'People aren't bored -- they're broke'
To market OC, is free gas the key?
Comments
Joe Kro-Art of Ocean City holds a free gas sign. Kro-Art and some council members want to market Ocean City with a promotion to pay tourists the cost of gas they burn to drive to the resort. / ERIC DOERZBACH/THE DAILY TIMES
OCEAN CITY -- Joe Kro-Art wants prospective Ocean City visitors to imagine pumping gasoline into their vehicles on their way to or from vacation. Many may cringe at the thought. But Kro-Art wants to add a twist: The gas going into the tank is free.
The owner of Ocean Gallery -- a vibrantly decorated art outlet on Second Street and the Boardwalk -- has been vocal about the tourism benefits of offering free gas incentives to resort patrons. He fears visitors this summer could be discouraged by rising gas prices.
They may be short on funds after buying enough gas to get to the resort, he says, or they may worry about how much they need to save to make it home. Worst-case scenario: They won't even come at all.
Regulars to the area may scale back the number of trips they make during the three month season, as well.
"We need to get the idea in their head that gas is gold, and you can get free gas in Ocean City," Kro-Art said.
In recent weeks, Kro-Art has put out feelers to town officials and business owners. Among them is a half-baked proposal that the town purchase a gas station to provide free fuel. Kro-Art admits the idea may be an outlier -- he's not even sure if there's a gas station for sale in the area -- but one he believes could spark a great deal of dialogue, and points out it's been done before. In 1979, Mayor Harry W. Kelley and Town Council leased a gas station in town next to Jolly Roger Amusement Park, where they pumped fuel for customers. It was an effort to help allay gas-shortage woes, and it was a publicity bonanza. There's no shortage of gas currently but the basic motivation is the same, according to Kro-Art.
"We need to show everyone that Ocean City is a tough little town that cares about families," he said.
"That's the Harry Kelley image."
The Ocean City Hotel-Motel-Restaurant Association has kept an eye on gas prices, and on what can be done to make sure people continue to travel to the resort in droves. So far, more than 10 resort hotels and condo complexes have teamed up with the association to advertise either gas card giveaways or lowered "gas discount" room rates for guests. The deals are posted on the association's website, ocvisitor.com.
The association is also giving away a $100 dining gift card every week between Memorial Day and Labor Day weekends, along with offers of numerous discounts for all sorts of resort attractions.
Executive Director Susan Jones says she hopes offers like this will help make trips more manageable for families while also helping town businesses.
"The way people are kind of thinking is, it might cost an extra 20 bucks to fill up and get here, so they might not buy that bucket of fries or T-shirt," she said. "So we're looking to shave off some of the costs in any way possible."
The association offered many of the same gas savings perks in 2008, when gas prices hovered around the $4 per gallon range. The first go-around with those promotions "definitely helped" attract attention to the town, Jones said.
Councilman Brent Ashley has spearheaded a promotion that emphasizes all the free entities Ocean City has to offer, and has been in contact with Kro-Art about methods to involve gasoline in the equation.
"I think our slogan should be, 'Ocean City: Where the good things in life really are free,' " Ashley said.
He posed the idea to Jones, and the association has since added a promotion to its website highlighting the free Boardwalk, beach activities and "fresh ocean air."
Adding some sort of free gas program in the days leading up to Memorial Day -- when the bulk of tourism usually begins -- would be excellent for town publicity, Ashley said. There's a difference between advertising and promotion, and Ocean City has lacked in the latter for some time, he said. The town annually increases funding for advertising, but has not seen a rise in tourism to accompany it, according to Ashley.
In March, the council approved a marketing plan presented by MGH, a marketing communications agency based in Baltimore, that includes about $3.5 million in funding for a tourism campaign that began in April and runs through August. Much of the money, which will be spent on Rodney the Lifeguard advertisements, paint a trip to OC as a boredom-buster for the average working family.
