HomeMy WebLinkAboutTBID_2017-11-15_AgendaPacketADVISORY BOARD FOR THE ATASCADERO TOURISM
BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT
AGENDA
Wednesday, November 15, 2017 at 2:30 P.M.
Atascadero City Hall - 6500 Palma Avenue, Club Room
Atascadero, California
CALL TO ORDER:
ROLL CALL: Chairperson Amar Sohi, Holiday Inn Express and Suites
Vice-Chairperson Deana Alexander, The Carlton Hotel
Board Member Jacklyn Dawson, SpringHill Suites Marriott
Board Member Tom O’Malley, Portola Inn
Vacant
APPROVAL OF AGENDA:
PUBLIC COMMENT: This portion of the meeting is reserved for persons wanting to
address the Board on any matter not on this agenda and over which the Board has
jurisdiction. Speakers are limited to three minutes. Please state your name for the
record before making your presentation. The Board may take action to direct the staff to
place a matter of business on a future agenda. A maximum of 30 minutes will be allowed
for Public Comment, unless changed by the Board.
A.CONSENT CALENDAR
1.ATBID Draft Action Minutes – October 18, 2017
•Recommendation: Approve the Draft Action Minutes of October 18, 2017. [Big
Red Marketing]
2.Wine Speak Event Sponsorship
•Recommendation: Approve a sponsorship of Wine Speak in the amount of
$10,000. [Big Red Marketing]
•Fiscal Impact (GL 2802): $10,000.
B.BUSINESS ITEMS
1.Templeton Chamber of Commerce to Request Event Sponsorships
•Recommendation: Discuss and provide staff direction on potential one-time
sponsorships of Templeton’s Fourth of July, Wine Festival and Oktoberfest
events. [Templeton Chamber of Commerce]
•Fiscal Impact (GL 2802): None. Total requested amount for sponsorships is
$17,500.
2.Destination Management Services Contract Renewal (Amendment No. 2) -
Big Red Marketing
•Recommendation: Board recommend City to approve a Contract Amendment
No. 2 with Big Red Marketing, for destination management services, to renew
contract for an additional six-month period with contract end date of 6/30/2018.
[Big Red Marketing]
•Fiscal Impact (GL 2201): $18,000 based on scope of work proposal.
3.Visit Atascadero Co-op with Visit SLO CAL at 2018 IPW
•Recommendation: Discuss and provide staff direction on Visit Atascadero
co-op with Visit SLO CAL at 2018 IPW trade show. [Big Red Marketing]
•Fiscal Impact (GL 2703 and GL 2801): None. Potentially up to $15,000.
4.Monthly Marketing Statistics Summary
•Recommendation: Receive and file October Marketing Statistics
Report. [Verdin Marketing]
•Fiscal Impact: None.
5.Monthly Budget Report
•Recommendation: Receive and file September Budget Report. [Big Red
Marketing]
•Fiscal Impact: None.
C.UPDATES
1.Visit SLO CAL TMD Update – Chairperson Sohi
2.Short-term Rentals/Host Compliance Update – City Manager’s Office
3.Destination Management Update – Big Red Marketing
4.City Business Updates – City Manager’s Office
5.Marketing Committee Update – Big Red Marketing
D.BOARD MEMBER COMMENTS
E.ADJOURNMENT
Atascadero Tourism Business Improvement District (ATBID)
WELCOME TO THE ATBID MEETING
The ATBID Advisory Board meets in regular session on the third Wednesday of each month at 2:30 p.m.
Board meetings will be held at the Atascadero City Hall, 6500 Palma Avenue, Atascadero. Matters are
considered by the Advisory Board in the order of the printed Agenda.
Copies of the staff reports or other documentation relating to each item of business referred to on the
Agenda are on file in the office of the City Clerk and are available for public inspection during City Hall
business hours at the Atascadero City Hall, 6500 Palma Avenue, Atascadero, and on our website,
www.atascadero.org. All documents submitted by the public during Advisory Board meetings that are
either read into the record or referred to in their statement will be noted in the minutes and available for
review in the City Clerk's office.
In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, if you need special assistance to participate in a
City meeting or other services offered by this City, please contact the City Manager’s Office or the City
Clerk’s Office, both at (805) 470 -3400. Notification at least 48 hours prior to the meeting or time when
services are needed will assist the City staff in assuring that reasonable arrangements can be made to
provide accessibility to the meeting or service.
TO SPEAK ON SUBJECTS NOT LISTED ON THE AGENDA
Under the Agenda item, “PUBLIC COMMENT”, the Chairperson will call for anyone from the audience
wishing to speak concerning any item not on the Agenda to approach the lectern and be recognized.
1.Give your name for the record (not required)
2.State the nature of your business.
3.All comments are limited to 3 minutes.
4.All comments should be made to the Chairperson and Advisory Board.
5.No person shall be permitted to make slanderous, profane or negative personal remarks
concerning any other individual, absent or present.
This is the time items not on the Agenda may be brought to the Advisory Board’s attention. A maximum of
30 minutes will be allowed for PUBLIC COMMENT (unless changed by the Advisory Board). If you wish to
use a computer presentation to support your comments, you must notify the City Clerk's office at least 24
hours prior to the meeting. Digital presentations must be brought to the meeting on a USB drive or CD.
You are required to submit to the City Clerk a printed copy of your presentation for the record. Please
check in with the City Clerk before the meeting begins to announce your presence and turn in your printed
copy.
TO SPEAK ON AGENDA ITEMS (from Title 2, Chapter 1 of the Atascadero Municipal Code)
Members of the audience may speak on any item on the agenda. The Chairperson will identify the subject,
staff will give their report, and the Advisory Board will ask questions of staff. The Chairperson will
announce when the public comment period is open and will request anyone interested to address the
Advisory Board regarding the matter being considered to step up to the lectern. If you wish to speak for,
against or comment in any way:
1.You must approach the lectern and be recognized by the Chairperson
2.Give your name (not required)
3.Make your statement
4.All comments should be made to the Chairperson and Advisory Board
5.No person shall be permitted to make slanderous, profane or negative personal remarks
concerning any other individual, absent or present
6.All comments limited to 3 minutes
The Chairperson will announce when the public comment period is closed, and thereafter, no further public
comments will be heard by the Advisory Board.
ITEM NUMBER: A-1
DATE: 11/15/17
Atascadero TBID
October 18, 2017
Page 1 of 4
ADVISORY BOARD FOR THE ATASCADERO TOURISM
BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT
DRAFT ACTION MINUTES
Wednesday, October 18, 2017 at 2:30 P.M.
Atascadero City Hall - 6500 Palma Avenue, Club Room
Atascadero, California
CALL TO ORDER:
Chairperson Sohi called the meeting to order at 2:35 p.m.
ROLL CALL:
Present: Board Member Dawson, Board Member O’Malley, Vice Chairperson
Alexander, and Chairperson Sohi
Vacant: One
Staff Present: Destination Management Consultant Amanda Diefenderfer,
Destination Management Consultant Angelica Ottman, Marketing
Consultant Ashlee Akers, Deputy City Manager/Outreach
Promotions Terrie Banish, and Deputy City Clerk Amanda Muther.
APPROVAL OF AGENDA:
MOTION: By Board Member O’Malley and seconded by Vice Chairperson
Alexander to approve the agenda.
Motion passed 4:0 by a roll-call vote.
PUBLIC COMMENT:
None.
A.CONSENT CALENDAR
1.ATBID Draft Action Minutes – September 20, 2017
•Recommendation: Approve the Draft Action Minutes of September 20, 2017.
[Big Red Marketing]
Page 4 of 67
ITEM NUMBER: A-1
DATE: 11/15/17
Atascadero TBID
October 18, 2017
Page 2 of 4
2.ATBID Draft Action Minutes – September 25, 2017 Special Meeting
•Recommendation: Approve the Draft Action Minutes of September 25, 2017
Special Meeting. [Big Red Marketing]
MOTION: By Vice Chairperson Alexander and seconded by Board
Member Dawson to approve the consent calendar.
Motion passed 4:0 by a roll-call vote.
B.BUSINESS ITEMS
1.Wine Speak Presentation to Request Event Sponsorship
•Recommendation: Discuss and provide staff direction on potential sponsorship
of Wine Speak. [Rossi Foundation]
•Fiscal Impact (GL 2802): None.
Vice Chairperson Alexander and Board Member O’Malley disclosed that they had met
with organizers of Wine Speak in advance of this presentation. Both confirmed they had
not discussed anything that would influence their decision.
Amanda Wittstrom-Higgins from Wine Speak distributed schedule and event information
(Exhibit A), gave a presentation and answered questions from the board.
Public Comment: Annie Weyrich
MOTION: By Board Member O’Malley and seconded by Vice Chairperson
Alexander to direct staff to work with Wine Speak to finalize a
sponsorship level valued at $10,000 for approval at the
November Board Meeting.
Motion passed by a 4:0 roll-call vote.
2.Marketing Committee Expenditure Authorization
•Recommendation: Discuss and provide staff direction on Marketing Committee
expenditure limit authorization. [Big Red Marketing]
•Fiscal Impact: None.
Destination Management Consultant Ottman gave the presentation. Destination
Management Consultants Ottman and Diefenderfer answered questions from the Board.
Public Comment: Jenae Walters
MOTION: By Board Member O’Malley and seconded by Vice Chairperson
Alexander to table this item until the Marketing Committee has
had the opportunity to present a recommendation for per
opportunity and total spending caps, as well as considerations
for Marketing Committee composition.
Motion passed by a 4:0 roll-call vote.
Page 5 of 67
ITEM NUMBER: A-1
DATE: 11/15/17
Atascadero TBID
October 18, 2017
Page 3 of 4
Board Member O’Malley left the meeting at 3:40 p.m.
3.Monthly Marketing Statistics Summary
•Recommendation: Receive and file September Marketing Statistics
Report. [Verdin Marketing]
•Fiscal Impact: None.
Marketing Consultant Akers gave the presentation and answered questions from the
Board.
Public Comment: None.
The Monthly Marketing Statistics Summary
was received and filed by the Board.
4.Monthly Budget Report
•Recommendation: Receive and file August Budget Report. [Big Red Marketing]
•Fiscal Impact: None.
Destination Management Consultant Ottman gave the presentation and answered
questions from the Board.
Public Comment: None.
The Monthly Budget Report
was received and filed by the Board.
C.UPDATES
1.Short-term Rentals/Host Compliance Update – Deputy City Manager Banish
handed out an updated listing (Exhibit B) reflecting the progress of short-term
rental code enforcement.
2.Destination Manage ment Update – Destination Management Consultant Ottman
updated the Board that the Destination Management resources are working on an
event ticket policy to share with groups requesting event sponsorship so the
restrictions on Board Member ability to accept these are understood to help
develop packages that better meet the needs of the ATBID and its constituents.
3.City Business Updates – Deputy City Manager Banish presented on business
openings on Entrada, the proposed boutique hotel and retail at Colony Square,
City presence at the Chamber Business Expo, and the presence at the North
County Wedding Expo, the 2nd Annual Cornhole Tournament and upcoming
events.
