25-8341_FY24_Marketing_Plan_V15_pdf.pdf

2023–2024 DESTINATION MARKETING PLAN

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SECTION 1:

DESTINATION

OVERVIEW

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MARKETING PLAN 2023 - 2024 | 2

OVERVIEW

With pleasure, we present to you the 2023 – 2024 Convention & Visitors Bureau Destination Marketing Plan.

This comprehensive plan stands as a testament to the unwavering spirit of collaboration and innovation that defines our community and industry.

The contents of this plan are the result of an extraordinary collective effort, integrating the invaluable insights and strategic contributions of our dedicated staff, esteemed agencies, and valued destination partners.

Countless hours of research and analysis have shaped this roadmap.

The past year posed significant challenges, notably Hurricane Ian, which tested the resilience of our destination. However, it is important to acknowledge that the remarkable performance witnessed was the direct result of the foresight contained within the 2022 – 2023 Marketing Plan. This foundation provided the strategic strength needed to navigate tumultuous challenges and emerge with our destination’s integrity and performance intact.

This year’s Marketing Plan remains firmly rooted in the principles of assessing return on investment, tracking performance metrics, and evaluating the achievement of our goals and performance measures. This approach ensures that every action we take is grounded in data-driven insights, enabling us to make informed decisions that drive our destination forward.

Through collaboration and strategic planning, we have consistently proven our ability to navigate challenges and embrace change with open arms. With the collective expertise at our disposal, we have no doubt that we will once again navigate the intricate currents of the year ahead, emerging even stronger and more successful.

Here’s to another year of shared accomplishments and new milestones.

Sincerely, Naples, Marco Island and the Everglades CVB

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MISSION, VISION AND VALUE STATEMENTS

OUR MISSION

is to provide a quality, year-round vacation and group meeting or event experience that produces a positive benefit for our business community through jobs, visitor spending, and economic vitality, resulting in a healthy local economy and tax savings for our residents.

OUR VISION

is to be recognized as the number one destination for travel in the U.S.

THE VALUE

of our destination is communicated through our highly targeted marketing and promotion tactics to convince potential visitors that when they are ready to travel, Only Paradise Will Do.

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SITUATION

● 2022 was a record year. Leisure visitation surged as travelers flocked to Florida’s Paradise Coast from out-of-state and regional markets. There were spikes in most KPIs (Key Performance Indicators) driven by pent-up travel demand and recovery from the pandemic.

● International visitation is starting to return, albeit at a slower and more delayed pace than originally anticipated.

● Economic conditions could hamper demand deep into the fall or early winter 2024. Inflation, elevated cost of goods, energy prices, elevated ADR, and airline operational challenges present possible obstacles for travelers looking to visit.

● American household savings reached a 10-year high during the pandemic but are now 50% lower than last summer. Over 6 in 10 CEOs surveyed by the Conference Board expect a recession sometime in the next 18 months.

● The destination has started to witness a normalization of rates and occupancy levels following a post-pandemic surge in travel, along with the emergence of economic challenges for many consumers.

TRENDS/INSIGHTS

● Competition is ramping up for travelers, especially among other Florida destinations promoting similar getaway-type messaging to in-state and drive market residents.

● Authentic experiences are key for travelers. Over 3 in 5 Americans say they want the money they spend while traveling to go back into the local community and they want meaningful and authentic experiences that represent the local culture. Plus, 96% of travelers believe it is important that their tourism dollars make a positive impact on the communities they visit.

● Pent-up demand for travel, backed by a strong labor market and excess household savings has supported continued spending and future travel plans. However, inflation is quickly superseding virus fears—acting as a key factor disrupting traveler plans. Yet, despite inflation trepidation, the desire for leisure travel remains high.

● Travelers, in general, will likely be more cost-conscious, given 18+ months of high-interest rates, high inflation, lower stock market averages, and 24/7 news coverage of these issues.

● Flexible work is creating a new type of traveler. As some work returns to the office, many employers have introduced partial or even permanent work-from-home policies. Workers, and their families, are embracing the flexibility.

♦ 44% of families said they are more likely to work remotely from a place that’s not their own home.

♦ Families are staying at vacation homes longer; there has been a 68% increase in 21-30-day stays on Vrbo.

♦ Undated searches rose by 33% year over year, indicating that families do not necessarily have to vacation during school breaks or company holidays.

● Travel continues to be a hugely popular form of self-care, with 79 percent of travelers believing that it helps their mental and emotional wellbeing more than other forms of self-care.

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SECTION 2:

TABLE OF

CONTENTS

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LET’S JUMP IN.

SECTION 1: DESTINATION OVERVIEW & MISSION, VISION, VALUE STATEMENTS

SECTION 2: TABLE OF CONTENTS

SECTION 3: DESTINATION MARKETING GOALS & OBJECTIVES

SECTION 4: MEASURING RESULTS

SECTION 5: MESSAGING & CREATIVE STRATEGY

SECTION 6: CONTENT STRATEGY

SECTION 7: AUDIENCE SEGMENT STRATEGIC PLANS

SECTION 8: DIGITAL MARKETING

SECTION 9: PUBLIC RELATIONS

SECTION 10: PARTNER VALUE & COMMUNICATIONS

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SECTION 3:

