FEEDING THE FLAME.MARKETING A REIGNITED LOUISVILLE.

Louisville Tourism2018–2019 Destination Sales & Marketing Plan

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Hospitality has always been in Louisville’s blood. For

more than 100 years, the city has not only worked

hard to make visitors feel at home, but aggressively

marketed to get them here in the first place. As the

city’s destination marketing organization (DMO),

hospitality is at the very core of our mission, driving

the economic development of our region through

tourism.

“(Louisville) entertained 191 conventions…that brought on average 300 delegates… with average spends of between $7.50 and $10 a day… it readily can be seen how much money conventions have brought to this city.”

Courier Journal February 4, 1913

The city of Louisville has been building its reputation

for authentic hospitality since the early 1900s,

when the DMO was still known as “The Louisville

Convention and Publicity League.”

In July 1968, the current iteration of Louisville’s

DMO was launched as the “Louisville and Jefferson

County Convention and Visitors Bureau.” At that

time, the organization began receiving a “hotel and

motel room tax,” which funded the development

of its first marketing materials and aided in the

construction of the Commonwealth Convention

Center in 1977.

That very funding model – one based on visitor

spending – is what helps the “Louisville Convention

& Visitors Bureau” continue to market aggressively

for leisure and convention business today. It is also

helping fuel the renovation and expansion of the

Kentucky International Convention Center (KICC).

While the names of Louisville’s buildings and

businesses may change over time, one constant is

the city’s desire and ability to welcome its visitors. It

is the very foundation of the tourism industry in our

region, and why after 50 years, in the midst of the

most explosive tourism growth in decades, the DMO

has decided to simplify. Representing nearly 28,000

hospitality workers who fuel our local tourism

industry, we will become simply “Louisville Tourism.”

Louisville Tourism is YOUR destination marketing

organization and our mission remains the same.

We will work across industry lines to put more

business on the books in hotels, facilities, attractions

and restaurants. We are committed to bringing

Louisville’s hospitality story to local, regional,

national and international markets.

Louisville currently tracks 16.4 million visitors

annually, and our continued investment in

infrastructure development positions us favorably

for growth – particularly since the U.S. hotel industry

is projected to experience record occupancy rates

through 2019 according to CBRE Hotels’ America

Research. The study predicted an industry-wide

annual average occupancy rate of 65.9%, making

Louisville’s 2017 occupancy rate of 64.7% even more

impressive. We are simply reignited.

Louisville will host several well-attended tradeshows

throughout the next year with the opening of KICC,

the arrival of new hotels, distillery attractions,

enhanced iconic experiences, festivals, and a record-

breaking ninth year hosting the Breeders’ Cup.

Louisville Tourism stands ready to work with our

entire hospitality industry to open this spirited city

up to even greater business opportunities. Our plan

to market this reignited destination is outlined in the

pages that follow:

letter from karen williams

FINANCE and ADMINISTRATION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3destination overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4MARKETING COMMUNICATIONS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

LEISURE MARKETING overview . . . . . . . . . . . . 6CONVENTION overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10GROUP TOUR overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12community awareness overview . . . . . . . . . 14

convention development. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16DESTINATION SERVICES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22TOURISM DEVELOPMENT. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25partner development . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31board of directors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33staff . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34

contents

Room Tax Breakdown

LCVB Budget By Segment 2018/2019

Room Tax Comparison

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finance and administration

CVB — 4.5%

Kentucky Center for the Arts — 1.0%

State Lodging Tax — 1.0%

Incremental Tax — 0.57% (6.00% x 9.50%)

Sales Tax — 6.0%

Bond Debt Service — 3.0%

Finance/Admin$3,512,740

18%

Convention Sales and Service

$9,525,005 48%

Tourism Development$1,742,252

9%

Marketing$4,508,033

23%

LSC$530,000

2%

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destination overview

Louisville has been working to transform its

hospitality infrastructure, and after a season

packed with downtown construction, is emerging

reignited. With more hotels, restaurants, and

attractions opening every day, Louisville is indeed

ready to deliver on the destination’s strongest

pillars: Authenticity, Bourbon, Culinary, and

Southerness.

According to Smart Meetings Magazine, “a change

in attitude toward meetings culminated in 2017, the

idea of including a sense of place within meetings.

Now events draw on the sights, sounds and tastes

of a destination.” Louisville is uniquely positioned

to leverage this trend. It has built an entire brand

around one of its most authentic assets, being the

birthplace of bourbon.

For most people, bourbon is a spirit that comes in

a glass. But here in Louisville, bourbon is so much

more than that. Here, bourbon is a spirit that lives

in our minds and hearts and shapes our way of

life. You see, the bourbon industry was born here

centuries ago, the product of some of the most

spirited entrepreneurs to ever walk the earth.

Their unique free-thinking spirit was passed down

generation to generation and built the bourbon

industry as we know it. It’s this same spirit that

went on and created Louisville itself - a city that

combines heritage with innovation, authenticity

with originality, quirkiness with friendliness in a

way that’s completely unique. As travelers continue

to search out and distill authentic, one-of-a-kind

experiences, Louisville’s spirit continues to mature.

“Everyone seems to believe the American whiskey boom is just getting started.”

The Whiskey Wash, 2017It’s this same spirit that provides Louisville with

a brand of Southern-ness and hospitality unlike

anyplace else. A spirit that is embodied by

icons such as Muhammad Ali, Louisville Slugger,

and three-year-old thoroughbreds that begin

their quest for a crown at the longest-running

consecutive sporting event in America, the

Kentucky Derby. A spirit that defines our culture

and compassion, our arts and parks, our creative

energy, not to mention our highly acclaimed

culinary scene. Yes, bourbon is a spirit that comes

in a glass, but in Louisville, it is a spirit that defines

so much more.

Welcome to Bourbon City.

The Marketing Communications staff works to

create awareness about Louisville as a sought-after

and unique destination for individual and group

travelers through positive publicity, innovative

advertising, outstanding marketing and sales

collateral, digital and social media campaigns and

brand strategy.

OBJECTIVES

Utilize core brand pillars to position Louisville as

the premier destination for meetings and leisure

travel. Increase brand awareness in key target

markets to increase ROI and help achieve strategic

sales goals.

GOALS

• Generate and service 115 journalist visits

• Attract website traffic of 1.575 million unique visitors

• Engage and retain 79,200 social network subscribers

• Convert 30 press pitches to regional or national coverage in our primary feeder markets

KEY STRATEGIES

• Continue to focus advertising on these primary markets to drive visits:

• Frequent Individual Traveler (FIT/Leisure)

• Convention

• Group Tour/Motorcoach

• Extend earned media efforts to include the growing trend of social media influencers

• Expand digital programs utilizing owned content to convert “followers” to visitors

• Utilize event marketing efforts to create brand experiences outside of Louisville

marketing communications

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leisure marketing overview

We must continue to raise the profile of the

destination. We will do this by focusing our efforts

on increasing brand awareness in key feeder

markets. With the goal of creating an awareness

level of the brand that leaves a lasting feeling that

will mature into a must-visit mentality. Along with

the general brand awareness, we will also focus

efforts to support sales initiatives to increase visits

and attraction ticket sales.

TARGET AUDIENCE

PRIMARY: General Leisure Traveler

Millennials (adults age 18-34) and Gen Xers

(adults age 35-54); sweet spot is 25-40 year olds.

Millennials are now the largest generation in the

work force while Generation X claim the biggest

share of the U.S. Affluents with a median income

by HH at $145K, mean reaching $227K. These are

highly connected travelers who value authentic

urban culture and culinary experiences.

