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Industry Focus Group Re-Cap

Motorcoach / International / AAA / Visitor Guide

Tuesday, January 24

 

Industry partners were invited to provide feedback to the Asheville Convention & Visitors Bureau in advance of the strategic planning sessions with the Buncombe County Tourism Development Authority to be held in March.

 Motorcoach – Overall Comments

  • Attraction partners indicated the number of inbound day trips have decreased over the years.
  • Accommodation and attractions partners both indicated business has been steady during November and December due to Biltmore Christmas.
  • In the receptive segment, partners indicate business is steady but noted that buyers are increasingly keen on receiving the best value for the service they receive.  Use of step-on guides appears on the rise.
  • There was an overall consensus that we must continue with the limited efforts we do put forth - if we do not, we will loose even more ground to destinations who market heavily to group/packaged travel. 
  • Industry partners are satisfied with the amount of coach business we get given the limited investment most partners make in this market. 

Niche Markets

  • More opportunity exists within the niche markets, given the niche oriented product we have coming on line – Bonsai Exhibition Garden (2005), Grove Arcade ARTS & Heritage Gallery (2006), etc.
  • Group suggested the CVB spend more time identifying and marketing to niche groups.
  • Industry partners requested the CVB provide them with itinerary bulletin points to use when talking to motorcoach clients---this would help them quickly reference activities the group could incorporate into the visit that would justify an extra night’s stay.   Having this available on the Web would be preferred. 
  • Partners suggested itineraries be available on the Motorcoach Web pages for operators reference.  
  • Our sales success will be tied to our ability to partner with other regional destinations like Charleston, SC.  We need to do more work on this approach.

 Sales Activities

  • The partners sense the CVB is even handed with respect to sales lead distribution.
  • TravelSouth will be looked at for 2007 as the third show we attend.

 AAA / Welcome Centers / Travel Agent Groups

  • Industry partners all acknowledged good results from AAA markets.
  • Some partners have implemented tracking refined enough to determine performance levels for specific branch locations within the various clubs.
  • Partners wish to see training missions continue.
  • Partners strongly supported updating Web pages to include trade pages for AAA and to investigate some means of destination training to originate from the Web.  The AAA pages took priority to group/packaged travel pages.   

 Other

  • Everyone expressed satisfaction with the 2006 OVG.

 International

  • Partners agree that a mini-FAM following Delta’s Rhythms of the South would make sense for international buyers (the 2006 marketplace will be in Atlanta).
  • Partners involved in international travel reminded others of the need to have materials available in the native language of our visitor’s country.  As a community the consensus is that we are behind here. 

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