Year in review - California Tourism Industry Site
Transcription
Year in review - California Tourism Industry Site
Year in Review Annual Report: July 1, 2011 – June 30, 2012 Travel-Related Spending Surpasses $100 billion Page 1 California Ambassador Rob Lowe Page 10 Going Global Page 21 International Pow Wow 2012 Page 32 Looking Ahead: Priorities for 2012–13 Page 39 President’s Message Onward & Upward F orward momentum best describes our state’s travel and tourism industry in 2011–2012. For the first time, annual travel-related spending in California broke the $100 billion barrier — and forecasts for next year are even higher. This milestone proves our industry’s resilience while demonstrating, once again, that California is the place to visit. Caroline Beteta President & CEO, Visit California Chair, Brand USA One of our proudest successes over the past year is the continued growth in international marketing. From the 22-country “California Experts” training program to the industryled China Ready campaign, Visit California continues to position the state as a top destination for foreign travelers. Our celebrity ambassadors are spreading the word globally, creating millions of impressions and providing significant media value. Visit California also brought the California dream directly to international buyers. This past November, we led a state delegation to the World Travel Market in London where we debuted the documentary film Dreamland at the Royal London Opera House. The premiere was a fitting follow-up to California’s royal visit from the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge earlier that year. California also hosted International Pow Wow, the nation’s largest travel trade show, for the second year in a row. This year’s Pow Wow marked the formal launch of Brand USA’s multi-country promotional campaign. As Brand USA’s incoming chair and interim CEO, I am committed to ensuring that this new entity positions the nation’s tourism industry for success and that we never experience another “Lost Decade.” Visit California continues to work with policymakers to move forward on visa reform and breaking down other barriers to international visitation. On the local front, California’s Tourism Marketing Districts (TMDs) are making an impact in more than 60 metro and rural areas. TMDs continue to replace scarce government dollars with a stable source of industry-generated funding for tourism promotion. Each $1 invested by the state’s TMDs generates a remarkable $70 return for the economy — that’s a true success story and an excellent example of leveraging innovative solutions during challenging budgetary times. In this economic climate, the entire Visit California team is committed to providing maximum value while minimizing costs and streamlining our operations. Our goal is to be a model public-private partnership in both operations and execution. That is why we continue to implement our Five-Year Strategic Marketing Plan — each step forward will result in more value and more opportunities for the whole industry. Visit California’s accomplishments are, indeed, the accomplishments of the industry that we serve. As a member organization, we exist to provide our stakeholders best-in-class products and customer service. This Year in Review captures much of our work over the past fiscal year. Your partnership drove the success of every event and program featured in the pages ahead. On behalf of the entire Visit California team, thank you for your support and collaboration. As California’s travel and tourism industry continues to build momentum, our industry partnerships are critical to propelling California’s travel and tourism industry — and the state’s economy — onward and upward. The California Travel and Tourism Commission, doing business as Visit California, is a private nonprofit corporation formed in 1988 to market California as a desirable tourism destination. Visit California works in close coordination with California’s Division of Tourism — while Visit California conducts marketing programs that drive visitation, the Division of Tourism oversees the assessment program that helps to fund these initiatives. Visit California serves as the industry leader for more than 100 statewide destination marketing organizations and more than 60 tourism business districts. In partnership with the state’s travel and tourism industry, Visit California aims to keep California top of mind as a premier travel destination. For more information about Visit California and a free California Visitor’s Guide, go to www.VisitCalifornia.com. Economic Analysis of Visit California’s Impact T he travel industry continues to drive economic growth in both the national and the state economy. Occupancy and room rates across the U.S. had year-to-year growth in each month of the fiscal year and increases in travel‑related employment continue to outpace the economy as a whole. Since March of 2011, the American travel industry has created 271,000 new jobs at a pace that is 26 percent faster than the rest of the economy. Here in California, the tourism industry is one of the state’s economic success stories. Travel-related spending within the state surpassed $100 billion for the first time in history in 2011 and is projected to reach $107 billion in 2012. The industry employed nearly a million people and generated $6.3 billion in state and local tax revenue. Between June of 2011 and 2012, the leisure and hospitality sector added 48,600 jobs, a 3.2 percent increase — compared to the only 2 percent increase in non-farm employment as a whole. Spending by international visitors continues to be a key part of the state’s export economy. The $19.1 billion spent in California in 2011 by international travelers alone was equal to the combined value of the state’s top four product exports (civilian aircraft, computer parts, non-industrial diamonds, and voice/image/data equipment.) Visit California is proud to have contributed to the travel industry’s incredible growth in the Golden State. Visit California’s marketing efforts in the U.S., Canada, the UK, and Australia reached almost 70 million people, resulting in 3.8 million incremental trips; $5.5 billion in incremental spending; and a return on investment of $231 to $1. Global Advertising Effectiveness Media Investment $23.7 million Audience 68.9 million Aware Households: 69% or 47 million Incremental Trips 3.8 million Incremental Spending $5.5 billion ROI Tax Revenue $231 to $1 $15 to $1 Industry.visitcalifornia.com 1 Principles and Strategies Visit California is a private not-for-profit corporation Guiding Principles 1 Do what the industry cannot do for itself. 2 Leverage existing assets and alliances; focus on international and emerging market brand development. 3 Evaluate program measurements and return on investment (ROI) for major programs. 4 Focus on out-of-state and international audiences to build and refine the California brand. 5 Support tourism-related businesses. 6 Accelerate Web leadership. 7 Align with CVBs, DMOs, U.S. Travel Leadership, and Brand USA. that operates jointly with the State of California’s Division of Tourism to market California as a desirable tourism destination. “O ur future success as a state is going to be dependent on an innovative, creative-based economy, and the tourism and travel industry will be a major pillar of that framework.” — George Kalogridis, President, Disneyland Anaheim, Walt Disney Parks and Resorts; Visit California Board Member 2 Year in review 201 1–2012 Objective 1: Objective 2: Objective 3: Objective 4: Platform Brand Engagement International Take advantage of Visit California’s position at the state level to promote all of California and create a platform that supports DMO and industry marketing investments. Expand the California travel brand to increase its connection to consumers worldwide and to inspire the desire to travel to California. Deepen relationship with consumers to move beyond providing inspiration to potential California travelers during every stage of the travel cycle. Welcome inbound visitors from international markets, creating awareness of California and inspiring the desire to experience our travel products. Strategies Strategies Strategies Strategies Advertising & Brand ■■ ■■ Cooperative Marketing ■■ Research ■■ Media ■■ Content ■■ National Marketing ■■ Partnerships ■■ Distribution ■■ Advertising ■■ Earned Media ■■ Social Media ■■ PR/Travel Trade ■■ Consumer Marketing Mission: Develop and maintain marketing programs — in partnership with the state’s travel industry — that keep California top-of-mind as a premier travel destination. Marketing Objective: Maintain and increase non‑resident leisure travel to and spending in California. Industry.visitcalifornia.com 3 Year At A Glance J uly 1 , 2 0 1 1 – J u n e 3 0, 2 0 1 2 2011 July 2011: The Royal Summer “Three Days Isn’t Enough” campaign leveraged the enormous publicity surrounding the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge’s July tour of California. The campaign generated 588 media placements, reached over 593 million people, and achieved a value of more than $2.1 million in paid advertising. Visit California also held a day-long rural planning meeting to solicit industry input on program strategy and plans for the year. August: Visit California planned for the execution of its programs and events for the entire upcoming year, including marketing plans for the premiere of Dreamland at the Royal Opera House and the program launch of Brand USA at the World Travel Market in London. September: Entertainment Tonight aired the first of ten “Spotlight on California” featurettes in a content integration partnership with Visit California. Each spotlight showcased regions in California through the eyes of the celebrities that love them. October: Visit California’s new California Tourism Ambassador, Rob Lowe, filmed public affairs messages about Why Travel Matters to California and consumer content about the activities and destinations he loves in California. “The travel and tourism industry has done bold and heroic things for the state’s economy, vitality, and image. And much of it has been done with the support of Visit California.” —Rob Lowe, actor; California Tourism Ambassador 4 Year in review 201 1–2012 November: California’s Asian Tourism Ambassador BH Lee embarked on a tour of Northern California’s wineries as part of Visit California Asia’s latest pan-Asia integrated media project. Content from the trip was featured in Cosmopolitan Korea, Cosmopolitan China, and VOGUE Japan, as well as on Visit California Asia’s award winning microsite “California Road.” During November, Visit California also led the largest delegation in history to the World Travel Market in London. December: Visit California sponsored the 2011 California Hall of Fame, honoring California icons like The Beach Boys, Earvin “Magic” Johnson, and Buzz Aldrin. Visit California also formally announced actor and longtime California resident Rob Lowe, who delivered the event’s opening remarks, as its new California