New Year, New Look for the Website

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1 JANUARY 2015 Quarterly Publication of the Quad Cities Convention & Visitors Bureau Reporting Fiscal Year nd Quarter October, November, December 2014 New Year, New Look for the Website One look at the Quad Ci es Conven on & Visitors Bureau's (QCCVB) website at es.com and you will see that something new is going on! The en re website is redesigned from top to bo om. The homepage showcases bigger, brighter photos; providing more informa on in less space. New photo les have replaced the previous text lis ngs, bringing new life to the look of the site, and sneak peeks of local a rac ons, events, dining, shopping and lodging choices. The photos are designed to increase a visitor s viewership of informa on on the site. The website is built using responsive design, so it automa cally resizes to fit whatever device the user has whether it s a computer, tablet or smartphone. Naviga on on the site has been simplified and the QCCVB iden fied the website s more popular content and made it easier to find using a menu system. Also, new to the site are the Seasonal and the Trip Starter sec ons. Megabus.com, the popular city to city, express bus company, has new nonstop service between the downtown Davenport Ground Transporta on Center and Chicago, Iowa City, Des Moines, and Omaha. Daily service began on January 21 and ckets can be purchased at There is a new Reserved Sea ng op on available, allowing customers to pre book specific seats. Union Station, Davenport Bass St. Landing, Moline Visitor Center Counts 2nd Qtr. FY15 TOTAL 2nd Qtr. FY14 TOTAL FY14 FY13 FY12 1, ,067 7,965 10,054 1, ,182 5,272 4,962 QCI Airport 1, ,148 2,667 2,049 The District, Rock Island Iowa 80 Museum closed , QCCVB staffed on holidays 3,113 13,402 18,950 5,257 TOTAL 4,041 5,574 30,714 36,185 52,708* *FY Totals include Mississippi Valley Welcome Center & East Moline visitor numbers

2 New 2015 Ac vity Guide Occupancy Rate Average Daily Rate Hotel Tax Revenues Quad Cities Area Hotel/Motel Information 1st Qtr.15 2nd Qtr.14 FY14 FY13 FY % 50.8% 58.6% 54.9% 55.0% $83.76 $79.49 $81.60 $78.81 $76.48 $1,682,524 YTD The Quad Ci es 2015 Ac vity Guide is now available and features a new QR Code link to the Quad Ci es new videos and television spots, more space for fes val and event lis ngs, and highlights what s new in the Quad Ci es in The online version of the ac vity guide is available at es.com and is mobile accessible. Links are embedded in the online version so users can be linked directly to their individual websites, and just flip through the pages just like a magazine. You can also download the ac vity guide icon to your desktop so it is accessible at any me. Stop by the Moline or Davenport Visitor Centers to pick up a box to have on hand at your front desk or in your lobby. They re free! $1,537,865 YTD Visitor Inquiries Leisure Campaigns s Sent $4,483,006 $4,202,139 $4,059,706 2nd Qtr.15 2nd Qtr.14 FY14 FY13 FY12 Web, Mail, ,203 2,759 Advertising 2, ,900 10,965 10,870 Phone ,583 2,435 4,753* TOTAL 2, ,300 14,603 18,382 s Opened Click Thrus 2nd Qtr.15 AVG 9,183 18% 14% 2nd Qtr.14 AVG 8,722 18% 13% FY14 AVG 8,754 20% 14% FY13 AVG 7,469 17% 16% *Train Festival 2011 ticket calls QCCVB Celebrates 25 Marvelous Years of Marke ng the Quad Ci es The New Year marks the 25 th anniversary of a regional effort to market the Quad Ci es as a single des na on since the Quad Ci es Conven on & Visitors Bureau (QCCVB) was officially formed in The QCCVB resulted from the merger of the former Davenport Area Conven on & Visitors Bureau, the Be endorf Conven on & Visitors Bureau, and the Illinois Quad Ci es Travel & Visitors Bureau. Both visitors and local residents alike realized the need for the Quad Ci es to market itself as a single des na on, said Joe Taylor, who has been with the bureau all of those 25 years, as Director of Marke ng and Communica ons and later as President/CEO. The Quad Ci es was and con nues to face increasing compe on for visitors from other des na ons; thus, marke ng the en re Quad Ci es provided the en re spectrum of things to see and do here. Otherwise, visitors would poten ally have to call three offices to get informa on on our single des na on so it made sense to unify. Local funders, as well as tourism offices in Illinois and Iowa, approved the merger which created one of the na on s few conven on and visitors bureaus which cross state lines. There are many tourism bureaus which cover mul ple communi es but only two to three that cover parts of two states, Taylor said. Taylor came to the former Davenport Area Conven on & Visitors Bureau in 1989 as the three tourism bureaus were in the process of merging into the single new en ty. Vince Lindstrom was the first execu ve director, coming to the Quad Ci es from the Fargo, North Dakota Morehead, Minnesota, conven on and visitors bureau. Lindstrom le in 1994 and was replaced by Bruce McDaniel who served un l his unexpected death in early Taylor was then named president/ceo. The highlight of the celebra on will be the QCCVB s 25 th anniversary to be held Wednesday, September 16, 2015, in the Gold Room of the Hotel Blackhawk. Other plans include a reunion of former employees and the public selec on of the top tourism events in the last quarter century.

