BuckeyeLine

Approaching the End of 2008

Warm November greetings from your Tourism team here in Columbus! Your BuckeyeLine is arriving a few days later than normal this month as many of our team members have been on the road across Ohio working on key projects and partnerships on your behalf, and we wanted to share all of our latest updates this month.

First of all, it was wonderful seeing more than 250 of our colleagues at The Ohio Conference on Tourism two weeks ago in Canton. Initial feedback about the new partnership in the programming with the Ohio Travel Association’s annual conference has been extremely positive. Attendees spent a few days together hearing about and discussing ideas for the latest trends and best practices in destination marketing.

Presenters at this year’s conference really brought home the message that if we are marketing geography rather than experiences, we’re missing the boat. According to Roger Brooks, Destination Development, travelers want to know what you have that they can’t get closer to home. I believe Roger’s example was, “Sell the rapids, not the river.” Dave Serino from Gammet Interactive provided some excellent tips on Internet and email marketing, and Delos Smith shed some light on the consumer confidence index and what it means for our industry.

For anyone interested in information on how to market to women (and they are the primary travel decision makers), Fran & Bill Lytle’s presentation, “She’s Got the Power,” provided wonderful insight. See the Best Practices article in this issue of BuckeyeLine for highlights of this presentation. Please feel free to contact any of the Ohio Tourism Division staff who made presentations at the conference for information or to invite them to your community for a presentation: Amir Eylon (Ohio Tourism Division Update and Partnership Development), Alicia Reece (Advertising and Multicultural Tourism), Eric Herzog (Making the Ohio Tourism Division Web site work for You), Joe Vargo (Marketing Assistance Program), Tamara Brown (The Power of PR), and Christina Grozik (Ohio Film Office Partnerships).

I wish to extend a special thank you to the Ohio Travel Association, especially Marc McQuaid and Janet Johnson, for such a terrific new partnership. And congratulations to Gregg Mervis on completing a successful year of board leadership at OTA. We wish Scott Dring (an Ohio Tourism Division alumnus) a fantastic year at the helm of such a great organization. Despite the economy, the spirit of Ohio’s Tourism Industry is strong, and the energy felt in Canton was fantastic. A special thanks also to John Kiste and the team at the Canton/Stark County CVB for their hard work to roll out the red carpet for the industry!

A couple of days after the conference, I was off to the Travel Industry Association’s Marketing Outlook Forum. This annual event is attended by more than 500 CEO’s and Chief Marketing Officers across all industry sectors that are looking for the official forecasts for our industry, as well as any trends and insights we can capture for our marketing plans. This year’s event, as you can well imagine, was especially intense as we are looking for clues of opportunity given the economic downturn. We heard from key economists and industry leadership that the sky is definitely not falling! While business travel is a sector forecasted to feel some pain through at least mid-2009, regional leisure travel (a key for Ohio) has a lot of opportunity. Generally speaking, the lodging sector will see a continued national trend of decreasing occupancy and RevPar. The big question remains as to whether or not the sector will maintain rate integrity before things improve. Meetings and conventions groups also have their challenges in terms of decreased frequencies of attendance, but, again, regional meetings have opportunity for growth.

Leisure attractions should be focusing on regional markets in the short-term, and demonstrations of added-value will improve chances for outer-market visitation. While we have seen both areas of challenge and opportunity this past year in Ohio, I am happy to report that our challenges do not seem as large as those of longer-haul destinations who are having a hard time making up for the loss of their traditional customer base. Bottom Line: While the economic downturn continues, people will still travel! They just may travel closer to home and spend a little bit less. We will be sharing excerpts of forecasts and presentations as TIA makes them available in upcoming messages, and I am always happy to discuss what the national crystal ball has shown, so feel free to call my office.

As we begin to wind down 2008, the glorious early fall weather has helped many of our attractions, and I think the year has finished slightly better from a leisure perspective than we initially had thought. Our marketing strategies of sticking regional and promoting “Too much fun for just one day!” in an experiential way via the eyes of our visitors has begun to lead us in the right direction. If you have not done so already, please check out our 2009 Marketing Partnerships and Opportunities directory on www.DiscoverOhio.com/industry for a taste of what we have in store for 2009.

We may have challenges ahead as an industry, but the opportunities are definitely there for us to grow our leisure market share as we move into a new year! Safe travels everyone.

Warmest Regards,

Amir

November Advertising Deadlines

Close dates for advertising in the 2009 Spring/Summer Ohio Calendar of Events and 2009 Ohio Travel Planner are quickly approaching. To make sure your Ohio tourism attraction, lodging facility, restaurant, etc. is highlighted in Ohio’s official travel publications, contact your Great Lakes Publishing advertising representative today or get in touch with Jillian LaManna, Great Lakes Publishing Advertising Coordinator, jlamanna@ohiomagazine.com or (216) 377-3655.

