< PreviousCASCADE LOOP SCENIC BYWAY 4. Sustainable Destination Development 110 Time with family & friends Escape every day life Relax & rejuvenate Dining out priority Guided sight- seeing tours Museums Book lodging in advance Book activities as they go More comfortable meeting new people as part of vacation plans Looking to unplug Likely to share experiences on social media Start trips with a flight Add-on cruises Boomers & Gen X Adventure Culinary tours Educational & “giving back” tours Adrenaline Book lodging and activities in advance Less comfortable meeting new people as part of vacation plans Want connectivity Likely to share experiences on social media Experience focus Sustainability Millennials & Gen Z Take more frequent, shorter trips Sample areas within the state Looking for access within 3 hours of home Weekend warriors Likely to cancel reservations due to seasonal and/or cyclical weather and natural events Improvisational planning Outdoor experiences In-State Booking in 5-14 day increments Combine family visit with vacation Extend business trips Seeking new National Parks Combine with city break Combine with cruise 3-6 month planning window Outdoor experiences (aspirational) Booking in 2-14 day increments Combine family visit with vacation Extend business trips Seeking new National Parks Combine with city break 1-6 month planning window High exchange-rate sensitivity Value-based travelers North-south travel habit International-Canadian Consumer/Traveler Segments Long-Haul Domestic Booking in 10-30 day increments Extend business trips Seeking new National Parks Combine with city break Combine with cruise 6 month-1 year planning window Unlikely to cancel due to weather, natural phenomenon Combine multiple National Parks Combine multiple states in itinerary Combine more than one country in itinerary--2 nation vacations common International-EU4. Sustainable Destination Development CORRIDOR MANAGEMENT PLAN 111 The Seattle market is a key market for the Cascade Loop but it is a secondary market to long-haul domestic travelers (out-of-state domestic) for the following reasons: Most Seattle travelers, if they do the Cascade Loop in its entirety, will need to do so likely on a weekend with one room night (most folks are not going to want to travel I-5 freeway rush hour traffic after a full work week so will start on Saturday morning). With only one likely room night to be had, the majority of Cascade Loop travelers from this market would look at a map and seek out a half way point from Seattle. This would bode well for the community that receives those single-night Seattleite visitors, but it would be very little economic impact to the rest of the Loop. Long-haul domestic is the primary target market for the Cascade Loop for the following reason: Because they are traveling from further away, they often spend more days and more money in each region of the Loop that they visit. Long-haul foreign represents a very small but important third-tier market for the following reasons: Because they are traveling from further away, they often spend more days and more money in each region of the Loop that they visit. Because they plan so far in advance, they tend not to cancel due to weather, etc. Because they plan so far in advance, they tend to travel during our non-peak season. Only one major effort per year will be held to reach this market. In the past we focused on the U.K. market via attendance at World Travel Market. In Spring, 2020 we will join the Visit Seattle team on their European Sales Mission linking to German and British traveling markets through direct sales endeavors. The byway is an important part of local residents’ lives, just as they are important to the experience of the byway. Local residents are the most knowledgeable about the cultural and historical stories of their regions. The best approach is to involve local communities and residents in taking on responsibilities to promote and enhance the byway and improve visitor experience. For instance, local residents can be engaged to provide historical tours in byway towns, educating visitors on the importance of the local history. Residents can also help lead nature hikes, educating visitors on the importance of protecting valuable resources. Residents who live and work along the Cascade Loop can become some of its most valuable stewards, conveying important messages about preservation and protection of natural resources to visitors. They should be encouraged to become stewards just as much as visitors. Additionally, ongoing byway programs and projects should encourage residents to preserve and enhance the qualities that make the Cascade Loop special not only for visitors, but for themselves too. Cascade Loop Resident Stakeholders Key Audience & Stewards Primary & Secondary Target Markets Travelers viewing salmon at the Rocky Reach Dam Discovery Center, WenatcheeCASCADE LOOP SCENIC BYWAY 4. Sustainable Destination Development 112 The Cascade Loop helps inform and educate prospective travelers by providing a richly populated website with highly detailed information. Viewers can research their trip in advance, build custom itineraries and create travel plans that ensure that “all bases are covered.” The website is responsively built so that regardless of whether a