'Press Play' marketing campaign encourages tourism in Shreveport-Bossier

The Shreveport-Bossier Convention and Tourist Bureau has launched its “Press Take up in Shreveport-Bossier” marketing campaign to improve tourism after a two-month, shelter-in-place order to combat COVID-19’s adverse influence on the community. 

Because of COVID-19, the Tourist Bureau suffered from a complete of 96 combined canceled events and teams including: 46 canceled meetings and conventions, representing $8.2 million in direct monetary impact; 45 canceled sports, representing $11.1 million in direct economical effect; and five canceled group tours representing $21,675 in direct economical impact.

The new marketing campaign aims to reverse a number of the losses and lure native and regional visitors back again to the sister cities by encouraging “nearcations,” weekend getaways and road trips while also keeping local consumers informed about the status of their favorite businesses.

The “Press Play in Shreveport-Bossier” advertising campaign utilizes a variety of social media, search engine marketing, digital advertising, targeted e-mail marketing campaigns, and more to create hotel bookings. 

Research indicates that individuals are willing to travel now. Almost 60 percent of respondents surveyed recently by Vacation spot Analysts explained that they looked onward to traveling along as a family in the near future. In a study conducted by Skift, 40 percent of respondents explained that their first “post-COVID holiday” would involve vacationing by car within 100 miles of home. 

This month, a fresh pilot program released that promotes reduced travel packages that bundle a hotel stick with fun things you can do and discounts at regional, popular restaurants.

“We recognize that in this slow time our partners want us a lot more to be out front advertising and promoting the vacation spot to increase visitation,” said Stacy Dark brown, president of the Shreveport-Bossier Convention and Tourist Bureau. “We find tourism as an financial driver, and we want to carry out our portion to assist in the recovery of our regional economies.”

To learn more, visit www.Shreveport-Bossier.org and to see types of the campaign creative.