Daytona Beach CVB to host listening sessions with residents on tourism issues

DAYTONA BEACH — A window into the tourism marketing process will be opened for area residents this fall when the Daytona Beach Area Convention & Visitors Bureau hosts a trio of monthly community listening sessions that launch later this month.

The first of the three sessions will be held at 9:30 a.m. Sept. 27 at the CVB’s offices at 126 East Orange Ave. in Daytona Beach. Additional listening sessions are slated for Oct. 25 and Nov. 22, also at the CVB.

The goal of the sessions is to share information with area residents about how the CVB markets the destination and the importance of the tourism industry, said Lori Campbell Baker, CVB executive director.

Residents are encouraged to provide their input and learn how they become involved in the process, she said. Each session also will include input from local opinion leaders, CVB employees and tourism partners, she said.

“These sessions are a way to bring interested locals into one room, give them an idea of what we do and how we do it, and really engage them in telling us their favorite parts of this destination that we all love,” Baker said. “I think we learn a lot every time we speak to a group, and we look forward to learning even more.”

Because the meetings will be held in the CVB’s upstairs conference room, each session will be limited to roughly 20 attendees, Baker said.

Those interested in attending should RSVP no later than Sept. 23 by email to info@daytonabeach.com or by calling (386) 255-0415, extension 110. Those unable to attend are encouraged to email input directly to Baker at lcb@daytonabeach.com or call (386) 255-0415, extension 120.

Sessions unfold amid strong Daytona tourism growth

The listening sessions unfold at a time when the Daytona Beach area is basking in a period of more than 15 months of record-setting tourism bed-tax collections that began as the nation’s travel industry emerged with unprecedented demand from the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

There also has been a surge of investment in higher-end beachside hotel properties in recent years, including the Hard Rock Hotel, the Protogroup-owned Daytona Grande and the newly opened Max Beach Resort in Daytona Beach Shores.

A look inside: A preview of Max Beach Resort in Daytona Beach Shores by Libby Gallant, general manager

In October, the CVB will debut a new tourism marketing campaign, "Beach On," created by the Tallahassee-based Zimmerman Agency. That’s the firm recently signed to a three-year contract to handle destination marketing by the Halifax Area Advertising Authority, the county-appointed board that oversees and funds the Daytona Beach Area CVB.

In case you missed it: Daytona Beach has a new tourism slogan. Here's what replaces 'Wide. Open. Fun.'

Rave reviews: A preview of Max Beach Resort in Daytona Beach Shores by Libby Gallant, general manager

It’s the destination’s first new marketing concept since “Wide.Open.Fun.” was launched in 2018 by The Brandon Agency, the Myrtle Beach, S.C.-based company that is the CVB’s current marketing firm until its contract expires on Sept. 30. The campaign drew considerable criticism from area residents at the time.

From 2018: Daytona Beach will beckon tourists with 'Wide. Open. Fun.'

The prospect of the community listening sessions was welcomed by Anne Ruby, a Daytona Beach Shores resident who has been active for many years in community organizations and issues.

“Any time they ask for community input is great,” Ruby said. “The key is they have to make people feel like they are really listening to what they say. There are already numerous community neighborhood meetings where they could come during a month, but it’s great that they are reaching out.”

This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: Daytona Beach CVB to host 1st of 3 tourism listening sessions on Sept. 27