BuckeyeLine

“Avoiding Groundhog Day”

Greetings from your Ohio Tourism Team! 

Who would have thought that February would start off with temperatures in the 60s?  The groundhogs seemed a little nervous this year, indeed!

You know, I am always reminded this time of year of that funny Bill Murray and Geena Davis film, “Groundhog Day,” where Bill goes through a repetition of the same day until he makes some drastic changes in his life/personality. Which brings me to this thought:  In trying to grow our business, destination, or organization, we must make sure to avoid falling into a “Groundhog Day” routine of doing the same old thing over and over, just because that’s how we have always done things. If we don’t pause periodically and ask ourselves why we do the certain things we do in all aspects of our business, we may be missing opportunities for growth.

Well, I am happy to report that our Industry is working hard NOT to fall into a “Groundhog Day” routine. January saw me travel more than 3,000 miles around our state, and I have seen businesses large and small working on “the next big thing.”  Whether they are new or expanded convention centers (Cleveland and Kalahari), the new Greater Cleveland Aquarium, new Elephant experience at the Toledo Zoo, new innovative marketing initiatives, new partnerships, or even new organizations forming to benefit our Industry, we are not pressing the ‘pause’ button.

Like our Industry, the Ohio Office of Tourism continues to focus on those programs that yield a high return on investment for our stakeholders. We have recently completed a successful New York City Media Mission with several Industry partners, 2012 Publications are rolling off the presses, and our 2012 Spring/Summer Campaign is in the final touches of development. Our combination of traditional and innovative new marketing co-operatives are on pace for yet another record year of participation because they deliver results. Download our Partnership Opportunities book here. Our new mobile tour is taking shape, and our websites are undergoing additional enhancements as I write this column. In addition, we are about to launch a new promotion with our newest non-traditional partner, LEGO!  Plus, scan down for information on our Spring Town Hall Meetings (and watch for a special BuckeyeLine with more details), where we will be highlighting some of the latest industry developments and additional opportunities for partnership.

Bottom Line:  Let’s continue this collaboration to innovate and generate new revenue for this Greatest of Industries!  Oh yeah…and did you ask your team last month about “How We Make a Difference?”  Please send in those stories!

Safe Travels,

Amir

 

“The Year of Making a Difference”

Happy New Year from your Ohio Tourism Team! I am writing this month’s message having just spent some terrific quality time with my family over the holidays. During this short stretch of “down time,” I had the chance to shift gears from reflecting upon the accomplishments of 2011 (although we will still be gathering and reporting some final numbers and results over the next couple of months as the data becomes available) and looking ahead to what our team has set out to accomplish. 

This past fall, we presented our upcoming plans to the Industry as part of the rollout of the 2012 Marketing Partnership Opportunities. You heard from our team members as to how we were going to work hard to once again raise the bar on our activities in our ongoing efforts to leverage public and private resources to increase visitor spending in Ohio and thus grow revenues and jobs within the State. Well 2012 has arrived and we are off to the races!  For example, our Public Relations team is gearing up for its New York Media Mission in just a few short weeks, our Advertising team is working on 2012 creative, and the Tourism Information team is making key database and website updates and enhancements. Please be sure to follow BuckeyeLine and our Industry Facebook Page for key updates and deadlines over the next few months regarding our various programs. In addition, my 2012 road schedule begins this week, and I look forward to seeing so many of you and discussing your needs and plans, while developing new partnership opportunities.

As I make my way around Ohio in 2012, you will hear me talk a lot about “Making A Difference.”  This is my personal and professional resolution for 2012 (you may recall it was about showing our industry passion in 2011). While those who know me pretty well will recall me mentioning this topic in the past; this formalizes it a bit more. What I mean is this: The work we do here at Ohio Tourism and the work you all do in your business makes a difference!  You create amazing experiences that create memories and often transform your guests (e.g., Relax, rejuvenate, re-connect, etc…), as well as generate revenue, sustain and create jobs in the community, etc...  While we know this is happening, how often are we telling the story about how we make a difference?

Our team is committed to helping the Industry tell how we “Make A Difference” in 2012, so we will be asking for your help and input along the way (everything from personal anecdotes and guest experiences, to actual performance data and figures).  Again, be on the lookout for upcoming requests for information and stories, so we can tell the world how Ohio’s Tourism Industry “Makes A Difference!”

Safe Travels and Happy New Year,

Amir

“A Gift for the Season”

Season’s Greetings from your Ohio Tourism Team! Can you believe we are about to wrap up 2011 and welcome a New Year? Where did the year go? Well, my answer to that question is -- Upwards! This was a year where our industry rose to the occasion, leveraged resources, maximized opportunities, and continued a nice pace of growth overall. While the official numbers will not be in until early 2012, it is safe to say that the health of our industry has improved in 2011.

Here at the office, your Ohio Tourism Team is hard at work wrapping up the last few projects of the year (including a successful Washington D.C. Media Mission and launch of the Scene in Ohio microsite), and beginning implementation of our 2012 programming. Somehow, the team even made time to come up with a few more tricks up their sleeves, which we will be talking about early in the New Year, as the world turns its eyes to Ohio for some major international events including the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony and the World Choir Games. We will continue to commemorate our heritage with Ohio’s Civil War 150 and the beginning of the War of 1812 Bicentennial. And, we will welcome new attractions like the Greater Cleveland Aquarium (opening late January), and so many more new things to experience all around our state in 2012!

Bottom Line: Together, we have accomplished so much in 2011, yet we have even more to look forward to in 2012!

As is my tradition for the December column, I want to leave you all with a little seasonal note sharing some of my thoughts:

‘Twas the middle of December, near the end of the year,
Amir raced to his office just bursting with cheer!

The team wondered out loud what caused his spirits to lift,
As he shouted from his office: “Because it’s a GIFT!”

For it’s a gift we’ve been given, from our stakeholders here,
The honor to sell Ohio is what fills me with such cheer!

An important mission we have, one that is fun, but not funny,
To grow Ohio’s economy by attracting more visitors spending money!

The best part of this gift is that it’s one we must share,
Through partnerships with our Industry both here and there!

With 439,000 jobs and $25 billion in direct spending,
A $38 billion industry is growing due to the collaborative message we are sending!

We sell experiences, fun, and memories, each and every day,
And people make travel decisions often due to what we say!

