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May 2016 Meeting Minutes - Fort Lauderdale Customer Advisory Board - Confidential Page 1
May 19 – 21, 2016
Fort Lauderdale
Customer Advisory Board
Margaritaville Resort
Welcome and Introductions The Board was asked to speak honestly and
openly on behalf of the meetings and
convention industry as well as their
respective organizations. Fort Lauderdale will
listen and learn from the Board and
appropriate action will be taken on its
recommendations. Margaritaville Beach
Resort was thanked for their hospitality and
generosity in hosting the meeting.
New members Pam Hoffman, Desiree Knight,
Tom Pingel, Martin Rotblatt and Sandy
Stevens were welcomed.
Advisory Board Members, Fort Lauderdale
Hosts and Gallery Attendees made
introductions.
Nicki Grossman comments:
Positive changes in the destination since
1986 to today are unprecedented
Community partnerships have helped
transform the destination
Nicki is retiring and was thanked for her
remarkable service to the community. Stacy
Ritter has been named new President & CEO
and will start her role on June 6, 2016.
Meeting Minutes Topics:
Attendees 2
Destination Updates 3
Marketing and Advertising 4
Promo and Print Ads 5
Brand Elevations and
Convention Center 6-7
Reimaging Fort Lauderdale 8-9
Industry Trends 10
CAB Feedback 11
Recommendations and Action Items 11-14
Meeting moderated
and report written by:
David Kliman
The Kliman Group
415.339.0237 [email protected]
May 2016 Meeting Minutes - Fort Lauderdale Customer Advisory Board - Confidential Page 2
Customer Advisory Board
Linda Adams Florida Nursery Growers & Landscape Association
Jackie Beaulieu BlueHive Strategic Environments
Bob Dees ConferenceDirect
Mike Friello AAU Taekwondo
Pam Hoffman American Association of Orthodontists
Desiree Knight AREMA
Judy Larson Society for Simulation in Healthcare
Dwayne Leslie General Conference of Seventh Day Adventists
Robin Lokerman MCI Group
Sue Lupori American Bar Association
Ross Mirmelstein National Sheriff; Association
Tom Pingel USA Volleyball
David Rosenberg Newport Events
Martin Rotblatt Association Resource
Sandy Stevens Kellen
Greater Fort Lauderdale Hosts, Gallery & Speakers
Nicki Grossman Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention & Visitors Bureau
Stacy Ritter Broward County Commissioner
Carlos Molinet Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention & Visitors Bureau
Christine Roberts Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention & Visitors Bureau
Michelle Bemis Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention & Visitors Bureau
Gerry Braud Greater Fort Lauderdale & Broward County
Convention Center
Kim Butler Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention & Visitors Bureau
Manny Corral Margaritaville Beach Resort
Jim Curtis Diplomat Resort & Spa
Rosa Mendoza Friedheim Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention & Visitors Bureau
Alan Cohen Office of the Broward County Administrator
Stacy Copeland Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention & Visitors Bureau
Sakia Fisher Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention & Visitors Bureau
Mark Gatley Greater Fort Lauderdale & Broward County
Convention Center
Jane Grant Pierson Grant
Lisa Hoffman Starmark
Sherene Irani Starmark
Laurie Johnson Hyatt Regency
Terry Kuca Greater Fort Lauderdale & Broward County
Convention Center
Angella Lopez Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention & Visitors Bureau
Peter Miller Strategic Database Research
Jessica Savage Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention & Visitors Bureau Virginia
Sheridan Finn Partners
Marielle Sologuren Pierson Grant
Carlos Puentes Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention & Visitors Bureau
Kelly Tortoriello Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention & Visitors Bureau
Albert Tucker Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention & Visitors Bureau
Justin Vallejo Finn Partners
Eduardo Zuniga Hilton Fort Lauderdale Marina
May 2016 Meeting Minutes - Fort Lauderdale Customer Advisory Board - Confidential Page 3
Greater Fort Lauderdale Destination Updates Christine provided an update regarding key Fort Lauderdale
issues; her PowerPoint presentation is posted on the CAB
microsite. The following summarizes her comments:
563 hotels - 34,000+ rooms, 700 new rooms added
Occupancy increased by 1.2% (2014 4.3%) – 78.8%
ADR 6.3% higher (2014 6.3%) - $135.51
7.6% increase REVPAR
15.4 million visitors, $14.2 billion in spending
TDT collections - $58.7 million
54,700 cruise passengers in a single day (March 13, 2016)
