Maine Tourism seeks PR firm to bring in more visitors

AUGUSTA, ME: Maine’s Tourism Office is looking to sign a firm for public and media relations support to help promote travel to the state.

According to an RFP released earlier this month, the state is looking for an agency to "develop and implement a strategic and comprehensive public/media relations and social media program with the goal of attracting new visitors to Maine and raising awareness of Maine with the traveling public."

Services, as stated in the documents, include domestic and international consumer and trade PR and media relations, domestic and international familiarization tours, internal PR, and technical assistance.

The selected agency will likely be expected to travel internationally, as well in –and out-of-state, about 25- 30% of the time, the RFP states. Bidders must also dedicate space in their proposals to "describing the agency’s current, recent, or projected economic impact with the State of Maine."

More than 29 million people visited Maine in 2013, according to a question and answer document, and the state’s current international focus is on markets in the UK, Germany, Japan, and France, with a "limited focus" on Italy.

The contract is expected to run from December 1, 2014 to September 30, 2015, with three annual options to renew, according to the RFP. Proposals are due by November 13.

A budget is not disclosed in the RFP, but it states that firms are required to submit a cost proposal "that covers the entire period of the contract," or from December 1, 2014 to September 30, 2018.

The Q&A document states that the tourism office is looking for "best value for service." The firm does not have to be based in Maine to be considered.

PRWeek reported in June 2013 that the Maine Office of Tourism signed The Dilenschneider Group to a one year contract, which also had three yearlong options to renew. A representative from the Dilenschneider Group confirmed the contract has ended, and added that the firm is not able to comment on an active RFP.

Representatives from the Maine Office of Tourism were not immediately available for comment.