With passion, partnership, and the people we bring,
“Too Much Fun for Just One Day!” our brand ambassadors will sing!

So let’s gather and celebrate our victories with cheer,
And let the momentum carry us forth into an even more successful New Year!

And as we wrap up 2011, our spirits will continue to lift,
Because in 2012, we will keep sharing this GIFT!

On behalf of your Ohio Tourism Team (Amir, Pat, Joy, Eric, Tammy, Roger, Andy, Aimee, and Joe):  THANK YOU for your partnership and continued support!

Happy Holidays to You and Your Loved Ones!

Safe Travels,

Amir

P.S.  A special congratulations to Debbie Stamper of the Clinton County CVB for recently being elected as the new Board President of the Ohio Association of Convention and Visitors Bureaus!  Thank you also to Greg Eyerman of the Fairfield County CVB for a successful tenure as President.

“A Whole New Game”

Greetings from your Ohio Tourism Team! I am writing to you on Halloween in utter disbelief at how fast October came and went. Perhaps it is because my head is still spinning from last week’s Ohio Conference on Tourism! This year’s event was one of the best yet in terms of content, speakers, partnership and passion. Not to mention the team at Kalahari Resort and Convention Center in Sandusky exceeded all of our expectations in terms of outstanding hospitality and service in their amazing venue!  I would personally like to thank the Ohio Travel Association Staff and Board, committees, and everyone else involved in putting on this great Conference. In addition, I would like to thank outgoing Board President Debbie Robinson for a solid year of leadership, and congratulate Michelle Doyle as she takes over as Board President of one of our key Industry trade associations.

The theme for this year’s event was: “A Whole New Game!” Content was focused around how quickly the Tourism Industry and consumer habits have been changing, and how we need to adapt and embrace these changes. In fact, we need to be the change-makers ourselves in order to remain relevant and win the attention and purchasing decisions of our target audiences. For three days, we heard from national experts in tourism, marketing, social media, change management, etc… as they filled our minds full of content, ideas, and inspiration.

During breaks, meal functions, and in the hallways, I consistently heard conversations taking place among our fellow attendees regarding applying the trends and best practices to their respective businesses and organizations. I suspect many car rides home were filled with ongoing discussions about what everyone learned, not to mention the Monday morning staff meetings afterward.

Other than the great information that was shared and the networking that occurred, I also was delighted to walk away with a heightened sense of energy amongst our Industry! In fact, several speakers went out of their way to tell me about how impressed they were with our conference attendees’ passion and willingness to collaborate. I must agree with them. We are strong, united, and ready to take on the world as Ohio’s Tourism Industry!

Bottom Line: I am going to let this wave of energy carry us forward into our Holiday Season and 2012 programming, and I suggest you all do the same as we have some new heights to reach together!  Please be sure to read the rest of this month’s BuckeyeLine for the latest news and opportunities to help grow your tourism business.  As always, thank you for your partnership! 


Safe Travels,

Amir

P.S.  A special congratulations to Melinda Huntley for winning the 2011 Paul Sherlock Award.  A well-deserved honor for someone whose career has focused on growing and mentoring this Ohio Tourism Industry!

Planning and Sharing!

Greetings from your Ohio Tourism Team!  October is one of my favorite months here in Ohio. Splashes of color are appearing on the trees; it’s time to pick apples with the family; attending some great fall festivals; pumpkin pie; and, of course, Halloween with the kids in their cute costumes. October, to me, is also about planning and sharing. 

On the planning side, our team has just returned from a couple of weeks on the road around Ohio conducting our 2011 Fall Town Hall Meetings. Literally hundreds of you came out to hear the latest updates from the Ohio Tourism Division including trends, best practices and our marketing strategy for 2012. We also unveiled our 2012 co-operative marketing opportunities that were developed based on the latest market research and your feedback as to the needs of the Industry. I wish to thank everyone who came out, as well as our wonderful hosts for these events at the Lake Erie Shores & Islands West Visitor Center in Port Clinton, Cuyahoga Valley National Park, the Dairy Barn in Athens, EnterTRAINment Junction in West Chester and the OCLC Conference Center in Dublin. The feedback from these sessions has been extremely positive, and many businesses have already begun signing up for our 2012 programs!

The majority of all partnership opportunities with the Ohio Tourism Division to promote your destination or tourism business are provided FREE as a service of the Division. All we need from you is a little bit of information. For those who use paid advertising as part of your marketing plans, we also have a full menu of co-operative advertising opportunities that will save you 50-60 percent or more by partnering with us! Bottom Line: We have many opportunities to help drive business to your doorstep, regardless of the size of your marketing budget. If you were not able to attend a meeting but would like to learn about the 2012 opportunities, you can download our 2012 Partnership Opportunities Guide by visiting www.DiscoverOhio.com/industry. If you wish to have a conversation about these opportunities with your marketing team or group of stakeholders, just give me a shout and we will send someone out! In fact, I will be spending a good part of this month meeting with Industry members to discuss what the Division can do to drive more business in 2012.

Now let’s talk about sharing. Last month, I asked you all to join members of our team and leaders from across the Industry as we attend the Ohio Conference on Tourism on October 26-28th at the Kalahari Resort and Conference Center. We are getting together with some of the best national and regional minds on topics ranging from best practices in marketing, emerging trends and social and digital media to service, sales, and change management. I am pleased to announce that registration for this year has already surpassed the 2010 Conference on Tourism!  Don’t delay…registration is still open! You will find that this event will bring a high Return On Investment to your team and your business.

Well, it’s time to wrap it up so you can read all the other important Ohio Tourism Division updates below, but stay tuned for next month’s BuckeyeLine because we will be talking about some new initiatives and opportunities for success!

See you at the Ohio Conference on Tourism!

Safe Travels,

Amir

Reflection and Planning

Greetings from your Ohio Tourism Team! As Labor Day Weekend has just passed, it is a time when I like to reflect for a moment before talking about the future. In terms of the recent summer travel season, we have seen and heard reports of a rebound in visitor volumes after a very soggy spring and early-summer travel season. Anecdotal reports also point to incremental increases in visitor spending as folks have continued to seek out added value travel deals.  I have witnessed firsthand the continued innovation and passion our Ohio Tourism Industry employs to tell their story, keep their product fresh and ensure a superior guest experience. Our industry remains resilient, and we can leverage many challenges into opportunities as we move forward.

