Industry News
May 11, 2012
For Immediate Release
Alabama Tourism Encourages Restaurants to Sign Up For Statewide
“Restaurant Week”
Restaurants to Offer Fixed Price Menus
Montgomery, Ala.— Local restaurants across the state are encouraged to sign up for participation in the Alabama Tourism Department’s inaugural statewide “Restaurant Week scheduled for August 17-26. The tourism department launched a website today, www.AlabamaRestaurantWeek.com, where restaurants can begin signing up for the summer event through June 30.
Alabama Restaurant Week will highlight locally owned and operated restaurants and is part of the overall Alabama Tourism Department’s Year of Alabama Food campaign. Participation is open to all non-chain restaurants except for those chains that began in Alabama.
Sign up is quick and easy. Once on the website, a restaurant enters basic information about their establishment and what meals they want to offer at set prices of $10, $20 and $30 for dinner and $5, $10 and $15 for lunch. In all cases, the price is per person and excludes tax, tip and drink.
A restaurant may participate in all three preset prices for both lunch or dinner, or just one or any combination. They do not have to participate in both lunch and dinner.
“Birmingham has had a city restaurant week for several years now and it has been extremely successful. We wanted to take the concept statewide to showcase the culinary variety that Alabama has to offer,” said Lee Sentell, tourism director. “When planning our Year of Alabama Food campaign we knew we wanted to do something big that would get everyone in the state excited.”
Partners with the Alabama Tourism Department in Alabama Restaurant Week include participating restaurants, local and regional Alabama tourism destination organizations, Convention and Visitor Bureaus, Chambers of Commerce, Birmingham Restaurant Week and the Alabama Restaurant Association.
THE ADAMS ADVANTAGE – Friday, March 9, 2012
“TURNING THE THIRD POINT”
In a major successful step for advocates of the “Flexible Schools Calendars Act” (HB 360), the House Education Policy Committee, following a public hearing last week, took less than two minutes on a voice vote to speed the bill out to the House calendar. The FSCA, a long-fought measure to define the school year within the Labor Day and Memorial Day holidays, is widely projected to boost all areas of Alabama’s dynamic tourism industries, camp activities and families’ summertime opportunities, while generating thousands of new jobs for youth and adults and hundreds of millions of fresh state tax revenues for education investment. The bill travels now with a single amendment backed by school superintendents limiting its scope to three years, followed by a reassessment of its impact. Proponents remain highly optimistic that a strong economics case can be made for the bill in both chambers and in future years. Meantime, summer fun times can re-energize all ages.
Government Affairs Newsletter |
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| Prepared by Miller Development Group – week ending February 24,2012ARA/AHA Puts Child Labor on the Front Burner/meeting slated for this week ARA/AHA members have identified a significant problem with the record keeping portion of the child labor law. SB174 and HB268 prohibits a company from keeping records at the home office but mandates that they be kept on premise. It also calls for civil penalties and fines. We also learned that litigation has ensued as a direct result of the above.ARA/AHA lobbyists quickly notified the Department of Labor and requested that they pull the bills from the committee agenda until our members can sit down with the Department to discuss. The bills were pulled from the agenda and a meeting is slated for this week. ARA/AHA lobbyists also notified NFIB and the Alabama Retail Association regarding some of the problems wit the legislation.SB174 sponsored by Senator Holley also prohibits 14 and 15 year olds from working in a warehouse, or any one under the age of 18 from working in an adult establishment. The bill also states that an employee must be 16 or older to be employed as busboys and other non-server positions in establishments where liquor is served. The bill allows for a range of civil penalties starting at $1,000 and Ending at $5,000. HB 268 by Representative Galliher is the companion bill to this legislation. ARA/AHA headed back to the table on the Wine “Doggie Bags” Bill The ARA/AHA backed wine bill SB237 that allows the consumer to have their wine re-corked and re-sealed was on the agenda this week in the Judiciary Committee. The bill failed to be given a favorable report due to some confusion on just what the cork and seal would look like. ARA/AHA has returned to the table to resolve existing issues and get it back on the agenda as quickly as possible. ABC officials have offered to help clarify enforcement issues. The Alabama Christian Coalition is opposed to the legislation. ARA/AHA lobbyists continue to dialogue with them to explain that the legislation deters over consumption by allowing a patron to carry the wine home in a sealed container. The bill if enacted, could boost the sales of higher priced wines in restaurants throughout the state; therefore, a plus for businesses and the consumers. The lobbyist for wine has offered to assist in our endeavors. CALL TO ACTION! Call these Senators today who are members of the Senate Judiciary committee and ask them to vote Yes on SB 237. They are: HB 325 Its companion bill is sponsored by Representative Terry Collins of Decatur and remains in the economic Development and Tourism Committee. A Rebate for Alabama-Grown Food not a reality The House Agriculture and Forestry Committee quickly sent HB 37 sponsored by Rep. Joe Hubbard to a study committee. The lack of funding for the legislation was the primary concern of the committee. As reported the bill would allow restaurants to submit documentation of annual purchases of Alabama agricultural products to apply for