SECONDARY: Affinity Group Leaders

This is the key person among a group of friends,

club or organization that plans travel for the

group. These are leisure travelers in regard to

general demographics with the added need for

affordability and accessibility as it pertains to a

small-to-medium sized group. This audience is

also predominately female. The four focus interest

categories for 2018/2019, based on research and

new data from the GoToLouisville.com Experience

Builder, will be:

• Festival/Art Enthusiasts

• Bourbon Experiences

• Music Enthusiasts

• Family Fun

TARGET FEEDER CITIES**

1. Indianapolis

2. Chicago

3. Cincinnati

4. Nashville

5. Columbus, OH

6. New York City (OTA and Influencer Campaigns Only)

7. Detroit

8. St. Louis

9. Atlanta

10. Washington, DC

11. Philadelphia

*BOLD indicates crossover market city

** Markets within close proximity to facilitate a day drip have been removed to prioritize overnight guests.

MARKETING STRATEGY

We will integrate digitally focused annual and

flighted advertising campaigns to increase

awareness of the Louisville brand and directly

promote booking and attraction tickets. In 2016,

roughly 53% of all travel was booked online.

According to Skift, by 2020 the travel industry will

have the greater percentage of online payments

in relation to all sales than any other industry on

Earth. This digital focus will allow our dollars to

go further and influence those consumers in the

platform where booking decisions are being made.

In addition to this digital-first approach, we will

hone in on marketing partnerships, both locally

and nationally, that provide multiple layers and

channels to distribute content. This will include

traditional public relations tactics, influencer

marketing tactics and event marketing in top

feeder markets.

TRAVEL PLANNING

The flighted campaign dates were chosen based

on our latest travel decision data which shows

leisure travelers are booking hotels on average 23

days prior to arrival and airfare 27 days prior to

travel day. Because of our heavy digital presence

and new partnerships with Adara (a national

travel data and trend source) and the online travel

agencies, we are gleaning the most accurate data

for the destination to date.

• Flight #1

Ɵ July – Early September

• Flight #2

Ɵ Late April – June

MESSAGING STRATEGY

We will continue to implement brand-centered

messaging and introduce Louisville as “Bourbon

City.” This Bourbon City message will be featured

across all markets and will focus on the spirit of

bourbon and how it ties together all four of our

core brand pillars. Since the inception of our new

brand platform and strategic planning, we have

not simply launched a single-year campaign or

initiative but a long-term approach to destination

marketing.

In addition to a brand message, we will integrate

messaging with a strong call-to-action that garners

conversions such as attraction tickets purchased

through the Packaged Experiences program.

Flight-focused messaging:

1. Bourbon City/Urban Bourbon Experience | Fall Flight

2. Family and Adventure | Spring Flight

“11 u.s. cities perfect for a weekend getaway.” - conde nast traveler

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TACTICAL APPROACH

Online Travel Agency (OTA) Takeover

Louisville will continue to have a substantial annual

presence with the top OTA platforms, Expedia and

Priceline. These brands account for two-thirds of

the global online travel booking industry and 95%

of the U.S. market. As OTA’s continue to fight for

market share with the hotel brands, they remain

a heavy source for “end of the funnel” travel

research. Research from Google noted in a recent

Forbes article that it takes a consumer 32 visits to

10 different websites to book a simple airline ticket.

In addition to the OTA sites, we will continue to

supplement this campaign with programmatic

advertising buys focused on hotel booking and

awareness-driven channels through the Adara

competitive set targeting. This supplement will

offer an opportunity to weave in more brand

awareness and highlight our destination booking

incentives.

Digital Targeted Placements

For 2018/2019, we will shift part of our media

strategy to an awareness driven approach. Keeping

with the same brand pillar message drivers and

KPIs, we will look at media outlets that allow us to

cast a wider net and garner more attention from

our target demographic.

Some of new key media outlets will include:

• An experiential out-of-home placement in one of our top-three feeder markets

• Connected TV vendors like YouTube TV, DirectTV Now and others

• Location-based targeting at high-profile events in our feeder cities

Reach and engagement will be the primary

measurement when choosing media outlets, but

we will still incorporate a strong call-to-action that

generates conversions.

New Destination Video

One-third of time spent online by the average

user is dedicated to watching videos and 90%

of customers report that product videos help

them make purchasing decisions. Video is highly

consumed and a powerful device for brand identity

through storytelling. Done correctly, this form of

content can leave a lasting emotional impression

that warrants action.

The creation of a new story-focused destination

video will be vital to keeping the Louisville story

in front of consumers. The video will be edited

down to :15 and :30 spots that can be used on

social channels and in advertising, as well as two

full-length (roughly 2:00 – 3:00 min) versions that

will speak directly to the leisure consumer and the

meeting planner.

Feeder Market Pop-up Events

As part of our handcrafted event series, the

Tourism Department will host a pop-up event

in Chicago and Cincinnati. These events will be

supported through paid social media and local

digital advertising with a specific RSVP call to

action. These events have been successful in

reaching our primary audience in the convention,

group tour and leisure markets with a consistent

and strong brand message.

Anchor Events & Festivals

One major factor in Louisville’s growth as a

weekend getaway destination is our world-class

festival and events scene. This was noted in the

2015 report from Destination Analysts which cites

the top reasons for visiting as unique attractions,

festivals and events, bourbon, and culinary. Using

festivals and events as a key driver for visits, we

will target potential festival goers and leverage our

attractions and culinary scene to drive visitation.

Influencer Marketing

Using social media influencers to reach engaged

and trusting audiences with branded content

continues to be a growing trend. This will be very

important to reach travelers with organic brand

messaging in markets where traditional media

can be cost-prohibitive. In just the first 12 months,

this program has garnered 7 million impressions,

254,000+ post likes, 4,100+ shares/comments, and

over 127,000 unique page views on digital blogs.

The 2018/19 focus areas will include:

General Brand

Brand-driven content remains the primary

piece of the influencer marketing program

with a focus on partnering with those

influencers from our top feeder markets that

have affinity to one of four core areas:

• Bourbon enthusiasts (Urban Bourbon Experience)

• Culture lovers (unique festivals and events)

• Foodies (culinary/southernness)

• LGBT (compassionate/welcoming)

Music & Entertainment

Our one-of-a-kind music and entertainment

scene will once again elevate the destinations

profile using the emotional connection of

music and performing arts. Partnering with

incoming artists and performers will not only

influence travel but also raise awareness for

the strong arts and culture scene in Louisville.

KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS • Unique website visits

• Reach and engagement

• Ad clicks/video completion

• Leisure hotel bookings

• Attraction tickets purchased through GoToLouisville.com

• Event RSVPs

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convention overview

Be one of the first! Louisville’s convention package

continues to grow as new hotel development

presses forward and authentic attendee

experiences thrive. Louisville now has a seat at the

table with some of the largest destinations. Poised

to compete for an additional 25% of the national

share of meeting and convention business when

the newly renovated and expanded Kentucky

International Convention Center (KICC) comes

online, we will capitalize on this and establish

Louisville as a premier meetings destination.

TARGET AUDIENCE

PRIMARY: National and Local Convention Meeting Planners/Sports Event Owners and Rights Holders

Those who plan meetings/events, solicit bids and

negotiate agreements, perform site visits, influence

site selections, coordinate services at events and

monitor event activities.

SECONDARY: Association Executives and CEOs

The key influencers/decision makers and

organizational leaders of professional associations.

TARGET CITIES

*BOLD cities represent crossover markets (e.g. leisure and convention)

MARKETING STRATEGIESContinue to utilize the partnerships we have

formed with top industry associations and

media outlets to leverage our brand assets and

generate leads. In addition, we will host events and

industry shows that will allow our target audience

to immerse themselves in Louisville and fully

experience the authenticity of our brand.

MESSAGING STRATEGYAs the completion of the KICC and our $1

billion transformation come to an end, we must

reignite our message. We will shift from ‘we are

transforming’ to ‘we have arrived’ messaging,

without losing sight of the experiences and core

benefits that make our destination unique.

