tourism summit - Olympic Peninsula

TOURISM SUMMIT
PE N I N S U LA
2015
OCTOBER 21, 2015 • PORT TOWNSEND, WA
Shoulder Season Travel:
Broadening the Visitor Experience
Celebrating & Advancing the
Olympic Peninsula Tourism Industry
Summit Highlights:
• Gain insight on transitioning our destination from a singleseason focus to a broader, multi-season attraction in the
minds of travelers.
• Area experts will share their creativity and successes in
extending the tourism season beyond summer.
• Learn how to improve your communications outreach
through today’s diverse media channels.
• Pick up valuable tips on creating stories that will inspire
visitors throughout the year.
• As “Resident Experts,” tap into and share your own rich
experiences for enticing travelers to visit our area when
the seasons change.
• Celebrate our National Park in its Centennial year, and
learn more of how Olympic National Park draws visitors to
our area.
By working together, tourism businesses can inspire
travelers, help increase visitations, create exceptional
memories for visitors and contribute to the economic
vitality of our area.
Welcome from the Olympic Peninsula Tourism Commission
The OPTC is a marketing partnership of municipalities, Chambers of Commerce, and tourism marketing
entities from Hood Canal to Lake Quinault. Its mission is to maintain partnerships to promote tourism
to and throughout the Olympic Peninsula. In support of that mission, we are pleased to share
these valuable programs with you.
Thank you for the collaborative role you play in supporting our industry.
Olympic Peninsula Tourism Commission Partners:
Clallam Bay/Sekiu Chamber of Commerce
Ali Baker 360-963-2339
Sandy Tsaing
Forks Chamber of Commerce
Lissy Andros 360-374-2531
Don Grafstrom
Lake Quinault Innkeepers Association
Peter Bailey 360-288-2237
Tom Iversen
Neah Bay Chamber of Commerce
Mike Rainey (Makah Tribe) 360-645-2200
Melissa Peterson-Renault (Neah Bay Chamber)
Jefferson County Tourism Coordinating Council
Represented by:
Allison Willing (Port Hadlock) 360-385-3077
Brian Haggermann (Washington State Parks)
Kyle Forgey (West End) 360-962-2271
Marsha Massey (West End)
Bill Roney (Port Ludlow) 360-437-0120
Debbie Wardrop (Port Ludlow)
Joy Baisch (North Hood Canal)
360-796-4886
Bonnie Story (North Hood Canal)
Olympic Peninsula Visitor Bureau
Ed Bedford 360-452-8552
Todd Gubler
City of Port Angeles
Cherie Kidd 360-417-4630
Nathan West
City of Port Townsend
Christina Pivarnik 360-531-0127
Teresa Verraes (Jefferson County Chamber
of Commerce)
City of Sequim
Barbara Hanna 360-681-3422
Shelli Robb-Kahler
(Sequim-Dungeness Valley Chamber of Commerce)
Fort Worden Guest Wi-Fi password is FortWorden.org. Please follow
us throughout the day on Twitter using #OPTourismSummit.
