Businessplan 2016

2016 Business and Marketing Plan Serving Olympia, Lacey, Tumwater, Yelm, Bucoda, Grand Mound, Littlerock, Rochester, Rainier, Tenino 1

TABLE OF CONTENTS Message from President & Executive Director .......................................................................................3 Board of Directors ..........................................................................................................................................3 Strategic Framework ......................................................................................................................................5 Marketing and Communications ............................................................................................................... 11 Group Sales .................................................................................................................................................... 17 Visitor Services ............................................................................................................................................ 22 Community Connections and Membership ......................................................................................... 24 Connect with Us .......................................................................................................................................... 25

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MESSAGE FROM PRESIDENT & EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR VCB Members and Friends,

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Never before has Thurston County’s tourism industry had so much potential. Positive travel trends combined with local product development and healthy tourism funding puts this region in an incredible position to make an impact like never before.

Jill Barnes, Washington Center Patty Belmonte, Hands On Children’s Museum Michael Cade, Economic Development Council

As passionate destination marketing professionals, we are thrilled to take on 2016 equipped with plans, goals, metrics, and (most importantly) partners like you. This next year will bring a lot of change.

As a community, we will wrestle with our identity (Destination Re-Branding and Identity Project), get a face-lift (new website), and tell our stories to the world (through media relations, social media and more).

But one thing will never change: our unyielding commitment to grow the local economy through destination promotion. Marketing Thurston County as a visitor destination fuels development across the economic spectrum. By promoting the region as a whole, then connecting visitors to area attractions, restaurants, retailers, hotels, and events, we help stimulate economic activity that benefits local government, businesses, and residents alike.

And at the end of the day, we know that tourism and economic development isn’t just about dollars and cents. It’s about people. It’s about the life-changing moments and one-of-a-kind memories created in a weekend getaway. It’s about the quality of life our residents enjoy; the cultural and culinary amenities we relish in because visitor spending helps sustain them. It’s about the small business owners and entrepreneurs committed to boldly living out their hopes and dreams.

The following pages reveal our plans to live out our mission to develop and market Thurston County as a year-round travel destination. We cannot do it alone. We need all of our members, partners and friends to engage, to share, and to join us.

Christina Daniels, Huber Gasthaus Michael Davidson, Double Tree Hotel Joe Downing, Port of Olympia Sue Falash, The Regional Athletic Complex (RAC) Kelly Green, South Puget Sound Community College Lenny Greenstein, City of Lacey Ed Hildreth, City of Tumwater Natasha Jenkins, Ramada Leslie Johnson, Squaxin Island Museum David Kingston, Red Lion Hotel Patrick Knutson, Budd Bay Cafe Jeannine Roe, City of Olympia John Setterstrom, Lucky Eagle Casino

Together we will do great things.

Josh Stottlemyer, Stottle Winery/ Ray Curtis, Northwest Mountain Winery Kathleen Thomas, St. Martin’s University

Patrick Knutson President, Board of Directors

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Shauna Stewart Executive Director

Teri Thorning, Olympic Flight Museum

Executive Summary As the official destination marketing organization of Thurston County, the OLTVCB’s role is to inspire, inform and influence visitors to experience our remarkable region. Our job is to help travelers along every step of their decision journey. From dreaming and planning, to booking and experiencing, when we invite visitors to Thurston County, we not only help them create lasting memories, we also drive economic development and community vitality for the region.

Destination Marketing Organizations (DMOs) have long been recognized for their contributions to the local economy in the form of visitor spending, tax revenues, and job creation. While these numbers continue to increase as more and more visitors experience our destination, we cannot take them for granted. Travelers have an ever-increasing number of choices when they decide where to go, what to do, and where to stay. Industry competition is fierce as technology and globalization continue to open up new parts of the world to explore. It’s up to the OLTVCB and every tourism professional in this region to ensure Thurston County is a place people want to visit time and time again.

The travel industry lives for maps, so what follows in the 2016 Business and Marketing Plan is our roadmap for success. All marketing and communications, sales, and servicing initiatives are the result of thoughtful research, industry data, stakeholder input, strategic thinking, and a touch of magic.

