Southern%20and%20Eastern%20Kentucky%20Tourism%20Development%20Association

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Southern and Eastern Kentucky Tourism Development
Association

• September 2005

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HISTORY

• Southern and Eastern Kentucky Tourism
  Development Association (SEKTDA) is a nonprofit
  organization created in 1987 to promote, expand,
  develop and market the existing and potential
  tourism industry throughout Southern and Eastern
  Kentucky. SEKTDAs mission is to contribute to
  the economic and cultural growth of the region.

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COMPANYS COMING

• During September of 2000, Congressman Hal
  Rogers, 5th Congressional District, formed a
  partnership with Kentuckys then Secretary of
  Tourism. Together, they unveiled the Companys
  Coming Tourism Development Initiative for a then
  40-county region, now 46 counties, of Southern
  and Eastern Kentucky. Companys Coming outlines
  seven distinct programs that are designed to
  utilize tourism promotion and development as the
  catalyst to bolster local economies.

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COMPANYS COMING
SEKTDA has worked since 2001 to implement the
seven (7) major objectives of the Companys
Coming Initiative. The objectives are as follows

• Create a national marketing program focusing on
  the themes of
• history, culture and outdoor recreation
• Develop and market niche products
• Develop and utilize Corridor Teams to work on
  product
• development and facility improvements
• Increase regional tourism staffing
• Seek national designations
• Support projects of regional importance
• Sponsor financial, technical and continuing
  education assistance

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PROGRAMS

• MEDIA MARKETING CAMPAIGN
• 22 press tours, 4 more press tours are
  scheduled for 2005
• Articles 701
• Circulation 224 million
• Ad equivalency Over 11 million
• ROI 593

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PROGRAMS

• Develop and market niche product
• History, culture and outdoor recreation are
  identified as the most prominent themes for
  Southern and Eastern Kentucky.
• Develop Corridor Teams
• Established nine Corridor Teams in the 46-county
  region these teams consist of representatives
  from counties, cities, tourism organizations,
  historical societies and local businesses
• Community Development Fund to assist corridors
  with projects
• Total projects 254
• Total dollars allocated for projects 1.8
  million
• Total Volunteer Hours 39,342

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PROGRAMS

• Projects of Regional Importance
• High-Definition film Daniel Boone and The
  Westward Movement Cumberland Gap National
  Historic Park
• Influence of music on the region The Rhythm of
  My Soul
• Regional Promotional Videos
• Leadership Program with curriculum and video
• Driving Trails

• Media Kits
• Suggested itineraries
• Beautification
• Scholarship program
• Regional Visitors Guide
• Photo Library
• Media Marketing and Broadcast Campaign
• Customer Service Training
• Festival Development
• Seeking National Heritage Area Designation

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PROGRAMS

• EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES
• Tourism 101 Manual 2,500 manuals/2,500 CDs
  printed
• Tourism Regional Visitor Guide 280,000
  printed
• Workshops/Seminars - Number of Workshops
  49
• - Total Volunteer Hours 35,783
• INDUSTRY SITE
• Industry www.tourseky.net
• Total visits to date 439,921
• Photo Library 17,500 images are available
• Images requested 407

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PROGRAMS
HOSPITALITY/SHINING STAR Trained 3,848
frontline workers, 120 trainers Training
equivalence 1,448,040.88 Total Volunteer
hours 8,416 MOTORCOACH Hosted Motorcoach
Workshops Total Volunteer Hours 3155
Marketplaces Attended 6, resulting in 165
meetings and 475 requests for info fulfilled
Sales blitz in Washington DC Motorcoaches
reported in region 1,022
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PROGRAMS

• NATIONAL SCENIC BYWAYS
• Three Designations received June 2002
• Wilderness Road, 93.8 miles
• Red River Gorge, 46 miles
• Country Music Highway, 144 miles
• Total Volunteer hours 12,050
• Festival development Footsteps Along the
  Wilderness Road
• September 16-October 16, 2005
• Redbud trail developed with over 70,000 redbud
  seedlings
• distributed
• Scenic Byway brochure produced and distributed
• Wayside Interpretive Exhibits are being
  constructed
• National Scenic Byways Signs up on all three
  byways

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PROGRAMS

• 511 TOURISM INFORMATION CALL CENTER
• In 2002, money was appropriated to add a premium
  service to Kentuckys existing 511 system for
  traffic and travel. SEKTDA agreed to develop and
  manage the new 511 Tourism Information Call
  Center and website.
• GOAL Using 511 will become an automatic reflex
  for the traveling public, residents and
  businesses and funds will be adequate to ensure
  the continuation of the 511 program.