TACTICAL APPROACH

Industry Partnerships

Louisville will continue partnerships with the

following organizations:

These industry partnerships will not only reach our

target convention market segments but also allow

us to reach our primary and secondary convention

audiences in our target cities nationwide. While

these partnerships reach nationwide, we will focus

on the top three convention cities and partnerships

listed below:

• Washington, DC – ASAE (38% ASAE’s executive membership)

• Chicago – Association Forum, MPI

• Atlanta – MPI, PCMA

1. Washington, DC

2. Chicago

3. Atlanta

4. Indianapolis

5. Minneapolis

6. Kansas City

7. Milwaukee

8. St. Louis

9. Nashville

• ASAE

• MPI

• Association Forum

• PCMA

• Connect

• IAEE (advertising only)

• ConferenceDirect

• CVENT (advertising only)

• Schneider Publishing

• TSNN (advertising only)

• HelmsBriscoe

Advertising Partners

As we continue to see success in our advertising

and media partnerships, we will build upon those

in the 2018/2019 fiscal year. Specifically, through

targeting meeting planners directly through digital

platforms, such as:

• Growing our partnership with CVENT, which has shown over a 30% increase in RFPs to the destination over the last year.

• Utilizing vendor data to digitally retarget meetings and event planners with display and video content.

• Building upon our current SEM campaign to raise our quality score and ensure Louisville facilities are front of mind as planners search for opportunities.

Experiential Events

In 2018/2019, we will continue to enhance our

face-to-face sales tactics through events that go

beyond the table at a tradeshow and truly immerse

our clients in what makes Louisville uniquely

authentic. In addition to on-site show specific

events, other events include:

• Bourbon Heritage Month will once again be owned by Louisville. We will host two events in our core convention markets: Bourbon, Bluegrass & Blue Jeans in Chicago and Art of Bourbon in Atlanta. These events will be supported by direct mail invitations and paid advertising will increase in these markets throughout September and October.

• The Lunch in Louisville FAM will continue and focus on a strategic local experience that goes beyond facility tours and once again gives our customers a taste of Louisville.

Inbound Industry Shows

With a world-class tradeshow facility at the

newly expanded and newly renovated Kentucky

International Convention Center, we will host:

• TEAMS Conference and Expo with Olympic Sportslink and National Governing Body Best Practices Seminar: October 1-4, 2018

• TSNN Awards: August 9-12, 2018

• Association Forum Board: October 2018

• Smith Bucklin: November 8-9, 2018

• Nursing Organization Alliance Fall Summit: November 14-17, 2018

• American Bus Association: January 25-29, 2019

• Council of Higher Education Management Associations: May 28-31, 2019

• Connect Marketplace: August 23-28, 2019

• International Association of Exhibitions and Events: December 8-10, 2019

KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS1. Unique visitors to GoToLouisville.com/meet

2. Ad clicks/video views

3. RFP submissions and lead generation

4. Event registration & RSVP

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group tour overview

Louisville will once again be at the center of the

motorcoach universe as we prepare to host, for

the second time, the American Bus Association

in 2019. In addition to a strong presence in the

motorcoach market, we will continue to focus on

and define affinity groups and their leaders. Over a

quarter of visitors in 2015 reported being part of a

leisure/personal-related group for their visit.

TARGET AUDIENCE

PRIMARY: Motorcoach owners/operators

These are typically the key decision maker(s)

that include Louisville in their guided tour. Large

companies, small business owners and oftentimes

a husband and wife family-owned business who

are generally ABA members who skew towards

middle-class income level of $50K - $75K.

TARGET CITIES

1. Cleveland

2. Cincinnati

3. Chicago

4. St. Louis

5. Columbus

6. Indianapolis

7. Dearborn, MI

8. Chattanooga

9. Nashville

10. Philadelphia

*BOLD cities represent crossover markets (e.g. leisure and convention)

TARGET MARKET SEGMENTS • Students

• Seniors

• Boomers

• Bank Travelers

GOALDrive engagements with key group tour leaders

and increase awareness of booking incentives

available to their groups.

TACTICAL APPROACH

Seasonal Direct Mail

We will produce a quarterly direct mail piece sent

to our top 100 group tour operators focused on

seasonal and cultural experiences in Louisville.

These will have a call to action and analytics

component driving our clients to engage with us

on social media or through the website.

Booking Incentives

Incentives are specifically strong in the group

tour market. We will work to consolidate our

incentives to make them more easily digested by

our customers. These will be featured in a newly

created promotional piece that will be a one-stop

shop for all offers.

KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS• Click-thru & engagement

• Incentives activated by clients

• Group tour rooming lists

14 15

community awareness overview

“The 10 Coolest U.S. Cities to visit in 2018.” - Forbes

Going into the third year of Louisville’s rebranding

initiative, there is an ever-present need to further

educate and instill pride in our residents. Nearly

half of all Louisville visitors are here to see friends

and relatives and more than 40% of visitors rely

on user-generated content and social media

as resources for planning a trip. These reasons

further the need to ensure our residents are

educated and understand the full benefits of our

city in order to influence future travel.

TARGET AUDIENCELocal businesses and residents

MARKETING STRATEGYThe Spirit of Bourbon City or #SpiritedCity

campaign is a community content marketing

initiative set to define what it is to be a Louisvillian

through strategic and collaborative messaging

curated on GotoLouisville.com/SpiritedCity. The

goal of this initiative is to fuel the spirit of residents

and businesses to come alive and share their pride

with friends, relatives, and everyone they meet.

MESSAGING STRATEGYThe overall message will be told through a

combination of local stories and photos featured on

the blog, and the powerful accolades that Louisville

has received will lead the paid media initiative.

2018/2019 PROMOTIONAL TRAVEL

The Marketing Communications team will attend the following tradeshows and media events:

Event

PRSA Travel & Tourism Conference

Midwest Travel Writers Association Fall Conference

LGBT in Tourism Conference

New Orleans Bourbon Festival

WhiskyFest

Midwest Travel Writers Association Spring Conference

International POW WOW

Media Calls

Location

TBD

DeKalb County, GA

Fort Lauderdale, FL

New Orleans, LA

Chicago, IL

TBD

Anaheim, CA

NYC, Atlanta, Chicago

Date

TBD

Oct. 31—Nov. 4, 2018

Dec. 2—4, 2018

March 2019

March 2019

Spring 2019

May 2019

Seasonal

TACTICAL APPROACH

GotoLouisville.com/SpiritedCity

This landing page will act as a content hub where

our community can submit their own stories telling

what they love about Louisville, encouraging them

to look through other submissions. They will be

able to see others’ photos and stories. This site

will be supported by user-generated content

from the community and content gathered from

local influencers. Photos posted to social media

platforms using #SpiritedCity will also be featured

on the site.

These efforts will be supported by a full paid

media campaign, as well as public relations and

earned media efforts.

Neighborhood FAMS

The tourism department will work with the

neighborhood associations to hold events and

FAM experiences with the goal of getting residents

into new parts of town. This will increase overall

knowledge of the city and benefit the local

communities.

VIC Ambassador Program

The Visitor Center will continue with its successful

event series making it a hub for locals to network

and learn more about the city. The #LouisvilleLove

VIP program will continue as well, offering another

touchpoint through email and face-to-face events

for locals to get involved and learn to sell the

destination.

Bureau Brief

Reposition and re-design the bi-weekly CVB

update (Bureau Brief) as a leading news source for

tourism-related content. In addition to partners,

for the first time we will target residents with this

newsletter and simplify messaging to be relevant

across all profiles.

ROSE Awards

The ROSE Awards will again be supplemented

by a paid advertising campaign to help educate

the community through hospitality and service

recognition.

#SpiritedCity

16 17

The Convention Sales Team consists of 11

convention sales managers based in the Louisville

main office. Three Regional Directors cover the

Associations and third-party sales contacts

based in the Washington DC, Chicago, and

Atlanta regions. The Sales team generates leads

from all market segments throughout the U.S.