DESTINATION MARKETING

GOALS & OBJECTIVES

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FY24 MARKETING GOALS

TOURIST TAX COLLECTIONS

● Exceed FY23 tax collections by 5%

OCCUPANCY

● Maintain winter occupancy levels compared to FY23

● Increase spring and summer occupancy levels compared to FY23

ECONOMIC IMPACT

● Increase the FY23 Economic Impact levels by 5%

DEMAND

● Maintain demand during peak season and drive incremental demand in the shoulder season

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OVERARCHING STRATEGIES

● Engage with consumers throughout the entire customer journey (before, during, post-trip)

● Educate various target audiences and inspire visitation to the destination year-round

● Evolve creative messaging to reflect the destination’s unique value proposition

● Utilize research extensively to dig into source market opportunities, identify consumer journeys and understand visitor behavior while in the destination

● Develop robust, relevant content that highlights the depth and breadth of the destination through various and innovative mediums

● Maintain brand consistency across all marketing communications channels

● Enhance sales and marketing efforts through the development of effective tools and resources

● Create, deliver, and sustain tourism value for visitors, partners, and residents

● Showcase the destination with new brand and lifestyle assets including mobility inclusion

TARGET AUDIENCE OVERVIEW

● Leisure travelers

● International visitors with market origins of Canada (primarily southern Ontario) as well as the UK and Germany

● Luxury-focused groups and meetings planners/organizers, including destination weddings

● Hispanic market with emphasis on southeast Florida

● Sports and event planners, organizers, and rights holders

● Travel agents and tour operators

● Local tourism and hospitality partners

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FY24 MARKETING OBJECTIVES

● Increase website traffic by 10%

● Increase email subscribers by 2%

● Increase digital visitor guide requests by 5%

● Increase Paradise Coast Sports Complex event booking inquiries by 5%

● Increase meetings/group qualified leads by 10%

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SECTION 4:

MEASURING RESULTS

(KPIs)

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TOURISM KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS (KPIs)

These are the bottom line quantifiable metrics that the CVB will use to measure overall success of its sales and marketing initiatives. In FY24, the following metrics will be tracked:

● Visitation

● Tax Collections

● Occupancy

● Email Database Subscribers

● Website Traffic (Sessions) and Engagement

● Social Media Engagement

● Digital Visitor Guide Requests

● Earned Media Value

● Qualified Leads Generated (meetings/group, sports, etc.)

The CVB’s marketing communications efforts will be tracked and measured on an ongoing basis throughout the year as follows:

Direct Spending

Economic Impact

Occupancy

Average Daily Rate

Average Length of Stay

KPIS FY2023 YTD*

$2,394,994,600

$3,413,994,600

64.06%

$319

6.3 days

FY2022

$2,955,688,100

$4,406,930,900

64.5%

$329

6.2 days

FY2021

$2,388,357,000

$3,561,040,400

65.8%

$282

5.3 days All visitors All visitors All visitors

INTEGRATED MARKETING COMMUNICATIONS

PERFORMANCE METRICS (PMs)

These are the quantifiable metrics used to measure the effectiveness of individual marketing and advertising tactics. These metrics are determined based on the individual tactics that support the strategic approach for each audience segment. Please see each audience segment’s plan for specific measurables.

The following tourism KPIs historically have been and will continue to be tracked year-over-year.

*Note, these metrics are included in the list above and are tracked on an ongoing basis to measure success. However, there are some KPIs

(not marked above) that are measured by the CVB but do not necessarily reflect the success of the CVB’s sales and marketing initiatives.

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SECTION 5:

MESSAGING &

CREATIVE STRATEGY

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The Unique Value Proposition is the North Star for all marketing communications:

Everything we do must continue to convey this promise of an elevated experience. In an era of ever-increasing competition for the traveler’s share of mind and wallet, it is our true differentiator.

Just as importantly, our Unique Value Proposition is perfectly aligned with today’s economic indicators.

Our visitors are willing to pay a premium if it truly delivers the exceptional experiences.

OUR UNIQUE VALUE

PROPOSITION

Naples, Marco Island and the Everglades promises an elevated coastal, cultural, culinary, and ecological paradise to those with an expectation of excellence.

CREATIVE MESSAGING

To bring our Unique Value Proposition to life and clearly illustrate the exclusive, elevated experiences offered by our destination, we are launching the next generation of our successful “Only Paradise Will Do” campaign.

The new campaign features a bold new look featuring a large graphic “ONLY” incorporated into the designs.

This signature “ONLY” immediately captures the attention of our audiences and separates us from the “sea of sameness” in the media. More importantly, it instantly conveys the exclusive nature of our brand and its promise of an elevated experience.

New photo and video assets are being created to better connect with the audiences we are targeting. As outlined within the pages of this marketing plan, these new images portray the Naples, Marco Island, and

Everglades experience to key audiences such as:

● Couples

● Digital Nomads

● Multigenerational families/groups

● Travelers with mobility challenges

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SECTION 6:

CONTENT STRATEGY

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CVB AREAS OF FOCUS

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STRATEGIC COMMUNICATION FUNNEL

AWARENESS

Mindset: Consumers are seeking inspiration.

Motivation & Desires: They hope to discover the things in a destination that resonate with their personal interests – landscapes, attractions, experiences, etc.

Content: Beaches, Everglades National Park, dining, ecotourism, arts & culture, weather

Channels: Traditional advertising channels, social media channels (organic and paid), social influencers, website and landing page content

DISCOVERY

Mindset: Consumers are actively researching and discovering destination options and attributes.

