We recently sat down to discuss marketing with Bryan Crowe, General Manager of Destination El Paso, the parent company of two branded operating divisions, Visit El Paso and El Paso Live. Visit El Paso is the destination marketing organization for El Paso and the surrounding region and El Paso Live handles event management and venue operations for the City-owned venues like the El Paso Convention Center, Abraham Chavez Theatre and, most recently, the El Paso Water Parks. We got to hear about how Destination El Paso has leveraged their websites and digital tools over the years to market events, appeal to diverse audiences and promote El Paso’s best features and attractions.
Evolving the Web Presence
Over the years, websites in general but particularly the Destination El Paso websites have shifted from basic, informational brochure sites into dynamic, visual masterpieces that offer a tremendous amount of information and interactivity for a variety of audiences. Today, the Destination El Paso websites drive many other marketing efforts as they are a central source of information for regional events, performances, tours, and fun things to do.
The Visit El Paso website includes a calendar of events — arguably the most comprehensive event calendar available for the region — that is populated through a combination community submissions (vetted by Visit El Paso staff) and events added directly by Visit El Paso. This event calendar further engages the community by extending an open invitation to attend events and take ownership for the submission of upcoming event information.
The Visit El Paso blog has been reimagined to appeal to local adventurists and out-of-towners. During the pandemic, the content was optimized to promote local outdoor excursions and drivable, outdoor adventures in the region.
Connecting Through the App
Destination El Paso invested in a custom web application to promote pride for and knowledge of the City and region. The app, called Ambassador Training, is an interactive tool that allows users to learn more abut the history, attractions and key features in the region. Users take quizzes to earn points and prizes. Anyone can use the app, but it’s particularly helpful for hospitality workers looking to expand their knowledge and provide guests with better information. Destination El Paso continually updates the app with new information on economic development projects and other new features in the region.
Leveraging Local Knowledge
El Paso Live is the department that oversees productions like concerts and musicals. Their ability to recruit artists and agents to stop in El Paso relies on two key factors: attendance numbers and regional marketing knowledge. When El Paso Live events are well attended by the community, that demonstrates the profitability of bringing a production to El Paso. That, coupled with Destination El Paso’s thorough understanding of the region and how to market to the audience are critical to helping bring shows to the City. Artists and shows can be confident in Destination El Paso’s ability to connect with locals on both sides of the border and promote events in a way that results in ticket sales.
Celebrating El Paso
At times, El Paso flies under the radar. However, with recent development and recognition of its key attributes, El Paso is positioned to compete with other state and regional destinations. The public/private partnerships to invest in the Downtown El Paso revitalization, availability of new hotel accommodations, excellent walkability score and inviting weather all contribute to El Paso’s viability as a premier destination for concerts, eco-tourism, conferences and more.
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