Spokesperson and Celebrity Ambassador. Key Facts/By the Numbers $102.3 billion in direct travel-related consumer spending in 2011 893,000 tourism-related jobs $30.4 billion 14.5 million international visitors spent $19.1 billion in state and local tax receipts 2012 February: At the annual California Marketing Outlook Forum, Visit California gathered its travel and tourism partners together to learn and network about what’s new in Visit California’s marketing programs and in the global marketplace. total travel-related consumer spending forecast for 2012 in travel-related earnings $6.3 billion January 2012: Visit California brought back California Restaurant Month for its second successful year in January, securing 28 participating destinations. California Restaurant Month reinforced California’s reputation for gourmet food and fine wine and resulted in more than 35.8 million media impressions. $107 billion: March: Visit California led its largest-ever delegation to the International Tourism Fair in Berlin and unveiled its new Online Media Center, a web-based press hub that enables Visit California to deliver content and news to media around the world 365 days a year. April: As the co-host of International Pow Wow 2012, Visit California and California representatives from more than 200 travelrelated companies and destinations maximized opportunities to influence a captive audience of the world’s travel media and top buyers of U.S. travel products. May: In keeping with its strong emphasis on international tourism, Visit California launched the China Ready initiative, an educational platform designed to prepare the state’s tourism industry to better serve Chinese travelers, establish a standard level of service, and retain California’s competitive edge. June: Visit California kicked off its family-oriented Summer of Fun campaign. “Travel creates good jobs and strengthens state and local economies. Every $109,000 spent on tourism means another job for a Californian.” —Rusty Gregory, Chair and CEO, Mammoth Mountain Ski Area LLC; Visit California Chief Fiscal Officer Industry.visitcalifornia.com 5 Message from the CFO “By the Numbers” S urpassing $100 billion in travel-related spending is a major milestone for our industry and a sign of good things to come for the state. While the growth of travel and tourism is our first job at Visit California, the team led by Caroline remains intently focused on streamlining operations and keeping a lid on costs. Success requires that maximum resources be applied to tourism promotion and the support of our industry partners. Rusty Gregory CHIEF FISCAL OFFICER Chairman & CEO, Mammoth Mountain Ski Area, LLC Fiscal year 2011–2012 ended on a very strong note with just 10 percent of the total budget spent on frictional costs like salaries, benefits, staff travel, legal fees and rent. This performance is in stark contrast to similar organizations which often incur 20–30 percent in operational overhead. Additionally, staff accurately projected assessment proceeds and optimized collections to reach this year’s goal of $50 million in operating revenue. Visit California also received another unqualified audit without any material weaknesses. The organization continues to modernize its internal infrastructure, including an information technology upgrade designed to improve website performance and the use of a number of virtual servers that reduce power consumption — “greening up” operations in fact, not just appearance. Visit California also moved offices with a new lease that will save $1 million over the term of occupancy. With total travel-related spending in the California market estimated to approach $110 billion in 2012, Visit California remains committed to securing the best possible return on investment for our industry partners. Governor’s Reorganization Plan As part of the Governor’s Reorganization Plan, Visit California now falls under the auspices of the Office of Tourism to the Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development (GO-Biz.) The current Chair, the Secretary for Business Transportation and Housing, will be replaced with the Director of GO-Biz. To view Visit California’s budget for fiscal year 2011–12, please visit: http://industry.visitcalifornia.com/budget2011-12 6 Year in review 201 1–2012 Contributions by Industry Segment Proposed Budget Fiscal Year 2012–13 3% 13% Accommodations Global Brand & Program Restaurant & Retail •Global Brand Advertising 2% •Global Digital $1,670,000 Attractions •Global Publications $1,150,000 1% •Global Travel Trade $830,000 Travel Services 81% $26,298,000 •Global Research $1,050,000 •Global Consumer Co-Op $1,475,000 •Communications $1,405,000 •Industry Relations $1,330,000 •Welcome Centers Rental Cars $30,000 Total Global Brand & Program $35,238,000 Total International $6,488,000 Marketing Reserve $909,000 $42,635,000 Total Marketing Total Operations $7,365,000 Total Budget $50,000,000 Top California Exports The $19.1 billion spent in California in 2011 by international travelers alone was equal to the combined value of the state’s top four product exports. $19.1 B International Visitor Spending $5.4 B Civilian Aircraft $4.9 B Computer Parts $4.8 B Non-Industrial Diamonds $4.0 B Voice/Image/Data Equipment $0 $5 B $10 B $15 B $20 B Sources: U.S. Census Bureau; Dean Runyan Associates California Employment Growth — June 2011 to June 2012 The Leisure & Hospitality sector added 48,600 jobs between June of 2011 and 2012, a 3.2 percent increase. This growth outpaced job growth for non-farm employment as a whole, up 2.0 percent for the same period. 3.2% Leisure & Hospitality 2.0% Total Non-Farm 0 0.5% 1.0% 1.5% 2.0% 2.5% 3.0% 3.5% Source: State of California Employment Development Department Industry.visitcalifornia.com 7 “Visit California has a proven track record for spending money wisely — 90 percent of the budget goes directly to marketing and reserves, with just 10 percent going to operations.” —Kathy Turner, Vice President, Legislative Affairs and Government Affairs, Enterprise Holdings; Vice Chair of Operations, Visit California 8 Year in review 201 1–2012 Message from Vice Chair of Marketing “Building the Brand” I Ed Fuller VICE CHAIR OF MARKETING President and Managing Director, Marriott Lodging International n our first year of implementing the FiveYear Strategic Marketing Plan, Visit California continues to enrich the California brand by emphasizing California’s creativity, culture, and sense of adventure. The marketing platform leverages a comprehensive blend of print and television ads, digital content, cooperative promotions and partnerships, and event sponsorships. We are especially focused on communicating to core consumers — the digitally savvy visitors who seek the full California experience and life enrichment it provides. With a full range of traditional and online content, Visit California crafted responsive, inspiring marketing messages about all the Golden State has to offer. Our celebrity ambassadors — including celebrated actor Rob Lowe — extended our exposure in domestic and international markets. The “True Californians” print campaign highlighted California’s cultural innovations, while the “Out There” television spots brought the natural beauty of rural California into our audience’s living rooms. Visit California fostered a vibrant social media community and unveiled our new mobile site and iPad app, delivering the amazing assets that are California into the palm of your hand. And with high-profile sponsorships of events like the Amgen Tour of California and the iconic California Hall of Fame, Visit California continued to enhance the state’s travel brand. As we enter the second year of our Five‑Year Strategic Marketing Plan, we look forward to providing even more value to our industry partners and building upon the momentum of this year’s successful marketing efforts. The Visit California team inspires domestic and international travelers to explore the Golden State from 17 Locations worldwide. Industry.visitcalifornia.com 9 Celebrity Engagement California’s celebrities embody the state’s unique attitude and vibrant personality. Visit California has a long history of partnering with celebrities in its brand advertising program, and this year, it moved beyond advertising to establish a deeper marketing relationship with a few celebrities to serve as California ambassadors — Rob Lowe, BH Lee, and Jackie Bracamontes. Rob Lowe (United States, Canada, United Kingdom, and Australia) I n 2011 and 2012, Visit California expanded its relationship with quintessential Californian Rob Lowe, who became the official spokesman for the Visit California brand. The partnership with Rob Lowe capitalizes on one of California’s key destination drivers — Hollywood and celebrity culture — as well as Rob’s enthusiasm for everything from biking across the Golden Gate Bridge to skiing Mammoth Mountain to surfing off the Santa Barbara coast. Rob is passionate not only about exploring and experiencing all that California has to offer, but also about the economic vitality of the state. This year, Rob has focused on Why Travel Matters to California, highlighting the economic impact that the tourism industry has in the Golden State. In addition to his participation in two TV commercials for Visit California, Rob contributed content for a series of consumer website vignettes, provided business-tobusiness content, and appeared on the cover of the California Visitor’s Guide. Rob also participated in a 40+ city satellite tour and delivered the welcoming remarks at the Visit California-sponsored 2011 California Hall of Fame. 10 Year in review 201 1–2012 BH Lee (China, Japan, and South Korea) I n his second year as Visit California’s Asian Ambassador, BH Lee continued to inspire potential travelers from China, Japan, and South Korea to experience all that California has to offer. The actor — a celebrity throughout Asia and best known in the U.S. for his roles in “G.I. Joe” and “G.I. Joe 2” — has exposed several Asian markets to the tremendous appeal of California as a world-class leisure destination and leveraged his significant fan base across Asia. In November of 2011, BH Lee toured California’s wine country, creating content emphasizing California’s culture of fine wine and gourmet food. The campaign was massively popular in Visit California’s Asian markets, resulting in a total of 22 pages of photos, interviews, and feature articles in Cosmopolitan Korea, Cosmopolitan China, and VOGUE Japan. Not only did the campaign earn $1.2 million in media value and make 1,085,000 impressions, but it was also highlighted in Visit California Korea’s award-winning microsite “California Road,” heightening Visit California’s presence in the mobile market. Jackie Bracamontes (Mexico) M irroring the celebrity ambassador partnerships with Rob Lowe and BH Lee, Visit California launched its newest partnership in August featuring Mexico’s Jackie Bracamontes, a highly popular Televisa Worldwide network star and a former Miss Mexico. Jackie has contributed extensive video