2024 BUSINESS PLAN
LAKE CHARLES
SULPHUR
WESTLAKE
VINTON
DEQUINCY
IOWA
CONTENTS 03 FROM THE PRESIDENT/CEO 04 STRATEGIC PLAN 06 MARKETING 08 ADVERTISING 10 SALES 12 SPORTS 13 DESTINATION DEVELOPMENT 14 VISITOR EXPERIENCE 15 VLC TEAM
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A MESSAGE FROM THE
A
PRESIDENT/CEO
s 2024 begins, there are many obstacles of economic uncertainty ahead for the travel and tourism industry. However, these challenges have not dimmed my optimism around the wealth of opportunities that lie ahead for Southwest Louisiana’s hospitality sector. Several groundbreaking and transformative projects that have been discussed over the past five years will come to fruition with grand openings this year. This spring will mark the longawaited opening of Port Wonder on the Lakefront at Lake Charles. As the home of the Children’s Museum and the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Science Center, Port Wonder will be the first of several lakefront development projects completed. Other lakefront projects slated to begin construction are Crying Eagle Brewery and a convention hotel at the Lake Charles Events Center. Additionally, the Mardi Gras Museum of Imperial Calcasieu will break ground in 2024. These projects are pivotal in boosting our region’s tourism economy, offering new experiences for locals and visitors.
planners to inspire them to choose Lake Charles as a destination for future meetings. With Southwest Louisiana as the leader in youth and amateur sporting events, the sports market will continue to be a strong focus. The implementation of the sports recreational master plan, completed in 2023, will set the stage for significant enhancements that will support our community’s quality of life and economic wellbeing. The addition of two new sports teams, Louisiana VooDoo and Lake Charles Gumbeaux Gators, shows the community’s commitment and interest in sports tourism. The business plan aligns with the 20242026 Strategic Plan, focusing on diverse tourism development, community partnerships, data-driven decisions, and a commitment to innovation and forward-thinking vision. Our steadfast commitment involves broadening our reach and connecting with potential visitors across different areas—sports, leisure, and group business—to not just sustain but also boost Average Daily Rate (ADR).
Visit Lake Charles has a significant role in promoting these new assets to visitors and is poised to lead these efforts. As outlined in the 2024 business plan, the VLC team has a comprehensive plan to lead the way with innovative sales and marketing strategies. We will continue to drive inspiration through our award-winning “As Much Joy As You Can Pack In” campaign.
Looking ahead, I anticipate another year of success for the tourism industry and SWLA community. I want to express my gratitude to the entire team at Visit Lake Charles, our partners and stakeholders for your unwavering support and dedication. Together, we will continue to build a destination that thrives and evolves, setting the stage for a prosperous future.
The sales team will work to attract new meetings and groups to the area while maintaining strong connections with existing clients. There will be a focus on connecting with new meeting
Kyle Edmiston, CDME President/CEO
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VISION
A world-class destination where all are welcome to experience our authentic culture.
2024-2026
STRATEGIC PLAN HIGHLIGHTS
MISSION
To enhance the quality of life in Southwest Louisiana by optimizing visitor-related economic impact.
VALUES
We Believe In: • Strategic Collaboration: We accomplish more through partnerships. • Authentic Kindness: We exercise intentional care and compassion for all. • Impassioned Hospitality: We ensure exceptional experiences through our commitment to service.
REPUTATION
Our community and industry stakeholders know Visit Lake Charles as: • A transparent, trustworthy, and credible organization. • Innovative, impactful, and inclusive leaders. • Strategic and collaborative partners.
POSITION
Visit Lake Charles is the only organization in Southwest Louisiana providing advocacy, promotion, and education for the tourism industry through: • Cutting-edge marketing and product development that inspires visitation. • Community leadership and collaboration with elected officials and industry stakeholders. • Programs, partnerships, and communications that drive destination development and economic impact.
