HOW A GROUP OF MALLS AND RESORTS MADE THEMSELVES INTO A DESTINATION
In today’s competitive retail environment, just offering the typical coupon book and dining voucher is not going to be enough to entice the tour operator, receptive tour operator or group travel leader to bring their clients to your center. It is time to be more creative, identify opportunities and potential partners, then leverage that to your advantage. This first of a three-part series takes the concept of “partnering” to the next level.
Experience has taught us the importance of partnerships and alliances with other centers and select hotels. There are a number of successful shopping alliances on a city, state and national level (See shopamericavip.com and previous JONESREPORT Plus articles).
The following case study builds on lessons learned from these shopping alliances, hotel packages and even economic development tools to create a new “destination” out of independently owned and managed properties in Sandestin,FL. We identified the area’s key players and leveraged their assets to develop an even stronger product to market to the travel and tourism industry. After a thorough analysis, the recommendation in late 2007 was to form The Sandestin Alliance consisting of four branded hotel/resort properties with various ownership entities and management companies along with four shopping centers, also with different ownership and management companies.
Background
Sandestin is located on Northwest Florida’s Gulf Coast and spans a 3.5-mile stretch along the Emerald Coast Parkway from Silver Sands Factory Stores to Grand Boulevard. The destination is just nine miles east of Destin,FL,and approximately 22 miles west of the Walton/Bay County line.
Within this area are four shopping centers, three hotels and one resort. Each has a lot to offerand is a destination itself. However, by marketing all of them as one destination, the offering jumps up to an impressive list of assets including:
- A world renowned, 2,400acre resort and three national brand hotels with more than
- 2,600 guest rooms
- Unique shopping experiences featuring leading, nationally recognized brand names and one-of-a-kind boutiques
- The nation’s largest designer outlet center
- Over 40 dining options to fit every desired taste and experience from casual to fine dining
- Seven miles of sugar white sand beaches and a pristine bay front
- A marina and a wide range of water sports