Annual Report 2024_Calendar Year_final 2_compressed

ANNUAL REPORT 2024

Officers

CHAIR

FRED BROWN, DESERT PALMS HOTEL

CHAIR-ELECT

SERGIO BOCCI, HILTON ANAHEIM

PAST CHAIR

LYNN CLARK, DISNEYLAND RESORT

SECRETARY

MIKE WATERMAN, VISIT ANAHEIM

TREASURER

BHARAT PATEL, ANAHEIM CASTLE INN & SUITES

2024 Board of Directors

Directors

JORDAN AUSTIN-HARRIS, GREAT WOLF LODGE

URSULA LUNA-REYNOSA, CITY OF GARDEN GROVE

SERGIO BOCCI, HILTON ANAHEIM

BRANDON GARR, GRAND LEGACY HOTEL

JUSTIN HART, SHERATON PARK HOTEL

DIETER HISSIN, EMBASSY SUITES ANAHEIM SOUTH

CLARK JONES, WALT DISNEY PARKS AND RESORTS U.S.

JOHN KALINSKI, MARRIOTT INTERNATIONAL

YVONNE LIU, DELTA HOTELS BY MARRIOTT ANAHEIM

TOM MORTON, ANAHEIM CONVENTION CENTER

KRISTINE HALL, HYATT REGENCY ORANGE COUNTY

WILLIAM O'CONNELL JR., O'CONNELL HOTELS & HOSPITALITY

KIM PAINTER, ANAHEIM MAJESTIC GARDEN HOTEL

AJESH PATEL, PROSPERA HOTELS, INC.

NICHOLAS PRICE, THE WESTIN ANAHEIM RESORT

PAUL SANFORD, WINCOME HOSPITALITY

JIM VANDERPOOL, CITY OF ANAHEIM

MIKE WATERMAN, VISIT ANAHEIM

TBD, COMMUNITY

Dear Anaheim and Garden Grove Partners,

It is my privilege to present Visit Anaheim’s 2024 Annual Report, my first as President & CEO of this incredible organization. Leading this team and championing our destination has already exceeded every expectation I had.

Our organization has set out to redefine what it means to be a destination marketing organization. Our approach is rooted in being bold, innovative and proud. A major milestone in 2024 exemplifying this bold approach is Visit Anaheim becoming the inaugural away-game jersey patch sponsor for the Anaheim Ducks. Allowing us to provide enhanced customer experiences in our key markets

Both Anaheim and Garden Grove are brimming with opportunity. Through innovative marketing, strategic sales enhancements, and expanded industry partnerships, the world is going to know the heart of Orange County’s tourism industry is thriving.

In 2024, we collaborated with our Board of Directors to develop a three-year strategic plan for the destination. Our key objectives will include:

• Welcoming 30 million visitors by 2027

• Achieving recognition as a top 12 convention city in the U.S.

• Establishing a signature destination event

As we look ahead, I am excited to continue working alongside both cities elected officials as well as the resort community to elevate Anaheim and Garden Grove. Together, we are entering a Golden Decade of development and world-class events that will shape the future of the destination.

Sincerely,

Mike Waterman President & CEO Visit Anaheim

Executive Summary

Visit Anaheim’s 2024 Annual Report showcases our strategic initiatives and achievements in driving tourism, meetings, conventions, and economic growth. Despite economic fluctuations impacting travel demand, Anaheim remained a top destination through innovative marketing, enhanced sales strategies, and strong industry partnerships.

Meetings & Conventions

• Expanded Sales Efforts Supported by TID Funds: Competitive incentives helped attract key events.

• Citywide Sales Strategy: Aligned with Anaheim hotels & ACC to bring in large-scale conventions.

• Industry Engagement: Participated in IMEX, PCMA Convening Leaders, and other key events.

• Meetings Momentum Program: Strengthened sales efforts to secure highvalue events.

• Impact: Increased room nights, visitor spending, and tax revenue.

• Meetings & Conventions (M+C) Marketing Campaign: Delivered over 10 million impressions, 66,000 clicks, and more than 1,600 leads through strategic outreach on LinkedIn and industry trade publications.

Destination Services & Events

• Supported 87+ convention groups and major events like NAMM, IME West, and Natural Products Expo West.

• Attracted tens of thousands of attendees, benefiting local businesses and hospitality.

• Enhanced event planning, hotel room management, and attendee experiences.

Tourism & Market Expansion

• 324K room nights booked and 135M+ marketing impressions globally.

• Strengthened partnerships with Expedia, Qantas Holidays, and Brand USA.

• Hosted 23 FAM trips, engaging 332 travel professionals from key markets.

• International Market Growth:

• Canada: Anaheim’s top inbound market, with strong partnerships with Air Canada Vacations, Expedia, and AAA Canada.

• Mexico: Focused on increasing overnight stays.

• Australia & New Zealand: Targeted luxury and extended-stay travelers.

• China & Southeast Asia: Engaged with Ctrip and Visit California Club California, promoting FIT experiences.

• Japan & Korea: Strengthened long-term travel growth through receptive operators and Disney Tokyo.

• Europe: In Spring 2025, Visit Anaheim will open a UK travel trade representation office to expand its European presence.

Marketing & Communications Success

• 145.5 million total impressions and 48% year-over-year website traffic growth from Marketing and Communications initiatives.

• Communications Team Impact:

• Strengthened Anaheim’s brand through PR, media outreach, and storytelling, delivering over 2 billion impressions.

• Expanded high-profile media partnerships and influencer collaborations.

• Secured coverage in over 100 media outlets, reinforcing Anaheim as a premier leisure and convention destination.

• Marketing Campaigns Driving Growth:

• "Here We Go!" Campaign: Targeted families and multigenerational travelers, generating 72 million impressions and $73 million in visitor revenue.

• "Greatest Luxury of All" Campaign: Attracted 42,000 visitors, generated 42.5 million impressions, and drove $12.9 million in revenue.

• Out-of-Home (OOH) Advertising: Key placements at John Wayne Airport (SNA) and Anaheim Transportation Network (ATN) increased visibility among arriving travelers.

Community Relations & Workforce Development

• Community Relations:

• Educated residents on tourism’s economic benefits.

• Fostered partnerships with local businesses and city officials.

• Supported community events to strengthen local engagement.

• Workforce Development:

• High school and college outreach programs.

• Job training and career pathway collaborations with hospitality employers.

• Certified Tourism Ambassador (CTA) Program: Trained hundreds of new tourism professionals, enhancing customer service in Anaheim and Garden Grove.

Business Intelligence & Future Outlook

• Business Intelligence (BI) Department:

• Analyzed visitor trends, market growth, and economic impact.

• Provided data-driven insights to optimize marketing, sales, and destination planning.

• Looking Ahead to 2025:

• Expanding regional, national, and global marketing and trade partnerships.

• Enhancing workforce development initiatives.

• Leveraging key events like Disney’s 70th Anniversary for increased media exposure.

• Strengthening digital strategies and optimizing visitor engagement.

• Deepening community relations to ensure Anaheim’s long-term success as a world-class travel and meetings destination.

CONVENTION SALES

89 Events

741K Room Nights

966K Room Attendees

36 Citywide Site Visits

$258 Average ADR

$1.87B EIC $28.7M TOT

Convention Sales Highlights

Key Client Touchpoints

• Gateway Cities Brunch at Convening Leaders

• Synchronicities Client Reception at Convening Leaders

• NAMM Reception sponsored by Visit Anaheim

• Customer Advisory Board – January 2024

• Gateway City Event – AIME Expo

• Chicago Sales Mission

- Four Client Events

- Ducks vs. Blackhawks Client Event

• Client Event – DC Nationals vs. Angels

• Visit California Road Show in Chicago and DC

• DC CVB Reps Summer Event

• Co-Sponsor New York Client Event

• Client Event in DC – Concert

• Visit California Road Show MN and Chicago

• Ducks Vs. Blackhawks Client Event Chicago

• Synchronicities Client Holiday Dinner Chicago

• Client Events: Boston, Philadelphia

• MLB Game – Philadelphia

• Hosted Board Reception – SIGGRAPH

• Hosted Board Reception – Pacific NW National Laboratory

Industry Events

• PCMA Convening Leaders

• AIME Expo

• Destination Showcase DC

• IAEE Women’s Forum

• Maritz Elevate

• Conference Direct Diversity Forum

• PCMA EDUCON

• FLEX Summer Event Sponsor

• CEMA Summit

• Conference Direct CDX

• ASAE Annual Meeting

• Maritz Activate

• M&I (Meeting & Incentives Worldwide) Annual Trade Show

• PCMA Partner Summit

• CEIR Predict Conference

• TSE Executive Gold 100

• TEAMS Conference

• IMEX

• National Association of Black Meeting Planners Annual Meeting

• FICP Annual Meeting

• Philadelphia Conference for Women

• MA/Boston Conference for Women

• Sponsor CEMA Thought Leaders Conference LA and Austin

• Holiday Showcase Chicago

• IAEE Expo Expo

• FICP Strategic Leadership Meeting

Anaheim Calendar Year 2024

Hotel Occupancy

Citywide Sales Presentations: 75.4%

36 Site visits for future business

53 ACC Bookings over 1,000 rooms on peak

25 Uniquely programmed shows, missions & events

Consumed ACC Business

CITYWIDE

Number of Events: p42

Total Attendees: p732,750

Number of Room Nights: p484,195 EIC: p$1,343,584,480 TOT: p$17,213,132

NON-CITYWIDE MINI-WIDES

Number of Events: p29

Total Attendees: p159,297

Number of Room Nights: p26,142 EIC: p$76,928,300 TOT: p$807,787

Source: Simple view

Industry Events

To enhance visibility and inform our customers and potential clients about the exciting developments in Anaheim, the Convention Sales Team has actively participated in, exhibited at, and sponsored various industry events. Below are some of the major events the team attended:

• PCMA Convening Leaders

• AIME Expo

• Destination Showcase DC

• IAEE Women’s Forum

• Maritz Elevate

• Conference Direct Diversity Forum

• PCMA EDUCON

• FLEX Summer Event Sponsor

• CEMA Summit

• Conference Direct CDX

• ASAE Annual Meeting

• Maritz Activate

• M&I (Meeting & Incentives Worldwide) Annual Trade Show

• PCMA Partner Summit

• CEIR Predict Conference

• TSE Executive Gold 100

• TEAMS Conference

• AMPS Golf Tournament Sponsor

• IMEX

• National Association of Black Meeting Planners Annual Meeting

• FICP Annual Meeting

• Philadelphia Conference for Women

• MA/Boston Conference for Women

• Sponsor CEMA Thought Leaders Conference LA and Austin

• Holiday Showcase Chicago

• IAEE Expo Expo

• FICP Strategic Leadership Meeting

Customer Events/Sales Missions

The sales team organized customer events and conducted in-market sales missions to strengthen relationships with our clients and keep them informed about the latest developments in the destination. Below are some of the events that took place in 2024.

