Tourism Results Summary Q1 FY 18 (July – September 2017)

Advertising & PromotionOn August 30th a remote broadcast of 100.7 The BAY (Baltimore-Southeastern PA) Hometown Tour 2017 live from Carrol's Creek included interviews VAAAC and several notable locals. In addition, a spot placement ran promoting “last minute” Labor Day Getaways.

VAAAC joined forces with The Travis Manion Foundation to cross-promote the 2017 9/11 Hero’s Run via a “Hero’s Weekend Sweepstakes” for runners and fans.

MASN 1 & MASN 2 placement for the 2017 Orioles-Nations game broadcast wrapped up the season with Visit Annapolis sponsorship in July and August and The Hotels At BWI in September.

In September, we contracted with the Baltimore Orioles for an in-stadium banner position behind home plate at Camden Yards. A banner for TheHotelsAtBWI.com was visible to fans at the stadium along with both home and visiting team television viewers and 2 national broadcasts for ½ inning of every home game in September.

Our corporate brand was promoted with a MASN public service campaign in support of the Chesapeake Bay Foundation. The “Go to Bat for the Bay” features managers, players and announcers promoting the mission of CBF.

During August and September digital placements to promote Annapolis in our Nation’s Capital were run as Advertorial & Photo Galleries on WTOP.com and as Video & Photo Galleries on WashingtonPost.com.

VAAAC’s first step into the Canadian market with Horizon Publications included a full-page advertorial in Canada’s Sunday Magazine supplement, Travel America, plus placement on video boards (photos) in the six Toronto subway stations for the month of September.

Print/Digital Placements included:

Leisure:  AAA World; Chesapeake Bay Magazine; Food Traveler; 2017 Visit Maryland Guide; 2017 CRUSA Travel Guide; Multiview (Digital); Northern VA Magazine; SpinSheet; Facebook Ads; Google Word & Ads; YouTube

Hotels at BWI:  Visit Baltimore Guide; Multiview (Digital)

Meeting/Sports:  Sports Events; Multiview (Digital); MPI Annual Directory (Chicago/Potomac/Philadelphia)

Wedding:  Chesapeake Bride; Pittsburgh Magazine Weddings; Premier Bride; Delaware/Main Line Bride; Washingtonian Bride & Groom; The KnotWebsite EnhancementTheHotelsAtBWI site was updated in July to include new pages for “Deals” and “Things to Do”. A digital and SEO campaign from August 20 through September 15 attracted over 1,700 visits to the “Park, Sleep & Fly” deals page. The finishing touches to the new TheHotelsAtBWI Social Page featuring social media feeds from Live!, Arundel Mills Mall and Medieval Times, will be operational in Q2.Website Analytics  VisitAnnapolis.org, visitannapolis.org, MeetInAnnapolis.com, and Blog Sites                            TheHotelsAtBWI.com                                                           WeddingsInAnnapolis.com                                                         Group SalesThe sales department confirmed 25,018 total rooms nights booked YTD in Anne Arundel County.

Sales Activities 

FAMiliarization  EVENTS:

Annapolis Wednesday Night Sailboat Races Meeting Planner (July & August); Annapolis Waterside Venue Meeting Planner FAM & Crab Feast (September)

INDUSTRY EVENTS:

Loews Client Appreciation Event; Meeting Industry Professionals of Annapolis (MIPA) Monthly Networking Luncheon; Your Military Reunion Connection; Connect Marketplace – Association; Association of Meeting Professionals (AMPs) Annual Meeting; Loews National Sales Annual Client Appreciation Event; Professional Convention Management Association (PCMA) Capital Chapter & Meeting Professionals International (MPI) Potomac Chapter Fall Networking Event

SITE VISITS:

WorldStrides; National Defense Industrial Association (NDIA); Maryland Children’s Alliance; Siemens Healthcare; Virtue Event Planning & Consulting, Inc.

SALES CALLS:

Leed Management Consulting; Seventh Day Adventist Church North American Division; Discovery Communications

GROUP ASSISTANCE:

Group Sales assisted 3 wedding, 5 tour and travel, 2 reunions, 6 conferences with varying requests for assistance  securing venues, obtaining visitor guides, and finding activities for their groups. Two CRUSA itineraries were also arranged.

UPCOMING MEETING PLANNER EVENTS AND TRADE SHOWS:

Worldwide Exhibition for Incentive Travel, Meetings and Events (IMEX) America; Luxury Meetings Summit; Connect Faith; TEAMS 17 Conference & Expo; BWI/Arundel Mills Meeting Planner FAM; United States Specialty Sports Association (USSSA) National Conference; Luxury Meetings Summit

Quarterly Booking Comparison - 2016 vs. 2017

Public Relations & Communications Attended Travel Media Showcase in Cabarras County, NC where pre-scheduled appointments were held with 29 journalists and VAAAC won the Exhibitor Choice Award that goes to the exhibitor that journalists feel best represents his/her destination. Attended the Mid-Atlantic Tourism PR Alliance (MATPRA) Media Marketplace in Winchester, VA. Fifty-four journalists participated.

Hosted four press trips: Malerie Yolen-Cohen, Huffington Post and GetawayMavens.com; Anne and Walker Evans, Columbus Underground; Jeanne Mozier, West Virginia’s Charleston Gazette-Mail; and four journalists from China’s Traveler Magazine.

Assisted an additional 32 journalists, including representatives from MSN; Germany’s Markischer Markt and Markischer Sonntag; UK’s Good Things Magazine and Foodepedia; Netherlands’ America Magazine; Travel Channel; Tribune syndicated column, Taking the Kids; ForbesTravelGuide.com; AAA World; Southern Living; Brand USA; Cruises & Tours Worldwide; #FlyWashington; WDEL Radio; Arlington Magazine; Bethesda Magazine; Meetings Today; Sports Events Magazine, Marina World; Green Lodging News; Business Monthly and Baltimore Magazine.Media Coverage Yielded

Request for Visitor InformationVisitor Count & Brochure Fulfillment 

Partnerships

Social Media

Social Community Engagement