BuckeyeLine

Save the Date for the 2011 Ohio Conference on Tourism, Oct. 26-28

The 2011 Ohio Conference on Tourism will be held Oct. 26-28 at Kalahari Resort in Sandusky, Ohio. The Conference is the annual convention and meeting for the Ohio Travel Association. It is three days filled with top-notch educational programming, peer interaction and social events.

Travel and tourism professionals seeking to enhance their professional and personal development and further their business success regularly attend the Ohio Conference on Tourism should make this event a priority. The conference provides educational opportunities for CEOs, Directors, Managers and rising stars. OTA members receive a discount on registration for the Ohio Conference on Tourism.

The conference’s educational programs have something to offer every tourism professional — from the new employee or veteran professional. The seminars, workshops and panels offered at conference provide the ideas and solutions you need to succeed. The conference’s social events provide you the opportunity to talk with your industry peers in a relaxed environment. Catch up with friends and make new ones as well. Visit http://www.ohiotravel.org/index.php/connect/ohio_conference_on_tourism/ for more information and for updates on registration information.

Tourism Division to hold Fall Town Hall Meetings!

As the summer travel season winds down, the Ohio Tourism Division will once again hit the road to educate, inform and interact with Ohio’s Tourism Industry. The Division will hold five regional town hall meetings in September. Dates and locations for three town hall meetings are still being finalized.

These town hall meetings will provide key information about the Division and provide details on new and ongoing marketing opportunities for 2012. We encourage everyone to make one of these meetings a priority. More details will be provided in future BuckeyeLines, so stay tuned.

Please RSVP to Joy Doty (by dates indicated below) at joy.doty@development.ohio.gov and remember to indicate which session you plan to attend. We hope to see you in September!

Northwest Region
Tuesday, Sept. 20
Ottawa County
1 – 4 p.m.
Location: Lake Erie Shores & Islands Welcome Center West, 770 SE Catawba Road, Port Clinton, OH 43452
RSVP by Sept. 13

Central Region
Friday, Sept. 30
Franklin County – Dublin
9 a.m. – Noon
Location: OCLC Conference Center, 6565 Kilgour Place, Dublin, Ohio
RSVP by Sept. 23

Southeast Region
Tuesday, Sept. 27
Athens County
1 p.m.  – 4 p.m.
Location: The Dairy Barn Arts Center, 8000 Dairy Lane, Athens, OH  45701
RSVP by Sept. 20

Southwest Region
Wednesday, Sept. 28
Butler County – West Chester
9 a.m. – Noon
Location: EnterTRAINment Junction, 7379 Squire Court, West Chester, OH 45069
RSVP by Sept. 21

Date, time and location of the Northeast Region town hall meeting will be announced in an upcoming BuckeyeLine. So stay tuned!

RSVP Now to Attend an April Town Hall Meeting

The Ohio Tourism Division will be on the road again in April for five regional Town Hall Meetings to provide Ohio’s Tourism Industry with an update on the Division’s status and provide vital information on new and ongoing marketing opportunities. Meetings will last only two hours and will include:
    •    A Division update from the State Tourism Director
    •    A sneak peek at elements of the 2011 integrated marketing campaign
    •    Information on Ohio Tourism Month programs to help extend your marketing dollars
    •    A demonstration of the new Itinerary builder on DiscoverOhio.com and
    •    Answers to your database questions.

Feel free to bring your laptop to try these programs firsthand.

This is a pivotal time for all of us marketing Ohio’s tourism experiences, so we encourage everyone to make one of these meetings a priority. Please RSVP to Joy Doty (by dates indicated below) at joy.doty@development.ohio.gov and remember to indicate which session you plan to attend. More details will be provided in a special March BuckeyeLine, so stay tuned.

We hope to see you in April!