In addition to this plan, we have also developed an annual content marketing calendar. The purpose of the content calendar is to map out how we will create and curate relevant and valuable content with the intention of engaging visitors with what our region has to offer. It is a live document that will be updated and published regularly on visitolympia.com.

Together with our partners throughout the local tourism industry, we will drive heads in beds, visitor spending, economic development and community vitality for Thurston County.

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Engage and Collaborate We are here to help you succeed. If you want to learn how you can get plugged into our dynamic marketing and sales initiatives, please reach out!

360.704.7544

STRATEGIC FRAMEWORK Organization Vision: The OLTVCB inspires, informs and influences travelers and travel decision makers to visit Thurston County. Through a strategic mix of marketing, communications and sales initiatives, we promote and package the region, inviting individual travelers, meetings and events, group tours and sporting events to explore and stay in Thurston County.

Strategic Priorities

The OLTVCB is the leader of destination marketing and product development in Thurston County and recognized as the official Destination Marketing Organization (DMO) for the area.

Mission:

Operational Excellence

Brand Explosion

Strategic Alliances

Doing the right things in the right way

Telling a clear and compelling story to inspire travelers to visit

Building mutually beneficial relationships throughout our community and beyond

Implement a results-based budget aligned with a solid strategic business plan

Clarify our destination brand and create a sense of place

Partner with funding partners, members, and economic development and non-tourism related organizations throughout the region to drive economic development and community vitality in the region

Apply industry best practices to all systems and policies Equip the best people to do their best work Use performace indicators to measure results

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Identity what we want our destination to be known for and how we stand out from competitors Understand our brand strength in the market and tell our story to the world Align and integrate all strategic marketing, communications and sales initiatives

Align with Destination Marketing Organizations throughout the state to increase sales and marketing opportunities Create a sense of belonging and build community

The mission of the OLTVCB, is to develop and market Thurston County as a yearround visitor destination.

Values: •

Transparency

•

Accountability

•

Inclusivity

•

Delivery on promises

•

Service to all of Thurston County — an equal opportunity promoter

Note: The Board of Directors plan to revisit the organization’s vision, mission and values at its retreat in February. Stay tuned for possible enhancements.

Goals and Metrics The OLTVCB is committed to continuous improvement and accountability.

Goals and metrics, when aligned with our overall destination marketing strategy, help us measure our impact and success.

Marketing & Communications Goals

2016

Change from 2015

Unique Web Visits

141,000

+10%

Social Media Total Reach

860,191

+15%

Earned media placements

65 articles

+25%

PR Impressions

32 million

+25%

Group Sales Goals

2016

Change from 2015

Lead Room Nights

4,000

+25%

Booked Room Nights

1,250

+25%

Meeting & Events Leads

70

+20%

Meeting & Events Leads Booked

14

+35%

Travel Trade: Number of Developed Suggested Itineraries

2

n/a

Visitor Services

2016

Change from 2015

Walk-in visitors served at Visitor Information Center (VIC)

23,000

(%14)*

*The VIC saw an exceptional number of visitors in 2015 due to the US Open and extended Legislative Session. The goal reflects a 3% and 5% increase over 2013 and 2014 respectively.

In addition to the goals and measurable results outlined above, the OLTVCB team also tracks a variety of activity and performance metrics to measure success and identify opportunities for improvement.

Our internal tracking systems are aligned with Standard DMO Performance Reporting measures as recommended by Destination Marketing Association International (DMAI).

We also use third-party research to monitor the health and vitality of tourism in Thurston County on an aggregate level. Dean Runyan Travel Research measures annual visitor spending, tax receipts and visitor volume. STR Reports measure weekly trends related to hotel occupancy and average daily rate.

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Situational Analysis There is a sense of cautious optimism radiating throughout the tourism industry on both a national and local level. The rebounding travel market is resulting in record-breaking numbers, increased occupancy and growing businesses. Nationally, the US Travel Association reports a 3.7% increase in leisure travel and 6% increase in business travel, totaling $645 billion and $283 billion respectively.