a four-percent rebate from a state fund established by the bill. Frivolous Obesity Lawsuit Bills HB242 and SB264 remain in House and Senate Judiciary committees this week. Tourism Related legislation Cultural districts Tax exempt sales Expanded to all Municipalities HB142 by Representative Collins would provide a sales tax exemption for the sale of original works of art in any cultural district for class I, 2, 3, 4, was amended in committee to include all municipalities that have a main street or cultural district program. The bill was amended and given a favorable report this week and is eligible for final House passage. HB257 by Representative Jamie Ison would allow for a premium state income tax credit for certain qualified community businesses in low income communities. This bill was also referred tot he Committee on Economic Development and Tourism and received a favorable report this week. Final Insurance Reform Bill Clears Committee SB 210 “The Property Insurance Clarity Act” that calls for Rep. Terry Collins transparency by insurance companies who will be required to report certain information to the Insurance Department cleared the Senate committee this week. It was the final bill pending in the package of insurance reform bills designed to aid in the recent insurance problems especially at the coast. All of the bills are available for final Senate passage. Immigration continues to be a topic of conversation at the state house. We want to know how your business is being impacted. Please click here to answer five quick questions Other issues reported on by lobbyist: To see the full report, click here. HOW TO IDENTIFY YOUR LEGISLATOR http://www.legislature.state.al.us./misc/zipsearch.html HOW TO CONTACT YOUR LEGISLATOR http://www.legislature.state.al.us./senate/senators/senateroster_alpha.html House: 334-242-7600 Senate: 334-242-7800
Visit the ARA/AHA page for the latest in government affairs news. ARA/AHA thanks Miller Development Group for providing reports.
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TRAVEL GETS THE PRESIDENTIAL TREATMENT Our efforts over the past several years to amplify the travel industry’s relevance with policymakers resulted in a major win for our industry last week. While in Orlando, FL, President Obama announced a national strategy on travel and tourism to boost travel to and within the United States. Key components of the president’s initiative include the creation of an interagency task force charged with developing a national travel & tourism strategy, shortening visa wait times, expanding Global Entry, promoting our national parks, and working to expand the Visa Waiver Program. Now we want to hear from you. Head to our Facebook page to suggest what you feel should be included as part of the strategy. Thank you for your hard work to secure this victory for the travel and tourism industry! |
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WHILE IT’S COLD OUTSIDE, VISA REFORM IS HEATING UP Hundreds of you sent messages to Congress last fall urging members to include visa reform provisions in the FY12 State Department funding bill. As a result, in December, Congress passed the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2012, which included significant visa policy victories. The legislation included provisions that will lead to reductions in visa wait times, extended visa validity periods, and will facilitate the creation of a secure videoconferencing system for visa interviews. Combined with the president’s remarks last week, we have an incredible opportunity to achieve meaningful visa reform this year. Be sure to visit our Smarter Visa Policy Now action hub to learn about the four pieces of visa reform legislation currently pending in Congress and how you can take action. |
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START PLANNING NOW FOR NATIONAL TRAVEL AND TOURISM WEEK
Wondering how best to observe NTTW? Ideas include staging local rallies, conducting media outreach, and securing local proclamations and resolutions from local legislative bodies. Or get creative and do something unique within your destination! The Power of Travel Coalition will release a toolkit in February to help you plan for NTTW. In the meantime, it’s a good idea to start requesting proclamations and resolutions from your local and state legislatures. Download a sample proclamation to get started. Planning to have a NTTW event or have questions? Email us at rallyday@ustravel.org |
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TSA IMPROVES SECURITY EXPERIENCE AT ADDITIONAL AIRPORTS Earlier in January, President Obama signed a new law that provides expedited airport security screenings to members of the armed forces. The legislation requires the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) to set new procedures to provide military members and their families quicker and less invasive screenings while in uniform and traveling on official orders. We applaud Congress for passing this important legislation to enhance the TSA experience for the men and women in our armed forces. Additionally, in the coming months, TSA’s PreCheck trusted traveler program will expand to include two new airlines (U.S. Airways and United Airlines) and several new airports. Currently, eligible travelers at nine airports nationwide can voluntarily submit to pre-screening, which allows fora faster checkpoint experience at the airport. U.S. Travel is currently working with Congress and TSA to ensure that this program is expanded to include more of the flying public. |
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ADVOCACY ALL-STARS: VIRGINIA BEACH CVB AND THE BROADMOOR
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National Travel and Tourism Week (NTTW) will take place from May 5-13, 2012. First observed in 1984, NTTW is celebrated through localized events in cities, states and travel businesses nationwide in an effort to champion the impact that travel has on communities throughout the country.
