LEISURE TRAVEL MAY 2009 Rosemarie Payne Sales Director RECAP Recap of Trade Shows/Missions May 2009 4/30-5/3 International Women s Show-Novi, MI 5/6-7 Orbitz.com Call Center-Campbellsville, KY 5/14 I-75 Welcome Center-Jennings, FL 5/14-18 Travel Professionals of Color-Niagara Falls, NY 5/16-20 Pow Wow-Miami, FL 5/27 Hotelbeds.com-Orlando, FL 5/28 Mark Travel-Orlando, FL Educational FAMS May 2009 5/3-7 Neckermann-Germany TRADESHOWS/SALES MISSIONS International Women s Show-Novi, MI April 30-May 3, 2009 ATTENDANCE: 32,000 PARTICIPATION: N/A DISTRIBUTION: JC Resorts and Howard Johnson s Resort St Pete Beach DISTRIBUTED: Visitor Guides 1000 Area Guides 1000 Beach Maps 1000 1
This was our first year of participation in the 14th Annual International Women s Show at Rock Financial Showplace. Given the state of economy, etc, the show continues to be a must-do for women in the greater Detroit area. Family continues to travel with shorter stays and looking for great deals or valued added items such as meals or attraction tickets included with the accommodations. Many inquiries regarding girlfriend get-a-ways to include a spa experience. WXYZ (ABC affiliate) did an outstanding job with their live coverage throughout the event. The Detroit News and Detroit Press promoted all the features and activities throughout the weekend. STAFFED BY: Gail Yeager Orbitz.com call Center Training May 6, 2009 ATTENDANCE: Over 100 reservation call center agents 16 formal presentations were conducted PARTICIPATION: Plaza Beach Resort and TradeWinds Island Resorts DISTRIBUTED: Visitor Guides 100 Area Guides 100 Beach Guides 100 Over twenty percent of bookings made through Orbitz.com are handled by individuals at the call center. We were able to host lunch for the entire staff and conduct formal PowerPoint presentations to the entire reservation staff during our visit. With massive cancellations on bookings to Mexico due to the Swine Flu scare, many agents were looking for other sun destinations to re book their customers. By visiting and educating the agents, we hope to increase our share of bookings coming from this important internet channel. STAFFED BY: Rob Price I-75 Welcome Center Jennings, FL May 14, 2009 ATTENDANCE: 100+ PARTICIPATION: N/A 2
DISTRIBUTED: Visitor Guides 100 Area Guides 100 Beach Guides 100 The I-75 Welcome Center sees approx 2.5 million visitors per year. This annual event exclusive to Visit Florida Partners allows us the opportunity to showcase our area to some of these visitors coming in to Florida via I-75. The employees at the center stated that the traffic volume is low during the month of May and therefore I would suggest we cut back our visits to once a year in the future. STAFFED BY: Rob Price TIA s International Pow Wow-Miami Beach, FL May 16-20, 2009 ATTENDANCE: Approximately 5,000 International & Domestic Buyers, US Suppliers and International Press PARTICIPATION: N/A DISTRIBUTED: Visitor Guides Area Maps Luggage tags 78 pre-scheduled appointments during the three day show including meetings with key customers from the UK, German, Scandinavian, South American and Canadian markets. International Offices and the Leisure Travel Department will follow-up with local industry partners regarding opportunities to contract with buyers, potential FAM visits and sales missions based on meetings at Pow Wow. The current economic climate has made bookings very last minute and difficult to predict revenues. British Airways is forecasting increased passenger load into TIA this summer. German & UK markets are cautiously optimistic about summer travel. Canadian numbers are down to our area and Conquest Vacations in Canada filed for bankruptcy just prior to Pow Wow. Canadian operators are hopeful that the market will stabilize somewhat by next year giving us a strong Canadian presence starting in January 2010. Interest from South American buyers continues to develop and future FAM visits are planned to showcase the destination to new potential visitors from Brazil. In addition to the show agenda, Visit St. Petersburg/Clearwater and Lee County hosted an industry event for 200 key international suppliers and members of the international travel industry press. Eight area accommodation partners also attended this important tradeshow in Miami. 3