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■ IMPERATIVES
■ OBJECTIVES
■ INITIATIVES
Develop Diversified Tourism Products
• Successful implementation of three of the following four catalytic projects as defined by Just Imagine SWLA (lakefront development, mid-city housing, Bayou Greenbelt, Nellie Lutcher District). • Increase in minority-owned tourism businesses based on 2023 data. • Increase average length of stay in Calcasieu Parish.
1. Partner with City of Lake Charles to identify, contract and build an event center hotel. 2. Create and launch a SWLA sports commission. 3. Develop and launch implementation of a transportation strategy i.e., ridesharing taxis, water taxis, casino shuttles, core event shuttle transportation. 4. Complete construction and grand opening of Mardi Gras Museum of Imperial Calcasieu. 5. Partner with Southwest Chamber of Commerce, Black Chamber of Commerce, AAHOA, and Women in Business Network to identify minorityowned partnership opportunities.
Partner and Advocate to Develop Our Community
• Year-over-year growth in Earned Partnership Value (EPV) average score over 2023 baseline. • Year-over-year growth in aggregate score on stakeholder survey over baseline 2023. • Increase in resident sentiment over 2024 baseline.
1. Create and implement a baseline resident sentiment survey in 2024 and 2026. 2. Enhance partnerships with McNeese and SOWELA, including workforce development, scholarships and internships. 3. Begin conversations and negotiations with Cameron Parish leaders to move tourism promotion under the direction of Visit Lake Charles. 4. Utilize EPV scores for grant application considerations in 2024 and forward.
Integrate DataDriven Decision Making
• Year-over-year growth in ADR, at least 0.5% above inflation. • Year-over-year increase in visitor spend by segment (gaming revenue, economic impact, credit card spend data, seasonality spend). • Year-over-year growth in organic Visit Lake Charles website traffic by 5%.
1. Execute visitor behavior study in 2024 and 2026. 2. Share VLC owned data with partners (as appropriate) and staff to enhance their marketing and product development. 3. Use innovative technologies (i.e., ChatGPT) to enhance marketing and communications.
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MARKETING GOALS & STRATEGIES
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■ Increase visitors to the destination by 2% • Continue to integrate “joy” campaign messaging in leisure, meeting, groups and international marketing. • Implement retargeting ads to remind potential visitors of the delightful experiences they can have in Lake Charles. • Develop a comprehensive winter campaign focusing on holidays, signature events, culinary experiences, and casino offerings to attract visitors during January, November, and December.
■ Increase website traffic by 5% • Create engaging digital ads including banner ads, sponsored posts, and video ads for Facebook, Instagram, and Google to reinforce the campaign’s message. • Regularly update the website with dynamic content, including articles, blogs, and videos, showcasing the destination. • Ensure all owned content is optimized for search engines to reach those seeking relevant information online.
■ Increase email subscribers by 5% • Collaborate with local businesses for offers and packages aligned with the campaign theme, such as the “Joyful Weekend Getaway.” • Utilize online retargeting to re-engage potential visitors. • Create a targeted seasonal event campaign focusing on events with the highest potential to increase overnight visitation.
■ Increase earned media stories by 15% • Distribute monthly roundup press releases that focus on seasonality, events, and travel trends. • Keep media informed about timely updates on new destination products that add fresh reasons to discover “joy” in Lake Charles/Southwest LA. • Send joy-themed press boxes to journalists before their arrival, including essential “joy” branded items.
■ Increase social media engagement by 20% • Launch “Share Your Joyful Story” campaign with contests and polls, fostering engagement and user-generated content. • Create geotargeted content to speak directly to in-state and out-of-state audiences, highlighting experiences, attractions, and events relevant to each group. • Leverage social media data analysis tools to identify trends and growth opportunities.
