Spartanburg Convention & Visitors Bureau Seeking Marketing Firm

The Spartanburg Convention & Visitors Bureau (CVB) is seeking a firm for a five-year marketing plan for tourism in Spartanburg, South Carolina. The Spartanburg Convention & Visitors Bureau (CVB) is the official destination marketing organization for the City and County of Spartanburg, South Carolina. The CVB was established in 1986 as a division of the Spartanburg Area Chamber of Commerce.  It is charged with promoting greater Spartanburg as a tourism destination.

The CVB is the official point of contact for convention and meeting planners, tournament directors, and visitors.  The CVB staff assists groups with site selection, group accommodations and meeting preparation, provides sports tourism information, and markets the region to travelers in order to increase overnight visitation and spending.

The CVB produces official travel and tourism publications; manages the official tourism website for Spartanburg, and implements a strategic marketing plan to increase awareness of Spartanburg as a vacation and sports tourism destination, and motivate incremental travel to the region.  The CVB also conducts research to measure the impact of travel and tourism on the economy of Spartanburg County.

It operates an official Tourism Information Center at the Spartanburg Area Chamber of Commerce offices at 105. N. Pine Street in Spartanburg.  Additionally, the CVB engages tourism industry  partners   in   sales   and   marketing   programs,   as   well   as   business   development opportunities.

BACKGROUND

Several strategic plans have been conducted since 1986, but the two most recent programs should be used as a foundation for moving forward, based on the scope of the work plans and the engagement of the community in their development:

1. The Spartanburg Convention & Visitors Bureau (CVB) was a convening partner in the development of the first Tourism Action Plan and Feasibility Study, which the CVB has been implementing since 2010.    Copies of that plan may be found online here: http://www.spartanburgcounty.org/documentcenter/view/248
2. The Spartanburg Area Chamber of Commerce recently spearheaded a comprehensive Community and Economic Development Plan, developed by Market Street Services, which will begin implementation in 2017.   Copies of that plan may be found online here: spartanburgplan.com

SCOPE OF WORK

1. Conduct an inventory of all existing tourism, sports tourism and group travel assets in Spartanburg County, and identify opportunities for growth.
2. Review current (since 2014) tourism marketing programs, partnerships and research conducted by the CVB, and recommend opportunities for improvement
3. Review  all  current  funding  sources  for  CVB  marketing  and  sales  programs,  and recommend opportunities to increase revenue.   Include steps on how to accomplish recommendations
4. Survey  pertinent  marketing  plans,  studies  and  documents  that  have  a  bearing  on successful tourism development (regional, state and national), and recommend how Spartanburg can leverage these relationships
5. Coordinate tourism strategies with the Community and Economic Development Plan, and provide a timeline of tactics and activities, recommended partnerships, and budget.

Proposal due by January 26, 2017 to:

Spartanburg County Government
Purchasing Department
Room 1220
Attention: Lisa Coleman, Procurement Director

PR firms in the southwest include Porter Novelli and French-West-Vaughan.