b'FOGHORN FOCUS20 21 MARKETING PLANS 2021 MARKETING PLANS Should Feature FLEXIBILITYFLEXIBILITYandINNOVATIONBY KAREN RAINBOLT // FOGHORN MANAGING EDITORW hat passenger vessel operators can expect post COVID-19 isexpect flexibility when they book, meaning a lenient cancellation policy anyones guess. We all hope for a return to normalcy, but weshould the pandemic cause them to have to cancel their trip. should plan for contingenciesjust in case. As preparations begin for the 2021 operating season, there are a number of questions thatSince travel within the U.S. and from other countries may still be impacted remain unanswered, the biggest one being: will we be allowed to operateby travel restrictions or by fear of contagion by travelers, consider starting and carry passengers this year? your season by targeting your marketing efforts on your local and regional communities. Consumers, after a year of staying at home, may jump at the Around the country, vaccinations are underway, but are moving slowerchance to enjoy outdoor excursions that are fun and different, yet still allow than everyone would like. Still, as the typicalfor social distancing if they feel uncomfortable busyseasonforthemajorityofPVAinside confined places. Riding aboard passenger members is still months away, theres hope thatEnsure your products,vesselsmaybeappealingtoavarietyof by Memorial Day large numbers of Americansdemographics. will have had the opportunity to receive one ofservices, messaging the two vaccines currently approved in the U.S.Another idea is to attract new customers. Try and being distributed across the country. Thisand marketing planswidening the scope of your operations proverbial meansthatoperatorsshouldbedoingtheirare tuned into thosewheelhousebyexpandingtoursthatcould marketing planning now.interest a different set of passengers. Yes, you can changes and remainstill offer the tried and true sunset cruises, but MARKETING PLANS 2.0 perhaps by adding new flavor, youll find new Whatshouldyourmarketingplancomprisedynamic movingcustomers. For example, if your home port has thisyear?Asthesituationwillprobablyforward. a historic past, why not establish a special cruise continuetochangedependingonadvancesaround that history? Or try cultural cruises to in the fight against the coronavirus, having aattractlocalswhoidentifywithaparticular marketing strategy that can adjust to changingculturalheritage.Anarratedtour,music,and market conditions is recommended, according to marketing professionalfood choices can be added to enhance the experience. According to the Kent Lewis who runs a marketing strategy firm in Portland, OR. In antravel news site Skift in November, the City of Boston partnered with a article published in SmartBrief last August, Lewis wrote, Regardless oflocally owned Black and women-owned communications firm to develop your industry or level of digital savvy, the impacts on consumer behaviora tourism campaign intended to market Bean Town to diverse visitors. The are changing and much of the change will be permanent. Ensure yournew Visit Boston campaign highlights events, activities, and attractions that products, services, messaging and marketing plans are tuned into thosepeople of color may be interested in attending. Boston-based passenger vessel changes and remain dynamic moving forward. operators could try to work with the City to extend the campaign to the waterways offering innovative and compelling ideas to further the Citys Many passenger vessel operators have already taken note. On a recent PVAdiversity vision.Emerging Leaders Committee Zoom chat, one vessel member said that his operations sales team is finding that people are interested in bookingFood is an important component for many vessel operators business model. cruises for 2021, but that theyre looking at dates much farther out than inRecently, a PVA vessel member has refocused its menu to be COVID previous years. He also said that his company has noticed that customersconscious. By this, the operation is taking extra steps to ensure the food FOGHORN FOCUS 14 FOGHORN'