4.Marketing Committee Update – Destination Management Consultant Ottman
recapped the last Marketing Committee meeting.
C.BOARD MEMBER COMMENTS
None.
Page 6 of 67
ITEM NUMBER: A-1
DATE: 11/15/17
Atascadero TBID
October 18, 2017
Page 4 of 4
D.ADJOURNMENT
Chairperson Sohi adjourned the meeting at 4:15 p.m.
MINUTES PREPARED BY:
____________________________________________
Amanda Diefenderfer, Destination Management Consultant
Exhibit A – Wine Speak Schedule and Event Information provided by Amanda Wittstrom-Higgins
Exhibit B – Short-term Rental Listings provided by Terrie Banish
APPROVED:
Page 7 of 67
ITEM NUMBER: A-2
DATE: 11/15/17
ADVISORY BOARD FOR THE ATASCADERO TOURISM
BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT
Staff Report
Wine Speak Event Sponsorship
RECOMMENDATION:
Approve a sponsorship of Wine Speak in the amount of $10,000.
DISCUSSION:
The Rossi Foundation presented the Wine Speak event at the October 18, 2017 Board
Meeting. The caliber of potential event attendees, innovative educational sessions, and
level of wine and service expertise this event will bring to the community are the particular
areas of value that the Board noted. During discussion, the Board expressed an overall
consensus to support the event with a $10,000 sponsorship.
Wine Speak “Paso Robles” is designed to be a premier event that will connect top
sommeliers, local wine industry leaders and area h ospitality employees for an intensive
educational journey designed to benefit the entire region.
Hosted by famed master sommelier Chuck Furuya and supported by fellow master
sommeliers and visiting winemakers, Wine Speak “Paso Robles” will span three
illuminating days of comparative tastings, panel discussions, wine service training and
winery tours.
The mission of Wine Speak is to target the highest-level key influencers in the wine
business including sommeliers, trade and media, and frontline hospitality in the local
community. This mid-week January event will be held in Atascadero at multiple venues
and attended by an estimated 900 guests.
The $10,000 sponsor benefit includes partnership advertising which incorporates the Visit
Atascadero logo on presentational materials as well as the Visit Atascadero lodging link.
FISCAL IMPACT (GL 2802):
$10,000.
ATTACHMENT S:
None.
Page 8 of 67
ITEM NUMBER: B-1
DATE: 11/15/17
ADVISORY BOARD FOR THE ATASCADERO TOURISM
BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT
Staff Report
Templeton Chamber of Commerce to Request
Event Sponsorships
RECOMMENDATION:
Discuss and provide staff direction on potential one-time sponsorships of
Templeton’s Fourth of July, Wine Festival and Oktoberfest events.
DISCUSSION:
The Templeton Chamber of Commerce’s Fourth of July event is historically attended by
1,500 – 2,500 people each year at the Templeton Park. The Templeton Fire Department
begins the morning with a pancake breakfast which is followed by a parade. After the
parade, there is a party at the park which includes live music, food, shopping b ooths,
bounce houses and games.
The Templeton Wine Festival will take place on May 5, 2018, from 1pm – 5pm and is
historically attended by 400 – 600 people each year at the Templeton Park. Attendees
enjoy unlimited tastings of over 30 wineries plus live music, food vendors/trucks, beer,
cider and boutique shopping booths.
The Templeton Oktoberfest is a new event and will take place on Sep tember 29, 2018,
from 1pm – 5pm and expected to be attended by 500 people. Attendees will experience
a beer festival in the typical German tradition and feature beer tasting from local
breweries, German cuisine, traditional German drinking games and a costume contest.
The sponsorship benefits would include the Visit Atascadero logo and link on websites,
the logo on all marketing materials and on a banner at the events. Atascadero lodging
properties would be recommended on event websites.
Below is an assessment of how these events align with the tiers of the ATBID Event
Support Guidelines (attached for reference):
Page 9 of 67
ITEM NUMBER: B-1
DATE: 11/15/17
1. Templeton’s Fourth of July
Anticipated Attendees: 2,000
Percent from outside of SLO County: 35%
Overnight stay: Possibly one night
Qualifies for Tier 2, total event sponsorship support up to $7,500
2. Templeton Wine Festival
Anticipated Attendees: 600
Percent from outside of SLO County: 20%
Overnight stay: Possibly one night
Qualifies for Tier 2, total event sponsorship support up to $7,500
3. Templeton Oktoberfest
Anticipated Attendees: 500
Percent from outside of SLO County: 20%
Overnight stay: Possibly one night
Qualifies for Tier 3, total event sponsorship support up to $500
Following discussion and direction to staff at November 15, 2017 Board Meeting, staff
will present a recommendation at December 20, 2017 ATBID Board Meeting.
FISCAL IMPACT (GL 2802):
None. Total r equested amount for sponsorships is $17,500 - $7,500 for the Fourth of
July, $5,000 for the Wine Festival and $5,000 for Oktoberfest.
ATTACHMENT S:
1.ATBID Event Support Guidelines
2.Templeton Fourth of July Event Application
3.Templeton Wine Festival Event Application
4.Templeton Oktoberfest Event Application
5.Templeton Events Presentation
Page 10 of 67
1
Atascadero Business Improvement District (ATBID)
Event Support Guidelines
•Attracts 3,000 or more attendees
•More than 30% of attendees are visitors
•Event encourages 2+ night stayTier1
•Attracts between 501 -3,000 attendees
•Less than 30% of attendees are visitors
•Event encourages 1 night stayTier2
•Attracts 500 or less attendeesTier3
Total Support =
Up to $15,000
Total Support =
Up to $7,500
Total Support =
Up to $500
Page 11 of 67
2
Atascadero Business Improvement District (ATBID)
Event Support Guidelines
Additional considerations:
1) Does event support Visit Atascadero objectives?
2) Will event be held during off-season or high-season?
3) Is event new or existing? If existing, how was previously awarded money spent?
4) Three-year growth plan
5) Attendee demographics
6) Fiduciary responsibility
Page 12 of 67
Page 13 of 67
Page 14 of 67
Page 15 of 67
Page 16 of 67
Page 17 of 67
Page 18 of 67
Page 19 of 67
Page 20 of 67
Page 21 of 67
Page 22 of 67
Page 23 of 67
Page 24 of 67
Page 25 of 67
Page 26 of 67
Page 27 of 67
Page 28 of 67
11/3/17
1
Templeton Chamber of
Commerce
2018 Major Events
Request for Funding
Templeton Wine Festival
4th of July Celebration in the Park
Templeton Oktoberfest
Templeton Wine Festival -Sat. May 5
l Sixth Annual event
l Over 650 expected attendees, growing
every year
l Approximately 20% from outside of
North County
l 30+ wineries, three breweries, food, live
music, vendors in the Templeton Park
4th Of July Celebration In the Park
l Over 2500 people attend
l Almost half are from outside of the North
County, many from outside the county
l Biggest and Oldest Independance Day
Celebration in North County (FD pancake
breakfast, parade, park celebration,
evening personal fireworks)
Page 29 of 67
11/3/17
2
Templeton Oktoberfest
September 29, 2018
Templeton Oktoberfest
l Over 600 attendees at first time event in
2017
l 33% of attendees from outside the North
County
l Local breweries reported visitors on
Sunday from the event (overnight stay)
Page 30 of 67
11/3/17
3
Why Should ATBID Support
Templeton Events?
l Templeton has NO Hotel Rooms
l Atascadero is closer, in mileage, than Paso
Robles
l The Chamber's Mission is Economic
Development, and Tourism is a major
economic driver
Visit Atascadero in Templeton
l Your logo will be prominently displayed on
all event websites, print and digital ads and
posters
l Links to your site will be added to the event
sites and the Templeton Chamber site
l Your banner will be displayed at each event
l Verbal thank yous to your org at events
Your Brand on Our Marketing
The Chamber does extensive marketing
with the following media:
l New Times
l The Tribune (sanluisobispo.com)
l Paso Press/Atascadero News
l Paso/A-town Daily News
l Vintages Magazine (in Tribune & Fresno
Bee)
l Facebook sponsored ads
Questions?
Page 31 of 67
ITEM NUMBER: B-2
DATE: 11/15/17
ADVISORY BOARD FOR THE ATASCADERO TOURISM
BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT
Staff Report
Destination Management Services Contract Renewal
(Amendment No. 2)
RECOMMENDATION:
Board recommend City to approve a Contract Amendment No. 2 with Big Red
Marketing, for destination management services, to renew contract for an additional six-
month period with contract end date of 6/30/2018.
DISCUSSION:
The ATBID Board appointed Big Red Marketing in 2015 for support and consulting in
destination management services. On May 17, 2017, the Board approved a six-month
extension of the Big Red Marketing contract beginning July 1, 2017, at the existing
monthly retainer rate of $2,500/month.
On September 20, 2017, the Board reviewed Big Red Marketing’s services and
approved Amendment No. 1 of the contract to include a monetary increase to the
current contract by $500 per month dating back to July 1, 2017.
The current contract expires on December 31, 2017. Staff recommendation would
continue destination management services provided by Big Red Marketing at the
current monthly retainer rate of $3,000/month through June 30, 2018.
FISCAL IMPACT :
$18,000 based on scope of work proposal.
ATTACHMENT S:
1. Big Red Marketing Scope of Work
Page 32 of 67
Client Agreement for City of Atascadero relating to services for Atascadero
Tourism Business Improvement District Advisory Board (ATBID)
January 1, 2018 - June 30, 2018
Scope of Work
The overall role of this position will be to work in conjunction with the ATBID, City of Atascadero, the
marketing firm of choice, tourism industry partners and other stakeholders and organizations with a
primary focus to include:
•Assist in maintaining roles and responsibilities in ATBID communication chart (City and all other
entities)
•Act as administrator to support ATBID and its members in all capacities to execute the plans and
attain goals, including and not limited to financial growth and laying the groundwork for future
success
•Guide the organization to develop and implement strategies to increase occupancy consistent
with the annual goals and objectives established by the ATBID and its annual marketing plans
•Assist in creating ATBID policies and procedures
•Administrative:
•Communicate effectively with and between ATBID, City Council, Board of Supervisors, City
and County liaison and staff, ATBID members, community leaders, and related tourism
partners to maintain strong internal and external relationships
•Provide clear and concise recommendations through ongoing communication regarding
direction, opportunities, challenges, and progress to the ATBID
•Assist the Board in the selection, retention and management of professional services and
vendors
•Take a visionary lead role in all activities and ensure ATBID actions are consistent with
strategic goals and direction
•Development and management of timeline and deliverables with the selected marketing firm
-Monitor progress of website updates
-Communicate with marketing firm the vision of the ATBID to assist in the execution of the
marketing plan
-Execute promotional programs
-Develop measurable criteria and benchmarks for monitoring the success of the ATBID and
effectiveness of contracted vendors
-Assist marketing firm to coordinate photography projects, video projects and FAM tours
•Attendance to all meetings related to the ATBID, including monthly Board meetings and
subcommittee meetings, and Atascadero City Council Meetings
Client Agreement Page ! of !1 2
adief@bigredmktg.com
805-610-6326
RED: PMS 187 C / 187 U
Page 33 of 67
-Prepare ATBID agenda, packet and minutes and deliver to the Deputy City Manager for
posting and distribution in accordance to Brown Act requirements
-Create and coordinate development of staff reports to supplement agenda packet.
