2019-2020 SALES & MARKETING PLAN - Lee County Visitor ...

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2019-2020 SALES & MARKETING PLAN - Lee County Visitor ...
2019-2020 SALES &
MARKETING PLAN
2019-2020 SALES & MARKETING PLAN - Lee County Visitor ...
2019-2020 SALES & MARKETING PLAN - Lee County Visitor ...
TABLE OF
  Contents                                         WE ARE STRATEGIC
                                                   Strategic Plan..................27
                                                   WE ARE FOCUSED
                                                                                               WE ARE MAKING
                                                                                               A SPLASH
                                                                                               Public Relations...........57
  VCB INTRODUCTION                                 Marketing.........................31
  Message from                                     Core Objectives                             WE ARE HELPFUL
  Executive Director.................4
                                                   & Tactics...........................33      Visitor Services............61
  Mission....................................5
                                                   Media Mix.........................34
  Vision.......................................6
                                                   Seasonality/Flighting.....36                WE ARE FRIENDLY
                                                   Channel Mix.....................37          Guest First....................63
  WE ARE GO-GETTERS                                New Tactics......................38
  Performance Snapshot..........8
                                                   Audiences & Personas....40                  WE ARE DRIVEN
  Red Tide Recovery Efforts....11
                                                                                               FY 2019-20 Targets.....65
  Accolades & Awards..............17
                                                   WE ARE MOVERS
  Channel Performance..........18
                                                   & SHAKERS                                   WE ARE COLLABORATIVE
                                                   Sales..................................45   Staff Directory &
  WE ARE INNOVATIVE                                Domestic Traveler..........46               International Contractors....68
  Travel Marketing Trends.....24
                                                   International...................48
                                                   Group................................52
                                                   Sports Development.......54
2019-2020 SALES & MARKETING PLAN - Lee County Visitor ...
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.

     WE ARE
                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

    Welcoming
                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. WAfter all,
                we are one tourism family, and together we can meet any challenge.

                Warm Regards,

                Tamara Pigott
                Executive Director

4                                                                                                     4
2019-2020 SALES & MARKETING PLAN - Lee County Visitor ...
To serve the broader social
              and economic interests of

     Our
               Lee County by marketing
              the destination, facilitating

    Mission
                 travel to the area, and
                showcasing its unique
              attributes for the continual
              benefit of residents and the
              travel and tourism industry.

5                                          5
2019-2020 SALES & MARKETING PLAN - Lee County Visitor ...
To continue

                                 Our
      to build Lee County’s
          reputation as

                                  Vision
    one of the most naturally
    beautiful and sought-after
     tourism destinations in
            the world.

6                                          6
2019-2020 SALES & MARKETING PLAN - Lee County Visitor ...
WE ARE
Go-Getters
2019-2020 SALES & MARKETING PLAN - Lee County Visitor ...
PERFORMANCE SNAPSHOT
    Visitation and Spending

    Visitation                                                                           Expenditures

                                                                                               $3,139,930,797
                          3,893,251
                                                                                                                $2,663,696,764
                                                                             2,882,320

                    795,323
                                                                          524,659

            444,394
                                                                     267,229

                 FY2017–18                                             FYTD2018–19              FY2017–18         FYTD2018–19
                   (Oct - Sept)                                           (Oct - June)           (Oct - Sept)       (Oct - June)

           Out-Of-State                    International                In-State
           Visitation                      Visitation                   Visitation

    Source: Davidson Peterson & Associates and Downs & St. Germain
8                                                                                                                                  8
2019-2020 SALES & MARKETING PLAN - Lee County Visitor ...
PERFORMANCE SNAPSHOT
                                                                         Southwest Florida
                                                                         International Airport (RSW)
        Bed Tax                                                          Passenger Arrivals
                        $42,110,223
                                                $41,114,633
                                                                                                                    4,943,615
                                                                                          4,594,287

                         FY2017–18             FYTD2018-19                                FY2017–18                FYTD2018–19
                           (Oct - Sept)       (Through August 2019)

                                                                                                    UP   7.6% YOY
                                          1.2% YOY

                                                                                                       /
                        PACING UP
                                          /

    Source: Lee County Clerk of Courts                                Source: Lee County Port Authority Department of Communication and Marketing
9                                                                                                                                            9
2019-2020 SALES & MARKETING PLAN - Lee County Visitor ...
PERFORMANCE SNAPSHOT
     Lodging Performance

                    Occupancy %                           ADR                  RevPAR

                                                                $164.82
                        70.6%                   $164.41
                                     69.4%
                                                                          $116.26
                                                                                         $114.51

                   FY2017–18        FY2018–19   FY2017–18   FY2018–19     FY2017–18     FY2018–19

                    DOWN        1.21% YOY         UP   0.25% YOY           DOWN     1.49% YOY
                                /

                                                                                  /
     Source: STR Data
                                                       /
10                                                                                                  10
RED TIDE
Recovery Efforts
RED TIDE Recovery Efforts
     Campaign Overview

     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.