Motivation & Desires: Finding authenticity, with desires for immersive activities, local cuisine, and unique experiences. The consumer is seeking the ultimate destination – one that fulfills all of their desired attributes yet still offers more.

Content: Specific activities and things to do, finding the perfect beach, stone crab season, everglades project, golf series, fishing series, spring break travel, summer enthusiast, dining in paradise, in-state series, romance In paradise

Channels: Blogs, social influencers, supporting social content, videos/YouTube, ads, landing page content placements, e-blasts

BOOK

Mindset: Consumers have a decisive mindset and are finalizing their travel plans.

Motivations & Desires: Centered around supporting and collaborating with Florida’s Paradise Coast industry partners and their content, convenience and personalized experiences, with desires for seamless booking processes while also seeking the best accommodations to fit their needs.

Content: Trustworthy and seamless booking, attractive deals, added benefits or upgrades that enhance their overall journey

Channels: Supporting partner’s social content, landing page content placements, offers & promo placement, retargeting

AWARENESS

DISCOVERY

BOOK

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SECTION 7:

AUDIENCE SEGMENT

STRATEGIC PLANS

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LEISURE TRAVELERS

● Domestic

● Florida Residents

● Travel Trade

● Arts & Culture

● Niche

INTERNATIONAL LEISURE TRAVELERS

● Canada

● United Kingdom

● Germany

GROUPS AND MEETINGS

● Meetings

● Sports

● Weddings

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The following outlines the key travel audiences for FY24. It is imperative to seek to truly understand each audience, and any corresponding segments, to maximize the effectiveness and reach of all resources.

Over the course of the last few years, the audiences’ behaviors, sentiments, perceptions, wants, and needs have continuously evolved. The CVB and its marketing partners have strived to stay up-to-date on the latest trends, intelligence, and research on a monthly, weekly, and daily basis. Those insights were used to guide the strategic plans developed specifically for each travel audience.

The following pages outline specific strategic marketing and communication approaches for each of these groups.

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SECTION 7:

LEISURE CONSUMER

JOURNEY

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A Consumer Journey represents the complete set of touchpoints the consumer travels through when interacting with a brand; this includes the brand’s website, social, email, media, Google presence, in-market experience and more. Mapping is a visualization of the Customer Journey that enables the creation of actionable goals at customer interaction points. The CVB collaborated with its agency to develop the Leisure

Customer Journey, which was used to guide the strategic marketing plan for that audience segment.

AWARENESS DISCOVERY BOOKINGS ARRIVAL AND

ADVOCACY RETENTION

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View advertising, editorial travel articles, website content, social interactions, email, word of mouth, promotional sponsorships

Research, destination name search query (YouTube, CVB website, content, word of mouth, paid media, online reviews, visitor guide)

Online (hotel website, OTA, etc.) hotel direct, travel agency, CVB website

Itinerary, maps, online resources, social posts, share with friends

Social media, emails, website, revisit photos, videos, social posts, word of mouth

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N S Relax, school breaks, warm weather, bragging rights, recharge, escape, "sense of entitlement"

- I earned my time o�!

Beach, relaxation, disconnect, reconnect, safety

Sense of reward and recharge, reconnect with family, "calendar claim" vacation = Wow I did it!

Feels at home or welcome, meets expectations

Sense of tradition, satisfaction

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A

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Seek something new, discover, inspire, pique interest, restoration

Reassurance, exploration, informed, inspired, well-educated

Ease of booking, flexibility, simplicity

Seamless visit, achieved desired relaxation, welcome

Advocacy, want to relive memories, build upon traditions, want to visit familiar locations and explore places they missed

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N S Escapism, feel like this trip is a reward, intrigued, fulfilled -the feeling of want -the ultimate vacation

Sense that I'm making the right decision, exciting, desire, promise, reassurance, embrace something unique, memorable

Accomplishment, excitement, countdown, anticipation

Awe, release, sense of arrival, accomplishment, relaxation, disconnect

Reminiscent, nostalgic, good times, B A

R R

IE

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S Unfamiliar, unknown, balance of action and calm

Confusion, lack of information, not top of mind, expensive, competition, lack of accessibility

Pricing commitment in times of uncertainty, fragmented booking, availability, weather concerns

Sense of unfamiliarity does not meet expectations, unable to disconnect from work

Competitive destinations, destination FOMO, lack of follow-through from the destination (what's new, what’s exciting)

*bridge the flight gap

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SECTION 7A:

LEISURE—

DOMESTIC & IN-STATE

SITUATION

● Travelers are back to planning their trips well in advance (Forbes). Insight: Booking ahead will become more important, especially at popular beach destinations and advertising timing will be impacted.

● With the rate of inflation remaining high, all consumers, regardless of net worth, are likely to feel the impact of economic challenges. (Skift)

● Competition has grown stronger in 2023 as urban centers and famous cities have fully reopened after the pandemic. This has been compounded by the willingness to return to these recently avoided destinations and practices.

● Nearly 4 in 10 (38%) American travelers said they experienced sticker-shock planning their most recent trip.

(Destination Analysis)

● Surge in affluent households planning to take a vacation for health and wellness rose from 23% in 2019 to 31% in 2022. (Resonance Consulting)

● Spanish has become the second most spoken language not only in the state of Florida but across core city centers in the USA, enabling the destination to secure resources and create targeted content to better serve

Spanish speaking Hispanic travelers.