content focusing on wine & food, family activities, outdoor, shopping, California urban areas, and California drives to highlight California experiences on VisitaCalifornia.com.mx, the official site for Visit California in Mexico. Jackie will endorse travel itineraries, provide recommendations, and blog on the Mexico site, allowing Mexican visitors to see California through her eyes. Industry.visitcalifornia.com 11 “True Californians” T his year, the popular multimarket “True Californians” print campaign featured an impressive cast of California innovators and icons who bring the brand to life, including race car driver and wine guru Randy Lewis, extreme skiing pioneer Glen Plake, inventor of the wetsuit Jack O’Neill, and Kogi BBQ founder Roy Choi. The latest “True Californian” is Linda Perry, former lead singer of 4 Non-Blondes and renowned song writer and producer. The ad features Perry on California’s “Rock n Roll Row,” a collection of California’s most beloved music venues including the Whiskey a Go-Go, The Roxy Theatre, and the Fillmore Auditorium. The campaign, which plays chiefly to the UK market, invites UK visitors to experience California’s music scene and the people and places that inspired it. 12 Year in review 201 1–2012 Television and Film Television and film continues to be the foundation of Visit California’s brand advertising. This year, Visit California unveiled a new :30 commercial emphasizing California’s rural destinations, refreshed the umbrella brand ad spot to include new Celebrity Ambassador Rob Lowe, and introduced domestic and international audiences to the California documentary Dreamland. Dreamland O n the heels of California’s own royal visit, Visit California premiered the California documentary Dreamland at London’s Royal Opera House in advance of the World Trade Market. The film — which provides a living, breathing snapshot of what makes California so desirable to travelers from around the world — tells the story of one day in California. Filmed simultaneously from dawn until dusk on November 19, 2010, it follows a remarkable ensemble of Californians who possess the spirit of innovation and adventure unique to the Golden State. The stars of the film traveled to London to help Visit California celebrate its debut and bring the film to life in spectacular fashion: Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson, musician Liz Phair, big wave surfers Sarah and Mike Gerhardt, pioneering women in wine Amelia and Dalia Ceja, and professional climber Kevin Jorgeson. After watching the film, the audience was brought behind the scenes of the documentary and its subjects through an engaging Q&A led by the film’s director, Mark Obenhaus, followed by a surprise concert by Liz Phair and her band. The London premiere kicked off a multi-year campaign centered on the people, places, and experiences featured in Dreamland, which will air on public television in the U.S. and in key international markets. Visit California will continue to work with the talent as ambassadors for the brand, with their authentic voices amplifying California’s reputation as an inspirational place to live and visit. Industry.visitcalifornia.com 13 Broadcast Integration Entertainment Tonight A fter the success of Visit California’s integrated partnership with Ellen last year, Visit California launched a similarly “DVR‑proof” content integration program with Entertainment Tonight, one of the top syndicated shows on television with a per episode audience of 6 million viewers. Visit California kicked off the Entertainment Tonight partnership by sponsoring the 2011 Entertainment Tonight Emmy After-Party. The party drew over 1,200 celebrities and entertainment industry guests, providing an opportunity to capitalize on the global and national press coverage of the Emmys and position the California brand by showcasing some of the Golden State’s finest chefs, wineries, and destination imagery. The Emmy party was followed by a ten‑week content integration program. The “Spotlight on California” feature explored California’s destinations through the eyes of the celebrities that love them. Each spotlight included insider insights into each location as viewers explored Yosemite, Lake Tahoe, and Shasta with Clint Eastwood; Los Angeles and the Central Valley with chef Wolfgang Puck; and Malibu, Santa Barbara, and Mammoth with our Celebrity Ambassador Rob Lowe. The reach of the partnership was extended with the launch of a “Spotlight on California” microsite with ETOnline and TheInsider.com. Visitors to the site explored a regional map with expanded regional content, viewed links to the Visit California website and the real-time Twitter feed, and were introduced to other ways to connect with Visit California through e-newsletters, social media, or their very own copy of the California Visitor’s Guide. The Amgen Tour of California I n its sixth year as a premiere sponsor of the Amgen Tour of California, Visit California expanded its exposure with a high impact media partnership with NBC and NBC Sports Network. This year, the Tour was broadcast for the first time on NBC Sports Network, reaching more than 11 million viewers in 216 countries. In addition to its longstanding sponsorship program, Visit California invested more heavily in broadcast elements, including pre-show coverage, custom vignettes, on-screen fast facts about each destination, and commercials and HD footage promoting California travel destinations along the route. 14 Year in review 201 1–2012 California Hall of Fame V isit California’s newest sponsorship is the prestigious California Hall of Fame, an annual state ceremony honoring the pioneering and iconic Californians who are being inducted into the California Museum’s Hall of Fame. The inductees of the class of 2011 embodied the Golden State’s innovative spirit and attitude that attracts travelers to California. Californians in the 2011 class included pilot and astronaut Buzz Aldrin, musicians The Beach Boys, Nobel Prize-winning scientist Dr. Elizabeth Blackburn, gang intervention expert Father Gregory Boyle, Gap founders and philanthropists Doris and Donald Fisher, NBA superstar and entrepreneur Earvin “Magic” Johnson, independent living pioneer Ed Roberts, guitarist Carlos Santana, novelist Amy Tan, and California Supreme Court Chief Justice Roger Traynor. At the event, Visit California celebrity spokesman Rob Lowe opened the ceremony by recalling his family’s journey across the country in a station wagon to the Golden State and celebrating the inductees, saying “They are the heart and soul of California. They make California the one-of-a-kind, inspirational destination that it is.” Potential viewership included Comcast Hometown’s 2.4 million subscribers. Industry.visitcalifornia.com 15 Web and Mobile Visit California continues to optimize its digital platform. This year, Visit California saw unprecedented traffic on VisitCalifornia.com, introduced its mobile site and iPad app, and leveraged its social media community to boost the brand’s visibility and vitality. VisitCalifornia.com V isitCalifornia.com is the primary online consumer gateway in the U.S. and Canada and the foundation of Visit California’s digital strategy. In addition to VisitCalifornia.com, Visit California’s twelve international domains share marketing messages and destination information in nine different languages. For all of the sites, Google Analytics tracks visits and page views, enabling Visit California to assess the effectiveness of advertising campaigns and promotions and monitor impressions in real-time. This year, VisitCalifornia.com received more than 3.1 million unique visitors, a 27 percent increase over the previous year. In total, 4.4 million consumers viewed Visit California’s global domains, an increase of more than 14.6 percent. 16 Year in review 201 1–2012 Going Mobile A s more and more consumers adopt mobile platforms each year, Visit California has seen increasing demand for travel content on smartphones and other mobile devices. This year, Visit California unveiled its free iPad app and launched the VisitCalifornia.com mobile site. The new mobile site — available on all smartphone platforms — puts the latest information on what to do and see in California in the palm of the consumer’s hand. Travelers can use the mobile site and the app to access current and compelling information about California destinations, whether they are dreaming about a California getaway while in line at the grocery store or are already in the Golden State looking for their next adventure. From their smartphones, visitors can quickly browse must‑see destinations, create customized itineraries, find travel guides, and access Google maps showing the locations of hundreds of recommendations, insider tips, and California Welcome Centers. Frequent travelers are early adopters of tablet technology, which allows Visit California to combine the comprehensive content and visually stunning photography of print publishing with the convenience and speed of computer interactivity. The Visit California iPad app includes robust mapping capabilities, leverages Visit California’s digital library of publications, and seamlessly integrates with social networks. And thus far, half of the app’s downloads have been from overseas consumers, one of Visit California’s priority consumer groups. Social Media T hrough social media, Visit California has cultivated a vibrant, interactive online community. With Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and new platforms like Pinterest and Instagram, Visit California is creating conversations with its friends, fans, and followers every day. Earlier this year, the Visit California Facebook transitioned into the new Facebook Timeline format. Timeline is more organic and photo-driven, making the social network even more engaging. With Timeline, photos have more visual impact, grabbing users’ attention more readily and enabling Visit California to spotlight news, photos, videos, and announcements more easily. The updated site has garnered new fans and started hundreds of online exchanges between Visit California and potential travelers. The Facebook fan base now includes 43,878 people, a 145 percent increase over the previous year. To take full advantage of Timeline’s new Milestones feature, Visit California asked Facebook fans to upload a photo of their personal “California Milestone Moment” for a chance to win branded California merchandise. The contest engaged the current fan base, drove acquisition of new fans, and generated conversations about California destinations. During the 21-day campaign, “California Milestone Moments” grew the Facebook fan base by 9,035 people (33.2 percent) and the weekly reach to 2,119,005 people — a staggering 6,619 percent increase. Visit California also established a consistent message across all of its media channels. To better reflect the Visit California brand, the Twitter page was rebranded from @CATourism to @VisitCA. The Twitter feed publicized campaigns like “California Milestone Moments,” supported