CALIFORNIA TRAVEL & TOURISM COMMISSIONASSOCIATION OF TRAVEL MARKETING EXECUTIVES MAY 28, 2009

Spend Tom!National Tourism Week Promotion

• CTTC/Sonoma County Tourism Bureau Pilot Project

• Demonstrate the tourism sector’s impact by pumping $25,000 in $2 bills into the Sonoma economy (select hotels/wineries/attractions “make change” during the week)

• Build 3-weeklong, media relations/social marketing campaign as the bills circulate

• Possibly expand to other communities in 2010

Promoting Tourism

Video: “Spend Tom”

SpendTom Initial Results

• Robust and positive local consumer response on Facebook Fan Page and Twitter (325+ contest entries to date at SpendTom.com)

• Extensive local newspaper, TV and radio coverage of the promotion and economic impact of tourism

• Leveraged radio buy for major promotion on 5 stations in Sonoma County, including live remotes, e-blasts, avatars on tourism, public service programming (Reach 120,000+)

• Media buzz generated more partner interest (nearly 40 partners)

• Social media buzz generated local awareness – nearly 150 local posters actually signed up as Facebook/ Twitter fans

Crisis Communications

Southern California Wildfires• The wildfires that spread through Southern

California during the last months of 2007 posed a serious threat to the state’s tourism industry

• Tourism supports jobs for 929,000 Californians and generates more than $93 billion annually

California Wildfires

PR Objective:• Dispel myths that the fires destroyed

large portions of the state and affected tourist attractions

• Develop and immediately implement a crisis communications plan to spread the word that California was open for business

• Keep California top-of-mind as a premier travel destination and deter potential trip cancellations

California Wildfires

Methods:• Developed core messages for each affected region to

ensure consistent messaging was delivered to media• Coordination of two press conferences in Southern

California and enlisted the support of Governor Schwarzenegger

• Developed talking points for the Governor and participating delegates, and a national news release

• Developed an Internet news release reiterating that tourist attractions were up-and-running and left unscathed by the wildfires

California Wildfires

Results:• The Southern California wildfire crisis

communication outreach generated more than 28 million gross measurable impressions in markets across the country

California Wildfires

Results:• Prominent placements include USA Today, Los Angeles

Times, The San Diego Union-Tribune, Forbes.com and broadcast news stations nationwide

• Immediate action taken by Edelman and CTTC prevented any reported decline of visitors to affected regions

California Wildfires

• Direct-to-consumer tactics utilized to relay most current information and encourage travel

• Secured CTTC as a resource for wildfire information with continuous updates and a pinpoint map on www.visitcalifornia.com

• Conducted Web audit of online travel sites, blogs and message boards to verify public perception of Southern California wildfires – determined if aggressive social media component was necessary

CALIFORNIA TRAVEL & TOURISM COMMISSION

ASSOCIATION OF TRAVEL MARKETING EXECUTIVES MAY 28, 2009