Buffalo Rising Online

Feb 17th 2006, 2:41pm By Ed Healy

Motor coaches regularly roll into Buffalo. Youill see them parked on Pearl Street behind Sheais, unloading out-of-town visitors at the Albright-Knox or idling along Elmwood or at the Galleria, 35-40 people at a time partaking of Buffalois cultural attractions, restaurants and retail. These group tours mean big business for Buffalo, accounting for thousands of hotel rooms, admissions and meals. Leah Mueller, the Buffalo Niagara Convention & Visitor Bureauis Tourism Sales Manager, just got back from Nashville where she attended the American Bus Association Marketplace and spent her time selling Buffalo as a destination for groups. Hereis the story of how she convinced one group that Buffalo is a great place to visit.

Leah met Sue Bishop and Catherine Strite of All in One Tours on a sales blitz to eastern Pennsylvania in 2001. She was accompanied on the blitz by Hart Hotels, Old Fort Niagara, Upstate New York Tours, the Radisson Hotel, Lockport Locks, the Arts Council, the Niagara Falls CVB, and the Christmas Shoppe from Lackawanna.

After this initial meeting, All in One was invited to attend a FAM (familiarization) tour in Buffalo for group tour leaders in summer 2002. iThe object is to get them excited,i Leah said, iso they can go back to their groups and sell them on a trip to Buffalo.i

This group of 30 tour leaders visited the Pierce-Arrow Museum, the Pedaling History Bicycle Museum, East Aurora and the Roycroft Campus, the Botanical Gardens, Our Lady of Victory Basilica, Theodore Roosevelt Inaugural Site, the Historical Society, the Lockport Locks, Amherst Museum, Old Fort Niagara and Niagara Falls. The group also took a boat ride on the Miss Buffalo.

A sales marketplace was organized in the atrium of the Market Arcade as a way to introduce the group to attractions that were not part of the FAM itinerary. Graycliff, Irish Classical Theatre Company, Motherland Connextions, Sheais and Studio Arena were among the cultural organizations that participated.

A photo album documenting the groupis stay in Buffalo was sent to each of the participants afterwards as a way to say ithank youi and reinforce the message that Buffalo is a warm, welcoming, hospitable n and memorable n destination.

Three months later in September 2002, All in One booked a three-night tour of Buffalo for a group of seniors with Mike Conboy of Upstate New York Tours. Mike is a receptive operator who books the groupis hotel rooms, makes dinner reservations, buys admission tickets and acts as a step-on information guide.

In July 2003, All in One brought a second tour to Buffalo for five nights. The group toured the Martin House, East Aurora and the Roycroft Campus, shopped on Elmwood Avenue, saw a show at Cabaret in the Square and enjoyed many of the other attractions throughout the region. In June of last year, All in One brought a third group to the region for an overnight visit to the Erie Canal.

What does this mean for Buffalo? The American Bus Association (ABA) estimates the direct economic impact of an overnight motor coach visit (with an average load of 35 people) to be $12,000/day. A day trip visit is valued at $7,000.

Using the ABA figures, the 2001 Pennsylvania Sales Blitz brought business to Buffalo valued at more than $100,000 (9 nights x $12,000 = $108,000). Not a bad return on investment considering that the budget for the initial sales blitz was $3,000! And this is from just one tour company -- many other groups have come to Buffalo as a result of this single sales blitz.

Leah has maintained a relationship with All in One Tours, occasionally calling or emailing, or spending time together when the opportunity presents itself as it did last week at the American Bus Association convention in Nashville.

iWeive become a destination for All in One Tours,i Leah said. iIt helps that Sue and her husband are very interested in the Arts & Crafts Movement. Theyive been back by themselves and stayed at the Roycroft Inn and visited the Hubbard Museum and the other attractions in East Aurora. I think she feels a connection to the area now and is very effective in selling us to her customers.i

After meeting with All in One Tours in Nashville, Leah says they plan on returning to Buffalo in August with a new group of Pennsylvania-based tour leaders who will be introduced to our regionis many attractions and amenities.

iIt takes persistence and patience,i says Leah, ibut hanging in there with these tour operators can pay big dividends when an operator has a great experience and comes back again and again. Itis such a great feeling when our investment of time and money pays off like that.i