BMTC19: Understanding the Beer Traveler

Beer Tourism: Understanding the Beer Traveler – Barry Hansen (City Brew Tours), Hal Mooney (LA Beer Hop), Ashley Rose Salvitti (Brewvana): When you consider all the tools and best practices being discussed at BMTCon, what’s next? How do you capture the hearts (and dollars) of these travelers and exceed expectations after you’ve piqued their interest? This panel led by the CBTOA will explore the many benefits of beer tourism and tactics used to execute local brewery tours for domestic and international travelers. You’ll also learn how best to work with DMOs and other travel partners to maximize the long-term value of beer travel to your organization or city.

Transcript

2. Understanding the Beer Traveler (and their value)
3. Who Are We? Ashley Rose Salvitti Chair CBTOA, BREWVANA Barry Hansen Communications Director CBTOA, City Brew Tours Hal Mooney Treasurer CBTOA, LA Beer Hop Taylor Williamson Boise Convention & Visitors Bureau
4. What is the CBTOA? The CBTOA is a 501(c)(6) non-profit organized to support craft beverage tour operators and grow their business opportunities by building bridges between its members and the craft beverage, tourism and allied communities around the world.
5. + + + + +
7. Tour Operators help to bridge the gap between the beer and tourism industries and create opportunities for both sides to engage the beer traveler. Beer + Tourism Tourism + Refers to an industry + Fixed geographically + Relatively local + Relies on the Traveler + Economic as an institution Beer Traveler + Refers to a person/group + Requires connection + Mobile, Fleeting + Sharing + Economic as a contribution
8. Why is Beer Important to Tourism? - People are traveling more and more primarily FOR beer - Breweries can host large tourism related events - Beer events and festivals have a huge economic impact - Breweries lead urban development and drive revitalization of neighborhoods
9. Why is Beer Important to the Traveler? - Travelers like craft beverages and want to visit new locations - Travelers value unique local experiences & connections - Visiting breweries is a way to discover the city - Visiting breweries is a way to support local small business - Beer Tourism is applicable to visitors and locals
10. Ways to Include Beer in Travel - Beer itineraries - Ale trails, maps & guides - Beer-centric culinary experiences - Unguided tours (pedal pub, pub crawls) - Guided tours (bus, walking, bike) - Beer related events: ◦ Beer festivals ◦ Craft beer week/month ◦ Conferences in town (BMTC) - Multi-day beercations - Beer themed hospitality accommodations
12. Why is Tourism Important to Beer? - - - - - - - - - -
13. What is a DMO? Destination Marketing Organization (Boise) - develop long term strategies to promote their destination. A gateway to a destination, enhance the visitor experience. Creating itineraries that showcase the region.
14. Boise’s Experience with Beer Tourism - What is Boise’s strategy for creating interest in your city? - How does Beer Tourism play into that?
15. Let’s Discuss - What are the key attributes and benefits your DMO is trying to market? - How can you align yourself with their strategy? - How do you communicate with your DMO? - It takes time to develop a relationship - they need to know you’re reliable
16. Reliability, Sustainability & Credibility As a company, you need to prove that you are all of the above in order to build relationships and be successful in partnerships. - Know what your expertise is - Tour Operators provide an experience - DMOs highlight the best of the city - Partner with a company that has a good reputation. - Prove sustainability (longevity) by thinking ahead of the curve - What’s next and new? - It’s not about the quick wins, consider the long term value..
17. Who is the Beer Traveler? 2018 Statistics for US Craft Beer Drinkers - 40% of the Drinking Population - 31.5% female and 68.5% male - Variety of Interest Levels ◦ Entry-Level, Amateur, Pro - Variety of Interests ◦ Cultural, Recreation, Social - Variety of Loyalties ◦ Brand, Place, Product - Spend more money (around $1000 more per trip) - High DUCP - Desire for Unique Consumer Products
18. Domestic vs International Travelers Domestic - Shorter duration, in tune with american culture - Less education, more DIY - Convenience - Weekends - With friends/family International - Planned well in advance - Longer duration - they love guided adventures, lots of information and, a variety of options - Want a local to help them to relate to the destination - an overall experience - Want insider view (local feeling/language) - Weekday events - With Family
19. How to Market to Them? Domestic - Traditional Marketing - Newsletters - Fam trips - Social media campaign (“Give us 48” a great weekend spot) International - Travel trade industry - Book out of catalogs and booking websites - Let the tour operators know the products - Work with the state to help to market the destination through tradeshows and conventions - International press, online publication
20. Deliver an Amazing Guest Experience! WHAT? Meet their needs - know what they want and provide it. HOW? Partner with a tour operator to help deliver. WHEN? Every single time. Your product needs to be consistent and reliable. WHY? Because they will connect, share and return
21. Tips & Tricks to Provide an Amazing Guest Experience - Knowledgeable and service oriented staff/tour guides - Make the content edutaining (educational and entertaining!) - Keep groups an intimate size, or break into smaller groups - Someone passionate to share their story and brand story (beer tastes better with context) - Maximize photo ops, brand recognition and sharing: - Paintings on the walls, glassware with logos, picture perfect scenery, #socialcontets, ask to be their photographer - Provide exclusive tasting experiences and behind the scenes access - Such as barrel aged tastes, off the fermenter, peek in the lab - Offer special discounts for retail/to go purchases to incentivize sales - Educate hotels on what’s going on and have the resources - maps
22. How to Find a Good Partner - Experience it yourself - Have a conversation and ask the right questions? - Who is their clientele? - How do they handle tricky situations - How do they help promote/support your establishment - Examine website and social media. How new is content? - Read reviews - TripAdvisor, Yelp. - Ask for referrals, ask your peers. - Look for credentials - Are they members of the BA, CBTOA, State Brewers Guild?
23. What Does the CBTOA Seal Mean? - The CBTOA seal of approval means that tour operators have met a set of specific requirements in running their operations so that all interested parties can be confident in their safety, reliability and credibility. - d credibility. s - maps ble.