The Missouri Division of Tourism is introducing a new “tour guide” it believes will assistance travelers answer thoughts as they make vacation plans for the coming 12 months in the Present-Me State.
This spring, the division will introduce Mo – a character and tour information of kinds — to guide guests with discovering their “travel M-O,” the forms of actions and points of interest they are in search of.
Mo will be featured in publications, on Tv set and on line, supplying information and facts about out of doors adventure, family enjoyable, food stuff and drink, history, artwork, tunes and extra. She’ll also look on VisitMO.com and social media.
“Mo embodies Missouri and all the things we have to offer site visitors in our state,” explained Stephen Foutes, director of the Division of Tourism. “When you’re seeking for destinations that healthy your travel M-O, Mo will be there to assist.”
Foutes said the comments they ended up getting from folks as they were putting the campaign jointly was that they needed a marketing campaign that was “down to earth.”
“They explained we didn’t require a movie star with Missouri roots to inform them what the state had to present,” Foutes reported. He pointed out the campaign is aimed at women, 25-54, who are normally the most important planners of vacations in several houses.
“There were being zero detrimental reactions to the strategy introduced to target groups in 4 metropolitan areas and states,” Foutes continued. “It was stated about the That’s My M-O principle, ‘It helps make Missouri much more relatable and exciting. It provides character to a state that is not acknowledged for boasting about alone and is not a condition folks know a large amount about.”
Mo will propose areas based mostly on travelers’ pursuits, together with spots to love Missouri’s rivers and lakes discover the earlier at museums and historic sites take a look at theme parks, aquariums, and zoos and sample award-successful wine and planet-popular barbecue.
“Our primary viewers will be the 8 states that encompass the condition,” Foutes added. “We have been acquiring a lot more interest from persons in Texas as well, and we hope that carries on.”
Visitors are invited to share their experiences in Missouri with the hashtag #ThatsMyMO or by tagging @VisitMO on Fb, Instagram or Twitter.
Tourists can master extra about Mo and buy a 2021 Formal Missouri Travel Guide at VisitMO.com.
Tourism is a single of Missouri’s largest industries. In fiscal calendar year 2019, tourism officers stated Missouri experienced 42.9 million website visitors. (The state defines readers as people today who vacation from out of condition or at least 50 miles in-point out). Missouri’s tourism business employs a lot more than 300,000 men and women — one particular in 12 Missouri citizens — and holidaymakers invest about $17.7 billion each year.
The COVID-19 pandemic led to serious losses for motels, attractions and places to eat. State officers estimate Missouri shed $2.16 billion in tourism spending in March 2020 via May well 2020, the initial three months of the pandemic. Foutes explained primarily based on facts furnished by Tourism Economics, a countrywide agency that functions with various states and the U.S. Journey Association, Missouri lost about $6.6 billion in customer paying during calendar yr 2020.
In July, Gov. Mike Parson introduced the Spot Promoting Firm Grant Method. By means of this system, $15 million in federal COVID-19 reduction cash was designated for destination internet marketing companies (DMOs), entities that boost Missouri as a location to visit. The tourism division administered the funds to grant suitable DMOs funding for restoration endeavours this kind of as payroll aid, reimbursement for needed protection devices, and the initiation of internet marketing strategies with messaging centered on safe travel.
As COVID-19 instances have lessened, and vaccine distribution has enhanced, tourism officers are sensation much more self-assured about the marketplace seeing some beneficial numbers in 2021.
Foutes explained exploration introduced Monday by Vacation spot Analysts, which a person yr ago started fielding a weekly traveler sentiment study, uncovered:
• This 7 days, 41.5 per cent of respondents are firmly confident they can vacation securely in the present-day ecosystem, up almost 5 per cent since the 7 days prior, and 17 share factors since Jan. 3.
• More than 70 % of American tourists dreamed of or prepared travel in the earlier 7 days, and these steps search to more and more be turning into trips. The average amount of leisure excursions Individuals are reporting they will take in 2021 was a few. Dates commencing in June and beyond feel to be the months most people are tentatively arranging for their journeys.
• Other analysis is supportive of this craze: Longwoods Worldwide commenced a bi-weekly traveler sentiment survey a 12 months in the past and advised final 7 days: “Eighty-4 p.c of American vacationers report that they program to journey within the following 6 months (up from 65 % in mid-January, and the 3rd report in a row with that figure at in excess of 80 per cent).”
“Along with the That is My M-O campaign, Pay a visit to Missouri is sharing actions that can be appreciated whilst training social distancing and getting secure,” Foutes added. “Our web site has a vacation-update page (visitmo.com/travel-updates) exactly where website visitors find hyperlinks to regional public health orders and CDC direction to support make sure safer vacation practices.”
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