Meanwhile, Steve Bartolin, president and CEO of Top 8 Luxury Travel & Marketing Trends for 2012 | By Karen Weiner Escalera
The Transformation Of Luxury
It has been a roller coaster of an economy, and that unpredictability has had an impact. New Year’s resolutions will have consumers looking for more fun. They’ll want to play games. Be entertained.
Consumers will want something that enhances their product or service experience – but at a discount. They are savvier than ever before and are making informed choices by researching untold numbers of social networking and user review sites. The daily deal industry, which became an industry almost overnight, has shaped the way they shop. These changing values and consumption habits are driving how we do business.
All of this combined with a rapidly changing environment means that brands will have to constantly innovate. As fashion designer Josie Natori said to us recently, “If you think you’re ahead of the game. you’re already behind.”
Here are eight emerging trends, which we see shaping marketing strategies as 2012 approaches…
THE HUNT FOR VALUE: ENGAGING AND ENTERTAINING
Affluents search for value was first a perceived necessity borne of a weak economy. Then it became a status symbol, the mark of being a smart consumer.
Now it’s also about the search itself: deal hunting needs to amuse, to be fun. Look for more gamification as brands will have to engage and entertain to build brand loyalty.
Read more
A NEW LANGUAGE OF LUXURY
Luxury buzzwords over the past few years have been authentic, artisanal, vintage, and heirloom. Expect these to continue to resonate in 2012. Travel surveys we conducted this year, from spa media to wedding planners, indicate that the affluent still crave products and experiences that are authentic and offer a sense of place, in everything from food and décor to destination offerings and entertainment.
Read more
DIFFERENTIATION BY LIFESTYLE IMMERSION
Online shopping has finally overtaken traditional shopping according to a new study by American Express Publishing and Harrison Group, and 2012 will be the year of reaffirming traditional retail. To be able to draw shoppers from online retail back into the real world, brands must up their game. Quite simply, people want to experience more.
Read more
THE NOW FRONTIER – CONTENT MARKETING
Content curation was last year. 2012 is for content marketing.
The essence of content strategy is that instead of pitching products or services, you deliver consistent, ongoing valuable information to buyers, making them more intelligent. You also engage, reward and entertain them with the overall business goals of customer conversion and customer loyalty/retention, thus creating passionate subscribers.
Read more
MARKETING FUNCTIONS CONVERGE, TRANSFORM
Social media: is this a function of PR? Ecommerce? Advertising? Management? It’s part of all the above. And as digital marketing and e-commerce are converging, Facebook can be both a marketing AND a distribution channel with “f-commerce” capabilities on fan pages.
Read more
ADAPTABILITY – THE NEW COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE
Boston Consulting Group recently released “Adaptability: The New Competitive Advantage”, a white paper about the blurring of industries and constant need for recalibration strategies to meet changing market needs. It cited the desirability of a non-hierarchical corporate model with modular units that change depending upon the project.
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MINI INDULGENCES, VIP FOR A FEE
The Spanish tapas concept – meaning “little plates” – has boomed and is now being adopted across industries. The appeal? It affords product and service sampling, there’s a social aspect of sharing, and of course the price. No need to go with the full tasting menu: choose what you want, customize it, and pay less.
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THE RENTER ECONOMY
It’s been a growing trend over the last few years: the desire for less responsibility and the growth of fractional ownership in everything from real estate to jets, even olive groves. Consumers have been reluctant to commit money and responsibility in the recent economic environment, but they’re still looking to collect as many experiences as possible.
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Karen Weiner Escalera
Phone: +1 305-476-5424
Email: escalera@kwegroup.com
KWE Group Inc.
www.kwegroup.com/
4425 Ponce de Leon Blvd., Suite 260
USA – Coral Gables, FL 33146
Phone: 305-476-5424
Fax: 305-476-543
Email: pr@kwegroup.com