MARKETING EDUCATION & TRAVEL • • • • • • • • • •
Leadership Louisiana Marketing Outlook Forum Simpleview Summit Destinations International CDME Travel South Media Marketplace IPW – US Travel Zartico Summit CEO/Senior Leadership Forum SATW Central & Eastern States PRSA Conference
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• STS Marketing College • Destinations International Annual Convention • ESTO – US Travel • LA Travel Summit • STS Connections • LTA Board Meetings • SEE Crowdriff Conference • LTA Culinary Trails • STS Board Meetings
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ADVERTISING HIGHLIGHTS A digital media buy through Miles Partnership will focus on strengthening our media mix, engaging content and leaning into rich media units to drive impact and performance. Some highlights include premium programmatic DSP through CTV & Cross-Platform Video full episode players, pre-roll and non-FEP, streaming audio, display and native ads. The encompassing plan will target behavioral audiences for Casino, Gaming, Nightlife, Day Trips, Outdoor Recreation, Food & Beverage, Nature Trails, and Leisure Travel. DMAs include: • Alexandria • Austin • Baton Rouge • Beaumont • Houston • Lafayette
• Monroe • New Orleans • San Antonio • Shreveport • Tyler-Longview (Lufkin & Nacogdoches)
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n the spring season, Visit Lake Charles (VLC) is set to collaborate with local golf courses to launch a Texas Golf Cooperative campaign. This initiative will integrate both display and native advertising with the aim of boosting out-of-town bookings and scheduling tee times.
alongside optimization levers that prioritize conversions. The strategy will incorporate the use of organic content to the greatest extent possible. A targeted campaign on LinkedIn will be designed to generate convention bookings and leads by focusing on lookalike audiences and key meeting planners in Baton Rouge and New Orleans. The campaign is strategically planned to engage industry decision-makers, showcasing the destination as the prime choice for their upcoming events.
Leveraging a strategic digital out-of-home (DOOH) campaign, we have partnered with Vistar and premier data specialists such as Epsilon and Factual to captivate attendees at the highly attended Houston Rodeo. The ads will be served on prominent large-format digital displays, including billboards, bus shelters, and city sidewalks, to ensure maximum visibility and engagement among both pedestrians and vehicular traffic.
Full-page ads and sponsored newsletters with Garden & Gun, reaching a national audience of 1,600,000 educated and passionate readers engaged in a brand experience that offers a unique sense of travel, adventure, style, and sophistication.
The performance of social media channels (Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, TikTok, YouTube) will be assessed through on-site conversion tracking and attribution,
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Full-page ads and sponsored content in Austin Monthly
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& San Antonio Magazine, reaching an audience of 256,000 readers and 251,000 newsletter subscribers, as well as 364,000 online page views per month. museums, and cultural events with its insightful recommendations.
Hoffman Media has the creative and editorial flexibility to craft a program perfectly sized to fit the ongoing marketing goals of Visit Lake Charles. The loyal readers of Louisiana Cookin’, Southern Cast Iron, and Taste of the South turn to their editors for insight into the South’s hidden gems and can’tmiss destinations. Advertising includes full-page ads throughout the year and a 6-month audience development campaign. Additionally, an episode integration on Duck Camp Dinners will showcase Southwest Louisiana as an oasis of outdoor duck hunting and adventure.
To promote the numerous outdoor offerings in Louisiana’s Playground, we will run ads in a variety of publications and websites, including a social media partnership with the LA Charter Boat Association, the Golf Louisiana brochure, Let’s Golf Travel Network, and Texas Outdoors Journal. A concerted promotional campaign for Visit Lake Charles’ owned media will highlight VLC-TV, Louisiana’s Playground Podcast, and the second season of “Say Yes to the Venue.” This initiative will focus on amplifying these platforms to enhance engagement and visibility.
Full page ads and sponsored social media posts with Texas Monthly, the authority on the Texas scene, covering music, the arts, travel, restaurants, VISITL AKECHARLES.ORG
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SALES
GOALS & STRATEGIES
■ Increase “new” booking room nights by 2%
■ Maintain 75% of “repeat business”
• Create a targeted hit list of new events, clients, and receptive tour operators that would be an ideal fit for our destination and actively pursue bookings. • Promote and utilize the newly created Joy Campaign Meeting Promotion to entice planners to choose Visit Lake Charles over other destinations. • Work with existing meeting planners, event planners, and tour organizers to film a series of testimonials to showcase the experience of working with Visit Lake Charles and hosting meetings and events in SWLA. • Develop and enhance meetings, events, and tour and travel web pages with owned content relating to the booking experience with Visit Lake Charles to solidify ourselves as the go-to resource for planning in Southwest Louisiana.