Locally, we see destination spending at $265.1 million, an all time high. Steady growth is anticipated moving forward.

In 2015, our destination welcomed the new LaQuinta Inn & Suites to the region. In 2016 we expect to celebrate the grand opening of three new properties, including: •

Hilton Garden Inn

•

Hampton Inn

•

Marriot Town Place Suites

From a product development perspective, Thurston County has more to offer than ever before.

Uniquely packaging similar products such as agritourism experiences, coffee shops, bike trails, wine and craft beer and spirits, gives visitors reasons to return to our destination again and again. The Thurston Bountiful Byway officially launched in 2014 which immediately generated media attention and interest from state-wide media and international travel planners. The South Sound Wine Trail and South Sound Craft Crawl continue to serve as regional experiences drawing visitor interest to multiple businesses throughout Thurston County. The region is ripe with opportunity to develop and market additional packaged products to attract different niche markets.

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US Travel Association reports

a 3.7% increase in leisure travel, totaling

$645 billion 6% increase in

business travel, totaling

$283 billion

Locally, destination spending is

$265.1 million — an all time high

Industry Insights On its 100th anniversary Destination Marketing Association International (the premier leader in destination marketing) boldly launched an initiative designed to provide destination marketing organizations (DMOs) across the globe with “practical, clear actions and strategies for sustainable success in a dramatically changing world.”

DestinationNEXT launched in 2014, complete with an online diagnostics tool designed to help DMOs assess their destination strength and community engagement. Additionally, this initiative compiled survey data from 327 DMOs across 36 countries to identify three primary destination marketing strategies – or “transformational opportunities” – moving into the future: •

A shift from one-way broadcast marketing to two-way customer engagement

•

More emphasis on brand management, place-making and product development

•

More partnerships with economic development organizations (EDOs) and non-tourism stakeholders, and better measurement of the value proposition

Specific travel trends can be found throughout this business plan in their respective markets. Please see the following sections for more information:

Thurston County Travel Impacts*

$265.1M

Total Destination

Spending

7.5%

$72.2M Total Tax

Revenues

•

Leisure Travel

•

Travel Trade Sales

•

Meeting and Events Sales

Receipts

Fun Facts*

$8.3M

4.0%

$8.3M

Total Local Tax

Total Overnight

Person-Trips

2.0 nights

2.4 visitors

Average length of stay in hotels

Average party size for hotel visitors

5.6%

5.5%

*Dean Runyan “2014 Travel Impacts”, April 2015 8

Budget Snapshot INCOME

2016

EXPENSE

Advertising

$18,125

Marketing & Communications

In Kind Event Income

$6,875

Content Development

$34,000

Event Income

$8,000

Advertising

$114,267

Sponsorship

$5,000

Website

$55,667

Total Private

$38,000

Printing & Brochures

Private

Membership New Memberships

$7,200

Renewing Memberships

$28,800

Total Membership

$36,000

Lodging Tax (LTAC)

EXPENSE (cont.)

2016

Administration Personnel

$426,102 $101,281

$15,900

Operations (rent, tech, equipment, postage, license & fees, supplies, etc.)

Distribution

$29,000

Total Administration

$527,383

Layout & Design

$54,000

Other (Branding & STQRY)

$106,575

TPA Administration

Media FAM Tours

$18,000

$28,943

Visitor Guide

$53,875

Fund & Administration Fees

Product Development

$34,500

Total TPA Administration

$28,943

Promotional Items

$1,000 TOTAL EXPENSE

$1,140,471

NET INCOME

$1,460.86

City of Lacey

$80,000

City of Olympia

$100,000

Membership & Research

$8,500

City of Tumwater

$22,000

$525,284

Total LTAC

$202,000

Total Marketing & Communications Sales

Tourism Promotion Area (TPA)

Tradeshows

$27,421

FAM Tours

$3,500

TPA Revenue

$725,931.86

TPA Carry Forward 2015*

$140,000

Event Sponsorships & Bid Fees

$14,500

Total TPA

$865,931.86

Total Sales

$45,421

TOTAL INCOME

$1,141,931.86

Community Relations

*Revenue received and not spent in 2015

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2016

Member Events

$1,140

Annual Meeting

$7,800

Meals and Registrations

$4,500

Total Community Relations

$13,440

Administration

% of budget

Industry Standard

Personnel

37%

39%

Operations

9%

11%

TOTAL ADMIN

46%

50%

Industry Affiliations The tourism industry thrives on relationships. To stay top-of-mind and up to date on current trends, the OLTVCB actively engages in the following organizations.

