent and perception scores indexed against 2007 data, sits at 116. This is
up six points from the same report in 2018.
THE PRIMARY ELEMENTS DRIVING UP FUTURE TRAVEL
INTENTIONS ARE FEWER FINANCIAL WORRIES AND TIME
RESTRAINTS
Compared to the third quarter of 2018, all TSI variables displayed increases, with the largest
being perceived afford ability of travel (170), up 10 points, followed by time available for
travel (113), up eight points.
One quarter of U.S. adults (24%) plan to take more vacations during the next six months
compared to the same six months last year, while (14%) plan to take fewer, resulting in a net
10-point positive difference in travel intentions. An analysis of U.S. adults in 2018 displayed
only a 5-point positive difference in travel intentions.
Among U.S. adults who indicated they planned to take more vacations, four in 10 are doing
so because they have time to travel (40%), they need to relax (38%) or need to reconnect
with family/friends (38%). Significantly fewer U.S. adults indicate a high level of credit card
debt is affecting their likelihood to travel than indicated so last year (down from 37%
to 33%).
Source: MMGY Global, travelhorizons™, Wave III 2019
More than seven in 10 respondents
(73%) traveled for leisure in the past 12
months – up significantly from those
who reported having done so in the third
quarter of 2018 (70%).
Eight in 10 Millennials (80%) and three
quarters of Gen Xers (75%) took at least
one leisure trip during the past 12
months. Significantly more Millennials
reported taking a vacation compared to
those who did so last year (75%).
Households (88%) whose annual
incomes were over $100,000 traveled
for leisure, compared to (86%) in third
quarter 2018.
2018
2018
2018
2019
2019
2019
UP 3% YOY
UP 5% YOY
UP 2% YOY
73%
80%
88%
70%
75%
86%
2424
Overall American traveler sentiment is up, and the same can be said
for those with a stated interest in visiting The Beaches of Fort Myers
& Sanibel. In the primary national travelhorizons™ study from the
third quarter of 2019, 35% of American travelers indicate an interest in
visiting The Beaches of Fort Myers & Sanibel. This is up significantly
from 25% in 2018.
Of this 35%, 47% fall into the Millennial generation and 38% into Gen
X. Generations aside, nearly half (49%) of traveler households earning
$150,000 or more are interested in visiting within the next year.
68
62 6362
5256 55 55
Millennials Gen X Young Boomers Old Boomers Mature
2018 2019
During the Next 6 Months By Generation
Source: MMGY Global, travelhorizons™, Wave III 2019
5155
Traveler SentimentTRAVEL MARKETING TRENDS
35%of American travelers indicate an interest in visiting the destination.
halfof households earning $150,000 or more are interested in visiting.
2525
Three quarters of those interested in visiting The Beaches of Fort Myers
& Sanibel (76%) are planning to take at least one vacation during the
next six months – significantly more than U.S. adults (61%). They also
plan to take more vacations on average (3.3) than U.S. adults (2.5).
Four in ten of those interested in visiting The Beaches of Fort Myers and
Sanibel (40%) plan to take more vacations, while 13% plan to take fewer –
resulting in a net 27-point positive difference in travel intentions.
More than four in ten of those interested in visiting The Beaches of Fort
Myers and Sanibel (43%) plan to spend more on vacation, while 13% plan
to spend less – resulting in a net 30-point positive difference in travel
spending intentions.
4 in 10PLAN TO TAKE
MORE VACATIONS
Source: MMGY Global, travelhorizons™, Wave III 2019
2626
WE AREStrategic
• Grow year-round occupancy by 5%
• Grow RevPar by 15%
• Increase annual visitor spending to $3.35 billion
Source: Our Shared Vision of Tourism, 2017–2020 Lee County VCB Strategic Plan
2017–2020 STRATEGIC PLAN CRITICAL MEASURES OF SUCCESS
2828
1. Build the tourism pipeline
2. Employ “always-on” marketing
3. Promote our natural assets
4. Help our community spread our tourism story
Source: Our Shared Vision of Tourism, 2017–2020 Lee County VCB Strategic Plan
Entering 2017, the VCB embarked on creating a
refreshed and holistic three-year strategic plan
for delivering on our mission, vision and ongoing
destination marketing objectives. Within this plan,
there are four imperatives.
2929
WE AREFocused
Many Sources of InspirationThere is a sea change underway in how media is consumed and distributed in our evolving world.
While high-inspiration broadcast and traditional print venues still play an important role in
destination marketing, new digital platforms continue to provide opportunities to target travelers in
customized and more personal ways.
Integrated Media Media usage is simultaneous. Travelers are frenetic in their decision-making and use numerous
sources when planning travel. Traditional media opportunities are best layered into surround-sound
360-degree campaigns to increase scale and achieve fully integrated programs inclusive of print,
digital, social and PR extensions.
Digital TV The ways in which we can reach a consumer via TV in today’s landscape are far greater than linear
TV. eMarketer estimates 190 million people in the U.S. will use connected TVs at least once per
month in 2019, equating to nearly 57% of the general population. Advertisers now have the option to
buy via a variety of advanced TV formats, most notably connected, over-the-top and addressable TV.
We can now mirror TV targeting online. Third-party data and contextual targeting can be layered
strategically to reach viewers in the right mindset at the right time. The shift in strategy has enabled
us to move beyond standard TV demographics to target key audience attributes, making us smarter
in how we reach our key audiences.