12                                                                                       12
RED TIDE Recovery Efforts
     Campaign Overview

     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

13                                                                       13
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.

14                                                                              14
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.

15                                                                                           15
RED TIDE Recovery Results                                                              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
      TIER 1 PAID MEDIA                                   TIER 2 PAID MEDIA
                                                                                                     to any placed/tracked media
      Sojern, Digilant, Expedia:                          Native (TripleLift):
      • Impressions: 23,118,974                           • Inquiries: 663,936              Overall YoY Site Traffic: 47.84% increase from 10/29/18–12/31/19

      • Inquiries: 560,191                                Email (e-Target):
          Sojern:                                                                           PR
                                                          • Emails Delivered: 2,500,000
          • Flight Searches: 108,536                      • Open Rate: 20.6% at 514,378     Overall, PR efforts to date have garnered more than 1 billion media impressions in
          • Hotel Searches: 136,679                                                         over 500 media placements as a result of ongoing coverage from media relations efforts.
                                                             opens (vs. 10–15% benchmark)
          • Return on Ad Spend: $167.27 : $1

                                                                                            PAID SOCIAL
                                                                                            • Landing page views: 25,503
                                                                                            • Impressions: 1,247,059
        TIER 3 PAID MEDIA                                                                   • Cost per page view: $0.50 (vs. $1 benchmark)
        Digital Broadcast Extension (Teads):                                                • Engagements: 51,181

        • Completed Video Views: 1,144,206 (36% vs. 12% benchmark)
        • Inquiries: 1,146,262                                                              #ONELEE
        :30 TV (Boston, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Columbus, Detroit, Indianapolis,             • Print Gross Impressions: 718,012
        Milwaukee, Minneapolis, St. Louis):
                                                                                            • Radio Gross Impressions: 913,800 + added value
        • Impressions: 11,595,777                                                           • 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 of 2018.

16                                                                                                                                                                        16
ACCOLADES & AWARDS
     Performance Highlights                                                                                                Awards
     MEDIA                                                                                                                 HSMAI ADRIAN AWARDS
     More than $3M negotiated in paid media added value                                                                    (2018 CAMPAIGNS, AWARDED FEBRUARY 2019)
     Exceeded cost per thousand goal of $15 at an efficient $10.45
                                                                                                                           GOLD
     SOCIAL                                                                                                                Facebook Mobile Video
     Social media content generated a 30% YOY increase in traffic to fortmyers-sanibel.com                                 National Seashell Day w/ Guinness World Records
     Executed five social media sweepstakes, contests, giveaways, etc. that garnered 184,759 unique entries collectively   Summer Campaign Radio
     Partnered with 15 influencers, hosted nine in destination, to garner 6.4M impressions
                                                                                                                           SILVER
     ECRM                                                                                                                  Wedding Niche Campaign
     Launched new Vacation Date Reminder email series                                                                      Following the Fictional Footsteps of Doc Ford on Two Islands
     Exceeded click-to-open rate targets for website leads, reader service leads and digital lead generation leads         in Old Florida - feature in Lexington Herald-Leader (print w/ online syndication)

                                                                                                                           BRONZE
     PUBLIC RELATIONS
                                                                                                                           Website Personalization - Marketing Technology
     Garnered 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                             ETSY AWARDS
     Hosted NYC Tap Takeover Media Event in partnership with Travel Massive & Fort Myers Brewing Co.,                      Best Use of Video
     and secured 60+ attendees including media, influencers and other travel industry professionals

     ACCOLADES
     Condé Nast Traveler 2019 Readers’ Choice Awards, Top 30 Resorts in USA/Florida                                        VISIT FLORIDA FLAGLER AWARDS
     The 20 Best Beaches in Florida - Fodor’s Travel                                                                       (2018 CAMPAIGNS, FINALISTS IN THE FOLLOWING CATEGORIES:)
     The 50 Best Vacations for Kids in the U.S. - PureWow
     The 15 Best Beaches in Florida - Condé Nast Traveler                                                                  Direct Marketing, Vacation Reminder Email series
     The Most Beautiful Seaside Towns in America - Reader’s Digest                                                         Mobile Marketing, Island Hopper Songwriter Festival app
     Florida’s Best Beaches for a Relaxing, Sandy Getaway - Departures                                                     Out-of-Home, Winter Direct Flights Campaign
                                                                                                                           Print Advertising, Meetings Campaign
     SALES                                                                                                                 Radio Advertising, Beach Babble
     Group RFP room nights sourced increased 29%                                                                           Special Event, Guiness World Records - National Seashell Day
     Contracted group meeting room nights increased 9%                                                                     Television Advertising, NCAA Basketball Tip-Off
                                                                                                                           Resource/Promotional Material-Consumer, Brew Trail Map