• Increase focus on the bottom of the funnel for primary rebooking timeline immediately following the conclusion of organization’s events. • Utilize the refreshed Meeting Incentive Program to promote the two-year booking option where applicable. • Create new and refreshed itineraries through partnership with stakeholders highlighting new offerings. • Ensure client satisfaction by maintaining our 5 Star customer satisfaction rating.
over 2023 bookings
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■ Increase overall length of stay across markets
■ Increase engagement opportunities for partners
• Increase the number of partner meetings throughout the year so partners can stay abreast of the opportunities available with Visit Lake Charles. • Open partner meetings to include not only hotel partners but also attraction partners so they are aware of major events coming into the area. • Extend invitation to partners to participate in key activities that Visit Lake Charles is taking part in to network and grow their client base. • Build out the report and benefits function on the Extranet so partners can see in real-time the benefits of working with Visit Lake Charles and why we are an essential partner to their business.
• Collaborate with event organizers and the marketing team to enhance pre-event promotions, spotlighting our destination and related events. • Identify international inbound bleisure opportunities out of the Houston market to target with advertising and messaging on activities in Southwest Louisiana. • Ensure partners are utilizing the Tourism Exchange platform to highlight opportunities and experiences for the domestic and international tour/FIT markets that increase their chances of staying overnight versus passing through.
■ Increase of 5% in qualified RFPs sent to the
sales team
• Plan and execute familiarization tours for the association/ corporate and tour & travel market. • Engage with membership groups like LSAE, SGMP, and MPI for networking and expanding our client database, and actively participate in local organizations to uncover new opportunities. • Attend industry tradeshows to build relationships with new clients and organizations to ensure long-term growth. • Collaborate with the Senior Director of Social Media/ Communications to push targeted advertising and messaging post tradeshow to attendee lists across social media platforms.
■ Create new partnerships with stakeholders
that currently have or could create tourism offerings specific to group business
• Work with the Vice President of Destination Development to identify stakeholders that have offerings we can utilize in itineraries for FAMs, spousal tours, and more to create new partnerships and experiences. • Utilize the Destination SWLA program to educate potential partners on the benefits and importance of working with the VLC. • In collaboration with the marketing team, film and execute the Threshold 360 video updates for partners that did not participate in the initial run in 2018 or partners that have made significant updates.
■ Utilize industry information, publications,
websites, and strategically based sponsorships to share the meetings/events experience
• Collaborate with the marketing team to identify publications, websites, and e-blasts where we can share targeted messaging to book events in Southwest Louisiana. • Research opportunities in emerging and existing markets such as the Dallas/Ft. Worth Association Executives Education Day, MPI-HAC Legacy of Distinction, LSAE Annual Sponsor, and more. • Work with industry tradeshows with built-in planner audiences to develop sponsorship opportunities during tradeshows to highlight and increase awareness of Lake Charles/Southwest Louisiana. • Utilize the new Meeting Planner Video, Say Yes to the Venue series, and Destination 101 videos to share the authentic stories of Southwest Louisiana to entice new business. • Create trackable metrics to determine ROI to improve decision-making on sales marketing initiatives.