Source: Our Shared Vision of Tourism, 2017–2020 Lee County VCB Strategic Plan
MARKETINGMedia Trends/Landscape
3131
Programmatic Cross-DeviceProgrammatic is no longer just a buzzword; it is the idea of buying media based on a
foundation of data-informed decisions. Across all channels, data is the future of how media
will be bought. And this influence is not slowing down. Targeting is inclusive of first-party
and third-party data used to create behavioral, contextual and geographic profiles. We
know that using multiple devices to research and book travel is now becoming an inherent
behavior among travelers.
Custom Content & Native Consumers are 12 times more likely to prefer a native ad versus a standard display,
according to MediaPost. While a mix of both is important for reach, native is an important
part of the media mix to expand the voice of the destination through trusted publisher
partners. Content partners distribute both editorial-style and in-page information to hit
target audiences in an authentic way across devices.
Source: Our Shared Vision of Tourism, 2017–2020 Lee County VCB Strategic Plan
MARKETINGMedia Trends/Landscape
3232
Actionable data continues to drive our marketing investments. By
leveraging a wide and intentional array of data sources, we’re able
to make informed decisions that yield efficient performance and
measurable results.
• Intentionally align each media plan component with
organizational objectives and larger account strategy
• Gain efficiencies with publisher groups to maximize investment
and strategic campaigns running across channels
• Expand addressable media approach to include new partners,
placements and targeting tactics
• Utilize new video and content platforms to deploy brand
messaging in high-indexing, premium environment
• Identify new co-op opportunities to support consumer
and group brand messaging
MARKETINGCore Objectives & Tactics for Fiscal Year 19–20
THE CORE PILLARS OF OUR FY2019–20 PLAN
3333
KEY DOMESTIC MARKETS• Balance out-of-state and
in-state spending
• Determine impression and investment market caps to eliminate waste and maximize ROI
• Select market-level media mix based on medium efficiency
MARKETINGMedia Mix
MARKET TIEROUT-OF-STATE: CORE
OUT-OF-STATE: SEASONAL OPPORTUNITY
OUT-OF-STATE: PACIFIC OPPORTUNITY
DRIVE MARKETS
WINTER
Boston
Chicago
Cincinnati
Cleveland
Columbus
Denver
Detroit
Grand Rapids
Hartford
Indianapolis
Louisville
Milwaukee
Minneapolis
New York
Pittsburg
St. Louis
Washington, DC
Kansas CityNashvillePhiladelphia
CharlotteDallasHoustonKansas CityNashvillePhiladelphia
CharlotteDallasHoustonKansas CityNashvillePhiladelphia
Los AngelesSan FranciscoSeattle
StatewideTampa Orlando Miami Atlanta
CharlotteKansas CityNashvillePhiladelphia
SPRING
SUMMER
FALL
3434
MARKETINGMedia Mix
KEY INTERNATIONAL MARKETS
• Expand consumer-facing presence in key international markets
• Canada
• Germany
• Scandinavia
• UK/Ireland
• Latin America
• Align market-level initiatives with consumer searching and booking behaviors and key conversion windows
AUG
Canada
Germany
Scandinavia
UK/Ireland
Latin American
MARKETS OCT NOV DEC JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL
3535
MARKETINGSample Flighting: Summer
BUDGETS PER MARKET
• Determine impression and investment market caps to eliminate waste and maximize ROI
• Select market-level media mix based on medium efficiency
69-DAY AVERAGE SEARCH-TO-ARRIVAL WINDOW
FEB MARCH
Prospecting
Intent
Conversion
APRIL MAY JUNE JULY AUG
Travel Period
Trip-Planning Window
Trip-Planning Media Flighting
3636
MARKETINGChannel Mix
PROSPECTING
65%
17%
18%
Owned: PR, activations, organic social
Paid: Addressable media, integrated print, digital TV,
OOH, high-impact video and display
Owned: Organic social, ECRM, web personalization
Paid: Display, video, native, mobile, endemic, paid social
Owned: ECRM, web personalization
Paid: Display, search, endemic, paid social,
lead generation
INTENT
CONVERSION
3737
ADVANCED TV
• Maximize reach and frequency by leveraging ATV
price efficiencies to expand flighting beyond linear windows
• Utilize evolving technology and digital extensions
to add additional touch points and drive to site
• Test new emerging platforms
MOBILE
Leverage moments-based technology to reach consumers when they are most receptive to
messaging, whether while planning travel or actively visiting the destination
Trip planning applications
• Use location and audience data to pinpoint various out-of-market segments
• Customize targeting and messaging (example: lunch/dinner time of day
targeting with food/restaurant shots)
• Geofence relevant events
In-market applications
• Use current location/previous location data to identify travelers
• Drive incremental economic impact by promoting in-market activities and
attractions to identified visiting devices
• Opportunity to include co-op and push points of interest and events
MARKETINGNew Tactics
• Maximize efficiencies and reach through high-impact integrated partnerships with premium publishers
• Evaluate opportunities in consideration of overarching strategy, data resources (MRI,
comScore, etc.), publisher editorial review and overall media distribution methods and scale
• Align campaigns with seasonal need periods and specific initiatives with appropriate media
flighting windows
3838
PAID SOCIAL
• COLD-WEATHER MESSAGING Encourage visitation in cold-weather markets through timely social ad placements
• TV INTEGRATION Geo target key feeder markets and match targeting to TV programming interests
included in broadcast buy
• OUT-OF-HOME GEO FENCING Geo fence OOH placements within a 5-mile radius to extend consideration and
increase brand awareness
