CLEVELAND, Ohio — As travel restrictions ease, Destination Cleveland and other tourism agencies are contemplating when – and how – to invite visitors back to their communities.
While many traditional marketing campaigns remain on pause, this much is certain: Tourism pitches – from Cleveland to New York, Las Vegas and beyond – will look different from any we’ve seen before.
Expect an emphasis on safety and cleanliness, a focus on regional travel and outdoor destinations, and a plan to get locals involved.
“People want to travel, but they’re pretty unsure,” said Colette Jones, Destination Cleveland’s chief marketing officer. “We have to really be paying attention to what’s happening.”
The agency plans to announce next week its first initiative in months, a toe dip into regional travel marketing after the coronavirus pandemic brought the tourism industry to a standstill locally and worldwide.
The campaign will promote the responsible reopening of Cleveland’s tourism and hospitality industry, along with an effort to enlist locals in the effort. It may be followed later in the summer with a more traditional pitch to attract outside visitors to the city.
But first, said Jones, residents must be comfortable welcoming visitors.
“Residents are critical to this,” she said. “We have to make sure we’re inviting people in at a pace that residents are comfortable with. We really have to keep in mind that this is the residents’ hometown. This is their place. We need to make sure we are safely and responsibly reopening the economy.”
The tourism economy in Greater Cleveland is big business, responsible for $9.4 billion in economic impact in 2018, and 71,000 jobs.
Destination Cleveland CEO David Gilbert said he believes the city will be well positioned to take advantage of Americans’ cautious but growing desire to travel again. Cleveland is an easy-to-reach, drive-to destination, accessible from much of the United States. And the state generally has been perceived to have handled the health pandemic well.
“We feel we’re positioned to come out of this strong,” agreed Lydia Mihalik, director of the Ohio Development Services Agency, which oversees TourismOhio, the state department that markets Ohio to tourists.
For now, the state is sticking with its Support Local campaign, which encourages Ohioans to support local restaurants, retail and other business.
On hold for now: A previously planned summer campaign to pitch Ohio to residents of neighboring states. By July, however, the state may be ready to pivot to encourage Ohioans to try intrastate travel.
“Ohioans are Ohio’s best customer when it comes to travel attractions and tourism opportunities,” said Mihalik.
Destination organizations are in a bit of a tricky spot, caught between Americans who are ready to start venturing out again, and those who remain hesitant.
“Most destinations are opting for a very conservative approach on that front,” said Chris Davidson, executive vice president with MMGY Global, a travel marketing firm that conducts research and works with many tourism agencies. “As the numbers start to improve, and people start to feel safer, I think you’ll start to see those messages expand a little further out.”
He cited Las Vegas’ current marketing message – “When you’re ready, we’ll be ready” – as striking the right tone. Eventually, though, when more of Las Vegas reopens to visitors, the marketing pitch will need to shift.
Davidson expects destinations, even more urban destinations like Cleveland, will likely emphasize outdoor experiences and open spaces as they craft their pitches. “Places like Las Vegas will have to fundamentally rethink how they promote their experiences, in the short term, at least,” he said.
Cleveland, too, will be rethinking how it promotes itself, said Gilbert.
“People may want to go to less crowded places,” he said. “That doesn’t necessarily mean South Dakota. It might mean Cleveland instead of New York.”
Among the possibilities for promotion: Cuyahoga Valley National Park, the lakefront, Cleveland Cultural Gardens, the Cleveland Botanical Garden and other mostly outdoor venues.
It’s unclear, at this point, how some of Cleveland’s best-known indoor attractions, including the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and the Cleveland Museum of Art, might fit into any future promotional campaign. Both plan to reopen next month, with an array of precautions and policies meant to reduce crowds and enable social distancing.
And spectator sports, a traditional draw for Cleveland tourism, are even more uncertain. Even if the Indians and Cavs return to competition this summer, it will undoubtedly be without spectators, at least in the short term.
Even without the visitor spending that comes with a full stadium, Gilbert said, “It will make for a better summer if we can watch them.”
Despite what may seem to be daunting challenges, he said he’s optimistic about the future. “I truly am energized by the opportunities in front of us. We have a chance to come out of this faster and smarter than other communities.”
He cites research that shows visiting friends and family will be a key motivating factor for travel this summer. If two families, one in Cleveland, live two hours apart, and are debating where to meet for a visit, he wants Northeast Ohio to come out on top. “You ought to come here,” he said, quoting the imaginary Cleveland host, “because it feels really safe here.”
Safety will be key, at least initially, agreed Davidson. “You need to assure people that the destination is ready for visitors. How do you provide more assurance, more certainty and more control to travelers you’re inviting to your communities?”
He expects that most destination organizations, including Cleveland’s, will start with a marketing message focused on generating local support for the travel industry, and then expanding that effort to draw in others.
Said Gilbert, “If locals feel more comfortable going out, then when it is time for travelers to come, the community is going to be far more prepared.”
Earlier this month, MMGY Global asked Americans to rank their perceptions of the safety of certain travel behaviors on a scale of 0 (extremely unsafe) to 100 (extremely safe). Here’s what they found:
Domestic travel: 34
International travel: 22
Travel by personal car: 72
Travel by domestic flight: 30
Cruise: 18
Staying in a hotel: 35
Staying in a vacation rental: 39
Going to a park: 49
Attending a convention: 23
Going to a beach: 41
Attending an outdoor sporting event: 28
Visiting a theme/amusement park: 23
Attending an outdoor concert/festival: 26
Read more:
County-owned Hilton Cleveland Downtown seeing signs of tourism recovery
Destination Cleveland furloughs 60% of staff, as bed tax revenue plummets
Great Lakes cruising, ship calls in Cleveland will be way down in 2020, as Victory cuts back
When will we travel again? Former Ohio tourism chief tracks trends amid coronavirus pandemic
"again" - Google News
May 25, 2020 at 04:19PM
https://ift.tt/3c20GxY
Destination Cleveland starting to think about how to pitch travel again; residents will be key - cleveland.com
"again" - Google News
https://ift.tt/2YsuQr6
https://ift.tt/2KUD1V2
Bagikan Berita Ini
0 Response to "Destination Cleveland starting to think about how to pitch travel again; residents will be key - cleveland.com"
Post a Comment