Leveraging State Partnerships

Attracting visitors to your destination, attraction, or property can be a daunting task, especially when you’re a small business owner or local CVB working under limited budgets and resources. You must wear many hats, and your dollars must go further to make business ends meet, pay the bills, and meet stakeholder goals, all while making a living. The good news is that you’re not alone.

Your state tourism office can help support your business with many resources that are free or available at a reduced cost:

Research

The state invests thousands of dollars into research to know who their ideal visitor is. Starting with a good benchmark of data will help you target the right visitor and laser your focus.

Online Business Listing

Make sure your business is up-to-date with the state tourism office. The main state tourism website receives millions of visitors who can refer to your website, generating traffic you might otherwise not receive.

Cooperative Opportunities

Your state may offer many opportunities to leverage their marketing campaign investment, which can be millions of dollars. The state may match dollar for dollar, allowing your marketing spend to go further.

Training & Mentorship

Know your state staff! The state has experience and resources to help your business succeed. Why figure it out on your own when you can utilize the expertise of a team that has a wealth of knowledge and training? Your state might offer a webinar series or conduct a workshop in areas you’re interested in.

Networking

A lot of times it’s not what you know, but who you know. Get a seat at the table and leverage those relationships.

Media Assets

Leverage the state’s branding, photography, and videos. Save time and money by utilizing high-quality media to make your destination shine.

Material Distribution

Make sure your marketing materials are in the hands of visitors. The state has an extensive material fulfillment program and manages various visitor centers across the state. Take advantage!

Trade & Media Familiarization Tours

One of the best investments with the highest return is hosting tourism trade or media at your destination. They can see the destination for themselves and can sell or promote your destination for you!

International & Domestic Trade Shows

Attend a major tourism trade show. Develop relationships directly with those who send visitors to your state. Often, your participation can be at a reduced rate, and you can lean on your state’s branding and staff for guidance and meeting preparation.

Industry News

Sign up for state tourism industry newsletters to stay up to speed on everything happening at your state, opportunities available, and how you can get involved.

The state tourism office is charged with bringing non-resident visitors to the state by promoting it as a vacation destination across the globe. They spend tons of money on this effort and are here to help you succeed. Leverage this effort, minimize your spend, and maximize your ROI!

RMI has managed state tourism coops and partnerships for over 30 years. We know the players; let us help you connect the dots!