Annual Report Recap FY 2018 OVERARCHING GOALS - Begin Strategic Planning Process - A 2% increase in the number of visitors to Agenda Sarasota County and a 1% increase in visitor spending. 1. Goal 1 – Destination Brand 2. Goal 2 – Destination Development 3. Goal 3 – Enhanced Visitor Services Goal 1 – Destination Brand

- Integrated Advertising - Website - Media Relations - Content - Promotions All Roads Lead to VisitSarasota.com

334,391 Referrals Delivered to Sarasota County Businesses!

• Visits up 43% • Unique visitors up 36% • Pageviews up 50% • Bounce rate down 20% • Virtual Guide Views up 85% Website

Goal: Increase e-newsletter subscriber base by 3% YOY

Utilizing a GetSmart E-newsletter signup tool, Visit Sarasota County was able to increase the list of consumer e-newsletter subscribers by 512% over the prior year. Traditional Media: Print Traditional Media Print Summary- General Leisure

The Research: • Utilized data captured from Arrivalist and Downs & St. Germain to determine markets of opportunity - identified as Columbus and Cleveland

The Strategy: • Tapped into markets showing organic arrivals to leverage that interest with paid media • Upped the focus in these markets while staying true to the consistent media presence in Chicago, Toronto, Philadelphia, and Boston

The Results: • By using a mix of big brand name publications and small, Visit Sarasota County maintained a robust circulation number while promoting a variety of messages – from Niche (arts, LGBT, meetings/group, and sports) to General Leisure Traditional Media Print Summary- General Leisure Media Partners Traditional Media Print Summary- Niche Media Meetings Wedding Sports Arts and CultureArts Traditional Media Broadcast Summary

The Research: • Continuing with the identified opportunity markets as well as the historic markets, we drilled into each DMA to find the best stations to partner with per target audiences • Research tools used – Strata Market Profiler and MRI

The Strategy: • Spots aired during news broadcasts and programs geared towards women 35+ • Focused on NBC and ABC networks to encompass the demographic that skews towards women 35+ (NBC) while spanning into the younger demo and families (ABC) • Programs included - Live with Kelly, Good Morning America, Dr. Phil, Grey’s Anatomy, Quantico, The Today Show, Entertainment Tonight, Rachael Ray, The Hub, Ellen, The Bachelor, 2018 Winter Olympic Coverage Traditional Media Broadcast Summary - The Results

Cleveland DMA New York DMA • Stations –WEWS (ABC), WKYC (NBC) • Stations – WABC (ABC), WNBC (NBC) • Flight-1/29/18-2/26/18 • Flight-1/11/18-2/11/18 • Added Value -bonus rotator spots • Added Value – Bonus rotator spots • Total GRPs – 736.10 • Total GRPs – 280 • Total spend - $40,000 net • Total spend - $93,291 net

Columbus DMA Boston DMA • Stations – WSYX (ABC), WCMH (NBC) • Stations –WCVB (ABC), WBTS (NBC) • Flight-1/29/18-2/26/18 • Flight-1/8/18-2/4/18 • Added Value – Bonus rotator spots • Added Value -bonus rotator spots • Total GRPs – 722.10 • Total GRPs – 250.4 • Total spend - $40,054 net • Total spend - $59,975 net Out of Home Out of Home Summary Out of Home

The Research: • To cohesively make a dent in opportunity and historic markets, we tapped into executions to make the biggest impact with a reasonable budget • Research tools used – Outfront and MRI

The Strategy: • Targeted individuals as they moved through their everyday lives with vacation messaging that resonated • Raised awareness for visiting Sarasota using fun and exciting elements that were hard to miss. • Utilized video displays in office elevator and lobby screens throughout the downtown business districts • Implemented transit advertising that could be seen by users, pedestrians, or those in cars passing by the transit stations • Added in high impact wallscapes in downtown areas for high visibility impact

The Results: • Whether the audience was walking around the cities, using the public transportation, or riding the elevator to their office, they were almost sure to be touched by one of Sarasota’s messages. All total, the campaign delivered more than 25 million impressions Digital Media Digital Media SEM: Google / Bing

Total Spend: $478,208 Impressions: 17,859,439 Clicks: 1,030,143 Conversions: 14,836 – downloaded a guide, requested a guide or signed up for the e-newsletter

• SEM garnered 82% more clicks, and 44% more conversions in FY 2018. • We expanded into a large variety of video content throughout the year, allowing us to reach different audiences for beaches, events/festivals & general content. • Although we encountered some challenges with mother nature at the end of the year, we were able to shift focus away from beaches and more towards off the beach activities. Facebook Digital Media

• Strong video and ad presence on FB, with creative reaching all demographics, audiences & interests.

