2014 ANNUAL REPORT IGNITING GLOBAL PASSION FOR KANSAS CITY

Transcription

1 2014 ANNUAL REPORT IGNITING GLOBAL PASSION FOR KANSAS CITY

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3 WHO WE ARE VISIT KC IS A nonprofit, 501(c)6 organization. Committed to promoting and elevating Kansas City s status as a prime spot for conventions, meetings, tour groups, business travel and leisure travel. Directed by a board comprised of up to 30 civic and business leaders. Supported by a full-time team of 41 employees and an on-call registration assistance staff of 30. Supported by membership of more than 2,000 businesses involved in the local hospitality community. Visit KC members represent a variety of businesses including convention services, hotels, attractions, restaurants, transportation companies and others. HISTORY Our organization was initially formed in 1918 as the hospitality arm of the Chamber of Commerce. On June 20, 1966, the Convention and Visitors Bureau of Greater Kansas City became independently incorporated as a not-for-profit corporation under the laws of the State of Missouri. Engaged on an annual basis by the City of Kansas City, Missouri, Visit KC is a marketing and service organization charged with promoting existing convention, meeting and hotel facilities and to market related services and area attractions to association and corporate meeting planners, to individual business travelers and to the leisure travel market. In 2014, we adopted the name of Visit KC. FUNDING Visit KC s primary source of funding is a tax on hotel/motel occupancy and a business license fee within the incorporated boundaries of Kansas City, Missouri. The ordinances creating the tax provide that the proceeds are to be used for marketing and operations of Visit KC. The organization s budget is greatly enhanced by private funds raised through a variety of sources including membership subscriptions, advertising participation and in-kind services. VISIT KC VISION To serve as a primary catalyst for extraordinary and continuous economic growth of the Kansas City region convention and visitor industry. MISSION Ignite global passion for visiting Kansas City.

4 WHAT WE DO SELL KANSAS CITY Destination branding to position Kansas City as a vibrant, creative community Convention sales efforts to attract conventions, meetings and sporting events to Kansas City Integrated marketing campaigns to drive visitors to KC through advertising, PR and social media A new office for film and emerging media, representing the region s film community WELCOME & CONNECT TRAVELERS Assist with the successful execution of more than 200 meetings and conventions each year Maps, guides, apps and other visitor resources to help guests discover all there is to do in Kansas City PROMOTE LOCAL BUSINESSES Drive traffic to local hotels, attractions, restaurants and more than 2,000 businesses involved in the local community SUPPORT LOCAL EVENTS Organize and support major events like Kansas City Restaurant Week and the Big 12 Basketball Championship, to name a few WHY IT S IMPORTANT ECONOMIC IMPACT Visitors generate new money for our economy. The economic impact of tourism on our region is more than $4.6 billion annually, including indirect and induced impact. TOURISM MEANS JOBS Visitors support 1 in every 19 jobs in our region. This amounts to 45,107 jobs and $1.48 billion in wages. TAX REVENUE Visitors save residents money. Taxes paid by visitors save the average Kansas City household $490 in taxes annually. ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT Research shows that cities with strong visitor economies tend to grow faster than their peers. A 10% increase in a destination s visitor-related employment relative to the U.S. average tends to be followed by a 1.5% rise in broader employment in the community. Sources: Tourism Economics, Longwood International, U.S. Travel Association