Our short-term activities at the Division are focused on fall and holiday promotions, while our core work is all about 2012!  Our Autumn Adventures microsite in partnership with the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, successfully re-launched last week, and our Fall/Winter Calendar of Events hit visitor centers, AAA offices, and highway rest areas last month.

As for 2012 planning, the team has put together a complete package of co-operative marketing opportunities and will begin rolling them out this month during five regional Town Hall Meetings (see dates and locations in the article below). Please don’t miss out on attending a meeting in your region. There are new partnership opportunities in nearly every area of our program including dozens of FREE marketing opportunities. And Town Hall attendees will get a peek at the most robust co-operative advertising program we have ever put together. Please RSVP now at DiscoverOhio.com/Industry to reserve your seat for a FREE Town Hall Meeting!

As you begin planning for 2012, this also is a great time to hone your skills and find out some of the latest best practices in tourism marketing, sales, and service. Please join members of our team as we attend the Ohio Conference on Tourism. For the fourth year in a row, we have worked closely with the Ohio Travel Association organizers and committees to pull together some of the best national and regional minds on topics ranging from best practices, trends, social and digital media, service, sales, and change management. Join several hundred of your colleagues at Kalahari Resort and Conference Center in Sandusky, October 26 – 28, as we share and learn together how to raise the bar on our efforts to grow Ohio’s Tourism Economy!

As I wrap up this month’s column, I want to offer one more reflection that I find personally and professionally significant. Ten years ago on September 11, our world changed. Personally, I had cancelled a planned trip for business to Manhattan over 9/11 just a few days prior. During that day, I found myself busy trying to make contact with colleagues who had gone ahead to NYC for meetings and praying for those I knew who worked in lower Manhattan. While my closest colleagues and friends were O.K., like many other Americans, I soon learned that some friends had lost loved ones and colleagues on that fateful day.

Our world has changed a lot since 9/11 on several levels: Homeland Security, air travel and our worldview are perhaps the most obvious differences. But I also think of how our industry has evolved over the past decade: my fax machine is mostly dormant, but the emails and texts are endless; online travel agencies are now well established; social media was not even heard of 10 years ago, but now is a vital tool for marketers; and industry trends come and go in a matter of months, rather than years. Bottom Line -- It has been a decade of good, bad and, on 9/11, tragic, but the past 10 years have made us a more united Tourism Industry that is passionate, caring, innovative, dynamic and strong!

Have a successful September, and I look forward to seeing you all at one of our Town Hall Meetings later this month!

Safe Travels,

Amir

“The Hot Dog Days of Summer!”

Greetings from your Ohio Tourism Division! I cannot believe that August has already arrived. It seems like just last week we were putting the finishing touches on our spring/summer marketing efforts, and now those are all wrapping up as our attention shifts to fall and 2012. 

July has proven to be another strong month for Ohio Tourism, despite the extremely warm temperatures. While the hot weather has impacted attendance at some events, we are receiving good anecdotal reports from our partners that the dry weather is helping offset some of the initial declines caused by our soggy spring. I have spent the past month primarily focused on three items:  
    •    2012 planning with our team
    •    Meeting with stakeholders around the state
    •    Working on our plans for a new public/private partnership.

In regards to 2012 planning, please join us at one of our Town Hall meetings in September (see information below) to find out some of the latest market research, industry trends, and important co-operative marketing opportunities beginning this fall and running through summer of 2012. Most of these marketing opportunities are FREE, and the Town Hall meetings are open to all members of Ohio’s Tourism Industry. Please do not miss out on your chance to leverage your marketing resources with us to drive additional visitation to your business or event. I am excited about the full menu of programs we are able to provide the industry for the next 12 months and look forward to having our team preview them with all of you!

In order to make sure we are delivering products and services that the industry needs in terms of marketing, our team spends a lot of their time analyzing market trends, data, and best practices, as well as meeting with our stakeholders. This past month has seen me circle the state a few times attending various meetings and events that have provided us with first-hand views from the field. I am pleased to report that our industry continues to grow, adapt, and innovate! A special thank you to all who have invited us to meet with them this summer, and we will continue our brisk pace of partnership meetings this fall as we kick off our Town Hall meetings in September.

Finally, as reported last month, a lot of progress is being made on the evolution of your Ohio Tourism Division, and I can happily say that the strong public and private sector leadership collaboration continues thanks to the hard work of many of our colleagues. Stay tuned in the coming weeks for important updates from your Industry trade associations.

Well, I am off to my weekly staff meeting with the team and then to a little bit of time tonight at the Ohio State Fair to satisfy my annual corn dog craving (as a Commissioner of the Ohio Expo Center, I can report that it was my duty to try and enjoy the Krispy Kreme Doughnut Burger and Deep Fried Kool-Aid this year!).

Have a Successful August!

Safe Travels,

Amir

A New Fiscal Year Begins!

Greetings from your Ohio Tourism Division! The recent Fourth of July holiday weekend marked a mid-point in the traditional peak summer leisure travel season for many destinations. For the Ohio Tourism Division and the rest of State government, this also marked the beginning of a new fiscal year.

Last week, Governor John Kasich signed into law H.B. 153, a new two-year state budget approved by the Ohio General Assembly. This budget contains the funding for the Ohio Tourism Division in Fiscal Year 2012 (FY’12) to continue promoting Ohio as a tourism destination and generate new visitor spending to help grow Ohio’s tourism economy in terms of jobs, sales and tax revenues. We wish to thank the leadership in the Kasich Administration, Ohio Department of Development, Ohio General Assembly, and Ohio’s Tourism Industry for working together to sustain this program that has consistently delivered a high return on investment in terms of new visitor spending and tourism businesses supported.

We begin FY’12 with a $5 million budget, which will allow us to continue innovating the way in which we tell the world about Ohio. As in the past, we will base our marketing decisions on a foundation of market intelligence balanced with the needs of Ohio’s Tourism Industry.  That being said, our focus, as always, will be on delivering a positive return on investment for all of you!

This month, as summer marketing initiatives like our Mobile Tour and Public Relations programs continue, we reach the halfway point in our planning for 2012 cooperative marketing opportunities. As always, our goal is to roll them out to the Industry in mid-September, so you can see what resources will be available as you begin to develop your 2012 plans. In addition, our 2011-2012 Fall/Winter Calendar of Events will be hot off the presses at the end of the month, and some additional promotions will begin running in the next few weeks via our website and social media channels.

