KCK & Visitors Bureau Strategic Plan: 2019 - 2021

Mission statement: “To market Kansas City Kansas as a visitor destination and to increase the number of overnight stays.”

Vision statement: A Kansas City, Kansas, where residents and visitors alike share in a thriving community of culture, memorable experiences and an abundance of economic benefits generated by .

Use of this strategic plan During 2018, the KCK CVB Board of Directors revised and updated the KCK CVB strategic plan. During this five-month process, the board identified trends that will have a deep impact on tourism in Kansas City, Kansas over the next three years. From those trends, the board and staff then identified goals, strategies and objectives to assure that the CVB is successful in using those trends to further its mission.

Each year, the Strategies and Objectives in this plan will be reviewed and updated to effectively reflect destination developments, and budget or staffing considerations. In addition, this strategic plan will be pivotal in the development of CVB annual goals. Numerical measures of success will be added at that time to the annual objectives.

Note: This strategic plan does not replace the current ongoing regular work of the CVB. The work set out in this plan is in addition to, and in support of enhancing the current work of the CVB. Additional resources will be necessary to accomplish the work set out in this strategic plan.

1 Trend: Travelers increasingly want experiences Goal One: Increase the portfolio of experiences that drive visitors to Kansas City, KS.

Strategy One: Increase the 2019 2020 2021 capacity of small attractions Objective One: By 2020, Objective One: Offer Objective One: Offer and tourism partners in KCK to offer two capacity-building two trainings. two trainings. create meaningful and trainings per year for small memorable hands-on attractions, museums, experiences. , short-term rental (Airbnb) operators and . Strategy Two: Build on the Objective One: Increase the Objective One: Focus Objective One: Focus on increased desire for urban message of welcoming on two new two new neighborhoods. , highlighting and diversity by teaming up with neighborhoods. celebrating KCK’s diversity neighborhood groups to and promoting the downtown focus on specific urban resurgence. neighborhoods. Focus on two neighborhoods per year. Strategy Three: Make the Objective One: Investigate Objective One: Review Objective One: Review travel planning process as easy best practices and expand trends, add and refresh trends, add and refresh as possible for all visitors. personalized itineraries on personas and itineraries. personas and itineraries. the website. Goal Two: Visitors know when they have arrived in KCK, and can easily find their way around and access information about what KCK has to offer. Strategy One: Advocate for a 2019 2020 2021 seamless transportation and Objective One: Advocate Objective One: Revise wayfinding signage experience with the U.G. to develop a objectives based on the from the moment a visitor visitor signage and plan. arrives to the moment they transportation plan. leave, with the ultimate goal being that transportation becomes part of the KCK experience. Strategy Two: By 2021, move Objective One: Research the CVB office to a high-traffic kiosk programs. Find the area in Village West, where best ones. visitors can get information. In Objective Two: Develop addition, put in place a plan and budget for the comprehensive kiosk plan for office and visitor resource all of Kansas City Kansas. center. Develop budget for kiosks.

2 Strategy Three: Develop Objective One: Develop a Objective Two: Develop volunteer and training volunteer program to assist a hospitality-training programs that assist staff in CVB staff in trade shows, program that educates providing visitor information. community welcome and front-line workers on outreach. Develop budget how they can encourage and put program in place. visitors to stay longer. Select 10-12 volunteers and train them to represent the CVB and the community. Goal Three: Grow and reinvent the use of technology to enhance the on-site visitor experience. Strategy One: Have diverse 2019 2020 2021 technology options available to Objective One: Review Objective One: Objective One: visitors, once they have arrived technology changes, Continue to review Continue to review in KCK, depending on their consider how they can technology changes, etc. technology changes, etc. traveler type and needs. Tech enhance the visitor options may include experience, and apply to the geofencing, website budget, including cost to hire enhancements, mobile and train staff to use new experiences, kiosks, etc. technology.

