Jack Welch supports events and their business uses.

Although the economic crisis is having a critical impact on tourism and travel, Marriott and its Hawaiian business partners aren’t letting it stop them from one very successful marketing campaign. The campaign, a road tour, dubbed the “Spirit of Aloha” includes Hawaiian travel and tourism executives, 3 dancers & 2 musicians on loan from the Polynesian Cultural Center as well as Maui’s Camile Velasco of American Idol fame.

The group got lots of together time as they moved along middle America on a 45-foot bus. The cost of the campaign was approximately $350,000 with Marriott covering hotel expenses and partner Hawaiian airlines covering flights. Once the team was on the mainland, it was “all bus, all day” as the caucus went from early morning local shows to day-time meetings with travel and tourism promoters bringing Aloha and sunshine at each stop. One of the more colorful venues included a bowl-a-thon with Professional Convention Management Association (PCMA) members. To stir up interest with the consumer side of things, stops along the way included Costco to hand out shell leis.

Originally, the plan included visits along the California coast (where many of Hawaii’s domestic U.S. visitors originate from) including San Diego and San Francisco, but the results were so immediate the tour was extended to a total of 6 1/2 weeks and included stops across the country including Chicago and Washington, D.C.; it wrapped up February 26th.

Along the way, Spirit of Aloha gathered such interest, they started a blog, to keep everyone up to date. The entire program generated much interest in tourism circles.

The result? Marriott Hawaii bookings are up 40%. Maybe travel and tourism will will be the next segment to utilize the power of event marketing.

P.S. The bus is already onto it’s next adventure: a NASCAR driver is using it.

Normally I talk about sponsorships and the power of events, but I have to digress a little bit this week because of the Well’s Fargo Incentive trip debacle that will resonate within ALL aspects of events, INCLUDING marketing events and sponsorships. Now that the spotlight is on, every time there is a sponsorship, a meeting or an event, eyebrows will go up. So, if you think that because you are in the sponsorships arena, not the incentive arena this won’t effect you, guess again.

As a tax payer, I can’t help but be outraged. As a business person, was frustrated to be in the industry being used as a scapegoat for the larger problems for an industry and economic woes. After all, sponsoring and hosting events is an industry too, and it employs a lot of people.

While Well’s Fargo had no choice but to cancel their trip to Las Vegas, I wish they had just been smarter about the entire thing; there are things that they could have done to have a respectable incentive trip without being “over the top.” Besides the fact that “extravaganzas” will be déclassé for sometime to come, it really makes sense to be smarter about this now anyway. But that doesn’t mean that events have to be canceled. They have to be smarter. I know of HUNDREDS of fantastic performers and musicians who put on a fantastic show, that do not charge $500,000 to entertain. I know of THOUSANDS of unique, exciting activities in areas all over the country that charge less than $50 for people to participate in.

This will not kill the event or incentive industry. The power of events, ESPECIALLY B2b events, is undeniable and people are still attracted to them, computers and phones not withstanding, most of us prefer the company of human beings. And yes, once in awhile, we even like to get together with them to “talk shop”. But here’s the deal: there needs to be less James Taylor and more Boogie Knights. There needs to be less Dom and more Vueve. You understand what I am saying here?

Here’s a simple suggestion for all those organizations who would like to host incentive opportunities: have them around an industry tradeshow which you sponsor. Hosting clients and company leaders together has innate benefits, and throw in a little education, some inter-industry networking and you have a recipe for business success. Utilize your sponsorships to get more attendees and less signage. Furthermore, work with the tradeshow (who undoubtably has already negotiated favorable rates at area hotels) to obtain a really nice block of rooms for your VIPS. This is a win-win situation for everyone. The trade-shows will be happy to have movers and shakers at their events, and will happily work with you to bring a block of 100’s people from your company to their event. Sponsor events in conjunction with the tradeshow (can anyone say co-host with other sponsors?!) and then extend your stay a couple of days to do the “blow steam, fun activities” that are inherent in incentive trips. Don’t want to host your incentive trip around a work tradeshow? Ok – here is another idea – review your current sponsorship for hospitality opportunities and wrap some fun, incentive activities around things you are already sponsoring.

Make your marketing dollars communicate with your incentive dollars. Make your employee enhancement communicate with your incentive dollars and marketing dollars.

By all means, save some money, but don’t stop engaging with one another with the most effective tool out there, that’s insane.

While we are all at it, let’s start reaching out to our clients with new ways to do these things. Let’s get smart. Together.

I heard today that the event industry is starting to organize, what is exactly afoot I can’t say now. When it becomes official, I’ll let you know about that too.

Hawaii isn’t the only location in the country to be experiencing a decline in tourism, but relative to other locations (even other hot-spots) the importance of tourism to our economy is a bigger piece of the pie. The state and the tourism entities are certainly working hard to ensure that new markets are opened and that Hawaii remains a destination of choice.

Sponsorship and events are playing a key role in destination marketing for other locations and it would be quite easy for Hawaii to do the same. For example, I just read about a tour that the State of Texas is doing throughout the summer to various festivals and events in the Midwest. The mobile tour features interactive games which feature Texas are more than just a dusty, cowboy centric place (i.e. guessing whether various photos were taken in “Texas or Not?”) and a video kayaking tour. Visitors are treated to a complimentary CD of Texas Musicians upon departure through the tour. In addition to taking the tour to 15 locations (mostly Fairs and Festivals), Texas is buying sponsorships to ensure inclusion in advertising and awareness beyond festival attendees. If Texas can change its dusty image, certainly Hawaii can attract new markets.

Imagine how easy Hawaii would be to sell with an similar interactive program throughout Asia and the western US? When people can feel as though they “know” Hawaii, what’s not to love?

On another note: about a month ago, there was an article in PBN about how the PGA has removed golf tournaments from the Hawaiian islands, while still taking the promotional dollars provided to them by the HTA to support such events. HTA was clearly frustrated by the lack of results, and their confidence in the PGA was shaken. When I read the article, I wondered to myself what the real problem was. After all, golf as a sport has changed but it is hardly hurting (I think major league hockey is the big major sport bummer) and how is it that the PGA can support events in smaller, less impressive markets, but not Hawaii? Automatically, everyone says “cost of getting here” but I don’t buy it – there are majors tournaments all over the world. Something seemed amiss, and I thought that it was the opportunities that the PGA provides its corporate partners that was at the heart of the problem.

Compare the PBN article (Aug. 08):

“I’m a little concerned about the PGA’s ability to secure title sponsors, and I am concerned about the overall field that they get out here to Hawaii,” said David Uchiyama, HTA’s marketing director. “You don’t see a Tiger Woods or a Phil Mickelson.”

to this:

“North American-based companies will spend an estimated $1.36 billion to sponsor pro and amateur golf tournaments, sanctioning bodies and related events in ’08, up nine percent from $1.25 billion in ’07. “ – IEG Sept. 08

Furthermore, the significant growth in golf partnerships is due to increased sponsorship opportunities that are more “robust” and come from golf associations other than the PGA including the USGA. Perhaps the PGA has gotten so comfortable that it is no longer being creative in its partnership presentations and opportunities. (Boy, if THAT isn’t a lesson learned for properties).

Granted the HTA has to be selective and smart about where it spends its budget, particularly in these times, but the HTA is right to request that its funds be returned. Perhaps they could send that budget on a program with the USGA or a marketing program that puts Hawaii into the hands of potential visitors, such as a mobile event-marketing program.