● A study by Luxury Travel Advisor revealed that the Top 10 luxury hotel brands in terms of “overall appeal” are

The Ritz-Carlton, Four Seasons, JW Marriott, Grand Hyatt, Waldorf Astoria, The St. Regis, InterContinental, Fairmont, Conrad, and Loews.

● Leisure day trips have risen at a higher rate than overnight leisure trips. A year ago, the percentage of

Americans reporting taking leisure day trips and overnight leisure trips was about the same (overnight even outpacing day trips 38.7% to 35.8%). Now 45.2% of American travelers report they took an overnight leisure trip in the last month, compared to 54.4% who reported taking day trips. (Destination Analysis)

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TRENDS/INSIGHTS

● Focus on Responsible Tourism: Travelers want their spending to benefit the local economy and community and are willing to pay more accordingly. (Virtuoso)

● 70% of travelers said traveling in a sustainable way enhances their experience. (Virtuoso)

● Travelers will travel lighter, reducing their carbon footprints. (Amadeus)

● American travelers are showing an increased preference for visiting places they have never been over places they’ve visited before. Of those surveyed, 75% say it’s important they

“see new places” when considering future travel plans.

● Americans are most interested in enjoying scenic beauty, warm weather outdoor activities, road trips, dining in regional restaurants, visiting historical sites, and enjoying street food during their travels.

● Research indicates that travelers will continue to seek out both relaxing experiences

(wellness travel) and outdoor activities.

● Sustainable travel is here to stay. More American travelers are exhibiting an environmental consciousness than ever before. Of those surveyed, 56.1% say they usually try to limit their personal impact on the environment when traveling.

● Florida residents traditionally book last-minute trips, short length-of-stays and, are deal-driven; yet are capable and willing to respond to off-peak periods.

● Trends from the Expedia Traveler Value Index (2023):

♦ 49% of travelers are prioritizing a change of scenery and their mental & physical wellness.

♦ 46% of travelers are making up for lost time with family and group of friends.

♦ 43% of travelers are seeking new experiences.

♦ 22% are trying to get out of their comfort zone when traveling.

♦ 15% of travelers are planning their trip due to travel credits, rewards or points that were accumulated during the pandemic.

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GOALS & OBJECTIVES

● Drive visitation to the region year-round with emphasis on shoulder seasons (May - November).

● Increase awareness of and interest in the destination.

● Increase visitor spending to generate positive economic impact.

● Increase length of stay.

● Expand the consumer database.

● Increase consumer engagement (website traffic, clicks, open rate, video completion, etc.).

● Generate positive earned media coverage.

PERFORMANCE METRICS

● Tourist development tax

● Visitation

● Length of stay

● Visitor spend

● Email database subscribers

● Website traffic and engagement

● Social media followers and engagement

● Digital visitor guide requests

STRATEGIES

● Implement an always-on, omnichannel approach to engage with consumers throughout the entire customer journey.

● Develop and promote robust, relevant content that inspires, educates, and converts new and repeat travelers.

● Adopt a targeted, always-on approach for Florida residents that promotes awareness and visitation to the destination.

● Identify key needs periods and concentrate on driving interest and visitation accordingly.

● Identify and refine target markets that have a higher propensity to yield a larger return on investment.

● Explore and adapt to new technologies and tools available to assist with all the consumer journey phases.

● Target Hispanic and Latino travelers with custom messaging and content in Spanish (both in-state and in select target markets).

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MARKETING APPROACH

CAMPAIGNS

The following campaigns will be developed and implemented throughout fiscal year 2024 to support the leisure domestic and in-state goals and strategies. Media spend and effort will be weighted toward the shoulder seasons, while having a continued presence in key markets throughout the year.

● Always-On Campaign (November 2023 - August 2024)

● Fall Campaign (November 2023 - December 2023)

● Winter Campaign (January 2024)

● Spring/Summer Campaign (March - August 2024)

TARGETING AUDIENCES

● Core Audience:

♦ Adults, 25-64, HHI of $175k+ (Millennials, Gen X, Boomers)

♦ Millennials/Upwardly Mobile Affluent Professionals (UMAPs)

♦ Couples & Families

♦ Multi-generational

● Niche Audiences:

♦ Florida Residents

♦ Eco-Adventurers (including fishing enthusiasts)

♦ Arts & Culture

♦ Travel Trade

♦ Culinary Enthusiasts

♦ Weddings

♦ Golfers

Always-On Campaign (November 2023 - August 2024)

Fall Campaign (November 2023 - December 2023)

Nov. '23 Dec. '23 Jan. '24 February March April May June July August

Winter Campaign (Jan.'24)

Spring/Summer Campaign (March - August 2024)

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MEDIA APPROACH

● Always-On Campaign (November - August)

♦ Primary Focus: Adults 25-64 with Household Income $175K+

♦ Target Markets:

♦ OOS: Atlanta, Chicago, Boston, NYC, Detroit, Cleveland, Minneapolis, Philadelphia, Hartford-

New Haven, Washington DC

♦ In State:

♦ Primary: Miami-Ft. Lauderdale, Tampa-St. Petersburg, Orlando, West Palm Beach

♦ Secondary: Jacksonville

● Fall Campaign (November - December)

♦ Primary Focus:

♦ Couples & Families (Core Audience)

♦ UMAPs: Upwardly Mobile Affluent Professionals (25-40)

♦ The Fall Campaign in FY24 will have a key focus on the Midwest markets listed below.