Also on the horizon is the work being done in regards to the evolution of the Ohio Department of Development and new JobsOhio. Stay tuned to future editions of Buckeyeline and updates from your Ohio Tourism Roundtable trade associations for the latest news on the public/private collaboration to enhance the future of Ohio’s Tourism Industry. Our future has never been brighter, but we must all work hard, as always, to achieve the next major success!

Safe Travels,

Amir

“Hooray for Summer!”

These words have been shouted not only by school children over the past couple of weeks, but by many of our colleagues throughout the Ohio Tourism Industry! While May will go down in the record books as a very soggy month, the Memorial Day Weekend seems to have generated an improved summer weather pattern that is more cooperative for our Industry Partners, who depend on sunny days for their revenue.

I can honestly say that this past May saw an absolute record level of activity within your Ohio Tourism Division. Despite reduced staffing and limited resources, we have managed to execute a record number of marketing initiatives and partnerships that have been integrated into the latest version of our “Too Much Fun for Just One Day!” campaign. Advertising that utilizes the “hi” logo in a creative, multi-media execution is running in all primary feeder markets. Our new social media promotions are in full swing, our Groupon promotion was an overall HUGE success (see below), and even our mobile marketing initiative is on track to exceed our initial targets. Add to that a successful launch of the second year of our Mobile Tour, plus a series of regional mini-media missions and you quickly get the picture that the push is on to drive additional visitors to and within Ohio this summer!

I am so proud of our team and support agencies for once again raising the bar on what can be accomplished via partnership and innovation. I also wish to thank the thousands of Ohio Tourism Industry businesses and organizations that have partnered with us to tell the world about Ohio this summer.  Whether it is via a Mobile Tour Sponsorship, Advertising Co-op participation, Travel Planner Advertising, Media Mission participation, or even just providing us your information in our Buckeye Database -- Your partnership fuels our success!

In addition to all of these things going on, I spent a good part of May in just about every corner of the state for various meetings, speaking engagements, media interviews, site inspections, tours, and developing partnership opportunities. I am delighted to report that there is a level of passion and enthusiasm across our Industry that is higher than I have ever seen! The spirit of partnership and willingness for collaboration among Industry members at the local, regional, and statewide level is unprecedented, and is evident everywhere I have visited this past month.

While our Industry works hard to ensure success this summer to offset a soggy spring, it is also looking ahead and planning its growth for tomorrow. There is a renewed wave of tourism product and infrastructure development happening in several regions, and there are new marketing partnerships among friendly competitors being formed in many areas. Our team has even managed to begin its 2012 planning by holding an all-agency planning meeting two weeks ago in order to maximize the momentum we have gathered.

Bottom Line: Full Steam Ahead Everyone!

Have a Successful June!
   
Safe Travels,

Amir

Spring/Summer Travel Season has Arrived!

Greetings once again from your Ohio Tourism Division team! It’s here! It’s here! Every year, the anticipation builds in the months leading to the start of Ohio’s peak leisure travel season. This year is no different, other than the fact that our team is more excited than ever to launch our new spring/summer marketing campaign! As I write this message, early elements of this new campaign are hitting the streets:

     •  The 2011 Mobile Tour with Honda, Speedway, Elmer’s and many tourism industry partners launched last week.

    •  Ohio’s Groupon tourism promotion is getting press nationwide, while our print, online, digital, social and broadcast media placements have started appearing as well.

Other campaign features will begin appearing over the next couple weeks including social media promotions, text-to-win promotions, public relations media blitzes and more!

In April, several hundred of our Ohio Tourism Industry colleagues joined us in Town Hall meetings around the state, where we provided a sneak peek at this year’s big push as we unveiled several more FREE and LOW-COST marketing opportunities for you to partner with us to tell the world about your amazing experiences, attractions, destinations, accommodations, restaurants, events, historical sites and more. We really appreciate the great turnout, and your response was overwhelming: You loved that we are going to say “hi” to our target audiences this year!

If you have no idea about what I have just written, no worries! Learn how to join us by reading the articles below and visiting our industry website at www.DiscoverOhio.com/industry, where you can download a summary of the presentation of these new opportunities that were unveiled at our Spring Town Hall Meetings. I am confident you will see that we have new and innovative approaches to engage and connect you with consumers eager to receive your message. Bottom Line: Let’s blanket the state and our target markets with “hi” this summer as we offer some terrific travel opportunities and special offers using effective, targeted, and innovative marketing tools!

Looking to the month ahead, we have National Tourism Week kicking off next week, in addition to the celebration of May as Ohio Tourism Month. I will be attending many local and regional gatherings as we celebrate our contributions to the state’s economy and workforce, as well as this Industry’s latest efforts to increase visitation and revenues. We soon will be releasing the latest visitation and economic impact numbers for our industry and reinforcing the message that tourism is a large employer and revenue generator in our great State of Ohio.

In addition to the continued implementation of our programming, work is progressing on the next state biennial budget and evolution of the Ohio Department of Development and the Ohio Tourism Division. There is a lot of ongoing hard work and collaboration among the leadership of the Administration, Ohio Department of Development, Ohio Tourism Industry via the Ohio Tourism Roundtable, and members of the Ohio General Assembly to create the best sustainable long-term solution for increasing visitor spending and creating/sustaining jobs in Ohio’s Tourism Industry. While there is still much work to be done and many questions to be answered in the coming months, your Ohio Tourism Division is unwavering in its commitment to maximize its return on investment to this Industry and all Ohioans!

I ask this month, that we all make an extra effort to demonstrate with pride, the vitality of our Ohio Tourism Industry! Say “Thank You!” to our guests a few more times; recognize a partner, stakeholder, or team member that has helped drive your success; share with community leaders the story of how your business has evolved; and make sure every member of your team knows how they make a difference each and every day to your guests and to our community!

Have a Marvelous May!

Safe Travels,

Amir

Countdown to Launch!

Greetings from a busier than ever Ohio Tourism Division team! As you read this, our team will be on the road conducting a series of Spring Town Hall Meetings around the state to update you, our industry members, on the latest Tourism Division partnership opportunities (some of which are highlighted below). If I don’t see you at any of three sessions this week, I look forward to seeing you at one of our final meetings the last week of this month. Due to the important information contained in this month’s BuckeyeLine, my message is a short one. 