Northwest Region
Tuesday, April 5
Wood County - Bowling Green Convention and Visitors Bureau
1 p.m. – 3 p.m.
Location: Wood County Historical Center and Museum, 13660 County Home Road, Bowling Green, OH 43402
RSVP by March 30

Central Region
Wednesday, April 6
Fairfield County – Fairfield County Convention and Visitors Bureau
10 a.m. – Noon
Location: Crossroads Event Center, 2095 W. Fair Ave., Lancaster, OH 43130
RSVP by March 31

Southeast Region
Friday, April 8
Washington County – Marietta/Washington County Convention and Visitors Bureau
1 p.m. – 3 p.m.
Location: Microtel Inn & Suites Marietta, 506 Pike Street, Marietta, OH 45750
RSVP by April 4

Southwest Region
Tuesday, April 26
Clinton County – Clinton County Convention and Visitors Bureau
10 a.m. – Noon
Location: Roberts Center, 123 Gano Road, Wilmington, OH 45177
RSVP by April 20

Northeast Region
Wednesday, April 27
Lorain County – Lorain County Visitors Bureau
1 p.m. – 3 p.m.
Location: Lorain County Visitors Bureau, 8025 Leavitt Rd., Amherst, OH 44001
RSVP by April 21

Save the Date: Multicultural Town Hall Meetings set for April, May

As the Ohio Tourism Division has built its multicultural marketing campaign over the past two years, we’ve noticed that minority-owned businesses are underrepresented in our database. With that in mind, we’re partnering with the Ohio Office of Minority Business and heading across the state once more for a series of town hall meetings to inform minority business owners about the free and low-cost marketing opportunities available to them through the Ohio Tourism Division. Agenda items include how to upload information to the Buckeye Database, how to leverage the Division’s multicultural marketing campaign and linformation on services provided by the Minority Business Enterprise Division.

Please join us at one of the following free Multicultural Town Hall Meetings:
• Columbus: Thursday, April 22, 1:30 – 3:30 p.m.
King Arts Complex
867 Mount Vernon Ave.
Parking is free

• Cincinnati: Friday, April 30, 9 – 11:00 a.m.
Location TBD

• Cleveland: Wednesday, May 5
Location and time TBD

The town halls will be geared toward owners of unique tourism industry businesses, such as non-chain restaurants, art galleries, non-chain shopping destinations and non-profit community groups that organize events. This also will be a good opportunity for area CVBs to meet and gain greater communication with multicultural entities along with learning about programs available through the Ohio Minority Business Division. We ask that CVBs circulate this information to reach out to as broad of a base as possible. Industry partners interested in participating in one of the Multicultural Town Hall Meetings should contact Joyce Brown at (216) 344-9966.

Get Involved in Multicultural Tourism Day at Columbus Zoo and Zoombezi Bay – FREE!

Ohio Travel Industry members are invited to participate in “Multicultural Tourism Day at the Columbus Zoo and Zoombezi Bay” on Saturday, June 5. This is a free marketing opportunity aimed at exposing African-American consumers from Columbus and beyond to Ohio’s rich and varied array of travel experiences.

Industry participants will staff branded “Livin’ for the Weekend in Ohio” display tables located in an area where they will draw traffic from both the Zoo and Zoombezi Bay Waterpark. Multicultural Tourism Day also will be promoted across Ohio through radio stations, social media and African-American newspapers, and will entice a large audience with discount coupons for admission to the Zoo and Zoombezi Bay Waterpark. Industry members are invited to bring any information (brochures, literature, hand-outs, etc.) for their destination and are strongly encouraged to provide a trackable coupon or special offer to invite African-American consumers to their destination to measure success of this event.

Our research consistently shows that the African-American demographic in our target markets (Ohio and the surrounding states) have low recognition of Ohio’s travel experiences, but once they learn about them, they’re much more likely to visit. This is a great opportunity to tap into a multicultural audience who may not be aware of your tourism experience. For more information or to participate, please contact Joyce Brown at Singleton & Partners, Inc. at joyceb@singletonpartners.com or (216) 344-9966.