26.9 Million passengers through FLL (96 daily flights by JetBlue alone!)
30 air carriers
2016 So Far – record Breaking
Hotel occupancy: 84.1%, down 3.6% from 2015
Average daily rate: $174.05, up 4.1% from 2015
RevPAR: $146.31, up 0.3% from 2015
Rooms Available up 3.4%
Rooms Sold down 0.3%
Group Business represents approximately 25% of total rooms sold
$1 Billion in new hotel investment and $900 million in existing hotel renovation
FLL Airport
2015 - FLL ranked as the 21st busiest airport in the U.S. with 26,954,511 total
passengers
FLL is 15th in International passengers and 13th in domestic Origin and Destination
traffic
March 2016 was the 24th consecutive month of growth in total passenger traffic
International traffic has tripled in the last 10 years.
Offers nonstop service to every major market in the U.S. (except Salt Lake City)
Domestic fares are the lowest among Large Hub airports, 22% less than MIA and
11% less than PBI
Value carriers provide widespread service
More US cities served from FLL vs. any other South Florida airport
FLL Airport monitors TSA wait times http://www.ifly.com/fort-lauderdale-hollywood-
international-airport/wait-times
FLL main website: www.broward.org/airport iOS and Android app
Florida and local political legislation
Strong focus on LGBT rights; the LGBT market is viewed and managed as a
mainstream entity, not a niche market
Love is Love campaign http://www.sunny.org/press-releases/post/love-is-love-in-
greater-fort-lauderdale-sunrise-beach-wedding-celebrates-marriage-equality-in-fl/
There are no current State legislative actions underway to limit rights but every year
a bill is attempted, but it’s always defeated before it advances and no new
initiatives are contemplated
It was noted that the annual attempt to limit rights could cause concern by
decision makers who would default to “safe” destinations
State lawmakers are acutely aware that tourism is the number one industry
FRIDAY, MAY 20, 2016
May 2016 Meeting Minutes - Fort Lauderdale Customer Advisory Board - Confidential Page 4
Objectives:
Use comprehensive tracking combined with the best travel data to guide marketing
strategies and optimize media spend
Drive inquiries and ultimately visitations resulting in increased occupancy, room rates
and overall revenues
Increase traffic and reach to sunny.org, Digital Playbook Magazine and Apple TV Hello
Sunny Channel
Create strong coop opportunities to allow partners to participate in both brand and
inquiry driven programs
Include new attention-getting media and opportunities that push the limits and garner
results
Support the efforts of the federal, state and local destination marketing organizations
while maximizing our individual efforts and budget
Target Audience
Target Audience: Millennial, Hispanic, General Market, International and Domestic
Primary Demographics: Ages (AD) 25-54 with Household Income (HHI) $100K+, Families,
Couples - Professional Managerial
New markets: Affluent Luxury: AD25-54, HHI $250K with assets minimum $1MM, Couples
& Families
Millennials Young Adults 21-34
Domestic Markets:
Fall/Winter: New York, Chicago, Boston, Philadelphia, California and Dallas
Spring/Summer: New York, Chicago, Houston, San Antonio, Dallas, Tampa,
Orlando, Ft. Myers, West Palm Beach, Miami-Ft. Lauderdale
International Markets: Canada, Germany, United Kingdom, Scandinavia,
Brazil, Latin America
Marketing and Advertising Kim Butler and Lisa Hoffman discussed key issues;
the following summarizes their comments; the CAB
feedback is found at the end of this report:
FRIDAY, MAY 20, 2016
May 2016 Meeting Minutes - Fort Lauderdale Customer Advisory Board - Confidential Page 5
Direct Mail Piece Promoting Hello Sunny on Apple TV
Will be sent to select group of qualified planners with an Apple TV device in three
tier promotion
Digital messages will be updated remotely
Compliance issues cited for Healthcare planners due to cost of the device
Promotion will include a “call to action”
Communicate how simple the device is to use
The CAB endorsed this direct mail promotion; they consider it innovative and
potentially very effective
When asked if planners even look at print ads, the following feedback was provided:
Mixed feedback regarding whether ads are typically viewed in print
Some want to see details about how a supplier will make my job easier as planner
i.e. concierge services
Peer-to-peer advertising testimonials do make an impact
Click throughs can have an impact
“Print ads can serve the purpose to remind”; but most expect there will be much
less print and much more digital. All understand that some print is a product of
package purchasing which combine banner ads, digital, print etc.
