DESTINATION DEMAND

Heighten Demand for the Destination

The research results indicate that, because of the Global Pandemic, visitors are excited to get out and travel after being restricted for so long. However, they are more inclined to travel safely, traveling by automobile and staying closer to home, a 300mile radius from Jackson. Visit Jackson will capitalize on the research indicators and aggressively promote Mississippi’s Capital City visitation to Mississippians and those within the Southeastern Region of the United States. Traffic to the destination website has increased by over 140% since the new site launched at the beginning of the year. Additionally, the session duration has increased 55% and organic site traffic has increased by triple digits. Interest to the destination has never been higher.

More specifically, though, Civil Rights related content is receiving the highest engagement. Website data suggests that museums, events, and celebrations connected to the freedom movement outperform all of the other destination pillars for Jackson, MS.

Furthermore, visitors to Jackson that stop by the Civil Rights and Black History sites stay longer, drive from further away, and have more overnight trips.

An Unprecedented Opportunity

In 2020, funds provided to DMOs across the state through the COVID-related Tourism Relief Fund (TRF) provided an unprecedented level of resources to destinations large and small. Visit Jackson was no exception. DMOs now are poised for a second round of relief funding (TRF2) to be allocated in early 2023, with a possible third round (TRF3) to be allocated sometime in late 2023.

The TRF program opens the opportunity for Visit Jackson to produce new marketing assets, open new media markets, and bolster media presence in important legacy markets. Early results from the original TRF campaign showed promise. With a new strategic focus and media allocation strategy, Visit Jackson is poised to make a historically successful impact. This plan provides a guiding roadmap to ensure that this potential is realized.

Guiding Principals

Focus on the destination’s strengths. Jackson possesses many hospitality assets that stretch across the destinations “pillars.” These include arts, culture, and literature; and culinary, nightlife/music. Attractions, assets, and businesses associated with these pillars are competitive with other regional destinations, but not proprietary to Jackson. The area in which Jackson shines is by being a ground zero for the Civil Rights/Freedom movement in America. Historical locations, exhibits and events, coupled with a truly world class Civil Rights museum, allow Jackson to own the space in the region. The freedom movement also permeates many of the other tourism pillars previously mentioned. For these reasons, Civil Rights has been identified as Jackson’s strongest and most proprietary destination marketing asset. This plan focuses on utilizing Jackson’s Civil Rights assets as the leading decision driver for destination marketing moving forward.

Continue to invest in established branding.

“The City With Soul” messaging that supports Visit Jackson is over a decade old and has gained significant equity. Businesses in the city have adopted it, and even outside thirdparty advertisers have utilized the messaging to promote their products to area consumers. The messaging also aligns will with the “Civil Rights First” strategy that is being implemented. Over the next few years, Visit Jackson will further invest in promoting and strengthening the concept of “The City With Soul.”

Redeploy most marketing resources among

out of state markets. Prior to this strategic plan, Visit Jackson invested significant resources on an image building campaign locally in Jackson metropolitan area (with a focus on suburbs of Jackson), and in other in-state feeder markets. This effort resulted in limited success. Due to circumstances out of the control of Visit Jackson and relentless negative media coverage of the city in-state, Visit Jackson will reallocate the bulk of resources to focus on generating visitors from out of state markets. Markets with a high percentage of black population who traditionally demonstrate an interest in Civil Rights and the freedom movement will be a focus of outreach efforts. These markets are listed in the following section.

Activation: A Phased Approach

The phased approach described here is based on 1) the receipt of TRF2 funds during the current fiscal year and 2) the potential for additional legislated subsidies in the following years.

Phase 1 — Drive Markets. The initial phase will focus on implementation of the strategy in mainly legacy drive markets outside of Mississippi with a percentage of African American residents. These markets are: • New Orleans • Monroe • Shreveport • Birmingham • Montgomery • Memphis

Budget depending, secondary markets would include: • Baton Rouge • Mobile

This phase will lean heavily on digital platforms: OTT streaming, display, pre-roll, with additional support from targeted cable television and audio. For markets with applicable city-focused print publications, print ads will be incorporated.

Visit Jackson’s influencer campaign will also be adapted to reflect the strategy in this phase.

Phase 2—Expansion.

Phase 2 maybe wholly or partially dependent on garnering additional resources, either through an organically increased marketing budget or more likely through another round of tourism relief funding (TRF3). The main focus of Phase 2 will be to expand paid media messaging and exposure in larger cities with a high percentage of African-American population. In addition to maintaining a presence in the markets listed for Phase 1, Phase 2 will expand to:

• Chicago • Detroit • Baltimore • Atlanta

Assets created for Phase 1 will be repurposed for this expansion. New assets may be created as needed.

