TOURISM CARES VOLUNTEER EVENT 2017 A North America host destination Request for Proposal Application deadline: February 29, 2016 This Request for Proposal provides all the information necessary for America s destinations, large and small, to learn about and apply to be host of the signature annual gathering of the Tourism Cares community and a wonderful opportunity to spotlight your destination s attractions and community spirit. Tourism Cares unites the travel, tourism and hospitality industries through volunteerism and other programs. Through our partnership with you, the broader tourism community has the opportunity to come together, learn from one another and provide a lasting impact on the places we must preserve for generations to enjoy. Since 2003, more than 40,000 volunteer hours have been donated at a value of almost $1M to dozens of sites in the United States. Beginning on Ellis Island in 2003, the Tourism Cares for America volunteering series has touched every section of the country and helped sites from the most iconic to the lesser-known. Places like Gettysburg in Pennsylvania, Angel Island in San Francisco and Biscayne Bay in Miami have experienced the care and stewardship of the industry and realized the benefits of hosting.
For more information and to see what a project really looks like, please visit our website and YouTube page to watch program videos, including projects in New York City and Sacramento, CA. Learn more at www.tourismcares.org and @TourismCares THE EVENT: US TRAVEL AND TOURISM GATHERS TO GIVE BACK This annual gathering of the North American travel and tourism community is where we come together to give back, to share knowledge and ideas, and to celebrate the tremendous commitment of our industry to the destinations that are our love and livelihood. The Tourism Cares volunteer program consists of 3 components: 1. A high priority national volunteering project -- and spotlight on a destination, with 300+ volunteers from companies around the country bringing their sweat and talents to tourism sites in need along with other exposure and support, building on a 13 year history of impactful volunteering. 2. A national symposium on travel corporate social responsibility: this half-day gathering of all those in travel focused on philanthropy and volunteering, is when thought leaders and practitioners of the Tourism Cares community come together to share best practices so that we can give more effectively as an industry and as individual companies; and 3. The Tourism Cares for America Community Award: the 2017 program will launch The Tourism Cares for America Community Award, recognizing excellence by a travel and tourism company in their own backyard. Launched and reviewed with you and leaders in the community, this effort complements Tourism Cares Travel Philanthropy Awards given annually in December for legacy, new innovation and personal leadership in giving. This Request for Proposal focuses on the centerpiece of the program the destination volunteering project, as well as related logistics. Please find info on how to apply below.
THE OPPORTUNITY: OUR SHARED GOALS FOR YOUR DESTINATION The volunteering program maintains 3 goals, all of which create value for your destination and for the industry 1. High value site restoration through group volunteering. The work day provides a substantial amount of labor, love and impact to a destination and important tourism sites. Volunteers spend 5-7 hours working hard to complete the tasks laid out for them, walking away with a sense of accomplishment and a great deal of work done for a site. Some of the most impactful projects completed throughout the years include: Revitalizing historic Mystic Seaport, painting the museum exhibits and infrastructure and archiving artifacts at a value of $58,000 Splitting our group of 600 at two work sites in New York City helping Coney Island, Brooklyn and Jamaica Bay, Queens, with projects after Hurricane Katrina at a value of $89,000 2. Showcasing your destination for the travel and tourism industry it s like a powerfully inspiring fam trip The Tourism Cares community (comprised of 140+ member companies and far more who volunteer) participates in this event on an annual basis and represent all segments of the industry. At your event you ll find: Tour operators, such as Tauck, Collette, Globus, Travel Corporation brands Travel agents and consortia, such as Signature Travel, Vacation.com, AAA Key associations and industry groups: NTA, United States Tour Operators Association, US Travel, Student Youth Travel Association, SKAL International Industry media and trade publications such as Travel Weekly, Travel Age West, Group Travel Leader, Courier, And many others like travel insurance companies (Trip Mate, AON/Berkely) cruise lines (Royal Caribbean, CLIA) and hoteliers (Marriott, Starwood) and many other suppliers