♦ Target Markets:

♦ Chicago, Detroit, Cleveland, Minneapolis, Indianapolis (available direct flights to RSW)

● Winter Campaign (January)

♦ Primary Focus:

♦ Couples

♦ UMAPs: Upwardly Mobile Affluent Professionals (25-40)

♦ Target Markets: Chicago Takeover, and possibly one high-potential market such as Cleveland, Ohio

● Spring/Summer Campaign (March - August)

♦ Primary Focus:

♦ Couples & Families (Core Audience)

♦ UMAPs: Upwardly Mobile Affluent Professionals (25-40)

♦ The Spring/Summer Campaign in FY24 will have a key focus on the major metro target markets in the

Northeast and Midwest, and Florida residents.

♦ Target Markets:

♦ In State:

♦ Primary: Miami-Ft Lauderdale, Tampa/St. Petersburg, Orlando, West Palm Beach

♦ Secondary: Jacksonville

♦ OOS: Chicago, New York, Boston

● Overarching Seasonal Campaign Focus

♦ Travel habits continue to evolve post-pandemic. Americans plan to spend more on travel yet have heightened anxieties around pricing. Millennials and Generation Z are traveling – and spending – more. Demand for European travel has bounced back. Booking windows have remained shorter, even for international travel. Remote work is still an opportunity, as many employers have embraced a work-from-anywhere mentality. And airline travel is still wrought with issues, as delayed or canceled flights remain a major concern.

♦ With these trends settling into habits for most Americans, the CVB will evolve with them and ensure they are strategically targeting the right people in the right ways.

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♦ The affluent audiences that the destination appeals to will be less concerned about pricing, but many are now returning to European travel more than in the previous two years. There is an increasing need to get in front of those planning international travel and entice them to visit Florida's Paradise Coast, which will be a focus with competitive targeting in place reaching those who are actively planning overseas travel.

♦ While affluent Millennials have been a key target for some time, the realization that

Generation Z has now aged into our target demographic of Adults 25-64 is an important consideration in media planning. Gen Z has now come into their careers, are earning more, and starting families. These generations expect personalization in the advertising they see, so we will find opportunities to message them differently than we do for the loyal Generation

X and Boomers.

♦ Fly markets are showing healthy visitation to the destination, even with air travel concerns.

Midwest and Northeast markets continue to be very fond of Florida’s Paradise Coast. But while we will continue the momentum in our key out-of-state markets, we will maintain awareness among Florida residents. Floridians provide repeat visitation, can travel last minute, and are likely to travel in shoulder seasons of late Spring and Summer.

♦ “Florida Fatigue” from out of state travelers is still a concern, but bucket list travel will be very important in the coming year, so we will target those who have never been to the destination but have been to other high-end destinations.

♦ Campaign approach will also include efforts that bring creative campaigns into high performing and high potential markets with targeted media and takeovers that immerse prospective travelers with destination experiences that inspire future visitation.

♦ Campaign timing will align with an increased push to shoulder seasons throughout the year, notably fall and late spring/early summer. Later summer will promote the

Sizzle Dining event to Florida residents and culinary enthusiasts, providing lift to

September visitation.

♦ Ecotourism and culinary tourism are increasingly important in luxury travel, as that segment is not just looking for pampering, but for discovery in their vacation experiences. They want to experience the destination through exploration and interaction with the destination’s cuisine and landscapes. The 2023 Resonance

Report shows that scenery and nature, access to outdoor activities, and “close to beach” are among the top decision factors in choosing a vacation destination by the top 1%, along with the availability of luxury hotel accommodations. The CVB will continue to robustly integrate eco and culinary messaging into all its consumer leisure campaigns, with the knowledge that this appeals to the high-end audience.

♦ Spanish speaking Hispanic travelers are a valuable segment that travels more, and are more likely to travel in a larger group of people and spend more when they travel.

Their culture has strong ties to family values, so extended families and close friends are often included in their vacations. According to TravelPulse, an affluent Hispanic traveler spends an average of $6,000 per trip, about 30 percent more than the rest of US travelers. With multi-generational travel strong with this group, we expect that vacation rental availability in the destination will be a key draw here, along with the family-friendly resorts and hotels. We will put an effort in FY24 into targeting this domestic US segment with Spanish language ads, focused primarily on

Florida Hispanics.

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SOCIAL MEDIA APPROACH (ORGANIC)

● Create and curate meaningful, valuable content to nurture and grow the leisure audience on

Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.

● Develop & roll-out strategy for successful startup of Florida’s Paradise Coast YouTube Channel.

● Continue to emphasize video content to tell Florida’s Paradise Coast story throughout all touchpoints.

● Launch a social media video series aimed at engaging with prospective travelers. Categories will include culinary, eco/adventure, arts & culture, hidden gems, accommodations, and itineraries.

● Harness the potential of influencer/ambassador collaborations and user-generated content to boost traffic and engagement on social media platforms and across other communication channels.

● Continue to utilize tools to align with user habits and usage behaviors. These will include Instagram

Collab Tool, Instagram Reel Placements, Paid Partnership Tool, Instagram Guides, and Facebook/

Instagram Stories.

● Monitor and analyze data to derive insights that inform the strategy for leisure-focused content.