industry partners by retweeting selected posts from their sites, and directed web coverage to VisitCalifornia.com. This year, the number of followers increased 26 percent to 14,741. New Social Platforms E-newsletters V C isit California continues to monitor new trends in the digital social scene and when appropriate, incorporate up-and-coming platforms into its online strategy. Visit California added two new photo-oriented platforms this year: Pinterest and Instagram. Both platforms allow their users to share and comment on posted pictures. Pinterest is an online bulletin board where users share pictures and graphics that interest and inspire them. Pinterest is a natural space to showcase California’s incredible destinations and Visit California’s riveting brand imagery. Instagram, a hugely popular smartphone app, enables users to apply filters to their photos and share images with friends via social networking. Now, Visit California can share its favorite shots of California with Pinterest and Instagram audiences, broadening the reach of existing visual content and driving viewers to our Facebook page, Twitter, and VisitCalifornia.com. alifornia enthusiasts can also interact with Visit California through the consumer e-newsletter program. The email newsletter communicates directly with 350,000 opt-in consumers, delivering targeted information about California special events and programs and linking to Visit California’s digital platforms and travel tools. Industry.visitcalifornia.com 17 Cooperative Promotions Family Attractions T his summer, three of California’s most loved family attractions launched all-new reasons to come to the Golden State — Manta at SeaWorld San Diego, Transformers: The Ride–3D at Universal Studios Hollywood and Cars Land at Disney California Adventure. To leverage increased family travel to these exciting new destinations, Visit California published a family-themed California Road Trips 2012, continued to promote its industry partners and their attractions with the California Fun Spots campaign, and launched the Summer of Fun advertising campaign online. The 2012 edition of California Road Trips, produced in partnership with Sunset Magazine, celebrates the family road trip. Each of California’s 12 designated tourism regions gets the spotlight in a Road Trips itinerary, encouraging travelers to explore every corner of the state. The result is an engaging and useful guide that helps dispel the myth that California is too big to enjoy in just a few days. This year’s guide makes the most of the more than $2 billion in capital improvements to California’s theme parks, showcasing family-oriented activities, attractions, and destinations. In addition to being published in Sunset Magazine, Road Trips was featured in the Visit California iPad app and integrated into the digital platform. The guide features insider tips and recommendations from Visit California’s Facebook fans and provides links to more regional content and social networking. In its twenty-fourth successful year, California Fun Spots is now the longest running cooperative marketing program in Visit California’s history. Fun Spots promotes California attractions through enhanced listings and online savings coupons available online at VisitCalifornia.com/funspots. The program extends the reach of individual attractions’ marketing 18 Year in review 201 1–2012 efforts, providing exposure to regional, national, and international audiences. This year, Visit California built upon the Fun Spots platform with the Summer of Fun campaign, developed in partnership with SeaWorld, Universal Studios, Disneyland, City Pass, and Cirque du Soleil’s Iris. The Summer of Fun cooperative campaign is an online initiative utilizing display advertising and interactive media to promote the exciting new family attractions opening this summer in California. The campaign asks “Are you ready for this much fun?” in display advertising, a “fun face” online game, and social media content. The program launched in June and is supported through Visit California’s owned and earned channels, magnifying the impact of the paid advertising component. California Restaurant Month I t’s not often that a sequel outdoes the original, but California Restaurant Month’s (CRM) second year was one of the rare exceptions, featuring 28 destinations (up from 23 last year.) This year’s CRM offered more opportunities for visitors to enjoy California’s finest restaurants and eateries at an incredible value, from gourmet prix fixe menus to California wine pairings and meals prepared by the state’s most famous celebrity chefs. Visitation to the CRM website was up 29 percent this year and the campaign made more than 35.8 million media impressions with $2.06 million in media value. In addition to regional placements statewide, Visit California made several notable national placements on Zagat.com, Time.com, FoxNews.com, and the Cable Radio News Network. Former “Top Chef” contestant Fabio Viviani, who owns Café Firenze and Firenze Osteria in the Los Angeles area, also appeared on “Good Morning America” on January 27 and praised fresh California ingredients while cooking Italian wedding soup. His segment alone reached 5.1 million people, with an advertising value of approximately $230,000. California Welcome Centers T he California Welcome Center (CWC) program had another successful year in 2011–12. Visit California’s CWCs act as a source for statewide visitor information and encourage travelers to extend their stay in the Golden State. CWC staff serve as personal concierges for all aspects of California travel by providing destination, attraction, performing arts, and accommodations brochures from throughout the state, along with reservation services, Internet access, regional and California merchandise, and ticket sales. Rural Integration V isit California has made a dedicated effort to increase exposure for California’s eight rural regions. During television production for the Royal Visit campaign, Visit California developed a second long term commercial. Shot in all eight rural regions, “Out There” complements Visit California’s brand television campaign by adding a new layer of messaging highlighting the state’s abundance of natural beauty and outdoor recreation. Thus far, the “Out There” spot’s performance has been incredibly strong in both the U.S. and Canada. This year, Visit California celebrated increased visitation at its twenty CWCs. June 2012 visitor counts were 18.6 percent higher than last year’s. With the addition of the newest Buena Park and Salinas CWCs, the number of visitors that passed through the doors of the CWC network reached 1.5 million during the 2011–12 fiscal year, a 10 percent increase over the 2010–11 fiscal year. Industry.visitcalifornia.com 19 Golden State Sponsor Going Global Industry.visitcalifornia.com 21 China: China Ready C alifornia is the top U.S. destination for Chinese visitors, and the improving visa application process and increase in air service to the Golden State makes California even more accessible to Chinese travelers. In 2011, more that 517,000 Chinese visitors traveled to California, an almost 30 percent increase over 2010. While the average spending for overseas visitors to California is $1,209 per visitor, travelers from China spent more than twice that ($2,652) in 2010. This year, Visit California launched China Ready, an educational platform designed to prepare the state’s tourism industry for growing numbers of Chinese tourists. Through the China Ready initiative, Visit California provides educational tools and resources to help support the state’s tourism industry as they welcome increasing numbers of Chinese travelers. Visit California also works with the travel trade in China to build a corps of “California Experts” who are familiar with the state’s activities and destinations, from the well-known icons to the off‑the-beaten path experiences. Celebrating Chinese New Year in California Held for the second consecutive year, the Chinese New Year Promotion 2012 featured 20 Chinese tour groups exploring six different itineraries across California, with highlights including San Francisco, Los Angeles and San Diego. More than 650 participants experienced the very best of California during a 10‑day tour that covered the state’s major tourism destinations. To promote the Chinese New Year trips, Visit California China launched a marketing campaign that included radio placements in 15 provinces and trainings for tour operators. With the U.S. Embassy, Visit California China set up a Group Leisure Travel stream to make applying for visas for the trip more convenient for Chinese travelers. Here in California, Visit California China worked with the state’s tour operators and vendors to create an incredible tourism product, including a New Year’s dumpling dinner and a private fireworks show at Disneyland. 22 Year in review 201 1–2012 Japan: California’s 100 Colors I n 2011, more that 560,000 Japanese visitors explored California, making it the state’s third largest overseas market. Japanese travelers spent $425 million in California in 2010, with each visitor spending more than $1200. The 100 Colors campaign in the Japanese market is a digital promotion designed to deepen consumer understanding of the California brand. Visitors to the site — which was aimed at women age 20–30 — could build their own virtual tour from a catalogue of 60 California attractions, have their travel “fortune” told (and new destinations suggested) by the Travel Color Fortune-Telling game, and register for a giveaway coordinated with industry partners H.I.S. and United and California brands Beringer and Patagonia. The campaign was accompanied by social media promotion on Facebook, twitter, and mixi (a Japanese social network), driving visitors to the 100 Colors site and to the main Visit California landing page. Since the site’s launch, unique users have increased by 129 percent. South Korea: California Road L ast year, 410,000 visitors from South Korea traveled to the Golden State. In 2010, Korean travelers spent approximately $488 million in California. The California Road site is the main platform for Visit California Korea’s “California: 6 Nights 7 Days” campaign, which inspires Korean visitors to plan their own week in the Golden State. In six episodes focused on six different audiences (foodies, families, female office workers, celebrities, road trippers, and romantics and honeymooners), the microsite targets Visit California’s core consumers in Korea. In “Chef Edward Kwon’s California Gourmet Tour” or “Cool Girls Exploring Hot California,” Korean audience can find the trip that is exactly right for them. And since Visit California Korea developed sample itineraries with travel agents and rental car companies in California and Korea, the site’s viewers can plan their own seven days in California with the click of a mouse. In addition to strong viewership (over 73,000 visitors viewed the site in the last six months of 2011), the California Road microsite won the prestigious WebAward