Hospitality Headlines February 2021

2021 Enjoy Eagan Marketing Plan Aims to Help
Hospitality Community Survive, Revive and Thrive

As we begin seeing glimmers of light at the end of the pandemic tunnel, there’s no doubt about the fact that our Eagan hotels, restaurants and attractions are still very much suffering.  Unfortunately we have far too many furloughed employees that are looking to recover after losing their livelihoods.  Some of our businesses also have been left in the wake of the largest public health crisis of our lifetimes and have either already closed for good or are still seriously contemplating whether or not to do so. The agony is real, and so too will be the continuing impact COVID-19 is having on our local tourism economy. 

That’s why never before has it been so important to create and deliver on a tourism marketing plan aimed at positioning our Eagan hospitality community ahead of our competition.  During prior economic downturns, we’ve experienced losses in perhaps a few key travel segments which we could easily address through enhanced marketing efforts.  However, the pandemic has brought about significant losses in ALL of our travel sectors simultaneously making it all the more challenging to address what needs to be done. 

Rest assured however that the Enjoy Eagan team stands ready to own and overcome these challenges through our 2021 marketing plan which boldly embodies our theme of “survive, revive and thrive!”  We’d normally be outlining each phase of our marketing plan during the Enjoy Eagan Annual Meeting, but since we’re not able to gather this year, we’ll take this opportunity to provide you with a very brief overview of how our plan will work.

Survive:
Given that the pandemic is still very much a part of our lives, we’ll be digitally promoting the fact that Eagan is safely open for business to 14 core markets located throughout the five-state region (greater Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, Iowa and Wisconsin).  Key regional partners such as Twin Cities Premium Outlets, Mall of America and the Minnesota Zoo are also eager to get their marketing messages out to travelers, and we look forward to working with them as we promote our amenities collectively.

Revive:
The key to a true recovery for our Eagan hospitality community hinges on leveraging the unprecedented pent-up demand for travel.  We’re already seeing growing interest in travel via our website, and based on increased hotel booking for this summer, we know a full-fledged recovery is in the works – it’s just a matter of making Eagan top-of-mind to travelers.  We also know that saving money will be a priority for travelers.  Given this, our highly successful Pick Your Package promotion will be marketed in tandem to both previous and potential guests.  We feel this approach will differentiate Eagan from other regional options as the “brave bargain hunters” begin to venture out once again.

Thrive:
Shared experiences will be huge this summer, and with a broad array of events that will be creatively occurring in and around Eagan this summer, we have a fantastic opportunity to capitalize on safely allowing travelers to gather once again.  Early indications also point to the fact that Vikings Training Camp will also be taking place in some form which would further place an emphasis on why Eagan will be THE place to be during the recovery.  We have numerous campaigns, contests and partnership packages designed to serve as drivers to our destination in the works.

As the year progresses, we’ll be updating you regularly on our progress as we use our marketing plan to aggressively position Eagan as a choice destination for eager travelers.  One of the hallmarks of our organization throughout the years has also been our ability to remain nimble…and given that the pandemic could easily have many more curveballs in-store for us, we’re also mindful of how important it will be to react and potentially capitalize on the latest changes.  2021 will no doubt be a wild ride, but we’re happy to have you on board with us as we aim to survive, revive and thrive going forward!