• Have seen strong results with ‘beaches’ and ‘events’ themed ads

• Users are highly engaged in the video content – key to engagement is to keep the rotation fresh. Display Digital Media

• Consistent or improved metrics quarter over quarter • Arrivals Per Thousand (APM) far exceeds industry standard of .09 • Signals of Intent to Travel (SIT) conversions high • Q4 spike in c/SIT and c/Arrival is due to added Meetings/Group awareness push that skews away from our Arrival and SIT goals Digital Media Display Media Placements Data Driven Arrivalist

ARRIVALIST METHODOLOGY

IMPRESSION MOVEMENT ARRIVAL MEASUREMENT

ANONYMOUS USER VIEWS CONTENT ARRIVALIST TECHNOLOGY ANALYTICS PERFORMED USER MOVES FROM FINDS THE USER ON A SAMPLE OF HOME LOCATION ARRIVALIST PIXEL IS IN DESTINATION TOTAL ARRIVALS EMBEDDED IN THE CONTENT

Note: Verified Arrivals are a sample of the arrivals from media exposed users. Data Driven Arrivalist

A main goal for FY18 focused on Arrivals. We set a goal of 0.175 Arrivals Per Thousand (APM). We came in at 0.33 APM, well above the 0.18 APM we achieved last year.

This competitive APM shows the media efforts throughout the year paying off since we were able to achieve such a high APM on awareness/high funnel placements.

Overall verified arrivals increased by 88% over last year Arrivalist: markets aligned Data Driven

• Top Drive Markets: Tampa, St Pete, Orlando, Daytona, Fort Myers, Naples, Atlanta • Top Fly Markets: New York, Boston, Chicago, Cleveland, Philadelphia, Colum • The alignment with the origin markets and the targeted media markets shows the success of the campaigns in the associated areas Note: Population size factors into rank as well (i.e. The population size of NY helps give the market an advantage in arrivals versus Columbus Arrivalist Data Driven

• Days to arrival after exposure is 31-60 days (reflecting namely the drive markets) and 91-180 (reflecting the fly markets) Integrated Advertising: Columbus & Cleveland

Timing: Quarter 2 – January – March 2018 Media Platforms: Broadcast, Out-of-Home (OOH), and Print Budget: $150,000 *Transit Kiosks *High Impact Wallscapes Broadcast Placements • Partnered with NBC and ABC networks: W35+(NBC) and also a millennial/families (ABC) • Programs: Live with Kelly, Good Morning America, Ellen, The Today Show, and 2018 Winter Olympic Coverage Total Gross Ratings Points (*GRPs): 1,558 *Tearsheet CAN Journal *Elevator and Lobby Video OOH Placements Results • Utilize a mix of office elevator and lobby screens, transit kiosks, and high impact wallscapes to provide frequent • Utilizing Arrivalist software, 800+ arrivals were reported messaging to core consumers as they move through their directly correlated to the digital media campaign. An increase day of 140% year over year. Total Impressions: 2,460,115 • A post campaign survey showed a 3% increase in intent to visit Print Placements Sarasota. That’s an additional 23,000 visitors from Ohio with direct spending increase of nearly $24.2 million. Collective Arts Network (CAN) Journal, CityScene Magazine, Cleveland Scene, Cleveland Magazine, • Elements of the campaign were noticed by 5% to 8% Columbus Monthly, Ohio Magazine, Prizm Magazine (60K people) of the target audience. Total Readership: 538,243 Media Relations (Domestic) Goal: Garner 900 Million Earned Media Impressions (Hit over 1,300,000,000!)