3 QCCVB Secures $22M in New Business The sales efforts of the Quad Ci es Conven on & Visitors Bureau (QCCVB) and area hospitality industry partners have so far booked $22 Million into the local community for 2015 and the next couple years. These guests will a end conven ons, conferences, amateur spor ng tournaments, and group tours in the Quad Ci es. These efforts will deliver benefits to QCCVB partners including local municipali es, park and recrea on departments, hotels, conven on centers, restaurants, a rac ons, and other services. Some of the mee ngs and events in 2015 include the following: Name of Event Dates A endees Econ Impact LIFE Leadership Conven on Feb ,000 $7.2M N. Amer. Colleges & Teachers of Ag Apr $444,000 Associa on of Business & Industry Conf. June $250,000 ComedySportz World Championships June $100,000 USA BMX Na onal July $720,000 N. Amer. Strongman Amateur Na onals Oct $350,000 Other spor ng tournaments coming up in 2016 include: Missouri Valley Conference Women s Basketball Championship ($1.5M direct spending per year) NAIA Men s Golf Championship with St. Ambrose University ($500,000 per year) Interna onal So ball Congress World Championship 2016 ($1.5M) Looking Back in 2014 The QCCVB staff generated $32 million in economic impact for the Quad Ci es through mee ngs/conven ons, sports events, and group tours that came to this area. The Quad Ci es hosted almost 6,000 domes c and interna onal group tour visitors, and over 46,000 mee ng delegates and athletes for sports tournaments. 2nd Qtr. Total FY15 2nd Qtr. Total FY14 FY14 FY13 FY12 Meetings, Conventions, Sports, Reunions Booked Meetings, Conventions, Sports, Reunions Leads Inbound Motorcoach & Other Groups Booked Inbound Motorcoach & Other Group Leads Site Inspections/FAMs Sales Contacts 1,159 1,231 4,891 4,438 4,570 Important Note: These sales numbers reflect business generated by the Quad Cities CVB and are not representative of the entire Quad Cities community. Events Serviced