April, May Partner Days at 1-800-BUCKEYE

Schedule a day and time today to visit the 1-800-BUCKEYE Travel Counselors at the Teleperformance offices in Columbus. This is an opportunity for you make sure the counselors know what’s new in your area or why visitors would find your facility fun and exciting. You can have no better friends helping you promote your entity than these representatives who spend their days answering consumer calls and e-mails about Ohio tourism experiences. Partner Days will take place on Wednesdays at 11:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. during April and May. To participate in an upcoming Partner Days event, contact Eric Herzog at (614) 466-0338 or eric.herzog@development.ohio.gov to schedule your visit.

Feb./March Town Halls to Provide New Marketing Opportunities, Important Updates

The Division is holding seven town hall meetings throughout the state to discuss important Division news, announcements and opportunities. The town hall meetings are must-attend events for Industry partners looking for new partnership and marketing opportunities and to engage one-on-one with the Tourism Division leadership and team members. Industry partners also are strongly encouraged to attend a town hall meeting to receive the most up-to-date information on the Division and its future.

Following are dates and locations for the town hall meetings. Please RSVP to Joy Doty (by dates indicated below) at joy.doty@development.ohio.gov and remember to indicate which session you plan to attend. We hope to see you at one of these events!

Central Ohio--Dublin
Monday, Feb. 22
1:00 – 4:00 p.m.
The Conference Center at OCLC
6565 Kilgour Place
Dublin, OH 43017
RSVP: Wednesday, Feb. 17

Western Ohio--Lima
Wednesday, Feb. 24
1:00 – 4:00 p.m.
City Club
144 S. Main St., 3rd Floor
Lima, OH 45801
RSVP: Friday, Feb. 19

Southwest Ohio--Mason
Monday, March 1
1:00 – 4:00 p.m.
Great Wolf Lodge
2501 Great Wolf Drive
Mason, OH 45040
RSVP: Tuesday, Feb. 23

Southeast Ohio--Cambridge
Wednesday, March 3
9:00 a.m. – Noon
Cambridge/Guernsey County Visitors and Convention Bureau
627 Wheeling Ave.
Cambridge, OH 43725
RSVP: Friday, Feb. 26

Northeast Ohio--Akron
Friday, March 5
1:00 – 4:00 p.m.
Akron/Summit Convention and Visitors Bureau
77 E. Mill St.
Akron, OH 44308
RSVP: Monday, March 1

Northwest Ohio--Port Clinton
Monday, March 8
1:00 – 4:00 p.m.
Ottawa County Convention and Visitors Bureau
770 S.E. Catawba Road
Port Clinton, OH 43452
RSVP: Wednesday, March 3

Southern Ohio--Chillicothe
Thursday, March 11
9:00 a.m. – Noon
The Pump House Center for the Arts
Enderlin Circle in Yoctangee Park
P.O. Box 1613
N. Mulberry St.
Chillicothe, OH 45601
RSVP: Monday, March 8

Don’t Miss Early-Bird Registration for the Ohio Conference on Tourism!

In partnership with the Ohio Travel Association, the Ohio Tourism Division is excited for this year’s Ohio Conference on Tourism, “Tourism 2.0: Get Connected,” Oct. 21 – 23 at the Sheraton Cincinnati North. The conference offers Industry members the opportunity to learn more about important Industry issues and provides opportunities to improve your marketing expertise while creating lasting partnerships with other Industry professionals. Please note, there is still time to register before the Oct. 6 (that’s today!) early-bird registration deadline. Industry members also are welcome to register after the deadline or on site.

This year’s conference presents seminars and presentations by leading travel industry experts including Jim Brody from TripAdvisor, Bruce Turkel from TURKEL and Jason Weaver from Sway, Inc. We encourage everyone in the Industry to attend and take advantage of the conference’s breakout sessions and roundtable discussions to learn more about utilizing social networking and how to market your brand.