•Represent the ATBID and its members by attending countywide events and related professional
association meetings
•Promote the ATBID mission and goals by being available to attend, on behalf of Visit Atascadero,
board selected consumer and trade shows
-One significant trade show such as IPW
-One large-scale or two intermediate consumer shows that require travel of 2+ hours
-Up to two in-county consumer shows
•Partner with tourism coordinator and marketing firm to prepare and present the budget, Year End
Report and annual marketing plans
•Work with City to manage timelines for the ATBID’s annual renewal process
•Develop and implement communication tools so that all members are informed of ATBID
progress and programs
-Create and maintain an accurate member inventory to include individual property contact
information, property type and unit count
•Create and coordinate contracts
•Maintain and provide timely budgets, actual receipts and expenditures information, with monthly
progress reports to the ATBID Board
-Adhere to City guidelines and submit monthly contractor fee invoice and expenses with back
up each month
-Review all vendor invoices for accuracy and compliance to budget
Fees
Services detailed in the Scope of Work above will be provided at a monthly retainer of $3,000/month
for the 2017/2018 fiscal year.
Upon approval from the client, the following other costs that may be included in monthly billing for
reimbursement:
•Mileage at the federal reimbursement rate of $0.535/mile
•Additional time spent on behalf of the ATBID at trade/ consumer shows
•Dining costs while traveling for client requirements
•Lodging costs while traveling for client requirements
The client will be provided with a monthly invoice outlining fees due and including all appropriate
support documentation. All payments are non-refundable upon completion of work. Should a client
choose to terminate a project before it is complete, the client will be responsible for any additional
hours accrued at the hourly rate of the Big Red Marketing employee or contractor completing the
work. Payments not received within 30 days of invoice date will be assessed an additional 1.5%
service charge for each additional month delayed.
Client Agreement Page ! of !2 2
adief@bigredmktg.com
805-610-6326
Page 34 of 67
ITEM NUMBER: B-3
DATE: 11/15/17
ADVISORY BOARD FOR THE ATASCADERO TOURISM
BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT
Staff Report
Visit Atascadero Co-op with Visit SLO CAL at 2018 IPW
RECOMMENDATION:
Discuss and provide staff direction on Visit Atascadero co-op with Visit SLO CAL at
2018 IPW trade show.
DISCUSSION:
Michael Wambolt, Director of Travel Trade for Visit SLO CAL presented to the ATBID
Board on August 16, 2017. The presentation included an overview of the outreach
efforts being made to promote county tourism and the opportunities for ATBID to
participate in these efforts.
The Marketing Committee discussed the potential tour and travel co -op opportunities at
the Marketing Committee Meeting on October 10, 2017 . The Marketing Committee
determined that the co-op that aligns best with Visit Atascadero’s mission, goals and
budget is IPW. IPW 2018 takes place from May 19 – 23, 2018.
U.S. Travel Association’s IPW is the travel industry's premier international marketplace
and is the largest generator of travel to the U.S. In just three days of intensive pre-
scheduled business appointments, more than 1,000 U.S. travel organizations from
every region of the U.S. (representing all industry category components) and more than
1,300 international and domestic buyers; and 500 media from more than 70 countries
conduct business negotiations that result in the generation of more than $4.7 billio n in
future U.S. travel. At IPW buyers and sellers are able to conduct business that would
otherwise be generated only through an exhaustive number of around-the-world trips.
More than 100,000 business appointments at IPW are prescheduled by a computerized
program, based on buyer and exhibitor requests, to help each attending organization
make the most of its time. Every organization registered for IPW is required to provide
organizational business profile information that is compiled in the ipw.com database by
U.S. Travel Association.
Following discussion and direction to staff at November 15, 2017 Board Meeting, staff
will present a recommendation at December 20, 2017 ATBID Board Meeting.
Page 35 of 67
ITEM NUMBER: B-3
DATE: 11/15/17
FISCAL IMPACT :
None. Potentially up to $15,000. The estimated cost to participate in the co -op with Visit
SLO Cal is estimated at $4,500; which includes registration fees. The estimated cost
per person to send a representative is $2,500. The estimated cost for printed and digital
materials is $3,000.
ATTACHMENT S:
1. IPW Orientation Manual
Page 36 of 67
ORIENTATION
MANUAL
Page 37 of 67
TABLE OF CONTENTS
What Is IPW? 1
Important Information about IPW 2
•In Advance and Year-Round
•ipw.com
•My IPW
•Appointment Scheduling
•IPW Online Marketplace
•On-site at IPW
•Orientation Session
•Brand USA Educational Sessions
•International Market Exchange (formerly Market Update)
•Marketing and Technology Pavilion
•Brand USA Media Marketplace
•IPW Online Press Room
•Sponsorship, Advertising, and Marketing/Public Relations Opportunities
•Register for Next Year’s Event (U.S. exhibitors only)
Suggestions for international and domestic buyers 7
•Building and Maintaining Your Prospect List through My IPW
•Requesting Your Prescheduled Appointments
•Manual Appointment Scheduling
•Maximizing Your Presence on the IPW Online Marketplace
•A Checklist before You Depart for IPW
•Arrival at IPW
•On-site Appointment Scheduling
•Getting the Most from the Appointment Sessions
Suggestions for U.S. exhibitors 12
•Building and Maintaining Your Prospect List through My IPW
•Nominating Buyers for IPW
•Sponsorship, Advertisement, and Marketing/Public Relations Opportunities
•Requesting Your Prescheduled Appointments
•Appointment Scheduling on ipw.com
•Manual Appointment Scheduling
•Maximizing Your Presence on the IPW Online Marketplace
•Arrival at IPW
•Setting Up Your Booth
•On-site Appointment Scheduling
•Getting the Most from the Appointment Sessions
Working with the Press—Hints for U.S. exhibitors 20
•In Advance of IPW
•Media Marketplace Package
Page 38 of 67
U.S. Travel Association’s IPW 2018 Orientation Manual 1
WHAT IS IPW®?
IPW is produced by the U.S. Travel Association, and is the travel industry’s premier
international marketplace and the largest generator of travel to the U.S. During three days of
intensive, prescheduled business appointments, U.S. travel executives representing more than
1,000 supplier organizations and destinations from every region of the U.S., and representing
all industry category components, meet with over 1,300 international and domestic buyers
from more than 70 countries. Historically, the business discussed in these meetings results in
the generation of more than $4.7 billion in future travel to the U.S. At IPW, international and
domestic buyers and U.S. exhibitors are able to conduct business that would otherwise only
be generated through an exhaustive number of around-the-world trips. As you can see, IPW
is NOT a typical trade show.
The domestic buyer registration category offers qualified receptive tour operators, domestic
wholesale buyers and online consumer travel organizations (OTAs) a business-to-business
opportunity with the U.S. suppliers exhibiting at IPW. The addition of domestic buyers further
enhances the value of IPW to exhibitors who agree to have appointments prescheduled with
them by maximizing any open appointment slots.
The marketing and technology provider registration category offers a limited number of
organizations that do not typically qualify to exhibit at IPW an exclusive opportunity to
promote their products and services to the U.S. exhibitors and buyers attending IPW via the
Marketing and Technology Pavilion located in the Brand USA Marketplace Hall. Examples of
these valued marketing and technology providers include: providers of print, broadcast, and
interactive media; advertising, public relations and other consulting firms; research servicing
companies; financial institutions; and providers of services such as marketing systems
(SEO/SEM, advertising, email campaigns, social media, web design) and distribution channel
management, revenue and reservation systems. The addition of the Marketing and
Technology Pavilion further enhances the value of IPW to exhibitors and buyers who agree to
have appointments prescheduled with marketing and technology providers by maximizing
any open appointment slots. Authorized Brand USA co-op Marketing and Technology
Providers will have priority registration and placement in the Marketing and Technology
Pavilion.
IPW is also an opportunity for unique news coverage for U.S. travel destinations and
products. On average, more than 500 travel journalists from over 40 countries attend IPW
each year. Great opportunities exist for destination and product articles to appear in major
international trade and consumer publications and online media outlets.
More than 100,000 business appointments at IPW are prescheduled by a computerized
program, based on buyer and exhibitor requests, to help each attending organization make
the most of its time. Every organization registered for IPW is required to provide
organizational business profile information that is compiled in the ipw.com database by U.S.
Travel Association. To prepare for the appointment request and assignment process, all
registration and organization profile information is located in My IPW on ipw.com and serves
as the resource for building prospect lists and selecting business appointments. All requests
for appointments are submitted via ipw.com and a unique computer program matches buyer
requests with exhibitor requests. Exhibitors can preschedule up to 44 appointments per 10
foot booth (not per delegate). Buyers can preschedule up to 44 appointments per delegate.
Page 39 of 67
U.S. Travel Association’s IPW 2018 Orientation Manual 2
IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT IPW
Be sure to review the following information to see what you can do in advance and year-
round to make IPW work for you!
IN ADVANCE AND YEAR-ROUND
IPW.COM
U.S. Travel Association’s year-round marketplace for USA travel is ipw.com where all IPW
information resources are streamlined into one official website.
You can:
• Find general information about IPW including the on-site schedule of events,
registration instructions and criteria, host hotels and delegation assignments, ground
transportation schedules, and a link to the host city’s website;
• Register online for IPW;
• Review and update your organization’s profile information—your year-round
marketing presence on ipw.com;
• Nominate international and domestic buyers to be invited to IPW (U.S. exhibitors
only);
MY IPW
The newest feature of ipw.com is “My IPW”. Once you are registered, you can manage your
entire event experience in advance of IPW using your Individual Login ID and Password.
My IPW offers 24-hour, 365 days a year access to buyers, suppliers, and marketing and
technology providers. Every category registered for IPW is listed in a searchable database.
Each listing includes a comprehensive organization profile (if applicable) including
organization name, full address, telephone, and contact names as well as a brief description of
the organization. Extensive search capabilities provide an excellent opportunity to match
buyers’ travel needs with suppliers’ products and services. You can conduct customized
searches, create a personalized prospect list and, at appointment scheduling time, submit
your appointment requests.
This site is easy to use and your individual log-in codes are required to access every aspect of
My IPW. A few of the features you are able to take advantage of are listed below.
• View and update your personal registration details
• Share any dietary and/or special needs
• Search for potential business matches to initiate business correspondence in advance
of and after IPW
• Maintain a personalized prospect list
• Pay invoices/print receipts
• Make registration changes/additions
• Search for and request appointments using Online Appointment Scheduling (available
in March)
Page 40 of 67
U.S. Travel Association’s IPW 2018 Orientation Manual 3
Forgot your ipw.com log-in codes?
