Texas Looking To Hire UK Tourism PR Agency
Purpose of Procurement.
The Office seeks written proposals from qualified Respondents in accordance with the specifications contained in this RFP for Tourism Public Relations and Marketing Services in the Target Markets.
Respondents must demonstrate the ability to perform the services specified in this RFP and shall fully understand the Travel Texas program, organization, mission, and targeted audience. Respondents are encouraged to review the information located at https://travel.texas.gov and https://www.traveltexas.com.
Respondents are invited to submit written proposals for a comprehensive, innovative, and strategic tourism public relations and marketing campaign that fully integrates consumer Travel Trade and Media activities. The campaign shall create a responsible, accurate, and positive image of Texas, while effectively marketing and promoting the state as a premier travel destination in the Target Markets.
Overview
Tourism benefits Texans. Travel and tourism continues to be one of the largest industries in the state; for example, in 2019, total direct travel spending was $83 billion and travel expenditures generated a projected $7.8 billion in state and local taxes. Moreover, travel and tourism supported 1.3 million jobs and $63 billion in earnings.
Mission
It is the Mission of the OOG’s Travel Texas program to enhance and extend local economic development efforts by marketing Texas as a premier travel destination in domestic, out-of-state, and international markets, generating non-Texan travel to the state and creating revenue and jobs.
Program Organization
The OOG Travel Texas program is organized into three interrelated functional areas: Travel Research, Advertising, and Public Relations and Marketing. Each area plays a critical role in the overall mission to market Texas as a premier travel destination. Collectively, these areas provide an integrated marketing effort that supports the mission to generate non-Texan travel to the state.
The Travel Research area provides data and information that identifies key consumer travel patterns and trends that drive the OOG’s tourism marketing activities, determining overall marketing strategies and key messages, advertising content and placement, selection of markets, and the development and evaluation of advertising and marketing programs. The Travel Research section also directs important tourism development outreach services, providing Texas communities with information and tools needed to develop tourist attractions and to effectively use tourism as an economic development tool.
Advertising is the OOG’s primary tourism marketing tool. Advertising efforts are outsourced using a full-service, contracted advertising agency. Most advertising is conducted outside the state. Advertising efforts include, but are not limited to, national and international advertising through consumer, digital, national television, and interactive methods. In the domestic market, the OOG uses the “Let’s Texas” campaign. This campaign is activity-driven in that it communicates to consumers the “experiential value” that a Texas vacation has to offer by focusing on the state’s many diverse travel activities and experiences. The OOG also uses the “Travel Texas” logo trademark in international markets to effectively market Texas and all of its travel experiences throughout the world under the umbrella of a single, readily recognizable Travel Texas product.
The Advertising area also manages the OOG’s brand and use of its logos in ancillary marketing programs, as well as coordinating with an in-market vendor to provide translation and other services as needed.
The Public Relations and Marketing area conducts tourism public relations activities, both domestically and internationally, to increase travel to the state by marketing and promoting Texas as a premier travel destination to consumers, the Media, and the Travel Trade. Traditionally, strategies and tactics pursued have included, but have not been limited to the following consumer, Media, and Travel Trade activities: consumer promotions, representing Texas in domestic and international Travel Trade and consumer shows, conducting Travel Trade and Media missions, conducting educational seminars, and conducting Media and Travel Trade FAM tours within Texas to acquaint the Travel Trade and Media with the Travel Texas product.
Because research shows that domestic travel decisions are primarily consumer driven, Public Relations and Marketing efforts have principally focused on Media and consumer-direct marketing and promotion activities in the United States. However, because the Travel Trade remains an influential factor in international travelers’ travel planning and trip decision process, marketing to the Travel Trade in international markets remains a component of the overall Public Relations and Marketing efforts.
While Public Relations and Marketing efforts are primarily targeted outside the state, in-state activities are also conducted as needed to create awareness among the Texas public, the Texas Media, and Texas Partners about the importance of tourism as a means of economic development in the state. Examples include but are not limited to, the Texas Travel Summit held in the fall, and National Travel and Tourism Week and multiple Travel Texas activities to encourage in-state travel by Texans to the state’s scenic, historical, cultural, natural, agricultural, educational, recreational, and other attractions.