17                                                                                                                                                                                                             17
CHANNEL PERFORMANCE
                                                                           FY2018–19 Targets                                                          Source                             FY2018–19 Results

     OVERARCHING

                                                                                                                                                                                   Bed Tax FY through August 2019:
     Bed Tax                                          Increase bed tax receipts by 1% over final FY2018 collections.                              Audited Returns                            $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
     In-State Visitation                                  Maintain in-state visitation in paid accommodations                                 Visitor Intercept Survey
                                                                                                                                                                                             Full FY data
     International Visitation               Increase international visitation in paid accommodations by 4% over final FY2018                  Visitor Intercept Survey
                                                                                                                                                                                         available until 11/14
     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
                                                                                                                                    Google Analytics/SW Direct/Exact Target/VCB/
     Total Leads                                                                 300,000                                                              DigiMag                                   111,317

     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

18                                                                                                                                                                                                                   18
CHANNEL PERFORMANCE
                                                                          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                                 1.60%
     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%

     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
                                                                                                                                                                  2% increase in applicants; 18% increase in attraction
     Attractions Marketing           Maintain number of attraction marketing applicants, increase visitation & impressions by 5%           Applications
                                                                                                                                                                        visitation; 12% increase in impressions

19                                                                                                                                                                                                        19
CHANNEL PERFORMANCE
                                                                         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
                                                                                                                                                                 135 volunteer Tourism Ambassadors and 1 student intern
                                                    Continue to nurture and grow a team of over 135 well-trained                                                    directly assisted over 194,000 visitors arriving at the
     Tourism Ambassadors                                                                                                            VCB Count
                                                          volunteer Tourism Ambassadors to assist visitors                                                        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

                                                              Increase the amount of global group and
     Group and Individual Media FAMS                                                                                                VCB Count                                                91
                                                                    individual FAM tours to 120

     Media Interviews/Desksides (media tours,
                                                  Increase the number of global media engagements (media tours,
     phone or email interviews, events outside                                                                                      VCB Count                                               154
                                                   phone or email interviews, events outside of destination) to 350
     of destination)
                                                             Increase domestic tier 1 editorial coverage
     Top-Tier Editorial Coverage (NEW)                                                                                              VCB Count                                                74
                                                               (according to VCB guidelines) by 10%
                                                                                                                                                                NJF - 154 (AFAR, Philadelphia Media Meetings, NYC Travel

     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),
                                                                                                                                                                                 Massive,   105%NYYTT)
                                                                                                                                                                                          IMM,   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
                                                                                                                                                                                          NJF - 74
     Wedding Leads                                          Increase leads generated by VCB to 246 (+5%)                           Simpleview                                 211 leads, 86% of target attained

20                                                                                                                                                                                                            20
CHANNEL PERFORMANCE
     Insights and Learnings

     Media                                                                                             Social
     • Shifted focus from lead-generating efforts such as seasonal sweepstakes to high-impact,         • Adjusted content focus by channel to ensure content is appealing to different age
       integrated packages and content in order to reach prospects in a contextually relevant            demos and to gain additional share of voice across major social media platforms.
       environment and drive higher intent and, ultimately, bookings. Moving away from sweeps            Shifting strategy led to new efforts for Island Hopper Songwriter Fest. The new
       entries as qualified leads and focusing more on tactics proven to drive brand engagement          content specific to each channel magnified our reach and generated increased
       and create brand loyalty allowed for a 112% increase in inquiries YOY.                            YOY performance.
     • Negotiated over $3 million in added value media exceeding the goal of $2 million by 52%.        • Put a greater emphasis on trends per channel to ensure we’re reaching our target
       With a greater emphasis on integrated packages and high-impact media, it allowed for              audiences on the channels followers are engaged with. This insight led to our Shore
       consolidation of efforts, both digital and traditional, across premium publishers. This shift     The Love campaign, which produced our strongest results for the year including over
       also helped drive down the CPM to $10.70, out-performing the goal of $15.                         3.5M impressions, 9,000 new email leads, and 230k engagements in the span of a
                                                                                                         month-long period.
     Web
     • In comparing personalized to non-personalized sessions, pages per session were improved
       22.91%, time on site was improved 76.9% and bounce rate was reduced 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.

21                                                                                                                                                                                 21
CHANNEL PERFORMANCE
     Insights and Learnings

     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.

     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.