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7 MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS 2014 KEY ACCOMPLISHMENTS Executed $1 million destination advertising campaign that generated 202,000 incremental hotel room nights and $71 million in incremental economic impact. The five-state campaign realized a $73 return on investment for every Visit KC media dollar spent. Recorded Visit KC s best year ever in terms of earned media coverage for the fifth consecutive year producing an estimated 161 million brand impressions for Kansas City. National exposure included major features by Travel + Leisure, Lonely Planet, NBC s Today Show and Condé Nast Traveler. Unveiled a new-and-improved VisitKC.com, featuring a responsive design and improved navigation. The site witnessed 10 million page views in 2014, a new record. Generated 131 million brand impressions for Kansas City through social media campaigns, while surpassing 100,000 Likes on Facebook and 50,000 followers on Twitter. Implemented integrated marketing campaigns to maximize publicity and interest in events such as the 2014 MLB World Series, Kansas City Restaurant Week, March basketball, Downtown Dazzle and KC Streetcar Open for Business campaign. Amassed 32 million impressions for convention audiences through advertising in trade publications, earned media, social media and marketing. LEISURE MARKETING Media Budget $1,192,200 $1,095,165 $1,050,000 Local Media Partner Investment $625,000 $545,000 $490,000 State of Missouri Investment $420,680 $419,700 $411,668 Advertising Impressions 162,650, ,702, ,168,958 ROI per Media Dollar $75 $65 $73 INTERACTIVE MARKETING WEB TRAFFIC Web Visits 2,142,776 2,505,697 2,792,696 Page Views 8,399,419 9,187,169 10,334,042 MARKETING s Delivered 1,768,379 1,473,346 1,116,503 s Opened 211, , ,920 MOBILE APPLICATION Total Downloads 13,028 9,141 7,643 Mobile Application Sessions 48,851 48,301 23,810 COMMUNICATIONS MEDIA RELATIONS Journalists Hosted 57 97* 81 Stories in Target Markets Publications Assisted Earned Media Circulation 145,185, ,542, ,713,997 SOCIAL MEDIA Total Followers 83, , ,187 Impressions 42,197,229 82,745, ,553,449 * Includes 29 writers hosted during the fall 2013 MTWA meeting CONVENTION MARKETING Advertising Impressions 2,479,281 2,081,965 6,653,837* Convention Page Views 177,594 53,589 99,455 * Increased online impressions

8 CONVENTION SALES 2014 KEY ACCOMPLISHMENTS Achieved 98% of Visit KC s room-night production goal generating 333,923 room nights and 309 bookings (both the highest totals since 2010). Convention Center bookings also rebounded, totaling 36 (a 10-year high). Hosted 111 personalized site visits to Kansas City, resulting in 64 new bookings that will generate $71 million in economic impact. Increased awareness and visibility of Kansas City by attending 23 industry tradeshows, representing 640 customer interactions. Showcased Kansas City to 36 clients during four themed familiarization trips throughout the year. Conducted 12 personalized sales trips to key markets, calling on 103 prospective buyers. MEETINGS HELD IN KC Conventions Room Nights 269, , ,920 Attendance 331, , ,115 Economic Impact $222,016,225 $229,917,338 $282,784,939 CONVENTION SALES ACTIVITY Meetings Booked Definite Room Nights 236, , ,923 Leads Generated Tentative Room Nights 1,054,258 1,122,161 1,205,209 Site Visits Convention Center Bookings Convention Center Room Nights 158, , ,883

9 MAJOR BOOKINGS IN 2014 ORGANIZATION --- MEETING DATE --- ROOM NIGHTS Educational Testing Service Advanced Placement Reading June ,957 Cerner Annual Health Conference October ,654 Ancient Egyptian Arabic Order Nobles Mystic Shrine National Convention August ,622 Junior Volleyball Association World Challenge April ,870 NCAA Division I Women s Volleyball Championship & American Volleyball Coaches Association Annual Meeting December ,578 NeighborWorks America National Training Institute May ,735 National Title I Association Annual Conference January ,032 National Soccer Coaches Association of America Annual Convention January ,740 Evangelical Free Church of America National Youth Conference July ,010 WorldVentures United April ,772 CVC Kansas City August ,165 National Square Dance Convention Annual Convention June ,650 Merck & Co. Insomnia Product Launch February ,278 North American Christian Convention Annual Summer National Gathering June ,730 Pentecostal Assemblies of the World National Summer Convention August ,640 International House of Prayer Onething Conference December ,445 United Pentecostal Church International General Conference September ,155

10 NOTEWORTHY RANKINGS Top 10 U.S. Destinations for 2014 Lonely Planet America s #1 Affordable Getaway Travel + Leisure Best Affordable Destinations in the USA U.S. News & World Report 5 Up-and-Coming Tourism Cities - ShermansTravel.com 7 Off-the-Grid Travel Destinations Definitely Worth a Visit Huffington Post America s Most Underrated Cities for Millennials Condé Nast Traveler Best World Series City for Baseball Travel Mapquest Top Five Cities to Keep On Your Radar Huffington Post Friendliest Cities in America Men s Health 6 Underrated American Cities For LGBT Travelers Condé Nast Traveler Five Emerging Food Towns Celebrated Living 7 Underrated but Intriguing U.S. Cities You Need to Visit Yahoo! Travel America s Safest Cities for Drivers Allstate Top Five Cities with Up-and-Coming Downtowns Fortune America s Leading Design Cities The Atlantic Top 20 Cities to Find a Job wallethub.com 10 High-Tech Cities You ll Want to Call Home PC Mag Top 5 Cities for Holiday Travel Orbitz, NBC s Today Show

