Deadlines and Opportunities
Check In/Dine Out Campaign: Radio, Outdoor and Social Media 
For the fifth year in a row, SCTB is spreading the message of overnight travel to Sonoma Country with an integrated campaign that will feature radio, outdoor signage, targeted e-mail blasts, social media advertising and more.
Called "Check In/Dine Out," this special campaign was added when SCTB exceeded quarter four projected BIA revenues.
With more than 35 million impressions, the campaign will run in the San Francisco and Sacramento markets, and encompasses extensive radio, print, outdoor and online buys. It will also be backed up by a public relations and social media campaign touting the area's attributes to potential visitors.
The campaign features the local culinary scene, encouraging visitors to stay overnight and experience the restaurants, cafes and foodie offerings that make Sonoma Country famous.
Over the five-year period, SCTB has invested over $1.5 million in quarter one campaigns that have resulted in significant measurable return on investment.
"By reinvesting back in tourism, we can increase visitation and grow market share at a time local businesses need it," said Ken Fischang, president and CEO of SCTB. "Also, the focus on dining will promote overnight stays, helping small businesses and complement the countywide push for culinary offerings, like Sonoma County Restaurant Week."
New Year, New Location
As of today (Monday) we're safely ensconced in our new offices. The move was relatively painless and gave us an opportunity to dig out some of the flotsam and jetsam that accumulates quite quickly.
The best thing are these new, fresh offices give us an opportunity to reduce our fixed costs. We negotiated one free year on our six-year lease, and the new offices almost double our size while costing us less per square foot than the previous office.
This gives SCTB and its office mates, Sonoma County Vintners and Sonoma County Winegrape Commission, room to grow. Phone numbers for all organizations remain the same. Visit us at 3637 Westwind Blvd., Santa Rosa, CA 95403.
SCTB Annual Meeting Slated for Feb. 10
You're invited to our annual meeting! Find out our plans for 2010 at the free breakfast meeting on Feb. 10 at 7:30 a.m. at the FountainGrove Inn in Santa Rosa. RSVP to Craig Haskell at chaskell@sonomacounty.com or (707) 522-5800.
Save the Date: North Coast Tourism Council Workshop Planned
Learn about “Greening Your Business” at the North Coast Tourism Council's annual workshop on Friday, March 12. SCTB is a member of NCTC.
The event, in partnership with the California Travel & Tourism Council, will be held at Scotia Inn, Scotia, Calif. www.townofscotia.com. The Inn is offering attendees a $55 a night room rate. Book it at (707) 764-5338. For more information or to register, contact Aimee Hanson at (707) 964-9010, or aimee@northcoastca.com.
Media Opportunity: SingleEdition.com Visiting in March
A writer will be in Sonoma County March 8-11. The focus of the story will be discovering why singles should plan a getaway to wine country.
Are you interested in hosting her for a meal, lodging, attractions or activities, spa experience or others? If so, please send your offer to Tina Luster, tluster@sonomacounty.com.
I'd Like Some More Wine, Please
Winery partners: As much wine as we've plied inside-sonoma.com blogger James Knight with, you wouldn't think there would be anything left for him to sample. He says there is.
Do you have a special wine you would like James to showcase? If so, please send the bottle to James in care of SCTB (new address: 3637 Westwind Blvd, Santa Rosa, CA 95403). Be sure to include a recipe that pairs wonderfully with your wine. We'll make sure he gets it. Really. Visit inside-sonoma.com/sip to read James' takes on wine.
iPhone App in Next Stage
The initial round for the iPhone app is closed. However, we are still gathering information now to be ready for the app's first update. Please visit this link www.sonomacounty.com/content/partner-data and tell us your Facebook, Twitter or FourSquare (foursquare.com/businesses) names.
Also, please upload a picture so visitors using the application can see your business. Even if you don’t have a Facebook, Twitter or FourSquare account, please fill out the form with your business name and photo. For more information, please contact Keri Hanson, khanson@sonomacounty.com.
Why We're So Tech Savvy
So, you've seen our tweets on Twitter, read our Facebook updates and kept up with unfiltered wine country updates via inside-sonoma.com. If you think that SCTB staff has nothing better to do than play with new media technology, let's look at the stats. (We love stats. They succinctly illustrate what we're trying to say. We'd love them even more if it didn't involve math.) For the complete story, visit travel2dot0.wordpress.com/2010/01/11/travel-trends-just-the-facts.