22                                                                                              22
WE ARE
Innovative
TRAVEL MARKETING TRENDS
     Traveler Sentiment

     According to the third-quarter results published in MMGY Global’s travelhorizons™ report, a          THE PRIMARY ELEMENTS DRIVING UP FUTURE TRAVEL
     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
                                                                                                          INTENTIONS ARE FEWER FINANCIAL WORRIES OR TIME
     measure of six travel intent and perception scores indexed against 2007 data, sits at 116. This is   RESTRAINTS
     up six points from the same report in 2018.
                                                                                                          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
                                                               More than seven in 10 respondents
               73%                                             73% traveled for leisure in the past 12
                                                                                                          travel (113), up eight points.
      70%                                                      months – up significantly from those
                                                                                                          One quarter of U.S. adults 24% plan to take more vacations during the next six months
                                                               who reported having done so in the third
                                                                                                          compared to the same six months last year while 14% plan to take fewer, resulting in a net
                                                               quarter of 2018 70%.
       2018     2019                           80%                                                        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.
         UP   3% YOY                 75%                       Eight in 10 Millennials 80% and three
                                                               quarters of Gen Xers 75% took at least
                                                                                                          Among U.S. adults who indicated they planned to take more vacations, four in 10 are doing
                                                               one leisure trip during the past 12
                                                                                                          so because they have time to travel 40%, they need to relax 38% or need to reconnect with
                                                               months. Significantly more Millennials
                                       2018     2019                                                      family/friends 38%. Significantly fewer U.S. adults indicate a high level of credit card debt is
                                                               reported taking a vacation compared to
                        88%              UP   5% YOY           those who did so last year 75%.
                                                                                                          affecting their likelihood to travel than indicated so last year (down from 37% to 33%).

               86%
                                                               Households 88% whose annual incomes
                                                               were over $100,000 traveled for leisure
                                                               compared to 86% in third quarter 2018.
                2018     2019

                 UP    2% YOY
      Source: MMGY Global, travelhorizons™, Wave III 2019
24                                                                                                                                                                                                           24
TRAVEL MARKETING TRENDS
     Traveler Sentiment

     During the Next 6 Months                                                           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
     By Generation                                                                      & 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
             68
                                                                                        from 25% in 2018.
      62                    62      63
                                                     56           55          55   55

                                                                                            35%
                                                           52           51                                                of American travelers
                                                                                                                          indicate an interest in
                                                                                                                          visiting the destination.

                                                                                        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.

                                                                                           half
                                                                                                                          of households earning
     Millennials              Gen X            Young Boomers    Old Boomers   Mature                                      $150,000 or more are
                                                                                                                          interested in visiting.
                                                2018             2019

     Source: MMGY Global, travelhorizons™, Wave III 2019
25                                                                                                                                                                 25
Three quarters of those interested in visiting The Beaches of Fort Myers
     & Sanibel (76%) are planning to take at least one vacation during the

                                                                                   4  in  10
     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    PLAN TO TAKE
                                                                                 MORE VACATIONS
     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.

     Source: MMGY Global, travelhorizons™, Wave III 2019
26                                                                                                26
WE ARE
Strategic
2017-2020 STRATEGIC PLAN
                    CRITICAL MEASURES OF SUCCESS

                    • 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
28                                                                                   28
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.

                  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
29                                                                                   29
WE ARE
Focused
MARKETING
         Media Trends / Landscape

         Many Sources of Inspiration
         There 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, makes us smarter
         in how we reach our key audiences.

     Source: Our Shared Vision of Tourism, 2017-2020 Lee County VCB Strategic Plan
31                                                                                                                  31
MARKETING
        Media Trends / Landscape
         Programmatic Cross-Device
         Programmatic 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 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
32                                                                                                       32
MARKETING
     Core Objectives & Tactics
     for Fiscal Year 19-20
     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.

     THE CORE PILLARS OF OUR FY 2019-2020 PLAN

     • 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

33                                                                         33
MARKETING
     Media Mix

     KEY DOMESTIC MARKETS                                             OUT-OF-STATE:   OUT-OF-STATE:
                                                     OUT-OF-STATE:    SEASONAL        PACIFIC
     • Balance out-of-state and        MARKET TIER   CORE                                             DRIVE MARKETS
                                                                      OPPORTUNITY     OPPORTUNITY
       in-state spending
     • Determine impression and                      Boston
                                                                      Kansas City
       investment market                 WINTER      Chicago          Nashville
       caps to eliminate waste and                   Cincinnati       Philadelphia
       maximize ROI                                  Cleveland
     • Select market-level media mix                 Columbus         Charlotte
       based on medium efficiency                    Denver           Dallas
                                                                      Houston
                                         SPRING      Detroit          Kansas City
                                                                      Nashville
                                                     Grand Rapids
                                                                      Philadelphia                    Statewide
                                                     Hartford
                                                                                                      Tampa
                                                     Indianapolis     Charlotte       Los Angeles
                                                                      Dallas                          Orlando
                                                     Louisville                       San Francisco
                                                                      Houston                         Miami
                                        SUMMER       Milwaukee        Kansas City     Seattle
                                                     Minneapolis      Nashville                       Atlanta
                                                                      Philadelphia
                                                     New York
                                                     Pittsburg
                                                                      Charlotte
                                                     St. Louis
                                          FALL                        Kansas City
                                                     Washington, DC   Nashville
                                                                      Philadelphia