11 DESTINATION SERVICES 2014 ACCOMPLISHMENT Assisted with the successful execution of 253 meetings in Kansas City, including 19 citywide conventions. Maintained Kansas City s position as the second-largest membership-based CVB in the country at 2,012 partners. Maintained a membership retention rate of 91 percent. Generated more than $242,000 in revenue through convention housing reservations. Presented the fifth annual KC Restaurant Week in partnership with the Greater Kansas City Restaurant Association, raising a record-breaking $275,000 for three local charities. Assisted with promotions and support of the MLB World Series, American League Champion Series, the Republican National Convention bid and other major events throughout the year. Hosted the 8th Annual Visitors Choice Awards, a program that recognizes traveler favorites in 50 categories. MEMBERSHIP Corporate Community Partnerships All Dining Retail Downtown All Other Categories Total Membership 2,130 2,061 2,012 Retention 95% 93% 91% PARTNER REVENUES Membership Dues $221,355 $222,800 $267,900 Hotel Lead Share $186,052 $209,014 $252,616 Web/Collateral Advertising $48,939 $58,856 $42,090 Marketing Campaign Partners $625,000 $545,00 $473,500 TOTAL $1,081,346 $1,035,670 $1,036,106 TOURISM AMBASSADORS Certified Tourism Ambassadors CTA Renewals Retention Rate 62% 53% 45%

12 ADMINISTRATION & FINANCE 2014 KEY ACCOMPLISHMENTS Generated more than $6.4 million in tax revenue for the city, following the successful passage of legislation to lift the Convention/Tourism Tax exemption allowed for non-profits. Orchestrated the lease and construction of Visit KC s new downtown headquarters, opening in March Continued evaluation and update of staff programming/development in support of igniting passion for Kansas City. Facilitated a company-wide update of CRM and CMS platforms. Updated network infrastructure to accommodate increased web traffic demand tied to multiple projects, including Kansas City Restaurant Week. Maintained the Visit KC s successful college internship program EXPENDITURES BY TARGET AUDIENCE Convention Sales - $4,252,500 44% Destination Marketing - $3,147,565 33% Operational - $1,722,193 18% Local Projects - $ 492,980 5% 44% 33% 18% 5% 2014 REVENUES Net Convention Tourism Tax $6,496,537 Arena Business Fees $1,1,79,539 Advertising Participation $540,178 State Co-Op Marketing $422,565 Membership Dues $267,900 Hotel Consumption Program $252,616 Convention Services Revenue $134,026 Advertising Sales $42,090 Other Revenues $1,449,190 TOTAL REVENUE $9,615,239

13 AWARDS HONORS MEETINGS & CONVENTIONS MAGAZINE Gold Service Award, Visit KC FACILITIES & DESTINATIONS MAGAZINE Prime Site Award, Kansas City Convention & Entertainment Facilities CORPORATE & INCENTIVE TRAVEL MAGAZINE Award of Excellence, Visit KC CVENT Top 50 Meeting Destinations Kansas City, MO PUBLIC RELATIONS SOCIETY OF AMERICA, KANSAS CITY Gold PRISM Award Best Special Publication, Visit KC Magazine Gold PRISM Award Best Social Media Campaign, Kansas City Restaurant Week SOCIAL MEDIA CLUB OF KANSAS CITY Silver AMP Award Real-Time/Event Based Social Media Campaign, 2014 Big 12 Men s Basketball Championship KC BUSINESS MAGAZINE Rising Stars of Kansas City Business Derek Klaus The Visit KC team is dedicated to the industry 100% of our team members are Certified Tourism Ambassadors and more than 1/3 hold additional accreditations in industry programming.

