Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/944430
B M & T ••• January/February 2018 ••• www.blackmeetingsandtourism.com 13 ELLIOTT FERGUSON, PRESIDENT & CEO, DESTINATION DC There's no doubt that certain rhetoric coming out of the govern- ment is impacting international travel, but it remains to be seen how big the impact will be. The tourism industry is extremely important to the economy and is a job creator in Washington, DC and across the U.S. We rely heavily on the U.S. Travel Association to get that message out to elected offi- cials, as well as Brand USA, which is focused on promoting the U.S. as a whole. Overseas visitors are very impor- tant to Washington, DC, making up RONNIE BURT, PRESIDENT/CEO, VISIT KC I think over time we may see some residual, but right now it has been hard to tell. Our 2016 overall visitation grew to 25 million visitors with $5.5billion in Economic Impact. While these numbers are healthy, international growth has the largest potential. We have been doing a lot of work in this space over the last few years. Our great cultural institutions, muse- ums and attractions enormous reach millions of potential visitors from those markets, making sure Tacoma and Pierce County are on their radar. We're a Pacific Northwest water- front destination with convenient transportation, an ideal location, dis- tinctive venues and world-class attractions. The Greater Tacoma Convention Center is just 18 miles south of Seattle-Tacoma Internat- ional Airport, and only a few walka- ble blocks from the waterfront, hotels, restaurants, breweries, shops and six world-class museums. Pierce County has regularly host- ed groups with primarily African- American attendees, and we've increased our outreach to that com- munity through events like Connect Specialty and our annual Washington DC client event. Just this year we've booked events with Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc. and Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., both for the first time. These groups are looking for a welcoming, friendly experience and top-tier service, and that's something we're honored to provide. Tacoma is a diverse city, and our clientele reflects that. and appeal to the international travel- er, which we cannot overlook. KC recently secured Icelandair, giving Missouri it's first trans-Atlantic route. When you are a world-class destina- tion you cannot overlook marketing to the international traveler. It this fits right into our strategy. What planners can expect is a great value for the experience. The central location, the accessibility by car and many renovations of existing hotels and new restaurants, great cul- tural attractions and culinary lend to a very authentic experience you will only experience in KC. This is part of Visit KC's sales and marketing strategy in both the group space and leisure. The African- American market is part of the fab- ric interwoven into our messaging, photography, demographic target and group acquisition strategy. In our next phase you will see more dig- ital and video messaging building on the message about 9% of our visitation while accounting for 28% of spending. We continue to focus on increasing travel from our top overseas mar- kets, including the biggest one for DC, which is China. We are contin- uing regular sales missions, market- ing through WeChat and social media and growing "Welcome China," which is a program we cre- ated for members to help them pre- pare to welcome Chinese visitors by taking customs and language into account. Direct nonstop flights are an important factor. A new nonstop flight between Hong Kong and Cathay Pacific was announced, which starts September 2018. We're also maximizing a new direct flight on Air India that launched last July by increasing our sales and market- ing efforts. Washington, DC offers so many free things to do and while the city is often recognized for its monu- ments, memorials and museums, there's also an incredible Michelin- recognized dining scene, nightlife, theater, parks, shopping, sports and more. Our diverse neighborhoods each have their own feel, like The Wharf, which just opened along the Southwest Waterfront with three new hotels and dozens of restau- rants. DC is easy to get to with three nearby airports, and navigate by foot or public transportation. Meeting planners also find numer- ous special events venues and a world-class convention center. As a minority in this country, diversity and representation is important to me personally. We are always looking at including diverse groups in terms of race, age and gender in our advertising creative and commercials, and place adver- tisements in a range of outlets. We also have sales representatives specifically dedicated to attracting diverse markets and participate in industry associations, such as the National Coalition of Black Meet- ing Planners. Targeting diverse mar- kets are part of our overall goal to bring business and leisure travel of all kinds and sizes to the city.