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•

Washington Society of Association Executives, Washington State Chapter

•

Destination Marketing Association International

•

Meeting Professionals International, Washington State Chapter

•

National Travel Association

•

Society of American Travel Writers, Pacific Northwest

•

Society of Government Meeting Professionals

•

Washington Tourism Alliance

•

Association of the United States Army

MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS The OLTVCB works to increase brand awareness, enhance destination image and influence travel to Thurston County through integrated marketing and communications strategies. Year-round promotion of the region helps keep the area top-of-mind for trip planning.

Special marketing initiatives focus on the region’s shoulder season to bolster business during the year when tourism business is slower. Thurston County’s shoulder seasons are March through June and September through December.

Goals Designed to deliver the highest possible return on investment for our stakeholders and community the OLTVCB will track and measure the following success measurements:

Marketing & Communications Goals

2016

Change from 2015

Unique Web Users

141,000

+10%

Social Media Total Reach

860,191

+15%

Earned media placements

65 articles

+25%

PR Impressions

32 million

+25%

Terms Defined: Marketing & Communications Goals • Unique Website Users – Number of different individuals who visit a website within a specific time period • Social Media Total Reach – the number of people who see OLTVCB content on their feeds (Facebook and Twitter) • Earned Media Placements – publicity gained through promotional efforts and media outreach • PR Impressions – The number of those who have had the opportunity to be exposed to a story influenced by direct outreach

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SPECIAL 2016 PROJECT: Destination Re-Brand and Identity Project According to a recent DMAI survey, effective branding is ranked among the top success factors for marketing a destination. Destination branding is about establishing a sense of place and drawing consumers in through a unique brand message that differentiates a region from other destinations.

Over the past two years, the OLTVCB has experienced significant growth. Effective April 1, 2014, all unincorporated areas and some incorporated cities within Thurston County Tourism Promotion Area (TPA) adopted an ordinance authorizing an increase in the rate of special assessments (lodging charges) within the established TPA. This assessment has generated over $700,000 of new funding for destination marketing.

Our last branding effort was conducted in 2005 by Destination Development, Inc. This brand has served our region over the past 10 years with minor adaptations and specific campaigns designed to attract visitors to our region. Thurston County has changed significantly over the past decade and we must ensure that our brand reflects our traditional assets and new tourism products alike.

The OLTVCB will lead a Destination Re-Branding and Identity Process in 2016 by partnering with a Brand Advisory Committee and an experienced branding agency with a proven track-record of bringing destination identities to life. The desired end result for this process is to ensure we have a regional identity and message that broadly captures the essence and spirit of Thurston County and is specific and compelling enough to be clearly understood by our target audience.

The destination brand will create a sense of place and inform all OLTVCB sales, marketing, communications and servicing efforts. The process will require significant community engagement to ensure stakeholders are involved in the development of a unifying brand.

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Leisure Travel Trends Travel Growth: Leisure travel is expected to remain stable and strong through 2016. 32 percent of Americans plan to increase domestic travel in 2016.

Last minute bookings: The increased functionality of mobile booking engines has led to a surge in “spur of the moment� travel plans.

Staycations: Domestic travelers overwhelmingly prefer to travel by car or bus leading to a rise in Staycations and statewide travel. Strong traveler finance and expected modest gas prices support the staycation enthusiasm.

Target Audiences Drive Market: Consumers within a 3.5 hour drive of Thurston County with emphasis on the Seattle, Portland and Vancouver, BC. Generational Travelers: Millennial Travelers are highly connected, exploration hungry and are seeking authentic urban culture and culinary experiences. Baby Boomers/Mature Travelers are more interested in soft adventure travel, experiencing nature, culture and natural wonders with mild physical activity.

