Benefits of Membership
The Santa Barbara Conference & Visitors Bureau and Film Commission is the local marketing agency that promotes Santa Barbara – "the American Riviera®" - as a premiere destination. Whether you operate a hotel, attraction, tour company, restaurant, winery, retail shop, or visitor service, the Bureau is your ticket to more business. Your membership allows for a unique opportunity to collaborate with other businesses in the county. In doing so, your influence multiplies and reaches broader markets.
SBCVB&FC MEMBERSHIP BENEFITS SUMMARY
Your membership with Santa Barbara Conference and Visitors Bureau & Film Commission (SBCVB&FC) is your connection to this $1.35 billion tourism market. As a member of SBCVB&FC, you have the expertise of our entire sales and marketing team working for you to promote your products and services to visitors, meeting professionals and travel trade, media and the film industry.
Web Site & Linking - Your business is included on SantaBarbaraCA.com, viewed annually by almost 610,000 unique visitors,* meeting planners and professional tour operators. The newly redesigned website launched June 2010 and provides a 360 degree user experience for our online guests, supplying all of the necessary travel planning tools needed to research, plan and book their trip to Santa Barbara. Our site offers advanced listing features that provide even MORE information on your business (unlimited photos, maps, Trip Advisor reviews, custom itinerary builder integration, JackRabbit Booking Engine, events, special offers, etc...) to further promote your business to our online guests. The expanded information is showcased through a series of tabs under your membership listing. Only the tabs that apply to your business will appear within your listing.
Member Extranet - Our password-protected Member Extranet gives you complete control over what visitors see about your business on our website and an efficient way for you to upload any promotions and offers under Special Offers. Plus, you have exclusive access to the most current versions of our Membership Directory, a powerful tool for member-to-member networking and business development.
Publications - SBCVB&FC produces 3 publications: Santa Barbara, The Magazine for Visitors, The Source: Inspiring Meetings and Events, and NEXT: Your Guide to Santa Barbara. Based on business specialty, members are listed in our Visitors Magazine (Know2Go), which has an annual circulation of 90,000 copies and is distributed through visitor inquiry fulfillment, travel professionals (tour operators, travel agents, meeting/event planners, travel media), State Welcome Centers, airports in Southern California, and local distribution (hotel rooms, concierges/front desk, visitor center, meeting and conference attendees, Air bus). New for the 2011/2012 fiscal year is distribution to 100 major corporations in L.A. county and additional California State Welcome Centers.Our new in-market magazine this year is NEXT: Your Guide to Santa Barbara. which provides essential information to the in-market traveler including dining, wine, shopping, attractions, arts & culture, outdoor activities, and more. The annual circulation for NEXT is 40,000 copies distributed 100% in market to hotels, restaurants, attractions, local retailers, the Santa Barbara Airport and Santa Barbara Visitors Center. An additional digital component to NEXT is a complimentary phone application, FREE for download at the Apple App Store and the Android Market. All CVB members receive a free basic listing on the phone app.
Members are also included in The Source: Inspiring Meetings & Events in Santa Barbara, which has a circulation of 7,500 and is distributed to meeting/event planners, travel professionals (tour operators, travel agents) and meetings media. It is the primary fulfillment piece for groups meeting on The American Riviera® and is also distributed at tradeshows and sales missions. In addition, members who service the event/weddings market are promoted in our Wedding Planning Kit which is available through online request. Advertising in the publications is exclusive to members in the Visitors Magazine and The Source.
Referrals - SBCVB&FC refers member businesses to meeting and event planners, tour operators, travel writers, residents and local corporations who request products and services.Cooperative Programs - Exclusive to SBCVB&FC members. The Bureau's cooperative marketing programs are designed to maximize the reach and effectiveness of the local hospitality industry's marketing efforts through partnerships that provide a platform to reach potential national and international visitors with a unified voice. As a Bureau member, several free and paid marketing programs are at your disposal to help support and enhance your individual marketing activities. From web sponsorships to trade shows and print advertising, there is something to fit every budget. Co-op marketing programs include Advertising (Website & Direct Communications, Print, Online), Publications, Media Relations, Sales and participation in marketing promotions. Please note the SBCVB&FC has a new co-op advertising policy.**
Networking & Events - Make new business contacts at CVB events which are designed to educate the local hospitality industry. Members receive discounted pricing at meetings with a registration fee. .
Monthly & Quarterly Newsletters - Information about the local hospitality industry and past, current and future Bureau programming.
National & Local Research Access - Advertising statistics, visitor surveys and conversion studies, monthly occupancy reports and average daily rates.
Promotional Opportunities -Bureau destination marketing programs and international public relations including FAMiliarization tours, travel writers, meeting planners, travel agents and film scouts.
Tradeshow Representation through Bureau participation in key markets, members get access to meeting and tour & travel buyer contacts made at the Santa Barbara, The American Riviera® booth.
Community – Your affiliation with SBCVB&FC shows support of the local tourism industry and the importance of your business contribution to local tax revenue.
*Based on 2010-2011 Google analytics projections
**Only TBID lodging members and county-wide non-lodging CVB members can purchase Co-Op advertising offered from SBCVB&FC, including website and direct communication sponsorships,offline and online Co-Op advertising placements. Non-lodging CVB members include: Attractions, Museums, Tours, Entertainment, Professional Associations, Dining, Professional Services, Retail, Transportation and Wineries.
For more information contact Suzanne Richardson, Administrative Coordinator Suzanne@santabarbaraca.com * 805.966.9222 ext 105 * SantaBarbaraCA.com