Korea for the third year in a row. Industry.visitcalifornia.com 23 United Kingdom: California Classics T he United Kingdom is California’s largest overseas market, with 702,000 visitors in 2011 and $731 million in spending in 2010. Visit California’s California Classics film screenings reach a sophisticated, urban audience that responds to innovative marketing techniques rather than traditional tourism marketing. Screenings of classic California films capitalize on UK consumers’ love for American celebrity and pop culture, while showcasing the destinations themselves. In the 2011 California Classics season, Visit California worked with Future Cinema to create two spectacular cinematic events based on the films Top Gun and The Lost Boys. The locations featured in these two movies were rebuilt on the banks of the River Thames, effectively transporting London moviegoers to a San Diego “Fighter Town” and the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk. 24 Year in review 201 1–2012 Following the success of the 2011 season, Visit California launched a second season in 2012 to bring film-loving consumers deeper into the California brand. Four classic films were selected for their cult and cultural appeal and their ability to showcase California through their locations and characters: ■■ Milk: San Francisco ■■ Bullitt: San Francisco and the Bay Area ■■ Chinatown: Los Angeles and Catalina Island ■■ Sideways: Santa Ynez Valley/Santa Barbara Wine Country/Solvang All of the films were introduced by UK television presenter and DJ Alex Zane and preceded by the recently refreshed “Misconceptions II” commercial starring Rob Lowe. The campaign and its accompanying social media program reached a total of 1.8 million consumers, resulted in 10,907 ticket applications, doubled the campaign’s Facebook audience, and motivated countless tourists to plan a California trip of their own. Germany: Hungry for California I n 2011, 423,000 German travelers made the trip to California. This year, Visit California offered German diners a taste of California in 700 Eurest canteens, cooking up menus designed to evoke a feeling of California’s sunny and delicious destinations during the cold German winter. As they devoured California cuisine, diners perused restaurant materials developed by Visit California’s German office that reinforced California’s reputation as a leading food and wine destination and showcased additional travel experiences from arts and culture to outdoor recreation. Visit California also partnered with CANUSA Touristik to create a distinctive culinary travel giveaway for two and a raffle of other California‑themed prizes, including cookbooks. The culinary campaign reached more than 2.2 million German consumers. Visit California and Lufthansa Visit California counts Germany’s Lufthansa among its airline partners. As Germany’s leading airline, Lufthansa carries about 60 million passengers annually, with daily air service to Los Angeles and San Francisco. It has seen a 30 percent increase in the number of passengers to SFO since it added a flight using an Airbus A380 in May 2011. Visit California engages Lufthansa guests by reaching out to them when they are planning their trips at home, in Lufthansa airport lounges and on board Lufthansa aircrafts. Visit California partnered with DERTOUR — the No. 1 German-U.S. tour operator — to create travel deals and content to inspire a German audience. In Lufthansa frequent flier lounges, first-class, business-class, and other priority travelers find the German edition of the California Visitors Guide alongside their favorite newspapers and magazines. And on board, business class travelers receive a Visit California mini‑flier with their meals. The informative and engaging flier is the perfect size to take with you after the flight, becoming a miniature guide to California. Placements in Lufthansa magazines, lounges, digital banners, and plane cabins have a reach of 7.64 million. Industry.visitcalifornia.com 25 Australia: Culinary California A ustralia is California’s second largest source of overseas visitors, surpassing Japan in 2011. 563,000 Australians visited California last year, a 12 percent increase over 2010. The Culinary California campaign featuring celebrity chef Michael Moore informed Australian consumers about California’s world-class culinary culture and differentiated the state’s dining reputation from negative perceptions of “American” food. In November, Visit California launched the first phase of the campaign, including an integrated sponsorship of “Junior MasterChef Australia,” a four-week consumer promotion on Facebook, a targeted Facebook advertising campaign, and digital and SEO advertising on news- and 26 Year in review 201 1–2012 travel‑oriented sites such as BBC Worldwide, NineMSN, Yahoo!AU, and Tripadvisor. In the campaign’s second phase, Moore served as a culinary ambassador in four new California cuisine videos, which were posted on Visit California’s Australian Web site and distributed on paid video networks. Moore also shared personal messages about California for Avant Card post cards, which Visit California distributed at various wine and food events and featured on online display banners and e-cards. Initial results indicate that the campaign far surpassed expectations, delivering a total of 39,040 clicks to the Visit California website (almost 10,000 more than expected) and click through rates of nearly 20 percent, with an average total reach across publisher sites of 2,973,141. Mexico: Engaging Industry M ore than 6.8 million visitors are estimated to have traveled to California from Mexico in 2011, with approximately 476,000 of them arriving by air. Total spending in 2011 by Mexican visitors was greater than $1.7 billion, a more than 30 percent increase over 2010. The latest component of Visit California’s marketing strategy in Mexico is the formation of the California-Mexico Advisory Committee (CMAC). The committee — made up of seven highlevel executives from leading travel companies in Mexico — will share expertise and guidance on the ever-changing Mexican travel market, the leading source of international visitors to the Golden State. Insights from these key influencers will be used by Visit California’s Mexican team to develop short- and long‑term strategies for increasing sales and visitation to California. CMAC’s inaugural meeting was held in San Francisco February 2–4, 2012 and showcased California as a destination to executives from Koch Overseas, American Express, Corporate Travel, Vimsa Tours, Latin Holdings, Viajes Olin, and Profesionales en Convenciones. Visit California plans to hold two annual CMAC meetings in California and two meetings in Mexico each year with Visit California Mexico staff. Annual meetings will be held at various locations throughout the state in order to expand product knowledge among the key tour operators. Following the first CMAC meeting, Visit California’s Mexico staff provided a Mexico market update for 45 Northern California DMOs and suppliers to share insights with industry members and assist their individual marketing efforts. The total travel-related spending by visitors from Mexico in 2011 was $1.7 billion, a more than 30 percent increase over 2010. Industry.visitcalifornia.com 27 Message from Vice Chair of Operations and Industry Relations “Becoming Superman” W Kathy Turner Vice Chair of Operations Vice President — Legislative and Government Affairs, Enterprise Holdings e titled our new Five-Year Strategic Business Plan “It’s a Word…It’s a Plane…” to call attention to the heroic impact of California’s tourism industry on the state’s economy. Traveler spending — an unprecedented $102.3 billion in 2011 — directly supports more than 4 percent of California’s jobs. Last year, total travel-related employment in the state increased by 1.5 percent, putting 14,000 more Californians to work in one of the state’s most important industries. Over the next five years, Visit California will prioritize shedding the travel and tourism industry’s “Clark Kent” image and elevating recognition of the value it contributes to the Golden State — becoming Superman in the eyes of California residents, policymakers, and thought leaders. Visit California’s momentum is driven by our travel industry partnerships, particularly collaboration with our community of assessed businesses. Every event and program featured in this Year in Review is built upon the innovative ideas and efforts of destinations, attractions, associations, and businesses that are committed to ensuring that California remains one of the most loved, admired, and visited places on earth. Visit California is dedicated to providing our stakeholders with first-class marketing opportunities, cutting-edge research, 28 Year in review 201 1–2012 and other resources aimed at introducing California to audiences across the globe. To that end, we revitalized the industry field representative program to facilitate more one-on-one connections with assessed businesses. Through improved feedback mechanisms, updated and informative presentations, and new mapping tools to track onsite visits, Visit California is working to ensure that our industry partners receive accurate, timely, and relevant information. This year, Visit California also showcased Why Travel Matters to our state leaders and shared stories from the Golden State with media all over the world. Speaker of the Assembly John Pérez co-led our delegation to the World Travel Market in London to celebrate the launches of Brand USA and the California-centric documentary Dreamland. We hosted soldout media receptions in Los Angeles, New York, and Toronto and launched a new Online Media Center. With the ongoing implementation of the Five-Year Strategic Business Plan, Visit California will continue to strengthen our partnerships and programs on behalf of California’s bold and dynamic tourism industry. “Over the next five years, Visit California will prioritize shedding the travel and tourism industry’s ‘Clark Kent’ image and elevating recognition of the value it contributes to the Golden State.” —Kathy Turner, Vice President, Legislative and Government Affairs, Enterprise Holdings; Vice Chair of Operations, Visit California California Attitude Californians’ unique approach to life…we live life to the fullest + Abundance The best of everything all in one place = Superlative A place like no other Industry.visitcalifornia.com 29 Industry Engagement California Marketing Outlook Forum Visit California gathers its travel and tourism partners together at the annual California Marketing Outlook Forum to learn about what’s new in Visit California’s marketing programs and in the global marketplace. Through dynamic speakers, informative panels, and special events, Visit California helps its partners enhances their next marketing moves in the California tourism industry. Highlights from the Forum Roger Dow, President and CEO of the U.S. Travel Association, encouraged the California travel industry to advocate for travel-friendly policies and discussed