Public Relations Services

The vendor is required to provide to develop a strategy that utilizes public relations tactics to secure earned media in appropriate print, broadcast, and interactive outlets.
- This strategy should not cover advertising, direct marketing, or other forms of direct-to-consumer outreach mechanisms including social campaigns.
- Specifically accomplish phone outreach and pitching, distribute releases and secure coverage by targeted media.
- Media pitching program
• Targeted media pitching, exploiting brand-centric appeal and newsworthy topics.
• Direct effort in select (core and emerging) markets to connect with representative media members and outlets (including, but not limited to, deskside visits);
1. Approximately three markets a year with 9+ direct engagements with qualifying outlets (level a, b, or c);
• Trophy media placement pursuit;
1. Two nationally significant outlets will be agreed upon and targeted for major brand awareness coverage.
• Coordination of media for two to three group FAMS and multiple individual media tours annually;
- Crisis communication
• Create a comprehensive crisis communication plan for the destination to ensure Visit County is prepared for, and responds effectively to, any emerging crisis, specifically natural disasters.
• Act as contingency, out-of-market satellite response team should local activities be significantly limited.
• Public relations crisis contingency support to include messaging, in-market personnel, media relations, and media training for county or local industry staff;
- Expectations and strategy
• Provide competencies and experiences successfully conveying lifestyles including culinary, ecotourism, family, beach, and special events.
• Align efforts with tactical demographic goals currently including:
1. County primary: affluent leisure travelers
○ Household income: $175k+
○ Age: 35 to 74 years of age
1. County subsets:
○ Wealthy retirees, HHI $100k+, ages 65-74
○ Multi-generational adult traveler, HHI $150k+, ages 45-64
○ Luxury family getaways, HHI $100k+, ages 29-44
○ Travel decision influencers spring/summer: families
1. Authentic county primary: leisure travelers in surrounding drive markets
2. Authentic county subsets:
○ Road trip family vacationers
○ Dive/scuba enthusiasts
○ Heritage seekers and bus tour/elderly travelers
○ Gen z adults (ages 18-26) nomadic lifestyle on extended road trips
○ Scope to include successes in niche markets including wedding and group/meeting markets.
○ Compliment official brand activations for maximum public reach and additional media involvement.
○ In-person orientation each year for staff with scope responsibilities.
○ Compose releases and contribute to county department, in-house produced communications and messaging.
○ Support community relations and initiatives through collaborative work and support of tourism department staff.
- Questions/Inquires Deadline: June 23, 2025