Page 50 - Summer 2014

why & how to Create and Publicize a Learn to Ski and Snowboard Month Lodging Package BY JOHN BRICE LSSM lodging components are increasingly being offered, perhaps for two reasons: travel editors like them and the NSAA’s Kottke End of Season Survey finds about half of all 2013-14 S skier/snowboarder visits included an overnight stay. Is your resort using LSSM lodging packages to help leverage sales and attract new skiers and riders? ki areas are gaining valu- of all skier/snowboarder visits included lodging packages more than dou- able publicity by partic- overnight visitation during the 2012-13 bled over the previous season after the ipating in Learn to Ski season, up from 45 percent just a cou- national LSSM PR effort publicized and Snowboard Month ple of seasons prior. them in three media outlets that deliv- (LSSM), as the program has In addition to Kottke data con- ered a combined audience of approx- become a media darling due firming that interest in LSSM lodging imately 20 million (see “LSSM’s to its laser focus on bringing packages is strong, the lodging compo- Publicity Push,” p. 50). new participants to snow- nent also makes your ski area’s LSSM Further, a second new channel sports. During the 2013- news relevant to an entirely new pub- for positive editorial coverage becomes 14 season there were more licity channel: monthly, weekly, and available if you also create a LSSM than 300 million media daily columns in mainstream media group lodging package, which is perfect impressions for LSSM, the focused exclusively on lodging pack- for sales incentive trips and business gateway for 500,000 “first lessons” over ages. Last season, LSSM’s PR effort for retreats. LSSM group packages will be the past six seasons. This makes LSSM lodging packages resulted in stories in of interest to local and national media the biggest organized recruiting pro- The Washington Post, Newsday (Long that report on the billion dollar meet- gram in the snowsports industry. Island, NY), FoxNews.com, Chicago ing and convention industry, including Now a January staple at many Tribune, OnTheSnow.com, and other Successful Meetings Magazine, Meetings ski areas, the typical “LSSM Package” media outlets. & Conventions Magazines, Corporate includes discounts on equipment, lift This kind of publicity can dou- Incentive Travel Magazine, and others. tickets, and lessons. Recently, LSSM ble sales, according to Anne Weimer, Your ski area’s LSSM lodging lodging packages have been added marketing director at Southern packages will fit perfectly into what to the mix, possibly by many ski areas Pennsylvania’s Liberty Mountain these regional and national journal- studying the Kottke End of Season Resort. Weimer reports that sales of ists need to fill their existing media for- Survey. The study found that 49 percent Liberty Mountain’s 2013-14 LSSM mats. Furthermore, journalists will give 48 | NSAA Journal | SUMMER 2014 w w w. n s a a . o rg NSAA Summer 2014 prepressed v7a.indd 48 7/9/14 1:32 PM