It’s April, and I have spent a lot of time on the road in Ohio the past three months developing new partnerships, meeting with stakeholders, and taking a look at what’s new in Ohio. In recent weeks, I see everyone gearing up for a huge Spring/Summer push. It is the same thing here at your Ohio Tourism Division. There is a louder than usual buzz as everyone is giving 110 percent to ensure a seamless start to this year’s campaign. I want to applaud my entire team and creative agencies for all of their efforts these past months as the payoff nears!

In March, my team and I heard from so many of you regarding your support of and engagement with our programs. Whether in person during the Industry’s Legislative Day or while we were on the road, or even via email or personal phone calls, the affirmation we received from your feedback and participation in our 2011 programs was tremendous! In fact, we are seeing a record level of co-operative marketing buy-in from the industry this year, as we all work to leverage resources and deliver a high return on investment (an ROI that delivered 13 to 1 for the second straight year, as we announced last month!). Our commitment is to continue to work hard and innovate on your behalf!

Finally, I want to recognize the leadership of this Industry via the Ohio Tourism Roundtable and the leadership of the Ohio Department of Development, the Administration, and the Ohio General Assembly. Collaboratively, with the assistance of my office, we are engaged in the most important process to transform this Division in such a way that our recent successes will seem small compared to our future potential. Stay tuned for updates on our process and progress at your nearest industry association or Division meetings. As always, I welcome and encourage your thoughts and feedback regarding this Division, our programs, or the Industry in general and look forward to hearing from you directly.

OK…now back to those marketing team meetings!
Have an Amazing April!

Safe Travels,

Amir

Spring Forward!

Greetings from a sunny, but cool morning at your Ohio Tourism Headquarters! I can hardly believe the first two months of 2011 are now behind us, but that is because we have jumped in with both feet into our marketing programs this year.

The public relations program is in full swing, all of our new travel publications have arrived and are being distributed, some of our new online marketing efforts are already underway, and our latest website enhancements are beginning to make a positive impact, while we continue to expand our profile in the world of social media. Add to this the fact that our cooperative marketing programs continue to grow in size every week, thanks to your participation and engagement. We are on pace for a record number of co-op participants and will be able to match at least one dollar in cash or in-kind services for every public dollar we have invested into this important industry program!

Our spring/summer ad campaign is in full development as initial production deadlines arrive, and we are excited about some of the new initiatives surrounding this year’s campaign. Some of these we told you about last fall, and some will be announced in the coming weeks. To that end, please note the article below regarding a series of Spring Town Hall Meetings, including the corresponding dates and regions. Watch for a special BuckeyeLine this month that will update details about the upcoming Town Hall Meetings. Please join us for a sneak peek of some elements of our 2011 Spring/Summer integrated campaign, and, more importantly, hear about some new opportunities to partner with us in May/June. In addition, we will showcase some of the latest updates to key elements of our programs.
 
I have spent a good part of February on the road around Ohio conducting meetings with industry members, holding workshops (Miami County, Mansfield/Richland County), and fulfilling speaking engagements for various stakeholders. I attended many annual meetings of local and regional convention and visitors bureaus (Cincinnati, Warren County, Butler County, Hocking Hills, etc…), and heard about the great successes and challenges overcome in 2010, as well as plans for the coming year. I even got to peek into some of what’s new in Ohio. (You have to check out the Cleopatra at the Cincinnati Museum Center – They even got me into the act!) I attended meetings with more than 330 members of our industry just last week, and all of these travels and interactions with our industry have put a giant smile on my face as I have never seen such a collaborative spirit in Ohio! Every meeting I attended, every conversation I had, and every discussion I overheard involved the words “partnership,” “packaging,” and “innovation.” 

As I wrap up this month’s message, I want to acknowledge the leadership of this industry in carrying forward the message of partnership and truly “leading by example!” The paid executives and the volunteer boards of our industry trade associations and destination marketing organizations have put in countless hours these past several months to work with their stakeholders, advocate the importance of our collective efforts, and to help align the industry so that we can truly make Ohio Tourism a success story in 2011!

Those who have known me over the years know my passion for this industry, and I have spoken of my optimism in this column before. As I look to the coming spring season, I see the challenges ahead of us amidst our strengthening competition, economic realities, and those factors that are just plain beyond our control. However, I have never felt that we have been better prepared to collaborate, innovate, and partner our way to success than we are at this moment. My team and I are honored and proud to be your partners, and remain committed to giving you 110 percent of our efforts as we move forward together in telling the world about Ohio!

Have a Marvelous March!

Safe Travels,

Amir

The Year of Packaging!

The sun is shining brightly as I write this month’s message, and I mean that both figuratively and literally!  As we are closing the books on the first month of 2011, I see so many bright spots emerging in our industry. Anecdotal reports of stronger spring bookings abound, while I continue to see examples of innovation everywhere. My January travels took me to several corners of our state where I witnessed firsthand new efforts at collaboration to grow business.

Back here at the Ohio Tourism Division, we were able to begin the soft launch and industry sneak peek of our new “Itinerary Builder” and “Social Media Aggregator” on DiscoverOhio.com! These new tools will allow BOTH visitors and industry alike to create and share their best recommended Ohio getaways with their friends and others via the website and social media platforms. Our co-operative marketing efforts are taking shape nicely as many of you sign on each week to participate in the 2011 co-operative marketing programs. Please hurry, though, as some deadlines are already upon us! Our new travel publications are at the presses and will be arriving in a matter of days to fill the growing bulk distribution demands we are seeing (we ran out last November). Our multicultural marketing program was able to connect with thousands of consumers during two initiatives over the Martin Luther King, Jr. Weekend. Finally, our new overall integrated marketing campaign for 2011 is coming together rather nicely.

February means that our work keeps moving ahead with initiatives including: the New York Media Mission, new DiscoveringOhio Travel Blog, Black History Month promotions, online marketing initiatives, creative development for summer, Mobile Tour planning and more. Bottom Line: Hold on because here we go, and we want to take you with us! Please remember to visit http://industry.discoverohio.com/ and download the latest information and partnership opportunities (and have you joined our “Ohio Tourism Industry” Facebook discussion group yet?).