Don’t miss State Tourism Director Amir Eylon’s presentation, “The New Norm: The State of the Industry and the Ohio Tourism Division,” a must-see presentation reviewing some of the Industry’s latest trends and important updates on Division initiatives and programs. Additional highlights of the conference include the Ohio Tourism Leadership Academy graduation, the Paul Sherlock Award presentation to an outstanding leader in the Ohio Travel Industry and the RUBY Awards competition for best Ohio advertising and marketing efforts of the past year.

For complete conference information, please visit OTA’s Web site. We look forward to seeing you at this year’s Ohio Conference on Tourism!

Register Now for Last Marketing Partnership Town Hall Meeting!

Space is still available for the last Ohio Tourism Town Hall Meeting on Oct. 15 in Toledo. If you haven't been able to attend a meeting, we encourage you to register to come out and learn how you can stretch your marketing message and dollars through Ohio Tourism Division partnerships.

Please RSVP to Joy Doty by Oct. 8 at joy.doty@development.ohio.gov. We hope to see you at the last remaining event!

Northwest Ohio
Thursday, Oct. 15
Lucas County Arena
401 Jefferson Ave.
Toledo, OH 43604
9:00 a.m. - Noon
Sponsor: Destination Toledo Inc.
RSVP: Thursday, Oct. 8

Des Moines Media Mission Set for Nov. 18

Ohio Travel Industry Members with travel stories of national and regional caliber are invited to join the Ohio Tourism Division’s Public Relations Office for a media mission to Meredith Publications in Des Moines, Iowa, on Nov. 18. With a combined circulation of nearly 30 million readers, some of Meredith Publications magazines include:
• Midwest Living
• Better Homes and Gardens
• Ladies Home Journal
• Family Circle
• Parents

Meredith Publications are interested in what’s new for the coming travel season, one-of-a-kind attractions/exhibits, major anniversaries and experiences with news relevance. There is space for up to 10 Ohio Tourism Industry members to join the mission, and there is no fee to participate. Participants are responsible for their travel, lodging, food and any other trip-related expenses. To hold your space or for additional information, please contact Tamara Brown at tamara.brown@development.ohio.gov or (614) 466-8591.

New Marketing Opportunities at Town Hall Meetings

The Division is holding five town hall meetings throughout the state to roll out our new 2009-2010 Partnership Opportunities. Industry partners are encouraged to attend one of the meetings to learn about programs available to help you stretch your marketing dollars including: co-op advertising, interactive media, media missions, B-roll shoots and packages, research, Ohio travel publications, multicultural marketing, Web site database, collateral fulfillment, new Film Office Web site and more. Following are dates and locations for the town hall meetings.

Please RSVP to Joy Doty (by dates indicated below) at joy.doty@development.ohio.gov and remember to indicate which session you plan to attend. We hope to see you at one of these events!

Central Ohio
Monday, Sept. 21
Hilton Columbus at Easton
3900 Chagrin Drive
Columbus, OH 43219
9:00 a.m. – Noon
Sponsor: Experience Columbus
RSVP: Monday, Sept. 14

Southwest Ohio
Wednesday, Sept. 23
National Underground Railroad Freedom Center
50 E Freedom Way
Cincinnati, OH 45202
9:00 a.m. – Noon
Sponsor: Cincinnati USA Convention & Visitors Bureau
RSVP: Wednesday, Sept. 16

Northeast Ohio
Tuesday, Sept. 29
Positively Cleveland Visitors Center
100 Public Square, Suite 100
Cleveland, OH 44111
1:00 – 4:00 p.m.
Sponsor:  Positively Cleveland
RSVP: Tuesday, Sept. 22

Southeast Ohio
Thursday, Oct. 1
Stuart Opera House
46 Public Square
Nelsonville, OH 45764
1:00 – 4:00 p.m.
Sponsor: Athens County Convention & Visitors Bureau
RSVP: Thursday, Sept. 24

Northwest Ohio
Thursday, Oct. 15
Lucas County Arena
401 Jefferson Ave.
Toledo, OH 43604
9:00 a.m. – Noon
Sponsor: Destination Toledo Inc.
RSVP: Thursday, Oct. 8

It’s not too Late to Register for Remaining June Town Hall Meetings!

