Dear Members and Partners:
As busy as things get in the summer, fall is equally fast paced! Everyone I talk to has more on their schedules in this season than any other time of the year.
That being said, when we move into a new season, it gives us a chance to refresh and reorganize our worlds, personally and professionally. So I hope you take a few moments out of your busy day to "hit the refresh button", think about what you want to accomplish, and how you can get there from here - before the holidays hit!
This latest issue of the Illinois Tourism Alliance News will bring you up to date on the latest happenings in our industry, while also sharing some ideas and best practices for your professional tool kit! I hope you find it interesting and useful as you focus and plan for the months ahead.
A special salute to Chicago's Essex Inn and Where Chicago, our official Allied Partners for this issue of the ITA News!
All My Best,
Nina Winston
ITA Executive Director
Illinois Tourism Alliance members and partners continue to work on grass roots outreach supporting key issues, such as the Capital Bill currently in Springfield.
This year's state budget did include a small increase in tourism grant funding, but we need to continue our work on the issue of restoring tourism funding to its full level.
Plans are already under way for our Advocacy Day activities in 2008, which will take place in Springfield early in the year. The date for this will be announced once the details of the legislative calendar are available. This activity will be in partnership with the Illinois Council of Convention and Visitors Bureaus (ICCVB) and other industry organizations.
What issues do you see for our industry? Email us at info@illinoistourismalliance.org to share your thoughts.
Illinois Tourism Alliance members were part of a delegation of 25 that met up in Washington D.C. on September 26 and 27 for the Travel Industry Association of America (TIA) Travel Leadership Summit. This annual event brought representatives from across the United States to meet with their elected officials.
This opportunity to educate and influence federal policy-makers was timely in that we were able to speak with members of Congress about the Travel Promotion Act of 2007 (SB 1661 and HR 3232), which would do the following:
- Establish a communications and promotion campaign for the United States on par with our global competitors.
- Create an entity to communicate U.S. travel policies.
- Develop this entity and campaign with no taxpayer dollars. The funding would come from private sector contributions and a modest fee on travelers entering the U.S from Visa Waiver countries.
Ultimately, the goal is for annual funding of this initiative to be $200 million through the matching of private-sector and public funding from the proposed user fees.
 Response to this issue, which is very much bi-partisan, has been strongly positive. Many Illinois representatives have already signed on to sponsor H.R. 3232. With hopes that such an act could be passed in February 2008, we need to remain on top of the progress of the Travel Promotion Act. We will keep you informed and let you know how you can continue to help in the months ahead.
Thanks to all of the participants in this effort!
Photo: Jan Kostner, Deputy Director, Illinois Bureau of Tourism; Roger Dow, President & CEO, Travel Industry Association of America, and Holly Agra, ITA Chair and President, Chicago’s First Lady Cruises at the TIA Travel Leadership Summit held in Washington D.C. in September.
Coming Soon: Look for several new initiatives this year coming from ITA that will focus on raising awareness of our industry's impact with our elected officials and civic leaders!
The kickoff meeting for the Illinois Attractions Council was held in late August in Chicago at the Hotel Monaco. Twenty attractions from around the state gathered to discuss shared issues, ideas and opportunities.
The council will continue to meet several times annually and address legislative issues, best practices and other topics that affect the Illinois attractions industry.
Wednesday, August 29 was a night of celebration and networking as industry leaders gathered for ITA's floating summer fundraiser! The evening's festivities took place aboard Chicago's Fair Lady.
 A good time was had by all. Many thanks to our sponsors:
- Chicago's First Lady Cruises
- Harry Caray's Catering & Events
- Aurora Area Convention and Visitors Bureau
- Illinois Hotel and Lodging Association
- Where Chicago
Do you have an idea for an ITA event? Email us at info@illinoistourismalliance.org and share your thoughts with us!
Photo: John Tomasiewicz, American Express Establishment Services; Molly Otting, Illinois Hotel & Lodging Association; and Tim Hennessey, Consulting4Biz at ITA’s Anchors Away Floating Summer Fundraiser.
Mark your calendars now for the Illinois Governor's Conference on Tourism: Making News, which will take place February 13 - 15, 2008 at the Hilton Springfield.
Information about the conference, including sponsorship, trade show and award details, is available at www.iltourismconference.com.
ILLINOIS TOURISM
Here are just a few points that you can always be ready to share when communicating the power of the travel and tourism industry in Illinois:
- Over 300,000 jobs in Illinois are directly related to travel and tourism.
- On average, travelers spend over $77 million dollars every day in Illinois.
- In 2006, Illinois welcomed a record-breaking 91 million domestic visitors, as well as more than 1.6 million international visitors.
Source: Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, Bureau of Tourism
Don't forget, you play a critical role in how we share this information with our local governments, our elected officials, and civic leaders in our communities and regions.
HERITAGE TOURISM
Three recent events that recently took place highlighting the importance of heritage within Illinois tourism:
Illinois Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Commission Community Planning Conference
Over 100 representatives from more than 60 Illinois towns participated in the Illinois ALBC's Community Planning Conference Aug. 2, in Springfield. Participants from around the state with bicentennial events in place shared their plans and projects. Many areas of the state are recognize the importance of this time period and are making their plans. The official public Bicentennial Commemoration launches February 2008 and closes February 2010, with the climax of the Commemoration taking place on February 12, 2009, the 200th anniversary of Lincoln's birth. For more information on the Illinois ALBC's activities, visit www.lincoln200.net.