CONTACT:
• U.S. exhibitors, domestic buyers and U.S. journalists: ipwreg@ustravel.org
• International leisure buyers and international journalists, International Advisory
Committees, Visit USA Committees, Commercial Service delegates, and international
airline representatives: intlreg@ustravel.org
• International meeting and incentive buyers: MIB@ustravel.org
APPOINTMENT SCHEDULING
One of the most important steps in preparing for your participation at IPW is requesting your
appointments. The online appointment request process makes it easy to search for prospects
and to submit your appointment requests online. New registration and organization profile
information is entered into the database daily making it the most up-to-date resource for
searching for prospective appointments.
In March, you will receive an email from U.S. Travel Association indicating that Online
Appointment Scheduling is open. You can perform custom searches and choose the
organizations with whom you wish to meet and add them to your Appointment Request list.
When your appointment request list is full, submit it to U.S. Travel Association with one
simple click. You can view your appointment request list, make changes to it and re-submit it
up until the cutoff date. After the cutoff date, you will still be able to view your prospect list
online.
Appointments are prescheduled by our customized computer program based on a priority-
based algorithm in the order indicated below. In addition, a distance parameter is included in
the programming so a buyer will not have to walk great distances in the Brand USA
Marketplace Hall between appointments. Domestic buyers, meeting and incentive buyers,
international and domestic journalists, marketing and technology providers, Visit USA
Committee members and Commercial Service delegates are also able to search for and select
appointment requests online from a list of the U.S. exhibitors that have not “Opted Out” of
the options to meet with these registration categories.
APPOINTMENT SCHEDULING MATCHING PRIORITY
1. Mutual international buyer and U.S. exhibitor requests
2. International buyer requests
3. Mutual domestic buyer and U.S. exhibitor requests
4. Domestic buyer requests
5. Up to fifteen (15) U.S. exhibitor requests
6. Mutual U.S. exhibitor and marketing and technology provider requests
7. Marketing and technology provider requests
8. Journalist requests
9. Visit USA Committee members/Commercial Service delegate requests
U.S. exhibitor requests that were not scheduled will be listed on the buyers’ appointment
list so that they are aware of the exhibitors’ interest in meeting with them. Buyers who
requested U.S. exhibitors but could not be scheduled will be listed on the exhibitors’
appointment list so that they are aware of the buyers’ interest in meeting with them.
Page 41 of 67
U.S. Travel Association’s IPW 2018 Orientation Manual 4
MANUAL APPOINTMENT SCHEDULING
Manual scheduling opens after the appointment schedules are distributed (late April).
Manual scheduling gives you the opportunity to add more appointments to your schedule
in one convenient location before arriving at IPW. It also presents an opportunity to target
those newly registered organizations that were added after online appointment
scheduling closed.
Through the manual scheduling system, you can view and print your appointment
schedule; request additional appointments with organizations that have similar open
appointments; request changes/cancellations; and accept or decline any requests made
to you.
MEDIA MARKETPLACE APPOINTMENT SCHEDULING
Media Marketplace appointment scheduling occurs during the manual scheduling period.
PR delegates from U.S. exhibitor organizations that purchased a media marketplace table
and media can make up to 20 Media Marketplace appointments each. All Media
Marketplace delegates will be notified when manual scheduling is open. Appointments will
be 10 minutes in length with a five-minute cross time.
The Media Marketplace schedule for Monday, May 21:
9:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Session I
12:40-1:40 p.m. IPW Lunch
2:00-4:00 p.m. Session II
4:00-5:30 p.m. Brand USA Media Marketplace Reception
(closed event for media and PRs)
IPW ONLINE MARKETPLACE
Buyers and exhibitors are able to connect and follow one another in a web platform called
IPW Online Marketplace. Patterned after the successful IPW Online Press Room powered by
TravMedia, the IPW Online Marketplace — a virtual Supplier Showcase — allows buyers to
review exhibitor materials in advance, during and after the show. Download photos, view and
import videos and brochures, and connect and follow exhibitors to stay in touch after IPW
concludes. Daily email alerts show a summary of materials being added to the platform,
prompting buyers to see more in each Supplier Showcase. The service is complimentary for
buyers and exhibitors.
ON-SITE AT IPW
IPW ORIENTATION SESSION
Sunday, 9:00-10:00 a.m. at the convention center | Open to all delegates
A panel of IPW veterans representing buyers, suppliers, and media discuss methods for
communicating on-site, scheduling additional business appointments, following up on leads,
and knowing what to expect at the business appointment sessions. It’s an excellent resource
that can enhance your IPW experience. No advance sign-up is required.
BRAND USA MARKET TRENDS UPDATE
Sunday, 10:00-11:30 a.m. at the convention center | Open to all delegates
Brand USA experts share research, analytics, and trends in key markets such as China, India,
and Mexico. Topics covered include in-depth market profiles, highlights of Brand USA’s in-
market activities, and a preview of future initiatives. These presentations are a perfect
Page 42 of 67
U.S. Travel Association’s IPW 2018 Orientation Manual 5
complement to the table top version of International Market Exchange (formerly Market
Update). Check the Official Program on-site for the exact location and schedule. No advance
sign-up is required.
INTERNATIONAL MARKET EXCHANGE
Sunday, 11:00 a.m.-12:30 p.m. at the convention center | Open to U.S. exhibitors only
U.S. Travel Association’s International Advisory Committee (IAC), Visit USA/See
America/Discover America Committee, and U.S. Commercial Service representatives from
countries attending IPW will be available to discuss and answer any questions U.S. exhibitors
may have about their market. It is an important opportunity to gather the latest intelligence
on your target markets before IPW business sessions begin. Check the Official Program on-
site for the exact location and schedule. No advance sign-up is required.
MARKETING AND TECHNOLOGY PAVILION
The Marketing and Technology Pavilion will be located in the Brand USA Marketplace Hall
next to the Brand USA booth. The Pavilion provides the exclusive opportunity for marketing
and technology organizations to promote products and services to IPW attendees. U.S.
exhibitors and buyers and marketing and technology providers can request appointments
with each other during the pre-scheduled appointment request process and fill in any
available open appointment during manual scheduling. If you don’t already have a scheduled
appointment with the marketing and technology providers, be sure to stop by!
BRAND USA MEDIA MARKETPLACE
Advanced sign-up is required and is open only to registered U.S. exhibitors who purchase the
Media Marketplace Package. Space is limited.
Brand USA Media Marketplace (Monday) provides a full day of opportunity for public
relations professionals from exhibiting organizations to meet with international and domestic
travel media to discuss story ideas, arrange personalized press trips, distribute press kits, and
arrange on-site interviews.
PR delegates (from U.S. exhibitor organizations that purchased a Media Marketplace table)
and media will be able to make up to 20 prescheduled appointments during the manual
scheduling period only and all Media Marketplace delegates will be notified when this option
is open. Appointments will be 10 minutes in length with a five-minute cross time.
The Media Marketplace schedule for Monday, May 21:
9:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Session I
12:40-1:40 p.m. IPW Lunch
2:00-4:00 p.m. Session II
4:00-5:30 p.m. Brand USA Media Marketplace Reception
(closed event for media and PRs)
IPW ONLINE PRESS ROOM
Open to U.S. exhibitors and press
For registered U.S. exhibitors not participating in the Brand USA Media Marketplace but who
want to guarantee their news reaches the nearly 500 media attending IPW. Purchasers will
have a dedicated, branded virtual press room and the ability to interact with journalists and
drive traffic to their trade show booth.
Participants will be able to upload four new press releases and photos, one video, and
unlimited archived releases. The four new releases will also be included in the daily IPW U.S.
exhibitor news feeds sent to all participating journalists.
Page 43 of 67
U.S. Travel Association’s IPW 2018 Orientation Manual 6
SPONSORSHIP, ADVERTISING, AND MARKETING/PUBLIC RELATIONS
OPPORTUNITIES
There are numerous sponsorship, advertising, and marketing/PR opportunities for U.S.
suppliers exhibiting at IPW. For more information, see the listing beginning on page 13.
REGISTER FOR NEXT YEAR’S EVENT
Open to U.S. exhibitors only
U.S. exhibitors registered for the current year’s show are eligible to register for the following
year’s IPW while on-site and take advantage of discounted booth and delegate registration
costs. Be sure to visit the special registration kiosks located in the Brand USA Marketplace
Hall Lounges and in the Concourse area to take advantage of this special offer.
REMEMBER
You must be a registered delegate to attend IPW appointment sessions
and social events, and you must wear your badge at all times to gain entry.
There are no spouse or guest registrations available.
Page 44 of 67
U.S. Travel Association’s IPW 2018 Orientation Manual 7
SUGGESTIONS FOR INTERNATIONAL AND DOMESTIC
BUYERS
At U.S. Travel Association’s IPW, you will have the opportunity to meet one-on-one with up to
44 U.S. exhibitors during prescheduled appointments. You will also have the chance to meet
and mingle with exhibitor representatives from more than 1,000 U.S. supplier organizations
during informal networking breaks and social functions. The custom-designed appointment
scheduling process enables you to make the most efficient and productive use of your time
on-site at IPW.
The process begins with the receipt of your IPW registration information. You are provided
information about the IPW schedule and activities as well as all the necessary information to
register for IPW. All U.S. exhibitors and buyers must register online and complete their
organization profiles. This information is used to create a complete organization and contact
listing in My IPW on ipw.com, which is also used for appointment scheduling.
You should begin to plan for appointment scheduling in February by using My IPW to search
for potential exhibitors with whom you wish to meet. You can save organizations from your
searches to a prospect list which you can maintain and modify throughout the year. Carefully
review the organization’s profile information to determine if they meet your criteria and to be
sure that you will be a good potential business match for them.
DOMESTIC BUYERS AND MEETING AND INCENTIVE BUYERS PLEASE NOTE: You will
only be able to request appointments with U.S. exhibitor organizations that have selected not
to Opt Out of the “Domestic Buyer Appointments Option” or the “Meeting and Incentive
Buyers Option,” respectively.
In March, all confirmed registered buyers will receive an email announcing that online
appointment scheduling is open. Once you have received this notification, you can begin
submitting your appointment requests.
IPW is the perfect opportunity to increase your USA program offerings, volume, and profit. It
is hard, serious work. Here is some important information to help you take full advantage of
IPW:
1.BUILDING AND MAINTAINING YOUR PROSPECT LIST IN MY IPW ON
IPW.COM
Be sure to use your individual login codes to log into My IPW from ipw.com to search
for prospects throughout the year. Select Find Delegates from the menu item. You
can search by various criteria including regions, type of services offered, and by
organization name. By simply checking a box next to their listing on the search results
page, you will be able to save that organization to your prospect list. You can refer to
this list year-round and click on the listing to see the organization’s complete profile.
2.REQUESTING YOUR PRESCHEDULED APPOINTMENTS
Please review the following steps to most efficiently develop and submit your
appointment requests:
•SEARCHING FOR U.S. EXHIBITORS - Simply go to ipw.com, click on the link for the
IPW Action Center, log into My IPW using your individual login codes and select
Appointment Requests to start your search. As you review your search results, you
can save organizations to a personalized prospect list. The database contains the
most up-to-date registration and profile information.
