DESTINATION MARKETING UPDATE
WHO WE ARE The Hilton Head Island Visitor & Convention Bureau continues to be the leader in promoting tourism within Southern Beaufort County. The Hilton Head Island-Bluffton Chamber of Commerce / Visitor & Convention Bureau staff, along with the Hilton Head Island Marketing Council, utilizes national economic and tourism trends, consumer research, prior program performance, demographic considerations as well as the needs of our travel partners to strategize both short and long-term goals to achieve destination marketing success. The following pages reflect a detailed marketing strategy for the destination.
WHAT DRIVES US VISION
Leading the Hilton Head Island region, community and partners collaboratively with effective education, advocacy and innovative programming ensuring tourism development and sustainable growth.
MISSION
Envisioning and advocating the common interests of our partners and stimulate the regional economy while enhancing the quality of life for all.
VALUES
The Hilton Head Island-Bluffton Chamber of Commerce is dedicated to serving as a professional, accountable and innovative business-oriented organization. The Chamber is pragmatic in its approach while also being visionary, fair-minded and ethical in all of its dealings with the community and its partners. Strategically facilitated by DestinationNEXT
OUR FIVE PILLARS
MEMBERSHIP • 1,600+ Members strong • 5 Star accredited Chamber of Commerce (1 of only 98 out of 6,936 Chambers in the U.S.) • 3 Times National Chamber of the Year • Over 90 events each year • Networking opportunities • Business exposure • Seminars and workshop opportunities to learn and grow
EDUCATION • Seminars, workshops and programs • SCORE offers free and confidential business advice for new and existing businesses • Leadership program developing our community leaders for over 25 years • Small business toolkit - learn online about marketing, cash flow and how to hire and retain great employees • Legislative advocacy - know what’s happening at the local, state and federal level that impacts your business
ADVOCACY • The Public Policy Committee meets the 1st Friday of each month at the chamber • Meetings include special speakers, updates on local, county, state and federal legislative actions • This committee helps develop the chamber’s legislative agenda and provides guidance or chamber positioning for issues in our business community
TOURISM • 2.62 million visitors in 2018. Economic impact on Beaufort County from tourism spending approximately $1.4 billion • 15,786 jobs on Hilton Head Island generated by Hilton Head tourists in 2018 and represents 14.4% of all jobs in Beaufort County • 2.26 million website visitors in 2018 with 810,982 website conversions to partners • $31.5 million net local revenue impact including hospitality tax, ATAX and beach renourishment fee
RESEARCH • One-stop-shop keeper of economic impact indicators for our region • ThinkHiltonHeadIsland.org • ThinkBluffton.org • STR Monthly Reports • Destination Metrics / Inntopia Reports Partnerships with: • USCB / LRITI • Clemson / Regional Transactions Concepts, LLC • College of Charleston
INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITIES
HEALTH CHECK DIRECT TRAFFIC
AVG TIME ON PAGE
205,126
70,988
2:30
3.9%
111%
2019 OFFICIAL VACATION PLANNER
WEBSITE VISITS HiltonHeadIsland.org
ORGANIC SEARCH
26.3% Jul 2019 - Sept 2019
SESSIONS
69%
77%
MOBILE
OF TRAFFIC FROM OF TRAFFIC FROM
H I LTO N H E A D I S L A N D.O RG
HILTON HEAD ISLAND • BLUFFTON • DAUFUSKIE ISLAND
29k
SOCIAL ENGAGEMENT
2019 OFFICIAL VACA T I O N P L A N N E R
H I LTO N
H E A D
I S L A N D
•
B LU F F TO N
•
DAU F US K I E
I S L A N D
VACATION PLANNER
Jul 2019 - Sept 2019
STORIES/
IMPRESSIONS
PUBLIC MENTIONS RELATIONS
AD VALUE
659,010,204
1,036
$1,491,535.94 Jul 2019 - Sept 2019
OCCUPANCY
4.4%
ADR
-1.6%
REV PAR
2.7%
Souce: VERB Interactive, Weber Shandwick, and 2 Source Report
Jan 2019 - Aug 2019
WEBSITE ADVERTISING
BVFA SOCIAL & ENEWS PROMOTIONS
HURRICANE DORIAN ECONOMIC IMPACT
REQUESTED & RECEIVED
$19.5 Million
$175k
to Tourism Sector
DIGITAL MARKETING CO-OP SEPTEMBER 2019
Crisis Marketing
BEING IMPLEMENTED IN THE OUT MARKET Source: College of Charleston
WHAT THE LOWCOUNTRY CAN LEARN FROM ONE OF AMERICA’S LONGEST SERVING MAYORS
State of the Region is Oct. 1
Six Hilton Head Island & Bluffton Courses listed in 2019 “Best Resort Courses”
Total YTD Awards: hiltonheadisland.org/our-island/awards
ACHIEVING RESULTS: THRIVE LOWCOUNTRY WOMEN’S CONFERENCE
HISTORY IN OUR OWN BACKYARD
Explore our Local Past
HiltonHeadBlufftonChamber.org | September 2019 Sept. 26-27 Lt. Gov. is the Keynote Speaker
1
ADVERTISING IN: • Chamber Business Monthly • Monday Morning Briefing • eNewsletters CONTACT ZACK SHEDD ZShedd@HiltonHeadIsland.org
DESTINATION TOOLS & PROGRAMS
SCPRT PASS THRU PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM
FLIGHTS FOR SITES
GROUP CLOSING FUND
THINKHILTONHEADISLAND.ORG THINKBLUFFTON.ORG
CONTACT JACK REED | JReed@HiltonHeadIsland.org
MEET YOUR TEAM Executive
Communications
Visitor & Convention Bureau
Bill Miles
Charlie Clark
Ariana Pernice
Connie Killmar
Hallie Martin
Jack Reed
Shelby Wielgus
Kayla Boyter
President & CEO bmiles@hiltonheadisland.org Assistant to the President ckillmar@hiltonheadisland.org
Vice President, Communications cclark@hiltonheadisland.org Communications Manager hmartin@hiltonheadisland.org Public Relations Coordinator swielgus@hiltonheadisland.org
Finance & Administration Ray Deal
Controller rdeal@hiltonheadisland.org
Information Specialists Kathy Winings
Information Specialist kwinings@hiltonheadisland.org
Rakenya Siders
Information Specialist rsiders@hiltonheadisland.org
Vice President, Visitor & Convention Bureau apernice@hiltonheadisland.org Director of Sales jreed@hiltonheadisland.org Senior Marketing Manager kboyter@hiltonheadisland.org
Wes Kitashima
Senior Sales Manager wkitashima@hiltonheadisland.org
Kim Nelson
Sales Manager knelson@hiltonheadisland.org
Zack Shedd
Multimedia Sales Manager zshedd@hiltonheadisland.org
Alyssa Whitehouse
Creative Manager awhitehouse@hiltonheadisland.org
Cristian Slaton
Research & Digital Marketing Coordinator cslaton@hiltonheadisland.org
PO BOX 5647 | HILTON HEAD ISLAND, SC 29938 | 800 523 3373 | HILTONHEADISLAND.ORG