• Gateway Cities Brunch at Convening Leaders

• Synchronicities Client Reception at Convening Leaders

• NAMM Reception sponsored by Visit Anaheim

• Customer Advisory Board – January 2024

• Gateway City Event – AIME Expo

• Chicago Sales Mission

• Four Client Events

• Ducks vs. Blackhawks Client Event

• Client Event – DC Nationals vs. Angels

• Visit California Road Show in Chicago and DC

• DC CVB Reps Summer Event

• Co-Sponsor New York Client Event

• Client Event in DC – Concert

• Visit California Road Show MN and Chicago

• Ducks Vs. Blackhawks Client Event Chicago

• Synchronicities Client Holiday Dinner Chicago

2025 Convention Sales Focus

“THE RIGHT BUSINESS AT THE RIGHT TIME”

The Convention Sales Team will leverage the strategies and insights gained from the 2Synergize Workshops and their final recommendations to optimize the use of the Anaheim Convention Center. Our efforts will focus on filling Anaheim-area hotels with group business that complements the area’s robust transient demand. Strengthening partnerships with our hotel stakeholders and enhancing their understanding of the convention sales process will be crucial to our continued success.

The Business Development Manager (BDM) for Convention Sales will play a pivotal role in our success by identifying and pursuing the Target Year Market Mix through an acquisition strategy focused on securing top-rated events by peak room category. The BDM will utilize the Event Scoring Profile (ESP) to proactively target top-rated events with high-value peak room demand that align with the interests of the Anaheim stakeholders.

To maintain a competitive edge, we will continue allocating TID funds to subsidize Convention Center rental, enabling us to present creative and competitive pricing. Additionally, TID funds will support closing and multi-year incentives. We are also actively exploring a new proposal platform to deliver “Best in Class” proposals to secure more business for the destination.

Industry Events:

• PCMA Convening Leaders

• We Love New York Day (NYSAE) and Northeast CVB Event

• Conference Direct Event APM, CDX and Diversity

• Maritz Activate and Elevate Events

• PCMA/Destination Showcase/IAEE Women’s Forum in DC

• FICP Annual Conference

• FICP Strategic Leader Meeting

• Sports ETA Women’s Summit

• Sports ETA

• E-Sports Summit

• IAEE Women’s Forum

• PCMA Deacon

• ASAE Annual Meeting & Expo

• M & IW Summit Chicago

• CEMA Summit

• TEAMS

• Trade Show Executives Gold 100

• SISO

• ASAE Summit Awards Dinner

• PCMA Partner Summit

• IMEX Americas

• National Coalition of Black Meeting Planners

• Holiday Showcase Chicago

• IAEE Expo! Expo!

• Attend all local “in-market” events for PCMA, ASAE, AMPS, CEMA, MPI

MEETING SALES

Meeting Sales

In 2024, the Meeting Sales team focused on rebuilding and strengthening local engagement. With a refined strategy and key hires, the team is better positioned to drive business development, enhance client relationships, and collaborate effectively with hotel partners.

Key Developments

• Rebuilding a Locally Based Team (Started in July 2024).

• New Senior-Level Sales Manager to strengthen client connections and hotel partnerships.

Market Trends & Strategy Shift

• Mid-2024: Increased demand for short-term business.

• Q3 & Q4: Slight slowdown allowed for a shift to business development and proactive sales.

Impact & Future Outlook

• Stronger hotel sales collaboration.

• Greater participation in site inspections.

• Enhanced ability to secure and develop new business.

30 Bookings

16,415 Room Nights

43 Bookings

26 Bookings

47 Bookings

$16.5M Economic Impact

23,164 Room Nights $23M Economic Impact

30,022 Room Nights $32.1M Economic Impact

25,625 Room Nights

$29.6M Economic Impact

Tradeshows and Conferences

In 2024, the Meeting Sales team was able to participate in the following tradeshows and conferences, through TID

Funding:

• MPI ACE- San Francisco, CA

• Pharma Forum- Tampa, FL

• MIC of Colorado- Denver, CO

• Connect Marketplace- Las Vegas, NV

• CDME Spring- Washington, DC

• MPISCC WECON- Newport Beach, CA

• Celsa Elevate- Burbank, CA

• Meetings Today- San Antonio, TX

• Conference Direct Diversity- San Juan, PR

• HelmsBriscoe ABC- Las Vegas, NV

• MPI WEC- Louisville, KY

• Cvent Connect- San Antonio, TX

• Destination West- Aspen, CO

• Prestige Meetings- Salt Lake City, UT

• FLEX Summer Camp- Leesburg, VA

• Canadian Meetings & Events Expo- Toronto, ON

• Connect Marketplace- Milwaukee, WI

• Destination California- Huntington Beach, CA

• Connect West- Los Angeles, CA

• Connect DC Marketplace- Washington, DC

• Conference Direct Forum- Orlando, FL

• CalSAE Seasonal Spectacular- Sacramento, CA

Meeting Sales Activities

In addition to tradeshow attendance, the Meeting Sales Team also conducted the following activities:

In-Person sales calls were conducted in:

• Sacramento, CA

• Denver, CO

• San Diego, CA

• Philadelphia, PA

• Orlando, FL

• New York, NY

Hosted Client Events Included:

• Disneyland Resort Client Education ExperienceAnaheim, CA

• NYSAE Client Event- New York, NY

• NECVB Client Event- Philadelphia, PA

• LA Rams Football Game- Los Angeles, CA

• California DMO Alliance Client Event- San Diego, CA

Meeting Sales Team and Convention Sales Team collaboration included:

• We Love NY Day- New York, NY

• PCMA Chapter event Phillies Game- Philadelphia, PA

• PCMA/ Destinations International Industry WeekWashington, DC

• PCMA Visionary Awards- Washington, DC

• AMP’s Golf Tournament- Woodbridge, VA

New Group Bookings

Number of New Bookings:

p136

Total Attendees: p54,971

Number of Room Nights: p93,294

EIC: p$56,052.351

TOT: p$3,364,297

Source: Simpleview

2025 Meeting Sales Focus

In 2025, the Meeting Sales team will be fully based in Anaheim, allowing for greater on-site engagement and stronger collaboration with hotel partners. New initiatives will enhance conversion rates, sales alignment, and incentive programs to drive business growth.

Key Initiatives

• Full Anaheim-Based Team – Ensures presence at every site inspection, improving conversion rates.

• Anaheim VALET Program – Each Meeting Sales Manager will support 4-5 hotels, attending sales meetings, identifying challenges, and strengthening communication with the Meetings & Convention Sales team.

Meetings Momentum Program

• Exclusive to TID Partner Hotels.

• $75,000 per hotel for both 2024 and 2025 business.

• Usage: Offsets group costs at $1 for every $7 in hotel revenue.

Optimized Sales Approach

• Transition to Room Night Goal Model – Aligns sales team efforts more closely with hotel partners to maximize bookings.

2024 Awards and Recognition

Smart Meetings:

“Best Convention Center”

Anaheim Convention Center

Association Conventions & Facilities Magazine:

“Distinctive Achievement Award”

Visit Anaheim

Smart Meetings:

“Best CVB/DMO”

Visit Anaheim

Exhibitor Magazine: “Centers of Excellence Special Awards

– Best Convention Center”

Anaheim Convention Center

Prevue Visionary Awards:

“Best U.S. Destination for Meetings & Conventions – Small - Silver” Anaheim/ Anaheim Convention Center

Prevue Visionary Awards:

“Best CVB/DMO meeting & incentive planner support by region – West - Bronze”

Visit Anaheim

Price Travel Holding EVM Award: “Best Marketing Campaign in Mexico – USA destination category”

Visit Anaheim

Meetings Today: “2024 Best of Meetings Today Awards”

Visit Anaheim

Meetings Today: “Best Convention Center”

Visit Anaheim

CVENT:

“Top 50 Meeting Destinations in North America”

Anaheim #29

The Meetings Magazines/Corporate & Incentive Travel Magazine: “2024 Awards of Excellence”

Visit Anaheim (Best CVB List)

DESTINATION SERVICES & EVENTS

Destination Services & Events

The Destination Services & Events team continues to refine and enhance operations, striving for ‘Best-In-Class’ status. In 2024, strategic hires, expanded industry presence, and operational improvements strengthened our ability to deliver exceptional service.

Key Enhancements

• Strategic Team Growth

• Added key hires, including a Director of Events to enhance event execution.

• Redeployed team members to strengthen capabilities.

• Expanded Industry Presence

• Upgraded IMEX America Tradeshow Booth (October 2024).

• Record participation from partners, new activations, and Ducks partnership debut.

• Operational & Service Improvements

• Managed overflow hotel rooms for citywide conventions, increasing efficiency.

• Strengthened relationships with clients and stakeholders to optimize event success.

These refinements solidify Visit Anaheim’s reputation as an industry leader, providing world-class experiences and best-in-class service.

Key Groups Serviced

Service Team Core Values

Service, Collaboration, Integrity, Innovation, Adaptability

Service Team Mission

Our mission is to provide exceptional service and create memorable experiences for convention attendees, exhibitors, and organizers by delivering innovative solutions, personalized support, and executing each event with precision and excellence, while fostering lasting relationships within the industry and community.

87

Convention Groups Serviced

66 Planning Visits

Key Groups Serviced

The National Association of Music Merchants Show:

65,000 A / 5,000 P - The NAMM welcoming 65,000 attendees, 10,000+ coming in from 125 international destinations. The show included over 1,600 exhibitors representing 3,500 brands packed all of the exhibit halls and both levels of the North Building. Over the course of the show, nearly 190 live musical acts were featured on stages throughout the Resort Area campus.

Premiere Beauty West:

7,500 A / 1,500 P – For its sophomore show, Premiere Anaheim saw a 25% increase in overall attendance numbers with many attendees returning for a second day, despite the rain, for a total of 11,600 attendee visits.

IME West 2024:

42,000 A / 5,000 P – IME West is an annual show and saw a 10% increase in overall attendance this year with more than 1,600 exhibitors. They look forward to returning in February of 2025.

Heli-Expo 2024:

15,000 A / 5,100 P - 1st show back in Anaheim since 2020. They reached their record attendance of 15K which was higher than they were last in Anaheim in 2020. HAI officially changed their organization name to VAI (Vertical Aviation International)

Natural Products Expo West 2024:

70,000 A / 12,000 P - Natural Products Expo West brought in 70,000 international attendees to Anaheim. The Expo had 3,300 exhibiting companies, 840 of which were new to the show. The show focuses on natural and organic products for retailers, distributors, health practitioners, and food service professionals.

Distributive Education Clubs of America 2024 International Career Development Conference (DECA):

20,000 A / 8,500 P – Returning group to Anaheim, they were last in our destination in 2019. They hosted the largest Annual conference ever this year in Anaheim with 23,000 attendees.

IEEE 2024 PES T&D Conference and Exposition:

12,000 A / 5,500 P – First time back in Anaheim since pre-COVID. IEEE T&D celebrated their 60th anniversary, met their attendance goal of 12,000 which is 5% higher than the previous year. They had a total of over 800 exhibitors from 60 different countries.

American Society for Mass Spectrometry:

6,500 A / 3,200 P – American Society of Mass Spectrometry hosted their 72nd Annual Convention in Anaheim for the first time. Over 6,000 attendees enjoyed the conference, destination, and various events, concluding with an evening reception on the Grand Plaza with a punk Disney cover band called The Little Mermen.

