By Greg Hazley
Louisiana’s $5.6M tourism communications account has been split into three parts – creative/media, PR and Internet marketing -- to review via RFP through early May.
The Louisiana Office of Tourism said it divided the work to get greater access to the “most creative, innovative and entrepreneurial proposers,” according to the RFP released March 25.
Tourism is a $9.3 billion industry in the Pelican State and has been a fragile endeavor since last year’s BP oil spill in the Gulf.
A single agency or collaborations can pitch for the account, which will run from July 1, 2011 through June 30, 2012 with two option years.
Deveney Communications worked with the tourism entity to shape its PR response to the Gulf oil spill last year.
Key to the state’s global travel pitch, which currently uses the tagline “Pick your passion,” are top rankings for food, festivals and adventure tourism, as well as its “authentic culture.”
The PR portion of the pact includes typical travel/tourism duties like familiarization tours, crisis communications, fulfilling media requests and speech/talking point development, among other tasks. Firms must have experience in multicultural PR.
Social media falls under the Internet marketing division of the account.
Proposals are due May 2.
The Louisiana seafood industry has a $15M contract out for proposals through April 3 to fight negative perceptions from the spill, as well.
Download the RFP (PDF).
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