Okaloosa County BOCC — June 2, 2015 — visit florida invoice — reading text

wA 01 3 vailabl nd 2 displaced due to a named hurricane. CYE e for 2012 a ensures that your clients can plan their meeting with confidence and take full advantage of Florida’s unsurpassed venues any time of year, which removes a critical barrier to booking your venue. For more info, go to meetings.VISITFLORIDA.com. Learning Library: Watch “Are Meetings Your Market?” at VISITFLORIDA.org/library. 12  Sales International Each year, VISIT FLORIDA offers sales missions to top-origin markets in Brazil, Chile and Argentina. These stand-alone South America Sales Missions offer Partners the opportunity to educate top-producing travel agents and travel trade journalists about Florida’s tourism product in an intimate, professional setting. The missions are typically supported by a major airline, enhancing Florida’s overall message of accessibility, affordability and a vacation paradise. Only the International Tourism Exchange (ITB) in Berlin, Germany has consistently held the title of the “World’s Largest Tourism Fair,” with exhibition space covering more than 1.7 million square feet and hosting more than 110,791 travel professionals and 58,504 consumers in 2012. Its size is also rivaled by its productivity, as nearly 90 percent of exhibitors sign firm contractual agreements, either during the show or shortly thereafter. VISIT FLORIDA organizes a Florida pavilion at this show with participation from more than 80 Partners, making the Florida stand the largest under the USA umbrella. A press event is held off-site offering Partners the opportunity to mingle with top media from throughout the German- speaking markets. World Travel Market (WTM) in London, England is the leading global event for the travel industry to meet, network and negotiate, attracting more than 47,000 travel and tourism professionals from 189 countries. VISIT FLORIDA coordinates a Florida-branded pavilion for Partner exhibitors. To stand out from the masses, VISIT FLORIDA also hosts a signature dinner (Florida UK Night) during the show for Florida’s top producing accounts, which has earned the reputation as the dinner to attend. A press event is also held each year on the opening day, attracting more than 50 journalists representing top publications. VISIT FLORIDA has hosted an annual China Sales Mission since 2008, targeting the top markets of Shanghai, Beijing and Guangzhou. The multi-faceted mission includes media breakfast events and afternoon presentations for tour operators and travel agents in each city. 13  VISIT FLORIDA® Public Relations Third-party endorsement is key to building consumer trust. VISIT FLORIDA Public Relations representatives work within the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Germany and Latin America to build the Florida brand and promote your business among media influencers, providing more exposure at a fraction of the cost of maintaining your own domestic or international offices. Media Receptions Media receptions are hosted by VISIT FLORIDA each year to educate media influencers in major markets about Florida’s travel story content, diverse vacation opportunities and destination assets. Partners are invited to participate in these events, providing you with the opportunity to network with key journalists. For more info, contact pr@VISITFLORIDA.org. Media Missions Media missions provide another opportunity for Partners to meet with top media in key cities to further promote your area. Unlike media receptions, where journalists come to Partners, media missions are scheduled appointments where Partners are taken to journalists for desk-side visits. During appointments, VISIT FLORIDA and participating Partners present a coordinated themed pitch, hand out media materials and build relationships. Partners may also register for the news release distribution opportunity. By participating in the news release option, VISIT FLORIDA will pitch your info in each meeting in your absence. For additional info, contact pr@VISITFLORIDA.org. Editorial Leads The Editorial Leads Program is one of VISIT FLORIDA’s most widely used and effective programs. Editorial Leads are generated by PR staff through daily interaction with media who are actively gathering info or research for upcoming articles. Editorial Leads are included in VISIT FLORIDA’s bi-weekly News to Use eNewsletter. Review all opportunities to reach the media by going to the Online Marketing Planner at VISITFLORIDA.org/planner and selecting “Media” under the “Audience” filter. 14  Public Relations Quick/Urgent Leads The Quick/Urgent Leads Program was designed for PR staff to react quickly to media requests with tight deadlines when timing is not adequate to include it in the regular bi-weekly Editorial Leads. The VISIT FLORIDA PR team maintains an opt-in distribution list for Partners who would like to receive these leads. The deadlines are always tight, but the opportunities are priceless. To request inclusion on the Quick/Urgent Leads distribution list, contact pr@VISITFLORIDA.org. media.VISITFLORIDA.org VISIT FLORIDA’s media website is designed to be a mutually beneficial tool for journalists and industry Partners. The site provides journalists with general Florida feature story pitches, timely news releases and an image library. The Hot Happenings section lists current news releases and announcements exclusively from Partners like