Quad Ci es Represents at MVC Tournament

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1 APRIL 2015 Quarterly Publication of the Quad Cities Convention & Visitors Bureau Reporting Fiscal Year rd Quarter January, February, March 2015 Quad Ci es Represents at MVC Tournament The Quad Ci es Conven on & Visitors Bureau (QCCVB) brought a full court press to the Missouri Valley Conference (MVC) women s basketball tournament in March in St. Charles, MO. Staff was there to promote the Quad Ci es and the tournament move to the iwireless Center in March A top of the line exhibit, videos on jumbotrons, PA announcements and air me with the ESPN announcers were all part of staff s me there. QCCVB staff and iwireless Center staff met with MVC officials while in St. Charles. The Dispatch/Argus also sent a sports reporter to cover the tournament. The arena in St. Charles is located in an industrial center so it is going to be a marvelous experience for fans to be located in walkable downtown Moline, and staying in hotels throughout the Quad Ci es area. QCCVB Sales Manager was awarded Davenport Jaycees Member of the Year for This award recognizes an individual member that has been Joan pictured on the left ac vely involved with the chapter, shows great leadership, and is a role model to other members. Joan was involved as a commi ee member for the Bridal Expo, Community Awards Banquet, Brew HaHa, a Children s Halloween Party, and Jaycee s Santa Wrapping. Union Station, Davenport Bass St. Landing, Moline Visitor Center Counts 3rd Qtr. FY15 TOTAL 3rd Qtr. FY14 TOTAL FY14 FY13 FY ,067 7,965 10, ,182 5,272 4,962 QCI Airport 1, ,148 2,667 2,049 The District, Rock Island Iowa 80 Museum Closed Closed 915 1, QCCVB staffed on holidays 1,482 13,402 18,950 5,257 TOTAL 2,966 4,314 30,714 36,185 52,708* *FY Totals include Mississippi Valley Welcome Center & East Moline visitor numbers

2 QCCVB Wins Best Branding Ini a ve Award Occupancy Rate Average Daily Rate Hotel Tax Revenues The Quad Ci es CVB won the award for Best Branding Ini a ve from the Illinois Office of Tourism presented during the Illinois Governor s Conference on Tourism in February. The Quad Ci es submi ed the new Quad Ci es Des na on Brand in early January, a er a successful year long promo on. The newly branding print, digital and television ads ran across Iowa, Illinois, and Wisconsin. The Best Branding Ini a ve Award is presented for a campaign designed to revitalize the des na on brand, establish new brand iden ty, create brand awareness, and result in a posi ve results and return oninvestment. Quad Cities Area Hotel/Motel Information 3rd Qtr.15 3rd Qtr.14 FY14 FY13 FY12 N/A 49.5% 58.6% 54.9% 55.0% N/A $79.76 $81.60 $78.81 $76.48 $2,421,991 N/A $4,483,006 $4,202,139 $4,059,706 YTD Riverboat Twilight: Cruising Visitors into LeClaire The Riverboat Twilight celebrates 28 years cruising from LeClaire in 2015, and during that me close to 200,000 visitors have come to LeClaire since the Twilight began cruising from there in We con nue to be amazed at the growth and posi ve change in this charming river town, says Carrie S ers. We love the many shopping, dining and touring op ons there are for both LeClaire residents and visitors. The Twilight has become a highly recognizable part of the cityscape for locals and visitors alike. Many loyal fans come down to the river every week to watch us dock and enjoy the calliope serenade. The Twilight has been the subject of many gallery worthy photos, social media posts, local ar cles, and magazine covers. Riverboat Twilight s Economic Impact: Number of Visitors for ,930 Average spending per day per visitor *$142 *According to Iowa Tourism Office 2014 Economic Impact $700,060 Visitor Inquiries 3rd Qtr.15 3rd Qtr.14 FY14 FY13 FY12 Web, Mail, ,203 2,759 Advertising 4, ,900 10,965 10,870 Phone ,583 2,435 4,753* TOTAL 4,655 1,055 12,300 14,603 18,382 Leisure Campaigns s Sent s Opened Click Thrus 3rd Qtr.15 AVG 9,217 19% 15% 3rd Qtr.14 AVG 8,791 19% 12% FY14 AVG 8,754 20% 14% FY13 AVG 7,469 17% 16% *Train Festival 2011 ticket calls 2016 will be the 100 th Birthday of the City of Baton Rouge, and plans for a party in May 2016 are in the works. We hope the celebra on will add one more event that will bring people to visit LeClaire. Some of you have heard the good news that the historic Delta Queen has been purchased and hopes to be back in service by There are also reports regarding the expansion of American Cruise Lines, Viking Cruise lines, and others. While I cannot promise 6 new boats in the next 3 years (Viking) or 5 by 2017 (American Cruise Lines). What I can promise is a historically accurate, environmentally appropriate, esthe cally pleasing, locally owned/operated/staffed riverboat that has a 28 year history cruising on the Upper Mississippi River. Captain Kevin and Carrie S er, Owners Staff and Crew of the Riverboat Twilight