Niche Markets: Lifestyle travelers with interest in Agritourism, Art, Culinary, Biking, Coffee, Family Fun and Beer-Wine-Spirits.

To increase brand awareness and growth in occupancy, we will deliver a successful marketing strategy containing a comprehensive mix of paid media, earned media and owned media to these audiences.

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Paid Media/Advertising Increase brand visibility and destination awareness through paid advertising in key markets.

Paid Media includes print ads, television ads, display ads, paid search, Facebook advertising and promoted Tweets. Consumer brand campaigns will run February - April, August – December to drive overnight stays during Thurston County’s slow seasons. Paid media campaigns are catalysts to increase engagement and traffic to our website and social platforms.

Key Initiatives Direct marketing tactics are paid advertisements, banners and AdWords that target and retarget consumers based on internet search history. Direct marketing allows us to engage the consumer throughout the various stages of travel - dreaming, planning, booking and experiencing. Through Integrated Search Engine Marketing and Social Media Marketing we will provide the consumer with relevant information throughout the travel planning process.

Public Relations/Earned Media Due to the personal nature of travel, word of mouth and trusted endorsements are key factors when planning future travel. Successful public relations strategies generate positive earned media placements.

Target Audience Key media includes: Lifestyle and travel writers with focus and influence in Agritourism, Art, Culinary, Biking, Coffee, Family Fun and Beer-Wine-Spirits.

Key Initiatives Continue to build and nurture relationships with targeted media contacts through ongoing communications and proactive outreach.

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•

Develop and pitch Seasonal Story Sheets, highlighting news, trends and themes in Thurston County

•

Produce Press Kit documents and update regularly

•

Host Annual Client/Media Event in partnership with South Sound Barbeque Fest and Ricardo’s Steak House

•

Host Agtourism media event and FAM Tour

•

Host ongoing FAM tours for select media

Destination Advertising •

Swarner Communications (Military Market)

•

Experience Washington

•

SW Washington Tourism Guide

•

Scenic Byway Map and Guide

•

Thurston Talks

•

Social Media Advertising

•

PNW Golf Magazine

•

Visit Seattle

•

AAA Journey Magazine

•

Go-Washington.com

•

Facebook, Twitter and direct digital advertising

Social and Digital Media Content Marketing is a strategic marketing approach focused on creating and distributing valuable, relevant, and consistent brand messaging to target audiences.

Top trends: Millennials are the clear driving force behind the success of social marketing and digital media in the travel marketing space. 40 percent of millennials said they used Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to influence travel. They look for inspiration and recommendations from their networks. 40 percent of millennials used user-generated content such as travel blogs and restaurant reviews while in town.

The OLTVCB owns and manages the content delivered through the following digital platforms. These platforms are used to inspire the traveler to experience more of the destination, stay longer and come back.

Key Initiatives

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•

Website: A major website redesign is planned for 2016. The new website will be designed to provide the consumer with the best possible experience both while planning their trip as well as when they are in Thurston County. Content for the website will be based upon historical website analytical research, destination search engine optimization and align with the new brand.

•

Social Media allows us to connect, engage and inspire our target audiences and is an important part of our brand strategy. The OLTVCB actively uses Facebook, Instagram and Twitter to build relationships and engage with consumers who are interested in visiting Thurston County.

•

Destination Blog: Full of powerful photos, destination tips and travel guides, our blog is another avenue we use to connect and inspire travel to Thurston County.

•

E-newsletters: Email marketing helps us stay connected and keep our consumer database informed of what’s happening in Thurston County.

•

Mobile Applications: The OLTVCB has partnered with STQRY, a tour and travel mobile application to help tell our destination’s story to travelers. The STQRY application features guided walking tours, events calendar and more, allowing visitors to customize their travel experience in Thurston County.

•

Destination Videos: Produce compelling video(s) showcasing Thurston County as a desirable travel destination.

•

Photography: A picture is worth a thousand words. We will work with photographers to capture authentic destination experiences such as festivals, holidays and tourist attractions. These photographs will be used across all marketing platforms and publications.

