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


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


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):


#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


• 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


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


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.

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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


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


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


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.


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.


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


Free Birds Active, Empty Nesters

Primarily Female Decision-Makers

Between 55 and 65

$100K+ HHI

43% Grandparents

76% Married

41% Part-Timers or Retired


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.


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)


• 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


MARKETINGAudience Profiles

Fido In Tow (Includes all personas)


• 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


Paddles for Play Together & Traveling


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


APR, MAY, AUG, SEPT, OCTTop Florida Travel Months


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


JAN, FEB, MARTop Florida Travel Months


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


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

http://mmgy-leecounty-prod-new-ws-authoring.mmghost.com/media/34661/master-tradeshow-calendar-2019-20.pdf

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





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 [email protected]

Annie BanionAdministrative Specialist, Communications abanion@leegov .com Berta MaldonadoFiscal Officer, Senior [email protected]

Brian OsoskyMarketing [email protected]

Brittany BremerVisitor Services Coordinator [email protected]

Candice CoccoTourism Sales Manager/Motorcoach/[email protected]

Charm EvansInternational Sales [email protected]

Courtney HerslContent Marketing [email protected]

Erin CongreganeSouthern Region Sales [email protected]

Erin JunkinAdministrative Specialist, Sales [email protected]

Fran BelascoAdministrative [email protected]

Francesca DonlanCommunications Director [email protected]

Jackie ParkerCommunications [email protected]

Jason GlasscockHospitality Training [email protected]

Jennifer WallaSales Coordinator,Travel Agent Help [email protected]

Jill Vance Sales Director [email protected]

Joan BarkowskiDomestic Sales Coordinator [email protected]

Joshua LambertMarketing [email protected]

Judi DurantVisitor Services [email protected]

Lesley-Ann ThompsonMarketing Manager, Campaigns & [email protected]

Lisa HarmerFiscal [email protected]

Lucy MaldonadoFiscal [email protected]

Miriam Dotson Communications Manager [email protected]

Nancy MacpheeProgram Manager, Product [email protected]

Nicole King-SmithTourism Education [email protected]

Pam BrownConference & Event [email protected]

Pamela JohnsonDeputy [email protected]

Ray SarracinoCommunications Manager [email protected]

Simone Behr Visitor Services Supervisor [email protected]

Stefanie Zinke International Sales Manager [email protected]

Tamara PigottExecutive Director [email protected]

Thomas DerathéAdministrative [email protected]

Tommy CasselVisitor Services Coordinator [email protected]

WE ARECollaborative

STAFF DIRECTORY

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Domestic

Betsy BushNortheast Region Sales Manager [email protected]

Jerry TerpMidwest Region Sales Manager [email protected]

Shelley CrantSales & Public Relations Manager [email protected]

Canada

Jeanette FariaAccount [email protected]

Shahfreen ElaviaPublic Relations Manager [email protected]

STAFF DIRECTORY

Germany, Austria & Switzerland

Dorothea HohnManaging Director [email protected]

Gabriele (Gabi) Kuminek Public Relations Manager [email protected]

Nadia Bourgault Sales & Marketing Manager [email protected]

United Kingdom, Ireland & Scandinavia

Rob WilsonSales, Marketing & Public Relations Account [email protected]

Frances AmissahPublic Relations Account [email protected]

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http://mmgy-leecounty-prod-new-ws-authoring.mmghost.com/media/34661/master-tradeshow-calendar-2019-20.pdf

2019-2020 SALES & MARKETING PLAN

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Transcript of 2019-2020 SALES & MARKETING PLAN