Page 45 of 67
U.S. Travel Association’s IPW 2018 Orientation Manual 8
•COORDINATE YOUR REQUESTS WITH OTHER DELEGATES FROM YOUR
ORGANIZATION - If more than one buyer is registered from your organization,
please coordinate your appointment requests with the other delegates to prevent
duplicating requests within your organization. Duplicate requests will not be
scheduled, and do not increase your chances of meeting with the exhibitor. Each
registered delegate from your organization must submit a separate appointment
request list.
•COMPLETE AND SUBMIT YOUR APPOINTMENT REQUEST LIST - Every
international and domestic buyer must submit and accept a minimum of 30
appointments to complete their requirements for registration for IPW. It’s easy to
create the online appointment request list— simply go to ipw.com, click on the link
for the IPW Action Center. Log into My IPW using your individual login codes and
select Appointment Requests. Search for organizations that meet your desired
criteria, highlight to select an organization and click the Request Appointment
button. You can view your appointment request list at any time online. Be sure to
submit a request for all 50 slots so that you receive as many prescheduled
appointments as possible (there are 44 possible appointments).
•EMAIL THE EXHIBITORS YOU REQUESTED - Mutual requests are scheduled first
by the computerized program; therefore, it is wise to email all of the exhibitors you
requested on your list. This will let them know that they should also request you to
increase your chances of a match. You may also receive emails from exhibitors
asking that you request them. You can also view who has requested an
appointment with you to greater maximize your chance for a prescheduled
appointment.
•REVIEW YOUR APPOINTMENT LIST UPON RECEIPT - By reviewing your
appointment list in advance, you can determine if there are additional exhibitors
with whom you would like to schedule appointments. If you have any available
appointment times, try to schedule appointments in advance of your arrival at IPW
through the manual scheduling feature in My IPW. You may be able to schedule
appointments with those exhibitors on your appointment list with whom
appointments were not scheduled in advance. You should also use My IPW to do
more searches for prospects.
3.MANUAL APPOINTMENT SCHEDULING
Manual scheduling opens after the computer-generated appointment schedules are
distributed (late April). Manual scheduling gives you the opportunity to add more
appointments to your schedule in one convenient location before arriving at IPW. It
also presents an opportunity to target those newly registered U.S. exhibitors who
were added after online appointment scheduling closed.
Through the manual scheduling system, you can view and print your appointment
schedule; request additional appointments with U.S. exhibitors who have similar open
appointments; request changes/cancellations; and accept or decline any requests
made to you.
Please respond promptly to all appointment requests you receive through the manual
scheduling system so that your fellow participants can make the most of their
schedule. If someone sends you an appointment request or change/cancellation
request and you do not respond in a timely manner, you could be blocking an
appointment time they could match with another company. Requests for
cancellations of appointments not accepted or declined within 48 hours will
automatically be removed from both parties’ schedules.
Page 46 of 67
U.S. Travel Association’s IPW 2018 Orientation Manual 9
NOTE: Since changes can be made to your schedule up to five days before the show
opens, U.S. Travel Association will provide you (via email) with the advance list of your
prescheduled appointments. You should regularly monitor and manage your
appointments through the manual scheduling system and print the most current
version of your schedule before the show opens. We will, however, print your most
current appointment schedule when you register on-site at IPW.
4.MAXIMIZE YOUR PRESENCE ON IPW ONLINE MARKETPLACE
Build your own buyer profile. Submit and update your details by clicking on your
photo or the word “Profile” and following the prompts. When you update your details,
they will be displayed in the Newsroom, allowing people to connect to you.
View the comprehensive profiles of exhibitors attending IPW. Click the “Follow”
button to send a request to that exhibitor within the system. When the exhibitor
approves you, just like on LinkedIn, you will be “connected.” You may email one
another in the system, and each time either profile changes (travel plans added,
photos added, etc.) you both receive a notification at the bottom of the show’s Daily
Summary.
5.A CHECKLIST BEFORE YOU DEPART FOR IPW
It is important that you come to IPW prepared to do business with all of the
information and tools possible. Do you have:
•At least 600 business cards?
•A brief description of your organization?
•Your operating and sales history?
•Samples of promotional pieces/brochures showing how you promote or sell
USA travel?
Also, analyze your program needs so you can respond to questions the exhibitors may
have when they meet with you at IPW. Do you have:
•An evaluation of past USA programs?
•Geographical and service requirements?
•Series and special group specifications?
•Dates and date flexibility?
•An estimation of projected volume?
•Requirements for specific promotional support from any supplier?
Business attire is requested for the business appointment sessions. Business casual is
requested for official evening events.
6.ARRIVAL AT IPW
To assist and welcome you as you arrive in the Host City, complimentary ground
transportation is offered from the airport(s) to all official Host Hotels on Friday,
Saturday and Sunday (see online schedule for hours). There will be Host City
volunteers throughout the airport to greet and assist you.
Register at the convention center as early as possible on Saturday to receive your
badge and other registration materials. There are sightseeing tours on Saturday and
Sunday—don’t forget to sign up in advance through the Host City’s convention and
visitors bureau website when available. Once you arrive at the convention center, you
should re-confirm your tour signup at the Host City Sightseeing Tour booth. There
may be a few openings available that you can sign up for on-site, but it is best to
register in advance to ensure the tour you request is available and to assist the Host
City in their planning.
Page 47 of 67
U.S. Travel Association’s IPW 2018 Orientation Manual 10
7.ON-SITE APPOINTMENT SCHEDULING
A full appointment schedule is the key to success at IPW. If you have any appointment
slots open in your schedule—fill them! There are several opportunities to identify
prospects for these appointments.
IPW.COM MESSAGE CENTERS AND IPW MOBILE APP - If there are additional
exhibitors with whom you need to schedule appointments, you can contact them via
the on-site Message Centers located near the IPW registration area and in the Brand
USA Marketplace Hall Lounges or via your mobile device once you have downloaded
the IPW mobile app. If you already know whom you want to contact, you can send
them an email. If you need to search for more prospects, you can use the Message
Centers or IPW mobile app to search and find a good match and then request an
appointment. Be sure to check back at the Message Centers (or your mobile device
once you have downloaded the IPW mobile app) for their response.
Exhibitors may also email you to request an appointment.
APPOINTMENT SCHEDULING SESSION - There is an appointment scheduling session
on Monday from 8:30-9:30 a.m. Exhibitors will be in their booths to schedule
additional appointments. This is a valuable session that can fill your appointment
schedule.
OPEN APPOINTMENT SESSION - There is an open appointment session on Tuesday
from 8:30-8:55 a.m. prior to scheduled appointments. IPW delegates are encouraged
to schedule additional appointments during these time slots, or you can “shop” the
Brand USA Marketplace Hall and speak with exhibitors without scheduling an
appointment.
OPEN NETWORKING TIME - There is open networking time after each luncheon to
give you an opportunity to meet with or make contact with those organizations with
whom you did not pre-schedule an appointment.
8.GETTING THE MOST FROM THE APPOINTMENT SESSIONS
IPW is a business meeting—not a trade show. The booths at IPW are designed to
accommodate private discussions of a senior sales executive nature. Exhibitors expect
to negotiate with you and to obtain firm commitments. Therefore, it is essential that
you have the authority to make these commitments. The following points can help you
get the most from your appointment sessions:
•Remember that your appointment schedule indicates only the organization name.
The exhibitor will be sure to match you with the most appropriate representative
who can discuss your program needs.
•During each appointment: 1) ask questions of the exhibitor to obtain the
information you need; 2) quickly get to the point of your discussion; 3) take notes
carefully to avoid confusion later; and 4) summarize to the exhibitor your
understanding of any arrangements. If you need an additional appointment to
complete discussions, schedule it.
•Most importantly, do not be a “no-show.” If you find it absolutely necessary to
cancel or re-schedule a business appointment, please do so by visiting the
exhibitor’s booth or by using the on-site Message Centers or IPW mobile app.
Please do so well in advance of the scheduled time of your appointment so that
the exhibitor can make plans to meet with another buyer.
Page 48 of 67
U.S. Travel Association’s IPW 2018 Orientation Manual 11
•During impromptu discussions with exhibitors between appointment sessions,
honor the arrival of the buyer scheduled for the next appointment by concluding
your discussion promptly.
•Use all social functions to make additional contacts, schedule appointments, and
conduct additional business. Carry your Official Program with you at all times.
•Each appointment session at IPW is important. You are required to attend all
appointment sessions, and to honor all scheduled appointments.
REMEMBER
Be sure to write your name on or staple your business card to
your Official Program in case it is misplaced.
This will greatly increase the chance of it being turned in
to Lost and Found and returned to you.
Page 49 of 67
U.S. Travel Association’s IPW 2018 Orientation Manual 12
SUGGESTIONS FOR U.S. EXHIBITORS
U.S. Travel Association’s IPW is the premier marketplace for conducting USA travel business,
and is designed to help you sell your products and services to the international and domestic
travel trade. The format provides 44 prescheduled appointment time slots over a three-day
period enabling you to meet with up to 44 buyers in your target markets. In addition, there
are many opportunities for networking and interacting with the buyers outside of the official
business sessions. This format offers you the opportunity to meet with as many buyers in
three days as it could take three weeks to visit in their home countries and offices.
Be sure to become a member of U.S. Travel or renew your current membership to receive the
benefit of discounted registration costs. Contact membership@ustravel.org to learn more
about the value of membership and discounts provided for regular members, and the many
complimentary benefits provided to Chairman’s Circle and Board Circle members.
The process for participating in IPW begins when your organization’s designated Registration
Contact receives notification that the IPW registration materials are online at ipw.com. These
materials include information about the IPW schedule and activities and provide a link to
online registration to reserve a booth and register individual exhibitor delegates. (Note:
Registration for IPW 2018 opened to U.S. exhibitors while on-site at IPW 2017.)
Each booth has a designated Key Contact who is responsible for receiving and submitting all
IPW materials. The Key Contact is also responsible for communicating IPW-related
information with the booth staff. Your booth should be occupied by qualified, senior staff in
international tour and travel sales or marketing. You may wish to include a member of your
public relations staff, as there will be more than 500 journalists in attendance; your meetings
and incentive representative to connect with our meeting and incentive buyers; and/or your
marketing and advertising representative (on staff or from your agency of record) to meet
with Brand USA representatives about partnership engagement opportunities or our featured
marketing and technology providers in the Marketing and Technology Pavilion.
In March, your Key Contact will receive an email announcing online appointment scheduling is
open. Once this information is received, you can begin submitting your appointment requests.
The email will be followed by an email providing your booth assignment and links to the
interactive Brand USA Marketplace Hall floor plan and important exhibitor services
information.
BUYERS - There are two categories of buyers who attend IPW— international and domestic.
International buyers from more than 70 countries are invited and pre-qualified based on their
ability to deliver a significant number of leisure or meeting and incentive travelers to the U.S.
The domestic buyer and meeting and incentive buyer categories were introduced to offer
exhibitors even more value to the IPW experience. If you did not opt out of the domestic
buyer or the meeting and incentive buyer options when you registered online, your
organization’s name will appear in My IPW to all registered buyers and they will be able to
request a prescheduled appointment with your organization.