4 Working with Buyers in Canada QCCVB Director of Sales Dan Gleason a ended the Ontario Motor Coach Associa on (OMCA) annual supplier/buyer Marketplace in Ontario, Canada, in November. The OMCA Marketplace is the premier event in Canada for North American packaged travel. Over a period of four days, buyers and sellers met face to face during a series of 7 minute pre scheduled appointments that s thousands of appointments in total! Dan distributed 19 qualified group tour leads to QCCVB partners in November River Cruising and Agricultural themed tours are s ll very popular. Please contact Dan if you did not see the lead list in November. In addi on to a ending the show, the QCCVB ran a back cover full page ad in the OMCA Road Explorer Fall issue which was distributed at the event. Arts Contribute $71M to the Quad Ci es Economy Each Year The Quad Ci es par cipated in a study through the Americans for the Arts, a na onal organiza on to advance the arts. The Regional Arts and Culture Economic Task Force partnered with the Quad Ci es Chamber of Commerce to complete this study. Americans for the Arts took data collected from the local arts and culture organiza ons and data collected from audiences at local events star ng from last November through this summer, and compiled a comprehensive report on that impact. The results were announced in early November to 125 community members at a lunch at the Figge Art Museum, and to a endees at the Chamber s CEO breakfast the next morning. Trade Shows Trade Shows Attended Website Lodging Reservations Reservations Room Nights 2nd Qtr.FY nd Qtr.FY FY14 Total FY13 Total Trade Show Impressions 2nd Qtr. FY FY ,748 FY ,214 FY ,089 FY12 Total Twitter/ Facebook 2nd Quarter 4,452 Twitter Followers 31,429 Facebook Fans The results from the study provide compelling evidence that the nonprofit arts and culture are a significant industry in the Quad Ci es area one that generates $71.34 million in total economic ac vity each year. This spending $32.88 million by nonprofit arts and culture organiza ons and an addi onal $38.46 million in event related spending by their audiences supports 1,906 full me equivalent jobs, generates $47.92 million in household income to local residents, and delivers $7.79 million in local and state government revenue. This economic impact study sends a strong signal that when residents support the arts, it not only enhances the quality of life, but also invests in the Quad Ci es Region s economic well being. Non resident a endees spend an average of 189% more per person than locals ($43.76 vs. $15.14). When a community a racts cultural tourists, it harnesses significant economic rewards. In fact, 78% of all non resident survey respondents in the Quad Ci es study reported that the primary reason for their trip was specifically to a end this arts/ cultural event.

5 Be a Tourist Weekend Has Record Coupon Views The Quad Ci es Conven on & Visitors Bureau (QCCVB) announced today that the 14th annual Be a Tourist in Your Own Backyard weekend was a success. Each year, the QCCVB holds its annual Be a Tourist in Your Own Backyard Weekend to promote tourism to residents and visitors to the Quad Ci es. The coupons on the website were viewed a total of over 24,000 mes, which is an increase of 2,000 from last year, said Jessica Waytenick, QCCVB Public Rela ons & Marke ng Manager. Over 60% of those visits were mobile visits, compared to 34% of the visits in The 1,500 printed coupon books were also all distributed. Due to this effort and the response by Quad Ci es area residents and visitors, almost 120 hotel rooms at 14 par cipa ng hotels were booked specifically for the promo on. Par cipa ng businesses were pleased with the promo on. There were over 170 people at the event the Moline Public Library hosted on Saturday and It s a Mystery had a sold out show. New Be a Tourist par cipants, ComedySportz was pleased with 42 coupons redeemed and the Residence Inn picked up 8 rooms. Ski Snowstar had the highest coupon views and a huge weekend with 475 coupons redeemed and almost 5,800 in a endance. 14 local hotels/motels offered special rates and packages for the weekend, and over 30 area a rac ons, businesses, stores, spas, and restaurants offered discounts. Story Coverage Stories Ad $ Value 2nd Qtr.FY15 54 None Given 2nd Qtr.FY14 25 None Given FY $2,615 FY $366,642 FY $278,303 Website Visits/Total Page Views 2nd Qtr.FY15 70,236 2nd Qtr.FY14 45,534 FY14 326,172 FY13 229,194 FY12 226, , ,065 1,222, , ,937 Media Contacts Releases Sent Individual Requests Journalist Visits 2nd Qtr.FY15 3, nd Qtr.FY14 3, FY14 15, FY13 12, FY12 11,