Shoulder Season Travel: Broadening the Visitor Experience
TimesSession
Speaker/s
8:00 am
9:00
Vendor MarketPlace & Continental Breakfast
Opening and Welcome
David King, Mayor, City of Port Townsend
Todd Gubler, General Manager, Fort Worden, Emcee
9:10 Olympic Peninsula Tourism Commission:
Year in Review
Marsha Massey, Executive Director
Olympic Peninsula Visitor Bureau
9:30
Keynote Address: Developing Shoulder Season Travel
Debbie Johnson, Director
Arizona Office of Tourism
10:00
Shoulder Season Success Stories:
10:45
Break / Vendor MarketPlace
Deborah Hopkins Buchanan, Executive Director
San Juan Islands Visitors Bureau
Eric Kocaja, General Manager, Evergreen Escapes
Judy Walden, President, Walden Mills Group
Moderator: Marsha Massey
11:15
Broadening our Communications Reach:
A Media Panel
Case Studies
Amy Whitley, blogger, Pit Stops for Kids
Beth Whitman, writer and blogger, Wanderlust and Lipstick Marcus Yearout, writer and publisher, Scenic WA and
Scenic Byways Moderator: Christina Pivarnik, Director of Marketing,
City of Port Townsend
12:00 pm
Buffet Lunch
12:40
Lunch Presentation: Olympic Peninsula Tribal Arts
1:10
Break / Vendor MarketPlace 1:50
Afternoon Session: Introduction & Logistics Todd Gubler, Emcee
2:00
Building a Community of Resident ExpertsFacilitator: Paula Beck, Director of Sales and Marketing, Aramark
3:15
Break / Vendor MarketPlace
3:40
General Session: Follow up to BreakoutsFacilitator: Paula Beck
4:30
Celebrating Our Industry: Marsha Massey & Todd Gubler
Presentation of Innovation Award; Drawings
4:55
Wrap up & Thanks
(includes Breakout Sessions to be
determined during introductions)
Celebrating OUR National Park
Meredith Parker, General Manager
Makah Tribe
Breakout Leaders: Barbara Hanna, Communications and Marketing Director City of Sequim
Christina Pivarnik
Steve Shively, Marketing and Membership
Services Director, Olympic Culinary Loop
Lee Taylor, Deputy Superintendent
Olympic National Park
Session Descriptions
Developing Shoulder Season Travel
“Shoulder Season: a travel period between peak and off peak seasons.”
Why the focus on shoulder season travel? What’s the path for moving a destination from a singular focus or season, to a multiseason destination in the minds of travelers? How does a destination work to change perception? And what is the potential
economic impact?
Shoulder Season Success Stories: Case Studies
“Broadening our shoulders,” tourism-wise, is a challenge that faces many of us here in the Pacific Northwest. Summer’s
splendid and a popular time to visit. But what about those quieter days of spring and fall? Fewer people, better availability, a
more relaxed pace – who wouldn’t enjoy that? Area experts will share some of their creativity and success in extending the
tourism season beyond summer.
Broadening Our Communications Reach: A Media Panel
It’s always fascinating to hear about ideas that inspire stories for travel writers. These days their reach often extends beyond
print publications to include expansive websites, blogs and social media, garnering a large following of fans and interested
travelers. Our panel will talk about their work and offer tips about stories that will inspire visitors to our area throughout the
year.
Luncheon Presentation: Olympic Peninsula Tribal Arts
Long before there were visitors to the Olympic Peninsula, the area native peoples worked, fished, hunted and raised their
families here, imparting their cultures and traditions across generations through their ceremonies, art and dance. Today, there
are still many skilled practitioners of these native arts, whose sharing of their
work has helped educate a broader audience to understand and appreciate
the various cultures, and the rich contribution they make to our world. The
Olympic Peninsula is home to eight distinct tribes, whose artistic expressions
are widely seen across the area and attract cultural travelers from all over the
world.
Building a Community of Resident Experts
You are passionate about this amazing landscape. You know the ‘must see
areas and activities’ and you’ve enjoyed the hidden gems which make this
place extraordinary. You are our Resident Experts.
The Olympic Peninsula is a destination for many types of travelers. By tapping
into our own rich experiences and personal stories, we aim to invite likeminded “travel communities”, our target markets, into this area when the
seasons change and provide the best adventure, serenity, connection and
flavors to enjoy it.
Celebrating OUR National Park
Next year, 2016, marks the 100th birthday of the National Park Service and
we’re inviting everyone to join the celebration. We are working especially hard
to connect with and engage the next generation of park visitors, supporters
and advocates and hope that our neighbors and tourism partners will help us
do just that.