Advertising close dates:
2009 Spring/Summer Ohio Calendar of Events - Nov. 13, 2008
2009 Ohio Travel Planner – Nov. 20, 2008
2009-10 Fall/Winter Ohio Calendar of Events – May 21, 2009

New York Media Mission Set for Jan. 28-29

Ohio Travel Industry Members with travel stories of national caliber are invited to join the Tourism Division Public Relations Office for a media mission to New York City Jan. 28-29. Travel and consumer media in New York are interested in: what’s new for the coming travel season, one-of-a-kind attractions/exhibits, major anniversaries and experiences with news relevance. As in the past, the mission will consist of a series of desk-side appointments at the office of each media outlet including magazines, newspapers, Web sites, bloggers, freelance writers, etc. Travel Industry Members will be split into small groups for these meetings based on interest of the various media. There is no fee to attend the mission, however, participants are responsible for their travel, lodging, food and any other trip-related expenses.

In order to keep these meetings meaningful, participation is limited to 6 Ohio Travel Industry members. To indicate your interest in attending the NY Media Mission, please complete the linked industry questionnaire and return it to Tamara Brown (tamara.brown@development.ohio.gov) no later than Nov. 24. Fahlgren Mortine Public Relations (the Division’s agency of record) will use these questionnaires to help determine the most appropriate media to approach for our mission. A second mission is being planned for early spring, so please watch your e-mail and BuckeyeLine for details.

2009 Marketing Assistance Program Guidelines Released, Dec. 1 is Phase I Deadline

The 2009 Marketing Assistance Program is ramping up for another year of helping Ohio tourism entities leverage their marketing dollars to reach new audiences. For those not familiar with MAP, it works essentially like a standard retail co-op. In exchange for businesses and attractions helping to extend the Ohio brand by using the Ohio State of Perfect Balance logo, the Division reimburses participants a percentage of eligible marketing expenses.

For complete program details, including guidelines and online registration forms, visit http://industry.discoverohio.com/media/537/355.pdf and refer to pages 27-34. Questions concerning the program should be directed to Joe Vargo at jvargo@odod.state.oh.us or (614) 644-0786. The deadline to register for Phase I of MAP (for marketing activities that take place between Jan. 1 and June 30, 2009) is Dec. 1, 2008. Applications must be submitted in hard copy by 5 p.m., Dec. 1, 2008 and must be accompanied by a licensing agreement and media plan. Late registration forms will not be considered.

The Division Requests Your 2009 Information!

With 2008 coming to an end, we’ve seen many great celebrations, anniversaries and steps forward in promoting Ohio’s many amazing tourism destinations, and it won’t stop there, either! The Division would love to hear from Industry Members all over the state about what is new in 2009. Whether you have a milestone anniversary approaching or an exciting new exhibit opening, please let us know. We’ll be using the information for an upcoming press release and for suggestions to pitch to the media. If you’re interested in getting the word out about your tourism destination, e-mail your “New in 2009” information to Public Relations Coordinator Jessie Wagner at jessica.wagner@development.ohio.gov by Dec. 15, 2008.

Ohio Group Tour Hits Road for NTA, ABA

Ohio Tourism Division Group Tour Specialist Celeste Krolak and numerous members of the Ohio Tourism Industry will be on the road this fall/winter selling Ohio to group tour operators during the National Tour Association’s (NTA) Annual Convention in Pittsburgh, P.A., on Nov. 15-19 and at the American Bus Association’s (ABA) Annual Marketplace in Charlotte, N.C., on Jan. 7-12, 2009.

Ohio delegates preparing to attend NTA in November include representatives from: Akron/Summit County CVB, Akron Best Western Executive Inn, Experience Columbus, Greater Toledo CVB, Mansfield/Richland County CVB, Positively Cleveland, Wayne County CVB and Planet Hollywood/Buca di Beppo. Delegates will promote Ohio group tours to professional tour operators in the Destination Pavilion and during seven-minute sales appointments. Convention leads will be posted in the Group Tour section of Travel Buzz at the end of November.

Nineteen Ohio delegates are currently scheduled to attend the ABA Annual Marketplace: Amish Country's Dutchman Hospitality Group, Butler County VB, Canton-Stark County CVB, Positively Cleveland, Experience Columbus, Comfort Inn Marietta, Dublin OH CVB, Emerald Hospitality Associates, Fremont/Sandusky County CVB, Holiday Inn Hudson, Lake Erie Shores & Islands, Marion Area CVB, Medina County CVB, Pro Football Hall of Fame, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame + Museum, Seneca County CVB, Tuscarawas County Gateway to Ohio Amish Country, Warren County CVB,  and Zanesville/Muskingum CVB. Plans for a marketplace sponsorship and Ohio tour operator Dinearound are pending. Additional information will be shared when available. Please contact Celeste at (614) 728-4668 with any questions or inquiries on these events.