34                                                                                                                    34
MARKETING
     Media Mix

     KEY INTERNATIONAL
     MARKETS                                 MARKETS          OCT   NOV   DEC   JAN   FEB   MAR   APR   MAY   JUN   JUL   AUG

     • Expand consumer-facing presence
                                                Canada
       in key international markets
         • Canada                              Germany
         • Germany
         • Scandinavia
                                             Latin American

         • UK/Ireland                         Scandinavia
         • Latin America
                                               UK/Ireland
     • Align market-level initiatives with
       consumer searching and booking
       behaviors and key conversion
       windows

35                                                                                                                              35
MARKETING
     Sample Flighting: Summer

       BUDGETS PER MARKET                            69 DAYS AVERAGE SEARCH-TO-ARRIVAL WINDOW
       • Determine impression and
         investment market caps to
         eliminate waste and maximize ROI   FEB             MARCH            APRIL         MAY     JUNE        JULY       AUG

       • Select market-level media
         mix based on medium efficiency                                                                   Travel Period

                                                                            Trip-Planning Window

                                                     Trip-Planning Media Flighting
                                              Prospecting

                                                                 Intent

                                                               Conversion

36                                                                                                                              36
MARKETING
     Channel Mix

                                               PROSPECTING
                   65%                Owned: PR, activations, organic social
                               Paid: Addressable media, integrated print, digital TV,
                                      OOH, high-impact video and display

                                                    INTENT
                    17%          Owned: Organic social, ECRM, web personalization
                               Paid: Display, video, native, mobile, endemic, paid social

                                               CONVERSION
                         18%           Owned: ECRM, web personalization
                                    Paid: Display, search, endemic, paid social,
                                                  lead generation

37                                                                                          37
MARKETING
     New Tactics

                                                                                                      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

     • Maximize efficiencies and reach through high-impact, integrated partnerships with                   In-market applications
       premium publishers                                                                                       • Use current location/previous location data to identify travelers

     • Evaluate opportunities in consideration of overarching strategy, data resources (MRI,                    • Drive incremental economic impact by promoting in-market activities and
                                                                                                                   attractions to identified visiting devices
       comScore, etc.), publisher editorial review and overall media distribution methods and scale
                                                                                                                • Opportunity to include co-op and push points of interest and events
     • Align campaigns with seasonal need periods and specific initiatives with appropriate media
       flighting windows

38                                                                                                                                                                                            38
MARKETING

     PAID SOCIAL                                                                        GROUP MEDIA

     • COLD WEATHER MESSAGING                                                           • Maintain presence with proven performers while testing new platforms,
       Encourage visitation in cold weather markets through timely social ad              placement types and targeting strategies
       placements                                                                       • Deploy full-funnel messaging to generate awareness of Lee County’s
                                                                                          evolving offerings while also gathering qualified meeting planner, travel
                                                                                          agent and bridal leads
     • TV INTEGRATION
                                                                                        • Broaden reach with e-learning platforms, webinars, expos and social media
       Geo-target key feeder markets and match targeting to TV programming interests
                                                                                          platforms to generate leads
       included in broadcast buy
                                                                                        INTERNATIONAL
     • OUT-OF-HOME GEO-FENCING                                                          • Focus on consumer-direct initiatives to generate trackable conversions
       Geo-fence OOH placements within a 5-mile radius to extend consideration and      • Align market-level initiatives with consumer searching and booking
       increase brand awareness                                                           behaviors and key conversion windows
                                                                                        • Maintain presence in Brand USA affinity and originals programming;
                                                                                          leverage proven performers for international reach uplifted by Brand USA
     • VIDEO
                                                                                          contribution
       Continued investment in video-first content efforts in 2019-20, including
       IGTV promotion                                                                   • Test vacation rental targeting

     • 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

39                                                                                                                                                                    39
TARGET PERSONAS

                                                       Williams R. Able                                                Going for It                                                Free Birds
                                                              Active, Affluent Families                                     Active, No Kids                                        Active, Empty Nesters

                                                       Cooperative Decision-Makers                             Primarily Male Decision-Makers                           Primarily Female Decision-Makers
                                                              Between 30 and 51                                           Average age: 47                                         Between 55 and 65
                                                                  $125K+ HHI                                                 $75K+ HHI                                                $100K+ HHI
                                                                 16% Hispanic                                          28% Non-Caucasian                                          43% Grandparents
                                                                  50% Married                                             61% Unmarried                                               76% Married
                                                          86% Full-Time Employed                                    71% Full-Time Employed                                   41% Part-Timers or Retired
                                                       52% Graduate School Degrees                               33% Graduate School Degrees                               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.
40                                                                                                                                                                                                         40
MARKETING
         Audience Profiles

