Issuing Organization: Williamsburg Tourism Council (WTC)/Visit Williamsburg
Period of Contract: July 1, 2024 through June 30, 2025
(With four one-year options by WTC to extend the contract)
Proposal Deadline: Wednesday, March 27, 2024 * must be received no later than 4:00 p.m.*
Web link: https://acrobat.adobe.com/id/urn:aaid:sc:VA6C2:9b4ea4db-883a-414a-9dac-607a53aef6ff
PURPOSE
The purpose of this Request for Proposal (RFP) is to enter into an (“Agreement” or “Con- tract”)
with a qualified creative and paid media agency to provide Sports/Events marketing and media
services for Visit Williamsburg.
The organization’s primary objective is to increase overnight visitation to Williamsburg, Virginia
(the Historic Triangle), a travel region comprised of three municipalities – the City of
Williamsburg, York County, and James City County.
Goals include:
• Increase overnight visitation
• Increase destination awareness
• Improve impressions of the destination
• Establish Williamsburg as a premier U.S. travel destination
• Increase tax revenue
• Unify the region under the Destination Marketing Organization’s (DMO) tourism brand and strategy
• Improve reporting, analytics, and data-driven optimization of marketing efforts
• Bolster international marketing efforts
The Selected Vendor will provide and execute against the strategic creative direction, ensuring
Visit Williamsburg’s brand is successfully leveraged and conveyed across all programs and channels, creating a framework for contracted partners, including public relations firms, international marketing partners, and digital vendors.
The Selected Vendor will engage in creative planning, executing against the strategic plan to
successfully achieve the goals of increasing destination occupancy through multiple tactics and
daily programming initiatives.
The Selected Vendor will have a proven ability to successfully achieve business goals and
impactful, measurable, creative work.
The Selected Vendor must appreciate the opportunities and challenges related to working with a
highly visible DMO, one that is tasked with continually representing and improving the region’s
economic vitality.
DMO BACKGROUND
The Virginia General Assembly created the Williamsburg Tourism Council in 2018 to singularly
focus on driving accommodation and tax revenues in the destination as the replacement for an
existing tourism committee. The Williamsburg Tourism Council, dba Visit Williamsburg’s main
focus is to market and promote overnight visitation to the City of Williamsburg, James City County, and York County (the Historic Triangle).
Funding for the Williamsburg Tourism Council was established in the statute. The sales tax within
the Historic Triangle area was increased by 1%, with 50% of the sales tax increase funding the
Williamsburg Tourism Council. Additionally, $1 of a $2 transient occupancy tax is allocated to the
Williamsburg Tourism Council to fund operations. These funds collected are directed toward
marketing, sales, public relations, advertising, and promoting the area.
DESTINATION OVERVIEW
One of America’s favorite family destinations, the Williamsburg region includes Jamestown,
Williamsburg, and Yorktown, offering a unique connection of contemporary and historical
experiences. Visitors can choose from hands-on interactive attractions, scenic outdoor
adventures, abundant food and craft beverage options, world–class arts and culture experiences,
making Williamsburg a must-visit destination for travelers of all ages.
Area Attractions Include:
• Busch Gardens®: An action-packed, European-themed adventure park with 17th-century charm
and 21st-century technology, boasting more than 100 acres of fun-filled exploration of actors in period costumes around every corner.
• The College of William & Mary: The second oldest university in the United States and a
cutting-edge research university, the College of William & Mary is situated on 1,200 acres in
historic downtown Williamsburg and surrounded by wondrous beauty within its architecture and
rich culture.
• Colonial Williamsburg: Colonial Williamsburg interprets Virginia’s 18th-century capital of Wil-
Williamsburg, VA., as a 21st-century center for history and citizenship with more than 400 re-
stored or reconstructed buildings, museums, and educational programs. With more than 300 acres
to, and active archeological digs, history unearths in real-time in Colonial Wil- liamsburg.
• Historic Jamestown: The site of America’s first permanent English settlement, Historic Jame-
stown continues to make history as an active archeological dig site, offering a tour with the
archaeologist or a behind-the-scenes tour in the lab with the curator.
• Jamestown Settlement: Traces America’s beginnings and the distinct cultures that converged to
form our nation. Through expansive gallery exhibits, film, and historical interpretation of outdoor
re-creations of the three ships that sailed to Virginia in 1607, the colonial fort, and a Powhatan
Indian village. Complete with reenactments of historical day-to-day activities of survival and
growth.