viewers is researching on their desktop computer at lunch, their tablet at home on the sofa or on their smartphone as a co-pilot while their travel partner mans the steering wheel, cascadeloop.com prepares and guides guests effectively and efficiently. While most travel information is provided in English, the Cascade Loop Foundation is in the process of adding translated materials throughout the site. Our first multi-lingual itinerary (in German) can be found at https://www.cascadeloop.com/der-ultimative-roadtrip-an-der-westkuste- der-usa. Additional multi-lingual additions will be made throughout the upcoming year including Website Visitation Data translation in Spanish. Until that time, viewers are able to translate the site using Google Translate. Cascadeloop.com has seen unprecedented growth for the organization in the past year since launching a new website design in the summer of 2019 and because of the new increased focus on visual asset content development. Brief Google Analytics are provided below detailing visitation and the overall trends as compared to the previous year.4. Sustainable Destination Development CORRIDOR MANAGEMENT PLAN 113 Organizational/Stakeholder Decision-Making Funnel Organizational customer groups include: Members Advertisers Funding partners—county LTAC’s Non-Member individuals, businesses, municipalities, governmental entities Cascade Loop Association members are generated mainly by word of mouth or individual staff solicitation. New members often yield new advertisers and in a some cases, existing members grow into new advertisers. All are considered stakeholders of the Cascade Loop Foundation. Byway residents, businesses and municipalities are also byway stakeholders. Conversations continue to take place with each of the municipalities along the Cascade Loop to work toward better understanding of member and non- member stakeholder needs and increased funding support in the future. Consumer Behavior & Outcomes Consumer-Facing Decision-Making Funnel In order to get new or repeat travelers to the Cascade Loop, the organization has to understand the process that many employ moving from dreaming to traveling. Based on travel guide requestor surveys, Google Analytics, lead processing data, informal polls and conversations with travelers on social media, phone and email, we understand that three common processes are currently employed, with each affecting a uniquely different outcome. Path #1 1. Engages with the Cascade Loop via social media (depending on the segment, typically FB or IG). Content: photos, videos, blogs, deals, photo contests. Generates interest and motivates them to click through to our website. 2. Visits cascadeloop.com to get more information, Request Free Travel Guide, explore the various destinations, use the itinerary builder to establish an overall plan 3. Book trip. Domestic travelers book direct through properties or OTAs, mainly for lodging, but many wait until they hit the ground, hoping for a sense of adventure. Overseas travelers book through travel agents for the most part so that they enjoy international travel protections available to them by booking via this method. The vast majority of lodgings and activities are booked and paid in advance as they are purchased many months ahead of time. 4. Cascade Loop Travel Guide. Used as the co-pilot tool and used to make on-the- road decisions about things to do, side trips to take, and in general, impromptu decisions. 5. Byway signage helps instill a sense of security that the traveler is indeed still on the byway and on-course. 6. Because most travelers use Google maps or the mapping utility on their smartphone, ensuring that the Cascade Loop is included on the map itself has become a key way to help guide travelers as well. Cocktail on the back patio of the Freestone Inn overlooking Freestone LakeCASCADE LOOP SCENIC BYWAY 4. Sustainable Destination Development 114 Path #2: 1. Searches online and or encounters key words that happen to be within our SEM activities. Cascade Loop pays per click for in-bound leads that send them to cascadeloop.com. 2. Visits cascadeloop.com to get more information. Request Free Travel Guide, explore the various destinations, use the itinerary builder to establish an overall plan. 3. Book trip. Domestic travelers book direct through properties or OTAs, mainly for lodging, but many wait until they hit the ground, hoping for a sense of adventure. Overseas travelers book through travel agents for the most part so that they enjoy international travel protections available to them by booking via this method. The vast majority of lodgings and activities are booked and paid in advance as they are purchased many months ahead of time. 4. Cascade Loop Travel Guide used as the co-pilot tool and used to make on-the-road decisions about things to do, side trips to take, and in general, impromptu decisions. 5. Byway signage helps instill a sense of security that the traveler is indeed still on the byway and on-course. 