GREATER FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (Feb. 14, 2024) – Visit Lauderdale, the destination marketing organization for Greater Fort Lauderdale, won gold, silver and bronze at the 67th Annual Hospitality Sales & Marketing Association International (HSMAI) Adrian Awards which celebrates excellence in travel marketing. The awards ceremony was held on Tuesday, February 13, 2024, at the New York Marriott Marquis.
At this year’s event, themed “WanderLOVE,” nominees were required to submit stories of remarkable marketing and public relations campaigns, ads, earned media programs, experiential and digital experiences that sparked a love for travel and ignited a desire for exploration in travelers around the world.
Visit Lauderdale took home three 2023 HSMAI Adrian Awards in the following categories:
Gold President’s Award in the Influencer Marketing category (PR/Communications division) for its episodic series titled “Hidden in Plain Sight” by internationally acclaimed artist Avi Ram. This series was developed and created to highlight seven different destinations throughout Greater Fort Lauderdale.
Using an optical illusion technique, Ram painted models into their surrounding environment, effectively making them disappear. While being filmed, the models surprised viewers by exiting their locations. The entire artistic process was also documented with behind-the-scenes videos.
Shared online through a myriad of channels, the colorful videos surpassed more than 83 million views and more than three million likes via Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube.
Silver Award in the Broadcast Integration category (Integrated Campaign division) for the exceptional exposure gained through Visit Lauderdale’s advertising partnership with Good Morning America that resulted in over 9.7 million impressions through linear TV programs; social media posts garnering 73,100 additional views of the Good Morning America video segment, and over $620,000 worth of added value advertising on local broadcast affiliates and streaming video.
The live televised programming and additional paid media promotions positioned Greater Fort Lauderdale as the world's most welcoming destination with a focus on inclusivity, diversity, and accessibility which amplify Visit Lauderdale’s mission to ensure all visitors feel respected, accepted, and valued with wide open, welcoming arms.
Bronze Award in Group Sales/Travel Trade category (Advertising division) for its meetings campaign. With recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic underway and a new convention center under construction, Visit Lauderdale successfully used a business-to-business brand campaign to retain the attention of group, meeting, and event planners by highlighting the quirky, cosmopolitan, whimsical, and sophisticated side of Greater Fort Lauderdale.
The effort was credited with helping Visit Lauderdale book 41 business events for 2023 and beyond, with 84,631 room nights on the books and an additional 41,347 room nights in the pipeline. In April 2023, the destination booked its first citywide convention into the newly renovated convention center and on-site OMNI Headquarters Hotel, valued at $5.4 million in economic impact. The campaign was also credited with successfully booking events through 2035.
“We are incredibly honored to once again be recognized by the Adrian Awards. It’s a true testament to our determination to amplify the message of inclusivity and diversity in all that we do as a destination. We plan to continue this momentum moving into 2024,” said Stacy Ritter, president and CEO of Visit Lauderdale.
All three campaigns ultimately helped Greater Fort Lauderdale achieve substantial growth, surpassing 2019’s pre-pandemic statistics and 2022’s record-breaking progress. Notable achievements include:
• A Tourist Development Tax revenue increase of 44% compared to 2019, and an increase of 2% compared to 2022.
• An increase in the average daily room rate of 29% compared to 2019, and 6% compared to 2022.
• A 44% increase in hotel revenue compared to 2019, and 7% compared to 2022.
For more information on this year’s HSMAI Adrian Awards, visit https://adrianawards.hsmai.org. To read about Visit Lauderdale’s Everyone Under the Sun campaign, visit VisitLauderdale.com.
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About Greater Fort Lauderdale
With 24 miles of golden sand beaches and 300+ miles of navigable waterways, Greater Fort Lauderdale is known as the Venice of America and Yachting Capital of the World. The area boasts an average year-round temperature of 77˚F, has 3,000+ hours of annual sunshine, and is home to 31 unique municipalities, including eight distinct beach communities, each offering something for “everyone under the sun.” Residents hailing from 170 countries, speaking 147 languages call this diverse destination home. And there’s good reason, including the area’s unwavering commitment to accessibility and inclusion. Upon arrival at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport (FLL), a five-minute drive will get you to the beach, Port Everglades, the newly expanded Greater Fort Lauderdale/Broward County Convention Center, and a bustling downtown. Experience 4,000+ eateries, a thriving arts and culture scene, craft breweries, stunning rooftop bars, fishing, diving, and the unmatched beauty of the Florida Everglades. From world-class shopping, to boating, yachts and superyachts all moored at the area’s many marinas, it’s no wonder Greater Fort Lauderdale is one of the most desirable places to stay, work and play. The destination has more than 38,000 unique lodging accommodations at a variety of hotels, luxury spa resorts, and beautifully appointed, boutique properties, all reflecting the area’s cosmopolitan vibe.
About Visit Lauderdale
Visit Lauderdale is the official destination marketing organization for Greater Fort Lauderdale and serves as the tourism department for Broward County, Florida. Visit Lauderdale promotes the area’s 31 municipalities to a global audience of leisure and business travelers as the ideal place for Everyone Under the Sun in recognition of the area’s diverse and welcoming vibe, and books conventions into the Greater Fort Lauderdale/Broward County Convention Center and area hotels and resorts. Find more information and follow @VisitLauderdale on Facebook, Instagram, X and YouTube.