BuckeyeLine

Where in the World

Feb. 2-7: Celeste at ABA
Feb. 25: Amir and Eric at the Tourism Expo @ Kent State, Stark Campus
Feb. 27-28: Tammy conducting New York Media Mission

Amir Eylon:

Feb. 6: Holmes County Expo Center Ribbon Cutting Opening
Feb. 21: Speaking to Board Members of Ohio’s Main Street – Columbus State Library
Feb. 22: Speaking to Steubenville Rotary
Feb. 25: Keynote Speaker to the Regional Tourism Expo at Conference Center at Kent State Stark
Feb. 27-29: Attending National Council of State Tourism Directors Meeting in Charlotte, NC

Facts & Figures

• PR earned media total circulation: down 10 percent
• PR earned media ROI circulation: down 50 percent
• PR earned media ROI ad value: down 32 percent
• DiscoverOhio.com Pageviews since December 2007: up 51% (through January 31)
• Calls to 1-800-BUCKEYE: down 25% (through January 31)

Staff Around the State

Last month, State Tourism Director Amir Eylon (center) met with industry members at the grand opening of Heini’s Gourmet Deli on Jan. 18. June Hyre from Misty Mountain of Lewisville (left) and Mark Warther from Warther Carvings of Dover (right) sampled some of the homemade foods available.

2007 Economic Impact Study

The 2007 Economic Study is in full swing. As in previous years, we will be conducting a statewide study with individual county level reports available for purchase. If you are interested in purchasing your county level report, please contact Eric Herzog (eherzog@odod.state.oh.us) at (614) 466-0338 for pricing information and application forms.

Surveys were mailed to hotels, motels, resorts and campgrounds the last week in January.  Surveys are available for download from http://industry.discoverohio.com.

Best Practices: E-mail Marketing

E-mail is one of the most efficient ways to communicate with your customers. With some effort, you can create a list of thousands of qualified subscribers who have already expressed an interest in your destination. Once they subscribe, the key is to keep your readers intrigued. Make sure they open your newsletter, and keep them coming back for more.

Tech Corner: Become Internet Savvy

Because of the constant advancement of technology and the Internet, the effort to keep up and maintain a sustainable and working relationship with the portal of the information highway can be a continuous obstacle. Many consumers are changing the way they do business and relying more and more on the Internet to complete the tasks at hand.

Ohio Travel Industry Embarks on New York Media Mission

The Division and Fahlgren Mortine Public Relations are working with representatives from five Ohio Tourism Partners in preparation for desk-side meetings with national media Feb. 27-28. Representatives from Positively Cleveland CVB, Experience Columbus CVB, Tuscarawas County CVB, Lake County VB and the Greater Licking County CVB will participate in the mission along with Tammy Brown from the Division and Lara Kretler from Fahlgren Mortine. If you have information on new and upcoming or unique attractions, exhibits, etc. in your area that we can pitch in New York, please complete the attached questionnaire and return to Tammy at tbrown@odod.state.oh.us by Feb. 15.

Trading Down, Not Out

Recent economic headlines have, understandably, raised the anxiety of many travel service marketers because of speculation about how a recession (assuming we're not yet in one) would affect consumer behavior. The results of our most recent travelhorizons™ survey (co-authored with the Travel Industry Association in Washington) lend credence to this concern:

• 29 percent have taken fewer trips;
• 16 percent have selected less expensive hotel accommodations;
• 12 percent have stayed fewer nights on a trip;
• 11 percent have driven shorter distances to vacation destinations;
• 7 percent have changed vacation destinations; and
• 2 percent have brought fewer people along

Talking Tourism in an Economic Downturn

While it is hard to say exactly how the current economic atmosphere will impact the tourism economy, there is one thing we know for certain. Where there is change, there will be calls from the media asking your organization how various factors will impact tourism related businesses in your area. So in the spirit of preparedness, here is a link to some media talking points. Consider it a start to which you can add your local points – just assembling a document will help you think through potential questions and be better prepared for the media.

Partner Days

The tourism information office, along with Teleperformance USA, will once again be offering partner days from April to June. Partner days are an opportunity for Ohio tourism-related businesses to visit and provide training to the call center agents at 1-800-Buckeye. Partners get a two hour block of time where they will conduct three or four short training sessions for the call center agents.