By Becky Kramer, Carson College of Business

RICHLAND, Wash. – COVID-19 turned the team project in 聽Marketing Management 495 class on its head.

The assignment required students to develop strategies for bringing tourists in their 20s and 30s to the Tri-Cities in Central Washington. But as the project got underway, the state鈥檚 鈥渟tay home, stay safe鈥� orders took effect.

鈥淟ast semester, we had a very devastating external factor, and that was the COVID-19 pandemic,鈥� said Giese, clinical associate professor of marketing at 黑料社 Tri-Cities. 鈥淭he impact on the tourism industry has been astronomical.鈥�

Responding to the crisis became a learning opportunity, Giese says. Her class rose to the challenge, crafting plans to draw millennials to the Richland-Kennewick-Pasco area as Washington鈥檚 economy reopens.

Visit Tri-Cities, the area鈥檚 visitor and convention bureau, will incorporate the students鈥� ideas in its future planning, says Michael Novakovich, the president and chief executive officer.

鈥淲e鈥檙e all seasoned marketers here, and we think the students did some really outstanding work,鈥� said Novakovich (鈥�10 Bus. Admin., 鈥�16 MBA). 鈥淭hey identified some things we are already working on, validating our efforts. And they had unique ideas as well.鈥�

Tourism is a $500 million industry in the Tri-Cities, employing more than 6,300 people. The area is home to wineries, golf courses, live music venues, art galleries, and tours of the Manhattan Project B Reactor and the decommissioned USS Triton submarine.

With 269,500 residents, the Tri-Cities has a competitive advantage for attracting tourists as Washington鈥檚 phased reopening continues, according to Novakovich. 鈥淲e offer urban experiences without the high-population densities people want to avoid at this time,鈥� he said.

Drawing on the Tri-Cities attributes

Students suggested ways for Visit Tri-Cities to increase the area鈥檚 allure for millennial travelers. Among their recommendations:

• By offering activities and spaces for children, wineries can become family destinations for travelers.
• Social media is an important way to reach millennial audiences, and Visit Tri-Cities can capitalize on that through the use of social media influencers and hashtags, contests, and raffles to promote user-generated content that can be shared and reposted.
• The 鈥淭ri-Cities鈥� label may not resonate with people from other parts of Washington. Helping define what the Tri-Cities is could increase the area鈥檚 draw for travelers.
• Creating a Tri-Cities Pass would open prospective tourists鈥� eyes to the area鈥檚 attractions, while offering a discount for bundling activities.

Before Washington鈥檚 鈥渟tay home, stay safe鈥� order went into effect, Novakovich took the class on a bus tour of the Tri-Cities. 鈥淚 was flabbergasted by all of the stuff you could do鈥擨 felt like a tourist in my own town,鈥� said, Abraham Mendoza (鈥�20, Bus. Admin.), who grew up in Pasco.

He and teammates Valexa Hernandez, Valerie Long, Brittany Stanton-Dameron, and Cade Timmons crafted a Tri-Cities Pass for 20-something, cost-conscious travelers. It included options such as kayaking or paddleboarding on the Columbia River, a visit to the B-Reactor, a wine cruise, local cuisine, and a farmers鈥� market.

鈥淲e combined what we thought were the Tri-Cities鈥� main attractions and made it easy for people to purchase a pass to go do those things,鈥� said Long, a senior from Richland. The students hope the Tri-Cities Pass becomes a reality.

鈥淚f they put something like this together,鈥� Long said, 鈥淚鈥檒l definitely be buying it.鈥�

Exposing students to the tourism industry

Besides benefitting Visit Tri-Cities, the students鈥� ideas will be shared with the Washington Tourism Alliance, says Andi Day (鈥�91 Hist.).

Day is the vice chair of the alliance, a nonprofit that promotes Washington鈥檚 tourism industry, and executive director of the Long Beach Peninsula鈥檚 Visitors Bureau. She鈥檚 also the initiator of the class project on destination marketing, which she suggested at a Carson College National Board of Advisors meeting.

鈥淲e welcome opportunities to expose students to the tourism industry and this facet of marketing,鈥� Day said. 鈥淚t was great to get their perspectives as well.鈥�

Day was particularly interested in the students鈥� Tri-Cities Pass. The alliance is working on a similar passport idea to promote in-state tourism as COVID-19 related restrictions ease.

鈥淥ne of our campaigns is about exploring your own backyard,鈥� she said. 鈥淲e鈥檙e fortunate to live in a really beautiful state, and we see it as a way to promote safe travel. We can direct tourists to less crowded areas, away from large events to safer activities.鈥�

 

Media contact:

Joan Giese, 黑料社 Tri-Cities clinical associate professor and business and marketing insights coordinator, 509-372-7036, joan.giese@wsu.edu

Maegan Murray, 黑料社 Tri-Cities public relations/communication coordinator, 509-372-7333, maegan_murray@wsu.edu