• Water Country USA®: Virginia’s largest water park offering live entertainment, water rides, and
attractions, all with a retro surf theme.
• Yorktown Battlefield: The National Park Service welcomes visitors to explore interpreted trails
and sites from the last major battle of the American Revolution.
• American Revolution Museum at Yorktown: The American Revolution is chronicled through exhibits,
films, a re-created military encampment, and a Revolution-era farm. The site was completely
rebuilt in 2016, offering new exhibition galleries and expanded outdoor living and historical areas.
• A new sports and event center is planned for completion in 2026 and will be a premier
destination for sports and event tourism. The venue will be an approximately 200,000- square-foot
indoor Sports Center in the Williamsburg – James City County – York County region. The facility
will include hardcourt space to support 12 basketball courts, convertible to 24 volleyball courts
and 36 pickleball courts, with ceiling-mounted basketball goals, volleyball nets, court dividers,
scoreboards, and shot clocks, and able to accommodate other large sports and events activities.
The Sports Center will include first-class entertainment areas to support tourism activity and
provide additional amenities for local residents. There will be a state-of-the-art indoor rollout turf
system sized to cover the entire hardcourt space, providing significant flexibility for indoor
soccer, field hockey, football, and lacrosse, amongst countless other sporting events. There will
be dedicated space to support visitors, spectators, team arrivals, gathering, viewing areas, food
and beverage, administration, and registration. The Sports & Event Center will also include an
interactive gym and play areas along with event space capable of hosting parties and special
events.
• In addition to the area’s historical attractions, Williamsburg, Virginia, offers culinary
experiences, more than a dozen golf courses, shopping, scenic beauty, and outdoor adventures
that collectively come together to create one of the top vacation destinations in the world.
For additional information about the region, go to https://www.visitwilliamsburg.com/
RESEARCH/RESOURCES
Virginia Tourism Corporation (VTC) research reports can be found at
https://www.vatc.org/research/researchreports/. In addition, the VTC’s statewide tourism plan is
located at https://www.vatc.org/drivetourism.
U.S. Travel Association resources are available at https://www.ustravel.org/research.
DEFINITIONS
“Selected Vendor” refers to the Offeror under this Request for Proposals (RFP) with which the Wil-
liamsburg Tourism Council (WTC) negotiates a contract. The terms in this RFP referring to “Selected
Vendor” represents contract terms that will be a part of the final contract.
“Offeror” refers to any individual, corporation, partnership, or agency that responds in writing to
this RFP. “Commonwealth” refers to the Commonwealth of Virginia; “WTC” refers to the Williams- burg Tourism Council.
The “Contract” is the resulting contract entered into between WTC and the successful Offeror.
STATEMENT OF NEEDS/SCOPE OF SERVICES
Visit Williamsburg is seeking a single Contractor (Offeror) to serve as the DMO’s Sports/Events
Advertising agency of record from July 1, 2024, to June 30, 2025, with four one-year options by the
WTC to extend the contract.
Using a $2 million funding level, proposals must be based on a 12-month period of time and
address all deliverables outlined within this document, including strategic planning, creative
development, and production, editorial content for owned/earned media channels, media
planning and buying, search, and digital (including website development, hosting, and maintenance).
Deliverables will be produced for the WTC to meet business objectives, i.e., increase overnight
visitation and tax revenue. Additionally, WTC will share creative assets with the region’s tourism
suppliers for use in promotional efforts.
In some instances, the Contractor may choose a subcontractor(s) to perform these services – at
other times, WTC may request the hiring of a specific subcontractor to perform these services.
WTC must provide final approval of all subcontractors chosen.
The Contract will be non-exclusive. WTC reserves the right to provide or contract for any of these
services via another source.
Administration/Management
• Dedicated, daily account management team with in-depth attention to organizing, planning,
supervising, and reviewing all WTC projects and budgets
• Dedicated creative and production staff focused specifically on the WTC account
• For the term of the contract, to include a renewal period, the Vendor will not change the
primary or secondary staff assigned to the WTC, with the exception of employee departures,
without the WTC’s prior written permission
• The WTC will have the ability to interview and approve new staff assigned to the account
• Participate in planning and budget review meetings with the WTC to ensure direction and budget
adherence
• Lead weekly status meetings
• Development of specific reports that may include Campaign Reports, Weekly Status, Budget
Updates, etc.
Accounting and Billing
1. The Vendor will furnish to the WTC, in advance, a written cost estimate of all expenditures in
connection with all services or projects recommended by the Vendor or requested by the WTC that are not included in the retainer fee prior to undertaking any projects, or committing any WTC funds,
the Vendor must obtain written authorization from the WTC.