American Water Works Association 2024 Annual Conference & Exposition:

10,300 A / 4,500 P – ACE24 returned to our destination after a 9-year absence with over 10,000 attendees, 450 exhibitors, and 800 utilities from over 90 countries. This year’s ACE convention also marked the 50-year anniversary of the Clean Water Act, which was celebrated throughout the convention.

D23:

30,000 A / 2,800 P – Another successful D23 in our destination, they successfully met their attendance goal of 30,000. This was the first year utilizing shuttles from the ACC to the Honda Center, successfully shuttling 4,000 attendees per day. D23 will return in August of 2026.

RE+:

22,000 A / 10,000 P – The Smart Electric Power Alliance and the Solar Entergy Industries Association combine to host RE+ with a block party at the Angel Stadium. It was a very successful show with over 40,000 attendees, the group utilized majority of our destination’s hotels, restaurants, and offsite venues for ICW’s every evening of their conference. They celebrated their 20th anniversary of RE+ with attendees from over 120 countries and over 500 international exhibitors

Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers:

2024 SHPE National Conference 15,000 A / 2,500 P – The Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers held their 50th Anniversary Conference in Anaheim. They experienced their largest attendance yet with 15,000 attendees, a 20% increase from the prior year.

National Association for the Education of Young Children:

2024 - Annual Conference & Exposition: 9,000 A / 3,220 P – NAEYC welcomed 7,500+ attendees for 3 days of educational sessions, with up to 60 sessions per day. Their keynote speaker for this year was LeVar Burton, who gave an inspirational talk on the importance of reading to young children.

California School Boards Association:

2024 CSBA Annual Education Conference (AEC): 4,500 A / 2,500 P –This first-time event in Anaheim was a success! They had their program at the ACC and Marriott and took a delegation of students to Disneyland to participate in their leadership program. They will return to Anaheim in 2028, 2030, and 2031.

Key Events Supported

Event Team Core Values

Immersion, Inclusivity, Interaction

Event Team Mission

To create immersive, meaningful event experiences that drive brand awareness, generate leads, and foster long-term client relationships while delivering exceptional service and measurable ROI.

Event Highlights

2024 PCMA Convening Leaders:

Held in San Diego, CA. Participated with Visit California in “The District” showcasing Visit Anaheim at a booth resulting in over 120 leads. California Gateway Cities breakfast was successful with 240 attendees. Synchronicities Annual Reception event yielded 173 attendees.

2024 ReConnect:

We saw over 90% of registered guests attend and held an educational session from the IBCCES Autism Training and Certification.

2024 Chicago Sales Mission:

We made presentations to American Hospital Association and SmithBucklin. Educational guest speaker on AI, Nick Borelli, was a big success as both the breakfast and Lunch sessions were at capacity. Attendees all earned CEU credits for their attendance.

2024 IPW:

Held in Los Angeles, CA. 5,700 attendees (20% increase from 2023). 7 participating booth share partners with over 160 completed appointments. Visit

Anaheim participated in the California Plaza featuring activation experiences in partnership with South Coast Plaza, OCVIBE, and Angels Baseball.

2024 Get Away Today Event:

Hosted in Salt Lake City, 5 Visit Anaheim team members and 21 partners, that included four attractions hotels and transportation partners, hosted client appreciation events for Get Away Today that included batting practice with Olympic Games, a hosted tabletop tradeshow with lunch and attraction presentations, and a Salt Lake Bees baseball game.

2024 Destination Forecast:

Held in Anaheim, CA. 390 partners attended, a record for the Destination Forecast event. Positive partner feedback on the presentation content, with 75.6% of 131 attendees surveyed reported it will have a positive impact on their business goals.

2024 IMEX:

Held in Las Vegas, CA. 11 partners participated. Debuted a new booth concept featuring a dynamic design with open concept and a distinctive "Hydration Cart" activation. A major highlight included the launch of a new partnership with the Anaheim Ducks, marked by an appearance from the Wild Wing mascot and the showcase of their new away jerseys sporting the Visit Anaheim patch. The booth saw strong engagement, generating 435 badge scans. Collaborative events with Visit California and California Gateway, which attracted over 200 attendees. Visit Anaheim also hosted top clients, featuring a dinner followed by a Garth Brooks concert.

2024 OCSC Pickles & Paddles Tournament Fundraiser:

Held at Los Cabs Sports Village in Fountain Valley, we had 77 tournament participants. The event included a Silent auction, DJ performance and Rivian test drive experience.

2025 Destination Services & Events Focus

In 2025, the Destination Services & Events teams will introduce key innovations to elevate Anaheim’s presence, enhance attendee experiences, and set new industry standards for excellence.

Events Team Initiatives

• State-of-the-Art Tradeshow Booth – An immersive, interactive space showcasing Anaheim’s top attractions.

• New Program of Experiences (Launching February) – Exclusive partner opportunities and key industry event participation.

Destination Services Enhancements

• Mobile Visitor Desk – Located at the North building of the Anaheim Convention Center for on-the-go attendee support.

• New Transportation Agreement – Streamlining travel for official Visit Anaheim business to enhance client and attendee experiences.

These initiatives position Visit Anaheim as an industry leader, delivering world-class service and engagement in 2025.

TOURISM

Domestic and International

Visit Anaheim’s Tourism Department focused on elevating Anaheim as Southern California’s premier leisure destination through strategic travel trade and consumer efforts. Key initiatives generated exposure, room nights, and revenue while expanding Anaheim’s influence in top domestic and international markets.

Key Activities & Partnerships

• Co-op Marketing Campaigns – Direct-to-consumer offers with travel trade, trade publications, and partners like the Salt Lake Bees.

• International Trade & Media Missions – Engaged key markets in Mexico, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, and the UK.

• Global Industry Collaboration – Partnered with Visit California, Brand USA, and US Travel, including exhibiting at IPW.

• Travel Trade Training – Webinars, trade shows, specialist programs, and targeted email marketing.

• FAM Hosting – Welcomed qualified travel trade sellers, media, and influencers.

• City of Anaheim Delegation – Supported Japan trade mission with Mayor Ashleigh Aitken.

New Market Initiatives

• Texas – Consumer campaigns with AAA Texas and tour operator Undercover Tourist to tap into this key feeder market.

• UK – Launched RFP process to establish UK travel trade representation by Spring 2025.

• Australia – Strengthened ties with Anaheim’s #1 international feeder market outside North America through:

o 2025 Co-op agreement with Qantas Holidays.

o Hosted high-profile FAMs, including Hello World Australia’s top sellers.

• Domestic Focus – Targeted Millennial & Gen Z travelers with a co-op campaign featuring Hopper & Capital One Travel, leveraging their membership and cardholder audiences.

Objectives

• Grow ROOM NIGHT production and LENGTH OF STAY into Anaheim/Garden Grove hotels by targeting the consumer through strong partnerships with Travel Trade partners, Disney, Brand USA, Visit California and US Travel

• Expand DESTINATION AWARENESS with a focus on promoting Anaheim as the base of stay for Southern California

Key Actions

TRAVEL TRADE CONSUMER MEDIA

• Sales Missions & Trade Shows

• Client Events

• Trainings

• Webinars

• Visit Anaheim Online Training Specialist Program

• Product Development and inclusion in travel trade programs

• Collaborate with key trade media outlets to promote the destination

• Forge strategic relationships and inspire travel and consumer media with Anaheim content to help identify influencers, fam, and PR generation opportunities

• Co-op marketing with trade partners

• Airlines

• Traditional and Online Tour Operators

• Brand USA & Visit California

• In-Market Activations

Combined Domestic and International Results

324,062

Total Room Nights 5,367

Total Travel Trade Reached

135,151,549

Total Impressions

Domestic Market Activities

Our focus is on key feeder markets with specific attention to targeting the Pacific Northwest, Arizona and Texas leveraging the direct flights to John Wayne Airport (SNA), expanding our consumer reach through activations and co-op marketing campaigns. In addition, we have been developing student group travel through our engagement with SYTA.

17,271,670 Impressions

181,654 Room Nights

$44,916,433 Hotel Gross Bookings

In Summer for Summer Consumer Campaign

To address the drop in summer demand, the Visit Anaheim Tourism Team collaborated with our key travel trade partners to drive short term room nights into Anaheim/Garden Grove Hotels.

74.8M Impressions

165,340 Room Nights

Summer Campaign

• To target low summer demand, our Fall AAA campaign was shifted to direct travel towards summer with an added reach in the Texas market

• Visit Anaheim and partners were featured in the August–November Westways magazine, VIA digital platform and AAA Email Direct Marketing

• The 3 programs directed consumers to the Hotel Special offers landing page on the Visit Anaheim website

20.9M Impressions

Get Away Today Campaign

Get Away Today continues to be the top producing domestic wholesale operator for tickets and room nights into Anaheim. Visit Anaheim activated Seasonal Campaigns for full year engagement conducting consumer activations.

Angels Spring Training - Spring Into Savings

Arizona based Influencers at game, then in market for content push.

Summertime Savings

• Utah Based influencers in market for Pixar Fest Content and an appreciation tailgate event at a Salt Lake Bees game

• 23 Visit Anaheim partners participated

Fall Into Savings

Top 60 influencer partners from key fly-drive markets in town for Oogie Boogie and Angels / Dodgers game.

Give The Gift Of A Vacation

Top 10 Influencer partners attend Ducks game for holiday messaging.

26.8M Impressions

24,864 Room Nights

Consumer Activation

Visit Anaheim participated in SXSW, Austin during the culture track activations with a hospitality suite. Local vendors were featured with a coffee station, nacho bar, and a happy hour hosted by James Beard Nominated Anaheim favorites, Strong Water.

Two campaigns aligned with this event to promote Pixar Fest and Summer Travel through AAA Texas Explorer campaign and Texas based wholesale operator, Undercover Tourist.

6.8M Impressions

2,100

Room Nights

IPW Los Angeles

Visit Anaheim attended IPW, the leading domestic and international inbound travel trade show, organized by the US Travel Association.

7 Visit Anaheim partners joined Visit Anaheim’s booth and an additional 35 Visit Anaheim partner companies attended separately giving Anaheim an increased presence this year.

The Tourism Department conducted over 130 appointments with buyers generating future business, strengthening partnerships with key operators and identifying marketing initiatives to drive bookings. The team also connected buyers with Anaheim product introducing new wholesale contract opportunities for our partners to receive future business.

Visit Anaheim welcomed City of Anaheim elected officials to participate at IPW which included a tour of the IPW tradeshow floor and meetings with key industry leaders.

Looking ahead at IPW 2025 in Chicago, 10-15 partner companies are expected to join our exciting bold new and larger booth.

IPW California Plaza

With IPW’s return to the Golden State, the California destinations welcomed show attendees the California Plaza, an engagement zone powered by Visit California located outside the Los Angeles Convention Center.

Visit Anaheim participated in the California Plaza as the highest Platinum Level Partner with an expansive activation space. The Visit Anaheim section featured numerous partners with food and beverage offerings inspired by the destination including Brewery X beer, Anaheim Packing House façade food and beverage station, a video wall with rotating vignettes and special activation zones featuring Disneyland Resort, South Coast Plaza, OCVIBE, and Angels Baseball.

IPW Post-Fams

Visit Anaheim capitalized on IPW’s close proximity to host three IPW Post Fams to give key clients an opportunity to experience Anaheim first-hand.