Orlando will host Pow Wow in 2010. STAFFED BY: Rosemarie Payne, DT Minich, David Downing, Venessa Alexander, Marion Wolf and Mary Haban Hotelbeds.com-Orlando, FL May 27, 2009 ATTENDANCE: 14 Reservations agents 4 Group Sales Managers PARTICIPATION: TradeWinds Island Resorts, Don CeSar Beach Resort & Spa, Holiday Inn & Suites Clearwater Beach, Sirata Beach Resort, Holiday Inn SunSpree Marina Cove, Alden, Sandpearl, Holiday Inn Sunspree Marina Cove, Bilmar Beach Resort, Innisbrook Resort & Golf Club, Alden Beach Resort, and Renaissance Vinoy DISTRIBUTION: Clearwater Regional Chamber Hotelbeds.com accommodation and destination serves as a leading receptive and business to business provider of incoming travel service to wholesales, travel operators and travel agencies. Our destination is the third highest selling Florida destination behind Orlando then Miami. Hotelbeds.com partner with British Airways, Cosmos, Travel City, TUI Travel, American Holidays, Tour America and TradeWinds/BCT. Reviewed our updated Web-site and current events. Discussed dates and itineraries for a reservations agents FAM trip. STAFFED BY: Gail Yeager Mark Travel Reservation Staff Training-Orlando, FL May 28, 2009 ATTENDANCE: 130 Reservations Staff PARTICIPATION: TradeWinds Island Resorts, Alden, Holiday Inn & Suites Clearwater Beach, Sirata Beach Resort, Holiday Inn SunSpree Marina Cove, and the Don CeSar Beach Resort & Spa DISTRIBUTED: N/A 4
Mark Travel Corporation includes 16 nationally recognized vacation companies, some they own and some they manage for leading airlines and hotel partners. Reviewed our web-site and upcoming special events. The management staff was hosted to a luncheon and destination presentation with our sales video. Discussed itineraries and dates for the annual Mark Travel familiarization trip. STAFFED BY: Gail Yeager EDUCATIONAL FAMS Neckermann Educational FAM-Germany May 3-7, 2009 ATTENDANCE: 20 Travel Agent Partners from all over Germany PARTICIPATION: Marriott Suites Clearwater Beach on Sand Key, Barefoot Beach Resort Condos, Tarpon Springs Chamber, St Nicholas Boat Line, Columbia Restaurant on Sand Key, Hilton Clearwater Beach Resort, Busch Gardens, Dolphin Beach Resort, Sirata Beach Resort, The Looper, Salvador Dali Museum, Sunset Vistas Beachfront Suites, Starlite Cruises, and the TradeWinds Island Resorts DISTRIBUTED: Visitor Guides 20 Area Guides 20 Beach Guides 20 Logo lunch cooler 20 Neckermann, one of Germany s largest tour operators sells through their receptive Alied T- Pro. They carefully selected each agent for this FAM based on their productivity and the fact that none have ever been here before The agents were impressed with the overall itinerary and called it a superb overview of the area. They were in awe over the area s beauty and diversity. Their highlight was aboard the Starlight Princess Overall a very successful Educational and the tour leader from Neckermann expects bookings to increase. Thank you to all participating area partners and special thanks go to the Marriott and Barefoot Beach Resort Condos for housing the group STAFFED BY: Cindy Powell UPCOMING EVENTS 5
Sales Missions June 2009 6/4-6 Gay Days-Orlando, FL 6/9-11 Chicago Sales Mission-Chicago, IL 6/10-25 AAA Auto Club South Florida Blitz 6/17-19 Vacation.com and Allegiant Air Call Center-Las Vegas, NV Educational FAM Trips 6/21-24 Willy Scharnow-Germany 9/21-25 VISIT FLORIDA Welcome Center-Florida 6