On Thursday, January 30th, the South Shore Convention and Visitors Authority (SSCVA) hosted their 2014 Partner Summit at County Line Orchard, giving the tourism organization an opportunity to bring their partners up to date on the organization’s latest accomplishments and programs.
The summit also allowed the SSCVA to turn back the clock a bit, transporting attendees to 1983, the year in which the organization was formed. The start of the summit took a look at the organization’s humble beginnings, which served as a juxtaposition against the forward-thinking, tech-savvy nature showcased in the rest of the presentation.
Speros A. Batistatos, President/CEO of the South Shore CVA, kicked off the day by complimenting his staff. “I’ve had more pleasure than any one man should have being at the helm of this organization.”
He continued, “I have the distinct pleasure of working with the best in our industry. I will put this organization up against any other CVB in this nation - dollar-for-dollar, pound-for-pound. We bring a passion for the industry and for your business that is unmatched by any other in this region, in this state, and by any in this country.”
Batistatos championed the staff’s use of their “A Christmas Story” , and most notably their unveiling of the “Flick” statue at the Indiana Welcome Center, as the kind of out-of-the-box thinking that enabled the organization to garner recent international media attention.
The dedication ceremony saw the story placed on Yahoo and AOL’s home page, with British [media], Canadian [media], and National Public Radio all picking up on the story. “That little $40,000 bronze statue has resulted in us getting $3.7 million in global earned media this year,” he said.
“That story, published all over the world, started with two words: ‘Hammond, Indiana’, and it tells the story of what we’re doing to tell our story to get people into your businesses and help build this region,” he continued.
The SSCVA explained their marketing mix of using social media, press releases and web posts, among many other avenues utilized to get the word out about partner events and activities that draw people to Northwest Indiana.
Nicki Mackowski-Gladstone, VP/Chief Communications Officer, explained the communications side of the South Shore CVA’s work, citing the growth of new relationships that has enabled the organization to improve in getting the word out about what is available to tourists and residents alike in Northwest Indiana. She also encouraged the partner organizations attending to use the CVA more and more.
“That’s where we come in to play,” she explained. “You’ve all built your special events, your attractions, your restaurants, your hotels. It’s our job to help you get the word out. We need you to come to us to share the information so we can help you.”
One of the newest team members of the SSCVA, Tyler Malec, presented on the South Shore CVA’s various social media components. “One thing that is changing that we know is the way our community and our customers are communicating with each other, and that is through social media,” he stated.
Raeann Trakas, Special Events Director for Hobart, Indiana and SSCVA Board Member attended the event and expressed her appreciation for the SSCVA’s ability to get the word out about tourism events in her city, specifically the annual Indy Masters Clock Tower Boat Race.
“I enjoy working on the board because I love working with the staff. The staff is tremendous,” she explained. “They have really helped me out with the social media aspect of it. Their ideas and expertise have helped us move forward.
“Being on the board and seeing what they do with other events, it always keeps me fresh and up to date with new ways to promote our events.”
Rick Flutka’s presentation focused on the organization’s desire to bring non-traditional sporting events to the region, like the American Cornhole Championships set to bring tourism to Northwest Indiana this July. The National Softball Association “B” Series will return to the region again this year as well, bringing an expected 3,600 room-nights to the hospitality industry.
Chief Technology Officer Luke Weinman IV, who threw it back to the 1980’s with Don Johnson-inspired attire, explained the SSCVA’s incredible growth online, especially in the mobile arena, where the organization saw tremendous growth in mobile traffic thanks to its new mobile site.
“You can’t ignore it anymore, the kids are growing up with it, it is what they’re used to, it’s where we’re going,” he said. He went on to explain many of the benefits of the SSCVA’s mobile site and how users are able to access website, phone and location information of SSCVA partners thanks to the new upgrades.
Other presenters during the summit broke down the benefits of partnering with the SSCVA, with help on things from coordinating travel to assistance with promoting events to the South Shore Convention and Visitor Authority’s marketing plan. It is a system that clearly works with partners from many types of industries.
“We take great pleasure working with the South Shore CVA,” explained Scott Gbur, Client Service Executive with the Chicago White Sox. “We truly appreciate their enthusiasm in getting the word out about our special events.” The White Sox have two Northwest Indiana-focused events each year. The first in 2014 will take place on Friday, May 30th at U.S. Cellular Field.
For more information on the programs, opportunities, and efforts of the South Shore Convention and Visitors Authority, visit www.southshorecva.com/.
Click here for more photos of the summit!