PUBLIC RELATIONS APPROACH

● Host a mix of virtual/out-of-market media desksides with a diverse mix of journalists to introduce them to the destination.

● Spotlight new hotel inventory coming online and what to expect in 2024-2025.

● Promote Florida resident travel during shoulder seasons with a road trip/intrastate focus.

● Pitch Florida’s Paradise Coast as a “solo travel” destination highlighting our safety rating.

● Focus on multi-generation travel, authentic experiences, and niche travel (e.g., foodies, digital nomads, outdoor adventure).

● Highlight the tourism benefits to our local community.

● Outdoor experiences and sustainability continue to be a draw for journalists as well as transformational travel-connecting with a destination rather than just sight-seeing.

● Pitch “value” forward opportunities due to tighter travel wallets – including hotel deals, free experiences, and discount days at area attractions.

● Capitalize on the destination’s “wild side,” a more natural and adventurous way to explore Florida’s

Paradise Coast.

● Create road-trip itineraries and promote them to travel publications.

● Pursue promotional partnerships aligning Florida’s Paradise Coast with relevant brands to garner visibility among new audiences and leverage additional marketing channels.

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D IGITAL MARKETING APPROACH

● Continue to provide strategy for unique initiatives and campaigns by mapping out the most practical path for the consumer.

● Optimize existing landing pages to better serve the initiative or campaign’s objective.

● Continue to develop content strategy for dedicated landing pages to help improve user experience.

● Develop custom User Generated Content (UGC) strategies on each page to feature user experiences related to the information provided in each respective page.

● Include and link existing interactive content, such as social videos and assets, within new web articles to help leverage consumer’s perception through different perspectives and mediums. (e.g., hyperlink a social media Reel featuring restaurants into an existing dining article to help users better visualize the experience).

● Continue to optimize efforts based on the evolving user sentiment towards existing and new platforms to provide relevant content in the right platforms. (e.g., Twitter’s re-branding).

● Expand on video series featuring different aspects of the destination as a more informational and engaging way to speak to prospect visitors through the right channels.

● Identify key themes, seasonal events, and highlights to ensure that relatable content and strategy are provided in a timely manner throughout the different stages of a consumer’s planning cycle.

● Leverage AI capabilities and implement tools that can benefit and assist users when interacting with the destination’s content.

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● Cash flow remains an issue for travel agencies because while bookings in many cases are strong, larger commission checks won’t be received until the client travels. Agency owners and managers are also faced with the problem of effectively staffing up to meet traveler demand.

● The primary concern for traveling has shifted to financial considerations considering the current global economy.

● Consumers are still traveling despite high gas prices, however, trip frequency and duration have been negatively impacted. Nonetheless, people are still vacationing.

● It has become increasingly difficult to host FAM trips. Due to financial considerations, high occupancy, and elevated ADR levels, partners are resistant to hosting FAMS. As a result, the importance of educating travel agents online or virtually becomes even more important.

● ASTA agents want FAMs and travel agent rates readily available like some larger CVBs.

● Other Florida beach destinations with lower ADR and availability are capitalizing on Florida’s Paradise Coast’s elevated ADR and lack of availability.

SECTION 7B:

LEISURE—

TRAVEL TRADE

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TRENDS/INSIGHTS

● Travelers are utilizing self-service apps and programs to meet their accommodations and preferences. Tech advancements make their travels almost completely contactless. From mobile boarding to facial recognition, faster in-flight travel updates, and more, tech innovations will make the process smoother and more convenient, giving travelers that much more reason to jet off at a moment’s notice. (Downs & St. Germain)

● Travel advisors remain important as travelers look to them to help navigate health and safety concerns/issues and protocols for ease of trip changes.

● Education continues to be absolutely critical for travel advisors, seeking readily available information including things to do, lodging options, safety protocols, etc., for their clients.

● Millennials are leading the trend of outsourcing planning, seeking an individualized and personalized approach to planning their travel.

GOALS & OBJECTIVES

● Explore new platforms to increase Travel Agent Academy graduates.

● Increase the number of trained luxury travel agents.

● Expand the travel agent database (leads/inquiries) and develop a Travel Agent dedicated newsletter.

● Continue to increase travel trade awareness of and interest in the destination with an emphasis on the luxury and outdoor/eco opportunities.

● Expand travel trade marketing efforts in Canada.

● Expand Travel Trade page on the website to include:

♦ Itineraries/Trip Ideas

♦ Virtual FAMs (Downtown Naples/Marco Island/Everglades)

♦ One-pager

♦ Maps

♦ Updated leisure video

● Continue to host quarterly in-market events or sales missions with agents of elevated value.

● Explore ways to provide incentives to encourage Travel Agents to continue learning about the destination. This is to get more graduates through the program.

PERFORMANCE METRICS

● Number of Travel Agent Academy enrollments

● Number of Travel Agent Academy graduates

● Number of luxury travel agents trained

● Number of in-market events and or sales missions

● Number of travel trade FAMS

● Earned media value (PR)

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STRATEGIES

● Inspire travel agents and tour operators to learn more about the destination, inquire and ultimately book their clients. This includes the development of assets to be utilized for trade shows, sales missions, meetings and webinars such as:

♦ Visitor Guide

♦ One-Sheeter + Map

♦ Leisure Video (evergreen, luxury destination hype video)

♦ PowerPoint Template

● Educate and train travel agents and tour operators on the destination through in-person meetings, missions, trade shows, FAMs, and developing new content and educational tools and resources, e.g.

