Greater Ft. Lauderdale Works to Change "Wilma' Image in New York Media and Meeting Planner Events
FT LAUDERDALE, FL, October 28, 2005. The Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention & Visitors Bureau responded immediately to image perception following Hurricane Wilma. Nicki E. Grossman, president of the Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention & Visitors Bureau, traveled to New York City to attend several pre-arranged events with media and meeting planners this week.
On Tuesday, the CVB hosted a breakfast for top travel, lifestyle and trade media for an update on Greater Fort Lauderdale's new marketing campaign, repositioning and the destination's exciting new developments. The CVB maximized the opportunity to update the media on the effects of Wilma on Greater Fort Lauderdale's tourism product. M. Silver Associates, the CVB's public relations agency, took advantage of Grossman's availability and also arranged interviews with top media outlets, such as USA Today, New York Times, Wall Street Journal as well as several key meetings and tourism trade publications.
The CVB also hosted its annual meeting planner reception at Tavern on the Green. More than 100 meeting planners attended the reception, which gave Ms. Grossman the chance to update this important audience on the state of the destination, including the latest news on Greater Fort Lauderdale following Hurricane Wilma. Today, the CVB concludes its tour with a luncheon for its top performing meeting planners.
Ms. Grossman, in her comments to the media and meeting planners, addressed the situation in Greater Fort Lauderdale/Broward County, where county officials are working diligently to restore power and begin operating as normal. As one of the destination's senior ranking officials, she was also able to provide status on the airport and cruise port, hotel industry, attractions and fourth quarter events.
A major marketing message for the Convention & Visitors Bureau is the debut in 2006 of several five-star hotels, including the destination's first St. Regis and Florida's first W, the highly anticipated King Tut exhibition from December 15, 2005 through April 23, 2006; new marketing initiatives direct to younger and affluent audiences and the launching of the CVB's "Second Season" campaign to encourage summer business as a prime time to visit.
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