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Visit Winston-Salem has rolled out the latest in a long line of marketing campaigns, hoping the timing is right to appeal to tourists, conventions and sports groups that are cautiously inching forward in the shadow of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The tourism agency released last week Winston-Salem s Got You Covered, which blends a montage of local destination and hotel settings with a message emphasizing heightened safety measures to reassure travelers and guests.
The campaign is aimed at state, regional and national meeting planners, along with more than 450 meeting and convention clients.
Meeting and convention bookings account for more than 30% of the Forsyth County hotel occupancy, a key portion of the taxes those hotel room stays generate.
PHOTO:
Marten Bjork
The pandemic hit the hotel industry hard in 2020 as people cut back or entirely eliminated travel plans and huge profit generators like trade shows and conferences fizzled out.
The American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA) predicts that 56% of consumers will return to traveling this year, but expects business customers to hold off longer, leaving half of hotel rooms unfilled.
Some hotels are taking proactive steps in response to lure customers back and bolster occupancy levels.
Capitalizing on Royal Connections
One example is the Drake Hotel in Chicago, which has hosted the rich and famous over the years, including Princess Diana in her only visit to the city. The hotel is currently offering 100 days of $100 rooms as well as a contest for those who wish to spend a night in the Princess Diana Suite.
The full-service hotel brings multiple food and beverage outlets, a spa experience, rooftop pool deck, event space and more.
Today, Omni Hotels & Resorts celebrates the grand opening of the highly anticipated Omni Oklahoma City Hotel, a 605-guest room convention center hotel in the heart of Oklahoma City.