Indiana Office of Tourism DevelopmentAnnual Report 2016
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Indiana is one of the top
14 places to visit in the U.S. in 2016USA TODAY
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IOTD BASICS
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Mission and Vision
VisionThe most active and
effective state office of
tourism that Indiana has ever
known, providing
unparalleled service and
results for our valued industry
stakeholders.
The Indiana Office of Tourism Development (IOTD) exists
to maximize the impact of travel, tourism and hospitality
on Indiana's economic success.Mission
IOTD is dedicated to enhancing
the economic vitality of Indiana through leadership and resource
support to the Indiana travel
industry for awareness building,
tourism related product
development and job creation.
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Agency Staff
• Mark Newman, Executive Director
• Carol Sergi, Director of Marketing
• Amy Howell, Director of Communications & Media Relations
• Ali Meyer, Project Manager
• Kyle Johnson, Digital Communications Specialist
• Noelle Szydlyk, Director of Planning and Development,
Sport Tourism and Outdoor Recreation
• Marc Steczyk, Director of Lincoln Amphitheatre
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IOTD Values
• People First – We strive to create an
environment that attracts great talent
and motivates, inspires and recognizes
high performance.
• Pride – Indiana is our home, and we
are proud to be called Hoosiers.
• Interdependence – We strive to
connect partners and stakeholders
through open and consistent
communication that leads to better
understanding, more trust and a
unified vision.
• Support for Community – We
acknowledge that our state's culture is
intimately tied to the cities, towns and
neighborhoods in which we live.
• "You're Welcome" – We liberally use this
heartfelt greeting to welcome travelers
and acknowledge their thanks for our
uncompromising service.
• Satisfy and Delight – We go to
extraordinary lengths to meet or exceed
traveler and partner expectations
because we know that by doing so we
create advocates for Indiana.
We are committed to being a thriving agency. This commitment is reinforced by the
values we uphold and foster among our partners and stakeholders.
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2016
• Leverage Bicentennial to bolster IN
pride and attract visitors to destinations
• Increase engagement among PR
influentials and social networks
• Expand consumer marketing reach
and impact (add Chicago & Louisville)
• Begin developing specialty strategies
(Culinary & Ag; Heritage; Outdoor Rec &
Sport; Arts & Culture)
• Optimize research (EI, ROI, visitor prof.)
• Facilitate product and Dest.
Development through grant-making.
• Accumulate additional assets (Film
Indiana, Group Tour Guide).
2017
• Drive earned income through expanded
co-op adv. & marketing partner programs
• Build on ‘16 consumer marketing gains by
adding new domestic markets
• Expand educ. initiatives through FFA, 4th
grade resource and Mobile Vis. Exp.
• Expand PR, earned media and
engagement opportunities
• Expand online communities and networks
through use of digital technology
• Implement Sport Tourism & Outdoor Rec.
Strategy (econ. Impact calculator, Pete
Dye Trail relaunch, & Golf Guide refresh)
• Implement Ag/Culinary Strategy
(consumer microsite, industry website &
database.
2018
• Be a leading regional destination with
annual growth that exceeds adjacent
states
• Expand domestic & international reach
• Establish statewide standard of service
excellence and be the omnipresent
voice of Hoosier Hospitality
• Increase influence over highway rest
stops; use rest stops as a means to
“market the welcome”
• Implement international strategy
• Implement specialty strategies for
Heritage & Arts and Culture tourism.
• Implement interstate and roadways
signage strategy
• Powerful brand identity
• Expanded programs & assets
• IN more desirable place to live
• IN more desirable place to visit
• Increased tourism revenue
• Increased tourism momentum
• Enhanced domestic and int’l
profile
Pivotal Year
Leverage Specialties
New
Horizons
IMPACT
STRATEGIC TRAJECTORY – 2016-2018
Indiana Office of Tourism Development
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Growth in Indiana’s Tourism Industry
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$1
0,0
74
$1
0,2
74
$1
0,6
12
$1
1,5
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2012 2013 2014 2015
VISITOR SPENDING
Visitor Spending (In Millions)
71
.2 71
.7
73
.9
77
.2
2012 2013 2014 2015
VISITOR VOLUME
Visitor Volume (In Millions)
Key Partnerships
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Integrated Marketing Communications
IOTD’s integrated marketing communications approach is
designed to increase the following:
• reach and awareness of Indiana assets, attractions and
quality of life
• intrastate and regional leisure travel to Indiana
destinations
• leisure travel spending in Indiana
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DNR Partnership
In FY16, IOTD began providing
direct marketing services to the
Department of Natural
Resources to promote state
parks and other assets. The
value of the services is in excess
of $500,000.
