Visit Plano was honored by the Texas Association of Convention and Visitors Bureaus (TACVB) with three awards presented during TACVB’s Annual Conference on August 21, 2024.
TACVB’s Destination Excellence Awards promotes excellence in destination marketing. Goals of the Destination Excellence Awards are to generate awareness of the quality work done by TACVB members as they promote their destinations to leisure and business travelers.
Meeting & Events Promotion
Competing in the $1 million dollar and over budget category, Visit Plano received first place in the Meetings & Conventions Promotion category for their Golden Ticket Business Travel Incentive Campaign. The goal of this campaign was simply to reward Plano’s best business travelers as dictated by the 15 participating Plano hotel partners.
From January through June, Visit Plano gave 2 Golden Tickets per month to each of the 15 participating hotels. The hotels got to choose which two corporate travelers they wanted to reward that month. The recipient of the Golden Tickets just had to scan the QR code on the back of the ticket, complete a form, and then a $100 Visa gift card was mailed to them with a “Thank You” card.
Community/Local Engagement Promotion
The team received second place in the Community/Local Engagement Promotion category for their Total Solar Eclipse campaign.
With Plano, TX on the path of totality for the April 8, 2024 solar eclipse, Visit Plano took the lead on coordinating efforts to promote Plano as a stand-out destination in DFW and in Texas to view the eclipse. Visit Plano developed an Eclipse Task Force with members of key City departments, then developed and executed a robust marketing plan which included:
- Eclipse landing page
- Eclipse Plano hotel discounts blog post
- Promotional rack card & posters delivered to hotels & key city facilities and venues
- Eclipse-specific ads in Astronomy Magazine and Texas Parks and Wildlife Magazine
- Hosted travel journalist, Rebecca Rhoades on assignment for AZ Big Media and hotel-scoop.com to highlight Plano as an ideal viewing destination
- Gave away 25,000 eclipse viewing glasses in the Visit Plano Visitor Center and to Plano hotels
- From March 18-29, 2024, Visit Plano held a special eclipse contest where visitors entering the Visitor Center could digitally opt-in on the Visit Plano website to a drawing for a Visit Plano picnic basket complete with all the eclipse-viewing essentials ($300 value)
Plano saw an estimated 227,000 visitors in Plano on April 8th. Plano hotel occupancy for Sunday, April 7, 2024 was 83.1% (up 76% from the week prior) and occupancy for Monday, April 8, 2024 was 88.1% (up 36% from the week prior). Visit Plano saw over a 70% increase in website traffic the day of the total solar eclipse and a 44% increase the day before the eclipse. Find more statistics here.
Leisure/Tourism Marketing Campaign
Visit Plano received third place in the Leisure/Tourism Marketing Campaign category for their Pet-Friendly Plano promotion in May.
In support of Visit Plano’s vibrant local community, the “Pet-Friendly Plano” campaign was launched to showcase Plano as a haven for pet lovers. Focused on enhancing resident awareness and engagement, the campaign emphasized Plano’s wealth of pet-friendly amenities, including three dog parks, over 90 pet-friendly restaurant patios, and 38 welcoming hotels. By strategically aligning with National Travel & Tourism Week, Visit Plano capitalized on the event’s momentum to spotlight Plano’s unique identity as a pet-friendly destination. The singular theme, “Plano is a pet-friendly city,” unified our messaging across various digital marketing channels, ensuring a cohesive and impactful campaign.
The campaign’s creative approach leveraged multiple digital platforms, including the website and social media. Eye-catching window art adorned the Visitor Center, while complimentary collapsible dog bowls, treats, and bandanas were distributed to visitors. Additionally, Visit Plano collaborated with local businesses, delivering 150 dog bowls to restaurants, hotels, and retailers, facilitating seamless experiences for pet owners in our community.
Visit Plano produced four engaging in-house social media videos highlighting Plano’s pet-friendly visitor center, downtown, hotels, and dog parks. These videos garnered significant impressions and engagement, further amplifying our message across social platforms.
Through their concerted efforts, the team not only celebrated Plano’s pet-friendly spirit, but also fostered a sense of community pride and engagement. Overall, the “Pet-Friendly Plano” campaign exemplified a strategic and innovative approach to local engagement, harnessing the power of digital marketing and the visitor center to showcase Plano’s commitment to its furry residents and their companions.
Mark Thompson Recognized for TACVB Board Contributions
Visit Plano’s Director, Mark W. Thompson, was also recognized at the annual conference for his endless contributions to the association specifically over the last four years as TACVB Board Chair and Past Chair, but also as a whole during his tenure. Thompson has been Executive Director of Visit Plano since 1988, and also served as the TACVB’s Board Chair in 2006-2007. In 2019, he received the organization’s prestigious Marion Szurek Legacy Award. Joining the TACVB Board for 2024-2025 is Visit Plano’s Director of Sales, Alysha Carse, as a one-year appointee.
For more news from Visit Plano and information about our destination, explore visitplano.com.
