HomeMy WebLinkAboutVIII-C-01 - Tourism Bureau Update Visit Hastings MN
2017.18 Highlights
Visitor Website
www.visithastingsmn.org
28,659 Users
April 2017
#1 Minneapolis #2 Hastings #3 St. Paul #4 Chicago
~963 Leads
Visitor Guide Requests
AAA & Website
Social Media Reach ~141,000 ppl
4,000 Highway Information & Visitor Centers
2,500 Distributed Locally
~1,000 Mailed
89% new users
36% increase
625,000
Total Impressions Online Targeted Display Ads
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Total
Revenue
Lodging Tax Revenue $53,500.00
TOTAL REVENUE $53,500.00
Expenses
Ads $11,000.00
Advertising $10,250.00
Dues $400.00
Management Fee $21,000.00
Postage $750.00
Printing $5,000.00
Rent Expense $3,000.00
Telephone $1,200.00
Website $900.00
TOTAL EXPENSES $53,500.00
Hastings Area Chamber of Commerce and Tourism Bureau
TOURISM BUREAU BUDGET OVERVIEW: FY 2018 -2019 - FY19
October 2018 - September 2019
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2018 – 2019 Marketing Plan
This marketing plan document is intended as a guideline for tourism promotional efforts during the
year. It was set based on current tourism trends, feedback from local tourism based businesses
including lodging and recommendations from the Hastings Tourism Assessment Report. A budget with a
fiscal year end of September 30, 2019 is attached.
Executive Summary:
Printing - $5,000
• $5,000.00 is budgeted for printing the Hastings Official Visitor Guide. Copies will be distributed
locally to tourism based businesses, lodging and high traffic areas. Half of the visitor guides are
mailed to highway information centers and tourism centers outside a 50 mile radius of Hastings.
Ads (Print and Online ads) - $11,000
• In 2018/19, the Hastings Tourism Bureau will focus on the niche markets of biking and history
while also attracting day trips from the metro area. The following publications have been
budgeted for advertising:
• Explore MN Travel Guide – 1/2 page
o 300,000 copies distributed via Minnesota Monthly.
o 10,000 unique readers on digital addition.
• Mpls/St.Paul Magazine - Fall Travel e-newsletter
o This newsletter is sent to over 20,000 e-subscribers.
• Minnesota Trails – 4 1/6 page ads (Summer & Fall)
• Minnesota Bike and Hike Guide – Spring/Summer/Fall
o Two page spread with map of Hastings paved trails featuring the 10 mile loop,
Mississippi River Trail, and Point Douglas Trail.
• Fall AAA listings
• Rivertown Multimedia online targeted ads – Biking in Hastings
Advertising (Social Media, Programing & Photography) - $10,250
• Program: Oncell Historic Walking Tour App - $3,000
The Hastings tourism bureau has partner with Dakota County Historical Society and
the Pioneer Room to revamp the historic walking tour. Part of this effort is an app
with geo tracking that will allow visitors to take the historic walking tour at their
leisure. The app will allow us to populate as many tours as we want providing an
opportunity for future experiences like haunted tours, home tours, bike tours etc.
• Social Media – $5,000
The Hastings Tourism Assessment Report stated that a strong social media presence
is a critical component to a successful marketing plan. According to the State
American Travel Report – 54.7% of U.S. Travelers reported using social media for
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planning a trip. These funds will be used for boosted social media posts to increase
website and profile traffic and seasonal social media campaigns created by the
tourism board of advisors.
• Photography - $2,250
Professional images for historic walking tour app, website and social media.
Website - $900
• www.visithastingsmn.org - The monthly host fee is $70.00. On top of providing all the
information needed to plan a perfect stay in Hastings, the website allows visitors to request
additional information and the Hastings community can submit events to the community
calendar.
•
Dues - $400.00
• Annual fee for Minnesota Lodging Association membership.
Management
• A monthly management fee of $1,750.00 goes towards staff of the Hastings Tourism Bureau
office. Staff responsibilities include:
o Management of the visitors office - phone calls, ensure brochure racks are populated
with relevant material, provide welcoming experience to visitors, fulfill publication
requests, accounting
o Attendance at tourism membership groups like Explore MN, Confluence Group and
Metro Tourism Committee
o Maintain the visithastingsmn.org website
o Populate social media
o Submit press releases
o Work with advertisers
o Work with community partners to create and promote experiences for visitors
o Submit tourist information on relevant websites and publications
Explore MN
Minnesota Monthly
National Geographic – The Mississippi River
o Organize and maintain records of the Tourism Board of Advisors meetings
o Maintain the tourism budget
o Create, print & distribute the Historic Hastings Visitors Guide
o Implement the programs suggested by the Tourism Board
25% or $250.00 of the Chamber of Commerce and Tourism Bureau office rent is budgeted to
maintain the highly visible location needed for visitors and $100.00 a month is allocated for the
phone bill.
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