Product Development Destination product development is about packaging amenities, facilities, products and services to deliver quality experiences for visitors. By connecting similar experiences in a simple yet engaging package, the OLTVCB can better pitch stories, promote and market what our area has to offer.

Key Initiatives

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Create and implement a marketing plan for Thurston Bountiful Byway to promote agritourism experiences

•

Develop and implement marketing plan for South Sound Wine Trail

•

Continue promoting South Sound Craft Crawl

•

Partner with Washington Bikes to create multi-day bike tours and map

•

Work with local coffee shops and cafes to develop a regional Coffee Trail

•

Explore a Libation Trail to connect breweries, wineries, distillers and cideries

•

Help develop the Pacific Coast Scenic Byway

Group Sales We influence decision makers to secure future group bookings, making a larger impact on the community. Group sales are highly dependent on relationships.

Group Sales Goals

2016

Change from 2015

Lead Room Nights

4,000

+25%

Booked Room Nights

1,250

+25%

Meeting & Events Leads

70

+20%

Meeting & Events Leads Booked

14

+35%

Travel Trade: Number of Developed Suggested Itineraries

2

n/a

Terms Defined • Lead Room Nights: Number of rooms inquired about by a meeting/event planner for OLTVCB partners to bid on •

Booked Room Nights: Number of contracted room nights at OLTVCB partner property, directly influenced by OLTVCB

•

Meeting and Event Leads: Number of leads submitted to OLTVCB members for hotel rooms, meetings space and catering services

•

Meeting and Event Leads Booked: Number of contracted meetings and events booked at OTLVCB member property, directly influenced by OLTVCB • Travel Trade: Any individual or company that creates and/or markets tours and/or IT packages. Travel trade includes but is not limited to tour operators, travel agents, individual travel planners, online travel companies.

•

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Suggested Itineraries: A recommended schedule of visitor-oriented activities, usually including (but not limited to) the destination’s cultural institutions and attractions, dining establishments, entertainment and recreation venues, retail stores and often highlighting unique, one-of-a-kind offerings. Itineraries are often themed: family, romantic, first-time visitor, etc.

Tour and Travel Sales Domestic Travel Trends Group Packaged Travel Baby Boomers make up more than half of the packaged travel in the US, spending more than 120 billion dollars on leisure travel. They are looking for new natural experiences. Mount Rainier, Mount St. Helens and the Olympic National Rainforest are attractive destinations for group travel. Thurston County is a perfect overnight stop between the parks.

Alaskan Cruises Over the past ten years Las Vegas, Nevada has been the top domestic travel destination in the United States. In 2015 the Alaskan Cruise product out of the Port of Seattle beat out Las Vegas to become the top domestic travel in the US. The Port of Seattle projects over half million cruise passengers in 2016.

International Travel Trends Annually, approximately eight percent of Washington State’s Visitors are international travelers. Those same visitors total 18 percent of the total visitor spending for the entire state. International visitors stay longer, spend more money and visit more cities with a destination than domestic travelers. To increase overseas travel, OLTVCB will work in partnership with Washington DMO’s to attract more visitors from the following markets:

Chinese Travel Due to the quick turnaround for visa processing and two daily direct flights from SeaTac to three major Chinese cities, inbound travel from China to Washington State is up 7.6 percent year over year. The Chinese traveler is looking for big city attractions and shopping. San Francisco to Seattle is a popular tour itinerary. Thurston County is a perfect stopping point.

United Kingdom The United Kingdom is the number one inbound market to Seattle. The UK traveler wants to experience a destination’s culture, food scene and urban excitement when they travel. The UK traveler is very interested in a destination’s history. Touring the Capital Campus and learning about Washington State’s history is very attractive to the UK traveler.

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Germany The German traveler is interested in culture and the great outdoors. They want to see and experience historical sites and tour the countryside. German’s take long holidays with an average length of 12.4 days. A typical Washington State itinerary for the German traveler includes the Olympic National Rainforest and Mount Rainier. Touring the Capital Campus and learning about Washington State’s history is very attractive to the German traveler.