- Chicago Parent (resulted from media blitz and subsequent visit, is a multi-page feature piece and targets a key geographic and niche market.) - NYT (major national outlet, round-up piece, and positions us as an Arts/Cultural mecca. - Today Show - UPTOWN Magazine (national feature from Art Ovation/Arts & Cultural Press trip) Media Relations (International) Content Goal: Increase video content (Delivered over 20!) Promotions Goal: Sustainable and Eco-friendly Promotional Items Marketing Grant Program Nine $10,000 Marketing Grants (Total $90,000)

- Science and Environment Council of SW Florida (Eco- - The Marie Selby Gardens Botanical Gardens travel campaign) (Warhol: Flowers in the Factory) - Sarasota Film Festival (Moonlight Movies) - Whiskey Obsession (Whiskey Obsession Festival) th - Florida Studio Theatre (10 Annual Improv Festival) - Florida West Coast Symphony (Sarasota Music - Suncoast Foundation for Handicapped Children Festival) (Suncoast BBQ & Bluegrass Bash) - Sarasota Ballet (International Intensive) - Asolo Theatre Inc (The Jungle Book) Marketing Grant: Florida Studio Theatre

Visit Sarasota County awarded Florida Studio Theatre a grant in the amount of $10,000 toward the out of town marketing for the 10th Annual Sarasota Improv Festival.

Through this grant, FST was able to expand its marketing efforts to constituents in Tampa, St. Petersburg, Orlando and beyond. This resulted Media Mix: Print and TV in the most successful ImprovFest to date.

53% of the attendance was from outside Sarasota County. Airport Incentive Program $250,000 in FY 18 to support Sarasota Bradenton International Airport (SRQ) - Elite Airlines - Portland - Allegiant - Pittsburgh, Indianapolis, Cincinnati - Southwest Regional Co-op - American Airlines - Dallas - Frontier Airlines - Cleveland, Philadelphia, Atlanta Goal 2 – Destination Development Sales Highlights FY18 By The Numbers

Room Nights Booked Florida-based Group Business = 1,198 (Goal 500) Wedding Room Nights = 225 (Goal 300) Added 6 new properties to 7 International5,992 brochures total room & nights Websites booked Economic Impact $4,993,455.00 Booked Group Business Sales Highlights FY18 Tradeshows

Attended 23 Tradeshows Attended 5 Segments of business: Meetings Reached: Corporate, Government, Association, SMERF, 3rd Party Planners Added 6 newInternational properties to 7 International brochures & Websites Reached: UK, German, Canadian & Latin American Operators Weddings Reached: Engaged Couples and Wedding Planners Motorcoach Reached: Domestic Group Tour Operators Travel Agents Reached: Domestic Travel Agents Sales Highlights FY18 FAMS / Sales Missions / Site Inspections

FAMS: 60 Buyers Hosted Two Meeting Planner FAMS Motorcoach with BACVB UK Tour Operators VISIT FLORIDA Mexican Tour Operators Brand USA FAM

Sales Missions: 200+ Buyers visited AAA Orlando & Miami Areas Tallahassee Meeting Planners Canadian Agents (Toronto & Montreal)

Site Inspections: 30+ Meeting/Leisure Group Buyers Hosted Meeting Sales Highlights FY18

Hosted Industry Meetings International Inbound Travel Association Leadership Summit Meeting Professionals International Academy

Incentive Program 13 Organizations Utilized 21 Applied For Future Business Leisure Sales Highlights FY18

Leisure Sales Specialty Market Advertising

Travelsouth Going On Faith International Highlights FY18 Germany SUP Promotion 25% Increase in bookings

Canada Online Training Promotion Print/Banner/Eblast Marketing 156 Canadian Agent Enrollees VISIT FLORIDA Love London Campaign Collaboration w/ 9 Florida Destinations Sarasota “Deal of the Week” was best performing 3% increase in room nights 25% increase in passengers International Highlights FY18 International Product Portfolio Added 6 New Businesses to 7 International Brochures & Websites Partnership Highlights FY18

Active Partnerships 441 546 23% Increase

94% Partner Satisfaction of Visit Sarasota County Services VSC Sports Team Highlights

• Attended three sports tourism tradeshows and directly connected with over 100 sports event right holders through appointments.