• Visit California Trade & Media Post Fam consisted of 21 trade and media attendees representing 10 countries

• Visit California China Post IPW-Fam hosted 14 trade partners from China

• Visit Anaheim Destination Showcase hosted 7 top producing trade partners from Australia and New Zealand

Target International Markets

In all markets we partner with Visit California, Brand USA and US Travel to broaden our reach.

Looking forward to 2025, we will be adding UK to Tier 1 and India to Tier 2.

TIER 1

Canada – Mexico – Australia – New Zealand

• In Market Support

• Dedicated Visit Anaheim Programs

• Direct Consumer and Travel Trade Efforts

TIER 2

UK/Europe – Asia

• Trade Efforts

• Participation in Industry Events

• Representation in Visit California Club California events

Canada Activities

Canada is the #1 international feeder market into the USA. Visit Anaheim continues to leverage travel trade partnerships to broader our consumer reach especially in Western Canada which has airlift into John Wayne Airport (SNA). Given the strong US to Canada dollar, providing value offers is essential to encouraging visitors to Anaheim and to remain competitive in the market.

Trade Shows

Visit California Canada Sales Mission

Visit Anaheim Tourism participated in Visit California’s Canada Travel Trade Sales Mission. Representing Anaheim/Garden Grove, Visit Anaheim engaged with over 200 travel agents in Western Canada’s key feeder cities: Calgary, Edmonton and Vancouver.

Visit Anaheim engaged with key Canadian trade clients including WestJet Vacations, Air Canada, TravelBrands and AMA Travel and met with travel agents sharing destination updates and showcasing trip inspiration and resources for Canadian travel professionals.

Canada Sales Mission

• The Tourism Department led our annual Canada Travel Trade Sales Mission with a delegation of 8 partners including hotels, theme parks, and destinations. The Western Canada road show focused on showcasing the destination and products to travel agents and strengthening relationships with key travel trade operators.

The sales mission also hosted a client lunch with AMA Travel (Alberta Motor Association), WestJet Vacations and TravelBrands. Visit Anaheim partnered with Travelweek.ca to feature delegates in additional marketing aligned with the sales mission to keep Anaheim top of mind.

The sales mission connected delegates met with total trade contacts.

Travelweek.ca

Visit Anaheim partnered with Travelweek.ca to feature the destination and partners to their Canadian travel trade audience during a key planning season.

This partnership included digital ads, email newsletter series, a custom Visit Anaheim supplement included in their December issue to their national trade distribution.

ANAHEIM GUIDE

RedTag.CA & NHL

Visit Anaheim partnered with RedTag.ca, one of Canada’s top online travel agencies and a subsidiary of H.I.S. Group (Travel Brands) in an in-trade partnership coinciding with Visit Anaheim’s sponsorship with NHL Vancouver Canucks and Edmonton Oilers.

Redtag.ca provided the call to action for various ads at NHL games including Visit Anaheim social media ads giving RedTag.ca exposure.

20M Impressions

480 Room Nights

Air Canada Vacations

Visit Anaheim partnered with Air Canada Vacations, Air Canada’s tour operator, on a marketing campaign to promote Anaheim. The campaign included a custom landing page in their digital brochure that highlighted things to do in Anaheim to inspire guests to book a trip and featured Anaheim hotels. The campaign also included digital ads in their enewsletter to their consumer distribution and on TheWeatherNetwork.com in Eastern Canada which highlighted Anaheim’s ideal year-round climate.

1.21M Impressions

642 Room Nights

Mexico Activities

Mexico is the #2 international feeder market into the USA. Our focus has been on converting more visitors to overnight vs day trips to Anaheim through campaigns targeting families and upscale travelers. Our Mexico team continues to push our new Spanish online training program which has increased usage by 42% since 2023.

Trade Shows

Visit Anaheim Mexico Sales Mission

IPW Los Angeles

Co-op Marketing

Price Travel - Best Day Travel - Travelshop

Consumer Activations

BEST DAY – Outlet Viaja Y Vuela Invierno

Fams

Dream Builders Vacations

Training

Yadira Viajes - Viajes Tu Mundo - Mega Travel -

Price Travel - Gros Posadas

AFEET Association Presentation Mazzarino ViajesViajare

Trade & Media Mission Mexico

The Tourism Department led our annual Mexico Sales Mission in Mexico City and Guadalajara focusing on educating the travel agent and strengthening relationships with key travel trade operators. 8 Delegates participated in travel agent trade shows and training presentations including a special presentation from Comscore LATAM to share insight into the media preferences of Mexican travelers.

Delegates also met with key trade operators and product buyers in 1-on-1 appointments and a client lunch with Volaris Airline and Ya Vas (the vacation package division of Volaris). The mission also included events with key trade, media, and influencers in Mexico City with a batting cages experience and in Guadalajara a unique Tequila outing with key contacts

The sales mission overall connected delegates with 235 total trade contacts and included interviews with key trade and consumer media outlets in market.

Price Travel EVM Award

Visit Anaheim was awarded with the prestigious EVM Award by Price Travel for the Best Marketing Campaign in Mexico in the USA destination category. This recognition highlights the dedicated and creativity behind Visit Anaheim’s efforts to engage and inspire Mexican travelers.

Best Day – Outlet

Viaja y Vuela

In partnership with Best Day, Visit Anaheim participated in the Outlet Viaja y Vuela event in Mexico City. This strategic activation allowed to connect with thousands of Mexican families, promoting the destination as an ideal destination for families.

Visit Anaheim was featured as a bookable destination in the Best Day booth at Outlet Viaja y Vuela show with a call to action to book a trip to Anaheim with Best Day

Australia Activities

Australia is Anaheim’s top international feeder market outside North America with a longer average length of stay. Visitation continues to increase although still behind pre-COVID numbers primarily due to the strong US dollar. Visit Anaheim encouraged partners to focus on providing value and has stayed highly

Trade Shows

Visit USA Australia – Brand USA Australia - IPW Los Angeles

Co-op Marketing

Qantas Holidays - Infinity Holidays - FlightCentre - Hello World

Ignite - Luxury Escapes

Consumer Activations

SXSW Sydney - Hawaiian Airlines Summer Camp in Australia

Fams

CoverMore - Hello World Global Stars - Zoku Travel - Travel

without Limits - Disney Novice

Post IPW Destination Showcase - #AussieinAnaheim Self

Directed Fams

Training

Disney Destination - Visit USA - Karry-On Agent Engagement

Video Qantas Destination Training Pilot Program

New Zealand Activities

Mature market known for extended length of stay. Maintains position as key strategic partner due to length of stay and spend along with seasonal travel patterns that fill traditional need periods. A lot of activity focused on showcasing the destination through fams and media as well our consistent engagement with Visit USA shows.

Trade Shows

Visit USA Australia – Brand USA Australia - IPW Los Angeles

Co-op Marketing

Brand USA/Hello World – FlightCentre - Air New Zealand Koru Club Elite Member Media Exposure

Newstalk ZB Podcast - House of Travel Media Campaign - Kia Ora

Delta Airlines Travel Agent fam - Disney Novice - Post IPW Destination Showcase VIP Travel Industry Top Executives - Fiji Airways VIP Travel Trade - Travelbrokers Top

Sellers #KiwisinAnaheim self directed fams Training

Cuthberts Academy New Zealand

Visit USA Shows Australia & New Zealand

The Tourism Department led a delegation of 6 partners to Australia and New Zealand to participate in the Visit USA Australia Expos and Brand USA NZ Expo. This mission included Visit Anaheim events in Brisbane, Sydney and Auckland in addition to B2b Sessions in Sydney and Auckland.

Travel Agent Education Expo events in Brisbane, Melbourne, Sydney and Auckland focused on educating many new travel agents and developing and strengthening relationships with key travel trade operators.

Delegates participated in travel agent trade shows and training presentations including a media event in Sydney.

Delegates also met with key trade operators and product buyers in 1-on-1 appointments and a Visit California reception in Sydney.

The sales mission overall connected delegates with key travel trade, media, influencers and 680 total travel agents and trade contacts and received coverage from key trade media Karry-on, Travel Today and Travel Daily.

IPW - Visit USA Australia &

Zealand

New

Visit Anaheim was a featured sponsor for the Visit USA Australia welcome reception at IPW including 80 buyer and media delegates from Australia and New Zealand. As the signature cocktail sponsor, Visit Anaheim’ signature drink, the “Meihana” (Anaheim backwards) welcomed reception attendees as the IPW festivities kicked off.

Visit Anaheim’s constant presence in the market and participation in Visit USA’s programs and expos gave us the opportunity to be included as a featured sponsor. Visit Anaheim President & CEO, Mike Waterman greeted delegates with a message of inspiration about the future of Anaheim.

Australia Co-op Marketing Campaigns

28,741,780

32,628 Room Nights

Helloworld Travel

Hello World is an Australian based travel company specializing in retail and wholesale travel products and packages with agencies throughout Australia and New Zealand and is one of Anaheim’s top Australia/New Zealand producers.

Visit Anaheim hosted HelloWorld Australia and New Zealand’s top 60 travel agents for a Southern California FAM that started with smaller groups experiencing San Diego, Palm Springs, Huntington Beach and Anaheim before all convening in Anaheim for their awards Gala further emphasizing our message.

The Group enjoyed an Anaheim Ducks game, Disneyland Resort, Rooftop Lounges, Breweries, Knott’s Berry Farm, Outlet Shopping and ART & Karmel transportation showcasing the ease of getting around Anaheim. The final night’s gala took place at Parkestry atop the JW Marriott with amazing views of the Disneyland fireworks. Other highlights include Warner Bros. Studio Tour, Academy of Motion Pictures Museum and Newport Beach Duffy Boat Tour. Hosting Global Stars received pick-up from Trade media including Travel Daily NZ and Karry-On Australia. Visit Anaheim was also represented in a Brand USA HelloWorld campaign to promote room night production.

Japan and Korea Activities

Japan: Focused on strengthening partnerships with local receptives and driving the Anaheim base of stay to Southern California encouraged tour operators to arrange transportation solutions to Ohtani and Dodgers games from Anaheim. Recommended partners offer value to offset the strong dollar vs YEN.

Korea: Focused on promoting overnight stays to Anaheim vs the current day trip option from LA.

Trade Shows

IPW Los Angeles

Co-op Marketing

HIS Tabijo Contest (Social Media Campaign)

HIS Tabjino FAM aligned with the co-op marketing social media contest

Training

Visit California Club California Korea

Visit California Club California Japan

Fams

HIS Japan Co-op Marketing Campaigns

Visit Anaheim worked with H.I.S. Tours for a second installment of 20 most photogenic spots in Anaheim. A contest was put on for Tabijo Travel, (the girls trip specific division of HIS). 2 influencers came to Anaheim in November and their experiences were featured on HIS magazine, website and social channels.