. The reach of the program extends well beyond actual attendees, too: the volunteer program is central to Tourism Cares marketing throughout the year, featured in newsletters, on the Tourism Cares webpage, at trade shows and through our member community. 3. Mainstream media exposure, in addition to the travel trades Tourism Cares promotes these projects to the industry and trade media, but involving the community is just as important. Showing the dedication and support of volunteers from all over the country to a worksite makes a deep and emotional impact for the people who make that destination their home. Here are some examples of local media from recent events: Volunteers work at the closed but iconic Miami Marine Stadium and in surrounding Biscayne Bay: NBC Miami Volunteers make an impact all across San Pedro from ships, to Korean Bells to nature preserves: The Los Angeles Times From the cowboy gateway community of Williams, AZ to a check-off the bucketlist at Grand Canyon: Williams News
IN THE END, IT S ALL ABOUT THE WORK: KEYS TO IDENTIFYING THE RIGHT PROJECTS The Tourism Cares give back is held in the spring, on a Thursday-Friday during National Travel & Tourism Week in May and attracts our largest number of volunteers, on average 300 400. Tourism Cares is seeking sites that are important to an area s tourism appeal and are in need of care and/or restoration. The following are important criteria in choosing one or more work sites. The attraction of one or more iconic sites of natural, cultural or historic significance Visible needs of the site to be cleaned or restored Ability to provide the work necessary to keep 300-400 people actively working for at least a 5-6 hour period Ability for volunteers to look over their shoulders after a day of work and see that they have made a significant difference Ease of accessibility to accommodations and work sites via air and land Type of work: the following types of work are appropriate for such volunteer numbers and types: Landscaping (including plantings, invasive plant removal, and trail restoration) Painting (including prep work scraping, sanding, etc.) and graffiti removal Light construction and basic carpentry (e.g. erecting fences, repairing walkways, building planter boxes, etc.) Artifact cataloging and other more administrative tasks (typically for smaller groups) Note: unless there is a very clear need and rationale, we generally shy away from trash pickups. Work projects may ideally be situated in a large single site, although we have had great success working at 3-6 sites in relatively close proximity, allowing for a diversity of work and experiences while keeping transfers easy.
For example, in San Pedro, CA for Tourism Cares for Los Angeles, volunteers were split amongst 5 different sites all within 15 minutes from one another. Although splitting the group adds to logistics and operational hurtles, our group in San Pedro was not able to only impact a single site but an entire community. The quality of the work and the appeal of the tourism attraction are paramount, with the scope of work to be done and accessibility as important logistical factors. SAMPLE EVENT PROGRAM Illustrative Schedule Wednesday 1pm 5pm: Tourism Cares board meeting (invitation only) Thursday Learning & Welcome! CSR / Peer-to-peer learning 8:30am 1pm: Annual Travel Corporate Social Responsibility Summit 1pm 4pm: Optional activities in the area (e.g. touring a historic battlefield, kayaking in a national recreation area, etc.) Welcome to your destination! 5pm 6pm: Destination and Cultural Learning Session: An opportunity for local representatives from the destination and site to speak to the importance of their community and the sites 6pm 7:30pm: Opening Welcome to Destination Reception including the Tourism Cares for America Community Award Friday Work Day! 8am 3pm: Work, work, work! Day begins with continental breakfast. Boxed lunch is provided. 3pm 5pm: Closing celebration BBQ Saturday: Optional weekend activities/tours available
OUR SHARED BUSINESS MODEL Producing such an event requires a host of resources, both financial and donated. There are a range of costs borne by both Tourism Cares and the destination, including: o Project materials, tools (e.g. plant stock) and volunteer gear o Food and beverage o Transportation o Staff project management and travel To support these costs which make this impactful event possible, 3 sources of revenue and support are tapped: o Cash sponsorships and those sourced by Tourism Cares o Local contributions, notably in-kind donations courtesy of the local travel and tourism industry, and o Volunteer registration fees (traditionally between $130 - $200).