MARKETING AND TECHNOLOGY PROVIDERS - These are organizations that do not
typically qualify to exhibit at IPW but are eligible to promote their products and services in
the Marketing and Technology Pavilion located in the Brand USA Marketplace Hall so that U.S.
exhibitors that have an interest in meeting with them have the option to request
appointments with them. U.S. exhibitors are encouraged to consider registering a member of
their marketing or advertising staff to meet with these valuable marketing and technology
service providers.
Page 50 of 67
U.S. Travel Association’s IPW 2018 Orientation Manual 13
IPW is a perfect opportunity to build your international business. It is hard, serious work, but it
can be very rewarding. Here is some information to help you take full advantage of IPW:
1. BUILDING AND MAINTAINING YOUR PROSPECT LIST ON IPW.COM
Be sure to use your individual login codes to log into My IPW from ipw.com to search
for prospects throughout the year. Select Find Delegates from the menu item. You
can search by registration category and by simply checking a box next to their listing
on the search results page, you will be able to save that organization to your prospect
list. You can refer to this list year-round and click on the listing to see the
organization’s complete profile.
2. NOMINATING BUYERS
U.S. Travel Association is dedicated to both maintaining and expanding the base of
qualified international and domestic buyers who attend IPW. The quality as well as the
quantity of the buyers at IPW reflects, in a large part, the success of the show. In order
to do this successfully, however, we need your input and assistance. Key Contacts can
nominate buyers who produce a significant amount of USA business, but are not
currently on our invitation list, by emailing their names, organization names, and
contact information to intlreg@ustravel.org.
3. IPW SPONSORSHIP, ADVERTISING, AND MARKETING/PUBLIC RELATIONS
OPPORTUNITIES
Several sponsorship, advertising, and marketing/public relations opportunities are
available to increase your visibility at IPW including luncheon sponsorships,
advertisements in the Official Program and the IPW Online Marketplace, which offers
enhanced organization information and advertising options. For more information or
to sign up for any of these opportunities, go to ipw.com and click on Sponsorship and
Advertising to get to the appropriate link.
SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES
• Tuesday and Wednesday Luncheons
• Hospitality Lounge Co-Sponsorship
• Internet Kiosks
• Brand USA Media Marketplace
• Press Room
• Message Centers
• Badge Wallets
• IPW Online Marketplace
• International Delegate Room Drop
Service
• Visit USA Committee Luncheon
• Visit USA Latin America Breakfast
• Luggage Tags
• IPW Mobile App
• Charging Stations
• Customized Opportunities
ADVERTISING OPPORTUNITIES
• Hanging Banners – Lobby Concourse, Brand USA Marketplace Hall, Shuttle Drop
• Column Wraps/Tower Advertisements
• Clings and Overlays
• Official Program Book Inside Front Cover
• Official Program Book Tab Pages
• Official Program Book Full Color Page
• ipw.com Enhanced Listings
• ipw.com Button Advertisement
• IPW Daily - the official publication for IPW (eight (8) print and digital editions)
• Bundled Packages – includes IPW Daily, ipw.com and a Hanging Booth Banner
To learn more about the available sponsorship and advertising opportunities and
associated benefits, contact Ruth Mensch at rmensch@ustravel.org.
To purchase advertising in IPW Daily, contact Sherena Elharmell at selharmell@ustravel.org.
Page 51 of 67
U.S. Travel Association’s IPW 2018 Orientation Manual 14
PUBLIC RELATIONS OPPORTUNITIES
• Media Marketplace Package
• IPW Online Press Room
IPW has bundled together the two most popular media opportunities into one Media
Marketplace Package providing greater value and maximizing the visibility of
participating U.S. exhibitors. The package includes a full day of Brand USA Media
Marketplace activities on Monday plus full access to the IPW Online Press Room.
PR delegates (from U.S. exhibitor organizations that purchased a Media Marketplace
table) and media will be able to make up to 20 prescheduled appointments during the
manual scheduling period only and all Media Marketplace delegates will be notified
when this option is open. Appointments will be 10 minutes in length with a five-minute
cross time.
The IPW Online Press Room is now available as a stand-alone opportunity that allows
you to participate without having to purchase a Media Marketplace table.
To learn more about the Media Marketplace Package and IPW Online Press Room and
associated benefits, contact Cathy Reynolds at creynolds@ustravel.org.
IPW ONLINE MARKETPLACE
This complimentary, interactive tool allows registered buyers and suppliers to connect
with one another before, during and after the show, sharing valuable U.S. travel
product information and materials. Some of the benefits offered through the IPW
Online Marketplace include:
• Connections to delegates' profiles to help build long-term business relationships;
• Platform to electronically distribute brochures, marketing collateral, pricing,
images and videos; and
• Regular updates and alerts on new and relevant information.
The IPW Online Marketplace is managed by TravTrade, sister organization of
TravMedia and the successful IPW Online Press Room.
OTHER MARKETING/PROMOTIONAL OPPORTUNITIES
• Reserved Tables at Official Luncheons (Monday-Wednesday)
• Hotel Room Distribution Service
• Contact Lists
4. REQUESTING YOUR PRESCHEDULED APPOINTMENTS
As you prepare to select the buyers with whom you wish to request appointments,
remember to evaluate new program possibilities by considering requesting
appointments with a few sample prospects from areas and markets of unknown
potential. Also, plan to telephone or email the buyers you are requesting early in the
appointment request process to let them know of your interest in meeting with them
in order to increase your number of prescheduled appointments (mutual requests
between international buyers and U.S. exhibitors are given the highest scheduling
priority.)
Page 52 of 67
U.S. Travel Association’s IPW 2018 Orientation Manual 15
5.APPOINTMENT SCHEDULING ON IPW.COM
Simply go to ipw.com, click on the link for the IPW Action Center, log into My IPW
using your individual login codes and select Appointment Requests to start your
search. Once there, you will find new and improved features that will help you easily
search for prospects and request appointments. In addition to being able to search for
organizations based on their organization profile information, you can also search for
them by organization name or country. Note: If your organization usually divides the
responsibility for selecting the buyers with which your organization would like to
request an appointment, your Key Contact can share their individual log in codes for
My IPW with each of those individuals. They can then use the site to individually add
their requests to your organization’s appointment request list. When all requests have
been entered, the Key Contact should review and submit the list. Remember that, even
though there are only 44 appointment sessions, your organization should submit 50
requests per booth space. If your organization has a double booth, submit 100
requests; for a triple, submit 150 requests. ipw.com will automatically recognize if you
are a single, double, or triple booth holder and will provide the appropriate number of
spaces on your electronic form.
•EXHIBITOR GROUP SCHEDULING OPTION
This FREE option was developed to make scheduling appointments for
exhibitors with multiple adjacent booths more efficient. Say you have four
entities represented within your block of booths for XYZ North; XYZ South;
XYZ East; and XYZ West. Each of these entities has a separate listing and an
international buyer has requested appointments with North, South, and East.
You can now decide in advance whether you want three appointments
scheduled or just one. You can determine whether the buyer will spend 20
minutes with your representative from each region or if one representative will
provide the buyer with information on all of the regions at one business
appointment! This option is also likely to increase your chances of having more
mutual requests with buyers. If you would like to participate but did not select
this option when you registered online, complete the Exhibitor Group
Scheduling Option form, which can be found online in PDF format at ipw.com,
and email it to U.S. Travel Association at ipwreg@ustravel.org by the deadline
indicated on the form. (Note: all parties included in the group must submit the
form indicating their desire to participate.) Once the appointment scheduling
program has been run, this option cannot be reversed, however, anyone in your
scheduling group will be able to request additional appointments with one or
more of the same buyer if necessary during the Manual Appointment
Scheduling.
•EXTRA APPOINTMENT SCHEDULING OPTION
In addition to the standard appointment schedule of 44 appointments per
booth, exhibitors may purchase the option to request an additional 20
appointments per booth. Extra appointments are not guaranteed. The extra
time slots may make it possible for additional appointments to match more
exhibitor/buyer requests. There is an additional fee for this option and it is non-
refundable after the deadline date to submit appointment requests. This option
may be useful to exhibitors who, in the past, have received a fully booked
appointment schedule and have received many unscheduled buyer requests.
This option is not recommended for first-time exhibitors unless you are
confident that you will have a high demand for appointments. Be sure to
assess your own appointment needs. If you did not select this option when you
registered, you may request and pay for this option at any time prior to the
appointment request deadline date.
Page 53 of 67
U.S. Travel Association’s IPW 2018 Orientation Manual 16
•DOMESTIC BUYER, MEETING AND INCENTIVE BUYER, JOURNALIST,
MARKETING AND TECHNOLOGY PROVIDERS, INTERNATIONAL AIRLINE
REPRESENTATIVES, VISIT USA COMMITTEE AND COMMERCIAL SERVICE
REPRESENTATIVES APPOINTMENT OPTIONS
These appointment scheduling options allow these registration categories to
formally meet with U.S. exhibitors during prescheduled appointments. These
options are scheduled after international buyer requests have been scheduled
in the system. Exhibitors can opt out of appointments with these categories
during the online registration process.
Analyze your list of pre-scheduled appointments. Additionally, identify which
buyers requested to see your organization, but with whom you had no
common available time period and those buyers whom your organization
requested to see but who did not mutually request you. (Note that up to fifteen
U.S. exhibitor requests can be scheduled without a mutual request from the
buyer. Requests that are not prescheduled can be viewed through the manual
scheduling system).
If you have any available appointment times, try to schedule the appointments
in advance of your arrival at IPW using the manual scheduling feature. Contact
any buyers with whom you wish to meet but for which an appointment could
not be prescheduled. You can refer to your prospect list or conduct additional
searches for prospects. Once on-site at IPW, you should utilize the ipw.com
Message Centers or download the IPW mobile app to communicate and
request appointments with buyers.
•MARKETING AND TECHNOLOGY PROVIDER APPOINTMENT OPTIONS
Marketing and technology providers staff the booths located in the Marketing
and Technology Pavilion in the Brand USA Marketplace Hall. During the pre-
schedule appointment requests, U.S. exhibitors and marketing and technology
providers can request appointments with each other. Requests for pre-
scheduled appointments with marketing and technology providers are
processed after the domestic and meeting and incentive buyer category
requests in the system have been scheduled. These appointments take place in
the U.S. exhibitors’ booth. Exhibitors can opt out of appointments with this
category during the online registration process.
6.MANUAL APPOINTMENT SCHEDULING
Manual scheduling opens after the schedules are distributed (late April), giving you
the opportunity to add more appointments to your schedule in one convenient
location before arriving at IPW. It also presents an opportunity to target those newly
registered buyers who were added after online appointment scheduling closed.
Through the manual scheduling system, you can view and print your appointment
schedule; request additional appointments with buyers who have similar open
appointments; request changes/cancellations; and accept or decline any requests
made to you.
Please respond promptly to all appointment requests you receive through the Manual
Scheduling System so that your fellow participants can make the most of their
schedule. If someone sends you an appointment request or change/cancellation
request and you do not respond in a timely manner, you could be blocking an
appointment time they could match with another company. Requests for
cancellations of appointments not accepted or declined within 48 hours will
automatically be removed from both parties’ schedules.
