Welcome to
Working For You
, the first installment of Pennsylvania Great Outdoors Visitors Bureau's new quarterly membership newsletter from Executive Director, John Straitiff.
So much of what PAGO does to market and promote the region to encourage overnight stays is placed outside of the local market. PAGO staff and board members are made aware of the latest marketing plans and promotions, but our members are often unaware of how PAGO is working for you or simply too busy to notice. Here are a few of the highlights leading up to the 2018 travel season.
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In February, we launched a new and improved version of our website. The website is now mobile friendly and enables visitors to find the information they want quickly with many searchable filters and a robust events calendar. Please review your current website listing information on the site and GPS pinpoint to make sure they are correct. If you have corrections or new/more pictures that you would like used on your PAGO website listing, please email them to
Jamie@VisitPAGO.com
.
To promote our new website, PAGO ran spot television buys in the Altoona, State College, and Johnstown markets, as well as online video streaming services commercial insertion and cable network TV commercials in the Pittsburgh market.
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As part of the new website launch, we created the Great Outdoors Getaway Giveaway Contest, where three lucky people could win a $250 gift certificate valid through December 31, 2019 at any PAGO lodging member. Via Val-Pak, we sent more than a quarter million direct mail pieces throughout the Pittsburgh market that promoted the contest and free traveler information. 130,000 homes were targeted in Februrary and 130,000 homes were again mailed in March. More than 1,500 people registered for the contest. Our winners were from Holley, New York; Pittsburgh; and Julian, Pennsylvania, and they found out about the contest via the Buffalo Sports Show, Val-Pak, and Facebook. We also saw a substantial increase in requests for information from Pittsburgh after each mailing.
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During the fall of 2018, Erik Hastings, better known as Erik the Travel Guy, and a production crew spent a week in the region filming for an episode of Beyond Your Backyard called "Pennsylvania's Great Outdoors." The show will begin running in early May on Blue Ridge PBS and broadcast on PBS networks in the rest of Virginia, Eastern Tennessee, Maryland, West Virginia, Washington DC, and parts of Kentucky and North Carolina in June and early July. The program is also available nationwide on PBS Passport.
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January through March was a very busy trade show season. PAGO staff interacted with thousands of potential travelers at our booth at Sports/Travel/Outdoor shows in Northeastern Ohio, Pittsburgh, Harrisburg, Monroeville, Altoona, and Buffalo, NY. We will also have a booth at Roar on the Shore in July in Erie, PA and smaller regional/local events throughout the year.
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To help attract group and bus tours to the region, PAGO joined several state and national bus/motor coach associations. In March, PAGO had booths at the Pennsylvania Bus Association Show and the Maryland Motorcoach Association Show. To further our efforts to attract group tours, Beth Gabler Exley has been named the new PAGO Group Tours Coordinator effective May 1, 2018.
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This marketing program will run over 10 weeks from mid-June through mid-August on CBS 21/CW in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. Some of the program’s highlights include a three-minute PAGO video, web banner ads, and 15-second and 30-second TV commercials.
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We have a paid lead generator program on the state’s tourism website, VisitPA.com, as well as banner ads that link to the PAGO website.
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GuestQuest Traveler Vacation Guide
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PAGO will be advertising in the summer issues in Pennsylvania, New York, Ohio, and Virginia/D.C. with display ads, an online advertorial, a lead generator program, and a PAGO landing page, ad links, social networking, and more.
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The PA Great Outdoors Facebook page has more than 25,000 followers. Each Tuesday, we offer a special treat from of our members on the PAGO Facebook page. Here are some impressive statistics for three recent campaigns:
Pale Whale Canoe Fleet: 114,000+ people reached with 1,100+ reactions and 1,500+ shares
BWP Bats: 39,000+ people reached with 389 reactions and 509 shares
Maple Shade Mansion: 24,000+ people reached with 308 reactions and 408 shares
Please take advantage of this great opportunity to use the power of our Facebook page to grow your business. To participate or for more information, contact Jamie Popson at
Jamie@VisitPAGO.com
or call (814) 849-5197.
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The 2018 contest runs April through June, and a monthly winner will receive a prize pack from participating PAGO members. The grand prize winner will get a half-day fully guided drift boat fly-fishing trip for two in 2019 with Keystone Predator Outfitters.
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125,000 copies of our annual Welcome Guide were printed in early January.
35,000 copies of Spring/Summer GO magazine were delivered this week and being distributed.
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