Hard to believe the recent chill in the morning air; it seems like we just celebrated July 4th with events throughout the valley and now September is staring us in the face. Autumn is a season of change and it has me musing about a variety of current events facing the business community in the Vail Valley and beyond.
Musing #1: International business matters to the Vail Valley
The Vail Daily recently had a great article on the tourism benefits of our guests from Mexico; as we become more and more a global economy, and given the continued uncertainty in the domestic markets, our international guests become more & more important to our continued growth & success. Kudos to the Vail Resorts sales and marketing teams for their continued focus on this market and to the Vail Local Marketing District for building on the momentum for the summer months.
Musing #2: It’s a wild ride
People (much) smarter than me can tackle the debt crisis and the resulting turmoil in the stock market. But I know that Wall Street dropping 590 points, gaining 430 and dropping 520 the past three days certainly does nothing for consumer confidence. Let’s all hope they collectively figure it out sooner rather than later. At some point, even roller coasters lose their appeal.
Musing #3: It’s not just the economy
Regional Innovations Australia (a Vail Valley Partnership member) recently sent a newsletter with an article from our good friend Michael Kurz. Michael mentioned that “it’s not just the economy” and I couldn’t agree more. In many ways, it’s about an integrated approach to marketing and ensuring that your business is standing out from the competition. Continuing to focus on your business throughout all your marketing touch points and consumer touch points will only help your business growth.
Musing #4: EGE is a winner
Eagle County is currently involved in the master planning process for the airport. The economic benefits of the Eagle County Regional Airport should not be under estimated; from the High Altitude Training Center to the Vail Valley Jet Center to our direct flights throughout the year, the airport is a gift that keeps on giving. Summer and fall growth will depend on the public-private partnership as organized by the Eagle Air Alliance – and all businesses benefit from these efforts. If you are not investing in the summer/fall air service, put it in your 2012 business plan. It’s that important to our destination and every little bit helps.
Musing #5: Plan now for winter
Our occupancy reports show that summer has been a winner and that we’re ahead of pace for the winter. But (see #2) it’s a wild ride and there’s a lot of uncertainty. One constant is the need for all businesses to focus on customer service and to take great care of our guests that are here. Consider investing in the Partnership’s Platinum Service Program and consider attending our annual “Service to the Power of You” seminar on November 3 at the Vail Marriott (by the way, this class is the ONLY class being held to ensure your business can purchase Merchant Ski Passes for the upcoming season).
Musing #6: We want to send you customers
The Vail Valley Partnership recently launched a new member marketing benefit: direct customer leads. We’ll send you a list, monthly, of all guests who have opted in to receive information from our member businesses. It’s available to all member businesses at the Alpine level of membership. We’ll gift-wrap these leads for you monthly, direct to your inbox, just for being a member of the VVP (and stay tuned for a similar benefit for group meeting planners – we’re working on that). This is, of course, in addition to our robust networking & educational programs and our destination marketing benefits.
As always, I encourage all member businesses to get engaged with the Partnership and to contact us with any suggestions you may have to help us better serve you. Call us at (970) 476-1000 or stop by our offices in Avon at Traer Creek Plaza to share your feedback.