• VIDEO Continued investment in video-first content efforts in FY2019–20, including IGTV promotion
• GERMAN FACEBOOK PAGE Drive increased website visitation and awareness of the destination to the
German market, allowing The Beaches of Fort Myers & Sanibel to increase global
reach across owned social media
GROUP MEDIA
• Maintain presence with proven performers while testing new platforms,
placement types and targeting strategies
• Deploy full-funnel messaging to generate awareness of Lee County’s
evolving offerings while also gathering qualified meeting planner, travel
agent and bridal leads
• Broaden reach with e-learning platforms, webinars, expos and social media
platforms to generate leads INTERNATIONAL
• Focus on consumer-direct initiatives to generate trackable conversions
• Align market-level initiatives with consumer searching and booking
behaviors and key conversion windows
• Maintain presence in Brand USA affinity and original programming;
leverage proven performers for international reach uplifted by Brand USA
contribution
• Test vacation rental targeting
MARKETING
3939
Williams R. Able Active, Affluent Families
Cooperative Decision-Makers
Between 30 and 51
$125K+ HHI
16% Hispanic
50% Married
86% Full-Time Employed
52% Graduate School Degrees
Going for It Active, No Kids
Primarily Male Decision-Makers
Average Age: 47
$75K+ HHI
28% Non-Caucasian
61% Unmarried
71% Full-Time Employed
33% Graduate School Degrees
Free Birds Active, Empty Nesters
Primarily Female Decision-Makers
Between 55 and 65
$100K+ HHI
43% Grandparents
76% Married
41% Part-Timers or Retired
42% Graduate School Degrees
Source: MMGY Global’s 2017–2018 Portrait of American Travelers®, travelers interested in visiting Fort Myers/Sanibel Island in the next 12 months; MMGY Terminal Audience Modeling, 2019
TARGET PERSONAS
4040
Paddles @ Play (Includes all personas) Destination Passion Points:• Kayaking the Great Calusa Blueway at locations
such as Lovers Key State Park, Mound Key, Buck Key and Pine Island
• Visiting J.N. “Ding” Darling National Wildlife Refuge for nature hikes, paddleboarding, kayaking and wildlife viewing
• Boating and island hopping throughout the destination, exploring our more than 100 barrier islands
Together & Traveling (Includes all personas)
Destination Passion Points:• Married couples traveling without
children who are looking to get away
• Interests include exploring area beaches, swimming, sunbathing, golf, shopping, historical attractions and dining
• Enjoying the laid-back atmosphere of the destination, feeling at peace with the charm of authentic Florida
Seafoodies (Includes all personas)
Destination Passion Points:• Seeks unique dining experiences and
one-of-a-kind cuisine as a focal point of their vacation
• Consumes culinary-specific content such as books, magazines, etc.
Source: MMGY Global’s 2017–2018 Portrait of American Travelers®, travelers interested in visiting Fort Myers/Sanibel Island in the next 12 months; MMGY Terminal Audience Modeling, 2019
MARKETINGAudience Profiles
4141
Theme Park Survivors (Subset of Williams R. Able persona)
Destination Passion Points:
• Soft adventure family activities, such as fishing, kayaking, swimming, sunbathing, collecting seashells and getting on the water
• Visiting attractions, such as Times Square, Edison and Ford Winter Estates, J.N. “Ding” Darling National Wildlife Refuge and charter cruises
• Exploring different parts of the county, looking for family-friendly activities suitable for older children
Snap Happy (Includes all personas)
Destination Passion Points:
• Discovering the area’s most beautiful locations to capture the best selfies
• Watching the sunset from the Fort Myers Beach Pier, photographing wildlife at the Six Mile Cypress Slough Preserve or Audubon Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary, early morning shell walks on the area’s best beaches, capturing the iconic Boca Grande and Sanibel lighthouses, and much more
Source: MMGY Global’s 2017–2018 Portrait of American Travelers®, travelers interested in visiting Fort Myers/Sanibel Island in the next 12 months; MMGY Terminal Audience Modeling, 2019
MARKETINGAudience Profiles
Fido In Tow (Includes all personas)
Destination Passion Points:
• Visiting Dog Beach Park located on the south end of Fort Myers Beach
• Dining at a selection of dog-friendly restaurants
• Enjoying outdoor activities, such as collecting seashells, hiking and nature parks where pets are allowed to accompany their owners
4242
MARKETINGFY2019–20 Recommendation Summary
SEASONALITY
Travel Period 2.5–3.5 months
Trip-Planning Window2.5–3.5 months
October 1– Decemeber 31
January 1– March 14
March 15– June 30
July 1–September 30
64 Days 67 Days 69 Days 64 Days
September 1– March 14
December 1– May 31
February 15– August 31
June 1– November 30
December 1– March 14
March 15– May 31
June 1– August 31
September 1– November 30
Snap Happy Together & Traveling
Disney Survivors
Snap Happy Fido in Tow
Paddles for Play Together & Traveling
Disney Survivors Seafoodies
Snap Happy Fido in Tow
Paddles for Play Together & Traveling
Snap Happy Fido in Tow
Together & TravelingSeafoodies
Media FlightingTrip-Planning Window
(less 30 days through travel period)
Addressable Audiences
Average Search-To-Arrvial Window
WINTER SPRING SUMMER FALL
4343 4343
WE AREMovers & Shakers
Overview TargetsSALES
Core to the VCB’s mission is the sales effort. The mission of the sales department is to
promote The Beaches of Fort Myers & Sanibel to meeting professionals, the travel trade
and leisure visitors to positively influence visitor volume. Over all, the VCB sales team
provides resources to industry partners and travel influencers to help grow conference,
business and leisure travel to Lee County.