Key Initiatives

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•

Partner with Visit Seattle, Port of Seattle and Washington State DMO’s on statewide tour operator and media Familiarization tours, co-op tradeshow booths, and co-op advertising.

•

Attend and promote Thurston County as a travel destination at the following industry conferences and tradeshows, prioritize meetings with China, UK and Germany.

•

Go-West Summit

•

NTA’s Travel Exchange – in collaboration with Washington State Delegation

•

International POW-WOW – in collaboration with Washington State Delegation

•

Translate key marketing pieces into Chinese and German to enhance sales initiatives

•

Develop and promote regional itineraries •

Olympic National Forest - Thurston County - Mount Rainier Loop

•

San Francisco to Vancouver, BC

Military Population on JBLM Given the close proximity to JBLM, the 100,000 army personnel and their families are long term tourists to Thurston County.

Target Audiences Military Families: This audience is looking for family-friendly and overall destination information.

They want hotel information for visiting family and transition periods.

Military Balls: Each Military branch hosts a formal celebration every year. These events generate significant room nights and visitor spending.

Lewis Community Spouses Club: The Spouses Club hosts several large events each year. Often, spouses are the decision makers for the families and military balls.

Key Initiatives

20

•

Participate in advertising and direct sales programs with Swarner Communications, official media outlet for JBLM

•

Host Familiarization tour for the Lewis Community Spouses Club

•

Promote Thurston County at Military Tradeshows

•

Advertise in military publications and website

Meeting and Event Sales Meetings and events are vital to our region’s economic growth. Meeting attendees typically stay longer and spend more money than leisure travelers. Group business also has longer booking windows ensuring positive economic impact for future years.

Target Audience Based on Thurston County’s destination assets and available meeting space, the OLTVCB will focus on targeting smaller meetings. We will work with state associations, SMERF groups, government and sports markets to bring meetings and events to the area. Specifically, we will focus on prospecting agriculture and food systems, wine-beer-spirits and art related events to align with the region’s assets and economic development priorities.

Key Initiatives Grow market share of local, state and regional group business through the following initiatives: Promote Thurston County as a meetings destination at the following tradeshows: •

South Sound Wedding Show

•

MPI Cascadia Annual Conference

•

WSAE Annual Conference

Build and nurture relationships with key meeting planners through engaging and attending regional industry meetings, ongoing communications and e-newsletters

Sports Task Force The OLTVCB will lead a Sports Tasks Force, made up of hoteliers and key local industry influencers to identify and assist in securing regional and national athletic competitions in Thurston County.

Key Initiatives Represent Thurston County at the Teams Conference Sponsor and support the Great Northwest Athletic Conference Basketball Championship and Softball Tournament at Saint Martin’s University.

References: • O’Flanagan, Dave. (2015, November 20th). The Habits of Travel Bookers: How Americans take Vacations. Retrieved from www.skift.com •

Destination Analysts. (2015, July 16th).

The State of the American Traveler.

Retrieved from www.milespartnership.com

•

Port of Seattle, Port of Seattle Economic Development Division Business Plan, 2015.

•

Discover America, Marketing Plan 2013.

Retrieved from www.thebrandusa.com

Solicit and host meeting planner FAM tours Lead Regional Wedding Committee – Facilitate connection and collaboration among wedding facilities and services throughout Thurston County. Position OLTVCB as LGBT affirming Host Client Appreciation Event Develop a conference services menu providing basic services to planners

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VISITOR SERVICES Travelers seek out Visitor Information Centers as a trusted, unbiased resource of information. The purpose of Visitor Services is to drive visitor spending in the region by welcoming area visitors and providing them with the information needed to stay longer and spend more.

Visitor Services

2016

Change from 2015

Walk-in visitors served at Visitor Information Center (VIC)

23,000

(%14)*

*The VIC saw an exceptional number of visitors in 2015 due to the US Open and extended Legislative Session.

The goal reflects a 3% and 5% increase over 2013 and 2014 respectively.