City of Anaheim Mission to Japan

Visit Anaheim participated in the Anaheim Mayor’s trip to Mito, Japan along with elected officials and city staff. The goal of the trip was to visit Mito, Anaheim’s sister city and participate in a series of programs and events organized by the Mito municipality. In addition, the itinerary also included meetings at Disney Sea along with a tour of the new land, Fantasy Springs, a potential new expansion to the Disneyland Resort as part of the Disneyland Forward projects. Moreover, the program included the coordination of sales calls to H.I.S and JATA (Japan Association of Travel Agents)

China and Southeast Asia Activities

The Chinese Market is slowly bouncing back – the lag is primarily due to the direct airlift that has not resumed since COVID. While group business is down, FIT business is increasing. Visit California has been promoting road trips to capitalize on this more independent travel trend. Visit Anaheim’s focus will be to explore opportunities with Ctrip (China’s #1 OTA) and engage with local Chinese focused receptive travel trade .

Trade Shows

IPW Los Angeles

Co-op Marketing

Ctrip with Visit California Fams

Visit California IPW Post Fam China

Tour America Delta Airlines Thailand Fam Training

Visit California Club California China

Visit California – Ctrip.com

Co-op Marketing Campaign

Ctrip (under Trip.com group) is the largest online travel agency in China and one of the largest travel service providers in the world.

Visit Anaheim participated in a Visit California Road Trip campaign aimed at promoting FIT travel from China to Southern California for the Lunar New Year celebration. Feature included a 2-day suggested itinerary and featured celebrations for Lunar New Year including Disneyland Resort, South Coast Plaza and Richard Nixon Presidential Library. Accommodation partners include Sheraton Park, Westin Anaheim Resort, Anaheim Hilton, and Anaheim Marriott properties. Vertical content and website amplification are included in the packages.

UK and Europe Activities

The UK market is the #1 inbound international market to the USA outside of North America. With multiple direct flights into LAX daily, a 5-7 night average length of stay and the tendency to book far in advance, the UK market is now a Visit Anaheim focus market. Visit Anaheim is in the process of establishing a travel trade representation office in London (Spring 2025) to drive business into Anaheim with the focus on positioning Anaheim as the base of stay in Southern California. We will continue to also promote the destination engaging with European travel trade at Brand USA Travel Week, IPW and other industry events and trade shows.

Trade Shows

IPW Los Angeles - Brand USA Travel Week

Brand USA Travel Week

As part of Visit Anaheim’s strategic plan to expand into the UK market, the destination was represented at Brand USA Travel Week in London.

Brand USA Travel Week is an annual show in Europe that brings US based suppliers from trade, media and executives together with key European buyers and media for a week of market updates, educational sessions and B2B appointments.

Visit Anaheim conducted business appointments with 40 buyers discussing opportunities for Anaheim & Garden Grove hotel product development with key operators to expand the destination’s messaging in the market.

In conjunction with Brand USA Travel Week, Visit Anaheim participated in Visit California’s client event meeting with various trade and media where Visit Anaheim was part of the grand prize with a land prize package.

Travel Trade Fams

23 Fam groups

332 Travel professionals:

• USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Mexico, Japan

Destination Training

In 2024, the Tourism Department conducted 28 trainings covering the following markets:

• Domestic

• Mexico

• Canada

• Australia

• New Zealand

• Japan

• South Korea

• India

• China

Reaching a total number of 2,654 Travel Professionals

Japan, 4%

New Zealand, 3918

Philippines, 4050

Not Specified, 4395

Website

Engagement: International User

United Kingdom, 7418

Mexico, 8204

Australia, 9052

India, 11559

Canada, 29664

Anaheim Specialist Program

The online Specialist Program offers travel professionals a self-pace training platform with tools and resources on how to sell Anaheim, now offered in Spanish & English.

1,148 Users Registered

767 Users Started Training

560 Users Completed Training

2025 Tourism Focus

As we aim to increase room nights and extend guest stays at our Anaheim/Garden Grove hotels, the presence of over 17 million annual international visitors to California, with around 2 million visiting Anaheim, underscores the significant potential for growth. Our strategy includes the following key initiatives:

• Market Integration: Seamlessly integrate consumer and trade efforts with media partnerships.

• Strategic Partnerships: Strengthen ties in key domestic markets (Pacific Northwest, Texas, Arizona) and international markets (Canada, Mexico, Australia, New Zealand, UK).

• UK Travel Trade Office: Establish and evolve the UK office to enhance European partnerships.

• Collaborative Programs: Align with Visit California and Brand USA for expanded reach and participate in co-op marketing.

• Targeted Sales Missions: Engage in sales missions and client events across Tier 2 markets like Japan, China, Korea, and India.

• New Segments: Explore new segments including receptive operators, student travel, and MICE from international sources.

• Education and Engagement: Provide destination education through FAM trips, webinars, and training series.

• Consumer Marketing: Implement targeted consumer campaigns with calls-to-action to drive bookings, focusing on upscale markets.

• Domestic Initiatives: Enhance domestic efforts with partnerships at MLB Spring Training and new Seattle partnerships leveraging direct flights to SNA.

• Event Presence: Elevate presence with a new state-of-the-art booth at IPW and reintroduce Club Anaheim in Chicago.

• International Networking: Meet with international buyers at AIME Australia and IMEX Frankfurt to foster group business.

• Adaptability: Adjust strategies based on the impact of tariff threats on tourism.

• Partner Collaboration: Extend our partners' sales and marketing reach through collaborative destination initiatives, enhancing Anaheim's economic impact.

MARKETING

Visit Anaheim’s Marketing Team delivered outstanding results in 2024, driving 145.5 million impressions and increasing website traffic by 47.85% YoY (1.33 million users) through targeted campaigns across leisure, luxury, and meetings & conventions markets.

Leisure Marketing Campaigns

• "Here We Go!" Campaign – Focused on families & multigenerational travelers.

• 72.5 million impressions | $72.7 million in revenue.

• San Diego Radio Campaign: Added 1.83 million impressions.

• TripAdvisor Campaign (Aug–Dec) – Targeted English & Spanish-speaking audiences.

• $75K investment | $7 million impact.

Luxury Marketing Campaigns

• "The Greatest Luxury of All" Campaign – Targeted high-income travelers ($250K+ HHI).

• 42,000 visitor arrivals | $12.9 million revenue | 42.5 million impressions.

• Virtuoso Travel Advisor Training – Reached 78 travel advisors and 122.5K luxury travelers.

• Luxury Media Plan – Featured in Los Angeles Magazine, Condé Nast Traveler, Travel + Leisure.

• 9 million total impressions across print, digital, and social media.

Meetings & Conventions (M+C) Marketing

• Engaged planners through targeted media – 10.8 million impressions | 1,604 leads.

• OOH Advertising (SNA & ATN) – 14.6 million impressions | 435 QR code downloads.

• Website Growth – 44.99% increase in page views.

• Email Marketing Expansion – 1.15 million recipients (+67% YoY).

Additional Engagement Initiatives

• Digital Pass Programs – 29.74% increase in sign-ups, enhancing visitor engagement.

• Destination Guide Distribution – Expanded reach in key domestic & international markets.

Through these initiatives, Anaheim and Garden Grove solidified their position as premier travel destinations, driving tourism, engagement, and economic impact.

Marketing

Impressions

July 1, 2023-June 30,2024

2024 Marketing Impressions

118,450,517

Total Impressions (up %% from previous year)

TOTAL IMPRESSIONS:

145,519,089

111??? July 1, 2022-June 30, 2023

Leisure Marketing –Digital Marketing Campaign

Campaign Overview

• Dates: March 5 – December 15

• Target Audience: Leisure travelers from major West Coast cities & Texas

• Demographics: Families & multigenerational travelers

• Age: Adults 45+ | Parents 25+ with children under 18

• Income: $150K+ | Interests: Hotels, travel, family entertainment

Strategy & Channels

• Objective: Attract new visitors & re-engage those who hadn’t visited in 6–12 months.

• Digital Partners: Epsilon, Viant, TripAdvisor, Google for precise targeting.

• Additional Outreach:

• Social media promotions

• Out-of-home (OOH) ads – John Wayne Airport & Anaheim Transportation Network

• San Diego radio ads to boost visibility & engagement

FOOTNOTE:

*Missinginformationfrommediapartner,Viant.

72.5M Impressions 0.50% Click-through Rate

272.4K

Arrivals to Anaheim/Garden Grove (A:194.2k | GG:78.2k)*

$23,937,454* Accommodations Revenue for Anaheim and Garden Grove

*Epsilon and TripAdvisor results combined

$48,757,097*

Non-Accommodations Revenue for Anaheim and Garden Grove

*Epsilon and TripAdvisor results combined

Measurement Window: March 5 - December 15

$53.6M

Total Messaged Visitor Spend

Spend in destination zips from visitors who received an ad.

5.6M

Unique Individuals Reached

Number of individual people messaged with an Epsilon campaign ad.

503.1K

Total Transactions

Number of captured non-cash transactions in destination zips from visitors who received an ad.

$425K Investment Campaign spend $126:1 ROAS

Return on ad spend. Every dollar of investment resulted in X dollars of visitor spend.

212K

Total Visitors

Number of people messaged with a campaign ad who went to the destination zips.

3.8%

Messaged Traveler Rate

Total visitors/unique individuals reached.

2.4 Average Purchases Per Visitor Total transactions/total visitors $19.8M Accommodations Revenue

30% of total messaged visitor spend. Note: NEI measures about 60% of transactions

Leisure Digital Marketing Metrics: Garden Grove

Measurement Window: March 5 - December 15

$12M

Total Messaged Visitor Spend

Spend in destination zips from visitors who received an ad.

84.6K

Total Visitors

Number of people messaged with a campaign ad who went to the destination zips.

Note: NEI measures about 60% of transactions

Leisure Marketing –

TripAdvisor Campaign

TripAdvisor Leisure Campaign Overview

Campaign Dates: August 22 – December 16

Investment: $75,000

Target Audience: Spanish & English-speaking travelers

Key Results

• Total Impact: $7 million in generated revenue

• Revenue Breakdown:

• $2 million – Accommodation

• $2.7 million – Transportation

• $912,000 – Food & Beverage

• $897,000 – Retail Sales

• $62,000 – Attractions

• $404,000 – Other categories

Strategic content and tailored advertising effectively engaged diverse audiences, maximizing returns across multiple leisure sectors.

TripAdvisor: Leisure Campaign Metrics

Measurement Window: August 22 - December 16 •

Leisure Marketing –Radio Campaign

CAMPAIGN DATES: August 15 – September 15

TARGET MARKET

San Diego

TARGET AUDIENCE

Adults aged 29-54 with children and a household income of $75K+.

CAMPAIGN OVERVIEW

This radio campaign, focused on the San Diego designated market area (DMA), aimed to increase awareness of Visit Anaheim among families and drive visitation from August to mid-September.

1,833,600

Total Impressions

Luxury Marketing – Digital Campaign

Campaign Dates

• Launch: June 27 - December 15

Target Market and Demographics

•Geographic Focus: Los Angeles, San Francisco/Bay Area, Seattle, Dallas, Chicago, New York, Phoenix

•Target Audience: Families, multigenerational travelers, millennial/Disney couples

•Income Bracket: Household income of $250K+

•Travel Preferences: Interested in luxury travel, hotel budget of $500+ per night

•Preferred Hotels: Premium brands like JW Marriott and Westin

Campaign Strategy and Channels

Key Feature: "The Greatest Luxury of All" campaign introducing a luxury microsite

• Microsite Highlights: AAA 4-Diamond hotels, Michelin-starred dining, upscale shopping, spas, outdoor adventures, and Disneyland Resort’s Crown Collection

• Design Elements: Elegant visuals and a refined design to enhance luxury appeal

Promotion Tactics:

• Social Media: Boosted and organic posts, reels, partner toolkit with customizable content

• Email Marketing: Luxury newsletter promotion

• Website: Homepage updated to feature campaign video, linking to the microsite

Communications:

• Satellite Media Tour: Featuring Tarek and Heather Rae El Moussa in the Fall 2024

Media Plan:

• Channels Used: Print, digital advertising, connected TV (CTV), online video (OLV), out-of-home (OOH)

“The Greatest Luxury of All" Luxury Digital Marketing Results

42.5M Impressions .46% Click-through Rate

FOOTNOTE:

*Missinginformationfrommediapartner,Viant.

