Las Vegas, NV
Advertising agency R&R Partners has been retained to continue as a driving force behind the image Las Vegas presents, along with newly appointed Grey Group, a NYC-based global creative agency with big-name corporate clients.
Following a six-month review process, Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority approved contracts last week for R&R (advertising) and Grey (digital and social) in the continuing effort to build the city’s famous brand. R&R has worked with the LVCVA since 1974, including the famous “What Happens Here, Stays Here.” R&R received a four-year contract with an optional two-year extension. The deal is worth $500 million.
Meantime…Live life to the fullest is the message behind a new ad campaign called “Vegas You.”
Arizona
Gov. Doug Ducey today announced $101.1 million in federal American Rescue Plan funding to launch the Visit Arizona Initiative, a bold program designed to increase visitation and tourism spending in Arizona, bolster job creation and accelerate economic recovery.
The Visit Arizona Initiative includes marketing funding for destination marketing organizations (DMOs) statewide, reinvigorating local community programs and events, and marketing support for domestic and international flights and outdoor recreation.
“We are grateful for the investment Governor Ducey is making in our state’s tourism industry, which contributes to the economic vitality of communities and people all across Arizona,” said Debbie Johnson, executive director of the Arizona Office of Tourism.
Virginia
Gov. Ralph Northam is proposing Virginia use $353 million in federal COVID-19 relief funds to help small businesses and industries hardest hit by the pandemic. This includes an allocation of $50 million specifically to help jump start travel and hospitality through initiatives from Virginia Tourism Corporation.
Some of the funds would go to create Virginia Tourism Recovery Program to allocate funds to 114 destination marketing organizations throughout the Commonwealth. VTC would also boost its sports and meeting marketing programs and extend its broadcast and digital marketing into media markets in Charlotte, Pittsburgh, Boston, and Chicago, while also expanding digital advertising to an 29 additional markets east of the Mississippi River.
California
The new California budget includes $95 million in one-time stimulus to boost the state’s tourism economy, directly supporting Visit California’s domestic marketing efforts. Visit California will use the funds to extend its in-state marketing efforts, including its “Calling All Californians” campaign, and expand its reach nationwide with four new campaigns aimed at inspiring visitors to return to the Golden State.
Nearly $20 million in campaigns will promote culinary tourism and family travel including winter sports destinations; a new emphasis on promoting travel to California’s urban centers particularly hard hit by the impact of Covid-19; a dedicated $4.5 million investment for business and group travel, a key element of recovery for urban destinations; a robust co-op program allowing destination marketing organizations to team up with Visit California to maximize the power of their locally funded programs by x2.5 via a 50% match, free creative production and steeply discounted media rates. The stimulus allows Visit California to expand its advertising outreach with about two thirds to extend existing advertising programs that would have expired for lack of funds—“Calling All Californians,” “California Road Trip Republic,” and “What If, California.”
“California’s travel and hospitality industry is grateful to Gov. Newsom and the legislature for including $95 million in one-time stimulus funding to jump-start tourism marketing and hasten the recovery of the Golden State’s tourism economy in the wake of the devastating Covid-19 pandemic,” said Caroline Beteta, Visit California’s president and CEO.
Duluth, MN
Visit Duluth, founded in 1935, is among 28 agencies responding to the city’s RFP for next year’s 12-month destination marketing contract to “elevate the brand,” fill hotel rooms, and bring “innovative marketing strategies and storytelling capabilities to the table,” reports local news KQDS-TV.
A contract decision is expected in late July. The full list of agencies responding to the RFP is found here.
South Dakota
Tourism marketing efforts in South Dakota are headed into the shop for a tune-up. Work has started on developing a new strategic plan, said deputy secretary Wanda Goodman. She told the state’s Tourism Advisory Board that emails would be sent to businesses and attractions throughout South Dakota for “candid input.”
Meantime, worker shortages are a key concern as the governors of Iowa, Nebraska, South Dakota met last week with 200 business leaders at the biennial 17th Tri-State Governors’ Conference in Sioux City.
Massachusetts
Last week, Massachusetts Office of Travel & Tourism Executive Director Keiko M. Orrall, along with Gov. Charlie Baker, announced a spending plan to put $100 million in federal funds from the American Rescue Plan Act toward cultural facilities and tourism assets.
Across the Commonwealth, this will include $2 million in awards to 34 projects that expand, construct, restore, or renovate Massachusetts tourism destinations and attractions as part of the Destination Development Capital (DDC) Grant Program. In addition, at the state’s highest peak, Mount Greylock State Reservation in the Berkshire Mountains, further destination development will receive a $6.5 million boost.
