Visit Orlando CEO Shares Strategy Behind 2021 Tourism Campaign And Why It Matters

Source: Orlando Business Journal, Richard Bilbao
Photo: Visit Orlando officials feel good about their strategy to jump-start tourism to the region once again. (OMGIMAGES)

Visit Orlando’s first marketing campaign since the pandemic has a big hill to climb — but officials feel good about their strategy to jump-start tourism to the region once again.

Central Florida travel slowly is recovering after nearly a year of being nonexistent due to Covid-19 lockdowns, travel fears, reduced flights and more.

However, Visit Orlando is ready to start getting the word out again about the City Beautiful. The campaign, dubbed “The Wonder Remains,” focuses on Orlando experiences including the theme parks, attractions, resorts and more, “with essential information on safety measures throughout the destination, as consumers are searching for more in-depth information in advance,” said the agency.

Here, Casandra Matej, the new president and CEO of Visit Orlando, shares a bit more on the strategy behind the new campaign, which demographic groups may lead the recovery and the vaccine milestones needed to bring tourists back:

Why is the Southeast the targeted market? Research shows that travelers initially are comfortable traveling within 250 miles of their home. Our previous campaigns have blanketed Florida residents, and it’s a natural progression to start talking now to consumers in the touch states who are starting to show interest in spring break or summer travel planning.

How much will the campaign cost and how long will it run? We are investing $2.2 million to promote travel to Orlando this spring and summer across nine states. The campaign currently runs through the end of March, with hopes of continuing it further. We’re fortunate that a campaign of this scale can be funded entirely by our visitors, through tourist development tax dollars, to help lift the economic recovery of the entire region.

What is the targeted demographic? We are talking to adults, both those with children and without, who have shown an interest in traveling in the near future.

Which groups do we see having the most impact in 2021 travel? Research shows that millennials and Gen X are the age groups most likely to plan travel right now, and the South and Midwest residents are more likely to travel, with the Northeast lagging behind a bit.

What specific milestones related to vaccines are needed to bring tourists back? A successful vaccine rollout is important in building a universal comfort level in traveling again. We are encouraged that research shows 51% of consumers feel more optimistic about being able to travel safely in the next six months because of the vaccine, and that 31% already have begun planning and booking future travel. As more vaccines roll out to broader populations, these numbers should increase.

What is the educational aspect in the campaign? How will the marketing be inspirational? The campaign weaves together the inspirational, showcasing places people love to explore in Orlando, from theme park adventures to the great outdoors, along with awareness and education of the strong safety measures our region has in place. Safety is a shared responsibility, and part of our campaign helps educate visitors on what they can expect from a visit here and what measures they need to be aware of in advance, such as the mandatory mask requirement. It’s truly a strength for our destination that our local government, businesses and residents have put in place, really since the start of the pandemic, an emphasis on protocols such as mask wearing, social distancing and temperature taking, and our visitors appreciate that commitment to safety.

What will show that this campaign is a success? Measuring the results of a campaign is important to us as good marketers and as stewards of public money that our visitors generate. The success of our campaign will be determined on the reach of the campaign (impressions), website visits, visitor spending dollars generated and return on ad spend.

How can businesses help? Safety is a shared responsibility between our community and our visitors, and we ask local businesses to continue to practice exceptional health and safety measures. It’s critical that we all work together to continually build our destination’s reputation as a place where you can have fun and do so safely.

https://www.bizjournals.com/orlando/news/2021/02/17/visit-orlando-2021-ad-campaign-tourism