Looking ahead, I want to remind everyone about the importance of packaging your product for the consumer. By this, I do not mean a hotel room with breakfast included or an attraction admission with an on-site add-on included. I mean actually bundling your product in a creative and unique way with tourism businesses outside your front door and having it readily available for purchase, so consumers can purchase your experience via a “one-stop” shopping experience. Our visitor research regularly shows that consumers are seeking more packages due to the value they create by allowing for reduced time in the purchasing process, convenience of the process, and the added value brought by not having to individually price and piecemeal together one’s own experience. We have been lagging the U.S. average significantly in travelers coming to Ohio on packages during a time when one of our heaviest areas for web traffic is on the “Packages” section. People are looking for packages. Period. Exclamation Point!

Last week, I had the pleasure of joining more than 100 of my colleagues in New Philadelphia for a packaging workshop held by the Tuscarawas County Convention & Visitors Bureau (a shout out to packaging expert Joe Veneto and to the CVB team for a great job on the event).  While this was a great exercise that really started a lot of collaborative juices flowing, you do not have to wait for a workshop! Call your local partners in tourism, call your CVB, and call us, as we can all suggest ideas for partnership and collaboration and provide examples of packages. In fact, our new travel tools on the website, like “the Itinerary Builder,” are great stepping stones for creating packages, and we have the tools that will help you to promote them via our website, social media, advertising, mobile tour, public relations efforts, etc...

So let’s make 2011:  “The Year of the Package!”   Don’t just partner…package!

Safe Travels,

Amir

A New Year and off to the races!

Greetings from your Ohio Tourism headquarters! This first Buckeyeline of the year reaffirms our commitment to all of you that 2011 is full of ongoing and new opportunities for partnership and promotion to tell the world about Ohio and help bring more visitors to your doorstep.

Our team is back together from spending a few days with families and friends and has already hit the ground running on everything we have been planning for this year. That being said, my message this month is very short as I would like you to focus more on the opportunities and information below than my words.

2011 is a year of great opportunity and continued changes in how all of us do business in a marketplace that is dynamic on so many levels. Whether it’s consumer habits, travel trends, economic forces, or technology advances, I am very optimistic that our industry is well positioned to take advantage of the forces in the marketplace. However, we must always keep an eye on tomorrow as we work on our business today.

My challenge to all of you this year is to make a new partnership, engage in a new way to tell your story, and let your passion show in every contact with your customers.

Here’s to a Successful 2011!
 
Safe Travels,

Amir

Holiday Greetings and New Year Anticipations

The light displays are up, holiday music is flooding the airwaves, and retailers are offering their biggest sales of the year…it must be Holiday Season 2010! Am I the only one who truly believes that it was just May 1st about two weeks ago??? Yes folks, we are just about to wrap up the year, so it’s time to take stock of where we’ve been and look forward to where we are going.

The 2010 forecasts from the U.S. Travel Association and leading industry economists was “Less Bad,” and the prognosticators were right on target. Pretty much all sectors of our industry have seen some type of incremental rebound, while others have seen even more positive growth. For the Ohio Tourism Division, challenges stemming from the latest recession led to new heights in innovation and collaboration resulting in one of our strongest years in terms of output and partnership! I am very proud of our team and the resilience of our industry, and look forward to listing some of these great accomplishments once we have our final numbers for 2010 in early 2011.

Looking forward, the official forecast for 2011 is “Better,” and early indicators seem to be pointing in that direction. I had the honor of attending the Ohio Hotel & Lodging Association’s Annual Conference last week where Duane Vinson from Smith Travel Research pointed to continued improvement in 2011 for the lodging sector as growing demand and volume will pace ahead of new capacity. While we have conditioned a new consumer demanding even greater value for rate, the trends across our industry point favorably toward growth in 2011.

That being said, I am really looking forward to 2011 with the expectation that together as an industry, we can leverage our resources, resolve, passion, and marketing savvy to elevate Ohio’s Tourism Economy even more successfully!

As has become my custom for this December BuckeyeLine message, I want to acknowledge my amazing team for all they have accomplished this past year. Their energy, creativity, and results put a smile on my face each and every day! I asked them all the other day what they were looking forward to (personally or professionally) in 2011, and I have decided to share their responses with you. I think you will enjoy everyone’s diverse perspectives:

Pat Schmucki Barker – “I’m excited to get out and meet more of our Industry Partners and to take my family around Ohio exploring what you all have to offer. “

Roger Barker – “In 2011, I look forward to even more amazing developments in Social Media Marketing and its use in Tourism Marketing... and seeing the Blue Jackets in the playoffs!”

Andy Doty – “The journey seems to be going quicker and quicker as the years fly by. With that comes many experiences both positive and some negative. However, all seem to end up as growth and a part of who we are. What I most look forward to in 2011 is reaching many of the goals I have and gaining the personal growth through those experiences along the journey. Also, if 2011 could be a year of peace. Wouldn’t that be great?”

Joy Doty – “As we march ahead to 2011, I will continue to support our leadership and industry to help make Ohio Tourism even stronger than before. On a personal note, I thank God each and every day -- how grateful I am to have my family by my side and enjoying each step of my boys growing up.”

Tammy Brown - “I am looking forward to hiring a public relations coordinator!!!”

Eric Herzog – “Continued good health for me and my family, working with the industry, electric cars and economic recovery.”

Aimee Rupert – “What I most look forward to in 2011 is Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: part 2.”

Joe Vargo – “I’m most looking forward to seeing how our partners shape the Too Much Fun Mobile experience.”

As you can see, whether it’s work-related, lifestyle, family, or even hobbies, each member of our team carries forward a passion into 2011. Personally, I am most looking forward to taking my personal passions of family, Tourism Industry, and life and combining them with the passions of this team and the thousands of members of Ohio’s Tourism Industry and turning every challenge we face into incredible opportunities that yield positive results for all of Ohio!

“Thank You” to each and every one of you from leadership to the front lines who are our partners, colleagues, friends, and stakeholders. Together, we are making a difference!

Here’s to a Successful 2011!