Many planners only “rip & read” articles and discard ads
When asked what’s sexy about Fort
Lauderdale. The members cited the
following:
Los Olas
The food
The beaches
The sun
The views
Need to combine these
attributes with the
destination’s infrastructure
and conveniences
When asked which
DMOs advertise their
destination effectively,
the CAB cited the
following examples:
Nashville
Detroit
Pure Michigan
(State of
Michigan)
Denver
Columbus
Louisville
FRIDAY, MAY 20, 2016
May 2016 Meeting Minutes - Fort Lauderdale Customer Advisory Board - Confidential Page 6
Destination Brand Elevation - Virginia Sheridan, Finn Partners
Greater Fort Lauderdale transformation is creating a
powerhouse destination for meetings and conventions:
Billion Dollar Development Boom
Lauderdale LUXE
http://www.prnewswire.com/news-
releases/lauderdale-luxe-takes-manhattan-
300235448.html
SOBE Wine & Food Festival
Commitment to LGBTQ Community
Convention Center District Enhancement Project
What’s Next
CEO on tour
Seatrade Transition + Cruise Forum
FAM Tours – Hotels; Underground; ITBM
Tourism Means Business http://prn.to/1VQHpWF
Convention Center District Enhancement – Alan Cohen
http://www.broward.org/ccexpansion
Alan outlined key issues related to the expansion project; the following
summarizes his comments and the CABs feedback is found at the end of
this report:
Started with 6 developers; selected Matthew Southwest Holdings
that’s currently building the new W Hotel Philadelphia Element West
Development of new AAA/Four Diamond headquarter (not resort)
hotel was specified in RFP
New hotel will have minimum of 800 rooms
47,000+ square feet of new meeting space
75,000 square feet of new exhibit space
65,000 square feet new ballroom (column free)
Committable group room blocks will be approximately 80% of total
inventory
FRIDAY, MAY 20, 2016
May 2016 Meeting Minutes - Fort Lauderdale Customer Advisory Board - Confidential Page 7
FRIDAY, MAY 20, 2016
Best and Worst Examples During Recent
Expansions/Renovations:
Best Examples:
San Antonio
Sydney
Louisville
Phoenix
JW Marriott Indy
Worst Examples:
Fort Lauderdale (in 2007)
Austin
Washington D.C.
