Whatever complexities involved in the comprehensive marketing plan the TDC has in effect, it’s working.
Visitor inquiry, visitation and general interest is up this year over last, and the activity in Panama City Beach reflects it.
Following this article, we’ll discuss the bed tax revenue, and take a good look at the actual numbers behind this year’s growth, but for now, we’re going to take a look at some stats on interest as it related to visitation, inquiries and Likes.
Total Website visitation
The Panama City Beach Convention and Visitor’s Bureau made the tough decision a couple short years ago to abandon their previous web host and seek a new one, along with a fresh new look. They rebuilt the website with the help of Jennifer Barbie Inc, and enacted a whole new marketing plan that was charged with revitalizing PCB’s image. Two years later, traffic to the website has grown tremendously and the area’s branding has burned the image of our sugar white sands and emerald green waters into the minds of millions, literally.
Traffic to the website in 2011
- July – 184,148 (15% increase)
- June – 174,726 (22% decrease)
- May – 142,845 (17% increase)
- April – 123,976 (26% increase)
- March – 179,553 (53% increase)
Traffic to the website in 2010
- July – 159,567
- June – 225,557 (oil spill spike)
- May – 122,440
- April – 98,342
- March – 117,039
Website visitation top states
July
- Florida
- Georgia
- Alabama
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Kentucky
June
- Georgia
- Florida
- Alabama
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Kentucky
May
- Georgia
- Florida
- Alabama
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Kentucky
April
- Florida
- Georgia
- Alabama
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Illinois
March
- Florida
- Georgia
- Alabama
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Illinois
Facebook page keeps growing, and growing, and growing
One of the things that’s been really unique in the Panama City Beach marketing plan has been the growth of the Convention and Visitor’s Bureau’s Facebook Page, VisitPanamaCityBeach. Every since the beginning, it’s been growing leaps and bounds, like a snowball, and has never ceased.
They have set records, garnered the attention of Facebook corporate and have been an example of what to do in a successful campaign over and over again. Currently they are at 219,753 Likes.
Here is a breakdown of their growth over the last year. The number shown indicated the total number of Likes at that point in time.
2011
- July – 218,159 (136% increase)
- June – 211,355 (157% increase)
- May – 203,721 (181% increase)
- April – 195,380 (187% increase)
- March – 188,066 (202% increase)
2010
- July – 92,336
- June – 82,213
- May – 72,582
- April – 67,968
- March – 62,250
Visitors Services Inquiries
Each day, the Panama City Beach Convention and Visitor’s Bureau fields inquiries via phone, email, walk-ins, physical letters and faxes. Inquires consist of info for making vacation plans, information on group travel, general tourist information, etc.
Here is a breakdown of the inquiries over the last 5 months in the top six states. Numbers are approximate based on the report we received.
July
- Georgia – 800
- Alabama – 600
- Tennessee – 550
- Florida – 450
- Texas – 425
- Kentucky – 350
June
- Georgia – 1300
- Tennessee – 950
- Alabama – 750
- Texas – 650
- Kentucky – 550
- Indiana – 425
May
- Michigan – 3400
- Illinois – 2500
- Wisconsin – 1800
- Indiana – 1700
- Ohio – 1600
- Georgia – 1500
April
- Tennessee – 2900
- Georgia – 1100
- Alabama – 700
- Texas – 600
- Florida – 600
- Illinois – 500
March
- Georgia – 1100
- Tennessee – 900
- Alabama – 650
- Florida – 625
- Texas – 600
- Kentucky – 550