Happy Holidays and Safe Travels,

Amir

Seasonal Reflections…

November greetings from the Ohio Tourism Division! Judging by my trip to the shopping mall two days before Halloween, the holiday season is upon us. As we transition into yet another season of opportunity to generate visitor spending at many of our industry venues, let’s pause for a quick moment and look back on what we have recently learned:

1. Change is a Constant!  The consumer continues to evolve in their needs and habits, and especially in the ways they gather and share information. All this change forces us to constantly evolve our marketing efforts to reach the consumer in ways that are relevant, meaningful, and even transformational at times. The recently concluded Ohio Conference on Tourism had some terrific speakers who helped prepare us for adapting to change. From Hannah Paramore’s “Best Practices in Social Media and its Next Evolutions” to Dr. Lowell Catlett’s entertaining lessons about the economy and evolving consumer needs, both speakers offered insightful glimpses into the future. Many thanks to the Ohio Travel Association, the Conference Committee and all of the amazing presenters and sponsors who made this terrific event possible! In our third year of partnership on this event, I believe it was our best program line-up yet, and the surveys definitely said as much. If you were unable to attend the conference, I encourage you to reach out to me or someone else who did ASAP, so you are not making plans without the advantage of this invaluable information! Click here to view the presentation I gave on The State of Ohio's Tourism Industry.
   
   
2. Our Industry Continues to Innovate! Despite budgetary challenges and limited resources, our Ohio Tourism Industry continues to show the way in terms of innovation and best practices in marketing its product to the consumer. We have more industry partners daily embracing new technologies that help them target and communicate with their audiences. Packaging is on the rise as our Industry begins to adapt to the idea that consumers place value on time and convenience in addition to price (see article below on our fall package promotion). Our goal is not to reinvent the wheel, but to become more nimble at identifying where “our fish are gathering” and “going fishing” in those places. And that is something we are increasingly doing with great success!
   
   
3. Passion = Success!  In my recent travels around Ohio attending various industry meetings, conferences, events, etc…, I continually run into the most amazing members of our Industry who always have smiles on their faces, adrenaline in their veins and a contagious passion to succeed no matter what the challenges. Ohio’s Tourism Industry, along with the national tourism industry, is poised for growth and forecasted to grow in 2011 after beginning to rebound in 2010. The passion and innovation I am both seeing and sensing around our state will put us in a position to capitalize on this growth!

Looking forward, our programming continues to move ahead at a good pace as we begin to shift from fall opportunities into holiday promotions and activities. And participation in our cooperative marketing programs continues to grow (Please visit www.DiscoverOhio.com/industry for additional marketing opportunities and see the article below about some deadlines for participation).

Finally, I want to share with you something that I personally have learned in the past few days:  I can be made speechless! I was most humbled and honored at last month’s Ohio Conference on Tourism to be named this year’s recipient of the prestigious Paul Sherlock Award. Having the honor and pleasure of leading a most incredible team of tourism professionals, I have always known and professed, based on the performance of our programs, that our team is making a difference in Ohio’s Tourism Industry. Now, having been singled out by my peers for making a difference, is truly an amazing moment and only serves to amplify my passion for this industry by a factor of ten!

Thank you for this honor; thank you for your partnership; and thank you for the incredible job you all do each and every day by providing great experiences for our visitors and contributing to Ohio’s tourism economy!

Have a Successful November and a Happy Thanksgiving!

Safe Travels,

Amir

October Thoughts…

Sunny days, cool evenings, caramel apples, pumpkin pie, and having fun with the family at fall festivals and events… These are just a few reasons why I love this season! From a tourism perspective, it is another way to display our amazing product to specific audiences, while we work hard on 2011 planning.

That is pretty much what we have been up to over the past month. We just wrapped up our State Fiscal Year 2011 Marketing Opportunities Town Hall Meetings tour around Ohio (five regions in ten days!) where hundreds of you were able to join us! In addition, our fall promotions hit full stride with new approaches in promoting fall travel via a 10/10/10 promotion utilizing industry submitted packages and both social and traditional media relations (see both articles below).

Moving into October, it is exciting to see many of you expressing your interest and locking into partnership marketing opportunities from co-op advertising to Groupon and Facebook coupons to packages! If you missed the Town Hall Meetings, we invite you to download our new partnership opportunities guide online, give us a call, or attend the Ohio Conference on Tourism, Oct.13-15 at Great Wolf Lodge at Kings Island in Mason. We will be happy to sit down with you for a one-on-one discussion.

Speaking of the Ohio Conference on Tourism, it is not too late to register. If you are making any investment in gathering the latest industry insights, trends, and best practices to help improve your business in 2011, this is THE EVENT that will help you grow your business! Tourism executives, senior level and junior level management, and even those running day-to-day programming relating to marketing and service will find great value in this year’s program.

Looking forward, there are many reasons for optimism in the Ohio Tourism industry:

• Next week, we will welcome our new Assistant State Tourism Director – See article below to find out about the latest wonderful addition to our team!
• Our levels of industry participation and engagement in our programs continue to grow, as does the recognition of the effectiveness of our marketing programs as we welcome new partners each and every day!
• Consumers are becoming even faster adopters of new media and communication channels (our fish are finding new ways to gather).
• Our 2011 marketing opportunities include many new forms of cooperative tactics that address the current trends and minimize the risk for any individual industry member.
• Despite any challenge we have faced over the past 18 months, our Industry’s passion and resilience is amazing and unwavering!

I wish you all a successful fall season. Here are a few items for your October checklist:

• Sign up for one of our many FREE marketing programs!
• Join the Ohio Tourism Industry Facebook Group (See article below)
• Register for the Ohio Conference on Tourism!
• Make the time to visit and meet with three local/regional tourism businesses in your area to learn how their year went and share plans for 2011. You just may find a new opportunity for partnership!

Have a terrific month, and I look forward to seeing you next week at the Ohio Conference on Tourism!
 

Safe Travels,

Amir

September Means Opportunities for Success!!!

Greetings from the Ohio Tourism Division! I am writing this message with a gorgeous late summer sky outside my window and some terrific chatter from the team outside my door as the entire office is abuzz with last minute details for our FY’11 co-operative marketing opportunities (see Town Hall Meetings article)!

August was a solid month for our team overall as we wrapped up the big Spring/Summer marketing campaign, which included multi-channel paid media, a pr media blitz, and our first-ever Mobile Tour. Our month was capped with the outstanding news of this Division winning it’s first-ever Mercury Award, the Oscar of the U.S. Travel Industry (see Mercury Award article)! As marketers, we know that our programs have performed well over the last few years as we set new organizational heights in returns on investment for advertising, web traffic, earned media coverage, etc…, but being recognized by our peers as being among the best in what we do is just another affirmation that we are making a difference!

As always, we share our successes with you since the experiences we promote, the stories we tell and the programs we execute all happen via partnerships with Ohio’s Tourism Industry. So thank you all for allowing us to “Share Your Ohio Story!”