The Ohio Tourism Division invites you to join State Tourism Director Amir Eylon for any of three remaining Town Hall Meetings in June (see schedule below). The purpose of the meetings is to introduce new tourism partnership opportunities. Come and learn how to get involved in our ongoing partnership with the Ohio National Guard to provide military discounts to Ohio's service men and women. And learn about the Ohio Tourism Toolbox, a one-stop, Web-based resource that will provide a library of information and links for current and prospective Ohio Tourism Industry members. We also will discuss the launch of InsiderOhio.com, a new social media content distribution mechanism that will cater to a young crowd seeking hip and happening experiences throughout Ohio.

Below are dates for upcoming Town Hall meetings. Please RSVP to Joy Doty (by dates indicated below) at Joy.Doty@development.ohio.gov and remember to indicate which session you plan to attend. We hope to see you at one of these events!

Southeast Ohio
Tuesday, June 9, 2009 from 10:00 a.m. - Noon
The Inn at Cedar Falls
21190 State Route 374
Logan, OH 43138
RSVP by Thursday, June 4

Northwest Ohio
Thursday, June 11, 2009, from 10:00 a.m. - Noon
Hosted by the Sandusky County CVB
Hayes Presidential Center
Spiegel Grove
Fremont, OH 43420
RSVP by Monday, June 8

Northeast Ohio
Wednesday, June 24, 2009 from 1 - 3:00 p.m.
Hosted by the Youngstown CVB
Butler Institute of American Art
524 Wick Ave.
Youngstown, OH 44502
RSVP by Friday, June 19

New Tourism Resources, Efforts to be Unveiled at Town Hall Meetings

The Division is organizing a series of Town Hall Meetings throughout the state to roll out new tourism partnership resources. We are continuing our partnership with the Ohio National Guard to provide military discounts to Ohio’s service men and women and will be launching in partnership with OSU Extension, the Ohio Tourism Toolbox, a one-stop, Web-based resource that will provide a library of information and links for current and prospective Ohio Tourism Industry members. We also are excited to update you on some new marketing initiatives the Division has begun.

Below are dates for upcoming town hall meetings. Please RSVP to Joy Doty (by dates indicated below) at Joy.Doty@development.ohio.gov and remember to indicate which session you plan to attend. We hope to see you at one of these events!

Northeast Ohio
Wednesday, May 20, 2009 from 1 – 3:00 p.m.
Hosted by the Youngstown CVB
Butler Institute of American Art
524 Wick Ave.
Youngstown, OH 44502
RSVP by Friday, May 15

Southwest Ohio
Thursday, May 28, 2009 from 10:00 a.m. – Noon
Hosted by the Butler County Visitors Bureau
Savannah Center
5533 Chappell Crossing Blvd.
West Chester, OH  45069
RSVP by May 18

Central Ohio
Thursday, June 4, 2009 from 10:00 a.m. – Noon
Hosted by the Knox County CVB
The Place at The Woodward
111 S. Main St.
Mount Vernon, OH 43050
RSVP by Monday, June 1

Southeast Ohio
Tuesday, June 9, 2009 from 10:00 a.m. – Noon
The Inn at Cedar Falls
21190 State Route 374
Logan, OH 43138
RSVP by Thursday, June 4

Northwest Ohio
Thursday, June 11, 2009, from 10:00 a.m. - Noon
Hosted by the Sandusky County CVB
Hayes Presidential Center
Spiegel Grove, Fremont, OH 43420
RSVP by Monday, June 8