The VCB’s meetings market has remained steady, with consistent success in booking
association meetings and conferences. The VCB’s group sales efforts performed well last
fiscal year, coming in 9% higher than the previous fiscal year. An analysis of last year’s
bookings reveals that our group business is comprised of 26% Corporate, 55% Association,
and 19% SMERF (Social, Military, Education, Religious and Fraternal).
While the group market is performing well overall, we continue to face challenges with
our international leisure traveler. Our sales efforts in the upcoming year will address these
challenges as outlined in the following plan.
With an influx of new hotels in the pipeline, the VCB sales team has its sights set on
growing room nights with a sharper focus on the most fruitful markets as well as a better
integration with Lee County’s economic development department to capitalize on local
resources, expertise and talent attraction.
• Provide resources to industry partners and travel influencers to help grow
meetings, business, and domestic and international leisure travel to Lee County
• Host 150 domestic and international travel professionals in the destination through
FAM and site tours
• Conduct a minimum of 30 domestic and international client events
• Increase meeting and conference room nights from leads generated by VCB by 5%
• Grow meeting and conference room nights contracted by 3%
• Increase destination wedding leads generated by VCB by 3%
4545
DOMESTIC TRAVELER
• Transformational Travel
Offers highly memorable, authentic experiences while connecting
people with a deeper meaning that leads to personal growth and/or
self-actualization
• Focus on Wellness
Travelers are seeking more personal enrichment including
wellness and well-being
• Personalization Is Key
Put inclusivity to work to serve the practical needs of a diverse set
of consumers
• Sustainable Travel/The End of Excess
Travelers’ eyes are opening to all kinds of waste – wasted materials,
wasted space, wasted food, wasted time and more
• Resurgence of Travel Advisors
Personal networks, relationships, destination knowledge and
planning expertise matter
Trends
4646
DOMESTIC TRAVELER
Tactics
• Promote The Beaches of Fort Myers & Sanibel in a multitude of
leisure consumer travel shows in key feeder cities
• Promote The Beaches of Fort Myers & Sanibel as a key destination
for nature activities such as ecotourism, kayaking, camping,
birding, fishing and water recreation at an array of outdoor sports
consumer shows
• Participate in multiple travel agent trade shows to build
relationships with home-based agents in key markets and top
travel agent consortia companies
• Establish new and strengthen existing relationships with key
travel agency and wholesale tour operator partners through sales
missions and targeted sales calls
• Unite efforts with economic development to identify key corporate
market segments and target travel agencies with a business travel
focus to grow corporate transient business
• Connect and work closely with local affinity organizations such as
multicultural and LGBTQ community groups to forge relationships
and create market influence
Strategy: Cultivate Relationships Strategy: Be an Agent to Agents
Tactics
• Conduct travel agent training, both classroom (in-person) and
web-based
• Promote and provide travel agents with personalized service for
destination information through the Travel Agent Help Desk
• Participate in live virtual travel agent expos
• Blitz Florida travel agencies and AAA offices on the East Coast, West
Coast and North/Central Regions
• Conduct travel agency and AAA agency presentations in primary
and secondary feeder markets utilizing GIS mapping
• Host FAM trips and site visits for domestic travel trade
4747
INTERNATIONAL
TRENDS
• Online travel agencies are growing their share of overall bookings. The challenge lies in accessibility for certain age groups
(older age groups have difficulty using online platforms and feel more comfortable and safe with a one-on-one conversation in a
travel agency)
• Restructuring of traditional large-volume tour operators due to the changing market demands and influence from online travel
agencies. Medium-sized operators are adjusting better to the challenges because of more flexibility and faster adjustment to
changes in the traveler’s booking behavior
• Social media has heavily influenced the overall travel behavior of potential visitors. The number of people planning travel online
increased to 83% in 2017. 76% of travelers see less need for offline suppliers
• Sustainable tourism is becoming more and more of a priority for younger generations
Germany
STRATEGY
• Shift marketing and sales efforts to direct to consumers
• Shift to direct sales approach with consumers rather than rely on traditional tour operators to educate travel agents
Tactics
• Use PR and social media to tell stories about more than just beach vacations; provide itineraries to key tour operators to
suggest longer stays
• Shift to direct sales approach with consumers rather than rely on traditional tour operators to educate travel agents
• Identify brands across Germany for cross-branding partnerships
Median age of visitors is 3940% travel alone38% travel with their partner
423,000visitors to the state of Florida in 2018
5.1 monthsadvance travel decision
FEB, MAR, AUG, SEPTTop Florida Travel Months
4848Source: Visit Florida 2019–2020 Plan
INTERNATIONALUnited Kingdom & Ireland
TRENDS
• Overall visitation to the U.S. is expected to be down 0.5% for 2019
• UK visitors are looking for more than just beach and good climate; there is a demand for authentic experiences,
nature and wildlife
• Over a quarter of consumers booked using online travel agencies over the last 12 months. The role of the tour operator has
changed; consumers approach the tour operator for added value and already have a destination in mind
• Social media is now influencing choice as much as traditional advertising
• Consumers are driving the demand; one of the strongest growing areas is the vacation home rental segment
STRATEGY
• Delivery digital promotions as a key driver and influence to UK and Irish consumers
Tactics
• Connect local inventory to the UK trade segment seeking vacation rentals
• Develop new product positions through vacation rentals to stay competitive against other Florida regions
Tactics
• Work with vacation home platforms and specialized operators. Connect local inventory to the UK trade segment in
demand of vacation rentals
• Define our messaging for this market, specifically targeting smaller, niche audiences
Tactics
• Focus on educating agents about unique selling points through trainings and online academy
• Work with niche operators like wildlife experts and birding operators
Median age of visitors is 4651% travel with their partner29% travel with children
1,542,000