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About Honest-to-Goodness Indiana• A quality of life brand that reflects the Indiana experience
– Indiana’s brand experience is one that combines the beauty and simplicity of our backroads with the dynamism of our population centers
• Honest-to-Goodness Indiana is designed to be versatile, enduring
and inspiring; it reflects contemporary relevance & nostalgic appeal
• A rigorous design and development process was undertaken over a
12-month period to define the Indiana brand experience and
establish an identity platform that reflects it
– Site visits and observation
– Brand development panel and one-on-one interviews
– Online surveys (stakeholder and consumer) and focus groups
– Post hoc effectiveness testing
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ag & culinary
“Mile for mile, Indiana justmight offer the richeststatewide dining lineup in
the region—and foodiesnationwide are takingnotice.”
Midwest Living, 2014
arts & culture
• 650+ festivals and events• 92 counties• 12 months a year
“Epic mountain biking in theheart of Indiana.”
Gadling, 2013
A State of Undertold Stories
outdoor rec & sportheritage
“There I grew up . . .”Abraham Lincoln
The Indiana Brand Experience is typified by . . .
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Agency Awards
• 2014 Content Marketing Award from the Content
Marketing Institute
• 2014 award for Innovative Email Strategy from
WhichTestWon.com
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AGENCY ASSETS
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VisitIndiana.com• Primary consumer-facing digital property
• Responsive website that adapts to every screen size and device
• Redesigned user experience + trip planning functionality
• New paid advertising platform for industry partners; revenue stream for IOTD
• 1.49M+ user sessions in FY16, an increase of 66.9% over FY15 (all-time high)
• 511k+ user sessions to date in FY17
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VisitIndianaTourism.com• Industry-facing website developed to facilitate
better communication, increase awareness of
industry programs, provide resources, and
promote the value of tourism among partners
and stakeholders
• Site usage has nearly tripled since its introduction
in 2014
• Key attributes include KPI Dashboard, industry
newsletter and press release archive, digital
media library, data and research resource
center
• Traffic increase of 57% from 2015 to 2016
• Valued Purdue University research partnership.
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VisitIndianaFall.com• Microsite designed to feature
Fall festivals and harvest
activities
• Best of Indiana public voting
• Featured trip ideas and
customized itineraries
• 199,420 page views in 2016
(Aug. 29-Oct. 31), an
increase of 103% over 2015
Fall Web Image here
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ShopVisitIndiana.com
• Merchandising portal launched in 2014 to extend Honest-to-Goodness Indiana brand awareness
• Earned revenue stream for IOTD
• Introduced Heritage Collection of apparel to celebrate Indiana Bicentennial and rich historical profile of the state
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Industry Newsletter
• Monthly newsletter e-
mailed to 1,900+ tourism
industry partners and
stakeholders
• Covers agency initiatives,
news items, partnership
opportunities, etc.
Industry Email Image here
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Consumer E-mails
• Popular monthly broadcast email program highlighting things to do, trip ideas, festivals, events, and discounts
• 72k+ qualified subscribers
• New paid advertising platform for industry partners; revenue stream for IOTD
• Achieved substantial growth in subscribers, average open rates and click-to-open rates in 2016
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Social Media Platform• 83k+ combined followers on Twitter, Facebook and
• 8.1M+ Impressions year to date in 2016 between Twitter
and Facebook
Facebook.com/VisitIndiana@VisitIndiana Instagram.com/VisitIndiana
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• Award-winning annual print
publication
• 525,000 units in 2016 (^5% over 2015)
• Multi-channel targeted distribution
strategy including direct-to-home
• Enhanced digital access through e-
flipbook capability
Indiana Travel Guide
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• Acquired from INDOT in 2013
• One million units in 2016
• Paid advertising platform for industry
partners, product sponsorship
opportunity & revenue stream for
IOTD
• Earned revenue is reinvested into
industry initiatives
Indiana Roadway Map
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• 4th Grade Social Studies Curriculum
Resource
• Created for teachers by teachers
• Designed to teach Indiana’s history
through the lens of tourism
• Endorsed by IN Dept. of Education
• Used in 311 Indiana classrooms in
2016
VisitIndianaTeachers.com
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Indiana Festival Guide and Golf Guide
• IOTD provides warehouse, bundling and distribution services for the Indiana Festival Guide and Indiana Golf Guide– 175,000 Indiana Festival Guides and
60,000 Indiana Golf Guides in 2016
• Over 650 festivals and events receive promotion, leadership and education opportunities through the Indiana State Festival Association
• The Indiana Golf Guide promotes more than 400 golf courses and packages
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Cooperative Advertising Program• IOTD offers Indiana tourism partners the opportunity to purchase ad
space in major regional and national lifestyle publications at deeply
discounted rates.