6 WEBSITE STATISTICS OCT Chicago Life Magazine Illinois Meetings & Events digital ads Midwest Meetings Magazine Illinois Meetings & Events digital ads OMCA Road Explorer RSSA digital ads Our Iowa Magazine Northwest Quarterly Magazine Red Hot Celebrations digital ads NASC digital ads OMCA digital ads NOV Illinois Meetings & Events digital ads Illinois Coop Newspaper Winter Insert Red Hot Celebrations digital ads NASC digital ads Digital Retargeting Ads RSSA digital ads Midwest Living Magazine Small Market Meetings digital ads Group Tour Magazine digital ads Il Meetings & Events Digital Ads DEC Journal & Topics Our Iowa Magazine Illinois Meetings & Events Magazine Midwest Meetings Guide Book NASC digital ads RSSA digital ads America Journal Magazine Chicago Life Magazine Small Market Meetings Magazine Midwest Meetings Magazine Red Hot Celebrations digital ads Il Meetings & Events Digital Ads WEBSITE REPORT: 70,236 Visitors 274,163 Pageviews 72% New Visitors 36,534 Visits to Mobile Website 975 Website Downloads of Visitors Guide 1,344 Mobile Download of Visitors Guide Average Length of Visit 2.29 Min. TOP 10 VISITED PAGES 1. Calendar of Events 2. Dining 3. Kid s Stuff 4. Lodging 5. Meet Our Cities Davenport 6. Free Fun in the Quad Cities 7. Shopping 8. Meet Our Cities Moline 9. Brew, Wines and Spirits 10. Casinos & Riverboats

7 QCCVB Board of Directors Update There have been several changes on the QCCVB Board of Directors through job changes and re rements since the start of the fiscal year in July. Quad Ci es CVB Staff Phone Directory Ext. # Joe Taylor, President/CEO Mindy Chapman, V.P. Finance/Admin Lynn Hunt, V.P. Sales Charlo e Morrison, V.P. Mktg./Comm Molly O ng Carlson, V.P. Des na on Dev. & Visitor Ser 822 David Breisch, Mul media & Web Mgr Dan Gleason, Director of Sales Joan Kranovich, Sales Manager Jessica Licko Avants, Sales Manager Emmanine Lopez Kubitz, Accoun ng Assistant Ryan Merri, Event & Servicing Manager Cheryl Piersall, Dir. of Visitor & Retail Services Jessica Waytenick, P.R. & Mktg. Manager Visitor Centers Bass Street Landing Visitor Center Union Sta on Visitor Center The District Visitor Center QCI Airport Visitor Center OFFICE LOCATIONS Quad Ci es Visitor Center & Gi Shop at RiverSta on/bass Street Landing 1601 River Drive, Suite 110 Moline, IL Quad Ci es Visitor Center & Gi Shop at Union Sta on 102 S. Harrison Street, Suite 100 Davenport, IA VISITQUADCITIES.COM Rick Palmer Chair City of Davenport Representa ve RiverCenter/Adler Theatre Bill Renk 1st Vice Chair Jumer s Casino & Hotel Nancy Ballenger 2nd Vice Chair Isle Casino Hotel Be endorf Deanna Jensen Valliere Treasurer Restora on St. Louis David Anderson John Deere Store Steve Ballard Rock Island County Representa ve Carmen Darland Quad City Arts Tim Huey Sco County Representa ve Nick Jannes City of East Moline Representa ve Ben McCready City of Rock Island Representa ve Bernita Reese City of Moline Representa ve Jeff Reiter City of Be endorf Representa ve Myron Scheibe Shive Ha ery, Inc. Connie Schlich ng Kinseth The Valley Tournament Excitement Starts The Missouri Valley Conference (MVC) has agreed to host one or more basketball games at the iwireless Center during the season in advance of the tournament in March This spring, the MVC will host its annual sports management commi ee and women s basketball mee ngs in Moline. About 50 people will a end the mee ngs, scheduled for April 30 May 2, and during that me period, MVC coaches and student athletes will be visible in the Quad Ci es community. Plans include a basketball clinic for players in kindergarten 8th grade on May 2 and MVC coaches and ins tu onal representa ves will be available to speak to Quad Ci es groups and organiza ons during their visit to the area. Mission of the Quad Ci es CVB The QCCVB is the official tourism des na on marke ng and management organiza on for the Quad Ci es region. The organiza on serves the tourism interests of Sco County, Iowa, and Rock Island, Mercer, Warren, and Henderson Coun es in Illinois, joined by the Mississippi River. The QCCVB increases visitor expenditures and overnight stays through strategic sales, marke ng and services to our customers, members, and communi es. We promote and package our des na on to a ract and meet the needs of mee ngs and conven ons, group tours, spor ng events and compe ons, special interest groups and the leisure traveler.