Summit Presenters
Paula Beck
Director of Sales and Marketing Aramark
Lodges of the Olympic Peninsula,
Zephyr Cove Resort and Lake Tahoe Cruises
[email protected]
Deborah Hopkins Buchanan
Executive Director
San Juan Islands Visitors Bureau
[email protected]
Lee Taylor
Deputy Superintendent
Olympic National Park
[email protected]
Marsha Massey
Executive Director
Olympic Peninsula Visitors Bureau
[email protected]
Meredith Parker
General Manager
Makah Tribe
[email protected]
Christina Pivarnik
Director of Marketing
City of Port Townsend
[email protected]
Todd Gubler
General Manager
Fort Worden
[email protected]
Barbara Hanna
Communications and Marketing Director
City of Sequim
[email protected]
Debbie Johnson
Steve Shively
Marketing and Membership Services Director
Olympic Culinary Loop
[email protected]
Judy Walden
President
Walden Mills Group
[email protected]
Amy Whitley
Director
Arizona Office of Tourism
[email protected]
Family travel writer and Blogger
Pit Stops for Kids
[email protected]
Eric Kocaja
Beth Whitman
Writer and blogger
Wanderlust and Lipstick
[email protected]
General Manager
Evergreen Escapes
[email protected]
Marcus Yearout
Writer and publisher
Scenic WA & Scenic Byways
[email protected]
Speaker Sponsors
OLYMPIC
PENINSULA
V I S I TO R
B U R E AU
Supporting Sponsors
MAKAH TRIBE
Please visit the following Vendor Tables during
the day of our Tourism Summit:
Aramark Paula Beck, Director of Sales/Marketing • 206.420.4711
Bedford’s Sodas Ed Bedford, Owner • 360.808.5498
Black Ball Ferry Line Ryan Malane, Co-Owner • 360.457.4491
Certified Folder Display Service, Inc. Jill Andrews, Sales Representative • 206.870.2470
Finn River Farm & Cidery Crystie Kisler, Owner • 360.732.4337
Fort Worden Todd Gubler, General Manager • 360.344.4431
Jefferson County TCC Steve Shively, Marketing Contractor • 360.379.5330
Makah Tribe Mike Rainey, Business Enterprise Manager • 360.645.2200
Morning Star Balloon Co. Captain Crystal Stout, Owner • 360-601.2433
M/V COHO Magazine Peter Philips, President/Publisher • 206.284.8285
National Park Trips Media David Kraus • 720-437-0508
NOAA Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary Karlyn Lanjahr, Manager • 360.457.6622 ex 31
Northwest Travel Magazine Tim Park, Account Manager • 253.432.4682
Olympic Culinary Loop Steve Shively, Marketing & Membership Services Director • 360.440.7006
Olympic National Park & Olympic National Forest Sponsored by Olympic Peninsula Visitor Bureau • 360-452-8552
OutdoorsNW Magazine Carolyn Price, Editor/Publisher • 206.418.0747
The Resort at Port Ludlow Debbie Wardrop, General Manager • 360.437.7070
Visit Kitsap Peninsula Patricia Graf-Hoke, Executive Director • 800.337.0580
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Discover Forks on the Olympic Peninsula
orks
F
Chamber of Commerce
Visitor Information Center
Forks, Washington is
home to Olympic
National Park & Forest,
Pacific Ocean beaches,
beautiful rivers, pristine
rainforests and is the
setting for the Twilight
book series.
1411 S. Forks Ave. • P.O. Box 1249 • Forks, Washington 98331
[email protected] • 360.374.2531 • www.facebook.com/forkswa
800.443.6757 • www.forkswa.com
Thank You to Our
Community Supporters
Fort Worden
The Resort at Port Ludlow
The Bishop Victorian Hotel
The Swan Hotel
The Washington Street Hotel
The Ravenscroft Inn
Key City Players
Special thanks to Necessities and Temptations for the
speaker gift bags
Tourism Summit Planning
Committee
Marsha Massey, OPVB
Stefanie Rotmark, OPVB
Mary Breslford, OPVB
Christina Pivarnik, City of Port Townsend
Lissy Andros, Forks Chamber of Commerce
Debbie Wardrop, Resort at Port Ludlow
Paula Beck, Aramark.
Anna Manildi, Phase6Productions
Program Production: Program Design: Laurel Black Design | Program Printing: Pen Print