3 Big Wins and Bigger Bid Fees In recent months, the QCCVB sales efforts have secured several new pieces of business for the Quad Ci es. Along with these big wins for the community with hotel/motel taxes and other visitor spending comes bigger bid fees and sponsorships to get these groups to come. The QCCVB con nues to seek the sponsors and support needed to sustain these big wins. Thanks to the Quad Ci es Lodging Associa on, Riverboat Development Authority, Iowa Regional Sports Authority, Sam s Club Moline, and other private sponsors who have partnered with the QCCVB over the last few years to con nue our success in hos ng high profile events that produce for the Quad Ci es local economy. Associa on of Business & Industry: 500 plus C Level and Young Professionals will network and learn during the Taking Care of Business Conference June 10 12, It will be the first state wide bike friendly conference in Iowa. A special rate will be offered to local Quad Ci es businesses that would like to a end the amazing keynote speaker sessions. MVC Women s Basketball Championship USBC Iowa State Bowling Tournament 100 th Anniversary in 2017 Cocoa Cola Collectors June 2018 Iowa League of Ci es September 2017 Gathering of the Green March 2016 Interna onal So ball Congress returns in August 2016 USA BMX Na onals July 2015 State of Iowa Boys Li le League State Championships July 2015 North American Strongman Na onal Amateur Championship October 2015 RAGBRAI July 2015 NAFA Men s World Series 2015 The economic impact of these events: $8,349,000 The cost of hos ng these events: 258,000 The ROI: 32:1 For every dollar invested we receive $32 visitor dollars back to the community. 3rd Qtr. Total FY15 3rd 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 Partner Referrals (non-hotels) 7 N/A N/A N/A N/A Important Note: These sales numbers reflect business generated by the QCCVB and are not representative of the entire Quad Cities community. Events Serviced

4 Tourism Improves the Lives of Quad Ci ans By Joe Taylor, QCCVB President/CEO As governments at all levels consider tough decisions and look to reduc ons in investments in des na on marke ng, let s examine how tourism improves all of our lives. How? By Providing Jobs The U.S. Travel Associa on County by County Report for 2013 shows that visitors spent over $800 million in Sco and Rock Island Coun es and that spending generated 7,000 jobs in our hotels, restaurants, malls, convenience stores, a rac ons and more. The Quad Ci es Conven on & Visitors Bureau (QCCVB) was one of several partners that collaborated to finalize the Americans for the Arts Economic Impact Study for the region. Nearly 2,000 Quad Ci ans Trade Shows Trade Shows Attended Trade Show Impressions 3rd Qtr. FY FY ,748 FY ,214 FY ,089 make their livelihood from our region s arts and culture. By Providing Tax Relief The report shows that each Quad Ci es area family would need to pay an addi onal $1,000 per year in taxes if the taxes paid by visitors were lost. The fact is that hotel/motel taxes are the fastest growing of all taxes now. But visitors pay more than just hotel/ motel taxes. They pay sales taxes, food and beverage taxes, gas taxes, casino taxes, and more. Every state dollar granted to local conven on and visitors bureaus is matched with local dollars so the investment is shared between the state and local community. By Suppor ng a Cool, Crea ve, Produc ve Region Do you enjoy our local venues and a rac ons? The QCCVB s sales and marke ng efforts generate hotel/ Con nued in the right column Twitter/ Facebook 3rd Quarter Cont d: Tourism Improves Q C motel tax dollars which local municipal governments grant to community venues and ameni es RiverCenter/Adler Theatre which hosts Ballet Quad Ci es, Fes val of Trees and the Quad City Symphony Orchestra, Putnam Museum, Figge Art Museum, The River s Edge, Quad City Botanical Center, Niabi Zoo, and more. If you enjoyed a Quad City Arts Visi ng Ar st performance in the last year, it was local hotels that provided nearly 200 room nights for the performers. By Suppor ng Our Schools Quad Ci es Conven on & Visitors Bureau (QCCVB) ac vi es bring visitors to several coun es in the region who support schools by means of the 1% local op on sales tax paid by visitors on retail purchases. By Telling Our Region s Unique Stories The QCCVB partners with Na onal Geographic, John Deere Pavilion, Silos and Smokestacks Na onal Heritage Area, and others to tell the Mississippi River stories and the agricultural stories of our region. QCCVB and WVIK have partnered to create one joint calendar of events. Listeners to WVIK and those who visit its website will find one universal events calendar shared by both en es, improving lives by making it easier to find informa on on arts and cultural events, as well as all community events in the Quad Ci es. By Improving Health QCCVB has increased healthy lives in the Quad Ci es by promo ng our region s trails, parks and outdoor recrea on opportuni es is healthy for residents as well as visitors. The QCCVB has been steadfast in its support of two na onal trails the American Discovery Trail and the Mississippi River Trail, both of which intersect here. Website Lodging Reservations Reservations Room Nights 3rd Qtr.FY rd Qtr.FY FY14 Total FY13 Total FY12 Total ,692 Twitter Followers 31,030 Facebook Fans The QCCVB is proud to be part of a region that has worked hard to build ever improving visitor experiences which con nue to get visitors, mee ng planners, group leaders and sports event organizers to pay a en on. We collaborate with partners, stakeholders, and civic and business leaders to build an even be er visitor experience. By pooling funds from the public and private sectors, the QCCVB con nues to drive economic development through travel and tourism and to add more jobs and dollars to our economy by a rac ng more visitors to our Marvels on the Mississippi River.