Marketing Tactics

These are potential marketing tactics that align with the Civil Rights strategy. The objective of these tactics is to position Jackson holistically as a true Civil Rights destination, not just confined to the city’s Civil Rights museums.

• Develop a sub-tagline that is used in conjunction with “City With Soul” that is direct reference to the Freedom Movement. • Produce a longer-format video series based on a narrative of Jackson-based Civil Rights heroes and events of notes. Tie the series into existing attractions, restaurants, and other applicable assets/events. • Develop a content calendar for TikTok, IG reels, and other social media that focuses on Civil Rights first messaging. Incorporate other attractions, restaurants, and other applicable assets/events as can be related to the campaign. • Initiate a PR-push to engage applicable media writers and bloggers to position

Jackson as a “ground zero” for the

Freedom Movement. • Adapt influencer marketing efforts to strongly reflect Civil Rights assets. • Develop a paid media strategy focusing on markets with populations likely interested in Civil Rights tourism. • Develop and implement digital assets related to the Freedom Movement with interactive elements (quizzes, maps, etc.). • Develop an official designation for travelers interested in the Freedom Movement and support with available merchandise, prizes, etc. • Interactive collateral piece providing narrative of Jackson’s role in the

Freedom Movement. • Engagement with applicable local establishments, particularly restaurants, to feature certain dishes and/or beverages associated with the Civil Rights movement.

Incorporating DEI aspects into

meetings and conventions. Visit Jackson will proactively work with meeting and convention planners to incorporate a DEI aspect into their respective events (assuming the event is open to such). For many corporations, this will help to boost their internal Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives, and position Visit Jackson as a valuable resource. This effort could take many forms including programming, tours, informative talks, etc.

During the upcoming Fiscal year Visit Jackson’s Sales Team will utilize data-driven research in a much more substantial manner to heighten the position of the of the destination, focusing on the following market segments:

Focus Markets

• Sports • Association • Leisure

Secondary Market Focus

• Film • Corporate

GOALS

• Investigate nontraditional sales strategies resulting in an enhanced industry business base; • Engage the business and community to identify new business prospects; • Identify educational opportunities to share data utilization resulting in enhanced sales opportunities; • Develop strategies that will yield an increase in meeting planner connections and experiences within key markets. • Increase opportunities for partners to interact with meeting planners and highlight their venues. • Enhance Jackson’s tour offerings • Showcase how vital the outreach of the Visitors Center is to the tourist when planning a trip to a perspective destination • Enhance Service Amenities

TACTICS

• Continue to work with hotel partners to increase hotel occupancy • Continue to work with hotel partners to increase hotel Average Daily Rate • Host local meeting planner FAM • Host 6 mini day FAM’s for local companies • Sponsor two client events at two national trade shows • Survey our hotel partners and have them share their top three markets of preference to assist us with planning and implementing customer/event engagements.

ADDITIONAL SALES & MARKETING TACTICS

The JSU Effect

• The resurgence of Jackson State

University’s football program continues to have a huge economic impact on the Capital

City. Equally important, though, national attention is on the City

With Soul now more than ever.

Deion Sanders, Coach Prime, used his influence to spotlight

Jackson, both the good and bad. • Visit Jackson has an opportunity now to partner with JSU and their new coach to showcase all the positive things happening.

Jackson for their.

JXN Restaurants Win Back The Community

• Overall, restaurants have it hard, especially since the pandemic. Staff shortages and higher food costs have crippled the industry.

Specifically, though, Jackson restaurants have it even harder. In addition to crime issues and the suburbs opening more and more restaurants, the 2022 water crisis added to an already dire situation for our local establishments. • A multi-media campaign to win back customers was deployed in late 2022, producing positive results. Any community, but especially Jackson, cannot afford to lose some of its most valuable assets – restauranteurs and chefs – who truly give

Jackson a sense of place. • Advertising to the entire metro area will put a much-needed positive light on Jackson’s culinary institutions. Visit Jackson anticipates producing more campaigns in 2023.

Museum District Renaissance

• All great cities have public spaces that provide a high quality of life for residents and visitors. Jackson has many spaces but plans are in the works for even more and in one concentrated area of the city. • The LeFleur’s Bluff Education and Tourism

Complex is now home to a 30,000 square foot playground at LeFleur’s Bluff State

Park. Work continues as a much bigger expansion is in place – a new golf course, 3D archery, pickleball botanical gardens, and much. Furthermore, a pedestrian bridge connecting the entire LeFleur’s

Museum District will make this area a true destination driver for the Capital City. • Visit Jackson will support marketing and advertising messages focused on the growth and expansion of this area of the city. • Visit Jackson will also heavily market this space to groups and leisure travelers.