Group Tour Meeting Prepares Attendees for Shows

On Oct. 14, Celeste Krolak, Lisa Kusner (Aurora Premium Outlets), Bob Yun (Loudonville-Mohican CVB) and Sharrona Burns (Rock and Roll Hall of Fame + Museum) were guest speakers at Positively Cleveland’s group tour “Ask the Experts” meeting. The panel discussion focused on trade shows, working leads, profile “sales” sheets, and packaging and partnering as we prepare for the upcoming winter show season. For more information on these topics, contact Celeste at Celeste.Krolak@development.ohio.gov or Kathy Toth, Positively Cleveland, at ktoth@positivelycleveland.com.

(Photo caption--From left to right: Amanda Smith, Lake Erie Shows & Islands; Celeste Krolak, Ohio Tourism Division; Lisa Kusner, Aurora Premium Outlets; Kathy Toth, Positively Cleveland; Bob Yun, Loudonville-Mohican CVB; and Sharrona Burns, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame + Museum)

Film Office Seeks Location FAM Tour Opportunities

Thank you on behalf of the Ohio Film Office to all of our partners who have assisted in building the initial phase of our location photo library by hosting Location FAM tours. Ohio Film Office Director Christina Grozik has covered a lot of ground in the past couple of months (at least 15 counties!) both on FAM Tours and general scouting trips to develop a library of location photos. The photos will be used to promote Ohio as a potential location for film/video/commercial productions. Following is a list of areas covered to-date:

• Erie
• Huron
• Licking
• Lorain
• Lucas
• Mahoning
• Miami
• Muskingum
• Ottawa
• Richland
• Stark
• Summit
• Tuscarawas
• Washington
• Wayne

If you have some sites you think would be great for productions and are interested in coordinating a FAM tour for the Film Office, please contact Christina at (614) 644-5156. Your continued interest and assistance is greatly appreciated.

Teamwork and Partnerships Continue to Build Ohio Film Office

The Ohio Film Office recently partnered with Tourism and Production Industry members to field requests for many diverse types of film/video production requests. Following are a few of the more significant projects:

• A photo shoot with Microsoft
• A Warner Bros. feature film “The Informant” directed by Steven Soderbergh (executive producer of “Michael Clayton,” “Good Night and Good Luck”)
• BBC Television
• A Toyota commercial in Cleveland and Chagrin Falls
• Parallel Media’s feature film “Demoted” starring Michael Vartan (“Jolene,” “Rogue,” “One Hour Photo”)

Thanks to the assistance of Ohio’s Travel Industry, the Ohio Film Office has been able to act quickly and build relationships with a number of production companies. Thank you for your time and efforts -- we are excited to work with you in the future to attract additional production projects to our state.

In the spirit of partnership, we would like to recognize some recent success stories from Ohio’s City Film Bureaus and Ohio Production Partners including:

• Country Music Television’s “Top 20 Countdown” program featured numerous Dayton-area sites;
• ABC’s episode of “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition” in the Cincinnati area;
• ESPN’s current magazine issue containing a photo shoot with Professional Boxer Kelly Pavlik inside his gym in Youngstown;
• VH1’s “Top 20 Countdown” with host Alison Becker in the Cincinnati area;
• Ohio-based law firm Betras, Maruca, Kopp & Harshman’s series of high-definition advertising spots shot in multiple locations including Canfield, Niles and East Liverpool;
• A segment for HGTV currently being shot in and around the Columbus area.

Again, the Ohio Film Office and the Tourism Division thank everyone for all the hard work our Industry has put forth in promoting Ohio as the ideal destination for production shoots.

(Photo caption: On the set with ESPN and Boxer Kelly Pavlik in Youngstown)

Ohio Film Office Recognizes Wayne County’s Work in Disney Shoot

The Ohio Film Office would again like to thank all the partners that assisted with the scout for Disney’s commercial shoot of a baseball field surrounded by a cornfield. We are fortunate to say that we were successful in bringing the project to the area, but it wouldn’t have happened without the help of our partners.

When we first received the call from Disney about the location they were seeking, we knew this was no ordinary location. Searching nationwide, Disney was particularly interested in one location that we submitted from Wayne County and requested additional photos. After calling our partners at the Wayne County Convention and Visitors Bureau, who originally submitted the photos, we asked for their help, and without any hesitation or pause, they agreed. We put in a nearly 22-hour day when all was done to get the shots and information we needed to convince Disney our site in Ohio would meet their needs.

