BuckeyeLine

Discounted AAA Expo Offer Available to BuckeyeLine Subscribers!

Don’t miss the opportunity to market your Ohio destination or attraction at the AAA Great Vacations Expo Jan. 16 – 18, 2009, at the Veterans Memorial in Columbus. The expo provides destinations with a unique opportunity to meet face-to-face with Ohio’s most sought-after travel enthusiasts.

All BuckeyeLine subscribers qualify for 25 percent savings on exhibit participation fees. To participate in the AAA Great Vacations Expo and benefit from promoting your destination in a fun, positive environment, contact Michelle Hurley at (614) 225-1915 or at Michelle@EventMarketingGroup.com.

Highlights of the expo include some star-studded events. On Saturday, Jan. 17, Columbus Zoo Director Emeritus Jack Hanna will be on hand to participate in the expo’s Kids Day activities, and on Sunday, Jan. 18, Andrew Zimmern, star of the Travel Channel’s “Bizarre Foods” and “Bizarre Worlds” will make an appearance for exciting demonstrations. Space is limited, so register now to market your leisure travel destination/attraction today!

Division Seeks Monthly Web Site Contest Sponsors

The Ohio Tourism Division is accepting sponsors for our 2009 DiscoverOhio.com Monthly Contest program. As one of the most popular features of DiscoverOhio.com, the Monthly Contest offers Industry members increased exposure to thousands of new visitors every month. Sponsors are featured on the DiscoverOhio.com home page as well as on our DiscoverOhio.com Monthly Contest page.

The Monthly Contest page includes up to 500 words of copy and 5 color images provided by you. The copy can include hyperlinks to your Web site. The page also will include a detailed description of your prize package, valued at $500 or more.

For complete details or to register to sponsor a 2009 DiscoverOhio.com Monthly Contest, visit the DiscoverOhio.com Monthly Contest page in the Division Resources section. Sponsorships are awarded on a “first-come, first-served” basis. Only months listed on the sponsorship request form are available. Please contact Roger Barker at roger.barker@development.ohio.gov for additional information.

Division Welcomes Tourism Information Intern Hiram Hubbard

The Tourism Information Office is excited to announce the addition of Hiram Hubbard to the team. Hiram’s primary responsibility is working on the Buckeye Database so as you submit information, you may work with Hiram. He is a student at Columbus State University pursuing a degree in Information Technology. Please join us in welcoming Hiram to the Ohio Travel Industry. He can be reached at hiram.hubbard@development.ohio.gov.

NTA Convention Leads Available

Division Group Tour Specialist Celeste Krolak and five Ohio delegates (Greene County CVB, Red Roof Inn Corporate, Akron Best Western Executive Inn, Planet Hollywood/Buca Di Beppo) participated in the National Tour Association (NTA) Annual Convention in Pittsburgh on Nov. 15 – 19, 2008.Together, they promoted Ohio experiential opportunities and the Ohio Swirl Itinerary featuring the Toledo, Cleveland, Akron/Summit County, Wayne County, Mansfield/Richland County and Columbus tour segments during their appointments with tour operators and in the Destination Pavilion. To review the featured itinerary and access the convention leads, go to the group tour section on Travel Buzz.

Both the Student and Youth Travel Association (SYTA) and NTA are working with their tour operator members to conquer Motor Coach tracking efforts for suppliers and destination marketing organizations (DMOs). SYTA already had 27 tour operators report their data, and both Cleveland and Cincinnati had results reported. NTA has a tracking task force that has been working with tour operators to design an easy submission process, and many of us have already received itinerary e-mails. To review their process, click here for SYTA’s information and here for NTA’s.

As you receive tracking information from the tour operators, please be sure to thank them for reporting their data. We realize this extra step is taking them away from their sales efforts, but it helps all of us justify our presence in the packaged travel market and calculate the estimated impact on our communities.

(Photo Captions: At top, Kathy Toth, Positively Cleveland, and Marty Starkey, CTP, Wayne County CVB, promote Ohio to tour operators in the Destination Pavilion during the NTA Convention in Pittsburgh. At bottom, Cathy Miller, Greater Toledo CVB; Kathy Toth, Positively Cleveland; Jodie Puster, CTIS, Mansfield/Richland County CVB; and Celeste Krolak, CTP, CTIS, Oho Tourism Division in the Destination Pavilion at the NTA Convention)
 

NTA Unveils Modified Convention Format Draft

During the Business Meeting Luncheon at the National Tour Association’s (NTA) Annual Convention, members heard from NTA leaders regarding many of this year's developments and information on the future format of the NTA Convention.

The concept is to adjust the Convention format to more of a destination-driven model, similar to how the Destination Pavilion is set up. The proposed model would have DMOs and tour suppliers from the same area seated together so tour operators can more easily develop geographically based itineraries. This would give operators the option of having a series of consecutive exchange appointments with members from a certain region.

“This is a first-draft plan, and we probably have as many questions for you as you have for us," NTA President Lisa Simon, CTP, said during the luncheon. "The key is to begin the discussion on this to work through some of the details so that together, we produce the best innovative business format in the packaged travel industry. And to do that, we need your suggestions and ideas."

Simon also said the proposed format would address one of the consistent responses NTA has heard from tour operators — regarding why they don't attend the Convention — which is that the Convention is structured in a way that's not conducive to the way they do business.

Division Marketing Office Celebrates Successful 2008

2008 has been a whirlwind year as the Marketing Office hired two new agencies, Ron Foth Advertising as the Division’s advertising agency of record and Singleton and Partners as the Division’s multicultural agency. Working with a limited timeframe, the office and its agencies created and executed the multimedia “Too Much Fun for Just one Day” and “Livin’ for the Weekend” campaigns to industry acclaim. The Division purchased $2,837,990.39 in paid media, and secured an additional 30 percent in added value advertising opportunities.

Through the Marketing Assistance Program, the Marketing Office disbursed $468,014 in matching marketing grant funds to 78 travel industry partners, leveraging a total of $1,872,056 in paid media branded with the Ohio logo.

We rolled out a new non-traditional partnership with SafeLite Auto Glass, in which SafeLite is distributing a coupon book to more than 40,000 of its customers in Ohio. Twenty-three Ohio Tourism Industry Partners participated in the coupon book. If the program is successful, the strategy will be extended to SafeLite locations in Ohio’s surrounding states.

We also were active in international marketing, attending the Travel Industry of America’s Pow Wow in May, and with the help of our industry partners, hosted a variety of high profile travel writers from both the United Kingdom and Germany.

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.

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)

Division Unveils New Marketing Partnership Opportunities

During September, the Ohio Tourism Division was on the road for a series of five Town Hall Meetings to roll out our new marketing partnership opportunities. We had wonderful two-way dialogue about the marketing partnership opportunities with nearly 300 Ohio Travel Industry members across the state. Thank you to everyone who turned out!