• In 2016, IOTD co-op advertising ran in 10 publications with a total
circulation of 3,121,693.
• Co-op advertising generated $200,000+ in revenue for IOTD in 2016.
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Cooperative Research Program
• This research cooperative offers comprehensive
economic impact studies to counties at deeply
discounted prices.
• DMOs are afforded the opportunity to receive
consistent, accurate and vetted data that they
would not otherwise be able to obtain on their own.
• In 2016, 24 counties will participate in the program,
up from 19 in 2015.
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How-To Guide for Indiana Festivals
• A comprehensive manual to aid
festival organizers in the planning
and preparation of their event
• Produced in conjunction with the
Indiana State Festivals Association
• Available online at VisitIndiana.com
and IndianaFestivals.org
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Lincoln Amphitheatre
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• IOTD took responsibility for programming
and management of Lincoln
Amphitheatre in 2015.
• Lincoln Amphitheatre Concert Series was established
in 2016.
• DNR retains ownership and maintenance
responsibilities for the facility.
• Revenues are reinvested into programming and
operations.
Lincoln Amphitheatre
Concert SeriesSaturday, May 21 Surf’s Up Beach Boys Tribute
Saturday, June 4 The Ultimate Garth Brooks’ Tribute
Friday, June 10 Cracker
Saturday, June 25 Dirty Deeds USA – the Ultimate AC/DC Experience
July 7, 8, 9 LINCOLN: A Pioneer Tale
July 14, 15, 16 LINCOLN: A Pioneer Tale
Friday, August 12 The Marshall Tucker Band
Saturday, September 3 Evansville Philharmonic Orchestra
Saturday, September 10 Eddie Money
Saturday, September 24 Cool City Band
Saturday, October 1: Pink Droyd: The North American Theatrical Pink Floyd
Tickets and information at LincolnAmphitheatre.com.
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PUBLIC RELATIONS EFFORTS
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Public Relations Impact• Coordinated media “road shows” to pitch Indiana assets
and destinations to national publications in New York City and Des Moines, IA
• Host annual Media Marketplace that brings top lifestyle and travel writers together with destination representatives
• Over 500 earned media articles in state and national publications
• 70+ TV appearances by executive director Mark Newman promoting Indiana destinations and the allied travel, tourism and hospitality industry
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Recent National Exposure by IOTDTravel and Leisure
What to See and Do in Indianapolis Right Now
Smithsonian MagazineLevi Coffin House named top 12 new museum in the world to visit in 2016
USA TodayIndiana named top 16 place to visit in the US in 2016
Food + WineMilktooth named one of the best restaurants in America
Small Business Revolution
Wabash, Indiana selected for web series
Images of the Exposure Here –screenshots of Smithsonian and USA Today
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Media Exposure – Lasting Impact
• Expanded press release distro list
• Authored farewell letter to cast and crew of NBC’s award-winning sitcom, Parks & Recreation, 2015.
• National media coverage of the letter resulted in the popular game show, Jeopardy!, using it to create a clue.