              Paddles @ Play                                                                                Together & Traveling                                                                 Seafoodies
              (Includes all personas)                                                                       (Includes all personas)                                                              (Includes all personas)

              Destination Passion Points:                                                                   Destination Passion Points:                                                          Destination Passion Points:
              •   Kayaking the Great Calusa Blueway at locations,                                           •   Married couples traveling without                                                •   Seeks unique dining experiences and
                  such as Lovers Key State Park, Mound Key, Buck                                                children who are looking to get away                                                 one-of-a-kind cuisine as a focal point
                  Key and Pine Island                                                                                                                                                                of their vacation
                                                                                                            •   Interests include exploring area beaches,
              •   Visiting J.N. “Ding” Darling National Wildlife                                                swimming, sunbathing, golf, shopping,                                            •   Consumes culinary-specific content
                  Refuge for nature hikes, paddleboarding, kayaking                                             historical attractions and dining                                                    such as books, magazines, etc
                  and wildlife viewing
                                                                                                            •    njoying the laid-back atmosphere of the
                                                                                                                E
              •    oating and island hopping throughout the
                  B                                                                                             destination, feeling at peace with the charm
                  destination, exploring our more                                                               of authentic Florida
                  than 100 barrier islands

     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.
41                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            41
MARKETING
     Audience Profiles

       Theme Park Survivors                                Snap Happy                                                            Fido In Tow
       (Subset of Williams R. Able persona)                (Includes all personas)                                               (Includes all personas)
       Destination Passion Points:                         Destination Passion Points:                                           Destination Passion Points:
       • S
          oft adventure family activities, such as        • Discovering the area’s most beautiful locations to                  • Visiting Dog Beach Park located on the south
         fishing, kayaking, swimming, sunbathing,            capture the best selfies                                              end of Fort Myers Beach
         collecting seashells and getting on the water
                                                           • Watching the sunset from the Fort Myers Beach                       • Dining at a selection of dog-friendly restaurants
       • V
          isiting attractions, such as Times Square,        Pier, photographing wildlife at the Six Mile Cypress
                                                                                                                                 • Enjoying outdoor activities, such as collecting
         Edison and Ford Winter Estates, J.N. “Ding”         Slough Preserve or Audubon Corkscrew Swamp
                                                                                                                                   seashells, hiking and nature parks where pets
         Darling National Wildlife Refuge and charter        Sanctuary, early morning shell walks on the area’s
                                                                                                                                   are allowed to accompany their owners
         cruises                                             best beaches, capturing the iconic Boca Grande and
                                                             Sanibel lighthouses, and much more
       • E
          xploring different parts of the county,
         looking for family-friendly activities suitable
         for older children                                                                                 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.
42                                                                                                                                                                                                              42
MARKETING
     FY 19-20 Recommendation Summary

                          SEASONALITY                    WINTER                  SPRING                SUMMER                   FALL

                           Travel Period               December 1 -            March 15 -               June 1 -            September 1 -
                          2.5-3.5 months                March 14                May 31                 August 31            November 30

                 Average Search-To-Arrvial Window        64 Days                 67 Days                69 Days                64 Days

                      Trip-Planning Window             October 1 -             January 1 -             March 15 -              July 1 -
                          2.5-3.5 months              Decemeber 31              March 14                June 30             September 30

                          Media Flighting
                                                       September 1 -          December 1 -           February 15 -            June 1 -
                    Trip-Planning Window less
                                                         March 14               May 31                August 31             November 30
                   30 days through travel period

                                                                               Snap Happy
                                                        Snap Happy             Fido in Tow            Snap Happy             Snap Happy
                                                    Together & Traveling     Paddles for Play         Fido in Tow            Fido in Tow
                      Addressable Audiences                                Together & Traveling     Paddles for Play     Together & Traveling
                                                      Disney Survivors
                                                                             Disney Survivors     Together & Traveling        Seafoodies
                                                                                Seafoodies

43                                                                                                                                              43
WE ARE
Movers & Shakers
SALES
     Overview                                                                                        Targets
     Core to the VCB’s mission is the sales effort. The mission of the sales department is to        •   Provide resources to industry partners and travel influencers to help grow
     promote The Beaches of Fort Myers & Sanibel to meeting professionals, the travel trade              meetings business and domestic and international leisure travel to Lee County
     and leisure visitors to positively influence visitor volume. Over all, the VCB sales team       •   Host 150 domestic and international travel professionals in the destination through
     provides resources to industry partners and travel influencer’s to help grow conference,            FAM and site tours
     business and pleasure travel to Lee County.                                                     •   Conduct a minimum of 30 domestic and international client events

                                                                                                     •   Increase meeting and conference room nights from leads generated by VCB by 5%
     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         •   Grow meeting and conference room nights contracted by 3%
     fiscal year, coming in 9% higher than the previous fiscal year. An analysis of last year’s      •   Increase destination wedding leads generated by VCB by 3%
     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.

