Presentation to our membership at the 2015 CVB Annual Dinner & Innovations in Tourism Awards showing our tourism marketing outcomes for the year.

1. 2015 Annual Dinner
and Innovations inTourism Awards
Wednesday, November 4th 5:30 PM
Outer Aisle Foods, Murphys, CA

2. What is the Calaveras Visitors Bureau?
Our MISSION STATEMENT says it best:
The CalaverasVisitors Bureau is Calaveras County’s core tourism promotion
organization dedicated to creating long term and sustainable economic
growth for the region and its members through innovative tourism
programs, promotions and partnerships.
• Our primary focus is MARKETING Calaveras County’s tourism assets outside of the
County regionally, statewide, nationally and even internationally.
• Our secondary focus is visitor services – helping tourists in theVisitor Center,
online and on the phone.

3. Organization & Funding
• The CalaverasVisitors Bureau is a 501c6 non-profit association governed by
a 9-member Board of Directors elected by member businesses.
• Funding & Income – approximately $300,000 to $350,000 annually.
CityTOT (13% of the 10% tax)
CountyTOT (33% of the 6% tax)
Membership includes ad sales
Partnerships - coop advertising
Gift shop sales - covers our lease

4. 2014 – 15 Budget Breakdown
• For the 2014-15 budget year, administration accounted for less than 13% of
our budget, while marketing was just over 82%.
Marketing
Admin (rent, accounting etc)
Membership
Conference Education
Association Dues
Insurance

5. 2014 – 15 Marketing Spend
Activities Guide - print & distribution
Print - Sunset,Via,Visit California
PR - blogs, email campaigns, press releases etc.
Online - Facebook, Google,Visit California
State Fair - design & build, props & volunteer support
Trade Shows - Sunset, BayAreaTravel, LATravel
Cooperative - GCVA, HSVC, etc.
Website - upgrades & development
Misc - ad development, signage etc.
30%
23%
16%
14%
7%
5%
2%

6. 2014 – 15 Marketing Plan
• Design, production, distribution of 80,000 Calaveras Experience Guides
• Calaveras booth in the California State Fair
• Exhibits at the most productiveTravel andTrade Shows
• Continuing education on best industry practices
• Strategic online & print advertising
• Submitting story ideas to journalists andVisit
California
• Creating compelling travel itineraries
• Content marketing to create engage- ment with
our brand
• Regional marketing with local partners
• Continuation of email campaigns
• Media FAM (familiarization) trips
• Continued website improvements

7. • Increased our web visitation by
47% over the previous fiscal year
taking our unique monthly visits
from 10,296 to 15,211.The annual
total went from 123,556 to
182,543.
• Increased our Facebook likes by
65% from 11,469 in July 2014 to
18,976 in June 2015.
• Twitter followers have increased
from 553 to 701, a 26% increase.
• New for 2015, active Pinterest
marketing has resulted in 3,836
average monthly viewers.
2014 - 15 HIGHLIGHTS: Digital

8. Leveraged our marketing dollars with our regional tourism
marketing groups:
• Gold CountryVisitorsAssociation
• Gold Country golf fam (familiarization tour)
resulted in several radio interviews & online and
print editorial
• CaliforniaVisitors Guide co-op ad
• DogTrekker partnership
• Touring &Tasting Magazine article on Gold
Country wineries
• SharedTravMedia journalist requests with
member businesses
• High SierraVisitors Council
• 2014 1 fam tour withVisit California France
• High Sierra contest withVisit California France
• Submitted story ideas for HSVC press kit
• Developed 7 trip itineraries
2014 – 15 HIGHLIGHTS: Regional Marketing

9. 2014 - 15 HIGHLIGHTS: Email Campaigns
MonthlyVISITOR newsletters are
sent to nearly 7500 subscribers (up
35% over last fiscal year).
Monthly MEMBER newsletters are
sent to 445 members and friends of
the CVB.
Monthly copy of VISITOR
newsletters for members go to the
same 445 members and friends.
Why have we received the
Constant ContactAll Star Award
for the last THREE years?
The industry standard open rate
for email campaigns is 18.2%.
Here’s howWE do:

10. 2014 – 15 HIGHLIGHTS: Visitor Guide
80,000 copies distributed through:
• Fulfillment from ad reader response in:
• Sunset,VIA and CAVisitors Guide
• Gold CountryVisitor Centers
• County rack distribution program
• Travel trade shows
• Media & tour operator fulfillment
• California State Fair
• 2014-15 Certified Distribution:
• N. California Summer Sports Program
• San Jose Corporate offices
• OaklandAirport
• San JoseAirport
• CAWelcome Centers
New for 2015-16 expanding by 12 pages to include historic walk tour maps
Digital version also available on CVB website and issuu.com where it’s fully interactive and can
be shared anywhere online.

11. 2014 – 15 HIGHLIGHTS: Travel & Media Shows
We only attend the events that have the largest attendance
within our drive markets and/or produce the greatest ROI:
• Consumer shows
• LATravel & Adventure Show.
• BayAreaTravel & Adventure Show
• Sunset CelebrationWeekend
• Visit California Media Receptions

12. 2014 - 15 HIGHLIGHTS: Website Upgrades
• Expanded our listings
• No longer just member based
• Unlimited listings under every logical
category
• Continued to expand the Member’s Corner
• All board reports are posted
• Check out Highlights reports for the latest on
what we’ve achieved
• Events for our calendar can now be submitted by
Calaveras businesses
• Expanded theWeddings section
• Expanded our Media section
• Photo Galleries now online for media use
• 2-page Calaveras profile
• Story ideas
• Seasonal itineraries
• Press releases

13. 2015 - 16 NEW Marketing Initiatives
• Expanded blogging program – now soliciting blogs from locals, Calaveras fans
and CVB members to expand our web content.
• Madden Media promo – we selected a blog to promote through this industry
leader’s social media outlets to drive more visitation to our website.
• Capitol Public Radio – we’re now an underwriter with monthly slots promoting
events, shopping and wine tasting.
• Go online to the Member’s Corner on GoCalaveras.com to get full marketing
highlights reports for each month:
• GoCalaveras.com/directory/members-corner/

14. Calaveras Visitors Center
• Open 7 days a week proudly serving visitors &
residents: 11,869 for the 2014-15 fiscal year.
• Provides 24 hour information: phone, bulletin
board & website.
• Includes a gift shop selling Calaveras County
souvenirs and locally produced items, covering
the cost of our lease.
• Sells tickets to member events.
• Keeps track of available hotel rooms and helps
visitors book their overnight stays.