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PROGRAMS

• 511 TOURISM INFORMATION CALL CENTER
• Getting Started
• Ensure quality and accuracy of information
• Data collection from 46 counties, categorized
  using SEKTDAs niches of History, Culture and
  Outdoor Recreation
• Verification of information using tourist
  commissions, chambers of commerce and staff to
  review and identify errors and omissions
• Data entry into database, organized by corridor,
  county and category
• Contract with photographer to provide pictures of
  attractions for website pages

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PROGRAMS

• 511 TOURISM INFORMATION CALL CENTER
• Program Implementation
• Define system requirements and select supplier
• Contract with Senture to set-up and maintain the
  call center and website
• Dedicate SEKTDA and Senture staff to facilitate
  coordination and progress
• Integrate the 511 database with website
• Ongoing communication between SEKTDA and Senture
  to ensure understanding of category criteria,
  website requirements, training needs and call
  center operating procedures

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PROGRAMS

• 511 TOURISM INFORMATION CALL CENTER
• Call Center Staff Training
• Establish a comprehensive training program for
  operators
• Train and test on corridor/county locations and
  attractions using a variety of educational
  methods
• Deliver a training segment on map-reading
• Demonstrate use of equipment
• Provide hands-on data retrieval training
• Implement a fam-tour program for call operators
  to travel throughout the region and visit
  attractions
• Require SEKTDA Shining STAR Hospitality training
• Provide a procedure manual at each operator work
  station, along with other quick references
• Make test calls prior to activating the call
  center

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PROGRAMS

• 511 TOURISM INFORMATION CALL CENTER
• 511 Program Launch
• Congressman Hal Rogers of Kentuckys 5th District
  made the first call to the 511 Tourism
  Information Call Center at SEKTDAs Annual Caucus
  December 8, 2003
• Existing 511 signs throughout the region were
  changed to include tourism
• TV and radio commercials aired to create public
  awareness of the new service
• Rack card/511 brochure distribution service
  contracted
• All calls were monitored by SEKTDA 511
  Coordinator and call monitoring report submitted
  verbally to Senture weekly followed by written
  report
• Senture training program was enhanced to address
  issues identified in call monitoring
• Call Center hours were extended from 6am-11pm to
  6am-Midnight due to call volume

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PROGRAMS

• 511 TOURISM INFORMATION CALL CENTER
• Current operations program statistics
• SEKTDA review of all data entry
• Follow-up with properties for updated information
• Call monitoring by SEKTDA
• Enhancement of website
• Promotion of the 511 program
• Total calls to date 29,730
• Total website visits to date 275,133
• Most requested entity State Parks

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PROGRAMS

• 511 TOURISM INFORMATION CALL CENTER
• Public Awareness
• Advertisng
• Television
• Radio
• Kentucky Travel Time talk radio
• Newspaper inserts
• Kentucky Living magazine
• Back Home in Kentucky magazine
• AAA Home Away
• Going on Faith publication
• TripSouth Travel Guide
• Kentucky Travel Guide
• Kentucky Getaway Guide
• ATV/OVH trail maps
• County maps

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PROGRAMS

• 511 TOURISM INFORMATION CALL CENTER
• Other Public Awareness Items
• Rack card/511 brochure distribution service
• Banners displayed in 30 locations
• 511 Highway roadside signs throughout the region
• 511 stickers on SEKTDA items
• Theatre program inserts
• Posters for display for businesses, tourist
  commissions, chambers of commerce
• Regional Guide fulfillment piece
• Billboards on major highways in the 46-county
  region

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2005 Total Calls Received
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Increase in Calls from 2004 to 2005
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2005 Total Website Visits
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Top 5 Marketing Sources YTD
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Top 5 YTD Information Requests
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• Thank You