Marketing Segment: Leisure

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Objectives

Leisure focus remains on the same key markets as 2018
Reach markets in 3- to 5-hour drive time radius; Chicago, Cincinnati, Columbus, Cleveland, Indianapolis, Pittsburgh, Milwaukee and St. Louis
Be end customer-centric and introduce buyer personas to sharpen message and media

Trip Advisor

Includes Arrivalist reporting/measurement for the Trip Advisor media placements
Influencer Plan (Travel Mindset)
Two traveling influencers
6 in-depth articles from influencer perspective including hyperlinks and 5+ photos
from their experience
90 social media posts from their experience spread across influencers’ Instagram, Instagram Stories, Facebook and Twitter (real-time social + post-trip promotion Instagram takeover of Travel Mindset’s consumer-focused channel (4 photos per influencer)
Instagram takeover of Detroit’s IG stories page by each influencer
50 “amplification” social shares (paid and organic) by Travel Mindset, spread across Instagram, Instagram Stories, Facebook and Twitter (25 million guaranteed impressions)

Take 5

Target leisure and business travelers and drive interest to book hotel stays in Detroit
Utilize their database of consumers interested in travel
Target segments include: Take 5’s self-reported travelers data, travel booking-cart abandoners for Detroit, travel feeds, bucket list destination, business travelers and social IDs for Detroit bucket list travelers
Includes three-touch email campaign, 30-day social campaign and ad display retargeting campaign
Added value: postal responder file with names and addresses of openers and clickers of campaign

Use compelling digital media to attract in-market travelers to visitdetroit.com

Shift creative mix from primarily text to video and photo content
Leverage new creative units from Facebook and Instagram to boost engagement with messaging on each platform
Develop a “welcome” chat bot that immediately connects visitors with itineraries and other helpful information
Collaborate with media partners to create compelling content to complement digital display advertising
Connect with innovative Detroit-based content producers and global influencers to collaborate on ongoing editorial projects

Show early adopter audiences Detroit’s most compelling experiences

Launch season 2 of Eats in The D with an emphasis on a select group of featured restaurants in the suburbs and downtown Detroit
Publish 25 features that integrate video, text and photos to highlight compelling retail, dining, attractions and cultural experiences
Collaborate with international marketing partners to identify content and editorial themes that can be repurposed for the UK, Germany and China
Expand our YouTube Detroit channel to include mini-documentary video highlighting the people behind the Detroit experience

Continue media hostings, trade show attendance, regional media visits and other PR efforts that ensure metro Detroit’s tourism product remains prominent in 2019
Identify and implement new PR initiatives that tell new, engaging stories about Detroit to keep national attention focused on the region
Promote the newest products downtown — new hotels, Little Caesars Arena and restaurants Promote the variety of meeting venue options in the suburbs and downtown
Attend and exhibit at travel media trade shows to reach leisure travel editors including Society of American Travel Writers, Midwest Travel Journalists Association, TravMedia Marketplace, North American Travel Journalists, Travel Media Showcase, Discover America Toronto, IPW Media Marketplace
Host relevant journalists throughout year and broaden base to include bloggers and other digital influencers
Host a media familiarization at the Shinola Hotel focusing on the new development and restaurants
Improve local media awareness through partnerships at events such as Hometown Tourist Day. Serve breakfast to editorial staffs at local television stations.
Partner with Windsor Convention & Visitors Bureau on media booth at Detroit Grand Prix
Partner with Travel Michigan on media events out of town
Encourage LGBT publications to write about local product
Repeat and expand Hometown Tourist Day in Campus Martius Park and continue working with print/radio and broadcast partners

Complete phase three development items on website and associated microsites
Enhance visitdetroit.com’s mobile experience
Investigate and implement user personalization on visitdetroit.com
Add quality videos and photography to website to complement main features
Utilize traveler data and other analytics to guide content development for additional information on visitdetroit.com and Visit Detroit magazine
Partner with Downtown Detroit Partnership on Detroit Insider’s Map + Guide to increase distribution and reduce duplication of efforts
Collaborate with Services in the production and marketing of The D Discount Pass
Continue to refine search engine optimization, including audio optimization
Create new sales/attendance videos to enhance new advertising campaign
Publish 200,000 copies of Visit Detroit magazine twice a year; continuing to enhance strong story content to include new attractions, events and major openings relevant to visitors; continuing with quality format, publication and timely delivery
Continue to explore and utilize augmented reality and virtual reality as a way to deliver enhanced content in Visit Detroit magazine, visitdetroit.com and alternate viewers