3 Trend: Amateur & youth sports are increasingly important Goal One: Advocate for development of facilities that offer year-round opportunities. Strategy One: Advocate for 2019 2020 2021 enhancing existing facilities to Objective One: Advocate expand year-round for updating Memorial Hall opportunities. with modern technology. Objective Two: Create strong partnerships with high schools and colleges, and advocate for year-round facilities. Objective Three: Work with professional sports team venues to bring events in shoulder seasons. Strategy Two: Advocate for Objective One: Advocate new facilities to expand year- for indoor venues that can round opportunities. host multiple sports. Goal Two: Focus the CVB message to keep KCK top of mind for youth and amateur sports planners. Strategy One: Work with 2019 2020 2021 existing hotels to encourage Objective One: Keep Objective One: Track Objective One: Track them to book youth and building relationships and and present data. and present data. amateur sports teams. tracking each event with housing companies. Objective Two: Build Objective Two: Objective Two: relationships with hotels by Continue to build Continue to build holding regular meetings relationships with hotels. relationships with hotels. with them. Objective Three: Increase servicing of hotels that host youth sports, such as providing banners and welcome tables. Strategy Two: Expand Objective One: Enhance the Objective Two: marketing focused on amateur CVB website so it makes a Increase marketing and youth sports. good first impression and budget and reach for contains all necessary digital ads. information. Objective Three: Increase

4 CVB visibility at sports- related trade shows. Goal Three: Identify untapped sports markets and activities to pursue. Strategy One: Target markets 2019 2020 2021 that are active at times other Objective One: Research Objective One: Update Objective One: Update than summer. untapped sports markets and research. Revise plans. research. Revise plans. choose five to pursue. Continue to implement. Continue to implement. Develop a plan for each market and implement the plans simultaneously. Strategy Two: Target team Objective One: Increase sports to drive increased marketing dollars and reach visitation. to encourage families to stay longer in KCK. Objective Two: Share a calendar of upcoming sports events with restaurants and attractions.

5 Trend: Importance of social media is growing. Goal One: Use the power of social media to broaden the audience for the CVB. Strategy One: Expand the 2019 2020 Objective Two: Update number of specific audiences Objective One: Identify Objective Two: Identify as needed. reached through social media. new audiences for the changes in the trends, CVB. interests, and needs of existing audiences, and revise the messages. Strategy Two: Keep up on Objective One: Produce Objective One: Continue Objective One: Continue trends in platforms. Be a social engaging and original to develop new and to develop new and media innovator. content. original content. original content. Objective Two: Increase Objective Two: Increase Objective Two: Increase spending of social media ad spending as needed. spending as needed. dollars. Objective Three: Use Objective Three: Objective Three: social influencers to Continue to expand the Continue to expand the broaden our reach. Expand social media influencer social media influencer the social media influencer program and network. program and network. program and grow the network. Objective Four: Make sure Objective Four: Make Objective Four: Make stories and photos reflect sure stories and photos sure stories and photos KCK’s diversity. reflect KCK’s diversity. reflect KCK’s diversity. Strategy Three: Increase Objective One: Increase Objective Three: conversation with partners to the focus on social media Educate partners by encourage the use of social when meeting with developing Social Media media to enhance tourism. partners. 101 training. Objective Two: Increase tracking and sharing of social media mentions and results with partners.