Digital Toolbox including Sample itineraries.

● Continue to leverage partnership with Visit Florida to expand marketing opportunities and maximize budget, such as inclusion in training missions and FAM opportunities.

● Develop a travel advisor newsletter with what’s new/deals/itineraries/Arts & Culture/Specialist Program.

● Create a TA discount program with hotels, restaurants, and attractions to motivate them to visit on their own.

● Create and implement a holistic strategic marketing plan to increase awareness of our destination among the travel trade sector in Canada.

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MARKETING APPROACH

TARGET AUDIENCES

● Travel Agents for consumer and business travel with an emphasis on the luxury niche, such as Virtuoso, Signature, American Express, and ASTA

● Travel Operators for group reservations and individual tours, with emphasis on the luxury niche

● Emphasis on Midwest and Northeast. Secondary expansion focus on the West Coast (SFO, LAX)

● Travel agents and tour operators interested in:

♦ Luxury niche travel

♦ Outdoor/Eco travel

♦ Responsible tourism/sustainable travel

♦ Families

♦ Grand travel

♦ Millennials

♦ Wellness

● Enrichment (education, history, heritage)

MEDIA APPROACH

● A 2023 study by Resonance on Luxury Travel shows 63% of luxury travelers use a travel agent, which has nearly doubled from 34% in 2019. The approach for FY24 for the Travel Trade segment shall focus on the luxury travel trade segment, with the education of agents and tour operators about the breadth and depth of the destination offerings.

● Look for opportunities to place the Florida’s Paradise Coast CVB in a position of thought leadership with this niche through speaking and training programs.

● Growth of the email database will be a focus through a concerted effort of paid targeted email marketing to travel agents and tour operators.

SOCIAL MEDIA APPROACH (ORGANIC)

● Continue to utilize Florida’s Paradise Coast LinkedIn channel to reach the Travel Trade audience.

● Develop and manage valuable content to foster the growth of the audience.

● Direct traffic to the Travel Trade landing page or pertinent blogs and articles to both educate and cultivate interest in the destination.

● Increase emphasis on custom itineraries that feature different aspects of the destination geared towards

Travel Agents.

● Monitor analytics and leverage outcomes to steer content strategy.

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● Capitalize on international PR opportunities with Visit Florida.

● Ensure new hotel openings and on-the-radar developments are included in messaging.

● Continue to provide communications in language and upload to website pages.

● PR pitch points to include post-Orlando stay; post-cruise stay; coast-to-coast stay only a drive away, nature and adventure travel.

● Keep travel trade media included in all pitches to ensure media are up-to-date on destination news.

DIGITAL MARKETING APPROACH

● Develop custom itineraries featuring different aspects of the destination tailored to Travel Agents.

These Itineraries can be multi-use with traditional leisure travel. Itineraries can also be visual tours.

♦ Luxury

♦ Outdoor/Eco travel

♦ Families

♦ Multigenerational travel

♦ Millennials

♦ Wellness

♦ Arts & Culture

● Educate local partners through webinars on the benefits of working with Travel Agents and how to collaborate with CVB’s efforts (FAM trips).

● Integrate available training programs into relevant placements as part of the overall campaign.

● Evolve the current “Planning Tool Kit” web page to provide informational and educational content about the destination.

● Collaborate with local partners to increase opportunities for incentives and offers.

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● In 2023, Naples, Marco Island and, the Everglades kept the concentration and commitment to Arts & Culture via staffing and financial investment and were able to bring over 14 local arts organizations together.

● This enhanced focus continues to create support, excitement and, cohesion within the local arts & culture community while positioning the CVB as the architect for growth throughout 2023.

● By modifying grant guidelines to allow a broader scope of applicants, the CVB has increased the investment within the grant program and activated wider involvement in a burgeoning arts & culture scene.

● The CVB demonstrated its ability to orchestrate a strategic direction for the arts by facilitating conversations and directional influence with the ¡ARTE VIVA! campaign and beginning the process of creating a marketing toolbox to be used by participating partners in amplifying their own efforts.

● Destination to expand its performing arts venues in 2024 (Gulfshore Playhouse & Naples Players).

TRENDS/INSIGHTS

● Visitors from renowned northern cultural urban settings do not have arts and culture attractions and efforts as their primary goal when visiting Florida’s Paradise Coast. There are opportunities to strengthen brand experience and loyalty by promoting arts and culture to visitors via in-market promotions.

● Naples features artist studios in various districts, something unique that competitive markets do not have.

Visitors and locals can participate in artmaking, see the artist and talk to the artist about their work.

● Galleries are known for high-end art and Naples is known for its galleries and a place to find art. Residents and visitors can build their own collections here easily.

SECTION 7C:

ARTS & CULTURE

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● There is the beginning of a movement to have more “blue chip” artists in town or to showcase these artists. This is critical as more individuals from the NY Metro area are coming to visit or live on Florida’s Paradise Coast and want a more sophisticated and upscale scene.

● Keep challenging the arts & culture community to remain committed to developing events and activities capable of attracting visitation over the course of the year, with a concentration specifically on the shoulder seasons.

● The creation of ¡ARTE VIVA! has ignited the collaborative passion within the arts & culture community in a way that has not previously been recognized. This collaborative programming has extended beyond ¡ARTE VIVA! to other activities.