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SALES EDUCATION & TRAVEL • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
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ABA LTA Annual Meeting Weddings with Style Louisiana Tourism Leadership Academy Simpleview Summit Travel South Global Summit LSAE Annual Lunch & Learn DFWAE Association Day IPW – US Travel Small Market Meetings Summit Lt. Gov. Legislative Function Destinations International CDME Destinations International Annual Convention Connect RTO Marketplace LA Travel Summit Brand USA Travel Week Joker Travel Fair NTA Travel Exchange Travel South International Showcase Louisiana SGMP
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SPORTS GOALS & STRATEGIES
■ Increase definite bookings
by 20% over 2023
• Research and recruit new opportunities in the sports tourism market segment through use of industry resources. • Strategic utilization of social media platforms to promote area events and facilities. • Ongoing communication with existing clients in the CRM database to assist with the development of new opportunities and increase the magnitude of current events.
■ Modernize and enhance
the visual and informational aspects of sports related content on VisitLakeCharles.org
• Create a digital sports facilities guide on visitlakecharles.org, aimed at streamlining the event planning process, to be launched by the end of Q1. • Leverage sports department assets to enhance visitlakecharles.org with high-quality digital imagery, boosting our web visibility. • Launch a monthly blog titled “Where Champions are Crowned,” debuting
on the first of each month to spotlight forthcoming sports events and celebrate the triumphs of the preceding month.
■ Initiate a targeted strategy to
optimize the MeetingMax booking platform, ensuring efficient use by clients, visitors, and partner hotels, with the objective of boosting bookings by 10% in 2024
• Monitor event registration sites to confirm hyperlinks are properly connected. • By the end of Q1, produce a concise tutorial video showcasing the userfriendly hotel booking process for visitors and integrate advanced AI solutions to elevate the MeetingMax platform’s user experience. • Provide interim hotel booking reports to event planners to compare their event registration information with MeetingMax data. • Ongoing communication and education with our hotel partners to strengthen the effectiveness of the MeetingMax software.
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■ Monitor and manage the
implementation of strategies derived from the recreation and sports tourism facilities master plan
• Work in tandem with local authorities to ensure projects are appropriately prioritized and aligned with strategic goals. • Continuously confirm the need for proposed facilities by staying abreast of evolving industry trends and market demands. • Gather insights from prospective clients to reinforce to local officials the growth potential through enhancements and expansions of our venue offerings.
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SPORTS EDUCATION & TRAVEL • • • • • • • • • •
USSSA Hall of Fame LHSAA Annual Convention Louisiana Tourism Leadership Academy Sports ETA Event Symposium & CSEE MMX Unconvention CEO/Senior Leadership Forum LA Travel Summit TEAMS Conference & Olympic SportsLink Sports ETA 4S Summit US Sports Congress
DESTINATION DEVELOPMENT/ COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT GOALS & STRATEGIES
■ Spearhead completion of Mardi Gras
Museum of Imperial Calcasieu, providing the cornerstone for all things Mardi Gras in Southwest Louisiana
• Manage the project through all stages, from the initiation of bidding to the commencement of construction, and up to the final approval of the completed structure. • Collaborate with the Mardi Gras Museum Board on exhibits, programming, and a grand opening event.
■ Work with the Nellie Lutcher District
and Strong Downtowns committees of Just Imagine SWLA to continue moving these initiatives forward
• Provide oversite and input for the Sulphur Downtown Cultural District, in collaboration with the Sulphur Downtown Business Association and the City of Sulphur. • Submit relevant nominations for inclusion on the Louisiana African American Heritage and the Louisiana Civil Rights Trails.
■ Enhance and promote visitor
amenities along the Creole Nature Trail All-American Road
• Work with the Cameron Parish Beachfront Development District #1 and the Cameron Parish Police Jury to implement the FHWA/ NSB public restrooms grant at Holly Beach. • Continue to stay abreast of improvements in access to the Sabine Pass Lighthouse as a tourist attraction. • Work with Creole Nature Trail chair to keep current on openings/events and share same with staff for content creation and social media.
■ Increase Visit Lake Charles’ visibility
within the communities of SWLA and the tourism industry as a whole
• Continue to work with the VLC team to increase involvement on local boards/ committees as well as at community events.
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VISITOR EXPERIENCE GOALS & STRATEGIES
■ Establish a method to share timely event and attraction
information directly to front desk personnel of hotel partners by the end of Q1.
