Destination Visioning and Strategic Planning Presentation Pinellas County Tourism

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Destination Visioning and Strategic Planning
PresentationPinellas County Tourism

• Tuesday, September 12, 2000
• Pinellas County Board of County Commissioners

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Presentation Outline

• 1. Overview of study results to date(methodology
  employed, main findings and conclusions on
  destination visioning and industry planning)
• 2. Study outcomes(new directions, and actions
  required to finalize destination visioning
  process)
• 3. Discussion(questions and responses)

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Overview of Study Results to Date
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Process Undertaken in the Development of the
Pinellas County Destination Vision

• 12 visioning sessions with some 300 participants,
  chaired by Commissioner Parks, were held in five
  representative areas of the county during April
  to June 2000
• Workshop discussions focused on current/future
  community values and guidelines, key tourism
  strengths, and destination imagery and
  positioning
• Most attention was devoted to identifying and
  deliberating on the primary elements of a tourism
  destination vision of Pinellas County in 2010

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Process Undertaken in the Development of the
Pinellas County Destination Vision

• Specifically many distinct comments were offered
  on the following components of the destination
  vision as it pertains to the practice of
  destination management

of Responses
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Process Undertaken in the Development of the
Pinellas County Destination Vision

• An electronic survey to session participants was
  also initiated during late July to gather further
  feedback on personal visions of tourism in
  Pinellas County plus views on vision barriers,
  critical factors for success, and initial
  destination strategic goal setting
• In addition, visitor focus group discussions,
  moderated by Research Data Services, were held
  from March to June 2000 to acquire directly from
  tourists in Pinellas County their opinions and
  views on visitor product experience
• Given the above, various preliminary versions of
  a Pinellas County destination vision were
  formulated, along with six associated
  experiential area themes, and a proposed CVB
  vision statement, which were presented and
  discussed at a mid-August visioning participant
  follow-up session.

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Summary of Destination Values and Guiding
Principles
Common Beliefs and Guidelines

• Approachable, outgoing and friendly residents
• Family-oriented communities
• Affordable and good value for money experience
• Relaxed and casual atmosphere
• Solid diversity of attractions and activities

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Summary of Destination Values and Guiding
Principles
Common Beliefs and Guidelines

• Excellent weathereveryday sunshine, and
  spectacular sunsets
• Clean, safe and secure place
• Progressive, stable governments
• Good awareness of community heritage, arts and
  culture
• Good quality beach experience

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Summary of Destination Values and Guiding
Principles
Common Beliefs and Guidelines

• High environmental consciousness
• Southern charm
• Excellent mix of recreation/cultural and
  sports-oriented attractions/events (family,
  amateur, and professional)
• Sense of local community pride

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Conclusions on Pinellas County Destination Values
and Guiding Principles

• 1. High quality lifestyle(family, work and play
  within a community atmosphere)
• 2. Strong sports, arts and cultural
  inheritance(volunteer-based, family-oriented and
  children-friendly)
• 3. Beach community and environmental
  focus(unique seaside, small towns, resort cities
  in unison with nature pursuits)

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Proposed Pinellas County Destination Vision
Statement
In 2010 Pinellas County is the premier beach
resort destination in the world. With twenty-four
distinctively-themed communities on Floridas
Gulf of Mexico, the county is recognized for its
varied, affordable and relaxing visitor
experiences. Richly blessed with a complement of
year-round attractions, events and entertainment
venues for visitors and residents alike, the
county prides itself in sharing a unique blend of
arts and cultural activities, sports and outdoor
recreation, history and heritage, and parks and
ecotourism pursuits all within an urbanized
setting.
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Proposed Pinellas County Destination Vision
Statement Contd
Increasing international visitors and strong
repeat patronage of US visitors on family
vacations, special interest trips and meetings
business are apparent. The high brand awareness
of Floridas Beach and the completion of an
innovative intermodal public transit system,
including the expansion of the St. Petersburg/
Clearwater airport as an international charter
hub, the redevelopment of the St. Petersburg
cruise port and Clearwater seaport, and the
designation of high-volume, aesthetic travel
corridors have yielded excellent accessibility
and visitor praise.
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Proposed Pinellas County Destination Vision
Statement Contd
Renowned for its county-wide Pinellas Trail,
award-winning beaches, internationally recognized
cultural museums, sports, attractions and
recreation, and its high quality lifestyle, the
citizens of Pinellas County celebrate their
inheritance and future prosperity by
understanding and encouraging tourism.
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Suggested Visitor Experiential Area Vision
Statements
In 2010
Spectacular Gulf Beaches

• Gulf Beaches is the epitome of the Floridas
  Beach experience with its thematic seaside
  communities and barrier islands, spectacular
  beach parks and sunsets, diversity of quality
  beach and ecotourist recreations, and modern
  hospitality venues and resort lodgings.

Aquatic Clearwater
Clearwater as the seaport city is the gulf hub of
boating and sailing, entertainment, shopping and
baseball spring training for the Floridas Beach
experience.
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Suggested Visitor Experiential Area Vision
Statements
In 2010
Cultural St. Petersburg
St. Petersburg as the multicultural and bayside
cruise city for the Floridas Beach experience is
the prominent center of festivals, events and
facilities focused on internationally recognized
arts, cultural and nature museums, various
professional sports teams and convention travel.
Historic Old Pinellas

• Old Pinellas is the best of Floridas Beach
  vacation past with charming, themed seaside
  villages with boutique shopping, the expanded,
  recreationally active Pinellas Trail and Brooker
  Ecotourist Preserve.

