It’s been long understood that women make the majority of household purchasing decisions. Those decisions include family vacations and travel. And motorcycle rallies.
Marketing specialists at the Daytona Beach Area Convention and Visitors Bureau will be reinforcing that notion with a Bike Week advertising campaign that includes messaging specifically for women riders.
Bike Week 2015, slated for March 6-15, is expected to draw more than 500,000 motorcycle enthusiasts – many of them women – to the Daytona Beach and surrounding areas. Gas prices, which have reached their lowest level in years, are also expected to have a positive impact on the event.
“Motorcycle events are huge economic generators in Daytona Beach,” explains Daytona Beach Area Convention and Visitors Bureau Market Development Director Shawn Abbatessa, “and women are a growing part of that mix. We saw strong results last year from our marketing efforts to motorcycle groups, and this year we’re increasing our total marketing spend by 38% for both Bike Week and Biketoberfest (the CVB’s October 15-18 motorcycle rally.).”
Female Focus
“While we do reach women through our traditional biker publications and media outlets, we really wanted to strengthen that focus,” adds Abbatessa. “We refreshed our ads, integrating visuals of female riders and images from our new Original American Beach campaign, and we doubled our marketing spend on sites like WomenRidersNow.com – all based on the results from last year’s campaign.
“Statistics and website analytics show that women as a market segment are the strongest and most influential consumer emerging in the bike event arena. We’re confident that our marketing efforts will not only enhance our motorcycle events, but also pay big dividends for 2015 and beyond.”
What to Expect
New to the local landscape for Bike Week 2015 will be evidence of the $1 billion currently being spent on upgrades to the area. Be sure to note the infrastructure improvements at the intersections of Interstates 4 and 95, and to International Speedway Blvd.; the $400 million in renovations currently going on at Daytona International Speedway; the Indian Motorcycle dealership on famous Beach Street (opened Oct. 2014); the Cici and Hyatt Brown Museum of Art at Daytona Beach’s Museum of Arts and Sciences (opening Feb. 2015); the Sand Blaster rollercoaster, a first for Daytona Beach, at the Daytona Beach Boardwalk & Pier; lots of new eateries throughout the area, and more.
This year’s festival will include plenty of traditional action, too. Visitors will see live music in hundreds of local venues and watch the pros compete in Daytona International Speedway’s Motorcycle Races. For those wanting to get a taste of the event’s history – and enjoy some fun and sun on the Original American Beach –riders can take a 10 mph cruise on the hard-packed beach in designated areas, just like rally-goers experienced back in 1937, the year of the first beach race.
Bike Week events are scheduled throughout Daytona Beach and surrounding areas, including key venues like world-famous Daytona International Speedway; Daytona Beach’s Main Street, Riverfront Park and Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune Boulevard; and Bruce Rossmeyer’s Destination Daytona, a year-round motorcycle complex that features Daytona Harley-Davidson’s 109,000 sf showroom, retail and specialty shops, restaurants, a concert pavilion and an on-site hotel. Each venue offers visitors a variety of delicious foods, live music, biker apparel and more. Nearby DeLand and New Smyrna Beach also offer activities during the festival.
Where to Stay
Hotel accommodations are now available for Bike Week 2015. Visitors can choose from more than 15,000 rooms at 200 local properties. The destination offers options for all lifestyles and budgets including high-end resorts, B&Bs, hotels, historic inns, campgrounds and RV parks, and everything in between. Many properties offer trailer parking as well. Log on to BikerBeach.com for the most current Lodging Availability List, as well as the latest information about Bike Week 2015 happenings.
To book a stay in the Daytona Beach area, or to get a copy of the Official Visitors Guide, visit DaytonaBeach.com.
About the Daytona Beach Area
The year 2015 marks the 74th Annual Bike Week. Since its inception, the rally has drawn millions of riders to the area in March. Visitors are invited to discover the new Daytona Beach and its surrounding area, a resurging destination along Florida’s East Coast comprising eight distinct communities. Recognized worldwide for its annual events including Bike Week, Biketoberfest, Rolex 24 At Daytona and the Daytona 500, Daytona Beach’s famed heritage also claims the U.S. headquarters of LPGA and NASCAR and is home to Daytona International Speedway, the ‘World Center of Racing.’ With more than 15,000 beds, the destination boasts accommodations for all lifestyles and budgets including resorts, B&Bs, hotels and everything in between. Visitors can enjoy the quintessential vacation experience beginning with the Daytona Beach Boardwalk and Pier, or choose from a surprising list of attractions and cultural venues and a colorful culinary scene. With 23 miles of world-famous beaches ideal for shelling, swimming and surfing, it is no surprise Daytona Beach was chosen as a Best Florida Attraction in the Top 10 Best Readers’ Choice travel award contest sponsored by USA TODAY. To order a complimentary comprehensive Official Visitors Guide, visit DaytonaBeach.com. For real-time updates, visit Facebook.com/DaytonaBeach or Twitter.com/DaytonaBeachFun.
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