MGH has produced Rodney-related marketing for the town as a marketing staple since 2009. In some Rodney television spots, the lifeguard rides a Boardwalk tram around Baltimore, urging office drones via bullhorn to visit the beach. In others, he grabs people and loads them into the tram in an effort to save the East Coast from boredom by bringing them to Ocean City.
Kro-Art, Ashley and Councilwoman Margaret Pillas say they would support taking some of that money and dedicating it to a free-gas promotion. Ashley walks on the Boardwalk daily and sometimes stops people to ask what has brought them to town. Not one has mentioned Rodney, and many of them have no recognition of the advertising campaign when Ashley mentions it, he said.
"I think it misses the point because people aren't bored -- they're broke," he said.
Pillas believes the council, town officials and the town's Tourism Advisory Board need to discuss methods for promoting the town to see if moving some of the advertising funds around would be beneficial. She said the town needs to "leave a little portion" to make changes to its marketing and promotion schemes as opportunities present themselves.
"That money is a certain amount that comes out of the budget for advertising, and, to me, I think it should be more liquid as to where and how we use it," she said.
Some town officials are confident tourism will thrive at the resort this summer regardless of whether there are gas incentives.
Gas prices have been high before, but people have still traveled to town, and if the weather cooperates, council President Jim Hall thinks they still will.
"We have the ocean and the beach and the sun," he said, all of which are indeed free for all visitors.
Town spokeswoman Donna Abbott pointed out that the town's close proximity to many big cities has helped the town fare well during stretches when gas prices peaked. In many cases, people can get to the beach on a half-tank of gas or less, so paying at the pump hadn't typically been a deal-breaker, she said.
Tourists can park their cars upon arrival and use them sparingly during their stay, she said. Many attractions are within walking distance, and families can ride the bus for a flat rate of $3 for 24 hours, she said.
"We'll continue to push the promotion of free activities, and the deals and vouchers being offered by hotels and restaurants will be something people are very receptive to," Abbott said. "The public is always looking for value."
Ocean City saw an increase in room tax figures from Memorial Day to Labor Day in 2009 to the same time period in 2010, according to Abbott. Room tax statistics are used to discern how many hotel rooms and condos are filled throughout the season.
smuska@dmg.gannett.com
410-213-9442, ext. 14
The owner of Ocean Gallery -- a vibrantly decorated art outlet on Second Street and the Boardwalk -- has been vocal about the tourism benefits of offering free gas incentives to resort patrons. He fears visitors this summer could be discouraged by rising gas prices.
They may be short on funds after buying enough gas to get to the resort, he says, or they may worry about how much they need to save to make it home. Worst-case scenario: They won't even come at all.
Regulars to the area may scale back the number of trips they make during the three month season, as well.
"We need to get the idea in their head that gas is gold, and you can get free gas in Ocean City," Kro-Art said.
In recent weeks, Kro-Art has put out feelers to town officials and business owners. Among them is a half-baked proposal that the town purchase a gas station to provide free fuel. Kro-Art admits the idea may be an outlier -- he's not even sure if there's a gas station for sale in the area -- but one he believes could spark a great deal of dialogue, and points out it's been done before. In 1979, Mayor Harry W. Kelley and Town Council leased a gas station in town next to Jolly Roger Amusement Park, where they pumped fuel for customers. It was an effort to help allay gas-shortage woes, and it was a publicity bonanza. There's no shortage of gas currently but the basic motivation is the same, according to Kro-Art.
"We need to show everyone that Ocean City is a tough little town that cares about families," he said.
"That's the Harry Kelley image."
The Ocean City Hotel-Motel-Restaurant Association has kept an eye on gas prices, and on what can be done to make sure people continue to travel to the resort in droves. So far, more than 10 resort hotels and condo complexes have teamed up with the association to advertise either gas card giveaways or lowered "gas discount" room rates for guests. The deals are posted on the association's website, ocvisitor.com.