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Suggested Visitor Experiential Area Vision
Statements
In 2010
Traditional Tarpon Springs

• Tarpon Springs is renowned for the unique
  Floridas Beach lifestyle centered on its sponge
  docks and vibrant Greek heritage all within a
  colorful, integrated town setting.

Convenient Pinellas Gateway
Pinellas Gateway is the prime entry point to the
Floridas Beach experience accented by its
leading-edge business park communities and the
expanded St. Petersburg/Clearwater international
charter airport.
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Pinellas County Destination VisionCriteria to
Measure Vision Attainment
Standard Measurement 1. High Visitor
Satisfaction Above 90 survey rating on visitor
reception and industry education/training
investment 2. Strong Resident Acceptance Above
85 survey rating on resident attitudes and
opinions 3. Top Award-Winning Beaches Beach
quality surveys and international program
recognition 4. Easy Accessibility Intermodal
public transit options and designated visitor
corridors 5. Sustainable Visitor
Counts Minimal seasonality
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Pinellas County Destination VisionCriteria to
Measure Vision Attainment
Standard Measurement 6. Experience
Affordability Above 90 survey rating on
visitor value for money 7. Attraction
Maintenance Numbers, scope and quality of and
New Development product/service activities
rating 8. Support of Local Government Visitor-fr
iendly policies and CVB product/marketing
investment program 9. Adequacy of Marketing
Funding Lodging tax volume and annual
increases 10. Integrated Destination
Plan On-going strategic visitor marketing and
product development research and planning
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Proposed St. Petersburg/Clearwater Area CVB
Vision Statement
The St. Petersburg/Clearwater Area Convention
Visitors Bureau (SP/CCVB) is the recognized
leader of an integrated and influential tourism
destination team representing twenty-four
communities and adjacent areas in Pinellas
County. The SP/CCVB has a high level of community
awareness and strong partnerships with business,
government and resident constituencies in its
role as destination marketer and manager.
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Challenges to the Realization of the Pinellas
County Destination Vision

• 1. Becoming a winning destination
  team(partnerships among county/community
  governments, tourism authorities and industry,
  and residents)
• 2. Initiating and completing an innovative
  intermodal public transit system(all modes of
  travel and designated high-volume, aesthetic,
  signage-friendly road corridors)
• 3. Providing quality tourism/hospitality
  education and training(service industry hosting
  and resident awareness)

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Challenges to the Realization of the Pinellas
County Destination Vision

• 4. Ensuring adequate financial resources for
  marketing to priority persuadable visitor
  segments(leisure special interest and convention
  business groups)
• 5. Enhancing and upgrading the destination
  product mix(accommodation, food service, retail
  and entertainment facilities, services and
  events)
• 6. Growing sustainable tourism(maintenance of
  unique experiences and conservation/preservation
  mindset)

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Critical Factors for Pinellas County Successful
Destination Vision Development

• 1. Higher profile of visitor industry
  importance(understanding of tourism by local
  residents and lifestyle implications)
• 2. A need for a fully endorsed destination
  plan(research-based, well-funded and consensus
  driven on marketing and product development
  initiatives)
• 3. Further development of co-op/partnership
  marketing programs(CVB with industry sectors and
  communities)

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Critical Factors for Pinellas County Successful
Destination Vision Development

• 4. Greater emphasis on technology application to
  visitor communications(electronic external
  marketing and local visitor servicing)
• 5. Consistent product development/redevelopment
  investment guidelines(infrastructure/superstructu
  re zoning, uniform themed signage, building
  codes, right-of-way/easements, and related
  ordinances)
• 6. Proper positioning of Floridas Beach
  experiences(on-going CVB and community
  understanding and agreement)

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Destination Planning In Progress
S T R A T E G I C
Destination Vision(values and guidelines)
CVB Vision
10 years
CVB M I S S I O N
Destination Management Goals
310 years
T A C T I C A L
Situation Analysis(challenges and CSFs)
Strategy
Positioning
Destination Plan
Destination Management Objectives
12 years
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Study Outcomes
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Recommended Initiatives for the Successful
Development of Pinellas County Tourism

• 1. The Pinellas County Board of County
  Commissioners and the Tourism Development Council
  to approve the adoption of the industry prepared
  destination and CVB vision statements.
• 2. The Pinellas County Board of County
  Commissioners establish a 2010 Tourism Vision
  Task Force, under the direction of Commissioner
  Parks, to advise and assist in the implementation
  of the activities required to achieve the
  destination vision, in conjunction with the St.
  Petersburg/Clearwater Area CVB and TDC.

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Recommended Initiatives for the Successful
Development of Pinellas County Tourism

• 3. Given the receipt of the Destination Visioning
  and Strategic Planning final report documenting
  all findings, conclusions and recommendations,
  the St. Petersburg/Clearwater Area CVB to prepare
  an integrated Strategic Destination Plan,
  including marketing and product development
  components for implementation over the period of
  20012004.

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Recommended Initiatives for the Successful
Development of Pinellas County Tourism

• 4. Recognizing the importance of tourism to the
  countys economy, the newly constituted Pinellas
  County Board of County Commissioners in early
  2001, consider the introduction of a one-day
  Board orientation forum on the State of the
  Tourism Industry in Pinellas County with
  discussions and positions presented on past
  accomplishments, the last two years of
  destination planning activities, new challenges
  and future destination opportunities.

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Destination Visioning and Strategic Planning
Presentation Pinellas County Tourism Discussion
Questions and Responses