Issue/Solution: SummerFest

ksalwoski
Aug 28, 2017
1 min read

Issue: During the summer, the business "mix" at Gaylord Palms changes a bit. It was much more leisure focused, and even group business often had a family element. Was it possible to create a summer package that appealed to families? Yes, but hotel packages on their own were not compelling enough to make in-state travel news, especially alongside the season's Orlando theme park news. But could we create a package that sounded and acted like a summer festival?

Absolutely, and this concept is still used at Gaylord hotels in Orlando, DC, Texas and Nashville.

The SummerFest brand has been used as an "umbrella" program to encapsulate any summer programming at the resort.... from themed adventures....

... to special summer themed shows in the atrium...

We even created sexy summer programming for adults, like a "bar crawl" to each of our hotel lounges, with a t-shirt prize.

Individually, none of these programs would be very newsworthy on their own. However, by packaging them under the season-long SummerFest brand, it gave state travel media (and bloggers). an opportunity to share an interesting and compelling story for travelers. It also gave a longer period of time for promotions, such as summer-long radio campaigns.

A great idea for Gaylord, I brought a similar strategy to Bonnet Creek Resort, creating summer umbrella programs for Waldorf Astoria Orlando...