The SDTA team has been working tirelessly with our partners at the state and national level as well as locally to address the COVID-19 challenges, including budget shortfalls, communications efforts and the development of a recovery program. Here is an update:
Immediate Program of Work
- SDTA has canceled all media campaigns for April through June in response to the COVID-19 crisis and its impact on funding.
- SDTA has canceled outbound travel, hosting and event sponsorships at this time.
- SDTA has triggered contract cancelations for all international representation firms until further notice.
- SDTA has shifted its own digital channels and social media communications to be inspirational and supportive in nature.
- SDTA continues to work with editors/journalists on stories whether business or travel related.
- SDTA is actively engaged in communication with group customers on future group business opportunities whether pushing programs back, rebooking or booking new events.
Crisis Communications Program
SDTA’s is keeping our partners and the local hospitality industry informed in the following ways:
- The weekly email “From the Desk of Joe Terzi” has shifted to focus on COVID-19, business conditions and program of work updates.
- SDTA is sharing relevant research on our website for everyone to access instead of just our members on MemberNet so we can to provide relevant, actionable business data to all those who need it.
- SDTA has developed a form so that Members can self-report if their business is still open, if they’ve suspended operations or if they closed so SDTA can collect and share that data with other Members.
- SDTA will hold an All-Member webinar/call-in to provide an update on the COVID-19 conditions and will confirm that date shortly.
- SDTA is setting up Member advisory groups and call-ins based on business categories such as hotels, attractions and services to get feedback and provide guidance through this crisis.
Consumer and Customer Communications
SDTA continues to communicate with consumers and our group customers in the following ways:
- SDTA just launched a social media campaign “We’ll keep San Diego warm for you” with messaging on our own social channels.
- SDTA will be sending out a consumer email with the same messaging along with information about what’s open in San Diego.
- SDTA is developing a User Generated Content campaign #WithLoveSanDiego for Members to share their “good thoughts/photos/stories” on social media to highlight everything that makes San Diego so warm, inviting and special to inspire people to want to visit when the time is right.
- SDTA is working on a customer-focused version of the “We’ll keep San Diego warm for you” with messaging for group customer communication via email and LinkedIn.
Recovery Campaign
SDTA has a draft recovery plan for FY21 that we will be ready to trigger as soon as the market/community is ready. While the timing is fluid, the components and sequence of the plan include:
- Media would with foundational layers of digital, SEM, social with a focus initially on drive markets.
- Media would grow in spending about two months later or as appropriate to include online TV buys in key spot markets and more digital layers to ramp up our reach and frequency.
- New campaigns in 2021 with an emphasis on national digital, spot markets and social.
- All media will be domestic for 2020 except for our Brand USA Canada co-op that was pushed back from now to end of the year.
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