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You Play, We Play Update
All of the American Express gift cards have been reserved for travel between Aug. 15-Oct. 2. However, we will be receiving more cards this week and expect an influx weekly. While visitors are now being placed on a waiting list, we are still encouraging them to register for the program and make reservations at the property of their choice. Please e-mail Ed Schroeder with any questions.
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Group Tour News
Lori Coppels will be attending the Student & Youth Travel Association (SYTA) Annual Conference in New York Aug. 18-24. In addition to meeting with student travel planners in pre-scheduled, one-on-one appointments, SYTA provides many opportunities to network with other professionals and vendors in the student travel industry. SYTA is the premier show for education and discussion of tools, technologies and processes that directly impact the student travel market and tourism industry.
Lori is in touch with dozens of contacts each week looking for great group rates in the Pensacola Bay Area. Make sure you send Lori Coppels your group travel packages so she can pass it along.
Web Updates
Is your business listed in Google Places? It’s free! Once you've verified your listing, you can enhance the Place page for your business by adding photos, videos, coupons and even real-time updates such as weekly specials all on your Place page. Verifying your listing gives you the opportunity to share even more information about your business with Google.
We added our official foursquare place page. Are you following Visit Pensacola on foursquare? What is foursquare? Foursquare is a location-based mobile platform that makes cities easier to use and more interesting to explore.
Do you have great Pensacola vacation photos or videos you'd like to share with us on Facebook?
Promote Pensacola in Your E-mail Signature
Your e-mail signature is an effective, and often underutilized, marketing tool. You send hundreds of e-mails each day. Spread the message about your business by including links to your website, Facebook page or even to VisitPensacola.com. You can also include a link for visitors to watch a short promotional video on the Pensacola Bay Area.
As Seen At HRT
Members of Hospitality Round Table gathered Tuesday at the Hilton Pensacola Beach Gulf Front to hear updates from Buck Lee of the Santa Rosa Island Authority
HRT: Save the Date
Lodging Revenues Continue to Climb
The Pensacola Bay Area is heading for a record year, with lodging revenues higher than ever. Since the Deepwater Horizon was declared dead in September, Escambia County lodging revenues have exceeded the previous year’s collections every single month. And, Escambia County has outpaced its easterly neighbors in every month but one. A strong fall was followed by a successful spring break followed by a record-setting summer. Check out some of the highlights:
- Lodging revenues are up 17 percent over last year's pre-oil spill numbers
- Lodging revenues for June 2011 were the highest in history, up 17 percent over the previous record in 2008
- Nearly $8 million in positive coverage has been published in USA Today, Southern Living, Coastal Living, Atlanta Journal Constitution and others
- The National Naval Aviation Museum had its best month on record in July with almost 140,000 visitors
- Pensacola Gulf Coast Regional Airport traffic is up 9.7 percent over last year
- Perdido Key rental agencies report up to 21 percent more reservations the first half of the year over the same period in 2010
- Pensacola Beach tollbooth numbers the first weekend in August were 20 percent higher than in 2009
Lodging Revenues
Pensacola vs. NW Florida
FY 11 vs FY 10
Snowbird Season
Visit Pensacola is gearing up for snowbird season. This year, we want to offer snowbirds a coupon card, giving them discounts at area attractions and restaurants. In addition, we’ll be compiling a list of activities and events. If you want to participate, please e-mail your offer and information to Laura Lee.
Meetings Web Enhancements
Visit Pensacola is making updates to its meetings pages online, and we need your help. Please send Laura Lee your meetings photos. In addition, we’re ramping up our search engine optimization to bring more meeting planners researching destinations online to VisitPensacola.com.
Vacation Giveaways Needed
Visit Pensacola is building a bank of vacation packages to give away as prizes for various promotions. We are looking for items such as overnight stays, week-long rentals, dinner vouchers, attraction tickets, rounds of golf, gift baskets and any other item that would be a draw for visitors. Visit Pensacola will match dollar for dollar your donation. For instance, if you donate a two-night’s stay, we will purchase an additional two-night’s stay. Or, if you commit to a $100 gift card, we will purchase another $100 gift card to your business. All items will be subject to approval. We will use these prizes throughout the year as giveaways in the media, in e-newsletters, online and on social media outlets. For further questions, please email Laura Lee.