Thanks to the work of everyone involved in Wayne County, Disney began moving a production crew into the area and hired members of the local community to assist. In their preparation phase, they were seeking out actors to play baseball, and a local baseball team was hired to fill the role.

The production allowed the boys’ families to watch from the sidelines. The excitement and enthusiasm remained heightened throughout it all. Following the last shot, the production team hosted a cookout for everyone. This is a great example of the teamwork the Ohio Film Office strives to have with Industry members, and we would like to thank Wayne County CVB Executive Director Martha Starkey and Jacki Chamberlain for all of their work in bringing this project to Ohio! 

(Photo caption--Top: The Ohio Film Office on the set with Disney in Wayne County; Bottom: The Tri-Way Allstars Baseball Team lends a helping hand and their natural talent during the Disney shoot.)

Best Practices: Now Who’s Wearing the Pants in the Family?

From Oct. 22 – 24, members of the Ohio Tourism Division attended the Ohio Travel Association’s Ohio Conference on Tourism in Canton. Throughout the conference, attendees participated in sessions with some of the Travel Industry’s top speakers and discovered ways to market their product to the rest of the world.

“She’s Got the Power!” presented by Fran and Bill Lytle, was one session in particular that focused on brand strategies and how to market your message to include women. According to the Lytles, women account for 70 percent of leisure-travel decisions, 66 percent of all home-computer purchases and 83 percent of all product purchases. These statistics alone show a push in “girl power” and provide important information on how to market brand strategies to this group.

For example, the Lytles explained that women respond differently to certain shapes and colors than men do. Women are attracted to curves and waves because they subconsciously remind women of the shape of a baby’s face. Men are attracted to straight lines because they subconsciously remind them of the directness of the hunt.

And when it comes to colors, every hue has a specific meaning. Women are more likely to be attracted to soft, pastel colors while men respond more to dark, masculine colors. Some examples include:

• Red: Shows extroverted tendencies; impulsive and athletic; sexy and quick to speak their mind; increases metabolism
• Pink: They are red souls who don’t have the courage to choose the color in its full intensity
• Orange: The social color; cheerful, luminous and warm; friendly with a ready smile and quick wit
• Green: Symbolizes balance and normality; socially well-adjusted, civilized, conventional
• Yellow: Emphasizes mental and spiritual; intelligent, introspective, discriminating
• Blue: Shows conservatism, accomplishment, deliberation
• Purple: The color of sensitivity; shows those may feel better and higher than other people; fond of the arts, philosophy and other refined pursuits
• Brown: Conservatism to the extreme; shows a sense of duty and responsibility

Though women control the majority of expenses, it’s still important to market your brand to both sexes. If you find that you stick mostly to straight lines and dark colors (masculine), try including a softer color and curving lines to incorporate women into your marketing and vice versa. It could mean the difference in appealing to a whole other demographic!

TechCorner: BuckeyeLine Readability and Deliverability

When we launched the new format of BuckeyeLine earlier this year, we wanted to provide an easy-to-read online publication that would give readers better access to important information and deadlines from the Division. In our environment of various e-mail clients and mobile devices, the image-heavy format can be burdensome for some readers. Here are a few tips to customize your BuckeyeLine experience.

Readability: By default, BuckeyeLine is sent in HTML format. If the images and formatting bog down your system or take up too many resources for your mobile device, you may want to change your preference to receive a text-only version. To change to a text-only version, simply click on the “Update Profile” link at the bottom of the e-mail, then simply un-check the HTML preference to receive a text-only version.

Deliverability: Email can be a finicky creature, and for this reason, sending a mass e-mail such as BuckeyeLine becomes an exercise in futility. Here are some steps you can take to help ensure you receive every issue of BuckeyeLine:

• Add Buckeyeline@DiscoverOhio.com to your white list of e-mail senders. The process of adding an address will vary based on your e-mail client.  Here is a link for Microsoft Outlook.
• Bookmark www.Buckeyeline.com. In addition to sending the BuckeyeLine e-mail, we post all the information on the BuckeyeLine.com blog site. Monthly articles are normally posted the first week of each month.
• Add BuckeyeLine.com as a news feed. Because we utilize state-of-the-art blogging software for the BuckeyeLine Web site, you can also add our URL to you RSS newsfeed. New articles will be delivered directly to your newsreader.

These are just a few simple steps you can make BuckeyeLine work for you. If you have any questions about how to make the updates listed above, please contact Tourism Information Manager Eric Herzog at (614) 466-0338.

Where in the World

Nov. 6: Amir Eylon speaking at the Dayton/Montgomery County CVB Community Ambassador Awards Breakfast
Nov. 15 – 19: Celeste Krolak at the National Tour Association Annual Convention in Pittsburgh
Nov. 24: Amir and Alicia Reece attending OHLA Conference in Cincinnati