The combined goals of the Louisville, Northeast

(Washington DC), Midwest (Chicago) and

Southeast (Atlanta) offices are:

GOALS• Generate 655,000 room nights

• Generate 1,405 convention sales leads

• Host 280 site inspections

OVERVIEWProjections on occupancy and average rate for

2018 remain positive as both critical indexes are

forecasted to be 1-2% higher respectively over

previous years. The economic impact the group

market continues to have on our industry – and

specifically Louisville – is very encouraging. All

key measurements within the group market show

growth year over year. Attendance, square footage,

budgeted spend and overall travel are all trending

ahead of 2017 levels. This projected growth in

the meetings market will continue to push more

opportunities for Louisville, and with a strong

conversion rate, achieving our booking goals is

realistic. Increased group rooms into 2018/19

and the future will help drive new jobs, state and

local tax receipts and help expand our hospitality

infrastructure.

Louisville is poised to capitalize on these

positive meeting and convention trends. Our

destination messaging is resonating with group

planners within the geographic markets that we

are targeting. With the opening of the KICC in

summer 2018, and important demand generators

like the Louisville Omni hotel, we project that our

group room nights and number of sales leads

will continue to grow. Now totaling four sales

managers and a room night-producing Director

of State Association Sales, our Meetings team

continues to produce and convert valuable short-

term room nights in the local market. Definite

transactions for in-house groups are projected

to be up in 2018/19 versus 2017/18, even as KICC

reopens its doors later this year.

Identifying opportunity dates further out on

the calendar will be a focus of the Convention

Development team. As mentioned, KICC continues

to gain interest in all market segments. Establishing

a solid foundation of confirmed business further

out on the calendar will be a vital component of

reaching our new group booking goals. Identifying

need periods and creating a strong direct selling

plan against the identified dates will be important

to our success. Our hotel partners enjoy a healthier

bottom line when we cover more holiday and need

period dates.

convention development

KEY STRATEGIESTo sustain growth, Louisville’s group sales and

marketing priorities will include:

• Find new citywide group business: The Convention Development team will be working to identify and book new citywide business into Louisville with a focus on business that can take advantage of open dates and space within the Kentucky Exposition Center (KEC) or KICC.

• Successfully plan and host industry events: 2018/19 will be a big year as we welcome multiple industry events into Louisville. By design, we targeted these client-rich events to showcase the new convention center, Louisville

and new hotels and attractions coming online. TEAMS, TSNN, Nursing Organization Alliance, Council of Higher Education Management Associations (CHEMA), and Trust for Insuring Educators (TIE), will provide Louisville tremendous exposure across various important market segments.

• Short-term room nights converted into 2018 and 2019: Our sales team will continue to push the successful $3/$3 promotion through the end of 2018. Over the past two years, over 50,000 room nights have been converted. Participating hotels will decide if they are interested in supporting this promotion as in-house, short-term leads are generated.

18 19

SALES LEAD ADMINISTRATIONThe volume of tentative and definite leads will

be increasing over the previous year. Meeting

Database Institute (MDI) will be providing monthly

database support to each sales manager. Our

sales coverage within each market segment

will be stronger with improved data and a more

strategic approach to each account. Qualified

account templates will continue to be a priority

with the entire sales team. Each sales manager and

their assigned administrative assistant will work

together to qualify accounts and update important

SimpleView (the CVB’s CRM) contact information.

Through their SimpleView interface, MDI will

refresh our data monthly. More accurate account

information will allow us to communicate more

effectively with the accounts and clients we want

to bring to Louisville.

Midwest Regional Office - Chicago

Securing new citywide business will continue to be

a priority as we promote the opening of the new

and expanded KICC on August 1, 2018. Strong in-

market client engagement will include events, sales

blitzes, and a tradeshow presence. Third-party

organizations based in the Midwest will continue to

be targeted. Interest, and ultimately room nights,

are growing from this influential lead source.

All regional directors will make scheduled site

inspections a priority. Each quarter, the regional

team will host a key citywide client site inspection.

• Generate 405 sales leads

• Generate 645,000 tentative room nights per year

Northeast Regional Office - Washington DC, Virginia

Strong inroads into the Northeast market will

continue to be our focus. Association and

Corporate accounts outside the traditional

Potomac regions of DC, Virginia and Maryland will

be targeted. Calls and sales blitzes with partner

hotels, high-profile extraordinary client events

and regional tradeshows will help us build interest

in Louisville. Regional chapter sponsorships with

PCMA and MPI will provide increased exposure

within their respective memberships.

• Generate 412 sales leads

• Generate 575,000 tentative room nights per year

Southeast Regional Office - Atlanta

Significant gains in the Southeast market continue

to be made. Now in our fourth year as a target

market, excellent sales traction and destination

awareness have been created. Significant

momentum has been building in new lead

generation and the associated room nights. As

in other regional markets, sales blitzes, industry

chapter sponsorships, large client events and

targeted third-party organization promotions will

help continue to grow the Southeast market. While

Atlanta will continue to be the epicenter, Charlotte,

Raleigh and the State of Florida will be additional

markets targeted for special events and sales calls.

• Generate 315 sales leads

• Generate 525,000 tentative room nights

DIRECT PROMOTION AND SELLING The convention trade show schedule will again be

robust. Several new regional shows tied to specific

market segments are going to be pursued as we

search for new group opportunities. Pre-promotes

at Connect Marketplace and IAEE Expo are also a

part of our tradeshow calendar.

Destination themed client events, sales calls, sales

missions and industry sponsorships will continue

in the primary markets of Chicago, Washington

DC, and Atlanta. Similar activations will occur in

the markets of Philadelphia, New Jersey and New

York in the Northeast, Raleigh and Charlotte in the

Southeast and Kansas City, St. Louis, Indianapolis,

and Minneapolis in the Midwest.

Site visits will again be a priority in our direct

selling mix. We plan to average over 23 sites each

month. Our conversion percentage from tentative

to definite improves when the customer physically

connects with our destination and our people.

The highly successful Lunch in Louisville program

and the Mastermind Meeting Planner Bootcamp

will again be on the calendar. Combined, all four

programs should host over 65 clients into the city.

MAY 2018 P C M A C O N V E N E 31

Bourbon

Sponsored content by Louisville Convention & Visitors Bureau, gotolouisville.com.

122 total parks

covering ~ 12,500 acres

Downtown Waterfront Park offers 85 acres of green space

in the heart of the city.

Home to 3 sporting legends

Muhammad Ali, Louisville Slugger, & the Kentucky Derby

THE URBAN BOURBON EXPERIENCE INCLUDES:

1/3of all bourbon sold

is produced in Louisville

5 DOWNTOWN DISTILLERIES

Louisville is nearing the completion of a

$1-billion transformation

to the downtown area

Louisville Slugger Museum & Factory

Muhammad Ali Center

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120,000 MINT

JULEPS served during

Derby weekend

Home of the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs for

144 YEARS

Kentucky has more bourbon barrels aging

than it does people.

“10 Top U.S. Destinations

for 2018” – Lonely Planet

– for Bourbon Country

18 Frederick Law

Olmsted– designed parks

The Urban Bourbon Trail with

38 bar/restaurant

stops along the trail

8 urban bourbon

distilleries by the end of 2018

4 anchor bourbon

events

030-031-knowledge-final.indd 31 4/19/18 11:43 AM

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Convention Development will attend the following key Industry Meetings & Tradeshows:

Event

Destination International

Industry IX Change

Kentucky Society of Association Executives (KSAE)

Trade Show News Network

American Society of Association Executives (ASAE)

Connect Marketplace (Sports, Corporate, Specialty)

IAEE Chapter Leaders

CVB Reps August Reception

Meeting Planner Mastermind

TSE Gold Gala 100

Friends of Marlene

Local Corporate FAM

CEIR Predict Conference

The Art of Bourbon Client Event

Association Forum Board Retreat

Travel, Events & Management in Sports (T.E.A.M.S.)