The Public Relations and Marketing area includes cooperative marketing opportunities that enable the state’s travel industry Suppliers to jointly market their destinations and products with the state in the OOG’s tourism marketing and promotional activities. Cooperative marketing programs can offer Suppliers cost savings, while extending awareness, reach and exposure of the Travel Texas message and product. Fees generated from cooperative marketing programs are used to help offset some of the OOG’s costs for conducting Public Relations and Marketing activities.
Scope of Work
Services shall include, but are not limited to, the requirements contained in this RFP. Services set forth that contain the words “must” or “shall” are mandatory and must be provided as specified with no alteration, modification, or exception. Services set forth that contain the words “may” or “can” allow Respondents to offer alternatives to the manner in which the services are provided. The requested services and corresponding deliverables are as follows:
Public Relations and Marketing Requirements
The OOG strives to use the most innovative, creative, and cost-effective marketing and public relations programs to raise awareness of Texas as a premier travel destination. The scope of work for services sought by the OOG in the Target Markets includes a primary focus on public relations and marketing strategies targeting consumers, Media, and the Travel Trade. The Contractor shall have the following goals while providing public relations and marketing services for the OOG to raise awareness of Texas as a premier travel destination:
a. generate maximum positive press coverage of the Travel Texas product while expanding perceptions of the diverse travel experiences Texas offers visitors;
b. develop and implement a robust social media strategy that successfully promotes the Travel Texas product;
c. conduct high-profile integrated consumer promotions;
d. lead efforts in promoting and marketing Texas as a premier travel destination to Travel Trade as directed;
e. create effective cooperative public relations and marketing programs that provide for maximum partner participation; and
f. generate measurable results from public relations and marketing efforts.
The Contractor shall propose measures and goals to use in evaluating work. Measures will include, but are not limited, to:
a. leading industry standard measures for traditional and digital media activities and placements including, but not limited to, Advertising Value Equivalency;
b. leading industry standard measures for results of social media strategy and activities;
c. creative integrated consumer promotions which incorporate Media, Travel Trade, and other appropriate partners to generate maximum consumer awareness of the Travel Texas product;
d. successful completion of agreed upon marketing activities; and
e. generating and maintaining Texas travel packages in Target Markets.
Public Relations and Marketing Initiatives
To meet the OOG’s tourism Mission, as described in Section 3.2 of Part A of this RFP, and to fulfill the Public Relations and Marketing Requirements, as further described in this Section, the OOG is seeking an agency that is capable of providing the following goods and services:
Media Relations
Conducting public relations activities targeting key consumer and Travel Trade Media in both traditional and non-traditional outlets to generate Media placements of key messages that result in maximum positive publicity of Texas as a premier travel destination.
Providing market insight and guidance based on demonstrated facts and research to help grow awareness and visitation to Texas.
Concentrating public relations activities during key travel planning seasons that provide the greatest potential to enhance the effectiveness and extend the reach of the OOG’s planned advertising activities.
Engaging in Media relations activities that include, but are not limited to:
a. proactive Media outreach and pitching;
b. organizing, planning, executing and attending:
1. Media FAM Tours;
2. Media Missions;
3. Media and public relations events;
4. Media appointments;
5. press conferences; and
6. interviews and presentations
c. compiling and maintaining a database of consumer and Travel Trade Media and travel influencers to accomplish public relations and Media activities and providing the database to the OOG upon request;
d. preparing and distributing regular Press Releases and Media pitches to generate Media impressions in both traditional and non-traditional Media outlets;
e. responding to Media and influencer inquiries;
f. assembling and fulfilling traditional and electronic press kits as needed and developing, maintaining, and fulfilling an evergreen press kit;
g. producing, storing, and fulfilling of collateral and promotional materials;
h. translating materials as needed;
i. clippings and media monitoring services; and
j. contracting necessary venues, transportations, and other similar goods or services to accomplish the activities listed above.
Monitoring editorial calendars of Target Market outlets for travel story opportunities and create an annual editorial calendar for the OOG. Proactively pitching story ideas to Media in Target Market via phone, email, or in-person meetings.
Identifying and recommending travel influencers and executing agreements with said influencers to spread awareness of the Travel Texas product and experiences via social media channels.