 American Express ® Partners in Preservation Initiative
On September 6, American Express launched their Partners in Preservation initiative at The Art Institute of Chicago. This program, in partnership with the National Trust for Historic Preservation, highlights 25 Chicagoland sites that are competing for grant funding from a $1 million fund American Express has dedicated to Chicagoland preservation and restoration efforts.
Voting continued through mid-October. Individuals voted for the landmarks they felt most deserve or need support. The winner of this initiative was the On Leong Merchant Association/ Pui-Tak Center, a landmark terra cotta building in Chicago's Chinatown neighborhood that houses a community service organization for new immigrants living in Chinatown.
For more information on the Partners in Preservation Program and the area sites nominated, click here.
2nd Annual Black Metropolis National Heritage Area Project Summit
On September 14th, business and political leaders from Chicago's Bronzeville district as well as local and national officials met in the new McCormick Place West building. The purpose of this meeting was to examine and showcase the Bronzeville area's progress and efforts to be declared a National Heritage Area by the Alliance of National Heritage Areas. Bronzeville leaders have been working for the last 15 years to preserve their area's built environment and the stories of its people and places. The area, often known as "Black Metropolis" was Chicago's historic "city-within-a-city" that emerged in the early 20th century and became one of our country's national landmarks of African-American urban history.
For more information about Chicago's Bronzeville neighborhood, click here.
By Kelly Wisecarver, Partner
wkpr, LLC
What is Public Relations?
When it comes to marketing communications, public relations is not as well understood as advertising. Simply put, with advertising you buy space or time. You have guaranteed placement through a specific medium, whether it's a billboard, radio ad or print ad. PR is far subtler because it relies on securing media coverage that works to enhance the public's recognition and confidence in your business or profession. It is rarely quantifiable, yet carries a certain amount a credibility that an ad can't purchase.
To have any success, it requires building recognition with the media that serves your market area and providing a sufficient flow of newsworthy information to generate coverage. Public relations is an important element of any integrated marketing plan. There are numerous tactics PR pros can initiate to ensure that a business and/or product gains positive recognition through media coverage.
PR is more than distributing press releases, and more than achieving one story in your newspaper or an appearance on local TV. It is the result of thoughtful, strategic planning that incorporates your full marketing message and plan. When you consider your own PR tactics, remember PR comes in many forms!
What can PR include?
- Public speaking
- Online interviews
- Blogs
- Community relations
- Exhibitions and trade shows
- Government affairs
- Employee relations
- Media tours
- Event-driven publicity
- Acting as the client's spokesperson
- Crisis communications
Press Releases
There is debate now as to whether press releases are the best way to offer, or "pitch," a story idea to a reporter/editor. Crafting unique pitches for specific outlets is probably the best approach, but there is still a need for well-written, targeted press releases as we assist the media in spotlighting important news.
There is power in media! A well-placed feature has a third-party endorsement that a paid advertisement simply does not offer.
It is important to understand the audience and media outlet. Honestly assess the newsworthiness of your story angle, and assess your writing abilities. Hire an expert if that's not your forte. Many press releases end up in media wastebaskets because the message is unclear or story is just not newsworthy. Any media outlet exists to serve its audience so your news must relate to that outlet's audience, whether local, regional or national. The reader should immediately understand why you're sending this release.
What events or happenings could be press-worthy?
- Openings, acquisitions or expansions
- New services or products
- New staff and promotions
- Human interest stories featuring employees
- Community activities and awards
- Timely tie-ins with national holidays
- Company milestones/anniversaries
- Financial news (e.g., your company has just been awarded a big contract)
Ensure that the journalist has all of the following information on the release: contact information and media contact name, email and phone number, company address, dates applicable to the offer/announcement.
The Importance of Developing Media Relations
It is important to build an excellent network of media contacts, for all formats. Note: it can take years to develop good relationships! However, if you're not ready to hire a pro, consider these "dos and don't" before approaching the media.
- Know the media's audience, content and editorial direction
- Know how editors like to be approached (phone or fax vs. email)
- Be respectful of journalists' time constraints (don't leave long-winded messages and don't call when they're on deadline!)
- If you give an "exclusive," do not share the news with other outlets before first getting a rejection from the first offer
- Know how editors like to receive art (slides vs. digital photos)
- Give editors a speedy, helpful response when they contact you
- Don't badger editors with calls and emails and never call simply to determine if they received your press release.
- Know that lead times for many magazines are long - sometimes over three months - so if you're looking for immediate feedback, a daily news delivery option is your best bet.
Public relations is an important component in a fully integrated marketing plan. Smart planning, sharp writing, insightful strategies and knowledgeable media relations can help you put your company in the media spotlight.
Whether you pursue media coverage on your own, use an in-house talent, or choose the guidance of a professional PR team, the power of positive media coverage can impact your bottom line.
Kelly Wisecarver is a partner and co-founder of wkpr, LLC. She and her business partner, Denise O'Handley Katz, are based in Evanston, IL and represent both regional and national consumer clients in the hospitality, retail, entertainment and pet product industries. Kelly has worked in the tourism and hospitality industry, specifically, for much of her 25 year career. She can be reached at kelly@wkprchicago.com or 847-424-1200.
We've Moved!
The Illinois Tourism Alliance mailing address has changed. Our new address is:
Illinois Tourism Alliance
3023 North Clark Street, #327
Chicago, Illinois 60657
Our phone number remains 312-658-1047 and our fax number remains 312-873-4015. Our web site and email information also are unchanged.
Mark Your Calendars!
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