national efforts — including recent moves by the Obama administration — to tear down barriers that impede travel to the U.S. Caroline Beteta, President and CEO of Visit California and Chair of Brand USA, used the analogy of a three-legged stool to describe how the U.S. travel industry is supported by the USTA’s advocacy, the policy recommendations of the U.S. Travel & Tourism Advisory Board and the upcoming national marketing promotions by Brand USA. 30 Year in review 201 1–2012 At the Policymakers Forum, Visit California Vice Chair of Operations Kathy Turner, who is Vice President, Legislative and Government Affairs, at Enterprise Holdings, moderated a panel discussion with seven of California’s top trade association executives. The panel covered the latest legislation, policies, and court cases involving travel issues. Mark Liberman, a Visit California Board Member and President of The Los Angeles Tourism and Convention Board, led a panel discussion that tied together President Obama’s efforts to ease entry for travelers from China and what California needs to do to meet the needs of Chinese travelers. Panelists were Todd Davidson, Chair of the U.S. Travel & Tourism Advisory Board and CEO of the Oregon Tourism Commission, and Dr. Zhihang Chi, Vice President and General Manager of North America for Air China. Jay Baer, President and CEO of Convince & Convert, moderated a panel on current developments in social media that can take travelrelated programs from good to great. The panel included Rachel Salberg, Senior YouTube Specialist for Google Travel; Matt Thomson, Vice President of Business Development and Platform for Klout; and Christine Trodella, Sales Manager at Facebook. Adam Sacks, President of Tourism Economics and a Member of the U.S. Travel & Tourism Advisory Board, provided global economic research and information on markets that represent opportunities for California travel and tourism. The Industry Recognition Dinner featured the 2012 Excellence in Tourism Marketing Awards — the highest accolades for tourism promotions in California. Joe D’Alessandro, a Visit California Board Member and President and CEO of the San Francisco Travel Association, moderated the International Office Panel, featuring representatives from Visit California’s twelve global offices. The conversation focused on international market trends, new cooperative marketing opportunities, and upcoming programs. Industry.visitcalifornia.com 31 International Pow Wow 2012 On the heels of a record year in tourism expenditures boosted by strong international visitation and the launch of Brand USA, Visit California is keenly focused on the global horizon. Hosting two consecutive Pow Wows — the U.S.A.’s top international travel trade show — in the Golden State adds to that global momentum. T he U.S. Travel Association’s International Pow Wow was held in Los Angeles in late April 2012 and in San Francisco the previous May. As a direct result of the double-header, Visit California anticipates $800 million in new international expenditures through 2016 across the Golden State. Visit California, along with California representatives from more than 200 travel-related companies and destinations, maximized this opportunity to influence a captive audience of the world’s travel media and top buyers of U.S. travel products. Headquarters staff and global office representatives met with 325 tour operators and “As a direct result of hosting consecutive Pow Wows in California in 2011 and 2012, Visit California expects $800 million in new travel-related international expenditures through 2016.” 32 Year in review 201 1–2012 journalists during scheduled appointments at its prime booth location, and Visit California’s media marketplace traffic doubled over the previous year. As a co-host of the event with the Los Angeles Tourism and Convention Board, Visit California secured high visibility branding throughout the convention center and at official evening networking events, attended by thousands of travel trade and media. The Club California space facilitated additional visibility and networking with daily happy hours and a mixology seminar for media. Following the show, Visit California co-hosted familiarization tours for trade and media at eight destinations: San Diego, Mammoth Mountain, Yosemite, Central Coast, Route 66, Anaheim/OC, San Francisco and Palm Springs. 178 participants from more than 40 countries were in attendance. To give these key consumer influencers more product knowledge, the tour itineraries focused on new elements in well-traveled gateway cities and hidden gem rural destinations. Travel Trade During fiscal year 2011–12, Visit California organized nearly 250 familiarization tours and hosted more than 1,000 travel trade and media representatives. Visit California also attended trade shows and trade missions all over the world to promote the California brand. I n November, Visit California led an 80-person delegation — the largest in the event’s history — to the World Travel Market (WTM) in London. Held annually, the WTM is the international travel industry’s largest business-to-business exhibition, a four-day event that links buyers, sellers and government officials. The delegation included California State Assembly Speaker John Pérez and Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson, pictured below with Caroline Beteta, as well as industry leaders from destinations and attractions throughout the state, Visit California’s European representatives, and extraordinary “True Californian” brand ambassadors. Visit California kicked off the trip to WTM with the star-studded world premiere of Dreamland at the Royal Opera House, attended by the UK’s top travel executives, buyers and media. Visit California also celebrated the launch of Brand USA’s new corporate identity and marketing strategy with the entire U.S. delegation and key international travel trade and media at the National Maritime Museum in Greenwich. travel trade, media and retail industry representatives during the Australia Sales Mission. In September, Visit California participated in the U.S. Travel Association’s India Mission and sent a delegation to the International French Travel Market Top Resa, France’s premiere annual international travel and tourism trade fair. In October, Visit California organized a mission to Brazil that included an exclusive Visit California prime positioning booth at the largest annual trade event in Latin America, ABAV; a media and tour reception in Rio de Janeiro; and a tour operators’ luncheon in São Paulo. The following month, Visit California attended SHOWCASE USA–ITALY, the only marketing exhibition exclusively dedicated to promote Italian tourism to the United States. Visit California also took part in the Discover America Workshop Copenhagen, where the delegation met with 200 key travel trade and media. In February, Visit California participated in the Go West Summit, the premier business-oriented travel trade show selling the American West. Go West brings together the world’s top international tour operators with specialty suppliers who offer travel products in thirteen of America’s western states. Visit California delegates met with 34 companies and distributed leads to the 50 California companies in attendance. In March, Visit California led a robust delegation of 20 industry partners to the International Tourism Fair (ITB) travel trade show in Berlin, which featured Visit California’s largest booth ever for the show. ITB Berlin draws 10,644 exhibiting companies and organizations from 180 countries as well as 113,006 travel industry visitors and 60,000 consumers. Visit California and its California partners hosted more than 200 appointments with all major tour operators. They discussed co-ops, events, and other marketing programs, resulting in new opportunities to increase international visitation to California. During the show, Visit California distributed 3,000 German-language visitor guides, 3,000 California maps, 500 international visitor’s guides and 500 of the official delegation collateral piece. Visit California also celebrated with the documentary Dreamland as it won in the “Event” category of the Golden City Gate Awards. Over the course of the year, Visit California visited a number of other key international markets for travel trade shows and sales missions. In August of 2011, 18 California industry suppliers met with key Australian Industry.visitcalifornia.com 33 Media and Communications Online Media Center I n March, Visit California unveiled the new Online Media Center, Media.VisitCalifornia.com, offering compelling content and comprehensive media resources that are easy to search and share. The new site helps Visit California deliver content and news to media around the world 365 days a year. New features like “Share This” will allow media to broadcast our content instantly to their social channels. The site is also equipped for content sharing across Visit California’s international offices and will support the global PR team in their day-to-day media servicing and pitch development. In addition, the Online Media Center allows Visit California to maximize industry content submissions and surface product news and story ideas on an ongoing basis. Ultimately, Visit California plans to phase out digital press kits on USB and move all press information to the Online Media Center. Visits to ONLINE MEDIA CENTER since launch NUMBER OF VISITS, MARCH–JULY 2012 1500 1200 900 600 300 Number of Web Visits Unique Visitors 0 March 2012 Launch 34 Year in review 201 1–2012 April 2012 May 2012 June 2012 July 2012 Media Receptions V isit California’s media receptions are designed to connect California destinations and tourism businesses with key travel media, driving increased interest in California and providing a forum for California delegates to showcase their story ideas and products. The media receptions held in Los Angeles, New York, and Toronto introduced more than 213 reporters and members of the media to California’s destinations and attractions. They learned first-hand about developments at dozens of Golden State destinations and the latest statewide programs being offered by Visit California — including the new media portal and media kits. The Los Angeles event attracted 58 key consumer, lifestyle, and travel media personnel from outlets like Travel + Leisure and Johnny Jet. In New York City, 89 members of the media were in attendance from outlets such as Brides, CSM, New York Daily News, and Reuters. In Toronto, Visit California met with 66 members of the Canadian media, including Globe & Mail, City TV, Discovery Channel, and the Toronto Star. Los Angeles New York Toronto Industry.visitcalifornia.com 35 Press Tours D uring the 2011–12 fiscal year, Visit California organized nearly 250 media familiarization tours, hosting almost 1,000 travel trade and media representatives throughout all twelve of California’s regions. A total of 287 international journalists participated in 204 individual trips and 19 group gatherings. One of these group trips was the “Rock On! California” tour, which generated buzz with the “Cultured Explorer” demographic in Australia and the UK and reinforced the state’s reputation as the entertainment and celebrity capitol of the world. “Rock On! California” brought eleven top-tier journalists (on assignment for more than 20 outlets) to the iconic Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival, the leading music festival in the country. Coachella’s broad program of emerging and top‑of‑the‑charts artists, from the hottest rock and indie acts to hip hop legends and dance music pioneers, was a hit for visiting journalists and their audiences. To amp up social media coverage during the tour, Visit California loaned iPhones to all of the visiting journalists and promised the reporter from each market that created the most social media buzz a return trip back to CA. More than 800 tweets, countless retweets, and more than 500 Facebook posts created hundreds of thousands of impressions. All posts were shared on Visit California Australia’s web sites, engaging more than 400,000 users. More than 20 upcoming print and online placements are confirmed from the trip, with an anticipated reach of over 10 million and forecasted paid ad value for at least $1 million. Visit California organized nearly 250 media familiarization tours and hosted almost 1,000 travel trade and media representatives throughout all twelve of California’s regions. 