Visit Jacksonville President’s Report 2013-2014

Tourist Development Council Meeting August 2013

Financial Update

•Year to Date Budget

•Year End Projections

2012-2013 STR Report Highlights

•Total Revenue is up $6,575,682 Year to Date and demand is up 48,630 room nights

•Overall, every month in 2013, Average Daily Rate has been up.

•YTD (1st two Qtrs) Group Average Daily Rate (ADR) up to $79.07 (up $4.17) – Higher quality Groups

•February group ADR was $83.45, last February was $76.72 (+$6.73).

•Every Month in 2013, group ADR is up. •Transient occupancy is up 7.0% YTD and Transient Revenue per available room (RevPAR) is up 8.1%.

Organization HighlightsSales:• Restructured the sales organization• Quotas focused on New Business for the city

Marketing:• Website visitation is up 26%• Averaging 70,000 visitors a month our highest numbers in history• Improved social media fan engagement • Improved video product and photo galleries• Better digital planning resources

• Market Evaluation• Visit Jacksonville Structural Evaluation• Strategic Plan• Business Plan• 2013-2014 Budget

2013-2014 Planning Sequence

Desired Outcomes:

• Greater Economic Prosperity for Jacksonville

• Recognition of Jacksonville as a premier visitor destination

• Greater Community Pride, Energy and Engagement

• Aspirational Plan Progress

2013-2014 Strategic Plan

Outcome: Economic Prosperity:

•Realign sales, service and marketing structure and accountability metrics

•Redirect sales efforts to more focused industry markets

•Boost room nights production in convention, meeting, sport and leisure tourism markets

•Implement an on-going annual or semi-annual research program to measure industry impact, growth and marketing value and effectiveness.

Desired Outcome Strategies

Outcome: Recognition of Jacksonville as a premier visitor destination:

• Develop Destination Brand Essence and Brand Presentation

• Increase market reach and expansion

• Increase national earned media exposure for Jacksonville

• Expand Marketing/Sales Resources

• Advance the latest technology in order to keep Visit Jacksonville efficient and competitive in both sales and marketing

• Create greater awareness of the mission of Visit Jacksonville and the value of the visitor industry within the local community.

Desired Outcome Strategies

Outcome: Greater Community Pride, Energy and Engagement :

• Create a collaborative Community Visioning/Community Alignment Process

• Create first Certified Tourism Ambassador (CTA)/Experienced Dedicated Destination (EDD) program in the state of Florida.

• Create a Customer Advisory Council

• Develop a Way Finding Signage Initiative

Desired Outcome Strategies

Outcome: Aspirational Plan Progress:

•Recruit and engage the right community leaders

•Establish Competitive Destination Benchmarks

•Establish desired five-year outcomes

•Institute a Critical Path action plan

•Explore destination infrastructure needs

•Create new and unique visitor experiences

Desired Outcome Strategies

2013-2014 Business Plan

2013-2014 Budget

Budget Comparison APPROVED BUDGET FY

12-13

31%

47%

13%

7%

2%

BUDGET FY13-14

44%

36%

14%

7%

2%

APPROVED BUDGET FY

12-13

SalesMarketingAdministrationRentTechnology

•Requesting 10% of the annual bed tax collections, totaling $518,100 for 2013-2014

•These funds will be used to strengthen and greatly increase our advertising reach

•All of these funds are used to grow brand essence and destination awareness to key markets including the Southeast, Florida, the I-95 Corridor and on the convention side – meetings professionals

Marketing Initiative Funds Request

Marketing Initiative Budget: $518,100.00

Leisure $365,303.00 70%Meetings/Conventions $120,081.00 23%Contingency Budget: $33,426.00 7%

•Shift focus to digital marketing which is more measureable and has been most successful in recent years 48%

•Renewed focus on driving traffic to our website and pushing business to our local hotels and attractions

•Selected print publications which provide long-term shelf life (annual guides) and strong circulation numbers (24%)

•Increased television advertising to more niche and geographical markets including fishing, regional cable programming, nationally televised events happening in Jacksonville (27%)

•Expect to reach an audience of over 200,000,000 with this initiative alone

Grant Funds Request