ADVERTISING & PROMOTION
First quarter of FY20 continued our approach to media placement strategy, a website rebranded, and increase digital advertising. First quarter planned for print advertising placed at the end of first quarter and into second quarter, including publications like Garden & Gun, Edible DC, Southern Living, Costal Living, and Preservation Magazine. While the print campaign was being planned and executed, we continued to promote the county and our brands through digital advertising including; display, search, video, and social advertising, social community management, and email campaigns.
Included in the above campaign effort was the rebranding of TheHotelAtBWI.com site. To present visitors with a more wholistic view of the BWI/Arundel Mills Region, TheHotelsAtBWI.com site was replaced with ExperienceBWI.com. The new site focuses on the Arundel Mills Entertainment District, Live! Casino & Hotel, the wide range of hotels available in the region, the attractions located in and around the area, and all the amenities visitors are looking for. The site was launched in late September with an accompanying marketing campaign to bring attention to the new site. More information from this campaign will be available in the Q2 FY20 report.
Website Traffic:
| WEBSITE | FY 20 | YOY GROWTH |
|---|---|---|
| VisitAnnapolis.org | 177,816 | -16% |
| TheHotelsatBWI.com | 21,984 | -85% |
| WeddingsinAnnapolis.com | 51,083 | 290% |
| AnnapolisDiscovered.com | 61,763 | 220% |
| MeetinAnnapolis.com | 618 | -80%- |
| All Websites | 313,624 | -20% |
GROUP SALES
Meeting Planner Events & Attendance
| DATE | EVENT NAME | NUMBER OF ATTENDEES |
|---|---|---|
| July 31 | Annapolis Wednesday Night Sailboat Races Meeting Planner FAM | 5 |
| August 28 | Annapolis Wednesday Night Sailboat Races Meeting Planner FAM | 10 |
| September 24 | Unique Venue Meeting Planner FAM & Crab Feast | 7 |
Group Assists
Partner Meetings/Calls/Site Visits
| DATE | PARTNER | TYPE |
|---|---|---|
| 7/3 | Destination Paradise | Meeting |
| 7/10 | Maryland Sports Commissions | Meeting |
| 9/26 | Society of Military Women | Site Tour |
| 7/29 | Discover Newport | Call |
| 7/29 | PFA | Call |
| 8/1 | Women's Leadership Conference | Call |
| 9/13 | Farrever After Events | Call |
| 9/26 | CRUSA | Lunch |
PUBLIC RELATIONS & COMMUNICATIONS
Media Assisted:
- 7 Press Trip
- 27 Journalists Hosted
Significant Media Coverage
| COVERAGE | PUBLICATION | PARTNERS FEATURED |
|---|---|---|
| Domestic | Mid-Atlantic Events Magazine | 3 |
| Domestic | Southern Living Magazine | 1 |
| Domestic | WJZ TV | 2 |
| Domestic | Jetsetter Magazine | 4 |
| Domestic | Select Traveler Magazine | 5 |
| Domestic | Western New York Family Magazine | 5 |
| International | The Hamilton Spectator | 5 |
| Owned | Annapolis Discovered (34 Articles) | 68 |
Social Media Community
Social Media Community for Visit Annapolis, Weddings In Annapolis, and Annapolis Discovered.
| FY 20 | YOY GROWTH | |
|---|---|---|
| 113,715 | 13.81% | |
| 19,020 | -5.8% | |
| 10,434 | -5.03% | |
| 8,300 | 20.29% | |
| All Sites | 151,469 | 9.77% |
Partnerships
To learn about how to take advantage of marketing opportunities with Visit Annapolis & Anne Arundel County on our collection of websites and in our Visitors Center, please contact Christine McNichols at (410)-280-0445 ext. 311 or at cmcnichols@visitannapolis.org
| FY 20 | YOY GROWTH | |
|---|---|---|
| Net Sales | $6,600 | 20% |
Visitor Services
Hosted 8 familiarization (FAM) tours, featuring 12 partners. If you’re a partner interested in participating in FAM tours, which ultimately help Visitors Center volunteers share the county’s offerings with visitors, please contact Tatiana Wells at (410)-280-0445 ext. 307 or at twells@visitannapolis.org
| FY 20 | YOY GROWTH | |
|---|---|---|
| Visitor Count | 80,689 | 25% |
| Brochure Fulfillment | 12,454 | -6% |
