Broward County Issues Marketing RFP

Broward County and the Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention & Visitors Bureau seek a destination marketing organization consultant to identify and recommend opportunities to improve the functionality, value, and perceived value of the operations of the Convention & Visitors Bureau.

Background:

The Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention & Visitors Bureau markets and sells Broward County, Florida as a destination to meeting and tournament planners and leisure tourists. Broward County welcomes approximately thirteen-million visitors annually, primarily from North America, the Caribbean, and Western Europe. Visitors seek the sunny experience of the thirty-seven cities within the scope of the organization’s marketing area for relaxing getaways, exciting meetings, and appealing tournament spaces.

The sales team at the Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention & Visitors Bureau is tasked with generating hundreds of thousands of new and returning room nights. Utilizing a water-front convention center, dozens of full-service hotel properties, and dining/entertainment experiences that are appealing to planners, the team finds success in many segments. However, there are always opportunities for improvement, and with the likely expansion of the Broward County Convention Center, the Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention Center sales team needs to be ready to adapt to increased responsibility.

The marketing team at the Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention & Visitors Bureau is tasked with generating brand awareness and leisure travel to Broward County. Utilizing research and data showing that tourists chose the destination for relaxing, beach getaways the team is effective at creating new business for hundreds of hotel rooms and short-term rentals. There is always room for improvement, and the marketing team is adapting to new opportunities in the form of a potential brand realignment and changes in marketing best-practices.

Operationally, the organization is adapting to changing market conditions while balancing the logistics of a government structure. Teams have recently been redeployed to better match goals, and new team members are creating a new team dynamic.

Scope of Work:

Consultant shall provide the following Services:

A. Advisory services to the Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention & Visitors Bureau Chief Executive Officer (CEO), including an assessment of Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention & Visitors Bureau’s organizational structure and functions, marketing and sales plan integration         and direction, brand architecture, and other operational topics.

B. Advisory services to review Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention & Visitors Bureau’s personnel deployment, human resources, and governance topics utilizing destination marketing organization best practices.

C. Interview key Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention & Visitors Bureau stakeholders to gauge opinions on the effectiveness of the Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention & Visitors Bureau and                identify where and how possible improvements can be achieved. In addition, seek input from      industry groups that focus on diversity sales in the LGBT+, black, Hispanic, and Latin America            markets including the National Coalition of Black Meeting Planners, the International      Association of Hispanic Meeting Professionals, LGBT Meeting Professionals Association, and       others.

D. Work to enhance the relationship between the Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention & Visitors Bureau and the operator of the Broward County Convention Center, SMG World by conducting a best practices exercise with the Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention & Visitors Bureau and SMG World staffs to improve the tactical and strategic relationship between the two entities.

E. In concert with the Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention & Visitors Bureau CEO, review Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention & Visitors Bureau policies and procedures, staff                performance plans, crisis management guidelines, staff financial controls, marketing/sales          procedures, and recommend changes based on destination marketing organization best-      practices.

F. Assist in framing a heightened role for the Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention & Visitors Bureau CEO in the Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention & Visitors Bureau’s marketing, sales and advocacy efforts. Subject to Contract Administrator’s approval, this may include possible visits to Washington, DC to meet with Destination’s International leadership and other destination marketing organization contemporaries. Further, subject to County Administrator’s approval, meetings will be scheduled with the leadership of: Brand USA, U.S. Dept. of Commerce,              Professional Convention Management Association, Meeting Planners International, American Society of Association Executives.

G. Conduct a review of Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention & Visitors Bureau sales and               marketing strategies to improve the destination’s competitive position. Work collaboratively           with the Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention & Visitors Bureau staff to provide directional              analysis.

H. Assist in preparing the Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention & Visitors Bureau to support the                 future expansion of the Broward County Convention Center, including recommending strategies           to attract new customers to the facility.

I. File quarterly reports, submitted to the Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention & Visitors Bureau CEO, detailing progress and preliminary findings. File a written report, two months before the              expiration of the Initial Term, which shall detail the final recommendations and assessments of                the Consultant.

 J. Review and recommend improvements to the group sales regional resources allocation, room night goals, tourism sales resources deployment, and strategic client services. Provide recommendations for changes to the overall structure of the CVB. In particular, focus on staff and resource deployment to maximize production. Critical questions like staffing level, deployment of resources organization-wide, and overall strategic direction will be addressed with the input of community partners like hoteliers, restaurateurs, retail, elected officials, residents, and others, and result in the development of a new strategic plan for the CVB.

K. Review and provide recommendations on structuring tourism sales efforts. Assist the CVB in                matching appropriate resources to the output of travel agent, tour operators, and other travel     platforms and provide direction based on cutting-edge best-practices regarding directly                targeting consumers while continuing a business-to-business presence.

L. Review and provide recommendations for efficiencies in the marketing efforts of the CVB.     Assist in the collection and analysis of information to identify relevant trends, niche markets, and best practices that best fit the Greater Fort Lauderdale market. This includes providing               analysis of visitor data to determine existing visitor demographics and identify potential markets     the CVB should be targeting based on demographics, geography, and more. This analysis should         include niche markets like Hispanics, Black, and LGBT+, and should also include an analysis of                 geographic markets, domestic and international, including the USA, Latin America, Europe, and                 others.

The Services provided by Consultant may also include other consultation related to the management of a destination marketing organization.

The contract term is one year, with possible two one-year renewals.

Due Date:

January 23rd, 2019

Address:

Broward County Purchasing Division

115 South Andrews Avenue, Room 212

Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301

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