● The festival scene is limited in activities and locations due to reductions in permits. Festivals produced in the past year skewed toward art fairs only (15 in the Naples area alone).

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GOALS & OBJECTIVES

● Refine and develop the identity and content for an overarching Arts & Culture campaign.

● Continue to refine and evolve the campaign for ¡ARTE VIVA! A Celebration of Hispanic Arts & Culture.

● Build a list of arts organizations, individual artists, and performers into the CVB’s partner database.

● Analyze the changes in the grant program that provide more outcome measures in the final reporting to Tourism.

● Analyze results from the updated survey questions to measure the impact of the arts.

● Utilize final results from Americans for the Arts survey to round out the arts and culture story of the region.

● Continued support & alignment of county tourism division by the arts and culture community and officials.

● Generate incremental visitation to the destination through cultural efforts.

● Assist the arts community to become better and more capable marketers by guidance and/or inclusion and collaboration.

● Add destination ads or digital campaigns into major festival and events programs throughout the country in order to increase awareness.

PERFORMANCE METRICS

● Website traffic and engagement metrics

● Intercept survey data and data collected by the arts organizations

● ¡ARTE VIVA! metric goals – website visits, advertising, organic social, paid social, digital campaigns, earned media

● Incremental visitation to efforts related to ¡ARTE VIVA! Hispanic arts and general culture festivals

● Increased earned media coverage generated by the CVB

● Increase performance metrics and tracking associated with Arts & Culture Grants

● Communicate and develop a strategy for general arts & culture marketing.

● Showcase the destination’s vibrant arts & culture community with appealing, inspirational imagery and video.

● Showcase current opportunities along with more evergreen information about arts and culture.

● Build a website architecture of pages that tell the full story.

● Tie the story of the various regions in the county – history, rural, to more modern.

● Continue outreach to arts organizations to help build that communications strategy and provide more content.

● Analyze strategies put in place with the new grant application process to build stronger results for marketing campaigns supported by grants.

● Expand PR opportunities to publications and organizations for inclusion in articles or influencer programs.

● Provide more webinars and educational opportunities for Arts & Culture partners as many have limited staff to implement campaigns.

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MARKETING APPROACH

TARGET AUDIENCES

● Target Audience:

♦ Primary Target - General Market Adults 25-64

♦ Secondary Target - Hispanic Adults 25-64

♦ Household income of $150K+

● Niche Audiences:

♦ Florida Residents

♦ Arts & Culture Lovers

♦ Locals

♦ Hispanic (Spanish-speaking)

● Geographic Target Markets:

♦ Out-of-State: Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Hartford-New Haven, Milwaukee, Minneapolis, NYC, Philadelphia

♦ In-State: Jacksonville, Miami-Ft Lauderdale, Orlando, Sarasota, Tampa/St. Petersburg, West Palm Beach

MEDIA APPROACH

The main goal for the FY24 Arts & Culture campaign will be to divide its focus between the larger Arts & Culture promotion with the continuation of promoting ¡ARTE VIVA! as well. Local organizations are collaborating more now and it’s important to give enough support and attention to all organizations, not only the ones involved in the celebration of Hispanic Arts & Culture.

Targeting will continue on the core audience that aligns with the overall destination, and will include affluent Hispanics as well.

● Primary Target - General Market Adults 25-64 with Household Income of $150K+

● Secondary Target – Affluent Hispanic Adults 25-64

Markets will mirror the core audience target markets, including large metro areas with expectations of cultural offerings to give value to their vacations, such as NYC, Chicago, Miami, and Boston.

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Strong efforts will be put into South Florida (West Palm Beach, Ft. Lauderdale, and Miami) to drive repeat visitation and create affinities with Florida’s Paradise Coast’s museums and galleries. There will be focus on converting those cultural enthusiast day-trippers to overnight visitors, driving a larger impact for the overall destination.

There will be a priority on native content and high-impact display banners to drive both inspiration, education about offerings, and traffic to the arts and culture and ¡ARTE VIVA! pages of the Florida’s Paradise Coast website.

SOCIAL MEDIA APPROACH (ORGANIC)

● Develop and curate meaningful and valuable content aimed at fostering the growth of

Arts & Culture audiences.

● Continue to emphasize video content to tell Florida's Paradise Coast Arts & Culture story. Create short-form and long-form video to highlight events (e.g., ¡ARTE VIVA!), educate travelers, and encourage visitation.

● Harness the potential of influencer and user-generated content to stimulate engagement and drive traffic across social media platforms and various other channels.

● Continue to utilize tools to align with user habits and usage behaviors. These will include Instagram Collab Tool, Instagram Reel Placements, Paid Partnership Tool, Instagram Guides, and Facebook/Instagram Stories.

● Monitor analytics and leverage outcomes to steer content strategy.

● Collaborate with partners to assist them in crafting their own social media posts to increase the organic reach.

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PUBLIC RELATIONS APPROACH

● Continue to drive momentum for ¡ARTE VIVA! and its key components.

● Update the Arts & Culture section in the press kit to highlight the evolution of programming throughout the destination.

● Curate a FAM trip itinerary centered around the “Art of Luxury” in addition to other avenues of engagement within Arts & Culture organizations.

● Create a niche Arts & Culture distribution list, incorporating outlets in non-stop flight markets.

● Develop an artist backgrounder to highlight the minds behind the masterpieces and their alignment with Florida’s Paradise Coast’s community.

● Align Arts &…