• Indiana Bicentennial Torch Relay
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MAJOR EVENTS & PROJECTS
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Timeline of Major Events & Projects
2016
Jan American Bus Association Marketplace; NYC Media Roadshow
Feb Indiana Boat, Sport and Travel Show
Mar Meredith Publishing Media Roadshow
Apr Hoosier Hospitality Conference; RFP review; Media Marketplace
May Visit Indiana Week, Lincoln Amphitheatre Concert Series Launch
June China Tourism Mission
Aug IN State Fair and Hoosier Hospitality Awards
Sept Indiana Bicentennial Torch Relay
Oct National FFA Convention
Dec NCSTD Leadership Forum, Economic Impact Summit
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AGENCY GRANTS AND INDIANA
TOURISM COUNCIL
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Competitive Grant Programs
• Launched in 2015, the Indiana Office of Tourism Development
offers matching funds through its competitive grant program to cities, towns, counties tourism enterprises and nonprofit entities
located in Indiana that demonstrate a financial need and are
involved with tourism promotion and development.
• During its first year of operation, IOTD’s competitive grant
programs awarded in excess of $800,000.
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Competitive Grant Programs
1. Destination Development Grants: This program makes awards to applicants for large-scale projects that enhance the desirability of Indiana destinations. Expanded for 2016 to encourage large-scale ideas.
2. Marketing Asset Grants: The Marketing Asset Grant Program is designed to fund assets that increase awareness among leisure travelers and enhance the marketing and communications effectiveness of the applicant.
3. Festival and Event Fast Track Grants: Festival and Event Fast Track Grants assist with the promotion of selected festivals and events in Indiana that have a historical, cultural, artistic or culinary focus. * Retired after 2015
4. Place-Based Investment Fund: The Place-Based Investment Fund is a program of the Indiana Office of Tourism Development and Office of Community and Rural Affairs. Grants are targeted at “quality of place” initiatives across Indiana that improve both the quality of life and tourism experience in a community. The Place-Based Investment Fund has been in existence since 2012.
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Sports Indiana Grant Program
• The mission of Sports Indiana is to
promote Indiana as a premier
destination for sports-related events.
• IOTD awards $550k annually to
Sports Indiana in support of sport-
related events and bid efforts that
enhance the quality of life of
Indiana communities and stimulates
economic development.
Counties in which funding has been utilized:
• Marion
• Lake
• Porter
• La Porte
• St. Joseph
• Kosciusko
• Allen
• Tippecanoe
• Hamilton
• Hendricks
• Monroe
• Bartholomew
• Dubois
• Vanderburgh
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IOTD Grant Initiatives
• IOTD contributes $500k annually toward keeping
the FFA Convention in Indianapolis. This is a 9-
year commitment.
• IOTD awards $125k in Museum Grants annually
to the Studebaker Museum in South Bend and
the Grissom Air Museum in Peru.
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Indiana Tourism Council Responsibilities The Council engages in the following activities:
(1) Assist in developing goals and objectives for the office.
(2) Analyze the results and effectiveness of grants made by the office.
(3) Build commitment and unity among tourism industry groups.
(4) Create a forum for sharing talent, resources, and ideas regarding tourism.
(5) Encourage public and private participation necessary for the promotion of tourism.
(6) Make recommendations to the office regarding matters involving tourism.
(7) Make recommendations concerning grants from the tourism information and
promotion fund.
(8) Make budget recommendations to the lieutenant governor.
(9) The council may establish advisory groups to make recommendations to the office
on tourism research, development, and marketing.
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Indiana Tourism Council MembersDanny Lopez, Chair – Lt. Governor Designee
Mark Newman - Exec. Director, IOTD
Cam Clark - Director, Dept of Natural Resources
Patrick Tamm - IN Restaurant & Lodging Assoc
Lorelei Weimer - IN Tourism Assoc
Misty Weisensteiner - IN Tourism Assoc
Carrie Lambert - IN Tourism Assoc
Jim Arnold (D) - State Senator
Chip Perfect (R) - State Senator
Wes Culver (R) - State Representative
Justin Moed (D) - State Representative
Denise Pence - Appointee, Exit 76 Antique Mall
Eric Snow - Appointee, Holiday World
James Wallis - Appointee, Visit Indy
Chris Leininger - Appointee, French Lick Resort
Pete Eshelman - Appointee, Joseph Decuis
Rob Caputo - Brewers of Indiana Guild
