2014 March Visit Denver

WHAT: RMGA MEETING – Visit Denver 5:30 – 7:30 pm

WHEN: Monday March 10, 2014. The networking 5:30 – 6:00 pm followed by the program at 6:00 – 7:00 pm with a short business meeting 7:00 – 7:15 pm.

WHERE: Visit Denver, 1555 California Street Suite #300, Denver, CO 80202.

PROGRAM: Jayne Buck, Vice President of Tourism for Visit Denver, the Convention & Visitors Bureau, since 1999. She is responsible for all leisure marketing efforts for Metro Denver, including international and consumer marketing, implementing an annual $3 million consumer marketing campaign. She is active in cultural, multicultural and neighborhood tourism initiatives, and also works closely with Denver International Airport, the Colorado Tourism Office and international marketing alliances within the region. Visit Denver was instrument in working with Barbara and me in identifying a hotel to host the recent National Federation of Tourist Guide Associations. RMGA members benefit greatly by being a member of Visit Denver

Visit Denver

Guide Line Review

Visit Denver

We met at the Visit Denver offices on the third floor of the old Denver Dry Goods building at 16th & California. The Visit Denver offices are located at the California Street entrance at 1555 California. We were welcomed at the reception desk and directed to the Board Room. After networking and refreshments, President Larry Foos introduced Jayne Buck, who has been Vice President of Tourism for Visit Denver, the Convention & Visitors Bureau since 1999. The Visitor Center at 16th and California will soon move to a first-floor location next to the 1555 California building entrance. RMGA member Tom Jensen works for Visit Denver.

Jayne is responsible for all leisure marketing efforts for Visit Denver, including international as well as domestic tourism. Visit Denver is the only organization selling all of Denver. Jayne was instrumental in RMGA obtaining exciting venues for the NFTGA conference in January. Jayne began her talk by asking each of us what makes Denver unique. The consensus attributes were the more than 300 days of sunshine each year and the proximity of the mountains.

Trivia: Jayne did comment that she was recently reprimanded by police for honking her horn at a non-moving taxicab. It seems that there is a law in Denver prohibiting horn honking unless there is imminent danger.

Visit Denver employs 60 people and has offices in Chicago and Washington, DC to promote convention and tourist meetings in Denver. There are also Visit Denver Centers at the Convention Center and DIA. Visit Denver also works with the State of Colorado and has many people supporting their efforts. International marketing sites are chosen partly because of airline alliances – such as DIA’s alliance with Lufthansa and BOAC (both are Star Alliance members with United). There are direct flights to Tokyo, Germany and Mexico. These locations have an affinity to come here because of the airline access, travel companies willing to sell Denver (over 380 companies, half of which are in the UK and France, sell Denver internationally). In the summer season, motorcycle and car rentals rise and we have many car rental companies here. Jayne mentioned that she is working on future conventions as far ahead as 2031!!.

Visit Denver is interested in anything that promotes tourism in Denver. They are currently getting information on the taxicab availability in Denver as well as the effect of the recent legalization of marijuana. You can buy marijuana in Denver but it is illegal to smoke it in public. There has been positive press recently about Denver’s craft breweries, our “green” buildings as well as the general high level of fitness of Colorado residents. Visit Denver’s message emphasizes the duality of the availability of nature activities as well as arts and culture.

Visit Denver’s funding comes from the hotel tax and the amount is obviously based on the hotel occupancy rate, i.e., if more people stay in Denver, Visit Denver will have more funds available. The current hotel occupancy rate is about 70%. There are 8,000-9,000 hotel rooms in downtown Denver, approximately 14,000-15,000 hotel rooms in the City and County of Denver and about 42,000 hotel rooms in the Metro area and Boulder (this does not include Colorado Springs).

Visit Denver’s marketing campaign includes Hispanic marketing. Jayne told us that a new website should be up by next week (week of March 17th, 2014) and the app will be available on mobile devices such as your cellphone.

The “Brand Pillars” of the marketing presents Denver as now being a grown-up city but without the big city hassles. They also emphasize the unique things about Denver, such as Red Rocks, Denver Art Museum and interesting venues such as Rockmount Western Wear – home of the original snap closure cowboy shirt.

Jayne impressed upon us as tour guides that we must present our information and facts as a storyteller, not merely a reciter of data. She said when she started as a tour guide, her supervisor told her that she must be able to lead her groups without a script – never read a script as you are giving your tour. Each of us is a marketing ambassador for Denver.

Currently Jayne is developing hotel packages to tie in with the Maya art exhibit at the Denver Art Museum and the Modern Masters exhibit opening soon. She also is working with the Botanic Gardens to develop hotel packages for their Dale Chihuly art exhibit. These packages will include tickets to these events. The Modern Masters exhibit at the DAM will be in both the DAM and the Clyfford Still museums; one ticket will give you access to both exhibits and the tickets do not have to be used on the same day.

Some of the sporting events coming to Denver include the Men’s World Lacrosse Finals in July (amateur), the USA Pro Challenge bicycle race in August, the BMW PGA golf tournament at Cherry Hills Country Club and the appearance of Manchester United (soccer) on July 26th at Mile High Stadium.

There are also hotel packages geared to holiday summer weekends: Memorial Day’s Denver’s Day of Rock at Red Rocks, 4th of July with the Cherry Creek Arts Festival, the USA Pro Challenge in August and The Taste of Colorado over Labor Day weekend.

Local branding programs are also marketed – each has its own website for promotion, all of which can be accessed from Visit Denver’s website. These include:

Denver 365 – is a year-round events calendar. Any event can be listed for free on their calendar.
The $52.80 Mile High Culture Pass – (over 500 sold so far this year) gives access to several museums and attractions in Denver and can be either a three-day or a five-day pass.
Two for 1 tickets – This site has over 12,000 subscribers – and features many events that you can get two tickets for one price. The weekly list is e-mailed to subscribers.

Other places to look for leads for tour guides are Convention Design, Destination Planning Guide and Convention Services – these are “clicks” on the Visit Denver website.