NASC 4S Summit

IMEX America

Lunch in Louisville

Bourbon, Bluegrass & Blue Jeans Client Event

Financial & Insurance Conference Professionals

SmithBucklin Education FAM

Connect Faith

Nursing Organizations Alliance - Fall Summit

IAEE November Midwest Event

Service Club Leaders

Association Forum - Holiday Showcase

Lunch in Louisville

Event

CVB Reps December Reception

Direct Selling Association - Be Connected

International Association of Exhibitions & Events (IAEE)

Professional Convention Management Association (PCMA) Annual Meeting

RCMA Emerge

ACES Meeting

Destination Showcase

Meeting Professional International - Mid America

ASAE Great Ideas Conference

ASAE Advocacy Day at the Capitol

Lunch in Louisville

NASC Women’s Summit

ASAE XDP National

Simpleview Summit

Society of Independent Show Organizers - CEO Summit (SISO)

Christian Meetings & Conventions Association (CMCA)

IAEE Women’s Leadership Forum

National Association of Sports Commissions Symposium

Exhibition & Convention Executives Forum

PMPI Derby Days

Sports Travel Road Show

Direct Selling Association Annual Meeting (DSA)

Experient on the Road

CVENT Connect

IAEE Advocacy

MPI-WEC

PCMA Partnership Summit

Association Forum - Honors Gala

Location

Anaheim, CA

Chicago, IL

Bowling Green, KY

Louisville, KY

Chicago, IL

Salt Lake City, UT

TBD

Washington D.C.

Louisville, KY

Dana Point, CA

Chicago, IL

Louisville, KY

Oxon Hill, MD

Atlanta, GA

Louisville, KY

Louisville, KY

Cleveland, OH

Las Vegas, NV

Louisville, KY

Chicago, IL

Orlando, FL

Louisville, KY

Ontario, Canada

Louisville, KY

TBD

TBD

Chicago, IL

Louisville, KY

Location

Washington D.C.

TBD

New Orleans, LA

Pittsburgh, PA

Greensboro, NC

TBD

Washington D.C.

Lexington, KY

TBD

Washington D.C.

Louisville, KY

TBD

Harbor, MD

Phoenix, AZ

TBD

TBD

Washington D.C.

Knoxville, TN

TBD

Washington D.C.

Colorado Springs, CO

Austin, TX

TBD

Las Vegas, NV

Washington D.C.

Toronto, Canada

TBD

Chicago, IL

Date

July 2018

July 2018

August 2018

August 2018

August 2018

August 2018

August 2018

August 2018

September 2018

September 2018

September 2018

September 2018

September 2018

September 2018

October 2018

October 2018

October 2018

October 2018

October 2018

October 2018

November 2018

November 2018

November 2018

November 2018

November 2018

November 2018

December 2018

December 2018

Date

December 2018

December 2018

December 2018

January 2019

January 2019

January 2019

March 2019

March 2019

March 2019

March 2019

March 2019

March 2019

April 2019

April 2019

April 2019

April 2019

April 2019

May 2019

May 2019

May 2019

May 2019

June 2019

June 2019

June 2019

June 2019

June 2019

June 2019

June 2019

22 23

destination services

The Destination Services team provides services

for booked conventions, trade shows and events

utilizing a consultative approach based on the

unique needs and specific goals of each group.

GOALS• 350 partner referrals

• 6.8% - 7.0% Post-convention evaluation average

• Process 29,500 housing reservations

• 300 Certified Tourism Ambassadors

KEY STRATEGIES• Streamline internal processes and continue

to grow positive visitor perception through education and training.

• Build on strong public and private partnerships to enhance the destination experience.

• Expand and update welcome services and

promotional experiences.

RECORD-BREAKING SERVICEDestination Services anticipates that the city will

host over 1,100 conventions and events over the

2018/19 fiscal year, the highest number recorded

since the organization was founded. To prepare for

continued growth, the Destination Services team

will streamline internal processes and heighten

focus on attendance-building through experiential

design. With the newly renovated convention

center, new hotels and expanded attractions, the

level of service we offer must be as sharp and fresh

as the facilities.

For both meeting planners and attendees, an

authentic experience will be crucial to booking

repeat visits. Enhancing authenticity will require

exceptional customer service and education, local

partnerships and modernization.

Customer Service and Education

The Destination Services team will focus on

streamlining internal processes to create greater

efficiencies to provide the most relevant services

to groups. The Certified Tourism Ambassador

program will be forging ahead into its second year

with a focus on working with individual companies

and community partners to train and educate the

hospitality community and the public.

Local Partnerships

The Destination Services team is fortunate to have

strong relationships with local public and private

partners. Collaborations with Louisville Downtown

Partnership, Transit Authority of River City and the

Louisville Regional Airport Authority will lead the

way in delivering new and upgraded destination

experiences for convention attendees and leisure

visitors.

Modernization

From continued research and the identification

of new opportunities, the Destination Services

team will update a selection of services offered to

meet the expectations of today’s modern traveler.

The focus will be on experiential design for

promotional trips and digital welcome experiences

to offer more relevant and meaningful services

while increasing efficiency with organizational

resources.

A sample of the conventions, tradeshows and events booked to receive DMO Services in 2018/2019 includes:

• Six Annual Conventions/Trade Shows representing 645,500 attendees generating 155,003 room nights and over 75 million dollars in economic impact.

• High Profile/Industry Specific Conventions: TSNN T-Awards (August 2018); Trust for Insuring Educators (September 2018); Association Forum (October 2018); Smith Bucklin (November 2018); NOA Fall Summit (November 2018); TEAMS Convention & Expo (October 2018); American Bus Association Marketplace (January 2019); CHEMA (May 2019)

• Major Faith-Based & Social Welfare Conventions: University Bible Fellowship 2018 International Summer Bible Conference (August 2018); NeighborWorks America 2018 NeighborWorks Training Institute (August 2018); Mothers of Preschoolers International MOMcon 2018 (September 2018); United Pentecostal Church International 2018 General Conference (September 2018); CROSS 19 (January 2019); Lifesavers Conference, Inc. 2019 Lifesavers National Conference on Highway Safety Priorities (April 2019)

• Major Education Conventions: National Career Pathways Network (October 2018); FCCLA 2018 National Cluster Meeting: Southern Region (November 2018); Irish Dance Teachers Association 2018 Mid-American Regional Competition (November 2018); American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education 2019 Annual Meeting (February 2019); US Institute of Theatre Technology 2019 Annual Conference & Stage Expo (March 2019); VEX Worlds Robotics Championships (April 2019); Educational Testing Service – College Board

AP Reading (June 2019); SkillsUSA National Leadership and Skills Competition (June 2019)

• Trade/Business/Commercial Conventions & Trade Shows: Rubber Division, American Chemical Society (October 2018); National Precast Concrete Association (February 2019); National Frame Building Association (March 2019); Research Chefs Association (March 2019); American Public Transportation Association (May 2019)

• Corporate and Health & Medical Conventions: Self-Esteem Brands Anytime Fitness (September 2018); American Association of Cardiovascular & Pulmonary Rehab (September 2018); American Association for Marriage & Family Therapists (November 2018)

• Major Sports Conventions/Events: TFN Camps and Clinics Run 4 Roses (July 2018); TFN Camps and Clinics Battle in the Boro (July 2018); USA BMX Derby City Nationals (August 2018); IRONMAN (October 2018); USA Cycling Cyclocross National Championship (December 2018); WSF Cheer and Dance Championship (December 2018); USA BMX Bluegrass Nationals (January 2019); NCAA DI Men’s Basketball Regional Championship (March 2019); Ultra Ankle Bluegrass Volleyball Tournament (March 2019); Junior Volleyball Association World Challenge (April 2019); National Wheelchair Basketball Association (April 2019); National Archery in the School Program National Tournament (April 2019); Kentucky Derby Festival Mini Marathon/Marathon (April 2019); NCAA D1 Men’s Golf Regional (May 2019); Bluegrass Lacrosse Festival (June 2019)

CONVENTION/EVENTSNearly 40 high profile groups will host events or

conventions in Louisville during the 2018/2019

fiscal year, including eight industry shows that

are each expected to bring thousands of meeting

planners to the city. The Destination Services team

will experience significant growth in off-site event

functions and promotional trips to shows that are

scheduled to be hosted in Louisville the following

year. The team will also attend eleven conventions/

trade shows with experience-focused promotional

plans that create authentic connections to

Louisville’s culture.

