While Gov. Crist plays politics and misses the opportunity to help Gulf Coast businesses on this four-day weekend and WEAR/Sinclair offers a too little-too late promo campaign with its sister stations, the Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association (FRLA) this week unveiled a marketing campaign through print and radio advertisements aimed at tourists in the Southeast region of the country. The message âOur Coast is Clearâ informs visitors that the beaches of Northwest Florida are clean, pristine and oil free.
From the FLRA press release: The full page print advertisement appeared in USA Today on Tuesday, May 25 in several markets. The two radio spots began Monday, May 24 and will run through Friday, June 4.
âIt is critical the Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association get the message out that Panhandle beaches are clear, and Florida is open for business,â said FRLA President and CEO Carol Dover. âWe simply could not afford to wait any longer before marketing dollars were allocated through British Petroleum. Our members are experiencing unprecedented cancellations heading into their peak season and this advertising campaign is critical to our economic survival.â
Many hoteliers in Northwest Florida, who are normally at 90 percent occupancy rates heading into the Memorial Day weekend, are reporting a drop in bookings by 30 percent with some experiencing occupancy rates in the teens. Northwest Floridaâs peak season is Memorial Day through Labor Day realizing 70 percent of their income during the 90-day period.
âOur members have a seat at the table and a voice during this crisis, and we will continue to be proactive and out in the forefront representing hospitality industry members,â said Keith Overton, FRLA Chair and Senior VP and COO, TradeWinds Island Resorts in St. Pete Beach, Florida. âFlorida is open for business and FRLA is aggressively getting this message out through any and all means possible,â continued Overton, who this month testified before a US Senate Committee in Washington, D.C. asking for $100 million in marketing dollars for Floridaâs business recovery efforts.
Prior to the state of emergency declaration for several coastal counties, FRLA immediately began reaching out to its members and non-members by hosting several tourism industry briefings in Florida, including Pensacola on May 6, Destin on May 14, and Key West on May 25. Florida has 46,000 restaurants statewide, and over 8,000 hotels/motels/bed & breakfasts and vacation rentals. Florida tourism accounts for 80.3 million visitors annually and $60.9 billion in travel spending.
Media Markets:
The print advertisement and the radio advertisements are running in the following markets: Albany, GA; Atlanta, GA; August, GA; Baltimore, MD; Beaumont, TX; Birmingham, AL; Bryan, TX; Chattanooga, TN; Columbus, GA; Houston, TX; Jackson, MS; Lexington, KY; Little Rock, AR; Macon, GA; Memphis, TN; Nashville, TN; New Orleans, LA; Shreveport, LA; Tuscaloosa, AL; Waco, TX; and Washington, DC.
Radio Scripts:
Title: “Coast is Clear-Northwest Floridaâ – :30
Danny:
The following message is brought to you by the Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association.
Danny:
Thereâs been a lot of misinformation about how the Deepwater Horizon oil spill has impacted North Floridaâs beaches.
Danny:
We want everyone to know that our coast is clear and our beaches are open.
Alicia:
And there are great values available throughout Northwest Florida for your familyâs summer vacation.
Danny:
Your favorite hotels and restaurants are just as you remember them.
Alicia:
Weâre open for businessâ¦
Danny:
And we want your business.
Alicia:
Book your familyâs summer vacation at the beaches of Northwest Florida today.
Title: “Coast is Clear-Northwest Floridaâ – :60
Alicia:
The following message is brought to you by the Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association.
Danny:
This is an update on the beaches of Floridaâs Panhandle.
Alicia:
Thereâs been a lot of misinformation about how the Deepwater Horizon oil spill has impacted Northwest Floridaâs beaches.
Danny:
Weâre here today to tell you that our coast is clear and our beaches are open.
Alicia:
The white sand is as pristine and as beautiful as itâs ever been.
Danny:
And our fishing and charter boats are cruising the clear blue waters of the Panhandle every day.
Alicia:
The Gulf Coast of North Florida remains one of the best vacation destinations in the worldâ¦and today itâs also one of the best values youâll find anywhere.
Danny:
Go to VisitFloridaLive.com where youâll find webcams so you can see for yourself what Floridaâs beaches look like todayâ¦
Alicia:
Youâll also find tools there to help you with your lodging and restaurant choices.
Danny:
Rememberâ¦Florida is open for businessâ¦
Alicia:
and we want your business.
Danny:
So whether youâre traveling with family or with friends go to VisitFloridaLive.com today to plan your next vacation to the Northwest beaches of Florida.
Alicia:
Thatâs VisitFloridaLive.com.