Page 54 of 67
U.S. Travel Association’s IPW 2018 Orientation Manual 17
NOTE: Since changes can be made to your schedule up until the show opens, U.S.
Travel Association will only provide you (via email) with the advance list of your
prescheduled appointments. You should regularly monitor and manage your
appointments through the manual scheduling system and print the most current
version of your schedule before the show opens.
PR delegates (from U.S. exhibitor organizations that purchased a Media Marketplace
table) and media will be able to make up to 20 prescheduled appointments during the
manual scheduling period only and all Media Marketplace delegates will be notified
when this option is open. Appointments will be 10 minutes in length with a five-minute
cross time.
7.MAXIMIZE YOUR PRESENCE ON IPW ONLINE MARKETPLACE
Build your own profile. Submit and update your details by clicking on your photo or
the word “Profile” and following the prompts. When you update your details, they will
be displayed in the Newsroom, allowing people to connect to you.
View the comprehensive profiles of buyers attending IPW. Click the “Follow” button to
send a request to that buyer within the system. When the buyer approves you, just like
on LinkedIn, you will be “connected.” You may email one another in the system, and
each time either profile changes (travel plans added, photos added, etc.) you both
receive a notification at the bottom of the show’s Daily Summary.
8.ARRIVAL AT IPW
To assist and welcome you as you arrive in the Host City, complimentary ground
transportation is offered from the airport(s) to all official Host Hotels on Friday,
Saturday, and Sunday (see online schedule for exact hours). There will be Host City
volunteers throughout the airport to greet and assist you.
Register at the convention center as early as possible on Saturday to receive your
badge and other registration materials.
There are tours arranged by the Host City on Saturday and Sunday— don’t forget to
sign up in advance through the Host City’s convention and visitors bureau website
when available. Once you arrive at the convention center, you should re-confirm your
tour signup at the Host City Sightseeing Tour booth. There may be a few openings
available that you can sign up for on-site, but it is best to register in advance to ensure
the tour you request is available and to assist the Host City in their planning.
9.SETTING UP YOUR BOOTH
Booth setup hours are 8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. All booths must
be set up by 8:00 a.m. on Monday.
Be sure to review the Brand USA Marketplace Hall Rules and Regulations when
designing and setting up your booth. Non-compliant booths must be corrected prior
to the opening of the exhibit hall.
Your organization’s name and booth number must be displayed at all times. These
signs are provided at no additional cost as part of your booth rental. U.S. Travel
Association also provides each exhibitor with a mailbox located on the side rail of your
booth. U.S. Travel Association staff may deliver messages directly to your booth via
the mailbox. Please be sure to keep the mailbox visible at all times and check it
frequently.
Page 55 of 67
U.S. Travel Association’s IPW 2018 Orientation Manual 18
Familiarize yourself with the layout of the Brand USA Marketplace Hall as well as the
location of the on-site Message Centers, the Internet Kiosks, the U.S. Travel
Association Information Booth (in the Main Lounge), and the on-site Business Center.
10.ON-SITE APPOINTMENT SCHEDULING
Make every opportunity on-site to fill empty appointment slots. Use every social
occasion such as local sightseeing tours and evening events to network and book
additional appointments. Carry your Official Program at all times so you can easily
arrange these appointments. There are several ways to add appointments to your
schedule:
•IPW.COM MESSAGE CENTERS AND IPW MOBILE APP - If there are additional
buyers with whom you would like to schedule appointments, you can contact
them via the on-site Message Centers located near the IPW registration area
and in the Brand USA Marketplace Hall Lounges or via your mobile device once
you’re downloaded the IPW mobile app. If you already know whom you want
to contact, you can send them an email. If you need to search for more
prospects, you can use the ipw.com Message Centers or the IPW mobile app to
search ipw.com to find a good match and then email them to request an
appointment. When you email someone, be sure to give them the specific
day(s) and time(s) for the appointment you are requesting and be sure to
check back at the ipw.com Message Centers or through the IPW mobile app for
their response.
Buyers may also email you to request an appointment. You are encouraged to
accept appointments to learn about new buyers you may not have worked
with in the past. If you have no interest, please explain why there is no interest.
This will allow both of you to use your time more productively.
•APPOINTMENT SCHEDULING SESSION - There is an appointment scheduling
session on Monday from 8:30-9:30 a.m. Be sure to have your booth fully
staffed for this session. Buyers are encouraged to visit U.S. exhibitors in their
booths to schedule appointments in available time slots.
•OPEN APPOINTMENT SESSION - There is an open appointment session on
Tuesday from 8:30-8:55 a.m. Be sure to have your booth fully staffed for this
session. Buyers are encouraged to visit U.S. exhibitors in their booths to
schedule additional appointments during this session. Also, buyers are
encouraged to “shop” the Brand USA Marketplace Hall and speak with
exhibitors informally—without scheduled appointments. This time can also be
spent talking with exhibitors to share leads and coordinate program elements.
However, remember that buyers will be walking through the hall during this
hour. Be sure to have someone available in your booth so that you do not miss
the opportunity to meet a prospective buyer.
•OPEN NETWORKING TIME - There is open networking time after each
luncheon to give you an opportunity to meet with or make contact with those
organizations you did not pre-schedule an appointment with.
Page 56 of 67
U.S. Travel Association’s IPW 2018 Orientation Manual 19
12. GETTING THE MOST FROM THE APPOINTMENT SESSIONS
Every appointment session is important. Booths must be fully staffed during business
hours from Monday at 8:30 a.m.-4:00 p.m. on Wednesday when the show closes.
Here are some helpful suggestions for getting the most out of the appointment
sessions at IPW:
• Watch for arriving appointments. Some buyers have commented that they visit
booths at the appointed times, only to find their contact talking to someone else
or away from their booth. Many buyers will not interrupt the conversation and are
subsequently missed or inadvertently ignored.
• Check the ipw.com Message Centers (or your mobile device once you have
downloaded the IPW mobile app) frequently for messages and appointment
requests or changes from buyers.
• Remember, buyers expect to negotiate with exhibitors and obtain firm
commitments. Therefore, it is essential that you have this authority. However, do
not make promises during your conversations that may not be kept.
Page 57 of 67
U.S. Travel Association’s IPW 2018 Orientation Manual 20
WORKING WITH THE PRESS - HINTS FOR U.S. EXHIBITORS
Each year more than 500 prominent international and U.S. travel editors, writers, and
broadcasters attend U.S. Travel Association’s IPW to report on the latest trends, sites,
services, and events in USA travel. IPW offers exhibitors an excellent opportunity to keep
journalists informed of their travel products and services. Journalists are always searching for
interesting stories and need timely, accurate and succinct information.
Follow these steps when working with the international journalists:
1.IN ADVANCE OF IPW
PREPARING NEWS RELEASES AND PHOTOS - Journalists need concise information
that will interest their readers or viewers who, depending on the situation, can be
international travel agents and tour operators or consumers. Regardless, all written
information should include: 1) the names of your public relations officers; 2) their
telephone, fax, and email address; 3) your organization’s address; and 4) your IPW
booth number. List your international offices or representatives that can provide
information about your organization, product or service and print releases in target
market foreign languages. Be brief, accurate and clear. Make your releases relevant—
try to include the following types of information:
•New services, especially for international travelers
•Statistics showing what percentage of your business is international
•Dollar figures, broken down by country, showing the importance of the
international market to you
•New systems or marketing services that make it easier for the international traveler
or trade buyer to use/sell your product or service
•New commission programs for international travel agents
•New travel packages for international tour producers
•New products or enhancements to your destination or product
•Story ideas for consumer publications media
UPLOAD RESOURCES TO THE IPW ONLINE PRESS ROOM - Whether purchased as
part of the Media Marketplace Package or as a stand-alone option, the popular IPW
Online Press Room offers a dedicated, branded virtual press room and the ability to
interact with journalists and drive traffic to your trade show booth.
To maximize your visibility prior, during and after the show, the IPW Online Press
Room will house comprehensive press materials, including releases, photos, logos and
videos as well as provide the opportunity for PRs to research and connect with media.
Also included are daily U.S. exhibitor news feeds to all participating journalists. The
IPW Online Press Room will open to the media approximately three weeks before the
start of IPW and remain available until August 31, giving media a valuable research
tool for their U.S. travel stories. More than 84% of IPW media logged in and started
researching stories within 24 hours of the site going live last year. During the show
itself, there were 1,300 unique log-ins from international media doing additional
research.
Page 58 of 67
U.S. Travel Association’s IPW 2018 Orientation Manual 21
2.MEDIA MARKETPLACE PACKAGE
IPW has bundled together the two most popular media opportunities into one Media
Marketplace Package providing greater value and maximizing the visibility of
participating U.S. exhibitors. The package includes a full day of Brand USA Media
Marketplace activities on Monday, May 21, plus full access to the Online Press Room.
The package can be purchased via the online Shopping Cart and is expected to sell
out quickly. To participate in Brand USA Media Marketplace, U.S. exhibitors must be a
registered booth holder and purchase a Media Marketplace Package in advance
($1,095 through November 13, 2017; $1,295 beginning November 14, 2017).
The all-day event is the best way for U.S. exhibitors to connect with media and to
pitch story ideas on-site. The media marketplace floor will be arranged alphabetically
by state and will include sections for national companies and the federal government.
PR delegates (from U.S. exhibitor organizations that purchased a Media Marketplace
table) and media will be able to make up to 20 prescheduled appointments during the
manual scheduling period only and all Media Marketplace delegates will be notified
when this option is open. Appointments will be 10 minutes in length with a five-minute
cross time.
The Media Marketplace schedule for Monday, May 21:
9:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Session I
12:40-1:40 p.m. IPW Lunch
2:00-4:00 p.m. Session II
4:00-5:30 p.m. Brand USA Media Marketplace Reception
(closed event for media and PRs)
BADGE INFORMATION: There is no additional badge fee if an exhibitor delegate from
your booth staffs the Media Marketplace table. If needed, however, you may purchase
up to two (2) Monday-only Media Marketplace badges ($345 each) for PR
representatives not already registered as a full access exhibitor delegate to staff your
Media Marketplace table. This one-day only pass grants the Media Marketplace
delegate access to the evening event on Sunday and all IPW events occurring on
Monday (Brand USA Media Marketplace and Reception and Lunch—as well as the
evening event if one is scheduled). Note: The PR Badge does not provide access to the
trade show floor on set-up days.
More than 500 international and domestic media are looking forward to attending and
working with U.S. exhibitors on new and exciting U.S. travel stories via the Brand USA
Media Marketplace and the IPW Online Press Room.
To reserve your table and access to the IPW Online Press Room, add the Brand USA
Media Marketplace Package option from the Public Relations Opportunities category
to your shopping cart when you register online.
Page 59 of 67
The U.S. Travel Association is the national, non-profit organization representing
all components of the USA travel industry. Our mission is to promote and
facilitate increased travel to and within the United States.