14 2014 BOARD OF DIRECTORS CHAIR Brenda Tinnen, General Manager and Senior Vice President, Sprint Center/AEG VICE CHAIR Gayle Holliday, Ph.D., President, G & H Consulting, LLC TREASURER Kevin Pistilli, President, Raphael Hotel Group Vic Allred, President, Jazz: A Louisiana Kitchen Kay Barnes (Ex Officio Board Member); Director/Distinguished Professor for Public Leadership, Park University Grant Burcham, President & CEO, Missouri Bank & Trust Cindy Circo, Mayor Pro-Tem; Councilwoman, Fifth District At-Large, City of Kansas City, Missouri Mark Donovan, President, Kansas City Chiefs Football Club Arzelia Gates, Corporate Secretary, Gates Bar-B-Q Corporation Bill George, President, Kansas City Transportation Group Steve Klika, Commissioner, Third District, Johnson County, Kansas Mike Klingensmith, General Manager, Embassy Suites KCI David Lopez, General Manager, Manny s Mexican Restaurant Bill Lucas, President, Crown Center Riccardo Lucas, President & CEO, N.STRIDE Consulting, LLC Jan Marcason, Councilwoman, Fourth District, City of Kansas City, Missouri Bradley McCormack, Partner, The Sader Law Firm Oscar McGaskey, Jr. (Ex Officio Board Member); Department of Convention and Entertainment Facilities, City of Kansas City, Missouri Rachel Merlo, Community Manager, Kansas City, Google Fiber Jeanette Prenger, President, ECCO Select Corporation Clayton Reid, President, MMGY Global CiCi Rojas, President & CEO, Central Exchange Rosemary Salerno, General Manager, Zona Rosa Development, LLC Troy Schulte, City Manager, City of Kansas City, Missouri Steve Shalit, Complex General Manager, Westin Crown Center/Sheraton Kansas City Hotel at Crown Center Angie Stanland, Vice President of Associate Services & Recruiting, Cerner Corporation Jon Stephens, President, Rockhill Strategic Troy A. Stremming (Immediate Past Chair); Executive Vice President of Government Relations & Public Affairs, Pinnacle Entertainment, Inc. Scott Wagner, Councilman, First District At-Large, City of Kansas City, Missouri Keli Wenzel, President/Managing Partner, O Neill Marketing & Event Management, Inc. Randy Wisthoff, Executive Director & CEO, Kansas City Zoo Amy Jordan Wooden, President & CEO, AJW Consulting

15 CORPORATE CIRCLE PARTNERS All Seasons Party Rental, Inc. American Academy of Family Physicians Ameristar Casino Hotel Kansas City Anderson Restaurant Group Aramark Sports & Entertainment Argosy Casino Hotel & Spa Arrow Stage Lines Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Kansas City Boulevard Brewing Co. Brancato s Catering Briarcliff Village Brookside Shopping District City Center Square Food Gallery The College Basketball Experience Conference Center & Town Pavilion Rotunda Corinth Square Shops Country Club Bank, N.A. Crossroads Arts District Crown Center Downtown Overland Park Enterprise Rent-A-Car Excelsior Springs Area Chamber of Commerce Fern Gates Bar-B-Q Greater Kansas City Attractions Association Greater Kansas City Restaurant Association Harrah s Casino and Hotel Harvest Productions, Inc. Highwoods Properties, Inc. Hollywood Casino at Kansas Speedway Hotel & Lodging Association of Greater Kansas City Image Technologies Corporation Independence Events Center Isle of Capri Casino JE Dunn Construction Johnson County Community College Kansas City Area Transportation Authority Kansas City Aviation Department Kansas City Chiefs Kansas City International Airport Kansas City Power & Light District Kansas City Royals Kansas City Sports Commission & Foundation Kansas City Star Company Kansas City T-Bones Baseball Club Kansas City Transportation Group Kansas City Zoo Kauffman Stadium KC Live! Block KCI Expo Center Lathrop and Gage Legends Outlets Kansas City Liberty Exposition Services, Inc. Main Street Parkville Association Miami County, KS Mid-America Minority Business Development Council National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art Overland Park Convention Center Park Place Pepsi Beverage Co. Pizza Hut Prairiefire Pro Staff The Roasterie, Inc. Sarpino s Pizzeria Schlitterbahn Kansas City Waterpark Sprint Sprint Center The Village Shops Town Center Plaza University of Missouri-Kansas City Urban League of Greater Kansas City, The Vista Productions, Inc. Waldo Area Shops & Nightlife Weston Chamber of Commerce Westport Worlds of Fun Zona Rosa

16 1321 Baltimore Avenue Kansas City, MO VISITKC.COM