Social Media. The Contractor shall develop and implement a strategic plan for all of the OOG’s social media platforms to reach the Target Markets. Social media content calendars should be delivered at a cadence agreed upon by the OOG. Ongoing social media activities shall include, but are not limited to, real-time community management, production and management of social media assets including photography and video, monthly and campaign-specific reporting, paid promotions, and additional program support as needed. Reporting should reflect leading industry standard measurements for all social media activity.
Consumer Promotions. The Contractor shall conduct aggressive and creative integrated consumer promotions to maximize awareness of the Travel Texas product by reaching a mass audience through a variety of Media, Travel Trade, or consumer direct tactics.
Response Tracking
The Contractor shall track and maintain records of all of the Contractor’s assisted placements promoting the Travel Texas product. The Contractor shall use up-to-date industry standard measures approved by the OOG and proposed by the Contractor, including Advertising Value Equivalency, to calculate and report on the traditional and digital coverage of Texas generated. The Contractor shall report on the types and amount of Media placements generated.
Plan of Action
On or before the first day of June of each Fiscal Year of the Contract Term, the Contractor shall be responsible for development and submission of an annual Plan of Action for the services proposed to be undertaken and the goods and services proposed to be provided during the upcoming Fiscal Year. The Plan of Action shall include the Contractor’s evaluations and recommendations for all proposed activities and projects to be undertaken that will most effectively position Texas as a premier travel destination and create market awareness of and stimulate interest in travel to Texas among consumers, the Media, and the Travel Trade. Appropriate market research and planning should be conducted and provided in order to determine the most effective, innovative, and cost efficient public relations and marketing efforts. The Plan of Action must include a detailed budget for all proposed projects, activities, and services to be performed, as well as recommendations of specific goals and measurements that demonstrate the success of the Plan of Action in meeting or exceeding the objectives outlined in Section 4 of Part A of this RFP.
Any routine use of subcontractors for the provision of Contractor’s in-house services that are to be included in Contractor’s Monthly Service Fee shall be disclosed and clearly identified in the proposed Plan of Action.
The Plan of Action must be approved by the OOG prior to implementation, at which point it becomes the Public Relations and Marketing Plan for the Fiscal Year as further described in Section 4.8 of Part A of this RFP.
Public Relations and Marketing Plan
Upon the OOG’s approval, the Plan of Action will be adopted and serve as the Public Relations and Marketing Plan to be implemented by the Contractor for the Fiscal Year. To the extent the OOG extends the Contract Term set forth in Section 2.3 of Part A of this RFP to encompass the fiscal year for which the Plan of Action was developed, the Contractor shall operate in accordance with an approved, detailed, written Public Relations and Marketing Plan, including budget allocation for using public relations and marketing activities (consumer, Media, and Travel Trade relations) to market and promote Texas as a premier travel destination. Any changes made to the Public Relations and Marketing Plan throughout the Fiscal Year in which it is in effect must be approved by the OOG in writing.
Coordination of Efforts
When appropriate, and as required by the OOG, the Contractor shall coordinate activities with other of the OOG’s vendors (e.g., advertising, public relations and marketing, or research), other state agencies, and local, regional, and statewide tourism industry associations and organizations involved with or affected by services and goods provided under the Contract.
Crisis Management
The Contractor shall provide ongoing crisis management in relation to the services the Contractor provides. Services shall include, but are not limited to, the identification and monitoring of domestic and international crisis situations that may impact the implementation of the Public Relations and Marketing Plan, or the effectiveness, cost-efficiency, or desirability of ongoing public relations and marketing efforts. The crisis management counsel and service shall facilitate the ability of the OOG to promptly cancel or modify existing marketing promotions in response to a domestic or international crisis situation. The Contractor shall coordinate such efforts with the OOG and other of the OOG’s vendors as necessary (e.g., advertising, public relations and marketing, or research).
Deadline for Respondent Submission of Proposals
04/27/2022 5:00PM CST
Anticipated Start Date
05/11/2022
Respondents shall direct all communications concerning this RFP to the point of contact listed and shall make no contact with other personnel of the OOG regarding this RFP, except as permitted by the point of contact.
Purchaser
Office of the Governor of Texas
Financial Services Division
512-463-1776