36 Year in review 201 1–2012 Public Affairs Throughout the year, Visit California continued to communicate Why Travel Matters to state and federal officials. A t the state level, those efforts resulted in increased collaboration with Speaker of the Assembly John Pérez. Following a Dreamlandfocused presentation by Visit California last summer, the Speaker attended Visit California’s fall board meeting and addressed the board members at an evening reception. Focusing on Why Travel Matters from a jobs perspective, Speaker Pérez then accompanied the Visit California team to the World Travel Market in London to celebrate the launches of both Brand USA and Dreamland. In order to continue to unify the industry as members advocate for their businesses with California’s state government, Visit California held a facilitated planning session with industry association heads to identify collaborative goals and performed a SWOT analysis of their operating environments. Following the meeting, Visit California produced a draft white paper to help them speak with one voice when working with legislative leaders and staff. Over the course of the year, the travel and tourism industry has received increasing national attention. In January, President Barack Obama issued an executive order calling for a national strategy to promote growth in the travel and tourism industry and unveiling a new plan to ease entry requirements for international visitors. California will benefit from streamlined visa processes for visitors from China, Brazil, and our other global markets, driving further growth for our industry and California’s economy. Finally, this year saw the launch of Brand USA at the 2011 World Travel Market. Visit California assisted with the development of a launch platform for the event and contributed to the successful and well-attended brand reveal. Visit California looks forward to working with its new Brand USA partners to develop co-marketing and other collaborative programs to welcome international visitors to America and the Golden State. This year, the travel and tourism industry received increasing attention from state and national government officials, including Speaker of the Assembly John Pérez and President Barack Obama. Industry.visitcalifornia.com 37 Golden State Sponsor Looking Ahead: Priorities for 2012–13 Industry.visitcalifornia.com 39 Fiscal year 2012–13 is shaping up to be another exciting year for Visit California. In addition to building upon this year’s successful marketing, communications, financial, and administrative strategies, Visit California looks forward to planning for the upcoming 2013 Referendum. Marketing Communications Fiscal year 2012–13 will be the second year of implementation of the Five-Year Strategic Marketing Plan. Over the course of the year, Visit California plans to execute a $50 million global marketing initiative that extends the reach of its existing creative, encompasses all of California’s regions, and inspires visitors with informative and innovative content. It will include: In 2012–13, Visit California will extend the reach of its communications and public relations efforts with both consumers and assessed businesses. ■■ A new Three-Year Global Marketing Plan, with updated global creative platforms and online integration of all digital assets, print, cooperative marketing, and other international programs with industry partners. ■■ An integrated co-marketing program of work in partnership with Brand USA. ■■ A roadmap for the development of global web infrastructure to support digital assets in all local languages. ■■ ■■ Promotional support for the Dreamland documentary to further the California brand with key international audiences. The annual California Marketing Outlook Forum to communicate key marketing and international programs directly to industry leaders. Visit California aspires to meet or exceed 2007–2011 averages of trackable impressions, incremental visits, and spending generated by global advertising. For California’s international markets, Visit California will develop and execute a public relations plan to support the global creative marketing initiative. Domestically, Visit California will develop a public relations plan to support the national launch of Dreamland and integrate consumer product content with the Why Travel Matters message. To continue to improve communication with industry partners, Visit California plans to redesign the business-to-business website to align more effectively with the Five-Year Strategic Business Plan. Visit California will extend industry access to earned media platforms, such as Visit California media events, through improved registration processes. Finance and Budget Over the next fiscal year, Visit California plans to implement an automated accounts payable system, complete yet another successful unqualified audit, and execute the recently approved Foreign Exchange Policy. Visit California will continue to strengthen our partnerships and programs on behalf of California’s bold and dynamic tourism industry. 40 Year in review 201 1–2012 Operations and Administration During fiscal year 2012–13, Visit California will focus on implementing the three strategies from the Five-Year Strategic Business Plan: ■■ ■■ ■■ Strategy 1:Reinforce Visit California’s Value to Travel-Related Businesses Strategy 2:Unify Industry Leaders to Raise the Relevance of the Travel Industry Strategy 3:Position Travel and Tourism to Elevate California’s Overall Image Visit California will continue to bolster the Industry Representative Program and look for creative strategies to engage the assessed business community. Visit California will implement the Top 600 award program to stay connected to top assessed businesses on a yearly basis. Visit California also plans to deliver program information to the businesses that utilize the Office of Tourism assessment process, aligning assessment collection with marketing efforts. Visit California will work to establish alternate ways for businesses with many locations to more easily report their assessment and train assessment staff on key talking points delivered to assessed businesses during one-on-one appointments. With the transition to the Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development, Visit California will continue to monitor the leadership impact of the Governor’s Reorganization Plan.. In order to establish new California Welcome Centers in Yreka, Needles, and the Los Angeles area, Visit California will issue a request for proposal to solicit applications for the new locations. Industry.visitcalifornia.com 41 Referendum 2013 E very six years, Visit California is required by the California Tourism Marketing Act to hold a referendum of its assessed businesses. More than 5000 businesses will vote whether or not to continue paying the California Tourism Assessment Program, which provides more than 99 percent of Visit California’s funding. The last referendum, held in 2007, resulted in 91 percent approval, allocating $50 million per year to marketing. The previous referendum in 2001 received an 84 percent approval rating with $12 million in annual funding. Prior to that time, funding was sporadic and market share was volatile. In the spring of 2013, Visit California will issue the required referendum, and assessed businesses will once again cast their ballots. Overwhelming approval, of course, is critical. The 2007 decision allowed Visit California to grow jobs in the state in a way that few other sectors have achieved. Visit California aims to complete the 2013 referendum with an approval rating of 91 percent or higher, ensuring at least $50 million 42 Year in review 201 1–2012 for marketing initiatives in each of the next six years. To achieve this goal, Visit California must ensure that travel business leaders understand its role in the growth of California tourism and vote to support the California Tourism Assessment Program once again. Visit California selected Meridian Pacific to assist with the referendum campaign, and they are working with a core Visit California Referendum team to communicate with assessed businesses about the upcoming vote. Thus far, Visit California has connected with 71 percent of the Top 150 voters and 58 percent of the Top 600 voters, and implemented a system to track their “yes” votes. In 2012–13, Visit California will continue to follow through with the Referendum work plan and coordinate key messages with the public relations and campaign firms to ensure maximum success. With the support of assessed businesses in the 2013 Referendum, Visit California will secure the funding it needs to maintain its forward momentum on behalf of California’s travel and tourism industry. Golden State Sponsor Visit California Commissioners Visit California is comprised of 37 Commissioners from California’s 12 tourism regions. Members represent five industry sectors: Accommodations, Restaurants and Retail, Attractions and Recreation, Travel and Transportation Services and Passenger Car Rental. Twenty‑four of the Commissioners are elected by assessed California businesses, while 12 are governor-appointed; the 37th Commissioner is the California Business, Transportation and Housing Agency Secretary, who also serves as the Visit California chair. Chair Officers Brian P. Kelly Caroline Beteta Ed Fuller Kathy Turner Rusty Gregory Acting Secretary President & CEO, Visit California VICE CHAIR OF MARKETING VICE CHAIR OF OPERATIONS CHIEF FISCAL OFFICER Chair, Brand USA President and Managing Director, Marriott Lodging International Vice President, Legislative and Government Affairs, Enterprise