Strategy Four: Invest in Objective One: Identify Objective One: Update Objective One: Update technology, both hardware and and purchase equipment as needed. as needed. software, to expand social needed to generate high- media impact. quality media. Strategy Five: Have Objective One: Invest in Objective One: Continue Objective One: Continue sufficiently trained staff to conferences and training to invest in conferences to invest in conferences implement the social media related to social media, and training. and training. strategies. such as the Social Media Club of Kansas City. 6 Objective Two: Invest in Objective Two: Invest in Objective Two: Invest in social media audits of social media audits of social media audits of selected platforms. selected platforms. selected platforms. Goal Two: Find new and innovative ways to tell the KCK story on social media. Strategy One: Encourage real Objective One: Increase Objective One: Continue Objective One: Continue people to share their engagement by offering to increase incentives and to increase incentives and experiences in KCK. incentives and prizes on prizes. prizes. social media. Objective Two: Increase Objective Two: Objective Two: the CVB engagement with Continue to engage KCK Continue to engage KCK KCK fans on social media. fans on social media. fans on social media. Objective Three: Market Objective Three: Objective Three: the hashtag so it becomes Continue to market the Continue to market the something that people hashtag. hashtag. automatically use. Objective Four: Expand Objective Four: Expand Objective Four: Expand the local campaign, the local campaign as the local campaign as educating local residents on needed. needed. what there is to see and do in KCK. Strategy Two: Work with Objective One: Work with Objective One: Continue Objective One: Continue partners to amplify our story. partners to find mutual to seek mutual to seek mutual opportunities to cross opportunities. opportunities. promote, and to increase engagement with posts. Objective Two: Improve and create new opportunities for partners to network and collaborate. Strategy Three: Find new Objective One: Develop Objective One: Increase Objective One: Create a ways to tell the KCK story relationships with the number of media series of neighborhood or through our neighborhoods and neighborhoods and FAMs to four per year. regional videos. regions. associations to find new ways to tell stories of visitor interest. Objective Two: Ask neighborhoods to share photos, ideas for content, and encourage posts on specific topics. Objective Three: Increase regular engagement with established social 7 influencers. Strategy Four: Increase the Objective One: Create a number of actively engaged strategy to encourage media social influencers. to follow CVB social media outlets. Objective Two: Develop a comprehensive database of local media, travel writers, etc., that includes tracking of mentions Strategy Five: Increase Objective Six: Increase outreach to local media, travel budget to expand writers, etc. participation in media conferences.

8 Trend: Increase in new tourism development in KCK Goal One: With the anticipated addition of the American Royal project, position KCK as a premier destination for agricultural education, business and travel. Strategies Objectives Strategy One: Develop a 2019 2020 2021 partnership with the American Objective One: The CVB Objective One: Objective One: Identify Royal in anticipation of its will be named the official Identify ways to ways to strengthen its move, to market current and destination partner of the strengthen its partnership. future events. American Royal. partnership. Strategy Two: Develop the Objective One: Learn the Objective One: Objective One: Review CVB strategy to market and specifics of the American Review and update. and update. sell the American Royal events Royal complex and how the and complex, including the CVB can assist in selling the budget necessary to do so. space. Strategy Three: Enhance Objective One: Enhance Objective Two: Objective Two: Continue, marketing efforts to keep presence at American Royal Enhance marketing revising and updating as American Royal attendees here events. and partnerships with necessary. longer. agriculture-related attractions and businesses.

Goal Two: Continue to advocate for a convention center and full-service . Strategy One: Maintain ties with those working to create a convention center and full- service hotel in KCK. Strategy Two: Track lost business. Goal Three: Advocate for downtown tourism redevelopment. Strategy One: Continue to advocate for upgrades to the Reardon Center so that it can be used to its full potential. Strategy Two: Continue to advocate for upgrades to Memorial Hall so that it can be used to its full potential. Strategy Three: Advocate for visitor-friendly amenities and

9 attractions downtown. Goal Four: Advocate for creating a long-term, city-wide master plan for tourism in KCK. Strategy One: Start the conversation with stakeholders about creating a long-term, city-wide master plan for tourism in KCK. Goal Five: Stay up to date with new travel trends and developments, creating strategies to work with new partners and visitors. Strategy One: Engage short- 2019 Objective One: Objective One: term rental operators to Objective One: Reach out Expand participation. Expand participation. maximize their benefit to to short-term rental operators tourism in KCK. who have received their special use permit, and begin to create a capacity-building program.

10 The new plan calls for new resources In order to accomplish what is in the strategic plan, the CVB will require new staff positions. It is impossible to say exactly when the CVB would need to create each new position over the next three years, as shifting conditions will affect the timeline. Current 2018 staffing – 6 Full Time and 1 contract. IT services on call as needed.

Executive Director

Visitor Services Contract Finance Coordinator

Group Sales and Marketing Sports / Meeting Partnership Manager Sales Manager

Marketing and Events Coordinator

If we continue what we are doing now, and implement everything in the strategic plan. Potential 2021 staffing needs – 12 Full time – 1 Part Time – multiple volunteers. Will need to increase IT services.

Executive Director

Receptionist / PT Finance Assistant

Meetings & Visitor Marketing Partnership Sports Sales Group Sales Information Manager Manager Manager Manager Manager

Meetings Marketing Sports Services Volunteer Services Assistant Coordinator Coordinator Coordinator

Social Media Volunteers Coordinator

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