Gale Gerber - IN State Festival Association
Lu Porter - IN Association of Museums
Dr. Jonathon Day - Ex Officio, Purdue University
Dr. Liping Cai – Ex Officio, Purdue University
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Agency KPIs
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Key Performance Indicators
VisitIndiana.com
KPI METRIC BENCHMARK -2015
GOAL ACTUAL - 2016 RESULTS
VisitIndiana.com
Sessions (Year) 981,781 YTD 2015 20% year over year (1,178,137) 1,625,948 YTD 2016 Session increase of 65.6% year over year
Users (Year) 794,447 YTD 2015 20% year over year (953,336) 1,250,009 YTD 2016 User increase of 57.3% year over year
Online Effectiveness
Twitter 35,314 30% increase year over year (45,908) 39,120 10.8% increase year over year
Facebook 20,729 30% increase year over year (26,948) 27,657 33.4% increase year over year
Instagram 6,524 50% increase year over year (9,786) 17,049 161.3% increase year over year
Email Subscriptions
Avg Monthly Opt-In 3,696 2015 3,204 monthly avg opt in 4,612 2016 144% of goal
CONSUMER SPEND$111 spent for every
dollar invested in marketing campaign
$122 (10% increase) measured annually End of year
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INDIANA BICENTENNIAL INITIATIVES
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Indiana Bicentennial Torch Relay
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“…a marvelous way to truly unite
all of our diverse communities as
one Indiana.”- Becky Skillman, IBC Co-Chair
Indianapolis Star, 2016
Indiana Bicentennial Torch Relay• Sept 9 – Oct 15
• 92 counties
• 3,226 miles
• 2,245 torch bearers
• Kicked off in Corydon
• Specially designed high-tech torch
• The Bicentennial Experience (BEX)
• Conceived and orchestrated by IOTD
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Indiana Bicentennial Torch• Designed by Purdue University School of
Engineering
• Exterior inspired by the Hadley Torch
found on Indiana state flag
• Interior comprised of high-tech
components:
– E-85 bio-fuel
– Lithium-ion battery pack
– Micro-processor with WiFi interface
– Onboard GPS tracking module
– HD mini-camera for photos &video
– Multiple safety features
MA
JOR
DES
IGN
FEA
TUR
ES
A Hoosier Made High-tech Torch Designed by a team of Purdue Engineering students, staff, and faculty for a 21st century torch relay.
Inspired by the Indiana State Flag
23.5 inch tall, 8 inch max. diameter
Aluminum shell for total weight under 5 lb
Highly reliable burner assembly inspired by oil lamps and tiki torches
Automatic shut-off based on internal electronic gyroscope
Fueled with Indiana-made E-85; available in over 185 gas stations throughout Indiana
GPS for high accuracy and near real-time positioning and tracking
HD camera for photos and videos connected to social media
Wi-Fi connectivity
Replaceable & rechargeable Li-ion batteries
For additional details, contact: Dr. Timothée Pourpoint [email protected]
ELECTRONIC SYSTEMS Camera, GPS, Wi-Fi interface with –Intel Edison Computing Board and Linux operating system
Arduino based board with Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) interfaces with burner shut-off mechanism, flame extinguishes automatically when torch tilts past 45
2016 Indiana Bicentennial Torch A High-tech Torch Full of Symbolism!
BURNER ASSEMBLY
Automatic shut-off system
½” fiberglass wick connected to 6 V peristaltic pump
Demonstrated at winds up to 30 mph
High density polyethylene 180 ml (6 oz.) fuel tank for up to 45 min burn time
1791-1812: 5 States
1787-1790: 13 original states
1816: Indiana 19th State in the Union
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The Bicentennial Experience
• Custom-designed highly interactive mobile unit
• Theme – Hoosier Pride: Past, Present and Future Interactive and tactile displays located both inside and outside the unit
• Content Collaborators– Indiana State Museum, Conner Prairie Interactive
History Park, Indianapolis Children’s Museum, Indiana Humanities, Indiana Historical Society, Indiana Archives, Sensory Technology, Sport Graphics, SindenRacing, and IOTD
• The Bicentennial Experience traveled along the route of the Torch Relay, but only visited two counties per day.
• 55,325 Visitors to the Experience Since August.
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Modes of Transportation
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Torch Relay Media Exposure
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• Ball State-produced documentary
demonstrating the far-reaching impact of the
celebration’s signature event to premiere on
December 11, 2016.
• Reached over 2M people via social media and
IndianaTorchRelay.com during the event.
• Indiana Torch Relay mobile app was featured
the most active users of any Bluebridge Digital
app in the tourism sector.
• 170+ Radio/TV/Print/Digital hits over the course
of the relay’s 37-day duration.