7.3 monthsadvance travel decision
APR, MAY, AUG, SEPT, OCTTop Florida Travel Months
4949Source: Visit Florida 2019–2020 Plan
visitors to the state of Florida in 2018
INTERNATIONALCanada
TRENDS
• The exchange rate of the Canadian to U.S. dollar continues to hover around $0.76. While the Canadian dollar appreciated the last
eight months, it is forecast to face much uncertainty and remain the same for the next several years
• Direct air access to Florida from Canada is forecasted to increase 8.8 per cent from 2019–2020
• Changing Canadian Population – By 2021, 27% of the population will be millennials, and the baby boomers population will begin
to decline. As of right now, baby boomers continue to be the number one outbound traveler segment. The travel motivators for
millennials are more active, unique and instagrammable experiences
STRATEGY
• With the Canadian dollar expected to continue to see an average value in the mid-to-high seventy cent USD range through 2023,
our strategy will be to continue stressing the value for vacation dollar in The Beaches of Fort Myers & Sanibel
Tactics
• Working with the tour operators and airlines to offer competitively priced tour packages and flights from Canada will be
paramount, as well as promoting the diverse and unique vacation experiences
• Identify added-value activities and dining around the destination for key operators and airlines to offer as added value such as attraction tickets or “kids eat free” restaurant suggestions
• Promote the destination as a winter getaway, but also focus on multi generational travel and introduce a new message to the
younger audience
Tactics
• For the baby boomer, promote off winter travel and highlight the value for multi generational visits
• Add activities and experience-driven messaging through social media co-ops and niche market media outlets
52% are Boomers75% travel without children25% are Millennials
3,512,000
5.1 monthsadvance travel decision
JAN, FEB, MARTop Florida Travel Months
5050Source: Visit Florida 2019–2020 Plan
visitors to the state of Florida in 2018
INTERNATIONALScandinavia
TRENDS
• Inquiries and bookings to the U.S. are decreasing, especially from Sweden
• Unlike any other European market, the Scandinavian traveler uses the airline sites as a source of inspiration and travel
information
• The four markets within Scandinavia have grown further apart when it comes to trends and booking behavior. While the
Swedish Krona is at an unfavorable exchange rate, Norway and Denmark’s currencies are more favorable for U.S. travel
• Sustainability is a strong decision-maker for travel abroad. When it comes to picking a destination over another, the number-
one motivator is to “be-local” and partake in enriching activities benefiting the local community; 67 percent of all travelers are
interested in excursions that support the local community
• Changing behaviors and the strong sustainability movement have shifted tour operator advertising to online almost exclusively
STRATEGY
• Shift marketing and sales efforts to be aligned with the key tour operator’s strategy and evolve our consumer message
• Due to decreased number of repeat visitors to the U.S., focus on first-time visitors, predominately young families
• Cultivate partnerships with airlines and utilize their platforms for messaging to consumers
Tactics
• Create and distribute new content related to ecotourism and the nature aspect of the destination
• Inspire consumer by stronger online and social media presence
• Provide sample itineraries that are market and target audience-specific to medium-sized tour operators along with
suggestions on how to spend your day via social media
3.7 monthsadvance travel decision
DEC/JAN, FEB, MAR/APR, JUN–AUG, OCT
Top Florida Travel Months
5151Source: Brand USA 2018
1,300,000visitors to the state of Florida in 2018
GROUPS
• Meeting Demand Still Rising
But at a slower pace with shorter booking windows
• Experience
Continues to be at the heart of the meeting — authentic and genuine
life-changing experiences that truly resonate with attendees
• Sustainable Meetings
From an environmental, economic and social perspective
• Bleisure Boom/Family-Friendly Meetings
The destination is now a driving factor in conference attendance,
and must-haves are food and restaurants, beaches, warm weather,
family friendly, natural and historical sightseeing
• Safety, Crisis Management and Security (Physical and Cyber)
Is a top priority — groups are more attuned to these risks and are
making sure they have contingency plans in place
• Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)
Demand from all market segments as it encourages networking and
awareness while helping a community and leaves a legacy in the
destination
Trends
5252
GROUPSStrategy: Cultivate Relationships Strategy: Pursue High-Impact Business
Tactics
• Attend trade shows and other client-facing opportunities
to generate new business, strengthen current client
relationships, network with and educate decision-makers
with a specific focus on vertical markets
• Maintain a strong presence at all third-party planner events
and annual conferences
• Host destination previews for meeting planners and
decision-makers via FAM trips and site visits
• Refine our meeting planner e-newsletter and promote a
meeting campaign showcasing our communities, and
natural setting, inspiring innovation and productive
meetings
• Leverage resources and work cohesively with Lee County
Economic Development and Sports Development to utilize
existing relationships to drive more conferences to the
destination
Tactics
• Deploy efforts vertically targeting the following key industry segments
through meeting planner trade shows and client events as identified
in collaboration with the Lee County Economic Development Office:
Life Sciences (Medical/Healthcare/Pharmaceuticals), Technology and
Financial
• Focus on top potential production opportunities for sponsorship
investments
• Invest in destination partnerships and maximize membership programs
• Promote the Island Incentive to secure new business
• Utilize new search tool to carry out prospecting activities from more
sources and vertical markets
• Enhance VCB conference services with a meeting planner toolkit on
website to assist planners in building event attendance
• Enhance further growth of affinity groups such as the LGBTQ,
multicultural, faith-based and military markets
5353
SPORTS DEVELOPMENT
The Sports Development team markets and promotes Lee County and the
area’s sports venues to attract new and repeat sports events, tournaments
and championships that will provide economic stimulus to the community
through the pursuit of youth and amateur athletic sports events. Sports
Development works in partnership with various government and
community organizations to successfully host and service over 150 amateur
athletic events annually in the destination.
