Company: Martin County Office of Tourism & Marketing
Company Description: Encompassing 9 distinct communities in South Florida, this hidden gem is a place for unwinding and reconnecting. The Martin County Office of Tourism and Marketing is the official tourism marketing arm of Martin County, whose goal is to provide information to those interested in visiting our one-of-a-kind destination.
Nomination Category: Sustainability Categories
Nomination Sub Category: Sustainability Service of the Year - in Canada and the U.S.A.
 Nomination Title: Explore Natural Martin Ecotourism Program
- Which will you submit for your nomination in this category, a video of up to five (5) minutes in length about the achievements of the nominated organization since 1 January 2021, OR written answers to the questions for this category? (Choose one):
Written answers to the questions
- If you are submitting a video of up to five (5) minutes in length, provide the URL of the nominated video here, OR attach it to your entry via the "Add Attachments, Videos, or Links to This Entry" link above, through which you may also upload a copy of your video.
- If you are providing written answers for your submission, you must provide an answer to this first question: Briefly describe the nominated organization: its history and past performance (up to 200 words):
Total 199 words used.
Martin County is an undiscovered gem in Florida with countless outdoor wonders worth exploring. Our under-the-radar escape boasts over 22 miles of uncrowded beaches (thanks to a county-wide, four-story building height restriction that preserves our stunning views) and more than 100,000 acres of parks and conservation land (with more protected lands being added every year).
The destination also sits on one of the most bio-diverse lagoon estuary systems in the world, and our shores also serve as vital nesting grounds for threatened and endangered sea turtles Needless to say, this is an extremely special destination that deserves to be protected for generations to come.
Sustainability and responsible tourism are always top-of-mind for our team. Today, travelers want authentic ways to explore destinations – and as tourists, they’re more cognizant than ever about mitigating their potential negative impacts when traveling. Interest in outdoor experiences has exploded since the pandemic, but we identified a lack of engaging ecotourism programming available on our lands and waterways. We were inspired to create our own innovative ecotourism program to promote sustainability and forster environmental stewardship. In December 2022, we secured an official partnership with Leave No Trace and developed “Explore Natural Martin.”
- If you are providing written answers for your submission, you must provide an answer to this second question: Outline the organization's achievements since the beginning of 2021 that you wish to bring to the judges' attention (up to 250 words):
Total 249 words used.
Developed in partnership with Leave No Trace (following their 7 Principles), “Explore Natural Martin” is an evergreen program that provides a diverse range of eco-tours and experiences throughout our lesser-known natural areas year-round. Officially launched on Earth Day 2023, these experiences get people off the beaten path and curious about what makes the area so special ecologically.
Free programs range from “Leave No Trace Nature Walks” and “Moon Observation Nights” to community pop-up events and student programming at Martin County libraries. The program has also allowed us to foster meaningful relationships with local organizations, including Ecological Associations Inc., the Martin County Audubon Society, the Treasure Coast Astronomical Society, and the Florida Department of Environmental Protection. We have even partnered with local tour operators and hotels to develop unique experiences for their guests, like “Nighttime Sea Turtle Nesting Walks” as well as activities for their groups, meetings, and events.
We developed the ExploreNaturalMartin.com microsite to house ecotourism-specific information, such as our event registration portal, custom blog content, videos, and upcoming eco-events. We have also worked with hotel partners to offer eco-focused special packages for visitors planning a green getaway.
With expert local guides, these programs also teach participants how to be more responsible when exploring the outdoors. Even better, they are completely free for both visitors and residents to enjoy. The program has been promoted through a digital marketing campaign and includes a comprehensive strategy weaving in public relations, content marketing, social media, email marketing, video content, and more.
- If you are providing written answers for your submission, you must provide an answer to this third question: Explain why the achievements you have highlighted are unique or significant. If possible compare the achievements to the performance of other players in your industry and/or to the organization's past performance (up to 250 words):
Total 246 words used.
To responsibly manage this program, we hired Emily Dark, a full-time employee and Master Leave No Trace Educator. Her position is split 50/50 (and equally funded) between the Tourism Office and the Martin County Ecosystem Restoration and Management department. One day she might be collecting water samples or removing invasive species, and the next she’s leading a group on a Sea Turtle Conservation Walk. We also hired a full-time contractor to help roll-out the program. For a truly holistic approach, this innovative program also encompasses other divisions under the Martin County Board of County Commissioners, including the Library System, Parks and Recreation, and Public Works. This program is the first of its kind in Florida.
To date, our office has launched 10 distinct ongoing programs, with an additional 25 new experiences in development. Although still in its infancy, we have seen an 89% participation rate and 95% of participants have expressed they were “extremely satisfied” with their experience. Even better, 100% have indicated they would likely participate in another program.
In total, the integrated launch campaign garnered:
- 42,000,000 earned PR impressions with an estimated media value of $380,000 (in outlets such as Leave No Trace, Flamingo Magazine, Outside Magazine, and more)
- 3,641,143 social media impressions (Facebook and Pinterest)
- 2,595,188 Google Ads impressions with .55% CTR
- 755,000 impressions from Lonely Planet digital partnership
- 35,640 visits to ExploreNaturalMartin.com with an average time of 1:36 spent on page
- You have the option to answer this final question: Reference any attachments of supporting materials throughout this nomination and how they provide evidence of the claims you have made in this nomination (up to 250 words):
Total 94 words used.
Our team views simply getting our ecotourism program developed and officially launched as a massive success. It was an enormous undertaking that required so much planning, strategizing, patience, creativity, budgeting, collaborating, and lots of “red tape” navigating. But we saw the incredible opportunity and truly believed in the mission of the program, from a tourism and environmental stewardship perspective. As the tourism industry continues to see the gradual shift from “destination marketing organizations” to more of a hands-on “destination management organization” model, we think (and hope) other DMOs take a similar approach as us.
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