Hotel Brand Discussion The CAB cited the following critical brand attributes for the new hotel:
Strong National Sales team
Robust Loyalty Program
Excellent Distribution System
Portfolio of similar properties in other markets
Strong positive reputation and excellent business relationships
The following brands were discussed:
Omni has no presence in South Florida and offers “bang for the buck”. Their loyalty
program is limited, but they “run great HQ hotels” and are not cookie cutter style
properties
Hyatt is very well regarded, offers excellent multi-year contract; Gold Passport is
considered among best in class
Marriott considered about the same as Hyatt but some find Sales Force One
counterproductive to effective planner/supplier relationships
Many fear Starwood’s merger with Marriott will diminish Starwood’s strong sales culture
Some customers are not happy with Hilton’s service and products; “Hilton Marina
service doesn’t follow through on sales promises”; “it would take a change in
management to change their service delivery” and some feel Hilton would
own/manage too much inventory in Fort Lauderdale if they managed the new hotel
Accor offers strong overseas reach and now has Fairmont, but they are not in the
consideration mix
May 2016 Meeting Minutes - Fort Lauderdale Customer Advisory Board - Confidential Page 8
SATURDAY, MAY 21, 2016
Reimagining Fort Lauderdale in the year 2030 and Beyond
The CAB was asked to brainstorm key destination attributes for future of Fort Lauderdale as a
meeting and convention destination; the following summarizes their comments:
Threat of climate change and rising sea levels is real and unstoppable and ultimately
will impact South Florida
Expanding hotel inventory needs to include a robust ground transportation
infrastructure, more pedestrian friendly and climate controlled connections. Fast and
efficient ground transportation is critical
Need new light rail connections from FLL Airport with multiple stations into La Olas, the
beach and cruise port
Develop a master plan to manage the growth
Positive examples of other cities’ infrastructure developments include:
Houston’s intermodal transport
Denver transportation and new hotels at the Denver Airport
DC, Chicago and Atlanta offer good ground transportation (but, DC Metro was
cited for poor deferred maintenance)
Singapore was cited as best in class for customer friendly experiences
Amsterdam offers wide variety of transportation
Minneapolis and Indy skywalks make it easy to get around downtown
Enhance the water taxi experience
Ensure safety and security experience is well managed
Future of Hotels
Meetings and room blocks will be different and will include a strong emphasis on
technology
It will be harder to control attendees’ travel
Hoteliers need to better sell their experiences to compete effectively with AirBnB
etc.
Planners and attendees don't like resort fees
Managing disruptive innovation is not in the tourism industry’s DNA; and this
culture change needs to be taken more seriously
Convention Center expansion will launch Fort Lauderdale into a new
competitive set, but the destination still needs one or two more major hotel
properties to compete effectively
Potential for new sports facilities with indoor and outdoor options
May 2016 Meeting Minutes - Fort Lauderdale Customer Advisory Board - Confidential Page 9
International Meetings Strategy
Partner with ICCA to collect data on qualified FLL meetings http://www.iccaworld.com
Promote Fort Lauderdale’s deeply embedded multi lingual culture and abilities
Find new niche markets
Securing new international association groups “is a long shot” as they require local
ambassadors, but there are some educational institutions that could be capitalized
COCAL was cited as an effective association to help attract new Latin American
business http://cocal.org
Focus on Scandinavian and Canadian Markets
The destination is a natural fit for some global meetings
Sustainable Tourism
The future of sustainable tourism was discussed; the following outlines the CAB comments:
Fort Lauderdale has proven, embedded sustainable infrastructure that creates
credibility in the marketplace. It should promote this and lead the industry
Only 2 members include sustainability in their RFPs
Robin Lokerman shared MCI Group’s sustainability efforts:
http://www.mci-group.com/en/what_we_do/our_services/sustainability_service
Integral part of their brand and embeds sustainability in suppliers
agreement
Offers opportunity for real innovation
Scandinavia is leading the world in sustainability efforts
The following local sustainability efforts were shared:
http://www.broward.org/4star
www.gds-index.com
The Wave Streetcar http://wavestreetcar.com/ will offer
2.7 mile loop
through downtown
Plan-it Green is a local and voluntary carbon offset program
intended to offset carbon emissions generated by local
events and visitors.
http://www.broward.org/GoGreen/PlanItGreen/Pages/default.aspx
Provides the ability to offset carbon footprint through a
local carbon sequestration program. Contributions to
the program fund local tree planting projects for the
purpose of capturing and storing carbon from the
atmosphere, thereby reducing the local contribution to
global warming.