Mobile Phones
-
U.S. mobile phone users 13 and older: 223 million
-
Number of mobile web users: 60.7 million (up 33 percent from 2008)
-
Percentage of mobile devices that are smartphones: 18 percent (up from 13 percent in 2008)
-
Percentage of mobile device owners that streamed audio: 8 percent
-
Percentage of mobile device owners that viewed video via their mobile phone: 7 percent
-
Percentage of mobile devices sold in Q3 2009 that were smartphones: 25 percent (estimated 40 percent; 50 in 2010)
Source: The Nielsen Company, November 2009
Internet
- 195 million active U.S. Internet users
- 160.3 million People who accessed the Internet via a broadband connection: (93.3 percent, up 16 percent from 2008)
- 138.4 million unique viewers of video (up 11.4 percent from 2008)
- 11.2 billion total online video streams viewed monthly (up 17 percent from 2008)
- 200.1 minutes average time spent viewing online video per viewer monthly (up 12.5 percent from 2008)
- Social Networking
Facebook reaches 56 percent of the active U.S. Internet universe with an average usage of six hours a month per user
- Facebook is the No. 3 site visited by users 65 and older
- Twitter grew 500 percent year-over-year
- Time spent on social networking sites in the U.S. increased 277 percent
- The average U.S. worker spends five hours a month visiting social networks at the office
- 32 percent of all mobile web users visited a social network
Source: www.mediapost.com
Keeping Content Fresh: It's Those Goo, Goo, Googly Eyes!
There was an interesting post from Time.com about Examiner.com, a blogger site. The main take-away from the article is content is still king, at least to Google. "…by stocking the lake with so many fish every day, Examiner.com increases the chances that Google trawlers will haul one of theirs up.” This is what we try to do with inside-sonoma.com; stock it with good content, almost daily, that highlights Sonoma County and the main reasons why people search for it.
International Travel Impacts California
Foreign travel to California remains an important market for the hospitality and tourism industry. According to the California Travel and Tourism Commission's research, of the $97.6 billion spent in the state in 2008, $18.3 billion, or 19 percent, was attributed to international travelers. It's even more impressive when you consider that international visitors made up just 7 percent of total visits to the state.
It's predicted that international travel will be down 10 percent for the year in 2009, with international visitors spending dropping 14 percent. But there is hope for the future, as the beginnings of a recovery could lead to a return to 2008 visitation and spending levels by 2011 if the October forecast holds true. Read more about it at http://tourism.visitcalifornia.com/research.
California Lodging Report
California occupancy measured 54.5 percent in November, down 2.6 percent from last year. Year-to-date occupancy was down 9.4 percent. In November, room rates averaged $104.75, off 8.9 percent from November 2008. Year-to-date, room rates are 10.9 percent lower than 2008. Early December data suggests a larger decline in rates, but moderate declines in occupancy. Read more at http://tourism.visitcalifornia.com/media/uploads/files/editor/Research/CaliforniaTourism_200911.pdf.
Examining Current Industry Trends
U.S. Travel Association reports an optimistic tone is emerging for the new year. However, true recovery remains elusive. In recent weeks Americans have seen gains in spending, earnings and savings, and consumers' expectations for the future have risen to their highest level since December 2007 - all good signs.
Despite the present economic volatility, travel sectors are expecting improvements on some fronts. Auto travel is recovering and air travel continues to pick up, though passengers continue to fly for less, resulting in revenue losses for airlines. Hotel demand is expected to move into positive territory in 2010 and help reverse the lodging sector's steady declines of last year.
Read more about the current trends at http://www.ustravel.org/sites/default/files/page/2009/09/january_public_page_htm_40111.htm#Cook
January's Travel Dashboard
U.S. Travel Associations' Dashboard provides an overview of major industry indicators such as employment and consumer confidence, lodging performance, domestic air ticketing volume and transportation. For a quick glance, visit http://www.ustravel.org/sites/default/files/page/2009/09/january_public_page_htm_40111.htm#Dashboard
|
