LT-2019-014-KEEN-Yakima River Canyon Bird Fest

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Response 3 B: B. What strategies will you employ to assure you are attracting tourists from at least 50 miles away? Measuring Results* Yakima River Canyon Bird Fest is a date specific shoulder -season event. We will advertise on national birding websites and through Facebook ads with a targeted audience identified as birders and bird enthusiasts from around the Pacific Northwest. Our 2018 final report shows our online targeted audience locations for all ads on Facebook, Living Bird Magazine, and Bird Watcher's Digest (they focus on Seattle area, Spokane area, Portland area, and Vancouver BC area). All our advertising will follow the required guidelines for branding as specified in the grant. KEENs website and FB pages will identify funders and sponsors with appropriate recognition. Further we will identify affinity events happening during the same time of year in Kittitas County as a way to identify opportunities to extend stays before and after the event. 2500 character limit Response 3 C: G What strategies will you use to assist in marketing all of Kittitas County as a tourist destination with your Measuring Results* event/project funding request? Traveling to Kittitas County in the spring is one of the best times to visit our area. We will followthe rules of the contract on our marketing items with appropriate logos, and will also work to increase attendance by encouraging other activities while here. KEEN will use our social media accounts to share and cross -post recreation, farmers markets, wineries and local breweries to the same audience. Birders travel thousands of miles to add to their 'life lists' and our festival will fall right in between two complimentary festivals — the Grays Harbor Shorebird Festival in late April and the Leavenworth Bird Festival in late May. Birders plan their travel calendars to engage in as many birding opportunities as they can, and this festival in May is the best time to see colorful, diverse and rare bird species in the Canyon. To the extent possible, we will cross post to these other festivals and gain audience and ad reach that way. Each attendee receives the Chamber handout packet in their event go bags, we link to the Chamber website on our website, and we put the hotel registration widget on our website for ease of travel arrangements. 2500 character limit Application Questions: Part 3 41 Collaboration If your organization collaborates or has created partnerships with other organizations, groups, or other events, how is this accomplished? Collaboration * 51 Future Plans Yes, KEEN partners with several groups in Kittitas County and across the state to promote and encourage tourism. For Bird Fest we specifically partner with Kittitas and Yakima County Audubon groups and the Kittitas County Field and Stream Club. These organizations provide expertise, field trip leaders, event volunteers, and planning committee members. We also work with CWU interns and professors, expert field trip leaders from around the state, and WA State Parks for the location of the event. This event would not be successful without these partnerships! 2500 character limit Please explain what plans exist to allow this project to become self-sustaining. Include any plans for ticket sales, event sponsors, and other cost -recovery models.