Loading
A group of hotel operators in downtown Tampa, Ybor City and South Tampa have teamed up for a unique marketing effort: The hotels, 15 in all, are creating a destination district, where every property will contribute to a pot for an overall marketing initiative.
Still in the planning stages, the idea is for every hotel to contribute $1.50 a room night, says Jeff Weinthaler, general manager at the Embassy Suites by Hilton Tampa Convention Center. That would give the district at least $1 million that could be used for a variety of marketing and branding efforts, adds Weinthaler, also president of the board of the Hillsborough County Hotel Motel Association. “We are excited,” Weinthaler tells Coffee Talk. “We can't wait to get rocking and rolling on it.”
The idea for the district came out of the association's recent annual meeting, says Weinthaler. A key part of the district, he says, is to have the resources to move quickly on a tourism campaign based on news of the day, such as a deep run in the playoffs from the Tampa Bay Lightning hockey team. Last year, for instance, the organization could have used the funds to run a campaign in the cities of the Lightning's opponents, in Chicago or New York City.
The 15 hotels have agreed to the structure of the program, but some hurdles remain. The association is currently working with Hillsborough County and Tampa officials on a collection process, given this is an additional fee beyond sales and bed taxes. The association is also working with a California firm that specializes in analyzing and setting up the structure and fees of these types of destination districts.
Weinthaler says this kind of destination marketing district setup would be the first in Florida, and he could envision widening it one day to include all of Hillsborough County. “We want to stay ahead of things,” Weinthaler says. “We are very bullish about it.”
Your free article limit has been reached this month.
Subscribe now for unlimited digital access to our award-winning business news.
Join thousands of executives who rely on us for insights spanning Tampa Bay to Naples.