6. Because most travelers use Google maps or the mapping utility on their smartphone, ensuring that the Cascade Loop is included on the map itself has become a key way to help guide travelers as well. Path #3: 1. Sees advertisements in key print publications and/or their partnering online component. Generates interest and motivates them to click through to cascadeloop.com. 2. Visits cascadeloop.com to get more information. Request Free Travel Guide, explore the various destinations, use the itinerary builder to establish an overall plan 3. Book trip. Domestic travelers book direct through properties or OTAs, mainly for lodging, but many wait until they hit the ground, hoping for a sense of adventure. Overseas travelers book through travel agents for the most part so that they enjoy international travel protections available to them by booking via this method. The vast majority of lodgings and activities are booked and paid in advance as they are purchased many months ahead of time. 4. The printed Travel Guide used as the co-pilot tool and used to make on-the-road decisions about things to do, side trips to take, and in general, impromptu decisions. 5. Byway signage helps instill a sense of security that the traveler is indeed still on the byway and on-course. 6. Because most travelers use Google maps or the mapping utility on their smartphone, ensuring that the Cascade Loop is included on the map itself has become a key way to help guide travelers as well. Path #4: 1. Sees byway signage and/or printed travel guide along the byway corridor or stops along the way. Generates interest and motivates them to seek the Cascade Loop out on social media or online search for the Cascade Loop. 2. Visits cascadeloop.com to get more information, explore the various destinations, use the itinerary builder to establish an overall plan 3. Book trip. Domestic travelers book direct through properties or OTAs, mainly for lodging, but many wait until they hit the ground, hoping for a sense of adventure. 4. The printed Travel Guide is used as the co-pilot tool and used to make on-the-road decisions about things to do, side trips to take, and in general, impromptu decisions. 5. Byway signage helps instill a sense of security that the traveler is indeed still on the byway and on-course. 6. Because most travelers use Google maps or the mapping utility on their smartphone, ensuring that the Cascade Loop is included on the map itself has become a key way to help guide travelers as well. Double rainbows over the Diablo Dam Spillway4. Sustainable Destination Development CORRIDOR MANAGEMENT PLAN 115 Enhancing the Visitor Experience The experience of the Cascade Loop Scenic Byway is already unique and memorable as a premier destination that offers diverse opportunities for visitors. Preserving this experience is critical for the long-term sustainability of the byway. While the experience of the byway is already world-class, several strategies can help to ensure that this experience will remain a lasting legacy for future generations of visitors. These strategies, described in more detail on the following pages, should become a focus for ongoing byway management and implementation activities: Maintaining an ongoing focus on visitor hospitality; Promoting stewardship and sustainability; Expanding and improving signing and wayshowing and reinforcing the byway’s brand identity; Telling the stories of the Cascade Loop through interpretation; and Preserving the overall character and unique qualities of the byway. Advertising in national and international printed publications Advertising in national and international digital publications Partnership/public relation endeavors with byway stakeholders, statewide, national and international affiliations Outreach to the travel trade and media via international travel trade shows Outreach to the travel trade and media via international sales missions Social media channels: Facebook and Instagram--targeted social media pushes to specific feeder markets associated with both Sea-Tac International and Paine Field Passenger Terminal cascadeloop.com SEM and SEO Printed Travel Guide (over 100,000 printed and distributed world-wide annually) Promotions: photo contests, treasure hunts Byway signage on the roadway Best Practices Prioritize stakeholder needs and wants first (travelers and byway residents) Communicate with travelers throughout the entirety of their decision- making process, utilizing each channel appropriately and effectively Engage travelers through compelling imagery (photos and video) and storytelling. Make all accessible to byway partners/stakeholders Communicate using relatable language Provide travelers with more information than they could possibly need Foster a culture of collaboration with byway stakeholders Target a mix of customer segments based on the following: Likelihood to spend 4+ days on the entire Loop (helps prevent congested roadways, trails, etc. by discouraging weekend warrior travel), likelihood to bear the most significant positive economic impact during their Cascade Loop vacation—who will spend the most nights, the most money on lodging, activities and dining, likelihood to travel mid-week and during shoulder season (avoid continuing to push peak season and weekends, causing traffic bottlenecks on roadways, trails, etc.), likelihood to be a future audience—individuals that may not have the discretionary income of their parents but may within 10 years. Marketing Channels & Programs Marketing Assets Primary Product The primary product that the Cascade Loop offers whether to an