The government technology supplier best known for its focus on such areas as communications, community engagement, agenda management, public records compliance has bought Simpleview, which sells software for tourism, conventions and related events.
Terms were not disclosed.
Simpleview’s tech “creates digital experiences for those in the visitor economy,” Granicus CEO Mark Hynes told Government Technology. “That economy is one of the largest sources of revenue for our customers.”
The Arizona-based destination marketing company, which traces its origins back to 2001, sells CRM, CMS and digital marketing services to “1,000 premier destinations across the globe,” according to a statement.
Those clients include small towns, big cities and various types of venues, and they use the software to help them land conventions, attract tourists and other tasks.
Simpleview says that more than 90 percent of the “top 50 meeting destinations” in North America use the company’s technology.
As for its scope, Granicus reports serving 300 million opt-in subscribers in the U.S. and such countries as the U.K., Australia and Canada, as well as parts of Latin America.
This new deal stands as “one of our largest acquisitions to date,” Hynes said. One of the most recent acquisitions for Granicus was its purchase of SmartGov, a permitting, licensing and compliance vendor.
Simpleview’s software gives Granicus a way to fill “a part of our experience platform,” Hynes said, complementing the services already offered by the company, and widening the “digital experience” it can offer its clients in government.
For instance, that could mean giving civic leaders and chamber of commerce-type groups more data about the visitors who come into a particular city, which in turn could lead to revised plans about how to attract tourists and business travelers. Clients can combine that information with resident-focused data gained from other Granicus products including surveys and permits.
Granicus plans to roll out Simpleview services over the next few months, starting with common customers of the two companies, Hynes said. Eventually, Simpleview will be absorbed into the Granicus brand, as is typical after the company’s acquisitions.
Simpleview employs more than 400 people and Granicus has no plans to get rid of them, he said.