The association is also giving away a $100 dining gift card every week between Memorial Day and Labor Day weekends, along with offers of numerous discounts for all sorts of resort attractions.
Executive Director Susan Jones says she hopes offers like this will help make trips more manageable for families while also helping town businesses.
"The way people are kind of thinking is, it might cost an extra 20 bucks to fill up and get here, so they might not buy that bucket of fries or T-shirt," she said. "So we're looking to shave off some of the costs in any way possible."
The association offered many of the same gas savings perks in 2008, when gas prices hovered around the $4 per gallon range. The first go-around with those promotions "definitely helped" attract attention to the town, Jones said.
Councilman Brent Ashley has spearheaded a promotion that emphasizes all the free entities Ocean City has to offer, and has been in contact with Kro-Art about methods to involve gasoline in the equation.
"I think our slogan should be, 'Ocean City: Where the good things in life really are free,' " Ashley said.
He posed the idea to Jones, and the association has since added a promotion to its website highlighting the free Boardwalk, beach activities and "fresh ocean air."
Adding some sort of free gas program in the days leading up to Memorial Day -- when the bulk of tourism usually begins -- would be excellent for town publicity, Ashley said. There's a difference between advertising and promotion, and Ocean City has lacked in the latter for some time, he said. The town annually increases funding for advertising, but has not seen a rise in tourism to accompany it, according to Ashley.
In March, the council approved a marketing plan presented by MGH, a marketing communications agency based in Baltimore, that includes about $3.5 million in funding for a tourism campaign that began in April and runs through August. Much of the money, which will be spent on Rodney the Lifeguard advertisements, paint a trip to OC as a boredom-buster for the average working family.
MGH has produced Rodney-related marketing for the town as a marketing staple since 2009. In some Rodney television spots, the lifeguard rides a Boardwalk tram around Baltimore, urging office drones via bullhorn to visit the beach. In others, he grabs people and loads them into the tram in an effort to save the East Coast from boredom by bringing them to Ocean City.
Kro-Art, Ashley and Councilwoman Margaret Pillas say they would support taking some of that money and dedicating it to a free-gas promotion. Ashley walks on the Boardwalk daily and sometimes stops people to ask what has brought them to town. Not one has mentioned Rodney, and many of them have no recognition of the advertising campaign when Ashley mentions it, he said.
"I think it misses the point because people aren't bored -- they're broke," he said.
Pillas believes the council, town officials and the town's Tourism Advisory Board need to discuss methods for promoting the town to see if moving some of the advertising funds around would be beneficial. She said the town needs to "leave a little portion" to make changes to its marketing and promotion schemes as opportunities present themselves.
"That money is a certain amount that comes out of the budget for advertising, and, to me, I think it should be more liquid as to where and how we use it," she said.
Some town officials are confident tourism will thrive at the resort this summer regardless of whether there are gas incentives.
Gas prices have been high before, but people have still traveled to town, and if the weather cooperates, council President Jim Hall thinks they still will.
"We have the ocean and the beach and the sun," he said, all of which are indeed free for all visitors.
Town spokeswoman Donna Abbott pointed out that the town's close proximity to many big cities has helped the town fare well during stretches when gas prices peaked. In many cases, people can get to the beach on a half-tank of gas or less, so paying at the pump hadn't typically been a deal-breaker, she said.
Tourists can park their cars upon arrival and use them sparingly during their stay, she said. Many attractions are within walking distance, and families can ride the bus for a flat rate of $3 for 24 hours, she said.
"We'll continue to push the promotion of free activities, and the deals and vouchers being offered by hotels and restaurants will be something people are very receptive to," Abbott said. "The public is always looking for value."
Ocean City saw an increase in room tax figures from Memorial Day to Labor Day in 2009 to the same time period in 2010, according to Abbott. Room tax statistics are used to discern how many hotel rooms and condos are filled throughout the season.
smuska@dmg.gannett.com
410-213-9442, ext. 14
No comments:
Post a Comment