HOUSINGConvention Housing continues to provide quality

service and value to our planners through a

Louisville-based call center and strategic approach

to managing room blocks. With the opening of

KICC, room night projections for the housing

department are up by more than 50%. While the

increase is primarily convention, a partnership

with aRes (a private label booking engine) has

been successfully filling our special events and

attractions accommodations needs.

In addition to traditional housing services, trends

show that 26% of meeting planners believe CVBs

should have a working relationship with Airbnbs in

their area. As a result, the housing department is

working with the communications and marketing

team to identify key areas of integration with the

company. They are also initiating a grassroots

effort to build a “community” of Airbnb hosts who

are willing to collaborate and share information

during city-wide conventions and special events.

24 25

The Tourism Development staff is dedicated to

selling Louisville as a leisure travel destination and

servicing visitors from the domestic individual,

international, group tour and motorcoach markets.

GOALS• Generate leisure attraction attendance of

4,476,253

• Generate group tour attraction attendance of 87,770

• Generate 57,609 group tour room nights

• 80,703 walk-in visits to Visitors Center

Leisure Individual Market Overview

Leisure travel continues to be on an upswing for

Louisville. A Longwoods study conducted between

2014 and 2016 found that 84% of overnight

travel to Louisville was for leisure purposes, the

highest percentage of leisure travel overnights

among our competitive markets. Of those leisure

travelers, the study determined that over 40%

were “marketable” visitors—meaning that guests

were not in Louisville to visit friends/family or

“bleisure” (business + leisure) travelers visiting

before or after a conference. The number one

driver of marketable visitors to Louisville is special

events or festivals. We have seen particular market

interest in events such as the Bourbon & Beyond

Music Festival, Forecastle Festival, Jack-O-Lantern

Spectacular, major concerts at the KFC Yum!

Center and the St. James Art Fair, among others.

The majority of Louisville’s remaining overnight

travelers are made up of those who are visiting

friends & relatives (VFR) who live locally. The VFR

market represents 42.5% of total overall overnight

travelers. The strength of Louisville’s VFR market

correlates with the HomeAway 2017 Trend Report

that shows gas prices are assisting with the

planning of trips within driving distance to regional

destinations, such as Louisville, to spend time with

friends and family while visiting unique attractions

and having one-of-a-kind experiences. Moreover,

the 2017-2018 “Portrait of American Travelers”

study found that road trips are on the rise with

over 39% of Americans choosing to take domestic

road trips over international vacations — a trend

that is expected to continue to rise. All of this is

a great indicator of a continued upward trend for

Louisville’s leisure travel market.

Trendwatchers from the US Travel Association

to Tourism Currents note that 2018/2019

will see leisure travelers seeking experiential

and transformational experiences while in a

destination. One article referred to this as one’s

“story economy,” where a visitor can build an

online narrative about their vacation that can

be shared with others, either in person or online

via social media. Louisville’s reignited tourism

product will offer many of these “story economy”

opportunities, including our growing bourbon

scene and new experiences at iconic attractions.

tourism development

2018/2019 Pomotional Travel

The Destination Services team will provide an authentic Louisville experience at the following conventions:

Event

Nat’l Veteran Wheelchair Games

Ecological Society of America

Pioneer Network

Connect Marketplace

Nat’l Assn of College Admission Counseling

National Academic Advisory Assn

Society of American Foresters

DeckExpo

American College of Surgeons TQIP

Society of Gastroenterology Nurses & Assoc.

National PTA

Location

Orlando, FL

New Orleans, LA

Denver, CO

Salt Lake City, UT

Salt Lake City, UT

Phoenix, AZ

Portland, OR

Chicago, IL

Anaheim, CA

Portland, OR

Columbus, OH

Date

July 29-August 4, 2018

August 5-10, 2018

August 12-15, 2018

August 23-25, 2018

September 27-29, 2018

September 30-October 3, 2018

October 3-7, 2018

October 9-12, 2018

November 16-18, 2018

April 12-16, 2019

June 20-23, 2019

46 P C M A C O N V E N E MONTH 2017 PCMACONVENE .ORG

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Louisville

It’s true that Louisville, settled on a bend in the Ohio River in 1778, is laden with charm and drenched in Southern hospitality. But there’s nothing old-fashioned

about the city’s vibrant downtown neighborhoods, each stamped with their own culinary personality. The city’s original and innovative food scene has earned Louisville a spot on National Geographic Traveler’s “10 Best New Food Cities,” while the Urban Bourbon Experience links more than 40 bars, restaurants, and distilleries. The city’s compact, walkable downtown means that a good time — and a memorable meal — is always just a few steps away. To learn more, visit gotolouisville.com.

out and about inWalk This WayOffering scenic views of the Ohio River, the 85-acre Louisville Waterfront Park connects with a decommissioned train bridge, with a mile-long walking and cycling path.

P LU S

$1Binvestment in city infrastructure and neighborhoods

16.4Mannual visitors

5,900downton hotel rooms (2018)

130restaurants within walking distance of KICC

25all-electric ZeroBuses traversing downtown Louisville

$0to ride a ZeroBus

1 Kentucky International Convention CenterThe Kentucky International Conven-tion Center (KICC), in the heart of downtown Louisville, is undergoing a $207-million renovation that will add a 40,000-square-foot ballroom and 52 meeting rooms, and boost the amount of exhibition space to more than 200,000 square feet in 2018. The reno-vation adds acres of windows, flooding the center with natural light and open-ing up views of the city. Coming soon: 1,500 more hotel rooms, including a 600-room hotel adjacent to the KICC.

2 Whiskey RowLouisville’s bourbon bonafides go back to the 18th century — a third of the world’s bourbon is distilled here. Any trip exploring the city’s bourbon culture would do well to start along Whiskey Row, where dozens of distill-eries lined Main Street before Prohibi-tion. The area has been reborn with bourbon-inspired restaurants and dis-tilleries where visitors can learn about distillation from start to tasty finish.

3 NULUThe East Market District has been dubbed NuLu — shorthand for “New Louisville” — but is one of the city’s most historic. Named by Thrillist as one of the “18 Best Food Neighbor-hoods in America,” NuLu is a proving ground for chefs who are bringing

their own twists to traditional Southern cuisine and introducing new flavors to NuLu’s red-brick-fronted streets. And talk about eclectic: There is both a 1920s-era candy shop and a newly established axe-throwing venue in the neighborhood.

4 Fourth StreetLouisville’s leading citizens once lived in gracious mansions along Fourth Street, which glides down to the waterfront and, during the 19th and 20th centuries, was the city’s prime address. Two grand historic hotels — the Seelbach and the Brown — remain; the latter is home to the legendary “Hot Brown,” an upscale open-faced sand-wich. Today, there are 78 restaurants in the area, including 14 at Fourth Street Live! The shopping, dining, and enter-tainment complex is the most-visited attraction in Kentucky, drawing more than 4.5 million people and hosting 150 events each year.

5 ButchertownThis historic neighborhood’s colorful name hearkens back to the days when it was Louisville’s meatpacking district and held rows of butcher shops. Today it’s home to a rapidly emerging food scene, led by establishments including the Butchertown Grocery, a fine-dining restaurant in an 1800s-era building that was once a grocery store, and the gleaming Copper & Kings brandy distillery.

PCMACONVENE .ORG AUGUST 2017 P C M A C O N V E N E 47

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• Focus new initiatives on localism and growing both in-state visitation and the ability of local residents to serve as destination ambassadors. As Tourism Currents notes, “Locals are the soul of your community and a key part of your destination marketing. Locals are your ambassadors.”

Ɵ Create a Kentucky resident-only e-newsletter focusing on ticket discounts available through aRes: Upcoming festivals and events, available booking incentives such as the “Main Ticket” booking incentive ($90 value), the new “Bring Your Crew to Lou” booking incentive for locals

($180 value) and the future implementation of the “Birthplace of Birthdays” leisure booking incentive that highlights Louisville as the birthplace of the “Happy Birthday” song ($50 value).