2. All out-of-pocket expenses are paid to the Vendor on a reimbursable basis and must have itemized receipts to be reimbursed.
a. All reimbursable expenses (out-of-pocket expenses (OOPs)) cited must be accompanied by the
WTC’s written authorization and justification for any budget overages that may have occurred.
3. The Vendor shall prepare and deliver to the WTC an invoice with an accounting of expenditures
for the previous month; all invoices are to be submitted monthly no later than the 20th of the
month following the expenditure unless agreed upon by all parties.
a. All invoices submitted to the WTC for payment must be itemized, sorted by project, and
accompanied by all relative backup materials.
b. All invoices submitted to the WTC by the Vendor must show the contract and invoice numbers.
• Failure to provide identifiable billing descriptions will result in the invoice being returned
to the Vendor
• The WTC will not be liable for any resulting delays in payment
• Invoices must be submitted to: Williamsburg Tourism Council
ATTN: Lori Ottarson /Accounts Payable 421 North Boundary Street Williamsburg, VA 23185
• or email acctpayable@visitwilliamsburg.com
Strategic Planning
• Prepare strategic plan(s), facilitate strategic planning that supports and aligns with WTC’s
strategic plan and goals, and engage in consumer studies.
• Utilize available research, prior media plans, campaign reports, and industry trends
• All strategies must be based on sound research
• Solicit input with key stakeholders
• Assist WTC staff in sharing the plan, including presentations, participation in select meetings,
and hard-copy /collateral materials.
• Develop and execute an industry cooperative marketing program to extend WTC’s reach and to
provide industry partners with effective and affordable paid media opportunities
• Provide WTC industry partner outreach regarding cooperative advertising opportunities and media education
• Determine and report Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)
Creative Development
• Create and deliver brand via paid, owned, and earned channels
o Vehicles include but are not limited to, broadcast/video, digital, print, event, and brand
activations, social media, and out-of-home
• Creative must promote the region’s tourism that supports and aligns with WTC’s Strategic plan
and goals, driving overnight visitation to the destination.
Production
• Execute campaigns that accurately address the region’s product and brand positioning
• Create and inventory photography/video assets
• Maintain timelines and meet deadlines while keeping all appropriate WTC staff informed of
project status
o Assets will be used in all creative execution, public relations, sales, and international
marketing
o Maintain and utilize a detailed Rights Management Program for photography, video, music, and talent
o Develop policies and procedures for industry use
Media Planning and Buying
• Develop annual media calendar and paid search advertising
o Media buying and execution
▪ Negotiation, placement, trafficking, invoice management/reconciliation, budget management,
and daily/weekly updates
▪ Provide schedule to WTC in advance for written approval
▪ Include private-sector cooperative marketing campaigns to support the overall strategy
▪ Pay media costs prior to reimbursement by the WTC
• Implement tracking mechanisms in order to measure KPIs
• Provide ongoing counsel relative to media consumption habits
International Marketing
• In coordination with WTC staff, work with the global travel trade and U.S.-based receptive
operators to promote tourism product
• Represent the region at select trade shows and events
• Develop marketing and sales materials, as well as destination training presentations
Digital
• Develop creative strategy across digital, social, and mobile channels
• Create responsive website designs, connecting users to the brand and advertising
campaigns
• Implement and maximize content management solutions across WTC’s portfolio of websites
• Ensure compliance and accessibility across all WTC websites
• Provide hosting services for all WTC websites
OWNERSHIP OF MATERIAL AND DATA
All artwork, electronic files, data, databases, photography, video, reports, and materials used,
created, or produced during this contract’s duration are the property of the WTC and cannot be
used by the Offeror for any use other than fulfilling the obligations of this contract without the
WTC’s prior written consent.
• Offeror may not sell or share any of the above items
• All WTC property must be turned over to the WTC within ten (10) business days upon completion
or termination of the contract in a format to be determined by the WTC
PROPOSAL PREPARATION AND SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS
Proposed Timetable
Request for Proposals Issued Friday, March 1, 2024
Deadline for Questions Wednesday, March 13, 2024 Amendment 1 Issuance (if applicable)
Monday, March 18, 2024
Proposals Due Wednesday, March 27, 2024
Invitations to Present Friday, April 5, 2024
Presentations Monday, April 15 – Friday, April 19, 2024
Negotiations Monday, April 22 – Tuesday, April 30, 2024
Contract Commencement Monday, July 1, 2024