Moving forward, August was the time to switch gears and begin our fall online and public relations promotions. Take note of the new Autumn Adventures and 10/10/10 promotions which involve, once again, partnerships with our Industry stakeholders.

I will wrap now as there is so much important information I want you to read in this month’s edition, but here are a few items I want you to make sure to add to your September checklist:

• Sign up to attend a Town Hall Meeting for new marketing opportunities (attendance as well as most of the opportunities presented are free!)

• Register for the Ohio Conference on Tourism, Oct. 13-15, at www.ohiotravel.org. We have once again partnered with the Ohio Travel Association for their annual event to bring you several of the top marketers and leaders in our industry to help educate us on the latest best practices in integrating your marketing efforts to generate new business. This year’s conference is geared towards CEO’s, senior executives and mid-level marketers and managers with integrated, but diverse, tracks of content that anyone looking to remain in business moving forward cannot afford to miss!

• Bring a colleague – if you have attended either of these events before, please make an effort to bring a colleague who has never attended, so they can find out about these great opportunities and learn about the latest best practices. Remember the old saying: “A rising tide raises all ships!”

In order to outshine and outperform our competition, we must learn together, teach together, and work together!

Have a terrific month, and I look forward to seeing you on the road this fall season!

Safe Travels,

Amir

Summer’s Home Stretch

Warm August greetings from the Ohio Tourism Division! As promised, July was an amazing month of productivity all across the state as millions of visitors have been criss-crossing Ohio and generating an important part of our Industry’s economic impact. In terms of productivity, the Ohio Tourism Division continues to run at full speed executing 2010 programs and putting together the finishing touches on some 2011 opportunities for all of you.

In addition to working with our team on 2011 work-plans, I have spent a good part of July on the road attending various Industry meetings, special events, and opportunities to share the story of the amazing work you all do each and every day to create experiences that generate revenue for Ohio. Whether it was participating in Fish-Ohio Day up on Lake Erie, gathering with stakeholders, holding meetings across the state to deliver county-level economic impact reports to our CVB partners, welcoming my counterparts from five neighboring states as I chaired our Great Lakes of North America Annual Meeting, or helping to kick off the Ohio State Fair, I continued to be impressed with the energy and passion that our Industry stakeholders put into everything they do! It is quite simple: Passion and planning lead to success.

In terms of planning, also as promised, the team has made some great recommendations for cooperative marketing opportunities for 2011and are feverishly putting the approved plans into action. Once again, we are compiling these opportunities for partnership and collaboration into an easy reference kit and menu to be rolled out to the Industry in time for the early budgeting season in mid-September. Please note the article below that has the dates and venue information for the upcoming fall Town Hall Partnership Meetings. A Special BuckeyeLine will go out in mid-August as a reminder. These fall Town Hall Meetings are essential opportunities for you to engage directly with our Division staff and agency partners, as they present our program offerings.

On another positive note, with the securing of our FY’11 budget, we have begun the process to fill the critical positions of Assistant State Tourism Director and Public Relations Coordinator (Congratulations again to Jessie Wagner on getting married and joining her husband in Cleveland. We miss her already!). We are looking for qualified individuals for both positions, so please pay attention to the State of Ohio Jobs website for the Public Relations Coordinator posting. The Assistant State Tourism Director position has been posted; click here to learn more about the job qualifications and to apply for the job.

Okay—I need to stop writing now and get back on the road with my colleagues to continue driving new business and developing plans to grow our business of Ohio’s tourism economy.  Have a terrific month!

Safe Travels,

Amir

A Summer Celebration!

Greetings from the Ohio Tourism Division H.Q.! As we just completed this nation’s annual Independence Day celebration, I am reminded that this whole season is one of celebration for our Industry!

First of all, we celebrate what for many of us is the peak leisure travel season. We eagerly await the headcounts and watch the spending numbers to see if our marketing and messaging is working and to ensure that this year will be stronger than last year. The initial reports we are seeing and hearing from most sectors show good news in that folks are travelling to our great Ohio destinations. They are still looking for great deals, but are very much open to your offers to get away!

Second, we celebrate the start of a new State Fiscal Year as of July 1! Just a couple weeks ago, we were able to announce that funding has been secured for FY’11 in the amount of $5.4 million dollars (an increase of $300,000 over FY’10)! The commitment was there to keep our programs moving forward as the dialogue with the Ohio Tourism Roundtable and Industry stakeholders continues in developing an effective long-term plan for funding Ohio’s tourism marketing and promotion efforts. The proven return-on-investment of effective tourism marketing efforts combined with the passion of our Industry and this Administration’s leadership via the Ohio Department of Development has kept this process moving forward so we can continue providing critical marketing and programming for our Industry in a seamless manner.

Third, we celebrate the initial successes of our 2010 spring/summer marketing efforts. Our Mobile Tour is now three quarters complete and the audience response has exceeded our expectations in most venues! Our social media special promotions have received national attention and created such a buzz that even Peter Greenberg highlighted them on the CBS Early Show. All early indicators show a positive response to our advertising efforts, and we will go into the field with research this fall to gauge the true impacts of the campaign. On the public relations front, we are on a tremendous pace with our 2010 summer media blitz and are pacing well ahead of the solid numbers from 2009. Finally, our Web traffic is solid and social media community continues to grow at a good pace. And let’s not forget our new mobile site that is generating great traffic in its infancy!

Fourth, we are celebrating mid-2010 by throwing ourselves knee-deep into 2011 planning. Look for our announcement next month of dates and locations in September for our 2011 Partnership Opportunities Town Hall meetings. Our budget is in place for another year, our ideas are endless, and our team is well motivated to build upon our prior year successes on your behalf.

Finally, on a personal note, I am celebrating the fact that I have the privilege of serving an absolutely amazing Ohio Tourism Industry! Many of you somehow found out a few weeks ago that I also was celebrating a personal milestone (a.k.a. “Big Birthday”), and the more than 100 cards I received from so many of you and your colleagues were just so incredible! With that said, I will close this month’s message by thanking all of you for your support via: partnership in terms of participating in our cooperative programs and marketing efforts to Share the Ohio Story; economic development in working with us to find the private/public model that will help us become even more competitive and successful in the long term; and friendship in the ways that you all have touched my heart!

Safe Travels,

Amir