Jun03MarketingPlus

The vacationing family has many options to consider before setting out for the next great adventure. With so many welcoming destinations to choose from, how do they decide? To us, it is quite simple—visit one of our family-friendly attractions. After all, our well-planned and professionally executed marketing efforts make that decision easy. We even like to think that we have helped create a vacation “Fantasy Island” that offers everything anyone could desire. But no man is an island, and neither are our attractions. We can’t do it alone.

Even if your attraction is number one in the region, you are still part of a larger, more attractive destination with other points of interest. Your attraction supports its employees and impacts the surrounding community by helping to increase income and employment in other areas of the hospitality industry. Clearly these are benefits of working together, but are they enough? Can the attractions within a destination work together to create appealing regional packages?

Consumers are searching for value. They are also better educated and have more resources available now than ever before to plan and prepare for a vacation or weekend getaway. Numerous web sites are currently available to assist in booking transportation and accommodations offering discount and competitive rates to anyone with a computer terminal and a credit card.

The same technology is available for attractions seeking to assist the online tourist, and many attractions are selling their admission tickets and vacation packages online via their web site. Major tourist destinations have been offering packages for years and new applications are being promoted every day.

For instance, Southern California recently joined the ranks of several United States cities by creating the new Southern California CityPass. This program is unique in that it includes a variety of attractions covering a region encompassing Anaheim and San Diego, California. Disneyland, Knott’s Berry Farm, SeaWorld, and the San Diego Zoo have collaborated to offer tourists a valuable package that includes discounted admission to these attractions over a 14-day period of time. Each of these attractions alone draws a significant number of visitors to its gates, but this program combines two highly visited regions and increases opportunities for the hospitality and travel industry in both markets.

Long-time advocates for destination marketing, conventions, and visitors bureaus are creating packages that offer everything from transportation and accommodations to attraction tickets and restaurant reservations. Packages are designed to make the destination a top choice for savvy tourists, adding value to the purchase. Extending the length of stay is a top priority for bureaus working to market a destination. Opportunities also include bounce-back promotions providing visitors with reasons to return to the destination at some future date, and cross promotions designed to keep visitors engaged and doing more at the destination during their stay.

No matter what the size of your attraction, a packaging arrangement can bring your business more exposure, greater awareness, and, ultimately, more guests. Several small attractions can combine resources in marketing and advertising on their own to make their resources go further.

The right combination or package might be the definitive difference between a visit to your destination or another location. You may have the best of everything at your attraction, but if a tourist selects a more compelling destination that offers numerous options at a better value, you won’t get the opportunity to show him or her what makes your attraction great. Look for partner businesses that offer something completely different from your attraction. Travelers have diverse interests and look for variety and options when they are planning a few days away. Make sure your package meets these needs. Two key pieces of advice: Don’t miss out on attracting your share; and help your neighbors and they will help you.

For more inside tips on attraction marketing, be sure to attend the marketing workshops at this year’s IAAPA Conference in Orlando, Fla., at the Orange County Convention Center, November 17 to 21. The Marketing Committee will host sessions designed to help you develop successful marketing plans, award-winning advertising, and revenue-generating sales programs.

You are invited to submit your entries for the 2003 Brass Ring Awards.
To obtain a Call for Entries brochure, please contact IAAPA at membership@iaapa.org or go to www.iaapa.org.

The deadline for 2003 Brass Ring Awards entries is August 1.
More information on page 20 and page 80 in the June print issue.