Tourism Tax Commission Tables TripAdvisor Program, But Radio Campaigns Move Ahead

Two more months of search engine marketing through Madden Media at $330 a month was approved by the city of Ste. Genevieve’s Tourism Tax Commission on October 16, as was a new radio campaign.

A three-month experiment with TripAdvisor, however, was tabled until spring.

Radio advertising totaling $6,455 also was approved. The ads include a fall campaign for $2,000 on the St. Louis National Public Radio (NPR) station and $2,625 for an early holiday campaign with Entercom, which includes radio stations KMOX and KEZK.

Commission member Lawnce Myers asked how effective the TripAdvisor program would be during the slower winter months.

Commission member Mike Fallert suggested the commission might “get more bang for our buck by putting it off a little bit,” waiting to hit the busier spring and summer seasons.

“I’m not opposed to the idea,” Myers said, “I’m just not sure if, going into the winter, it would be really effective.”

There seemed to be consensus that the program would be a good thing to consider at some point, such as next spring.

Cabot presented two potential radio advertising packages that would target the St. Louis area.

For $2,000, 22 spots would air on the St. Louis NPR station, KWMU (FM 90.7).

The script would read, “Support [for public radio] comes from historic Ste. Genevieve, an ideal fall destination for exploring historic sites, shops, wineries, dining, hiking and more. Just one hour south of St. Louis on Interstate 55. Details about fall festivals, hotels, bed and breakfast inns and tour ideas at visitstegen.com.”

An additional 11 bonus spots would be thrown in free, for a total of 33 ads, or about eight per week.

The Entercom ads — on KEZK (FM 102.5), KMOX (AM 1120), KYKY (FM 98.1), KNOU (FM 96.3) and KFTK (FM 97.1) — would be played November 30 through December 25.

Hooper said he likes the timing on the Entercom ads, leading up to Christmas.

See complete story in the October 23 edition of the Herald.