Valued Partners Mentioned
LEHIGH VALLEY, Pa., January 19, 2017 – Discover Lehigh Valley® (DLV) is pleased to announce the 2015-16 annual report is available highlighting the accomplishments and actions over the past year, while also acknowledging regional partners who contribute to the success of Lehigh Valley (DiscoverLehighValley.com) tourism.
The 2015-16 annual report showcased the many successes of DLV. Incorporating content on the DiscoverLehighValley.com homepage that was relevant and timely to things happening in Lehigh Valley helped website visitors get the right message at the right time. A few new niche websites joined DLV’s mass portfolio, enabling users to have a different online experience in the areas of Things To Do and Food. This approach helped increase traffic by more than 12% driving 1.03 million visitors to the site. As technology continues to evolve and consumer behaviors shift, DLV strives to keep up. This year mobile traffic grew by 38% and exponential growth was seen across the Bureau’s six social media channels. In public relations, 800 stories were earned as a result of pitching and responding to media with information. Placements included Philly.com, Smart Meetings, Lehigh Valley Style, Sports Destination Management, among others.
“Our website, marketing campaigns and social channels have once again proven successful in getting the consumer the information needed to plan a Lehigh Valley getaway,” said Michael Stershic, president of DLV. “With the ability to give people the information they want, when they want it, Discover Lehigh Valley is making it easy for travelers to plan a visit to this destination.”
Room tax collections for the fiscal year showed that the two counties of Lehigh and Northampton generated $2,408,520, exceeding pre-recession numbers. DLV shared information gathered from North Star Destination Strategies. North Star conducted a tapestry report from surveying visitor inquiries to the destination. The results gave a better understanding of the impact from Lehigh Valley tourism.
But as good as the year was, other learnings proved the need for DLV to focus attention around enhancing the brand and adding visuals to bring Lehigh Valley stories to life. DLV’s responsibility to partners is to ensure that we have the customer at our core and continue to research and market them to the best of our abilities. A sneak peek into what 2016-17 is shaping up for is in this year’s annual report. To obtain a copy of this year’s annual report, please visit DiscoverLehighValley.com.
About Discover Lehigh Valley
Established in 1984, Discover Lehigh Valley® makes Lehigh and Northampton counties a premier destination through marketing and image building that increases the number of visitors, the number of nights they stay and the number of things they do in the region.
Discover Lehigh Valley’s official visitor website and blog, DiscoverLehighValley.com and LehighValleyInSite.com keeps locals and visitors abreast of all things happening in region. Visitors can explore things to do, upcoming events, themed itineraries and hotel packages. Compelling photography and videos, brochures and detailed visitor information make the sites effective trip-planning tools. Along with Discover Lehigh Valley’s social media channels, the online platforms communicate directly with consumers. Travelers can also call and stop into one of the many visitor centers for additional information.
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