Benefits to donors:
Ability to market your event as
"carbon neutral"
Permission to use the program
logo and tagline on event
materials
SATURDAY, MAY 21, 2016
May 2016 Meeting Minutes - Fort Lauderdale Customer Advisory Board - Confidential Page 10
Industry Trends The CAB commented on major industry trends; the following
summarizes their feedback:
Zika Virus perceptions and reality
ABA has cancelled one meeting in San Juan, but
another operated there
Very effective communication from the Meet Puerto
Rico
If Zika becomes problem in the USA, it will start in South
Florida and will have major impact on tourism and
meetings
Critical that DMO actively communicates transparently
Terrorism
All members have a central risk managed process
Effective risk management program is critical
International SOS https://www.internationalsos.com/ is
used by many groups
It was noted that some (domestic) groups focus their
risk management programs more on quality of life
streetscape and homeless population vs. terrorism
When asked what planners want from the DMO, the CAB
cited the following:
Transparent communication regarding all issues
related to the destination; “share the reality”
including statistical information and actions to
address issues
Don’t proactively sell visitor safety
Hurricanes Preparedness
Broward County has ongoing training for storm preparedness
Last major storm in FLL was Wilma in October 2005
New initiative from the County may provide a new insurance product
Cover Your Event Insurance from State of Florida for summer month events
http://www.visitflorida.com/en-us/meetings/cover-your-event.html
Convention Services takes part in Emergency management services headquartered in
County Operations Center which provides designated evacuation zones and
proactive communications to customers and guests
Peer-to-Peer Solutions
Seeking robust application or program for a Comprehensive Staging Guide vs. using
Excel or Word,
Some use https://www.smartsheet.com or www.Trello.com
SATURDAY, MAY 21, 2016
May 2016 Meeting Minutes - Fort Lauderdale Customer Advisory Board - Confidential Page 11
Margaritaville Beach Resort CAB Feedback Need to make group contracting process more customer centric
Beautiful hotel, but guest room cleanliness is a problem
(previous guests’ hair found in shower and sink etc.)
Poor water pressure
No plastic bags and no laundry bags
Poor placement of HVAC and lighting controls in bedroom
No place to hang towels to dry after use
Elevators are slow
Clothing optional hotel located next door to the resort could be a concern for some
guests
Showing wear and tear in hallways
Front desk staff needs more education regarding lay out of the hotel, i.e.:
staff unaware that guest room hallways are carpeted
True leisure brand, but the meeting product is good; they could develop
co-brand such as Meetings By Margaritaville
Closing Comments The Advisory Board was thanked for their commitment of time and feedback.