• Create and disseminate a Top 10 Things to Do sheet monthly or, in busy months, every other week. • Continue providing biannual enticement sheets with a QR code to hotels and other high-traffic partners.
■ Elevate the visitor center experience to achieve an
overall average rating of 4.6 on TripAdvisor and Google.
• Implement daily monitoring of Google and TripAdvisor by the Director of Visitor Experiences to address and respond to visitor inquiries.
■ Enrich the visitor experience by increasing the knowledge
of visitor center staff about the area and industry trends.
• Stay apprised of visitor experience trends by participating in the Destinations International Visitor Services forum and attending DI’s Visitor Services Summit. • Enhance outdoors and wildlife knowledge by becoming a SWLA Master Naturalist and share information with other visitor experience personnel
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ADMINISTRATION AND OPERATIONS EDUCATION TRAVEL • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
PCMA LTA Annual Meeting SWLA Master Naturalists Program Washington Mardi Gras US Travel Strategy Sessions LTA Board Meetings Destination Capitol Hill USA/China Summit Destinations International CEO Summit Travel South Global Summit IPW – US Travel City Nations Place CEO/Leadership Forum Government Finance Officers Assn Conference Destinations International Annual Convention US Travel Board of Directors Meeting ESTO – US Travel LA Travel Summit CEO Roundtable/IMEX Brand USA Travel Week Future of Mobility – US Travel Travel South International Showcase
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VLC TEAM
VISIT LAKE CHARLES BOARD OF DIRECTORS KANE MITCHELL , Chair West Calcasieu Association of Commerce MIKE BUCKLEY, Vice Chair Southwest Louisiana Lodging Association SHONDA MANUEL, Secretary/Treasurer Arts & Humanities of Southwest Louisiana
WILLIE MOUNT Chamber Southwest
NATHANIEL ALLURED Southwest Louisiana Festivals
EVELYN WHITE West Calcasieu Community Center Authority
HIREN ZAVERI Southwest Louisiana Lodging Association
NICOLE MONCRIEF City of Lake Charles ERIC AVERY Southwest Louisiana Restaurant Association
RICHERT SELF Calcasieu Parish Police Jury JAY KUMAR City of Sulphur
VISIT LAKE CHARLES STAFF KYLE EDMISTON, CDME, CDTP President/CEO
SAM MOORE Director of Sports Relations
OPERATIONS
AUBREY CALDWELL Sports Event Coordinator
SHANNA LANDRY, CDME Chief Operating Officer ANNE TABER KLENKE, CDME Vice President of Destination Development/Community Engagement MELISSA TRAHAN Director of Visitor Experiences KRISTEN SHIVER Visitor Experience Manager SHARON ELLENDER Adventure Guide BRANDI SMITH Adventure Guide CHALMA PITTMAN Adventure Guide
SPORTS
ERIC ZARTLER, CDME, TMP Sr. Vice President of Sports
MARKETING
TIMOTHY BUSH, CDME, TMP, CDTP Chief Marketing Officer COLTEN MILLER, MBA, TMP Sr. Director of Brand Marketing
FINANCE
HEATHER SAVOIE, CDME Sr. Vice President of Finance CINDY JOHNSON Director of Accounting
KATHRYN SHEA DUNCAN, MBA Sr. Director of Social Media/ Communications BRADY RENARD Director of Content/Video Marketing
SALES
TAYLOR BEARD STANLEY, TMP, CHIA Vice President of Sales KAITLYN GALLEGOS, MBA, TMP Director of Global Sales EMILY TREME Director of Association Sales
CANDY RODRIGUEZ Director of Communications MATT YOUNG Director of Public Relations TONI CHAPMAN Digital Content Manager
MORGAN DODD Meeting Sales Manager MADISON YATES Destination Services Specialist VISITL AKECHARLES.ORG
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#VisitLakeCharles #LouisianasPlayground VisitLakeCharles.org