ROLES & RESPONSIBILITIES The Tourism Cares give back program is all about place, people and fun and most importantly, collaboration. Taking on a project of this size requires a great deal of coordination and commitment from both Tourism Cares and the host committee. Here s a brief snapshot of how we accomplish our goals: The destination s role Worksite Coordination Choose work projects and assign a lead project manager from work site Tools & Materials Suggest local companies open to discounted, in-kind donations by RFP Sourcing Volunteers Promote opportunity locally through appropriate channels Accommodations Source room blocks through local hotels by RFP(1) Transportation Secure transportation partner through sponsorship or in-kind donation for Thursday & Friday events(2) Tourism Cares role Coordinate plan directly with project manager including all logistics, tools & materials needs, etc. etc. Provide RFP for workday supplies Coordinate and contract direct with companies Manage all registrations Promote through partners & members Develop marketing materials for promotion Develop RFP for sourcing & manage contracting Coordinate logistics directly with transportation company for day-of events
Meeting Space & Receptions: food, Secure board room for Wednesday Tourism Cares board meeting beverage and fun Thursday: entertainment, showing off your destination - Secure CSR & peer learning venue space (100 people) and evening reception space (300 people) through in-kind donation or destination sponsorship - Host evening networking reception through local in-kind or destination sponsorship (heavy hors d'oeuvres, open bar of beer and wine) Secure Friday BBQ reception venue (400 people on site/close to site) Distribute RFP locally for work day caterers/vendors Project Management Develop a host committee to promote, operate and fundraise(3) Fundraise locally for needed sponsorship (see just the items above, e.g. transportation) Media Outreach Develop a PR committee (in conjunction with host committee) to develop strategy and reach out locally Coordinate logistics directly with all venues once secured by host Provide RFP for workday meal needs for host to disseminate Contract with caterers for breakfast, boxed lunch after sourced by host Contract with caterers/vendors for Friday BBQ (after sourced by host. Host is responsible for venue only) Manage host committee through conference calls Provide fundraising tools Fundraise through travel industry networks Pitch to trade media Develop PR tools (releases, alerts) for distribution from team Lead social media strategy 1-Our suggested guidelines for hotel rooms: o Rate varies by destination, but historically have ranged from $89 - $229 o 240 room nights for Thursday and Friday, with a small block reserved for advance volunteers on Wednesday (20 rooms) and weekenders on Saturday (10 rooms) o Complimentary rooms extended for staff for site visits (approximately 16 room nights) o All waived attrition policies & ability for individual reservations 2-Our suggested guidelines for motorcoach transfers: o 3-4 coaches available for all-day Thursday to include optional tour transportation (if applicable) and transfer to/from all events (we would suggest all Thurs. events be held at the same location to minimize transfers) o 4-5 coaches available for all-day Friday work day to/from hotels to sites and transfers between sites to receptions, etc.
HOW TO APPLY & TOP CRITERIA FOR SUCCESSFUL APPLICATIONS! Timeline January 15, 2016 February 29, 2016: Application period: Applications reviewed by Tourism Cares Destination Volunteering & Investments Committee March 15, 2016: Finalists are contacted Tourism Cares may ask finalists for a more detailed list of vendors, sponsors, etc. that a destination would be working with for the event. Tourism Cares would also schedule an initial site visit to see potential work. May 25, 2016: Host site announced How to Apply, and Criteria for Selection We ask that the following criteria be included in your proposal: 1. Name and contact information for lead organizer 2. Name and contact information for all host committee leaders as well as a letter of support signed by all. Host Committee Members should consist of: Lead organizer can be from the work site, CVB, chamber, etc. Work site(s) representative (someone in charge at the site, as well as someone who completes any maintenance on the site/will be leading the work day of) CVB representative Local chamber/city entity State representative 3. The story of the destination: Why this place is important and how is it relevant to the tourism community? Why should the Tourism Cares community come to your destination? 4. The story of the work projects: Why is this work needed? What kind of impact will be made to the site once they are completed? 5. A listing of potential in-kind/local sponsors (for transportation, accommodations and reception); this can include local foundations and philanthropists interested in the project. Proposals should be no longer than 3-6 pages, not including any supporting brochures and documents, and submitted in PDF to Jessica Ahern, Director of Destination Volunteering & Investments, at jessicaa@tourismcares.org. Questions? Please do not hesitate to contact us! THANK YOU for your interest!