“We were overwhelmed with the response to the promotion to say the least,” said Helen Spohrer, chairman of the Franklin County Tourist Development Council (FCTDC).
The Franklin County September Seafood Days promotion was launched earlier this month in an effort to boost visitor traffic to the area during September, traditionally a slow month for lodging providers and retail businesses in the county.
The $350,000 promotion was funded by BP as part of ongoing oil-spill remediation efforts with Florida and other tourism industry groups along the Gulf Coast affected either directly or indirectly by the April 20 Louisiana Oil Spill. Approximately 6,700 gift cards were purchased by the TDC and are being distributed by Franklin County lodging providers that manage more than 1,200 rental accommodations countywide.
The Franklin County promotion involved giving $50 gift cards to visitors who booked a room and stayed at least two nights in any of Franklin County’s licensed lodging providers. The more you stayed, the more gift cards you received up to five cards or $250 for those persons who booked a room and stayed at least six nights or more.
The promotion encouraged visitors to eat fresh seafood in area restaurants, fish for it themselves by hiring charter captains or purchase it from area seafood markets. And, although there was no control over the use of the card, informal discussions with retail and restaurant owners indicate the cards were definitely used locally
The September Seafood Days promotion was so successful that the initial allotment of 4,500 cards was gobbled up in four days. Consequently, TDC officials scrambled to order an additional 2,200 cards to fill reservation requests. Officials finally ended up halting the gift card portion of the promotion after only a week due to overwhelming response.
“We learned a lot of lessons on gift card promotions,” said TDC officials. “Not the least of those lessons is that they really do work!”
Even though the gift cards promotion was prematurely halted, all persons who had pre-reserved a room or booked one as a walk-in prior to September 5 will receive a gift card – even if they don’t plan to visit until the end of the month.
Twenty six of the county’s 31 registered lodging providers participated in the promotion. And, according to the TDC officials, overall lodging numbers as reported by State Sales Tax figures are expected to be consistent with years’ past.
“This promotion saved our September,” said Spohrer. “We were looking at pretty sparse reservation numbers prior to September Seafood Days. This definitely helped.”
The September Seafood Days Promotion is one of three current FCTDC promotions. The others, also funded in part by BP, involve promoting the area’s 2010-2011 Festivals and Events through a combination of rack cards, table tents and placements that are being distributed to all area restaurants, retail shops and lodging providers in the county. The materials are also being distributed at each of the State’s five welcome centers.
Those promotional materials are aimed primarily at returning visitors, highlight the county’s many events and festivals and encourage visitors to plan their next trip back again to Franklin County.
“We wanted to develop a promotion that would take us beyond our immediate time frame and help promote us year-round,” said Spohrer.
TDC staff are delivering promotional materials over the next few days to all tourism-related retail, restaurant and lodging businesses in the county. TDC officials say if they miss your establishment, you are encouraged to pick up materials at the TDC office located at 17 ½ Avenue E, Apalachicola. Deliveries can also be arranged by calling the TDC office at 850-653-8678.
The third ongoing promotion is the Natural Florida Getaway promotion coordinated with Visit Florida at each of the state’s five welcome centers. Visit Florida officials say the first campaign is expected to be seen by an estimated 300,000 visitors during its September-October run.
The first campaign will feature St. George Island. Resort Vacation Properties is donating the first getaway vacation which will also feature a guided kayak tour from Journeys of St. George Island, a lighthouse tour and tee shirts as well as a meal for two donated by the Blue Parrot Oceanfront Cafe. Additional campaigns are being developed for Apalachicola, Carrabelle, Alligator Point and even a special natural getaway fishing vacation.
The Franklin County promotion involved giving $50 gift cards to visitors who booked a room and stayed at least two nights in any of Franklin County’s licensed lodging providers. The more you stayed, the more gift cards you received up to five cards or $250 for those persons who booked a room and stayed at least six nights or more.
The promotion encouraged visitors to eat fresh seafood in area restaurants, fish for it themselves by hiring charter captains or purchase it from area seafood markets. And, although there was no control over the use of the card, informal discussions with retail and restaurant owners indicate the cards were definitely used locally
The September Seafood Days promotion was so successful that the initial allotment of 4,500 cards was gobbled up in four days. Consequently, TDC officials scrambled to order an additional 2,200 cards to fill reservation requests. Officials finally ended up halting the gift card portion of the promotion after only a week due to overwhelming response.
“We learned a lot of lessons on gift card promotions,” said TDC officials. “Not the least of those lessons is that they really do work!”
Even though the gift cards promotion was prematurely halted, all persons who had pre-reserved a room or booked one as a walk-in prior to September 5 will receive a gift card – even if they don’t plan to visit until the end of the month.
Twenty six of the county’s 31 registered lodging providers participated in the promotion. And, according to the TDC officials, overall lodging numbers as reported by State Sales Tax figures are expected to be consistent with years’ past.
“This promotion saved our September,” said Spohrer. “We were looking at pretty sparse reservation numbers prior to September Seafood Days. This definitely helped.”
The September Seafood Days Promotion is one of three current FCTDC promotions. The others, also funded in part by BP, involve promoting the area’s 2010-2011 Festivals and Events through a combination of rack cards, table tents and placements that are being distributed to all area restaurants, retail shops and lodging providers in the county. The materials are also being distributed at each of the State’s five welcome centers.
Those promotional materials are aimed primarily at returning visitors, highlight the county’s many events and festivals and encourage visitors to plan their next trip back again to Franklin County.
“We wanted to develop a promotion that would take us beyond our immediate time frame and help promote us year-round,” said Spohrer.
TDC staff are delivering promotional materials over the next few days to all tourism-related retail, restaurant and lodging businesses in the county. TDC officials say if they miss your establishment, you are encouraged to pick up materials at the TDC office located at 17 ½ Avenue E, Apalachicola. Deliveries can also be arranged by calling the TDC office at 850-653-8678.
The third ongoing promotion is the Natural Florida Getaway promotion coordinated with Visit Florida at each of the state’s five welcome centers. Visit Florida officials say the first campaign is expected to be seen by an estimated 300,000 visitors during its September-October run.
The first campaign will feature St. George Island. Resort Vacation Properties is donating the first getaway vacation which will also feature a guided kayak tour from Journeys of St. George Island, a lighthouse tour and tee shirts as well as a meal for two donated by the Blue Parrot Oceanfront Cafe. Additional campaigns are being developed for Apalachicola, Carrabelle, Alligator Point and even a special natural getaway fishing vacation.
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