organizational or consumer- facing audience, is the Cascade Loop Scenic Byway itself. The Cascade Loop delivers a scenic and recreational experience whether it’s to organizational members, advertisers and stakeholders or to travelers each season. The byway is easily accessible and in a good state of repair. The roadway is well-marked although additional larger byway gateway signage would further increase visibility to all. The addition of byway wayfinding signage providing further direction to waypoint communities and side trips will provide a more readily-navigable experience for travelers while supporting the needs of our organizational market segments. The addition of interpretive sites and stops will give communities another opportunity to tell their story to Cascade Loop travelers while on the roadway. Organizational/Stakeholder Tools CMP cascadeloop.com partner-portal Printed Travel Guide Image Download Center Byway signage Facebook Instagram Consumer-Facing Tools Cascadeloop.com Facebook Instagram Printed Travel Guide Byway signageCASCADE LOOP SCENIC BYWAY 4. Sustainable Destination Development 116 Measurements and Key Performance Indicators (KPI) Printed Travel Guide Cascadeloop.com Trade Shows/sales missions Social Media Print Advertising Promotions Key Performance Indicator (KPI) Print Quantity & Pickup Rate Travel Guide Requests Page count Revenue Leads Advertising/editorial ratio Users Sessions per user Page views Incoming traffic sources Average session duration Most popular content/pages Search terms Mobile/tablet/desktop access Demographics Meetings held, pitches made Fans/Followers/Likes Engagement & Reach Demographics Travel guide requests Page views (digital guide) Contest entries Social media likes, shares, comments Information Assessed Consumer and stakeholder demand Measurable intent to travel Member product demand Consumer demand per region Balance of information Quantity of users Depth of use in the site Overall volume of information shared Where the Cascade Loop brand is promoted User engagement Content that resonates and is accessible How users think of the Cascade Loop How users access information Age, gender, location, language Level of interest and ability to promote the Loop Level of interest per channel demographics Breadth & depth of organic communication Age, gender, location, language Engagement Measurable intent to travel Audience engagement FAM (familiarization) Tours Media-earned value & circulation Tour operators-trips/packages promoted ROI Potential new market growth4. Sustainable Destination Development CORRIDOR MANAGEMENT PLAN 117 Stewardship and Education Many of the intrinsic qualities along the Cascade Loop are already maintained and preserved through land management and land use plans. However, some of these qualities could be negatively affected if visitation is not carefully managed. As such, it will be important for preservation of these characteristics to continue to be a priority along the Cascade Loop of byway partners and managing jurisdictions— federal land managers, state, counties, cities, and private land owners. It is important for visitors to understand why the Cascade Loop experience is special and what they can do to help preserve that experience. Interpretation and promotional activities along the byway should include stewardship and educational messages that help visitors appreciate the exceptional beauty, natural resources, and historic buildings and districts. Encouraging visitor interest in stewardship and preservation of these qualities for future generations will ensure that the experience of the Cascade Loop will become a lasting legacy. Examples of stewardship messages include: Keep the Cascade Loop beautiful and litter-free. Tread lightly and leave no trace of your visit. This environment/habitat is fragile—please respect it by picking up after yourself and your pet. Camp in designated spots only; campfires are not allowed in all backcountry areas and seasonal fire restrictions apply. Use established fire rings or pits; keep fires small. Put out fires completely and scatter ashes. Use a stove when possible. Know the regulations and special concerns for the region you are visiting. Stay on the trail and avoid fragile areas along the byway, trails, and waterways and in alpine meadows. Respect wildlife and observe from a distance; never feed wildlife. Dispose of waste properly—pack it in and pack it out. Leave what you find where you find it—leave all natural and historical objects as you find them. Be considerate of other visitors. Be courteous; yield to other users; strive to not disturb the natural ambiance. Reduce congestion and ride transit where available. Share the road with bicycles and drive courteously. Protect natural resources by conserving energy and water on your journey. Promoting Stewardship and Sustainability Visitors are drawn to the Cascade Loop Scenic Byway to experience the majestic and beautiful scenery, abundant natural areas, wildlife and habitat areas, extensive recreation opportunities, history and culture, and the distinctive rural character and the ways of life throughout each region. There would be no attraction to the byway nor an ongoing flow of tourists without the preservation of these qualities. Another important aspect of