MediaLink

Midweek Hotel Package Deals, Dearborn County, Indiana

Dearborn County CVTB’s 2005 Visitor Study identified three travel influencers among the survey population – Choices, Value and Fun. Midweek occupancy lagged behind weekends where hotel rooms were at capacity due primarily to the popularity of the local casino. The Bureau hoped to expand the county’s weeknight occupancy rates by offering packages to leisure consumers. They contracted MediaLink to create local product partnerships and package offers and a marketing strategy to capture sales.

MediaLink conducted an audit of the area’s hotels including their amenities and price structure, and area restaurants and attractions were visited to evaluate package partnership opportunities with these neighboring hotels. Launched in 2006, Dearborn County Packages offered discounted midweek rates, a dining voucher to one of three locally-owned restaurants, the opportunity to add-on local attraction admissions, and a reward-based incentive of a $10 gas card or a $10 donation to Dearborn County’s Tour for the Cure® Program. By the end of 2009, an online reservation system had been added, Tour for the Cure® Packages replaced the gas card incentive, a partnership incorporated new Creation Museum Packages with Northern Kenturcky’s attraction, and midweek package sales increased seven fold over 2008 bookings.