Issue link: http://visitithaca.uberflip.com/i/934704
The Sales team created the tools needed to better represent our destination to meeting, conference, and event planners including: new downtown meeting event imagery, more robust website content, more compelling profile sheet, new content for LinkedIn and NewYorkMeetings.com. We grew our partner and campus engagements to 76 for the last three quarters of 2017 and have nurtured 200 relationships. Tour & Travel: Hello World! In 2017, the Sales team partnered with I Love NY & Brand USA to host three familiarization tours for 27 people representing 26 companies from China, UK, Ireland and Scotland. Our new presence on VisitUSA-UK in late September has already delivered 156 profile views, 164 views on the Ideas section (What to do in Ithaca, Craft Beer, Gorges Ithaca Half Marathon), 70 views on brochure section (Travel Guide, Cayuga Lake Wine Trail), and 20 views on our group tour video. Likes 2016 VisitIthaca Facebook Likes 2017 37,857 40,017 Followers 2016 VisitIthaca Instagram Followers 2017 3,542 5,782 "I really had fun [taking over VisitIthaca], and we got a nice little bump in followers at the Johnson to boot." - Andrea R. Potochniak Editorial Manager, Herbert F. Johnson Museum of Art Likes August Farm-to-Fork Facebook Likes December 1,741 2,157 Instagram Facebook Likes *campaign start date was 6/5/16 2015 737* 26,524 2016 3,542 37,857 Leads sent Leads booked Conversion % Est. Economic Impact 2016 116 76 65.5% $1,184,180 2017 77 45 58.4% $982,814 Meetings: Building Tools & Rebuilding Relationships What a FAB.U.LOUS tour for a bus full of "girlfriends," ranging from 35 to 85!!! I never heard so much spontaneous applause or happy cheers…or so much chatter!! Our 52 ladies absolutely loved each and every meal and attraction. -Sandy, Starr Bus Charter and Tours, NJ 4 Digital Growth Website analytics, Instagram, and Facebook demonstrate that waterfalls still receive top engagement. Unique website users to VisitIthaca.com was 362,902 (2% growth over 2016). We also saw a 4.4% increase of website traffic from China, which we'd like to attribute to the work of the Sales team. #1 referral to VisitIthaca.com is Facebook. VisitIthaca's Instagram, which invites a different CVB partner to showcase their favorite local places every week, remains an extremely popular program.