Connecting to Others in the Travel Industry

Connecting to Others in the Travel Industry Tips for Cultural Heritage Experiences

Messaging

WE KEEP VISITORS IN TOWN LONGER 

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Keep visitor information handy for your guests  Call your local convention & visitors bureau for free travel guides  Contact local attractions, hotels, wineries, breweries, museums to see if they can drop off information Provide visitor information online, as this is where decisions to stay longer are made  Link to your convention & visitors bureau  Design a separate website page that talks about what else there is to do. Maybe work with your visitors bureau to pull this together.

Make sure your front-line staff and volunteers know how to answer the most common visitor questions  “There’s nothing to do here” is never an option! Invite the visitors bureau to do a presentation during your trainings.  Work with the visitors bureau to host a tour of local attractions and sights for your front-line volunteer and staff  Allow other attractions to rotate presentations during your trainings

WE’RE NOT AFRAID TO BE UNCOMMON  

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Talk about what makes your experiences unique on your online presence, through social media, and publications Invest in high quality images and videos that show what makes you special  Don’t forget to take some photographs with people enjoying your experience  Send a list of photo opportunities to your visitors bureau in case they want to send a photographer Don’t do what someone else is doing without adding a ‘twist’ – make it your own!

Develop “insider” tips from your staff and volunteers and share these with the visitors bureau or on social media.

Make sure the visitors bureau and others have important exhibit and event information well in advance – at least three months, longer if you can – even if it’s just a date.

WE REDEFINE COMMUNITY 

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Collaborate with nearby museums, attractions, parks, etc. to create a “richer” experience  Reciprocate online links and share brochures  Highlight an online itinerary showing what a visitor can do If you are part of a “trail”, remember every part of the trail experience leads to visitor satisfaction. Work with others along the trail to exceed expectations.  Create “trail” gatherings with those who manage the visitor experience and talk about ways to better promote or enhance the overall experience

WE CREATE EXPERIENCES 

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Think beyond just the traditional use of your museum  What services can you provide to create a richer experience?  What experiences can you provide based on the interests of your visitor?

If you are hoping to attract out-of-town visitors, remember you can’t offer multi-day events weeks apart. You can, however, offer immersive experiences over the span of a couple days to keep them in town overnight.

Ohio Travel Association

ohiotravel.org

WE GO THE EXTRA MILE 

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Host hospitality training for your volunteers and staff who are front-line with visitors  Contact the visitors bureau to help deliver this training (if available)  Support your community’s hospitality training programs (if applicable), such as Certified Tourism Ambassador programs, by sending your front-line staff and volunteers Incorporate hospitality and the importance of tourism into volunteer and/or staff in-house trainings

WE PLAY A PART IN MAKING OUR COMMUNITY VISIT-ABLE 

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Be at the table for community development discussions  Share research about the importance of cultural heritage to development officials  Schedule consistent conversations, so it’s not just a one-time approach  If you know of a local business who values the organization, consider profiling them on social media or through your communications Expand the “choir” of who is seeking support for your initiatives  Reframe your conversations to address economic development benefits  Add local travel industry leaders or key attractions to your governing board

WE CONSIDER HOW OUR EXPERIENCE IS SHARE-ABLE     

Consider hosting a group of out-of-towners to be mystery guests. Can they find your experience? What do they think about the experience?

Ensure that your website does not assume local knowledge. Be specific.

Position your staff as the experts on your story, and share this expertise on social media.

Engage with local travel-related businesses on social media and expect the same in return!

Make sure the local lodging community knows what you have to offer  Host front-line staff for an hour-long quick visit (do this multiple times, because their scheduling makes it difficult)  Take cookies or donuts to the local front-line hotel and cvb staff occasionally. I’m not kidding. This works!  Provide a one-page fact sheet of your key activities that provides all the information these front-line folks will need to direct a visitor – time, directions?

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Ohio Travel Association

ohiotravel.org

Connecting

CONNECT TO CONVENTION & VISITORS BUREAUS 

Connect to your local visitors bureau  Find out what’s important to them, so common ground can be unearthed.  Set up a meeting with the Executive Director  Find out what promotional opportunities exist  Ask about their marketing strategies and how you can assist  Check out their web sites  Read their newsletters and annual reports  Order their visitors guides  Get on their mailing list  Attend their meetings and become involved  Consider running for a board seat  Increase awareness of your experience and organization  Visit with CVB front-line staff a couple times a year just to say hello  Make sure they have what they need to answer visitors’ questions  Make sure they have your brochures or literature  Host them for a visit . . . they can only promote accurately what they understand  Increase promotion of your museum or experience  Provide high-resolution photographs  Add them to your news release list  Provide quality video  Connect to them with social media  If a membership bureau, join!  Make sure you are listed on their web sites  Purchase an ad in their visitors guide  Deepen your partnership by supporting their efforts  Cooperate with and support economic impact studies  Direct your guests to their website  Become their advocate  If you do a visitor survey, ask the cvb if they have a question to add or results that would help them  Encourage their support of your initiatives  Appoint a representative to your board or marketing committee  Invite them to your planning table  Help them understand issues that could impact visitation

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Ohio Travel Association

ohiotravel.org

CONNECT TO OHIO TRAVEL ASSOCIATION 

Connect to the Ohio Travel Association www.ohiotravel.org  Participate in educational workshops  Attend the Ohio Conference on Travel each fall. This year, the conference is at Cedar Point, Sept.

25-27  Attend (or send staff!) to workshops and educational opportunities  Consider attending the Ohio Tourism Leadership Academy in 2018  Opportunities to network with others in the industry, including museums, attractions, hotels, restaurants, cvbs, etc.  Join to support and expand the travel industry  Expands our advocacy message and power to make a difference when your issues and voice are included  Take part in shaping Ohio tourism policies and initiatives to enhance the outdoor experience in the state  “Like” us on Facebook and engage in the conversation!  Contact Karen Eylon (keylon@ohiotravel.org) for questions regarding membership  Get tourism-related expertise and assistance when and where you need it  OTA members have access to research libraries, containing links to valuable studies related to the outdoor tourism market  OTA members can request training, facilitation and/or consultation assistance (often at no or little cost)

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