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Sales:
Book 'em, San Diego - ARES offers call center tours
SCTB and LGBT, a match made in wine country
Tap into a $51.3 billion leisure group market
PR, Marketing and Partnerships:
One lump or two? Come for coffee with SCTB
¿Hablas any other language besides English?
SCTB Info:
Writer looking for guidebook information
Heritage and cultural travel on
the rise
Monthly activity report for January 2008
Odds and Ends:
SRJC proposes lodging and tourism certificates
Savoring flavors at Slow Food Nation
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Sales
Book 'em, San Diego - ARES offers call center tours
Advanced Reservation Systems (ARES) continues to be an important partner in marketing Sonoma Country. If you are going to be in the San Diego area and would like to know more about this online booking engine and how it can help sell your hotel, attraction or event, take some time to visit the ARES call center.
Please make arrangements through SCTB's Marta Hayden, (707) 522-5806 or via e-mail at mhayden@sonomacounty.com.
Not going to San Diego, but still interested in showcasing your business to 22,000 unique visitors a month? Contact Justin Stratford at ARES, justin.stratford@aresdirect.com, to see how you can sell tickets or rooms through the website's booking agent. To date, more than 130 rooms and close to 50 events have been booked through www.sonomacounty.com.
SCTB and LGBT, a match made in wine country
 Robin McKee-Cant recently marketed Sonoma Country as a premier leisure and meeting destination for one of our targeted niche markets at Gay Life Travel Expos in West Hollywood and Seattle. Pictured with Robin (left) are Bill Essick of Alaska & Horizon Airlines and Lynette McLean, representing the Highlands Resort and GayRussianRiver.com.
The trio partnered at this event in Seattle to strengthen the Sonoma Country presence. Expo attendees received information on flights between LAX, Seattle and our own Charles M. Schulz Airport. They also received discount flight coupons and plenty of Sonoma Country information to plan their next visit.
Tap into a $51.3 billion leisure group market
According to Premier Tourism Marketing, leisure groups represent a huge opportunity for destinations and travel suppliers seeking to increase revenues, room nights and bottom-line profits.
How big is the opportunity? By all accounts - huge! According to PhoCusWright Research, the leisure group travel market is valued at $47.2 billion in 2006 and is expected to reach $51.3 billion by the end of 2008. These leisure groups come in all shapes and sizes, and travel to all four corners of the globe.
While consumer travel and the meetings markets are driven by destination branding, social and leisure groups are driven typically by activity first, followed by destination and brand.
Your property doesn't have a dedicated group marketing plan to tap into that $51.3 billion market? That's OK, because the Sonoma County Tourism Bureau does. Keep checking this newsletter to find out more about SCTB's group marketing efforts. |
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PR, Marketing and Partnerships
One lump or two? Come for coffee with SCTB
You're cordially invited to attend "Meet the Sonoma County Tourism Bureau" in Windsor on Tuesday, April 15.
Held from 8 to 9:30 a.m. in Classroom A at the Mary Agatha Furth Center in Windsor, 8400 Old Redwood Hwy., the informal event will offer information about the Bureau, discuss what partnership opportunities are available for businesses, and who are your contacts within the organization.
Coffee and light breakfast goodies will be served.
Please RSVP to Camille Padilla, or call her for more information at (707) 565-6411, or e-mail her at research@sonomacounty.com.
¿Hablas any other language besides English?
Partners, could you provide us with names of your staff members who are bilingual or multi-lingual, and in which languages? We are trying to capture the names of people who may be able to assist us with sales and media calls from foreign markets. Besides Spanish, we are specifically looking for partners who speak Japanese, Chinese, Korean, French and German. Please send your information to publicrelations@sonomacounty.com.
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SCTB Info
Writer Looking for Guidebook Information
Writer Michele Bigley is writing a chapter about Sonoma County in the "Explorers Guide to Northern California." She's looking for information about attractions in Sonoma County, including spas, museums, wineries and outdoor adventure. The book has sold almost 500,000 copies. Please contact Michele directly at mishmell@sbcglobal.net.
Heritage and Cultural Travel on the Rise
According to the Travel Industry Association of America, more travelers are seeking the authentic American experience offered through cultural and heritage tourism. The organization said 81 percent of the 146.4 million U.S. adults who took a trip of 50 miles or more away from home in the past year included historical or cultural activities on at least one of their trips.
Does your property or business offer cultural or heritage experiences? If so, we'd like to know about it. Please e-mail publicrelations@sonomacounty.com with detailed information.
Monthly activity report for January 2008
New 2008 Visitors Guide and Map The new visitors guide is distributed to hospitality partners along with distribution from phone and website requests. It has some new sections; Whine Country with Kids, Wine Country Canines, and Carneros: the Quiet Coast.
Sales Activities As the operations of the SCTB continue to move forward, the staff has been engaging with key industry organizations and events in January: • ACOM, Seattle • PCMA, Seattle • UC Davis Destination Showcase tradeshow • Go West Summit, Colorado Springs • Southwest Showcase, Texas • Smith Bucklin Retreat and Sponsorship • Sonoma Country Client FAM • Welcome mats distributed to visitor centers • Direct mailing CALSAE, Luxury Travel Expo & PCMA • Sales calls in: Dallas, Houston, San Francisco • Client site tours: Joel Summer, WineFest Lead
Public Relations, Communications, Marketing Activities Newsletters: E-Source twice a month. Media assisted and pitched include: • Travel Agent Magazine • Out Traveler / Planet Out • Frommer’s • Sydney Morning Herald • Destinations Magazine • Forbes Life • Meetings and Conventions • Successful Meetings • New York Post. Projects worked on include: • New York Media Mission • Visitor demographic research • Launch of website remodel • E-mail campaign to opt-in leisure subscribers.
Staff continues to take site tours of county partner properties Paradise Ridge, Chalk Hill, Seghesio, Trentadue , Rosso & Bianco, Landmark, Simi, Infineon, Safari West.
Staff engaged with the following local organizations/events: • Seghesio Annual Appreciation Dinner • Russian River WineRoad • Landmark Oscar Party • Eco Ring meeting • State of the County: 2008 Annual Report to the Community forum • Sonoma Valley Vintners & Growers State of the Alliance • Economic Development Board
Advertising Placement In January, the SCTB had an advertising presence in the following publications: • San Francisco Magazine • Horizon Air/Alaska Air • TXSAE – Assoc. Leadership • MPI – Washington State • NTA Courier • and more.
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Odds and Ends for $800, Alex
SRJC proposes lodging and tourism certificates
Santa Rosa Junior College needs your help in designing a new lodging and tourism certificate program. This program will include two certificates: Lodging and Tourism Skills Certificate, eight units; and Lodging and Tourism Achievement Certificate, 32.5 units.
Your industry knowledge and input in this process are important steps in building a meaningful program. Please visit www.zoomerang.com/Survey/survey.zgi?p=WEB227JSV8NQQY to answer the survey, which will take less than 10 minutes to complete.
Savoring flavors at Slow Food Nation
The inaugural Slow Food Nation event will be held in San Francisco on Labor Day Weekend. Sonoma County's restaurateurs have been a driving force behind the movement. The event will include all sorts of styles of foods: best cheese, bread, chocolates, jams, beers, spirits, wines, pickles, cured meats and more.
Please e-mail info@slowfoodnation.org for a nomination form if you know of a product that should be part of Slow Food Nation '08. More details are available on www.slowfoodnation.org.
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