Northern

Getting the Point Across

To be included in the 2010 Utah Vacation, Lodging & Adventure Guide you have to remember these deadlines. The publication goes to press December 2009.

Deadlines:    

Photo listing deadline – November 5th 2009
Advertising deadline – November 13th 2009
Advertisement submission deadline – November 27th 2009

Whether you are a small independent or a multi-national chain we have marketing solutions to fit your budget. Just call or email us for more information. It is so important that you make a point of showcasing what you offer Utah’s visitors. Don’t sit back and hope for a good year in 2010 be proactive now!

Make a Point of It

Web marketing has become one of the best ways to showcase your business. People enjoy the convenience of sitting at home or taking a break at work and having on hand, access to unlimited information.

Many websites are filled with unnecessary or too much information and it takes the user too long to find what they are looking for. When this happens the user clicks out of the website. It is important your website is user friendly. If information can’t be found within a few clicks then you may lose that customer.

It is also important that the information on your website is kept up to date and is relevant. Do you want summer images on your website when you are marketing your business as a winter retreat or you are still promoting your 2008 deals in 2009? Not updating information on websites is very common, because you just don’t have the time to do this. This mistake can lead to the potential customer looking elsewhere.

Pointing You in the Right Direction

Print, television, radio and web marketing are the main forums of advertising in the U.S each have their advantages and disadvantages. Before the internet, print was one of the most effective ways to market and promote your business, and was cheaper than radio or television. As highlighted, people like the convenience that the internet brings but as with many things in popular culture trends change and we return to what we once knew. Who would have thought that the fashion of the 80’s would once again be visible on the streets, or that record players would becoming popular again and we would be hunting in our basements for our favorite vinyl.

Pointing it Out - Quick Travel Facts and Updates

• This is a great time to showcase the fall colors of Utah on your website. Get people excited to visit you and your area.

• Traveler spending rose an estimated 6.2% in 2008 to $7.1 billion*

• Estimates of non-resident tourism arrivals in 2008 increased 1.0% to 20.4 million*

*Utah Office of Tourism

Travel Promotion Act (Washington DC - 09/09/09)

U.S. Senate Passes ‘Travel Promotion Act’

New Program Will Drive Millions of New Visitors to U.S., Create Jobs, Strengthen Economy, Lower Federal Budget Deficit

The U.S. Senate on September 9th passed S. 1023, the “Travel Promotion Act,” with strong bipartisan support, 79 to 19. The legislation creates a public-private partnership to promote the United States as a premier travel destination and better explain U.S. security policies. Once passed by the House of Representatives and enacted into law, the program is estimated to create 40,000 U.S. jobs, drive $4 billion in new consumer spending according to Oxford Economics and reduce the federal budget deficit by $425 million according to the Congressional Budget Office. Overseas visitors spend an average of $4,500 per person, per trip in the United States.

“The United States Senate today took a giant step toward regaining America’s position as the premier travel destination and strengthening our struggling economy,” said Roger Dow, president and CEO of the U.S. Travel Association. “Nearly every company, city, state and developed nation understands the power of promotion. By getting in the global game, America will create tens of thousands of new jobs and strengthen its image in the world as visitors leave with an improved perception of our country and her people.”

The “Travel Promotion Act,” introduced by Senators Byron Dorgan (D-ND) and John Ensign (R-NV) and co-sponsored by 51 Senators, is modeled after successful state-level programs and is funded through a matching program featuring up to $100 million in private sector contributions and a $10 fee on foreign travelers who do not pay $131 for a visa to enter the United States. The fee is collected once every two years in conjunction with the Department of Homeland Security’s Electronic System for Travel Authorization. No money is provided by U.S. taxpayers.

Nearly identical legislation passed the House of Representatives in the last session, but did not receive a Senate vote before adjournment. A new House companion bill, H.R. 2935, is co-sponsored by 68 members of the U.S. House of Representatives.

US Travel Association 

New Data is Providing Hope For Business This Winter (09/18/09)

Recent research is giving hope that business might pick up this winter at western mountain resorts.

The number of reservations made in August for resort arrivals through the fall and into January was up 2.1% from the same month a year earlier, according to the Denver-based Mountain Travel Research Program.

Program President Ralf Garrison said Friday that bookings were especially improved in September and November (26% and 28%, respectively, over the year-ago period), while December reservations were up a modest 6%.
Click here for the full story.

Salt Lake Tribune