New Missouri tourism marketing campaign launches

The Missouri Division of Tourism is introducing a new “tour guide” it thinks will aid tourists answer inquiries as they make holiday options for the coming year in the Clearly show-Me Point out.

This spring, the division will introduce Mo – a character and tour guide of sorts — to guide people with discovering their “travel M-O,” the sorts of pursuits and points of interest they are trying to find.

Mo will be featured in magazines, on Tv set and on the web, giving information about out of doors experience, family members enjoyment, meals and drink, heritage, artwork, songs and much more. She’ll also look on VisitMO.com and social media.

“Mo embodies Missouri and almost everything we have to offer you site visitors in our condition,” explained Stephen Foutes, director of the Division of Tourism. “When you are hunting for destinations that healthy your journey M-O, Mo will be there to enable.”

Foutes claimed the comments they ended up getting from folks as they have been putting the marketing campaign jointly was that they preferred a marketing campaign that was “down to earth.”

“They said we didn’t require a superstar with Missouri roots to notify them what the state experienced to offer you,” Foutes reported. He pointed out the campaign is aimed at females, 25-54, who are usually the most important planners of vacations in a lot of residences.

“There were zero negative reactions to the notion offered to target groups in four towns and states,” Foutes ongoing. “It was claimed about the That’s My M-O principle, ‘It helps make Missouri much more relatable and intriguing. It brings character to a state that isn’t identified for boasting about by itself and is not a condition men and women know a whole lot about.”

Mo will endorse destinations based mostly on travelers’ pursuits, which include destinations to appreciate Missouri’s rivers and lakes check out the past at museums and historic internet sites take a look at topic parks, aquariums, and zoos and sample award-successful wine and entire world-famous barbecue.

“Our main viewers will be the 8 states that encompass the condition,” Foutes extra. “We have been getting a lot more interest from individuals in Texas as perfectly, and we hope that carries on.”

Guests are invited to share their activities in Missouri with the hashtag #ThatsMyMO or by tagging @VisitMO on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter.

Vacationers can master much more about Mo and get a 2021 Formal Missouri Vacation Guideline at VisitMO.com.

Tourism is a person of Missouri’s greatest industries. In fiscal calendar year 2019, tourism officials reported Missouri experienced 42.9 million site visitors. (The condition defines site visitors as men and women who journey from out of condition or at minimum 50 miles in-condition). Missouri’s tourism sector employs a lot more than 300,000 individuals — one particular in 12 Missouri inhabitants — and holidaymakers devote somewhere around $17.7 billion annually.

The COVID-19 pandemic led to serious losses for lodges, points of interest and eating places. Condition officials estimate Missouri lost $2.16 billion in tourism paying in March 2020 by way of May perhaps 2020, the to start with 3 months of the pandemic. Foutes mentioned primarily based on data presented by Tourism Economics, a countrywide organization that is effective with various states and the U.S. Journey Affiliation, Missouri shed about $6.6 billion in visitor shelling out throughout calendar 12 months 2020.

In July, Gov. Mike Parson introduced the Place Marketing and advertising Corporation Grant Software. Via this method, $15 million in federal COVID-19 relief cash was selected for place advertising and marketing businesses (DMOs), entities that advertise Missouri as a area to check out. The tourism division administered the money to grant eligible DMOs funding for recovery endeavours these types of as payroll relief, reimbursement for necessary protection tools, and the initiation of advertising campaigns with messaging targeted on risk-free travel.

As COVID-19 cases have diminished, and vaccine distribution has improved, tourism officials are feeling additional confident about the sector viewing some constructive figures in 2021.

Foutes explained investigation produced Monday by Location Analysts, which a single year back commenced fielding a weekly traveler sentiment study, discovered:

• This 7 days, 41.5 % of respondents are firmly self-confident they can vacation securely in the recent ecosystem, up nearly 5 p.c due to the fact the 7 days prior, and 17 share points since Jan. 3.

• More than 70 per cent of American vacationers dreamed of or prepared vacation in the earlier week, and these steps appear to significantly be turning into outings. The average range of leisure visits Americans are reporting they will consider in 2021 was three. Dates commencing in June and past appear to be to be the months most people today are tentatively scheduling for their journeys.

• Other investigate is supportive of this craze: Longwoods International began a bi-weekly traveler sentiment survey a 12 months ago and advised past week: “Eighty-four per cent of American tourists report that they approach to travel within just the upcoming 6 months (up from 65 p.c in mid-January, and the 3rd report in a row with that figure at around 80 %).”

“Along with the Which is My M-O marketing campaign, Take a look at Missouri is sharing pursuits that can be loved though practising social distancing and staying protected,” Foutes included. “Our website has a travel-update site (visitmo.com/vacation-updates) where by guests find links to local community overall health orders and CDC steering to assistance assure safer vacation techniques.”