70%

VCR: (OLVEpsilon only) 90%

VTR: (OLV + CTVViant only)

$5,224,000 Accommodations Revenue for Anaheim and Garden Grove 2.2M Social Media

49.6K Arrivals to Anaheim/ Garden Grove (A:36,700 | GG: 12,900*)

$7,676,000

Non-Accommodations Revenue for Anaheim and Garden Grove

Luxury Digital Marketing Metrics: Anaheim

Measurement Window: June 27 - December 15

$11.1M

Total Messaged Visitor Spend

Spend in destination zips from visitors who received an ad.

1.2M

Unique Individuals Reached

Number of individual people messaged with an Epsilon campaign ad.

$88.6K

Total Transactions

Number of captured non-cash transactions in destination zips from visitors who received an ad

$200K Investment Campaign spend $56:1 ROAS

Return on ad spend. Every dollar of investment resulted in X dollars of visitor spend.

36.7K

Total Visitors

Number of people messaged with a campaign ad who went to the destination zips.

3.2%

Messaged Traveler Rate

Total visitors/unique individuals reached.

2.4 Average Purchases Per Visitor Total transactions/total visitors $4.9M Accommodations Revenue Alone 45% of total messaged visitor spend.

Note: NEI measures about 60% of transactions

Measurement Window: June 27 - December 15

$1.8M

Total Messaged Visitor Spend

Spend in destination zips from visitors who received an ad.

12.9K

Total Visitors

Number of people messaged with a campaign ad who went to the destination zips.

Note: NEI measures about 60% of transactions

Luxury Media Campaign

Visit Anaheim’s 2024 luxury media plan strategically enhanced brand visibility through premium print, digital, and social media placements, targeting affluent, experience-driven travelers across key markets.

Key Initiatives & Partnerships

• Premium Print Placements: Featured in Los Angeles Magazine, Travel + Leisure, Condé Nast Traveler, Seattle Magazine, and Robb Report.

• Targeted Digital & Social Media Ads: Partnered with Modern Luxury, North & Amex, and MediaMax to reach high-value travelers.

• High-Impact Email Campaigns:

• 67% open rate – Travel + Leisure

• 4.19% click-through rate – Robb Report

• Collaborations with SF Chronicle, 805 Living, and C Magazine to drive website traffic.

• Total Reach: 9 million impressions across all platforms.

This multi-channel approach combined the prestige of print with the interactive reach of digital, effectively engaging luxury travelers.

9,000,000

Total Impressions

Virtuoso Partnership

Virtuoso is the premier global network for luxury and experiential travel, renowned for its deep connections with top travel advisors and affluent travelers. To tap into this exclusive network and enhance our presence in the luxury market, Visit Anaheim is a Virtuoso Preferred Destination, aligning strategically with Visit California's partnership.

122,517

Total Impressions

78 Travel Advisors Trained

Meetings & Conventions Marketing Campaign

Campaign Dates: March 14 – December 31

Budget: $204K net

Objectives

• Educate meeting & convention planners on Anaheim’s offerings.

• Increase awareness and consideration for future events.

• Generate qualified sales leads to support economic growth.

• Success measured by RFP submissions & CVENT clicks.

Strategy & Channels

• Programmatic Advertising – Partnered with Sojern.

• Industry Trade Partnerships – Collaborated with Smart Meetings, Meetings Today, Prevue Meetings, NorthStar Meetings Group, MPI, Conference Direct, and CVENT.

• Social Media Engagement – Focused on LinkedIn & Instagram to reach planners.

• Key Shift: Directed traffic to CVENT to optimize lead generation.

Results

• Exceeded industry CTR benchmarks.

• Email lead nurturing proved highly effective.

• Meetings Today tele-prospecting delivered top-quality leads.

• LinkedIn Single Image & Carousel Ads performed efficiently.

• Increased CVENT click-throughs, reinforcing Anaheim as a premier meetings & convention destination.

Marketing Results

March-December

10.8M Impressions 0.67% Click-through Rate

66,411 Clicks

1,604 Leads

Meetings & ConventionsTele-Prospecting Program

Campaign Dates: August 15 – December 15

Strategy

• Extended sales team efforts to engage Meetings Today’s planner audience.

• Targeted planners in consideration and ready-to-book stages.

• 100 call hours dedicated to generating qualified leads.

Results

• 24 qualified prospects secured.

• 18 future decision dates identified.

• 63,790 potential room nights, with an average peak of 472 rooms per night.

• Estimated revenue impact: $16.2 million.

Meetings & ConventionsPCMA & CEMA Campaign

CAMPAIGN DATES

September – December

PCMA + CEMA CAMPAIGN

The PCMA and CEMA advertising placements were designed to specifically target the convention planner audience, increasing awareness and engagement with Anaheim as a premier event destination.

CAMPAIGN STRATEGY AND RESULTS

The campaign’s Native Retargeting Promotion and general Retargeting strategies generated the highest number of impressions, effectively reaching and re-engaging planners interested in convention destinations. Overall, the campaign delivered:

• 872,817 impressions

• 0.24% click-through rate (CTR)

• 1,014 clicks

• 19.57% video completion rate (VCR)

Meetings & ConventionsPlanner Pulse E-Mail Campaign

Key Metrics

• Subscriber Growth: +58.65% (3,700 in January → 5,870 in December).

• Total Newsletters Sent: 7 editions, including 6 customized per sales manager/director.

• Recipients per e-blast: 5,870 average.

Engagement & Performance

• Open Rate: 32% (up from 31.6% in 2023).

• Click Rate: 4.8% (nearly double the 2.5% industry average).

• Impact: Despite Apple security updates affecting open rates, click rates remain a key success metric, showing strong planner engagement.

OOH Marketing

Key Enhancements

• Expanded presence at John Wayne/Orange County Airport (SNA).

• Maintained signage on Anaheim Transportation Network (ATN) buses for continued exposure in the Anaheim Resort area.

Location & Placement

• SNA: Digital & print signage at baggage claims, Terminal A & C, escalators, monitors, and directory kiosks.

• Anaheim Transportation Network:

• Interior ads on 18 buses covering Disneyland Resort routes.

• Exterior ads on 4 buses + Here We Go campaign video on the entire fleet.

• Supports the mobile savings pass initiative.

Results

• Total Impressions: 14.6 million

• ATN: 3.54 million impressions

• SNA: 11.08 million impressions

• QR Code Engagement: 435 downloads

• ATN: 367 downloads

• SNA: 68 downloads

Website

Key Enhancements

• Disney Website Takeovers – Featured content for Halloween Time, Holidays at Disneyland® Resort, and Pixar Fest.

• Luxury Microsite – Launched June 27.

• Accessibility Webpages – Introduced February 8.

Website Performance

• Total Users: +47.85% (1,334,161 vs. 902,358 in 2023).

• Organic Search Traffic: +16.48% (570,972 users vs. 490,176).

• Total Page Views: +44.99% (2,962,685 views).

• Organic Search Views: +19.53% (1,299,087 views).

Email Marketing

In 2024, the total Consumer Email list grew by 67% to 1.15 million recipients, with an open rate of 28.53% and click rate of 1.00%. The Outdoor/Active segment led engagement with a 1,077% increase, a 40.94% open rate, and 3.44% click rate, while Foodie (1,213% growth) and Family Fun (1,639% growth) also saw strong performance.

The Luxury segment, launched in July 2024, reached 70.5K recipients but had the lowest engagement (24.62% open rate, 0.94% click rate). The Partnership segment had moderate growth (5.27%) but the highest click rate (6.36%) and a 37.87% open rate. Meanwhile, Meetings & Conventions declined by 13.9% but maintained a 32.10% open rate and 4.78% click rate.

Overall, Outdoor/Active saw the highest open rates, Partnership excelled in click-throughs, while the Luxury segment experienced lower engagement.

• TOTAL CONSUMER EMAIL

o Total Number of Recipients: 1,153,511

o YOY Recipient Growth: 67% increase

o Open Rate: 28.53%

o Click Rate: 1.00%

• OUTDOOR/ACTIVE SEGMENT

o Total Number of Recipients: 21,989

o YOY Recipient Growth: 1,077% increase

o Open Rate: 40.94%

o Click Rate: 3.44%

• FOODIE SEGMENT

o Total Number of Recipients: 51,856

o YOY Recipient Growth: 1,213% increase

o Open Rate: 33.6%

o Click Rate: 2.63%

• FAMILY FUN SEGMENT

o Total Number of Recipients: 35,527

o YOY Recipients Growth: 1,639% increase

o Open Rate: 33.18%

o Click Rate: 1.58%

• LUXURY SEGMENT

o Total Number of Recipients: 70,502

o YOY Recipients Growth: N/A Launched 6/2024

o Open Rate: 24.62%

o Click Rate: 0.94%

• PARTNERSHIP:

o Total Number of Recipients: 34,826

o YOY Recipients Growth: 5.27% increase

o Open Rate: 37.87%

o Click Rate: 6.36%

• MEETINGS AND CONVENTIONS:

o Total Number of Recipients: 28,454

o YOY Recipients Growth: 13.9% decrease

o Open Rate: 32.1%

o Click Rate: 4.78%

*Open Rate = recipient opened email

**Click Rate = recipients clicked any link inside the email

2024 Email Campaigns

Digital Savings Passes

Visit Anaheim’s Digital Pass Program provides visitors and locals with exclusive discounts on dining, attractions, entertainment, and craft beer experiences. These free, mobile-friendly passes offer partners additional exposure to Anaheim and Garden Grove visitors.

Overall Program Performance

• Total Sign-Ups: 8,947

• Year-Over-Year Growth: +29.74%

Pass Highlights & Growth

• Anaheim Savings Pass (formerly Sip, Savor, & Shop Pass)

• Offers discounts on dining, attractions, & activities.

• 2024 Sign-Ups: 3,076 (+32.76% YoY).

• Visit Anaheim Brew Pass

• Provides exclusive offers at top breweries.

• 2024 Sign-Ups: 3,671 (+6.41% YoY).

• Attendee Perks Pass

• Designed for meeting & event attendees to access discounts.

• 2024 Sign-Ups: 2,200 (+94.86% YoY).

Strong growth across all passes highlights the program’s success in driving visitor engagement and enhancing local experiences.

Content & Creative Development

In 2024, Visit Anaheim’s Content and Creative Teams delivered highimpact, engaging content that strengthened brand visibility and audience engagement.

A total of 49 website blogs showcased Anaheim as a premier destination, reinforcing thought leadership and providing valuable insights to visitors.