Holdings Business, Transportation and Housing Agency Chairman & CEO, Mammoth Mountain Ski Area, LLC Governor appointed by region Orange County San Francisco Bay Area Gold Country North Coast Los Angeles County Central Coast Jim Burba Joe D’Alessandro Lina Fat Tom Klein Mark Liberman Cody Plott President President & Chief Executive Officer Director of Food, Owner Owner President President & COO San Francisco Travel Association Frank Fat Inc. Rodney Strong Wine Estates The Los Angeles Tourism and Convention Board Pebble Beach Company Inland Empire Central Valley Deserts High Sierra San Diego County Shasta Cascade Gillian Zucker Vacant Vacant Vacant Vacant Vacant Burba Hotel Network President Auto Club Speedway 44 Year in review 201 1–2012 ELECTED COMMISSIONERS by Industry ACCOMMODATIONS Rick Anderson Ian Carter Jay Jamison George Kalogridis Julie Maurer Owner President, Global Operations and Development Chief Executive Officer and General Manager President, Disney Anaheim Vice President of Sales & Marketing Squaw Valley Hilton Worldwide Pismo Coast Village Inc. Walt Disney Parks & Resorts Lynn Mohrfeld Sima Patel Jeff Senior John Wagnon Terry Westrope President & Chief Executive Officer Owner Executive Vice President, Marketing & Sales Vice President of Marketing Vice President Casa Tropicana, A Boutique Beachfront Inn Balaji Hotels California Hotel & Lodging Association Fairmont Hotels International Ocean Park Hotels, Inc. Heavenly Valley Limited Partnership RESTAURANTS & RETAIL ATTRACTIONS AND RECREATION Travel & Transportation Services Jeff King Jot Condie Larry Kurzweil Douglas Myers Mike Gallagher Chairman President California Restaurant Association President & Chief Operating Officer CEO/Executive Director Co-Founder & CEO King’s Seafood Company Universal Studios Zoological Society of San Diego CityPASS PASSENGER CAR RENTAL Charles Coniglio Bob Muhs Roy Ritenour Jonna Sabroff Vice President of Marketing & ECommerce Vice President, Government Affairs & Counsel Division Vice President, Western Region President Dollar Thrifty Automotive Group Avis/Budget Group, Inc. The Hertz Corporation Integrated Transportation Svc Industry.visitcalifornia.com 45 Key Program Contacts Email [email protected] Visit California Executive Team Caroline Beteta Lynn Carpenter Karin Fish Brian Wright President & CEO Vice President of Marketing Vice President of Operations and Industry Relations Senior Director of Communications Marketing & Communications Team 46 Leona Reed Dan Mishell Traci Ward Antonette Eckert Jennifer Montero Senior Director of International Marketing Director of Research Director of Domestic Marketing Director of Asia Pacific Director of Australia & Latin America Marketing Dean Jacobberger Gwynne Spann Lilly Kimmelshue Bryce McAnally Daphne Lange Director of Travel Trade Content Manager Europe and India Marketing Manager Brand Advertising Manager Rural and Co-op Marketing Manager Jennifer Sweeney Shannon Brooks Rachel Veu Public Relations Manager International Public Relations Manager Media Relations Coordinator Year in review 201 1–2012 Operations & Industry Outreach Matthew Sabbatini Amber Luiz Cris McLucas Bianca Valdez Ann Sullivan Senior Director of Finance, HR & IT Exec Manager and Commission Liaison Tourism Assessment Manager Industry Relations Manager Industry Outreach Coordinator & Speakers Desk Industry Representatives Visit California Regional Marketing Representatives Rebecca Almanza Amy Blaschka Nichole Farley Maureen Sloan Jonelle Tannahill Kelly Yang Southern California San Francisco/ Bay Area Northern California San Diego/ Orange County National Los Angeles The California Travel and Tourism Commission, doing business as Visit California, is a private nonprofit corporation formed in 1988 to market California as a desirable tourism destination. Visit California works in close coordination with California’s Division of Tourism — while Visit California conducts marketing programs that drive visitation, the Division of Tourism oversees the assessment program that helps to fund these initiatives. Visit California serves as the industry leader for more than 100 statewide destination marketing organizations and more than 60 tourism business districts. In partnership with the state’s travel and tourism industry, Visit California aims to keep California top of mind as a premier travel destination. For more information about Visit California and a free California Visitor’s Guide, go to www.VisitCalifornia.com. Industry.visitcalifornia.com 47 Visit California Industry Outreach July 1, 2011 to June 30, 2012 2012 2011 07.21.11 Buena Park California Welcome Center’s Grand Opening 07.25.11 California State Assembly 09.14.11 Ventura County Tourism Meeting Ventura 09.21.11 Mendocino County Lodging Association Fort Bragg 09.28.11 Hollywood Chamber of Commerce Tourism Committee Meeting 09.29.11 Marin County Tourism Summit San Rafael 10.11.11 Northern California Hotel & Lodging Conference Santa Clara 10.13.11 Upstate California Economic Development Council Meeting Beale AFB 10.13.11 Outlet Marketing Association New York, NY 11.01.11 Santa Barbara Outlook Forum 11.07–11.11 World Travel Market London 11.10.11 23rd Annual Southern California Visitor Industry Outlook Conference Anaheim 11.10.11 CLIA Annual Meeting Concord 11.16.11 North American Conference on Wine Tourism St. Helena 11.16.11 Kern County Tourism Summit Bakersfield 11.29.11 Mono County Tourism & Film Commission Meeting Mammoth Lakes 11.30.11 Mammoth Lakes Tourism Workshop Mammoth Lakes 11.30.11 State of Nevada Governor’s Conference on Tourism Las Vegas 12.06.11 North Lake Tahoe Resort Association Ski Area Update Tahoe City 12.13.11 Shasta Cascade Wonderland Association and Redding Business Improvement District Meeting Redding 12.15.11 San Luis Obispo County Visitors & Conference Bureau Tourism Visionary Workshop San Luis Obispo 01.17.12 International Tourism Management Institute Symposium Sacramento 01.18.12 Discover IE & Inland Empire Tourism Council Meeting San Bernardino 01.24.12 California Association of Bed & Breakfast Inns InnSpire Conference & Trade Show Sacramento 01.25.12 America’s Lodging Investment Summit Los Angeles 01.27.12 Los Angeles Times Travel Show Los Angeles 02.02.12 Central Coast Tourism Council’s Annual Retreat Pismo Beach 02.06.12 International Tourism Marketing’s GoWest Summit Henderson, NV 02.17.12 Leadership Vallejo’s Monthly Meeting Vallejo 02.22–24.12 Visit California’s Winter Board Meeting and Outlook Forum Sacramento 03.07.12 San Luis Obispo Chamber of Commerce 03.07.12 Legislative Day Reception Sacramento 03.13.12 California Academy of Sciences Dreamland Showing San Francisco 03.13.12 California Bus Association Northern California Spring Membership Meeting Sacramento 03.15.12 San Diego Convention & Visitor Bureau’s 03.15.12 2012 State of the Travel & Hospitality Industry Annual Meeting 03.26.12 Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Ocean Day Legislative Reception Sacramento 03.27.12 Napa Valley Community College’s Wine Country Hospitality Symposium St. Helena 04.04.12 San Luis Obispo County Tourism Business Improvement District’s Quarterly Meeting 04.05.12 California Travel Association’s Board Meeting 04.06.12 Crescent City Chamber of Commerce’s Content Submission Workshop 04.12.12 Yosemite Gateway Partners’ Quarterly Meeting 04.17.12 Fall River Valley Chamber of Commerce 04.21–25.12 U.S. Travel Association’s Pow Wow 2012 05.07.12 Calaveras CVB Tourism Luncheon 05.07.12 National Restaurant Association’s 2012 Show 05.09.12 San Diego Convention and Visitor Bureau’s Hospitality Industry Conference Year in review 201 1–2012 Yosemite Los Angeles Chicago, IL 05.11.12 Visit California’s Spring Board Meeting 05.15.12 Visit Oceanside’s Tourism Summit 05.15.12 Vacaville Convention and Visitors Bureau’s Tourism Luncheon 05.16.12 Santa Monica CVB’s Tourism Rally Day 05.16.12 Orange County Tourism Council’s Annual Tourism Conference 05.24.12 Shasta Cascade Wonderland Association’s Tourism Summit 06.05.12 California Travel Association’s California Travel Summit Sacramento 06.06.12 National Airport Council’s Marketing & Communications Conference Sacramento 06.19.12 Travel and Tourism Research Association’s International Annual Conference Virginia Beach, VA Request a Visit California speaker at [email protected]. 48 Menlo Park Sonoma, CA Newport Beach “Together, we are the collective voice of our industry on the local, regional and national levels, and every community, business and individual touched by travel can attest to its power as an economic generator, job creator and mind opener.” — Caroline Beteta, President & CEO, Visit California; Chair, Brand USA Visit California 555 Capitol Mall Suite 1100 Sacramento, California 95814 YEAR AHEAD Year in Review 2012 August 17–27 Australia/New Zealand Sales Mission Sydney, Melbourne, Auckland September 9–14 Brand USA India Trade Mission India September 18–21 Top Resa IFTM Paris, France September 20–27 California SuperFam UK and Ireland October 12 Visit California Fall Board Meeting Anaheim October 13–15 Travel Scene Australia Conference Santa Monica October 22–29 ABAV & CA Sales Day Rio De Janeiro, Sao Paulo — Brazil October 23 Visit California Media Event San Francisco October 23–27 Italy Meets Northern California Northern California November 5–8 World Travel Market London, UK November 11–18 China Sales Mission Beijing, Shanghai — China January (entire month) California Restaurant Month Statewide January 20–24 NTA Convention Orlando, Florida January 28–31 Go West Summit Fort Worth, Texas February TBD Visit California Media Lunch Vancouver, Canada February 13–21 Discover America Expos Australia, Canada February 20 Visit California Winter Board Meeting San Francisco February 21 Visit California Outlook Forum San Francisco March 4 Discover America Workshop Copenhagen, Denmark March 5–6 Showcase Italy Italy March 19 Visit California Media Reception New York, New York April 15–19 Japan & Korea Sales Mission Tokyo, Osaka, Seoul April 23–25 World Travel Market — Latin America San Paulo May TBD Visit California Spring Board Meeting TBD May TBD Visit California Media Reception Toronto, Canada May TBD Amgen Tour of California Statewide May 4–12 National Tourism Week Country Wide USA May 6–9 Arabian Travel Market Dubai, UAE June TBD Visit California Mexico Sales Mission Mexico City, Guadalajara June 8–12 Pow Wow Las Vegas, Nevada 2013 Industry.VisitCalifornia.com State of California Edmund G. Brown, Jr. Governor Visit California Caroline Beteta President & CEO Karin Fish Vice President of Operations and Industry Relations Brian Wright Senior Director of Communications Year in Review is an annual publication of Visit California. Articles contained in the Year in Review may be reproduced without permission (though acknowledgement is appreciated.) Please direct all inquiries and correspondence to: Visit California California Travel and Tourism Commission 555 Capitol Mall, Suite 1100 Sacramento, CA 95814 Tel: (916) 444-4429 Fax: (916) 444-0410 E-mail: [email protected] VisitCalifornia.com ©2012 Visit California