5454
Overview
TARGET AUDIENCES
Aquatic Sports
Badminton
Baseball
Beach Sports
BMX
Bowling
Boxing
Cheer
Curling
Dancing
Endurance
Events
Fencing
Figure Skating
Football
Game Fishing
Golf
Gymnastics
Ice Hockey
Lacrosse
Martial Arts
Roller Hockey
Rugby
Sailing
Soccer
Softball
Swimming
Table Tennis
Team Handball
Trail Running
Volleyball
Water Sports
Wrestling
Target
Generate at least 150,000 hotel room nights through sports tourism
event and business activities.
• Rise of e-Sports
Multiplayer video game competitions that are spectator-friendly, typically
played by professional gamers
• Popularity of Non traditional Sports
Sports such as pickleball, ultimate Frisbee, drone racing and trail running
• Rapidly Changing Landscape of Sports Facility Development
Multi-field, multi-sport facilities are being planned, designed and constructed
throughout the United States, but especially in southern states (Texas, Georgia,
Alabama, Florida)
Tactics
• Increase room nights by soliciting new state, regional, national and
international sporting events, thus creating an increase in economic
impact from sports tourism
• Retain 90% of current sports business as repeat business
• Solicit international sports business; attract a minimum of 10
international teams to participate in Lee County sports tourism events
• Identify two new sports shows to attend, further diversifying our sports
client base, and host at least one targeted sports business meeting/
convention annually
• Continue to diversify Lee County’s tourist economy through alignment
with organizers who can bring sports events to the area
• Strengthen local partnerships and interdepartmental relationships
• Increase the visibility and community awareness of Lee County Sports
5555
SPORTS DEVELOPMENTTrends Strategies
WE AREMaking a Splash
PUBLIC RELATIONS
OVERVIEW
The communications team supports the marketing of The Beaches of Fort Myers &
Sanibel with proactive, results-oriented strategies that follow the best practices of tourism
communications. Working with journalists locally, nationally and internationally, in
addition to regional partners in Florida, the team provides messaging and compelling
reasons to visit and repeatedly visit the destination.
TARGETS
• The following targets are a joint effort between the VCB and its domestic
and international PR agencies:
• Reach 3.2 billion global media impressions
• Increase the amount of global group and individual FAM tours to 120 (+10%)
• Increase global Tier 1 editorial coverage by 10%
5757
MEDIA TRENDS
TRAVEL MEDIA ARE MOST INTERESTED IN COVERING:
• Significant destination news, including new infrastructure,
offerings, airlift, etc.
• Unique and transformational experiences that are authentic
to destinations
• Environmentally and sustainability-conscious angles
• Travel dispersal in the wake of over tourism
• Wellness offerings
• Instagrammable holidays
• Superlative lists
• Pop-up experiences, cultural events and natural phenomenon
• Colorful personalities with interesting stories to tell
• Regional partnerships that go beyond the hyperlocal
5858
TARGET MARKETS & AUDIENCES• Top National Markets
New York, Atlanta, Chicago, Minneapolis–St. Paul, St. Louis, Indianapolis,
Washington, D.C., Boston, Cleveland, Cincinnati, Columbus, Denver,
Detroit, Grand Rapids, Hartford, Louisville, Milwaukee, Pittsburgh
• Secondary National Markets
Dallas, Philadelphia, Houston, Kansas City, Nashville, Charlotte, Atlanta,
Los Angeles, San Francisco, Seattle
• International Markets
Canada, Germany, United Kingdom, Scandinavia
• In-State Markets
Miami/Fort Lauderdale, Tampa/St. Petersburg, Orlando, West Palm Beach
• Interest Groups
Families and multi generational travelers, millennials, couples,
weddings/honeymoons, beach and water sport fans, eco/sustainable
tourism travelers, adventure/nature/wildlife enthusiasts, boating
community, fishing aficionados, culture hounds, travel agents, meeting
planners
Tactics
• Spotlight travel opportunities showcasing all the destination has to offer (culinary,
culture, family offerings, romance, wellness and wildlife/nature).
• Follow an editorial pitch calendar, proactively sending customized pitches to generate
a steady flow of domestic and international editorial coverage in core demographic
markets plus niche verticals, including culinary, culture, family, men’s and women’s
interest, outdoor recreation, bridal/romance, trade, wellness and nature/wildlife outlets.
• Focus on publications, partnerships and activations that reach Boomers, Gen X and
Millennial families to incite new and returning visits.
• Host regular cadence of individual and group press trips (4-6 media) with domestic
and international media to promote different story angles. Potential press trip themes
include Culture, Wellness, Fishing and Boating, Wildlife and Nature, Spring Training
and Off-the-Water Activities.