• Submitted 8 bids for 10 future major events occurring through 2021. o Awarded 5 events o 4 bids are still tentative

• Distributed over $460,000 in event grant and sponsorship funding through intensive qualification and assessment process. VSC Sports Team Highlights, cont’d

• Hosted the 2017 USRowing Annual Convention at the Hyatt Regency and Nathan Benderson Park

• Attended 4 international rowing events to promote Nathan Benderson Park for future event attendance, training opportunities and rowing vacations Notable Events Hosted in FY18 Goal 1 Increase sports room nights in Sarasota County by 5% over FY 2017

FY 2017: 61,884 FY 2018: 81,885

Outcome: 32% increase Goal 2 Increase training room nights by 20% over FY 2017

FY 2017: 6,766 FY 2018: 8,243

Outcome: 21% Increase Goal 3 Create one VSC themed Sports Event that generates 100 room nights

Due to increased marketing activities leading up to the World Rowing Masters Regatta, as well as the bid preparation and subsequent planning for the U23 World Rowing Championships in 2019, it was decided that the planning for a VSC-created event would be extended through FY 19.

Outcome: We have been in discussion with SANCA, USRowing and British Rowing about partnership opportunities for a new rowing event in 2020 and will be continuing that dialogue in the coming weeks. Sports Impact by the Numbers

• Sarasota Co. Room Nights: 81,885 • Sarasota Co. Economic Impact: $97,765,727 • Regional Room Nights: 110,019 • Regional Economic Impact: $137,973,414 • Number of Events Supported: 114 Goal 3 – Enhanced Visitor Services Visitor Center Goal: Increase interactions by 10% (Increased by 38%!) Visitor Experience Goal: Always On Strategy Programming Goal: Increase engagement in promotions (Goal 105 partners, reached 171!) Group Outreach Goal: Increase Welcome Bags by 5% (Increased by 43%!) Crisis Communications Red Tide, Summer 2018

- Updated Website - Information in Visitor Center - Surveys and Resources for Industry - Major Media Relations (International, National, Regional and Local) - Collaboration with Mote, FWC, Sarasota County Government and More! - Awarded Visit Florida Emergency Marketing Grants Administrative & Professional Services Org Chart Industry & Community Involvement

• St. Armands Circle Association Board of Directors • Lakewood Ranch Business Alliance Events Committee • Downtown Sarasota Alliance Board of Directors • Sarasota Chamber Government Issues Council • North Port Chamber of Commerce Marketing Committee • Leadership North Port • Leadership Englewood • Englewood Chamber of Commerce Tourism Committee • SPARCC (Safe Place and Rape Crisis Center) • Junior League of Sarasota • Women & Tourism Scholarship Committee • Community Footprints Committee • Sarasota Bayfront Stakeholders 20:20 • Museum of Consciousness • Sarasota Bradenton International Airport Advisory Council • Meeting Professionals Int’l – South of Skyway Chapter • Sarasota Tiger Bay Board of Directors • Executive Committee, VISIT FLORIDA • VISIT FLORIDA Board of Directors • VISIT FLORIDA Marketing Council • Inbound International Travel Association Committee • Destinations International Board of Directors • Destinations International DMAP Board of Directors Over-Arching Goals Goal: Increase visitation by 2% above prior year Result: Visitation grew by 0.6% to 2,726,600

Goal: Increase visitor spending by 1% above prior year Result: Visitor spending grew by 1.7% to $3 billion Over-Arching Goals Initiate the Sarasota County Tourism Strategic Planning Process • Selected consulting firm JLL to direct process • Initiation interviews held in June with County leadership, all municipalities, community and business leaders • Potential visitor study completed • Sarasota County stakeholder survey completed • Workshop held with the Tourist Development Council • Presentation of final recommendation to BCC in March 2019 Budget Recap 17-18

Oct '17 - Sep 18 Annual Budget Management Services 1,150,000.00 1,150,000.00 Communication Services 24,574.95 41,000.00 Postage and freight 61,406.24 84,000.00 Advertising 2,677,273.92 2,684,300.00 In-House PR & Media FAMS 309,872.25 320,000.00 International 346,460.13 350,000.00 Meetings 285,062.21 315,000.00 Promotion 314,021.63 325,000.00 Social/Content 66,563.96 71,000.00 Sports Marketing 615,758.52 625,000.00 Visitor Services 194,097.46 195,000.00 Administrative costs 50,000.00 50,000.00 Subscriptions and Books 174,909.92 175,000.00 Total Expense $ 6,270,001.19 $ 6,385,300.00 Virginia J. Haley, CDME Thank You President VisitSarasota.com [email protected]