U.S. Travel Association
1100 New York Avenue, NW, Suite 450
Washington, DC 20005-3934, USA
Tel: 202.408.8422
www.ustravel.org; www.ipw.com
Page 60 of 67
ITEM NUMBER: B-4
DATE: 11/15/17
ADVISORY BOARD FOR THE ATASCADERO TOURISM
BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT
Staff Report
Monthly Marketing Statistics Summary
RECOMMENDATION:
Receive and file October Marketing Statistics R eport.
DISCUSSION:
Verdin ran the motion graphic video featuring the leisure couple which performed
slightly lower than the millennial group video. The creative has been replaced with the
family "pie-eating" video for the month of November, which should perform more in line
with September’s success. The new motion graphic videos continue to perform three
times greater than the previous static ads and this will be taken into consideration
during creative planning for future campaigns. Overall, the traffic is up year over year
and the targeted geographic areas are responding to the message.
FISCAL IMPACT :
None.
ATTACHMENT S:
1.October Statistics Summary
Page 61 of 67
t (805) 541-9005 f (805) 541-9007
3580 Sacramento Drive #110, San Luis Obispo, CA 93401
VERDINMARKETING.COM
OCTOBER STAT SUMMARY
ATASCADERO TBID
November 2, 2017
WEB ANALYTICS (2016 V.2017)
WEBSITE TRAFFIC
Website Visits: 9,274 v. 9,432
Mobile Visits: 6,935v. 8,177
Desktop Visits: 2,339 v. 1,255
Unique Visitors: 6,824 v. 8,005
PPV (Page Per Visit): 1.49 v. 1.66
TOS (Time on Site): 0:50 v. 0:41
ACQUISITION
Direct: 3,520 v. 4,839
Social: 1,364 v. 1,808
Organic: 1,766 v. 1,696
Referral: 2,040 v. 1,089
PAGE VIEWS
Home Page: 4,895
Lodging: 4,689
Things to do: 7,594
GEOGRAPHIC REFERRALS
San Jose: 1,690
San Francisco: 1,006
Los Angeles: 865
Atascadero: 582
San Diego: 293
TOP REFERRING URLS
l.facebook.com: 82 v. 1,642
atascadero.org: 293 v. 242
m.facebook.com: 180 v. 122
lifeandstylemag: 0 v. 37
centralcoast-tourism.com: 7 v. 36
SOCIAL MEDIA ANALYTICS (September v. October)
SOCIAL MEDIA
Facebook Fans: 5,570 v. 5,606
Facebook Referrals: 2,387 v. 1,788
Total Impressions: 425,847 v. 424,228
Facebook Reach: 281,160 v. 278,846
New Instagram Followers: 57 v. 23
Instagram Followers YTD: 909
Instagram Referrals: 21 v. 10
New Twitter Followers: 6 v. 1
Twitter Referrals: 4 v. 0
Twitter impressions: 2,229 v. 2,285
Page 62 of 67
t (805) 541-9005 f (805) 541-9007
3580 Sacramento Drive #110, San Luis Obispo, CA 93401
VERDINMARKETING.COM 2
ADVERTISING ANALYTICS
The October e-newsletter went out on Tuesday, October 17th and featured information on
available lodging for the holidays, Colony Days festivities, upcoming events, and a Fall Color
spotlight.
3,867 Recipients
12.7% Open Rate (Industry Average is 15%)
0.8 % Click Through Rate (Industry Average is 1.8%)
E-NEWSLETTER ANALYTICS
FACEBOOK
The second motion graphic video was used in October for ads on Facebook and Instagram, with a baby
boomer couple at a picnic. The millennial ad used in September slightly out performed the baby boomer ad.
Video Campaign Results:
Total Impressions: 360,868 Total Clicks: 6,362
CTR: 1.67% Actions (including likes, shares, comments): 18,992
Total Facebook Results (including social posts):
Total Impressions: 374,986 Total Clicks: 7,210 (-18%)
Total Reach: 124,884 Actions (including likes, shares, comments): 19,616
CTR: 1.92%
TRAVEL SPIKE
Native advertising started in late September on Travel Spikes networks in the greater LA basin. The
platform performed very well in October.
Impressions: 691,810 Total clicks: 3,475 CTR: .49%
Total: Impressions: 1,052,678 Total clicks: 10,685 Average CTR: 1.2%
Page 63 of 67
ITEM NUMBER: B-5
DATE: 11/15/17
ADVISORY BOARD FOR THE ATASCADERO TOURISM
BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT
Staff Report
Monthly Budget Report
RECOMMENDATION:
Receive and file September Budget Report.
DISCUSSION:
The updated budget includes all expenses that have been processed by the City and
submitted to Big Red Marketing as of September 30, 2017.
The Visit SLO CAL Visitors Guide ad was approved by the Marketing Committee on
September 14, 2017. The cost of $3,650 for the full-page ad is accounted for on the
budget under reactive advertising, GL code 2502.
Upon review of this month’s budget all other expenses are in line with expected
expenditures and income.
FISCAL IMPACT :
None.
ATTACHMENT S:
1.ATBID Budget
2.ATBID Fund Summary
3.TOT Report
Page 64 of 67
GL #Notes
REVENUE PROJECTIONS July August September
1100 2% BID Revenue July 2017 - June 2018 $13, 598 $47,630.00 $61,228.00 261,250.00$ Awaiting figures from City finance department. Current figures are
based on previous year
1200 Estimated Fund Balance from 2016/2017 $365,370
Figure not final until fiscal year is closed by City Finance. Current
figure is estimated based on anticipated remaining fiscal year
activity.
1300 Investment Earnings 3,810.00$
TOTAL 630,430.00$
Budget Actuals
2017/2018
Proposed Budget
2100 Admin 14,610.00$
2101 City Admin Fees 2,610.00$
2102 Office Expense 5,000.00$
2103 Operating Supplies and misc. expenses 2,000.00$
2104 Lodging Ordinance Enforcement 5,000.00$
2200 Contracting Firm Fees 54,000.00$
2201 Big Red Marketing - Destination Manager 2,500.00$ 2,500.00$ 2,500.00$ 7,500.00$ 36,000.00$ Per presented scope of work
2202 Verdin Marketing - Marketing Firm 1,011.80$ 1,613.50$ 1,078.20$ 3,703.50$ 18,000.00$ Per presented scope of work
2300 Visual Assets and Branding 71,500.00$
2301 Photography & Video 20,000.00$
2302 Creative Services - Verdin Scope 3,632.50$ 5,321.90$ 2,131.79$ 11,086.19$ 28,500.00$ Per presented scope of work
2303 Creative Services - Out of Scope 5,000.00$
2304 Promotional Items & Visit Atascadero Brochure 8,778.57$ 8,778.57$ 18,000.00$
2400 Digital Marketing 28,353.00$
2401 Website Updates 145.00$ 70.40$ 215.40$ 4,353.00$ Per presented scope of work
2402 Social Media contest hard costs 2,000.00$
2403 Social Media/Contest Management 1,533.64$ 1,539.09$ 1,570.40$ 3,072.73$ 16,000.00$ Per presented scope of work
2404 E-Newsletter 527.80$ 551.00$ 568.20$ 1,647.00$ 6,000.00$
Per presented scope of work.
Previously combined with GL 2404
2500 Advertising 116,647.00$
2501 Planned Media Buys 1,276.60$ 1,235.59$ 5,597.15$ 8,109.34$ 60,647.00$
Per presented scope of work less
separation of Visitor Guide costs
2502 Reactive Advertising & Co-Ops 3,650.00$ 3,650.00$ 50,000.00$
2503 Verdin Media Retainer 494.60$ 533.30$ 500.60$ 1,528.50$ 6,000.00$
2600 Public Relations 11,500.00$
2601 Group FAM 4,000.00$
2602 Individual Itineraries 2,500.00$
2603 PR Retainer & Reactive Planning 282.20$ 29.00$ 1,120.40$ 311.20$ 5,000.00$ Per presented scope of work
2700 Tour & Travel 23,000.00$
2701 CCTC Co Op Fams 425.00$ 425.00$ 1,500.00$
2702 Visit CA Co Op Fams 1,500.00$
2703 Trade Show 20,000.00$
Verdin's assistance at one trade
show and/or tradeshow booth
design and hard costs (TBD)
2800 Consumer Outreach 60,000.00$
2801 Consumer Show Presence 10,000.00$
2802 Event Support Program 21,075.00$ 7,500.00$ 28,575.00$ 50,000.00$
TOTAL EXPENSES 41,537.71$ 20,968.38$ 18,787.14$ 81,293.23$ 379,610.00$
3001 Cash Reserves 37,000.00$ 10% of total budget
Contingency
4001 Contingency Fund (unallocated)$213,820.00
TOTAL BUDGET 630,430.00$
ATBID 2017/18 Proposed BUDGETED P&L
Page 65 of 67
11/2/17FUNDTYPE235Special RevenueYTD ACTUAL*ACTUALACTUALACTUAL*BUDGETED2017-2018BUDGETED2014-20152015-20162016-20172016-2017through 09/30/172017-2018REVENUES41530.6300Taxes and Assessments162,036$ 241,078$ 267,507$ 186,690$ 61,228$ 261,250$ 46110.0000Investment Earnings2,068 5,458 724 2,110 - 3,810 Total Revenue164,104 246,536 268,231 188,800 61,228 265,060 EXPENSES6050000Office Expense- 5,164 - 2,200 - 5,000 6070000Advertising3,450 86,914 91,005 90,000 33,909 95,000 6400000Operating Supplies- 1,217 120 - - 2,000 6500000Contract Services26,173 105,314 138,414 155,000 52,425 275,000 6600000Professional Development- - 425 - 425 - 6740000Business Development- 5,000 - - - - 6900000Administration1,620 2,411 2,675 1,870 612 2,610 Total Expenses31,243 206,020 232,639 249,070 87,371 379,610 NET INCOME/(LOSS)132,861 40,516 35,592 (60,270) (26,144) (114,550) BEGINNING AVAILABLE BALANCE156,472 289,333 329,849 220,690 365,441 365,370 ENDING AVAILABLE BALANCE289,333$ 329,849$ 365,441$ 160,420$ 339,297$ 250,820$ *Actual numbers are unaudited, not yet finalized and are subject to changeAtascadero Tourism Business Improvement District (ATBID) FundPage 66 of 67
City of Atascadero
Tourism Report
Transient Occupancy Tax Revenues
Jul-Sep Oct-Dec Jan-Mar Apr-Jun
1ST QTR 2ND QTR 3RD QTR 4TH QTR TOTAL
Fiscal Year 2014 254,557.46$ 158,389.32$ 134,033.44$ 232,385.37$ 779,365.59$
Fiscal Year 2015 262,246.00$ 171,527.07$ 204,920.33$ 261,362.41$ 900,055.81$
Fiscal Year 2016 387,196.75$ 260,522.61$ 234,591.13$ 359,952.40$ 1,242,262.89$
Fiscal Year 2017 441,814.34$ 259,716.23$ 236,432.90$ 399,564.75$ 1,337,528.22$
Fiscal Year 2018 431,268.91$
Page 67 of 67