The City Advertising and Promotion Commission decided to invest $75,000 more in a year-end campaign to push tourism to Eureka Springs for November and December. The commission has already spent $554,559 in media advertising from January through September, which is $29,413 more than it spent during the same period in the non-pandemic year of 2019.
After Jack Moyer, Crescent and Basin Park Hotel director, requested more from the CAPC, commissioners held a special meeting Oct. 16 to approve an additional $75,000 to be exclusively used by Paradise Marketing in Florida. Despite the CAPC’s total year-to-date income loss of $318,393 compared to 2019, Moyer argued that the adjusted budget now shows a surplus since line items like special events, Auditorium use, and group travel expenses were severely slashed due to the pandemic.
Paradise offered information that describes how the supplemental plan will be designed. It will promote overnight stays and raise awareness for lodging options, activities, restaurants and attractions. Marketing focus will be in areas within a six-hour driving radius including Dallas, Kansas City, Oklahoma City and St. Louis.
The target demographic is primarily adults age 25-64 with a household income of $75,000 or more. Of the $75,000, $25,000 will be placed in an integrated radio campaign including an endorsement by the Bobby Bones Show on iHeartRadio.
Members of the Paradise team were particularly excited about this endorsement, saying the Bobby Bones Show is a “top-rated syndicated country radio morning show.”
The next regular meeting is scheduled for Oct. 28 at 6 p.m. in the AUD where the remainder of the 2021 budget is an anticipated discussion item.