Ɵ Hometown Tourist Month will be rebranded/relaunched in accordance with the new community awareness campaign, Spirited City. This community pride and awareness campaign will involve neighborhoods and partners in an effort to encourage locals to become ambassadors of our city and brand.

• Continue to drive increased sales for “Can’t Miss Experiences” unbundled ticketing which currently features over 30 attractions. In the new fiscal year, an additional sales strategy will consist of the inclusion of a link to the Can’t Miss Experiences ticket website on microsites/websites for festivals, sporting events and conventions that we develop. This inclusion on these microsites/websites will allow us to tap further into the bleisure market in hopes to spur on attendees to add additional days to their Louisville experience.

KEY STRATEGIES• Execute pop-up events in

our regional feeder markets to provide engagement opportunities with potential travelers through an immersive Louisville experience. This includes partnering with local Bourbon distilleries and attractions, and thus increasing destination advocates and the ambassador base in top feeder markets. The fall pop-up event will be on a yearly basis in the top feeder market — Chicago — during September’s “Bourbon Heritage Month,” while the spring pop-up event will rotate between the other top-five feeder markets for leisure visitors including Nashville, Indianapolis and Cincinnati during April’s “Mint Julep Month” as a lead-up to the Kentucky Derby.

Group Tour/Motorcoach Market Overview

Group tour/motorcoach travel continues to be an

important market segment for Louisville. The city

hosted 2,274 overnight motorcoaches in 2017, which

reflects an increase of 300 motorcoaches from

the previous year. The American Bus Association

estimates that after hosting ABA’s Annual

Convention, a destination can expect a 10% projected

increase in overall group tour business over their

pre-show level within five years (Louisville hosted the

American Bus Association Marketplace in 2016).

Growth in this segment is expected to remain strong

in 2018 and beyond as Louisville continues to reap the

benefits of hosting industry shows like the 2018 Select

Traveler Conference and the American Bus Association

Annual Convention again in January of 2019.

Louisville’s reignited tourism product will continue

to earn Louisville the reputation of the “Best, Getting

Better” with a competitive edge in attracting

additional group tour travelers. We continue to

position the destination as a leader within the group

tour industry. This momentum shows no anticipated

slowdown. Positive trends include the 2017 Leisure

Group Travel Reader Intention survey that shows

travel to southern states from the tour and travel

market leads all other regions of the US and the

average size of leisure groups are on the rise from

2016 with 31-50 travelers on each trip. The ABA

quotes that group tour visitors consumed 838,000

room nights in Kentucky last year. According to Travel

South, “every business needs a diversity of clients

young and old -- and the group tour market is an

important niche. Tour and Travel is the low hanging

fruit, why wouldn’t you want to make sure to always

have a bushel or two as a foundation?”

ABA 2018 Red Hot Louisville closing event and Louisville Host City Booth

The ABA will hold their 2019 Annual Meeting and Marketplace, Jan. 26-29, at the Kentucky International

Convention Center. Around 3,500 people attended the ABA show this past January, generating more than $4

million for the local economy. The ABA expects 4,000 people in 2019 at the newly renovated KICC.

Where do your trips go?

“Travel to the Northeast has dropped over 20%, while the South shows the highest gain of any other US region.”

Leisure Group Travel Reader Intention Study

28 29

KEY STRATEGIES• Convert destination awareness created by

hosting industry shows into booked business both short and long term.

• Leverage new leads from 2018 Select Traveler Conference and 2019 American Bus Association Annual Convention whose attendees are more willing than ever to consider Louisville as a group tour destination after experiencing our area first hand.

• Drive additional new business through customer booking incentives with a continued focus on the promotion of “15 Rooms to Love” booking incentive targeting customers that have never had an overnight tour in Louisville or visited the city in the past two years.

• Partner with existing group tour customers that have large scale reach, external marketing/sales prowess and strong existing client bases to market and sell Louisville as both a traditional

adult and student tour destination.

Visitor Information Center Overview

As a visitor’s frontline point of contact, Visitor

Information Centers (VIC) are often considered

the “one-stop” destination information and

cultural lifestyle service provider, according to

Destination International, offering services such

as travel counseling, collateral resources and

retail opportunities. Destination International also

reports some 20-25% of visitors to a destination

generally use a VIC while in market and the top

performance measure of a VIC is the number of

walk-ins, followed by retail sales.

It is the VIC’s responsibility to act as the catalyst

and inspiration for Louisville visitors, as well as

serving as local destination ambassadors through

creative programming and experiences.

MARKETING STRATEGY• Continue to expand VIC Event Series based on

the success of 2017 events and rebrand the series to “Louisville Handcrafted Events at the VIC.”

• Engage locals who interact with our mobile visitor center activations at community festivals to follow our Facebook, Instagram and Twitter platforms in an effort to expand local ambassadors of Louisville as a destination.

• Add a referral program to the existing #LouisvilleLove VIP Program at the Visitor Center to offer local residents and fans of Louisville the opportunity to attend special, member-only events and receive Louisville gifts throughout the year.

• Encourage visitors to generate shareable moments with a #Louisvillelove Selfie Spot trail integrated throughout neighborhood communities destination-wide, with a call-to-action redeemable for a free souvenir gift at the VIC.

Louisville Love VIPs representing the city on a Caribbean cruise.

Event

Spotlight on the Southeast

Student Youth Travel Association

Great Day Tours Group Leader Show

Boomers in Groups

Travel South International

OMCA

National Tour Association Travel Exchange

Lakefront Lines Holiday Show

American Bus Association

Select Traveler Conference

Travel South Showcase

African American Travel Conference

IPW

Event

Regional Feeder Market Pop-Up Event

Cincinnati Holiday Market

Redsfest

Chicago Travel & Adventure Show

AAA Columbus

AAA Hoosier

Southern Women’s Show Nashville

Regional Feeder Market Pop-Up Event

Location

Ridgeland, MS

Baltimore, MD

Cleveland, OH

French Lick, IN

Nashville, TN

Toronto, Ontario

Milwaukee, WI

Cleveland, OH

Louisville, KY

French Lick, IN

Myrtle Beach, SC

TBD

Anaheim, CA

Location

Chicago, IL

Cincinnati, OH

Cincinnati, OH

Chicago, IL

Columbus, OH

Indianapolis, IN

Nashville, TN

Cincinnati, OH

Date

July 2018

August 2018

September 2018

October 2018

November 2018

November 2018

November 2018

December 2018

January 2019

February 2019

February 2019

April 2019

May 2019

Date

September 2018

November 2018

December 2018

January 2019

February 2019

February 2019

April 2019

Spring 2019

Tourism Travel Schedule 2018/2019

Tourism Development will attend the following key 2018/2019 motorcoach industry tradeshows:

Tourism Development will attend the following key 2018/2019 Leisure travel shows/promotional events:

“america’s friendliest city.” - travel + leisure

30 31

The department is dedicated to maintaining

and expanding partnerships with the local

business community through our partnership

program, strategic advertising and promotional

opportunities and special events aimed to cultivate

relationships and educate our partners on the

marketing tools available to them.

GOALS• Retain 93% of the partners in our partnership

program

• Generate $558,000 in partnership revenue

OBJECTIVES• Continue to focus on building a strong

partnership with the local hospitality community, seeking new ways to increase the effectiveness and relevance of our marketing tools and benefits

• Engage partners with outstanding events and partnership opportunities

• Foster networking among partners to encourage business-to-business partnerships and cross-promotional opportunities

KEY STRATEGIES• Continue community outreach to create interest

in our partner services. Patronize and learn about our their businesses and create partnerships to increase their bottom lines.

• Educate internal departments to ensure individual partner opportunities are maximized.

• Orchestrate several quality networking and educational events to familiarize partners with the Bureau’s activities, educate them on industry trends and further expand partner networking opportunities with industry peers, local meeting planners and Bureau team members.