byway planning is making sure that while visitor experiences are expanded and enhanced, the rural lifestyles and community settings also are maintained and preserved, and impacts related to increased tourism are minimized. Some popular sites and places can become overwhelmed and degraded through excessive visitation. It is important to direct visitors to the areas that are already set up to accommodate their needs— cities and towns with facilities, services, and accommodations and the parks and recreation places that can handle repeated waves of visitation. To reduce traffic related impacts and congestion, visitors should be encouraged to park and leave their cars behind when in areas that provide transit, biking, and walking opportunities. Educating visitors about environmental stewardship, recreation use etiquette, respecting private property rights, and other messages will be an ongoing need, important for the long term success of the byway. Directing Visitors to the Right Places Woman hiking and enjoying the Icicle River view with three dogs on leashesCASCADE LOOP SCENIC BYWAY 4. Sustainable Destination Development 118 1. INTEGRITY OF PLACE: Enhance geographical character by developing and improving it in ways distinctive to the locale, reflective of its natural and cultural heritage, so as to encourage market differentiation and cultural pride. 2. INTERNATIONAL CODES: Adhere to the principles embodied in the World Tourism Organization’s Global Code of Ethics for Tourism and the Principles of the Cultural Tourism Charter established by the International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS). 3. MARKET SELECTIVITY: Encourage growth in tourism market segments most likely to appreciate, respect, and disseminate information about the distinctive assets of the locale. 4. MARKET DIVERSITY: Encourage a full range of appropriate food and lodging facilities, so as to appeal to the entire demographic spectrum of the geotourism market and maximize economic resiliency over both the short and long term. 5. VISITOR SATISFACTION: Ensure that satisfied, excited geotourists bring new vacation stories home and encourage friends to experience the same thing, thus providing continuing demand for the destination. 6. COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT: Base tourism on community resources to the extent possible, encouraging local small businesses and civic groups to build partnerships to promote and provide a distinctive, honest (authentic) visitor experience and market their locales effectively. Help businesses develop approaches to tourism that build on the area’s nature, history, and culture, including food and drink, artisanry, performance arts, etc. 7. COMMUNITY BENEFIT: Encourage micro- to medium-size enterprises and tourism business strategies that emphasize economic and social benefits to involved communities, especially poverty alleviation, with clear communication of the destination stewardship policies required to maintain those benefits. 8. PROTECTION AND ENHANCEMENT OF DESTINATION APPEAL: Encourage businesses to sustain natural habitats, heritage sites, aesthetic appeal, and local culture. Prevent degradation by keeping volumes of visitors within maximum acceptable limits. Seek business models that can operate profitably within those limits. Use persuasion, incentives, and legal enforcement as needed. The National Geographic Society Geotourism Charter Bridal Veil Falls, Stevens Pass Greenway4. Sustainable Destination Development CORRIDOR MANAGEMENT PLAN 119 9. LAND USE: Anticipate development pressures and apply techniques to prevent undesired over-development and degradation. Contain resort and vacation-home sprawl, so as to retain a diversity of natural and scenic environments and ensure continued resident access to waterfronts. Encourage major self-contained tourism attractions, such as large-scale theme parks and convention centers unrelated to character of place, to be sited in needier locations with no significant ecological, scenic, or cultural assets. 10. CONSERVATION OF RESOURCES: Encourage businesses to minimize water pollution, solid waste, energy consumption, water usage, landscaping chemicals, and overly bright nighttime lighting. Advertise these measures in a way that attracts the large, environmentally sympathetic visitors. White River near Lake Wenatchee 11. PLANNING: Recognize and respect immediate economic needs without sacrificing long-term character and the geotourism potential of the destination. Where tourism attracts in-migration of workers, develop new communities that themselves constitute a destination enhancement. Strive to diversify the economy and limit population influx to sustainable levels. Adopt public strategies for mitigating practices that are incompatible with geotourism and damaging to the image of the destination. 12. INTERACTIVE INTERPRETATION: Engage both visitors and hosts in learning about the place. Encourage residents to promote the natural and cultural heritage of their communities so visitors gain a richer experience and residents develop pride in their locales. 13. EVALUATION: Establish an evaluation process to be conducted on a regular basis by an independent panel representing all stakeholder interests, and publicize evaluation results.Next >