Visitor Information Center The Visitor Information Center (VIC) is iconically located on the Capital Campus with easy access to Interstate 5, Downtown Olympia and the region as a whole. Visitors walking into the VIC find information and brochures on area businesses, maps and friendly Visitor Information Specialists standing ready to welcome and inform.

Open seven days a week, a minimum of 355 days a year, the VIC serves as a valuable resource for travelers on the go. Our Visitor Services team positively impacts visitor spending throughout the region by encouraging them to explore more of the area and stay overnight.

Key Initiatives:

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•

Recruit and train volunteer Visitor Information Specialists, passionate about the region

•

Provide brochures, maps and guides to visitors

•

Coordinate FAM (Familiarization) Tours for volunteers to gain first-hand experience OLTVCB member businesses

•

Partner with and support the Downtown Welcome Center

Fulfillment and Collateral The Thurston County Official Visitor Guide helps travelers decide where to go, what to see and where to stay. Research shows that Visitor Guides help cause visitors to increase their length of stay by an average of 1.9 days. Visitor Guide users tend to be Baby Boomers and older with higher than average income. Between the extra lodging and higher daily spend, users are considered “high value” to the region as a whole. Of undecided travelers, more than 80 percent were influenced to choose a destination after reviewing a visitor guide*.

Key Initiatives The OLTVCB will print and distribute 30,000 Visitor Guide’s along the I-5 corridor, in local hotels, at visitor events, and upon visitor request. Our distribution strategy targets regional travelers and cruise passengers in Washington, Oregon and Vancouver, BC. *WACVB study conducted by Destination Analysts, March 2014 and Visitor Guide study conducted by National Laboratory for Tourism Ecommerce, Temple University March 2014

Mobile App Mobile technology provides a new way for visitors to explore, engage and discover a destination.

STQRY (pronounced “Story”) is a mobile platform that offers area visitors access to engage with local artwork, landmarks and more with interactive information. Much like having a docent in your pocket, STQRY serves as an onsite interpretive guide that amplifies our visitors’ real-world experience.

Key Initiatives:

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Collaborate with area stakeholders to update STQRY promotions with a compelling message to increase participation and engagement

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Continue adding and improving stories by working with member businesses and local organizations

COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS AND MEMBERSHIP The OLTVCB works with one-of-a-kind professionals, passionate about serving up the best of what they have to offer. These are the people who work day in and day out to create memorable and meaningful experiences for our visitors. From the coffee shop baristas and hotel managers to local artists and brewers, Thurston County is rich with people and stories that bring our destination to life and make this a remarkable place to visit.

Our role as zealous destination marketers is to share these stories with the world – to showcase the businesses and organizations that make this place what it is. But we cannot do it alone.

The strength of the tourism community is not measured by the strength of the OLTVCB on its own, its measured by the collective success of every hotel, restaurant, attraction, retailer and city in this region.

Because of this, we offer a robust marketing package designed to promote local businesses in the form of OLTVCB Membership. OLTVCB Membership gives businesses access to over a hundred thousand visitors planning their trips to the region. It connects them to the lucrative visitor market known for spending more per party per day than residents. It gives them the chance to share their story beyond the boundaries of Thurston County with potential to expand their brand in big ways. It gives them opportunity.

By nurturing relationships with OLTVCB Members and community organizations throughout the region, we can better leverage the collective energy, creativity and ideas to put Thurston County on the map in a big way.

Key Initiatives

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Membership Retention and Growth – invite local businesses to join the tourism community, make space for open dialogue and collaborate while creating a sense of belonging for new and veteran members alike

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Strategic Alliances – partner with tourism and non-tourism organizations to enhance quality of life and economic development in Thurston County

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Tourism Together – deliver quarterly membership events designed to build up the tourism community through valuable education, meaningful connections and intentional conversation to spark innovation and success

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Event Support Program – connect with all LTAC funded events in Olympia, Lacey and Tumwater to support with event promotion and tracking processes

CONNECT WITH US We are here for you. If you have questions, comments or ideas, please feel free to reach out. We are delighted to connect with you via email, phone or in person.

360.705.7544 info@visitolympia.com

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