• Coordinate media tours in key markets throughout the year with consumer lifestyle,
travel and trade media to keep the destination front of mind for feature and roundup
stories.
• Host media and consumer-facing events in key and emerging markets that showcase
the destination in a fresh and newsworthy way.
• Continue to craft pitches for TV programs covering a broad spectrum of story ideas,
tailored for each format and audience.
• Beyond the core program, continually explore novel ways to elevate the destination
through strategic alliances, partnerships and packages riding current trends.
• Continue aligning paid, earned and owned media opportunities.
5959
WE AREHelpful
OverviewVISITOR SERVICES
6161
Visitor Services encompasses community and volunteer relations efforts to provide a
positive tourism experience to visitors and local residents throughout the destination.
Volunteer Tourism Ambassadors assist travelers with tourism information and guidance,
provide tourism education outreach to industry partners, and support Value of Tourism
initiatives throughout the community.
TARGETS
• Produce a minimum of three Team Tourism events that provide partner engagement
and education that benefits tourism industry growth
• Encourage more Elaine McLaughlin Outstanding Hospitality Service Awards
nominations to recognize the powerful impact tourism workers have on ensuring a
visitor has a successful destination experience
Targets continue to nurture and grow a team of 135 well-trained
volunteer Tourism Ambassadors to assist visitors at:
• Southwest Florida International Airport
• U.S. Customs and Border Protection APC Kiosks and with TSA support
• JetBlue Park and CenturyLink Sports Complex/Hammond Stadium for mobile information kiosks during spring training games
• Information desks at tourism-focused community events, festivals and conferences
TOURISM AMBASSADORS
WE AREFriendly
GUESTS FIRST
PARTICIPANTS – 1920 +5%
CGSP’S – 249 +10% from FY2018–19
SESSIONS – 117 sessions up +5%
WORKFORCE PARTICIPANTS – 25 Individuals
6363
Overview
Guests First is a free educational program for Lee County hospitality employees that offers
customer service skills training to front-line and management professionals. The sessions
are interactive and original. They offer a unique opportunity to be honest, create self-
awareness of our interactions with others, and have fun during the process!
FY2018–19 TARGETS
WE AREDriven
Source FY2019–20 Target
OVERARCHING
Bed Tax Audited Returns Increase bed tax receipts by 2% over final FY18–19 collections
Out-of-State Domestic Visitation Visitor Intercept Survey Grow out-of-state visitation in paid accommodations by 2% over final FY18–19 visitor count
In-State Visitation Visitor Intercept Survey Grow in-state visitation in paid accommodations by 2% over final FY18–19
International Visitation Visitor Intercept Survey Maintain international visitation in paid accommodations over final FY18–19
Length of Stay Visitor Intercept Survey Maintain length of stay
Visitor Recall Visitor Intercept Survey 35% or higher recall of destination advertising
PAID MEDIA
Impressions Ad Services 850,000,000
Total Engagement Google Analytics/DoubleClick/Paid Social 30,000,000
Total Inquiries Google Analytics/DoubleClick/Paid Social 350,000
CPM Contracts $13.00
Added-Value Placements Contracts $2.5 million
SOCIAL MEDIA
Channel Growth Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, YouTube Increase total channel growth by 30,000
Website Referrals Google Analytics Increase website referrals by 7.5%
Total Social Media Engagements Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, YouTube 2.8 million engagements
Total Social Impressions Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, YouTube 120 million impressions
WEBSITE
Average Pages/Visit Google Analytics Average 2.5 pages viewed per use. This takes into account general and promotional traffic
Guidebook Conversions Google Analytics 1.2% of total website visitors request or view guidebook
eNews Sign-Ups Google Analytics Capture 25,000 email opt-ins
Average Visit Duration Google Analytics Average time spent on site 2:00
Lodging Partner Referrals Google Analytics Maintain 22% of visits to include a referral to a partner site
FY2019–20 TARGETS
SALES – INTERNATIONAL & DOMESTIC LEISURE
Meeting/Conference Conversion Simpleview Increase room nights from leads generated by VCB to 300,670 (+5%)
Meeting Leads Simpleview Grow room nights contracted to 48,211 (+3%)
FAM Trips VCB Count Host 150 domestic & international travel professionals
Client Events VCB Count Conduct a minimum of 30 domestic & international client events
Wedding Leads Simpleview Increase leads generated by VCB to 217 (+3%)
6565
PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT
Event Development Events/Venues Maintain event room night count, increase media impressions 5%
Attractions Marketing Applications Maintain number of Attraction marketing applicants, increase visitation & impressions by 5%
INDUSTRY RELATIONS
Guests First Training VCB Count Participants – 1,920 (+5%); CGSP’s – 249 (+10%)
Guests First Training VCB Count 117 sessions (+5%)
Team Tourism Events VCB Count Host a minimum of five events
Award Recognition VCB Count Encourage 800 E Awards nominations
Tourism Ambassadors VCB CountWorkforce participants – 25 individuals
MEDIA RELATIONS