you. Each Hot Happenings entry offers a newsworthy topic related to Florida tourism that may be of interest to travel media. Posting info in this section is an excellent way to reach travel media who visit the media website for story ideas and content. We frequently direct journalists to this site at media receptions and missions, as well as during individual interactions. To post a Hot Happening, log on to VISITFLORIDA.org/hothappenings with your Partner ID and password. New Releases VISIT FLORIDA distributes targeted news releases to key media professionals on a frequent basis to achieve maximum editorial coverage for VISIT FLORIDA and our Partners. Partners are alerted to opportunities to be included in timely and themed VISIT FLORIDA news releases via Editorial Leads in News to Use. Image Library Looking to spice up your new brochure or website with spectacular Florida pictures? You can use VISIT FLORIDA’s Partner Image Library for free. Every photo is available in several formats as a high-resolution, print-quality file. Directions to access and download these photos are available in the “Promote Your Business” section of VISITFLORIDA.org. 15  VISIT FLORIDA® Promotions Consumer awareness through promotions is an integral part of the marketing mix. VISIT FLORIDA promotions programs can help you build that awareness for your business through a variety of media opportunities, including radio, television, newspaper, outdoor and electronic. Learning Library: Watch “Making Promotions Part of Your Marketing Plan” at VISITFLORIDA.org/library. Market-Specific Promotions The Promotions team receives proposals from numerous contacts in the radio, television, newspaper and retail industries requesting Florida vacation packages for use in local, regional and national promotions and sweepstakes. The team negotiates the specific terms of the promotion and then forwards the opportunity to interested Partners. In exchange for the admission tickets, accommodations or other in-kind products and services that make up the vacation package, participating Partners are included in the print, electronic, outdoor or point-of-purchase advertising used to promote the contest. These proven programs can bring thousands of dollars of media value and millions of consumer impressions directed to your business. Sign Up Your Business To receive VISIT FLORIDA’s promotional opportunities, visit the Promotions section of the Online Marketing Planner at VISITFLORIDA.org/planner and download and submit the Partner Promotions Participation Form. Lead Forward This program is designed to efficiently distribute promotional opportunities to our Partners in an effort to provide you with the opportunity to take advantage of consumer promotions that may not meet VISIT FLORIDA’s media value or impression requirements, but offer unique opportunities to promote Florida as a vacation destination. For more info, email promotions@VISITFLORIDA.org. Proactive Pitching Program The Proactive Pitching Program allows Partners to submit proposals detailing package ideas and/or activities future promotions can be built around. The Promotions team pitches the package or activity idea to promotional media contacts in target markets. When a promotional media contact expresses interest in a particular Partner package or activity, the Promotions team works with the contact and the Partner to execute a promotion. Submit your promotions package to promotions@VISITFLORIDA.org. 16  Promotions Promotional Ticket Bank VISIT FLORIDA Partners may offer tickets, passes or certificates for use in promotions secured throughout the year. The tickets are used for qualifier prizes and are also included in grand prize vacation packages. For more info, email promotions@VISITFLORIDA.org. Welcome Center Promotions The Promotions team coordinates Florida vacation giveaways at the five Official Florida Welcome Centers on a bi-monthly basis. These promotions are designed to provide additional exposure for unique and off-the-beaten-path Florida destinations. For more info, email promotions@VISITFLORIDA.org. Website Sweepstakes In an effort to support VISIT FLORIDA Partners’ efforts to reach key audiences, the Promotions team coordinates quarterly sweepstakes on the following websites, which are managed by VISIT FLORIDA: • VISITFLORIDA.com (targets consumers) • meetings.VISITFLORIDA.com (targets meeting professionals) • ShareaLittleSunshine.org (primarily targets Florida residents) The Promotions team also provides assistance in the execution of contests and sweepstakes on VISIT FLORIDA’s consumer Facebook page and the Share A Little Sunshine Facebook page. For more info, email promotions@VISITFLORIDA.org. Promo Insider Two editions of this eNewsletter are published by the promotions team. The first is sent to our promotional contact database and provides an overview of what’s new with VISIT FLORIDA promotions. It highlights upcoming events taking place in our state that can be coordinated with Florida vacation giveaways. The second edition is sent to our Partners and features helpful info on how you can take advantage of various promotions opportunities. To subscribe or to learn more, email promotions@VISITFLORIDA.org. Promotional Assistance Program Looking for advice and instruction about how to coordinate a promotion? Need help pitching your promotional vacation package to potential promotional partners? Ask the promotions experts for ideas,