45                                                                                                                                                                                             45
DOMESTIC TRAVELER
     Trends
     •   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 wellbeing

     •   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

46                                                                               46
DOMESTIC TRAVELER
     Strategy: Cultivate Relationships                                         Strategy: Be an Agent to Agents
     Tactics                                                                   Tactics

     •   Promote The Beaches of Fort Myers & Sanibel in a multitude of         •   Conduct travel agent training, both classroom (in-person) and
         leisure consumer travel shows in key feeder cities                        web-based

     •   Promote The Beaches of Fort Myers & Sanibel as a key destination      •   Promote and provide travel agents with personalized service for
         for nature activities such as ecotourism, kayaking, camping,              destination information through the Travel Agent Help Desk
         birding, fishing and water recreation at an array of outdoor sports
                                                                               •   Participate in live virtual travel agent expos
         consumer shows
                                                                               •   Blitz Florida travel agencies and AAA offices on east coast, west
     •   Participate in multiple travel agent trade shows to build
                                                                                   coast and north/central regions
         relationships with home-based agents in key markets and top
         travel agent consortia companies                                      •   Conduct travel agency and AAA agency presentations in primary
                                                                                   and secondary feeder markets utilizing GIS mapping
     •   Establish new and strengthen existing relationships with key
         travel agency and wholesale tour operator partners through sales      •   Host FAM trips and site visits for domestic travel trade
         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

47                                                                                                                                                     47
INTERNATIONAL
     Germany
     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

                                                                                                                                                                         423,000
         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                                    visitors to the state
         changes in the travelers booking behavior
                                                                                                                                                                         of Florida in 2018
     •   Social Media has heavily influenced the overall travel behavior of potential visitors. The number of people planning travel online

     •
         increase to 83% in 2017. 76% of travelers see less need for offline suppliers

         Sustainable Tourism is becoming more and more a priority for younger generations
                                                                                                                                                                         5.1 months
                                                                                                                                                                       advance travel decision
     STRATEGY
     •   Shift marketing and sales efforts to direct to consumers
                                                                                                                                                                       Top Florida Travel Months
     •   Shift to direct sales approach with consumers rather than rely on traditional tour operators to educate travel agents
                                                                                                                                                                       FEB, MAR, AUG, SEPT
               Tactics

                   Use PR and social media to tell stories about more than just beach vacations; provide itineraries to key tour operators to
                                                                                                                                                                       Median age of visitors is 39
               •
                   suggest longer stays
                                                                                                                                                                       40% travel alone
               •   Shift to direct sales approach with consumers rather than rely on traditional tour operators to educate travel agents
                                                                                                                                                                       38% travel with their partner
               •   Identify brands across Germany for cross-branding partnerships

                                                                                                                                                Source: Visit Florida 2019-2020 Plan
48                                                                                                                                                                                                     48
INTERNATIONAL
     United 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,

                                                                                                                                                                1,542,000
         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
                                                                                                                                                               visitors to the state
     •   Social media is now influencing choice as much as traditional advertising                                                                             of Florida in 2018
     •   Consumers are driving the demand; one of the strongest growing areas is the vacation home rental segment

     STRATEGY                                                                                                                                                 7.3 months
     •   Delivery digital promotions as a key driver and influence to UK and Irish consumers                                                                 advance travel decision
              Tactics

               •   Connect local inventory to the UK trade segment seeking vacation rentals                                                                  Top Florida Travel Months
     •   Develop new product positions through vacation rentals to stay competitive against other Florida regions                                            APR, MAY, AUG, SEPT, OCT
              Tactics

               •   Work with vacation home platforms and specialized operators. Connect local inventory to the UK trade segment in
                   demand of vacation rentals
                                                                                                                                                             Median age of visitors is 46
     •   Define our messaging for this market, specifically targeting smaller, niche audiences
                                                                                                                                                             51% travel with their partner
              Tactics
                                                                                                                                                             29% travel with children
               •   Focus on educating agents about unique selling points through trainings and online academy