Media Impressions Vocus and any other monitoring services Reach 3.2 billion global media impressions
Group and Individual Media FAMS VCB Count Increase the amount of global group and individual FAM tours to 120
Media Interview/Desksides (media tours, phone or email interviews, events outside of destination)
VCB CountIncrease the number of global media engagements (media tours, phone or email interviews, events outside of destination) to 350
Top-Tier Editorial Coverage (New) VCB Count Increase global tier 1 editorial coverage (according to VCB guidelines) by 10%
FY2019–20 TARGETS
Source FY2019–20 Target
ECRM
Website Leads
Unique Open Rate Exact Target/Google Analytics Obtain a 21% open rate
Click-to-Open Exact Target/Google Analytics Increase click-to-open rate to 25%
Reader Service Leads
Unique Open Rate Exact Target/Google Analytics Increase open rate to 16%
Click-to-Open Exact Target/Google Analytics Obtain a click-to-open rate of 20%
Digital Lead Generation Leads
Unique Open Rate Exact Target/Google Analytics Maintain open rate of 10%
Click-to-Open Exact Target/Google Analytics Maintain click-to-open rate of 18%
All Leads
Partner Referrals Exact Target/Google Analytics 24,000
Guidebook Requests Exact Target/Google Analytics 3,300
6666
How we Define Engagements and InquiriesIn order to maintain industry relevance we are shifting the way we define
and measure goals for FY2019–20. These specific definitions are as follows:
FY 2019–2020 TARGETS
KPI CATEGORY
ENGAGEMENT
Website Engagements Paid search web sessions, digital media pageviews and on-site engagements, paid social landing pageviews
Google Analytics, DCM, Facebook Business Manager
DCM, Vendor Provided, Facebook Business Manager
DCM, Facebook Business Manager
Media vendor provided
Google Analytics, DCM, Facebook Business Manager
Google Analytics, DCM, Facebook Business Manager
Google Analytics, DCM, Facebook Business Manager
Google Analytics, DCM, Facebook Business Manager
100% video completions
Post engagement from paid social and rich media interactions from media
Custom content pageviews
E-news subscribers and opt-ins direct from paid search, paid social and digital media
Guide request submissions direct from paid search, paid social and digital media
Clicks to digital guidebook direct from paid search, paid social and digital media
Partner referrals from website directly attributed to paid social, paid search and media + partner clicks on media
and paid social ads
Video completions
Rich media/post interactions
Off-site engagement
E-newsletter sign-ups
Guide requests
Digital guide views
Partner referrals
INQUIRY
KPI METRICS DATASOURCE
6767
Amanda AuerTourism & Hospitality Coordinatoraauer@leegov.com
Annie BanionAdministrative Specialist, Communications abanion@leegov .com Berta MaldonadoFiscal Officer, Senior bmaldonado@leegov.com
Brian OsoskyMarketing Directorbososky@leegov.com
Brittany BremerVisitor Services Coordinator bbremer@leegov.com
Candice CoccoTourism Sales Manager/Motorcoach/SMERFccocco@leegov.com
Charm EvansInternational Sales Coordinatorcevans@leegov.com
Courtney HerslContent Marketing Managerchersl@leegov.com
Erin CongreganeSouthern Region Sales Managerecongregane@leegov.com
Erin JunkinAdministrative Specialist, Sales ejunkin@leegov.com
Fran BelascoAdministrative Directorfbelasco@leegov.com
Francesca DonlanCommunications Director fdonlan@leegov.com
Jackie ParkerCommunications Managerjparker2@leegov.com
Jason GlasscockHospitality Training Coordinatorkglasscock@leegov.com
Jennifer WallaSales Coordinator,Travel Agent Help Deskjwalla@leegov.com
Jill Vance Sales Director jvance@leegov.com
Joan BarkowskiDomestic Sales Coordinator jbarkowski@leegov.com
Joshua LambertMarketing Coordinatorjlambert@leegov.com
Judi DurantVisitor Services Directorjdurant@leegov.com
Lesley-Ann ThompsonMarketing Manager, Campaigns & Programslathompson@leegov.com
Lisa HarmerFiscal Specialistlharmer@leegov.com
Lucy MaldonadoFiscal Managerlmaldonado@leegov.com
Miriam Dotson Communications Manager mdotson@leegov.com
Nancy MacpheeProgram Manager, Product Developmentnmacphee@leegov.com
Nicole King-SmithTourism Education Managernking@leegov.com
Pam BrownConference & Event Managerpbrown@leegov.com
Pamela JohnsonDeputy Directorpjohnson@leegov.com
Ray SarracinoCommunications Manager rsarracino@leegov.com
Simone Behr Visitor Services Supervisor sbehr@leegov.com
Stefanie Zinke International Sales Manager szinke@leegov.com
Tamara PigottExecutive Director tpigott@leegov.com
Thomas DerathéAdministrative Assistanttderathe@leegov.com
Tommy CasselVisitor Services Coordinator tcassel@leegov.com
WE ARECollaborative
STAFF DIRECTORY
6868
IMAGE HERE
Domestic
Betsy BushNortheast Region Sales Manager bbush@leegov.com
Jerry TerpMidwest Region Sales Manager jterp@leegov.com
Shelley CrantSales & Public Relations Manager scrant@leegov.com
Canada
Jeanette FariaAccount Managerjeanette@voxtm.ca
Shahfreen ElaviaPublic Relations Manager shahfreen@voxinternational.com
STAFF DIRECTORY
Germany, Austria & Switzerland
Dorothea HohnManaging Director fortmyers-sanibel@gce-agency.com
Gabriele (Gabi) Kuminek Public Relations Manager fortmyerssanibel@gce-agency.com
Nadia Bourgault Sales & Marketing Manager fortmyers-sanibel@gce-agency.com
United Kingdom, Ireland & Scandinavia
Rob WilsonSales, Marketing & Public Relations Account Directorrob.wilson@fourcommunications.com
Frances AmissahPublic Relations Account Managerfortmyers@fourcommunications.com
6969