OTA’s Meet the Editor Offers Insight to Industry Professionals

Have you ever seen a great story about an Ohio travel destination? Most likely it didn’t get published by chance. For travel industry professionals, knowing how to get published is critical. The Ohio Travel Association has created the Meet the Editor event to provide travel industry professionals an opportunity to talk candidly with top travel editors from newsprint, magazine trade publications and television about conveying your message effectively. Several high-profile editors will serve as panelists and will be available for questions. The Meet the Editor event will be held June 17, 9:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m., at the Creekside Conference and Event Center in Columbus.

Sponsorships are available and offer the perfect opportunity to showcase your business or region to the editors and attendees from travel destinations and for public relations firms throughout Ohio.  For more information, contact Eric Hagely at the Ohio Travel Association at (800) 896-4682. Further details are available on the Ohio Travel Association Web site, www.ohiotravel.org.

New Marketing Partnership Opportunities to be Unveiled at Sept. Meetings

The Division is hosting several town hall meetings to brief Industry members on marketing partnership opportunities and other ways we can help you promote your tourism destination. Below are the dates for the Division’s upcoming town hall meetings.

Join the Division at a Remaining Town Hall Meeting!

The Division is hosting a few more town hall meetings to brief industry members on the new advertising campaign and Division partnership opportunities. Below are the dates for the Division’s remaining town hall meetings. Hope to see you at one of these events!

June 18, 1-3 p.m.
Akron - Knight Center
77 East Mill Street
Akron, OH 44308
Hosted by:  Akron Summit County Convention & Visitors Bureau
RSVP: shamo@visitakron-summit.org; or (330) 374-8900

June 25, 1-3 p.m.
Campus Martius Museum
601 Second Street
Marietta, OH 45750
Hosted by:  Marietta Washington County Convention & Visitors Bureau & Campus Martius Museum
RSVP: Kelly@mariettaohio.org

Get Answers to Your MAP Questions Tuesday, May 20

Joe Vargo will be hosting a live chat to answer questions about the Marketing Assistance Programs application process from 10-11:00 a.m. on Tuesday, May 20. If you’re not sure whether a certain marketing activity would be covered by MAP, this is a great opportunity to find out. To participate, visit http://travelbuzz.discoverohio.com/eve  and click on Go, then select Travel Buzz Chat Rooms, and choose MAP Application Q&A from the menu. If you aren’t registered for a Travel Buzz account, please click here to sign up for an account.

Join the Tourism Division at a Town Hall Meeting

The Division is hosting several town hall meetings to brief industry members on the new advertising campaign and Division partnership opportunities. Below are the dates for the Division’s upcoming town hall meetings. Hope to see you at one of these events!

Celebrate Ohio Tourism Month!

If you have submitted information to participate in the May 13 Ohio Tourism Celebration at the Statehouse, you should be hearing from our event coordinator, Jay Dascenzo, or a member of his staff. Dascenzo Creative has taken on the task of coordinating booths, arrival times and set up, etc. so watch for instructions coming to you soon. If you haven’t received confirmation of your participation on May 13, please feel free to contact Jay or Shawn Redman at: jay@dascenzocreative.com. Watch for a Special BuckeyeLine with more details on Ohio Tourism Month and May 13. We hope to see you at the Statehouse!

Group Tour First Tuesday Live Chat Series Starts May 6 at 10 a.m.

Group tour partners are invited to log into Travel Buzz in the Live Chat section the first Tuesday of every month to discuss various group tour topics with Celeste Krolak. On May 6, discussion topics include ABA Top 100 Ohio event submissions, Heartland Travel Showcase FAM tours (for the 2009 Pittsburgh event) and the June CVB group tour meeting. Be sure to mark your calendar and join our discussion at http://industry.discoverohio.com/. Log in, click on Travel Buzz, then Go and select Live Chat.