               •   Work with niche operators like wildlife experts, birding operators

                                                                                                                                      Source: Visit Florida 2019-2020 Plan
49                                                                                                                                                                                           49
INTERNATIONAL
     Canada
     TRENDS
     •   The exchange rate of the Canadian to US 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
                                                                                                                                                                       3,512,000
         to decline. As of right now, baby boomers continue to be the number one outbound traveler segment. The travel motivators for                                 visitors to the state
         millennials are more active, unique and instagrammable experiences                                                                                           of Florida in 2018
     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
                                                                                                                                                                      5.1 months
                                                                                                                                                                    advance travel decision
              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                                                                       Top Florida Travel Months
              •   Identify added value activities and dining around the destination for key operators and airlines to offer as added value
                  such as attractions tickets or “Kids eat free” restaurant suggestions
                                                                                                                                                                    JAN, FEB, MAR
     •   Promote the destination as a winter getaway but also focus on multi-generational travel and introduce a new message to the
         younger audience
                                                                                                                                                                    52% are Boomers
              Tactics
                                                                                                                                                                    75% travel without children
                  For the baby boomer, promote off winter travel and highlight the value for multi-generational visits
              •
                                                                                                                                                                    25% are Millennials
              •   Add activities and experience driven message through social media coops and niche market media outlets

                                                                                                                                             Source: Visit Florida 2019-2020 Plan
50                                                                                                                                                                                                50
INTERNATIONAL
     Scandinavia
     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

                                                                                                                                                                       1,300,000
         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                                          visitors to the state
     •   Sustainability is a strong decision maker for travel abroad. When it comes to picking a destination over another, the number                                  of Florida in 2018
         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                                                                                                                                                          3.7 months
                                                                                                                                                                   advance travel decision
     •   Shift marketing and sales efforts to be aligned with the key tour operators 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                                                               Top Florida Travel Months
              Tactics                                                                                                                                              DEC/JAN, FEB, MAR/APR,
              •   Create and distribute new content related to ecotourism and the nature aspect of the destination
                                                                                                                                                                        JUN–AUG, OCT
              •   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

                                                                                                                                              Source: Brand USA 2018
51                                                                                                                                                                                             51
GROUPS
     Trends
     •   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/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

52                                                                             52
GROUPS
     Strategy: Cultivate Relationships                                  Strategy: Pursue High-Impact Business

     Tactics                                                            Tactics

     •   Attend trade shows and other client-facing opportunities       •   Deploy efforts vertically targeting the following key industry segments
         to generate new business, strengthen current client                through meeting planner trade shows and client events as identified
         relationships, network with and educate decision makers            in collaboration with the Lee County Economic Development Office:
         with a specific focus on vertical markets                          Life Sciences (Medical/Healthcare/Pharmaceuticals), Technology and
                                                                            Financial
     •   Maintain a strong presence at all third-party planner events
         and annual conferences                                         •   Focus on top potential production opportunities for
                                                                            sponsorship investments
     •   Host destination previews for meeting planners and
         decision-makers via FAM trips and site visits                  •   Invest in destination partnerships and maximize membership programs

     •   Refine our meeting planner e-newsletter and promote            •   Promote the Island Incentive to secure new business
         meeting campaign showcasing our communities, natural
                                                                        •   Utilize new search tool to carry out prospecting activities from more
         setting inspiring innovation and productive meetings
                                                                            sources and vertical markets
     •   Leverage resources and work cohesively with Lee County
                                                                        •   Enhance VCB conference services with a meeting planner toolkit on
         Economic Development and Sports Development to utilize
                                                                            website to assist planners in building event attendance
         existing relationships to drive more conferences to the
         destination                                                    •   Enhance further growth of affinity groups such as the LGBTQ,
                                                                            multicultural, faith-based and military markets

                                                                                  MASTER TRADE SHOW LIST

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SPORTS DEVELOPMENT
     Overview                                                                     Target
     The Sports Development team markets and promotes Lee County and the          Generate at least 150,000 hotel room nights
     area’s sports venues to attract new and repeat sports events, tournaments    through sports tourism event and business activities.
     and championships and 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          TARGET AUDIENCES
     community organizations to successfully host and service over 150 amateur
                                                                                  Aquatic Sports            Events                        Rugby
     athletic events annually in the destination.
                                                                                  Badminton                 Fencing                       Sailing
                                                                                  Baseball                  Figure Skating                Soccer
                                                                                  Beach Sports              Football                      Softball
                                                                                  BMX                       Game Fishing                  Swimming
                                                                                  Bowling                   Golf                          Table Tennis
                                                                                  Boxing                    Gymnastics                    Team Handball
                                                                                  Cheer                     Ice Hockey                    Trail Running
                                                                                  Curling                   Lacrosse                      Volleyball
                                                                                  Dancing                   Martial Arts                  Water Sports
                                                                                  Endurance                 Roller Hockey                 Wrestling

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SPORTS DEVELOPMENT
         Trends                                                                             Strategies
     •   Rise of e-Sports                                                                   •   Continue to diversify Lee County’s tourist economy through alignment
         Multiplayer video game competitions that are spectator-friendly, typically             with organizers who can bring sports events to the area.
         played by professional gamers
                                                                                            •   Strengthen local partnerships and interdepartmental relationships.
     •   Popularity of Non-traditional Sports                                               •   Increase the visibility and community awareness of Lee County 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

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WE ARE
Making 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%

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