Fort Lauderdale Customer Advisory Board
Recommendations and Action Items – May 2016
General Recommendations
Provide name tags at future meetings
Share DMO and local host attendee contact information with CAB in advance and
at future meetings
Share Skift article link https://skift.com/2016/05/10/the-manifesto-for-a-new-
generation-of-meetings-and-conventions/
Attract millennial planners to join the CAB
Host part of meeting in the Convention Center or include visit to the Center during
next meeting
SATURDAY, MAY 21, 2016
May 2016 Meeting Minutes - Fort Lauderdale Customer Advisory Board - Confidential Page 12
Advertising Image - One Hand Ad
Change the image, it’s outdated
Fort Lauderdale Brand Image
Incorporate the term FLL into the brand; “it’s considered cool”
Provide enhanced definition of the term “Greater” Fort Lauderdale in the brand; it
was noted that “Greater” and the “County” does not resonate with visitors and
meeting planners, “it’s all about Fort Lauderdale, not Broward County”
“Brighten” the concept that Fort Lauderdale is vibrant and there’s lots to do at night
Promote health and wellness options such as the Boardwalk
Market segmentation is required to address the fact that the medical meetings and
the deluxe meeting market require very different messages
Showcase iconic venues which blend the images of realistic meetings; podium on
the beach works for healthcare market
Wall Street Journal ad should highlight both leisure and meetings to C Suite
Segment high end luxury for incentive meetings
The destination is well positioned for international incentives
Curate unique experiences such as the Everglades
Review Hawaii’s “Side by Side” ads combining meeting and leisure as possible
best practice
Consider using the term “Experience Sunny” to attract incentive market
Keep the ads simple and clean
Include facts about the destination in “Did You Know” format
Clearly display images of boats used in the ad so it’s clear that advertising images
are actually shot on board a vessel
Include more references to excellent customer service
Review Visit Orlando’s You Tube 15 and 30 second videos as they were cited as
“effective”
Collateral Material
Include Uber/Lyft etc. information which highlights that they can provide service
to/from the Fort Lauderdale Airport
Meeting Sunny Brochure and App
Create digital version
Configure digital capacity charts so they are easily printable
Ensure it’s mobile and Dropbox enabled
SATURDAY, MAY 21, 2016
May 2016 Meeting Minutes - Fort Lauderdale Customer Advisory Board - Confidential Page 13
Sales Video
Unanimous approval for the images and length
Voiceover sounds “stuffy” and needs to be redone
Use more energetic and faster paced music in new versions
Develop customized modules
Some groups need more focus on children while others want no families
Some need to communicate affordability
Ensure planners know there are separate messages for other markets including
delegates, brand and image appropriate
Shoot footage so it can be highly customized
Include and highlight the destination’s seasonality
Include and highlight FLL city pairs (flight map)
30-second video
Show vibrant food culture
Show the new and newly renovated hotels
Are You Ready to Meet Sunny Video
Shorten duration of the video, it’s too long
Delete leisure activities
Focus on easy access and low cost airlines
General Video Comments
Reposition the videos to include self contained meetings, not just citywide meetings
Communicate proximity to Convention Center including the total number of hotel
rooms near the Center
General E-mail Communications
Keep content simple
Offer “click here for more information” and “what’s new” links
Meet Sunny Google Goggles
Considered a gadget vs. the innovative nature of Apple TV
Could be used by some groups for attendance building
Include delegate marketing elements with links that are easily shared
Develop different levels for planners, stakeholders, attendees
Extend the experience and help the user understand how to use the device to
extend their meeting
Content is key
Develop content with thought leadership from the DMO designed to help clients
leverage their business to the destination
Ensure content is relevant to millennials
SATURDAY, MAY 21, 2016
May 2016 Meeting Minutes - Fort Lauderdale Customer Advisory Board - Confidential Page 14
Convention Center Project
Capitalize on SMG’s connection and knowledge regarding San
Francisco Moscone expansion and use that knowledge to
communicate to clients
Offer reasonable parking prices
Provide access to fresh air in guest rooms
Review Anaheim Plaza for best practices
Ensure robust cell phone service in all areas
Include live plants
Develop methods to provide stadium seating and 35+ feet
ceilings for sport groups
Promote Convention Center’s usable (not total) space
Share Convention Center statement with CAB regarding key
timeline and data etc. to ensure consistent messages
Develop ongoing protocols to ensure clear and transparent
client communications
Personalized client communications sent from a trusted
established relationship are needed (e-mail and phone calls)
with information specific to the meeting and the impact the
expansion will have on them specifically
Develop app with 24/7/365 information including most current
updates
Include high quality visuals and webcam time lapse images
Use drones to capture aerial images
Include virtual reality images/access
Offer customers the ability to opt in/opt out of information
Keep commitments, follow up and follow through
CAB Meeting Enhancements
More interaction and less presentations during future meetings
Increased communication between meetings
Increase frequency of CAB meetings (once every 6 - 7 months is
preferred to maintain momentum)
SATURDAY, MAY 21, 2016