The Creative Team’s investment in high-quality visuals resulted in 8,562 new photography and video assets, ensuring a dynamic and compelling representation of Anaheim across marketing channels.

Additionally, the Creative Team executed 532 graphic projects, 33 video shoots, and 26 photography sessions, further enhancing the brand’s storytelling and digital presence.

Through strategic content creation and visual storytelling, Visit Anaheim continues to captivate and inspire travelers, solidifying its position as a must-visit destination.

Destination Guide

The Visit Anaheim Destination Guide is a must-have resource for travelers looking to experience the best of Anaheim and Garden Grove. Designed to inspire and inform, this curated guide showcases top attractions, dining, and entertainment options, helping visitors plan unforgettable trips.

In 2024, 125,000 printed guides were distributed across key locations, including hotels, airports, visitor centers, and international markets, ensuring maximum reach among prospective travelers. Additionally, 1,509 mail requests were generated through the website, highlighting strong demand for travel inspiration.

Where You Can Find the Guide:

• Nationwide distribution to prospective visitors across the U.S.

• International markets, including Canada, Australia/New Zealand, and Latin America

• Travel agents and tour operators

• 150+ visitor marketing locations in Orange County, including hotels, motels, car rental offices, and RV parks

• 200+ locations throughout Northern California and Arizona

• California Welcome Centers & major airports, including John Wayne Airport, San Diego, Oakland, San Jose, Monterey, Sonoma County, and Phoenix-Mesa Gateway

2024 Destination Guide

2025 Marketing Focus

In 2025, Visit Anaheim’s Marketing team will leverage data, visitor insights, and local sentiment to reposition our brand as we enter the Golden Decade. The new marketing agency RFP will provide a fresh voice and tone, while we continue optimizing strategic growth, market personalization, and digital innovation to strengthen Anaheim’s presence on a global scale.

Leisure Marketing

• Target niche markets with personalized messaging to attract high-potential visitors.

• Expand advertising across print, OOH digital, CTV, and co-op partnerships with Visit California & niche channels.

• Develop long-term messaging for national events (FIFA World Cup, Super Bowl, Olympics, OCVIBE, Disneyland Forward).

• Expand Out-of-Home (OOH) presence in key feeder markets.

• Provide ongoing marketing support for Visit Anaheim’s savings passes.

• Refresh & relaunch Here We Go! campaign assets.

• Strengthen luxury marketing efforts by:

• Developing co-op plans with luxury partners & Visit California.

• Expanding advertising to reach mature luxury travelers.

• Supporting Luxury Travel Advisor Training (domestic & international).

• Spring photoshoot to enhance creative assets.

Meetings & Conventions Marketing

• Continue Search Engine Marketing (SEM) campaign.

• Develop a sports marketing advertising plan.

• Expand telemarketing program to increase leads.

• Audit & refresh M+C webpages and imagery.

• Develop M+C luxury marketing strategy.

• Focus on content development & thought-leader positioning for executives.

Local & Community Marketing

• Develop an Accessibility + Inclusion (A+I) marketing plan.

• Create a Community Relations marketing plan to strengthen local engagement.

• Expand Certified Autism Destination support for partners & the local community.

• Engage research partner for an Anaheim Resident Sentiment Survey.

Digital Marketing & Website

• Continue always-on PPC to drive website traffic.

• Launch new Visit Anaheim website with enhanced features.

• Grow Accessibility webpage & integrate AI for productivity.

• Introduce a new savings pass for the local community.

• Digitize all Visit Anaheim historical assets.

• Expand content marketing strategy for niche demographics.

• Grow email audience and strengthen local communication.

Brand Development

• Execute Brand Refresh with a new umbrella marketing campaign.

• Distribute RFP for ad agency support.

Additionally, the Marketing team will support international market reengagement, workforce development, and integration of the Tourism Economics Symphony Attribution Platform to enhance data-driven decision-making.

COMMUNICATIONS

Media Relations

Visit Anaheim continues to implement a robust media relations strategy targeting meetings & conventions trade media as well as local and international media to keep Anaheim top of mind for both leisure travelers and meeting planners.

12

Total Press Releases

413

Total Media Clips

2,058,784,550

Total Impressions (37% change from 2023)

Domestic Broadcast

12News’ “Arizona MidDay” & “Today in AZ” – Phoenix

• On-air interviews & giveaway to promote Spring Training and the “Spring Into Savings” GetAway Today package.

KVUE’s “Spotlight ATX” – Austin

• On-air interview to promote summer travel to Anaheim and the Undercover Tourist package while activating at SXSW.

FOX5 “The LOCAList SD” – San Diego

• On-air interviews & giveaway to promote attendance at WonderCon.

ABC7’s “Bay Area Life”– Bay Area

• On-air interviews & giveaway to promote the 50th anniversary of Desert Palms Hotel & Suites and the Castle Inn & Suites.

KTLA’s “LA Unscripted” show – Los Angeles

• On-air interviews & giveaway to drive attendance for VidCon.

KUTV’s “Road Trippin’” series & “Fresh Living” talk show – Salt Lake City

• On-air interviews & commercial to promote activation at the Salt Lake Bees game & inspire summer family travel.

International Broadcast

Imagen TV – Mexico

• Several on-air and radio interviews were conducted in support of the Sales Mission with Imagen TV – the leading broadcast radio group in Mexico with national reach on various FM frequencies. Concierge radio show is hosted by Cecy Núñez, one of the most important tourism journalists in the market.

Christmas with Delta Special – Australia

• On-air broadcast Christmas special with Australian actress, singer & TV personality Delta Goodrem that aired over the holidays. The 3 broadcasts reached over 3.1 million Australians, which is roughly 12% of the entire population. This makes it one of the highest rating non-sports programs of the year.

Social Media

Visit Anaheim continues to share content highlighting Anaheim’s culinary scene and hotels, as well as things to do in Anaheim. This content is shared across Visit Anaheim’s Facebook, Instagram, X, Threads, TikTok, LinkedIn, and YouTube accounts. The content is shared to an audience of 370,206 users.

218,547,944

Total Social Media Impressions

Social Media

Visit Anaheim continues to partner with a variety of social media creators to highlight Anaheim attractions, restaurants, and hotels. In 2024, Visit Anaheim successfully completed 39 influencer campaigns, including seven familiarization trips with groups of five or more influencers.

51,247,599

Total Impressions

Social Media Ads

Visit Anaheim's social media ad strategy has been highly impactful, with 79 ads published to achieve diverse objectives. These ads have successfully promoted tourism campaigns like Expedia and Get Away Today offers, boosted website traffic, increased downloads for the Anaheim Brew Pass and Attendee Perks Pass, and increased sign-ups for the Visit Anaheim newsletter. They also enhanced awareness of local events and businesses while spotlighting upcoming meetings and conventions, showcasing Anaheim as a premier destination.

158,179,699

Total Impressions

2025 Communications Focus

Imaginagency: In 2024, the communications team selected a domestic PR agency to run a summer 2025 campaign geared toward family travel. The team is excited to bring the Imaginagency campaign to life, which will put kids in charge of planning the ultimate Anaheim vacations for their families. This campaign will also include a conversion component with bookable itineraries.

Celebrity Spokespeople: The team will continue to leverage existing celebrity relationships and continue to expand into new partnerships to amplify storytelling efforts. For example, in 2024 the team established connections with Tarek and Heather El Moussa and will continue to grow upon those efforts by going beyond initially contracted work.

Anaheim Ducks Partnership: The 2024-2025 Ducks hockey season was a major win for Visit Anaheim as the inaugural away game jersey patch sponsor. This deal is in effect for three consecutive seasons and will remain a cornerstone of the communications storytelling strategy moving forward.

PARTNERSHIPS

Partnerships

Visit Anaheim’s Partnership Department hosts events that foster networking, education, and industry collaboration. Programs like the ReConnect Series and Marquee Events provide insights into market trends, business strategies, and future industry developments.

Key Events & Highlights

• ReConnect Series (3 events, 230+ attendees):

• Certified Autism Center Training (IBCCES).

• Social Media for Business Growth.

• AI in Travel Innovation.

• Marquee Events:

• Destination Forecast – Deep dive into market trends & projections.

• Annual Meeting – Recap of achievements, industry insights, and future initiatives.

These events strengthen industry partnerships, enhance professional development, and provide valuable market intelligence.

2024 Program Highlights

Marketing Impressions

July 1, 2023-June 30,2024

• Total Revenue: $1,124,091

• Total Partners: 424

• Total New Partners: 31

118,450,517

• Partner Retention: 85%

Total Impressions (up %% from previous year)

• Partnership Events: 6

• Combined Attendance: 1,167

• First Strategic Program with local Artist S. Preston

111???

July 1, 2022-June 30, 2023

Partnership Events

The Partnership Department's events are purposefully crafted to enhance partner engagement through a blend of networking and educational initiatives. The ReConnect Series, for instance, promotes professional development, as seen in events like the one on Autism certification by IBCCES, a session on leveraging social media for business growth, and an innovative discussion on the use of AI in travel. These sessions provide practical insights and foster collaboration among industry partners. Additionally, major events like the Destination Forecast offer deep dives into market trends and future projections, contributing significantly to the industry knowledge pool.

In 2024, notable events included the ReConnect Series with three distinct gatherings, each targeting specific industry advancements. The first event educated attendees on becoming a Certified Autism Center, the second enhanced skills in social media utilization, and the third explored AI's potential in travel. These events collectively welcomed a diverse group of over 230 industry partners. The Marquee Events like Destination Forecast and the Annual Meeting further solidified community ties, with the latter celebrating past achievements and outlining ambitious future goals, including insights into Anaheim's upcoming major events and developments.

2025 Partnership Development Focus

PARTNER Engagement and Satisfaction Survey

Visit Anaheim will conduct a Partner Engagement and Satisfaction Survey to thoroughly understand partners’ views on the value and satisfaction derived from current offerings. This survey will evaluate how well these benefits meet partner expectations and identify potential areas for new programs or improvements. The goal is to ensure that existing initiatives remain relevant and beneficial, and to explore the introduction of new or enhanced programs that align with partner needs and growth opportunities.

Strategic Partnerships

Visit Anaheim is committed to enriching its offerings through strategic partnerships with key stakeholders, aiming to create synergetic opportunities that benefit the entire destination. By working with industry and community leaders, we plan to develop value-driven initiatives, innovative experiences, and solutions that support both our own goals and those of our partners. These collaborations are intended to foster sustainable, mutually beneficial relationships that address current needs while also paving the way for future growth and impact.

Business Intelligence Report Subscription Program

Visit Anaheim will launch the Business Intelligence Report Subscription Program to provide partners with ongoing, structured insights for improved strategic decision-making and growth. This new subscription model, which replaces a one-time package, offers enhanced access to crucial reports and analytics tools, delivered regularly (e.g., monthly, quarterly) to align with different partner needs. By tapping into industry-leading data sources, the program will furnish partners with valuable intelligence on market trends, demand indicators, and visitor analytics, aimed at boosting performance and revenue. Marketing and engagement strategies will support the program to ensure its broad adoption and maximum effectiveness.

