Attracting visitors - what, how, who
What
This project will enable Marketing Birmingham to effectively use its promotional channels to maximise existing impact and expertise and to promote for the wider project area, the critical mass of attractions in the project area including Birmingham attractions, Castle Hill, Dudley - the Black Country Living Museum, Dudley Zoo and Castle, and potentially the new and leading culture and arts events such as niche independent festivals. Coordinated activity will increase the volume and value of visitor expenditure, and cross-over with the Meet agenda will maximise the potential of business visitor stay and spend.
How
A multi-channel marketing programme to increase the volume and value of the project area visitor economy, focusing on three key themed opportunities a) summer, b) culinary c) the Christmas period as visitor focal points. Each campaign area is targeted using demographic and geographic profiling and consists of a number of interlinked activation channels:
- Advertising – to generate awareness and thereby increase the propensity of people to visit the project area with activity comprising of online - banner adverts/pay-per-click/data purchasing and offline radio/press/outdoor/inserts
- Events – attending travel trade exhibitions showcasing the project area
- Publications – producing marketing material to inform and motivate visitors
- Digital platforms – online activity which as websites, tools and social media platforms to encourage online discussion and bring campaigns to life
- Mobile phone application to provide partners with a mini-visitbirmingham.com events calendar and/or map tool. The aim of this is to increase traffic to visitbirmingham.com and partner sites, also to ensure that consumers are getting access to information which may inspire them to spend more and increase the duration of their trip
- E-communications – monthly visit e-newsletter will be distributed, showcasing city activity and events for the following month in order to drive day and overnight visits. Emails to be sent to targets for seasonal campaigns
- Visitbirmingham.com is 3 years old. Following independent research and user testing it is acknowledged that the site needs to be redeveloped
- Tourist information centres – supporting the visitor experience with information
Who
Marketing Birmingham staff will deliver the plans as set out by project area Visit workstream group as indicated.
The Marketing Birmingham Operations and Policy Manager provides co-ordination and project leadership across all worksteams and will manage the joint working with the Black Country and Solihull Coordinators, who are managed by their respective Local Authorities, but work directly Marketing Birmingham. As in each workstream, a multi-skilled team will support the design and production of the marketing and communications.