• Continue to evolve our partner events to increase satisfaction and engagement with improved event formats, new locations and entertainment.

• Identify opportunities and promote networking and education opportunities for Certified Tourism Ambassador graduates.

• Focus on opportunities for community outreach and engagement, particularly with neighborhood associations and aligning associations.

• Manage and oversee the Bureau’s Annual Gala and Recognition of Service Excellence (ROSE) Awards community outreach and event.

• Identify and solicit new partners while refining and expanding existing partnerships.

• Further enhance the Show Us Your Badge program and develop a strong platform for other discount and promotional opportunities partners can participate in to offer to leisure travelers and local Certified Tourism Ambassadors

partner development

Event

Louisville Visitor Center Event Series

Forecastle Festival

Kentucky State Fair

Louisville Pride Festival

Jeffersontown Gaslight Festival

Light Up Louisville

Home Garden Remodeling Show

Hometown Tourist Celebration

Butchertown Art Fair

I AM ALI Festival

Location

Louisville, KY

Louisville, KY

Louisville, KY

Louisville, KY

Louisville, KY

Louisville, KY

Louisville, KY

Louisville, KY

Louisville, KY

Louisville, KY

Date

July 2018—June 2019

July 2018

August 2018

September 2018

September 2018

November 2018

March 2019

May 2019

June 2019

June 2019

Tourism Development will coordinate tourism information booths and/or roaming ambassadors at the following

key 2018/2019 Leisure travel events:

Louisville booth at the Kentucky State Fair

“nine southern festivals well worth adding to the calendar.” - garden & gun

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PARTNERSHIP EVENTSSeveral opportunities are offered to help partners maximize success by getting involved in events that are

relevant, effective, interactive and memorable. We offer workshops, networking events and year-round

activities designed to help partners make the most of their partnership. The events connect partners with

tourism experts and other hospitality partners who share our passion to keep tourism flourishing.

*A full commission comprises of nine members

Annual Luncheon featuring the Recognition of Service Excellence (ROSE) Awards

Our legendary Annual Luncheon is the region’s largest hospitality

gathering. This event celebrates the industry’s accomplishments and

recognizes the many people on the front line of the hospitality industry

that has made Louisville a successful destination.

Lunchtime Live! Hospitality Showcase

This tradeshow event is held in the fall, providing the opportunity for

partners to cultivate new business relationships to 1,000+ business and

convention attendees during lunch hour in a main corridor of downtown

at Fourth Street Live!

Partnership 101: Orientation & Refresher

Partner Orientation isn’t just a great way to get acquainted with who we

are and what we do. It’s also an opportunity to keep up-to-date on new

developments and initiatives that we’re working on. Bring your team,

send your new hires and reacquaint yourself often by attending one of

these convenient bi-monthly sessions.

Partner Showcase

We spend a lot of time telling you what we do, so here’s your chance to

turn the tables and put the spotlight on you! You’ll have the undivided

attention of our convention, tourism, communications and marketing

teams to present what your business does, who your target market is

and what your goals are in working with the Bureau. Partner Showcase is

held bi-monthly, and fills up fast, so register early to save a spot!

Network Nights

Louisville CVB’s Network Nights are a fun and casual way to network

with other members of the travel and tourism community. Held at

different venues throughout the city, with light bites, beverages, fun

music and door prizes to enjoy, this partner business exchange is a great

opportunity to make valuable connections.

Market Briefings & Educational Workshops

These briefings and workshops educate partners on current trends in the

visitor industry and help them gain insight into projected data and future

trends. Workshops also include tips and resources for working with

leisure travelers and convention planners.

board of directors*

Donald LassereChairPresident and CEOMuhammad Ali Center

Sarah RobbinsSenior Vice President of Operations21c Museum Hotels

Jim O’MalleyVice ChairDirector of Corporate AffairsBrown-Forman Corporation

Mary MoselyAl J. Schneider, CO

Michael GrisantiSecretary/TreasurerPresident and CEOGrisanti, Inc.

David GreeneGeneral ManagerMarriott Louisville Downtown

Michael E. BerryPresident and CEOKentucky Derby Festival

34 35

lcvb staff

ADMINISTRATION

Karen Williams, CTA

President & CEO

Cleo Battle, CDME, CTA

Executive Vice President

Chris Kipper, CPA, CTA

Chief Financial Officer

Ange McKinney, CTA

Exec. Assistant to the President/CEO &EVP

Kim Hay, CTA

Director of Finance & Administration

Mark FredoFinance Manager

Bethany Brown, CTA

Finance & Administration Assistant

Randy JamesDirector of Information Technology

MARKETING COMMUNICATIONS

Stacey Yates, CTA

VP of Marketing Communications

Michael Fetter, CTA

Director of Marketing

Mark Perry, CTA

Director of Technology Marketing

Christa Ritchie, CTA

Marketing Communications Manager/Leisure

Tourism Specialist

Jessica Dillree, CTA

Marketing Communications Manager/Convention

Sales Specialist

Katie Kubitskey, CTA

Marketing Communications Manager/Media

Specialist

Rosanne Mastin, CTA

Marketing Communications Manager/ Convention

Services Specialist

Sidney Abramson, CTA

Digital Communications Coordinator

Jordan Skora, CTA

Marketing Communications Assistant

CONVENTION DEVELOPMENT

Doug Bennett, CASE, CTA

Sr. VP of Convention Development

Angi Van Berg, CEM, CTA

VP of Trade Show Sales

David Kinney, CTA

Director of Midwest Sales

Regina RinkDirector of Northeast Sales

Mae Bower, CTA

Director of Meetings Team Sales/State Associations

Lisa LeCompteSenior Sales Manager

Kate Burger, CASE

Senior Sales Manager

Gen Howard, CSEE

Senior Sales Manager

Andrea Hamblen, CTA

National Sales Manager

Lauren Johnson, CTA

National Sales Manager

Allison Joyce, CTA

National Sales Manager

Keri Willard, CTA

Convention Sales Manager

Dana Baldwin, CTA

Convention Sales Manager

Mallory Cappelli, CTA

Convention Sales Manager

Tara Quigley, CTA

Convention Sales Manager

Jackie Workman, CKTP, CTA

Sales Information Manager

Darlene Starks, CTA

Convention Sales Coordinator

Anna Lundy, CTA

Sr. Administrative Assistant

Kathryn Peck, CTA

Convention Sales Assistant

Ana Cervera, CTA

Convention Sales Assistant

Courtney SchneiderConvention Sales Assistant

DESTINATION SERVICES/HOUSING

Zack Davis, CMP, CTA

VP of Destination Services

Cinnamon Jawor, CTA

Director of Destination Services

Karen Wallace, CTA, CHS

Director of Housing Services

Allison Gotting, CTA, CMP

Destination Services Manager

Brad Knapp, CTA

Destination Services Manager

Destiny Monyhan, CTA, CMP

Destination Services Manager

Becca Lloyd, CTA, CKTP, CHS

Housing Services Manager

Taylor Lockard, CTA

Registration Services Manager

Whitney Draper, CTA

Destination Services Assistant

Jimi Walthall, CTA

Destination Services Assistant

PARTNERSHIP DEVELOPMENT

Melissa Sparks, CTA

Director of Partnership Development

Nicole Fitzpatrick, CTA

Partnership Development Manager

RESEARCH

Laurianne Matheson, CTA

Research Manager

TOURISM DEVELOPMENT

Nicole Twigg, CTIS, CTA

VP of Tourism Development

Saundra Robertson, CTIS

Tourism Sales Manager

Lynnelle Morgan, CTA, CKTP

Leisure Sales Manager

Susan Pass, TMP, CTA, CKTP

Visitor Services Manager

Rose Caple, CTA

Visitor Services Coordinator

Olivia Rohloff, CTA

Visitor Services Coordinator

Chris Bumann, CTA

Tourism Coordinator

Louisville Tourism2018–2019 Destination Sales & Marketing Plan