Partner Mixers

This year, Visit Anaheim is introducing an exclusive event for partners to network and engage with team members in a casual setting. These mixers are designed to foster meaningful dialogue and collaboration, allowing attendees to gain insights into Visit Anaheim's various programs and opportunities. The goal is to create a vibrant atmosphere where new ideas and partnerships can develop, benefiting all participants and the wider partner community.

WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY RELATIONS/

Community Relations

Visit Anaheim strengthens community partnerships through strategic engagement, fostering trust and collaboration with local organizations and government bodies.

Key Achievements

New Community Relations position created.

443 staff hours dedicated to community service.

Integrated marketing & community relations efforts.

Notable Initiatives

Anaheim Mayor’s trip to Mito, Japan.

Anaheim Resort Toy Drive.

Workforce Development at Anaheim & Garden Grove high schools.

Three-year YMCA partnership.

Support for local events:

Firkfest Beer Festival

Anaheim Fall Festival & Parade

Foods of Garden Grove

Big Brother Big Sister Mentoring Program – 15 Visit Anaheim staff members participated.

These efforts strengthen community ties, support local initiatives, and align Visit Anaheim’s impact with the region’s evolving needs.

2024 Program Highlights

• Creation of the Community Relations position

• 443 hours of staff community service in Anaheim or Garden Grove 501(c)(3) non-profit groups organizations and events

• Integration of Marketing and Community Relations message and efforts

• Integration of the Workforce Development Initiative with Community Efforts

• Participation in the Anaheim Mayor’s trip to Mito, Japan sister city

• Anaheim Resort Toy Drive Fundraising with Mayor Pro Tem Norma Campos-Kurtz and Anaheim Community Foundation

• Participation of Congressman Lou Correa in the Workforce Development presentation at Anaheim High School

• 3-year partnership with YMCA

• Support of the K&A Catering Christmas Eve Breakfast

• Participation in the Firkenstein Craft Beer Festival

• Participation in the Anaheim Fall Festival and Parade

• Promotion and communication support of the first Foods of Garden Grove event

• Big Brother Big Sister mentoring program participation with 15 staff involved

2025 Anticipated Highlights

• Volunteer Program: Minimum of 500 hours of community service

• Value of Tourism message into the local community: Promoting the value of tourism by creating and disseminating targeted content and assets. The goal is to highlight the economic and social benefits of tourism to the local community, residents, and stakeholders ensuring it reaches and resonates with these key audiences. By doing so, we aim to raise awareness, foster support, and encourage active participation in the growth of the tourism sector.

• Involvement and collaboration with local and state organizations YMCA Board, CalTravel participation

• Resident Sentiment Survey

• Anaheim Police Substation at Anaheim Convention Center collaboration

• Continued integration of the Workforce Development program and its messaging into our community initiatives

• Ongoing partnership with YMCA

• Ongoing participation in community events:

• Anaheim Resort Toy Drive

• Support of the K&A Catering Christmas Eve Breakfast

• Participation in the Firkfest Beer Festival

• Participation in the Anaheim Fall Festival and Parade

• City of Anaheim Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony

• Promotion and communication support of the first Foods of Garden Grove event

• Big Brother Big Sister Mentoring Program participation with 15 staff involved

• Other key opportunities will be evaluated in the year to join and participate

Certified Tourism Ambassador Program

The Certified Tourism Ambassador (CTA) Program is a nationwide certification that enhances the skills of tourism and hospitality professionals, particularly front-line staff in hotels, restaurants, and attractions. Participants receive training in local history, geography, attractions, and customer service best practices, learning to exceed visitor expectations. The program also provides insights into local events and hidden gems. After completing the training and passing a certification exam, CTAs become trusted experts in delivering highquality recommendations and enriching the visitor experience.

In 2024, the program held 16 classes and trained 400 new CTAs, including 36 high school students from Anaheim and Garden Grove High Schools. Two major networking events took place: one on May 21 at JW Marriott Anaheim Resort, attended by 100 CTAs, and another on September 24 at The Escape Game & Dave & Buster’s at The Outlets at Orange, attended by 90 CTAs. The program recognized outstanding contributions by awarding Bruno Duarte as CTA of the Year and naming the Anaheim Convention Center as CTA Company of the Year.

Community outreach efforts included 11 presentations at Anaheim High Schools and 5 at Garden Grove High Schools. The CTA Program continues to strengthen careers in tourism while making destinations more welcoming and engaging.

2024 Program Highlights

• 16 Classes held in 2024

• 400 CTAs trained and certified

• 36 high school students from Anaheim & Garden Grove HS certified

• Networking Events-

o May 21 – JW Marriott Anaheim Resort; attendance 100 CTAs

o Sept. 24 – The Escape Game & Dave & Buster’s at The Outlets at Orange; attendance 90 CTAs

• Awarded CTA of the Year – Bruno Duarte

• Awarded CTA Company of the Year – Anaheim Convention Center

• 11 Presentations conducted at Anaheim High Schools

• 5 Presentations conducted at Garden Grove High Schools

2025 Anticipated Highlights

• Continue to grow the number of hospitality employees throughout Anaheim/OC to new 200 CTAs.

• Engage 100 Workforce Development Students to become certified.

• Ensure participation in various networking events that promote the CTA Program.

• Continue to support the Visit Anaheim Workforce Development program by conducting presentations at local high schools & colleges.

• Maintain current CTAs through yearly renewals with retention rate around 90%.

• Investigate alternative CTA opportunities to promote program enrollment.

• Organize private classes with key community stakeholders.

Workforce Development

In Spring 2024, Visit Anaheim launched the Workforce Development initiative to highlight the value of tourism and present viable career paths for professional development and advancement. The program features successful emerging leaders from companies such as Knott's Berry Farm, OCVIBE, Honda Center, JW Marriott, Angels Baseball, Aramark, and Hilton Anaheim, who share their educational backgrounds and career experiences to underscore the industry's opportunities. The initiative includes 45-minute presentations at local high schools, comprising short highlight videos, 3-4 relatable speakers, and raffle prizes to engage students.

In 2024, the program conducted 11 presentations at Anaheim high schools and 5 at Garden Grove high schools, reaching over 1,000 students. Additionally, 35 students received Certified Tourism Ambassador training and certification, with over 40 industry partners participating as program speakers and 10 Visit Anaheim team members serving as emcees. The Workforce Development microsite's job posting page garnered over 1,150 visits, reflecting significant interest in tourism careers among students.

2024 Program Highlights

• 11 Presentations conducted at Anaheim High Schools

• 5 Presentations conducted at Garden Grove High Schools

• 1,000+ students attended presentations

• 35 Students CTA Trained & Certified

• Over 40 Industry Partners participated as Program Speakers

• 10 Visit Anaheim team members acted as Program Emcees

• Over 1,150 visits to WFD microsite Job Posting Page

2025 Anticipated Highlights

• Anaheim & Garden Grove schools expanding pathways to students in business, entrepreneurship, and marketing

• 23 Presentations scheduled for 2024-25

• Expect 2,000+ students to attend presentations

• Expect 50+ CTA’s to be trained & certified

• Participate in Career and Job Fairs highlighting Workforce Development

2025 Community Relations/ Workforce Development Focus

There are tremendous opportunities from businesses in need of motivated, forward-thinking employees seeking exciting and challenging careers in tourism & hospitality. Our community is experiencing unprecedented growth with projects such as the $4 Billion OCVIBE retail/entertainment/dining/mixed use project as well as the $1.9 Billion DisneylandForward expansion. We recognize the need to encourage and inspire students who will be the next generation of hospitality professionals. Visit Anaheim serves as the catalyst connecting students to a wide range of opportunities.

The Workforce Development department will prioritize the continued growth and expansion of the program. There are plans to deepen community engagement through increased participation in local activities. It is crucial to connect with both the younger generation of students and their parents to educate them on the opportunities of careers in tourism & hospitality.

BUSINESS INTELLIGENCE

Business Intelligence

Introducing our Business Intelligence/IT department: customizable reporting packages and dashboards. These cutting -edge reports provide actionable insights and a comprehensive view of industry trends. By harnessing data from various platforms, we have created a transformative tool to empower partners in making informed decisions in a thriving in the market.

DATA ANALYTICS

This information helps in making informed decisions regarding pricing, marketing strategies, resource allocation, and service improvements.

INDUSTRY ANALYTICS

This information helps compiles research, trending data and benchmarks on the status of Tourism and Hospitality throughout the US.

MARKET/LODGING ANALYTICS

This information helps comprises the processes that enable partners to study the effectiveness of selling strategies through marketplace data trending and comp set comparisons.

EVENT ANALYTICS

This information helps incorporates an evaluation of Visit Anaheim’s past, present, and future booking data to establish baseline trending of origin markets, market segments, booking windows and length of stay.

VISITOR ANALYTICS

This information helps studies the patterns of travelers through the evaluation of travelers’ origin, air throughput and physical visitation footprints.

ONLINE PRESENCE AND DISTRIBUTION

Manages online presence, distribution channels, and e-commerce platforms, websites, mobile applications, and online booking systems.

OPERATIONAL EFFICIENCY

Analyze operational data from different departments like housekeeping, food & beverage, and front desk to identify bottlenecks, streamline processes, and improve efficiency.

CUSTOMER RELATIONSHIP MANAGEMENT (CRM)

Helps businesses build and maintain strong customer relationships.

Total Visits to Anaheim

In 2024, Anaheim surpassed 2019 in visitor volume by 26.1% and are expected to grow year-over-year for the next several years.

Day vs. Overnight Visitors in Anaheim

In 2024, Anaheim saw a 46.7% increase over 2019 in Overnight visitors.

Anaheim Visitor Forecast

2025 Business Intelligence & IT Focus

Our Business Intelligence strategy for 2025, will be utilizing Artificial Intelligence (AI) to analyze data from a variety of sources. This will support performance across the organization. In addition, plans include enhanced department reporting, training, and IT security education and protection.

AI Data Analysis

• Utilize Copilot for data analysis.

• Use data warehouse to create a repository for AI data.

• Connected the following data sources: Simpleview, CVENT BI, Arrivalist/NEAR, Sprout Social, Google Analytics, Epsilon, Tourism Economics, Economic Impact, Symphony, and Campus Hotels.

• Create webinars based off monthly/quarterly/annual analysis reports with either SV/STR/ or TE to compare internal progress/data to outside sources.

• Create automated report cards for Campus Hotels, starting with a small data set and then branching out to include it in the partner portal.

• Identify trends in Simpleview, Lodging, and CVENT BI data to pinpoint where to locate new datasets.

• Create Sales Leads reports using AI tools and other data sets.

Enhanced Department Reports

Create enhanced department reports using Co-op data, STR Data, and SV Data.

Training

Provide more AI and analytics training for the Business Intelligence team.

Survey Reports/Analytics/BI Package Reporting

• Analyze Campaign insights

• Secure Business Intelligence bundle reporting with additional regional DMOs, such as beach cities of Dana Point, San Juan Capistrano, San Clemente, and Newport Beach, etc.

IT Strategy

Implement new IT security measures and SOPs

• Implement new IT vendor

• Cut costs of subscriptions, hardware, and installations.

• Upgrade VA equipment in conference rooms

• Standardize staff hardware such as monitors, printers, keyboards, mice, etc.

• Turn badging system to digital.

• Taking sage completely online.

Training

• Sage training, staff training, and continued cybersecurity training