5 QCCVB Launches New Blog The Quad Ci es Conven on & Visitors Bureau (QCCVB) has launched a new blog on their website at visitquadci es.com/blog. Five local bloggers are part of the team, and they will post regularly throughout the month con nuously spotligh ng what we have to see and do in the Quad Ci es area. and volunteering for MidCoast events. Dave "The Shef" Sheffield is an interna onal keynote speaker and author on the topics of mo va on, leadership, and sales. He is an avid kayaking, mountain biking, and trail running enthusiast. The new blogging team includes: Kim Woodward is a wife, mom, and freelance writer living with her husband and son in a barn in rural Geneseo. A notorious dabbler and DIYer, she shares her adventures on her own blog and contributes to QuadCityMomsBlog.com. As a life long resident of the Quad Ci es, Deborah Doehler is a mul media ar st. You ll also find Deborah serving on the board at Quad City Arts, doing marke ng for Riverssance Fes val of Fine Arts, Deborah Davis, otherwise known as QCAlegirl, is from Davenport, Iowa. A self proclaimed cra beer fana c, she spends her days either working at a local nano brewery or researching and wri ng for her blog, qcalegirl.com. As a life long Quad Ci es resident, Katy Williams is an Elementary Educa on major at St. Ambrose University in Davenport. She loves traveling, cooking, working with kids, educa on, and pu ng a pen to paper. Story Coverage Stories Ad $ Value 3rd Qtr.FY15 32 None Given 3rd Qtr.FY14 59 None Given FY $2,615 FY $366,642 FY $278,303 Website Visits/Total Page Views 3rd Qtr.FY15 83,767 3rd Qtr.FY14 71,642 FY14 326,172 FY13 229,194 FY12 226, , ,065 1,222, , ,937 Media Contacts Releases Sent Individual Requests Journalist Visits 3rd Qtr.FY15 4, rd Qtr.FY14 3, FY14 15, FY13 12, FY12 11,

6 WEBSITE STATISTICS JAN Bald Eagle Ads Journal & Topics Be a Tourist Weekend CVB Leisure Be a Tourist Promotion Launch FEB QC Restaurant Week Launch CVB Leisure MAR QC Restaurant Week St. Patrick s Day video Spring Break social media promotion CVB Leisure WEBSITE REPORT: 83,767 Visitors 274,635 Pageviews 74% New Visitors 35,183 Visits to Mobile Website 975 Website Downloads of Activity Guide 1,344 Mobile Download of Activity Guide Average Length of Visit 2.45 Min. TOP 10 VISITED PAGES 1. Calendar of Events 2. Kid s Stuff 3. Activities/Things to Do 4. Dining 5. Lodging 6. Free Fun in the Quad Cities 7. Museums & History 8. Arts, Theatre & Music 9. Casinos & Riverboats 10. Eat, Drink & Shop

7 Successful Winter Tourism Season The Quad Ci es organiza ons that focus on winter tourism saw a successful winter season with great visita on numbers. 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 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 Ski Snowstar in Andalusia opened in November for the first me ever and they were open 85 days which is the longest season since General Manager Ed Meyer says that they had almost 45,000 visits, and they welcomed their one millionth customer at the end of December. The Bald Eagles visit the Quad Ci es in the winter that, in turn, generates an increase in human visitors to view them. January is a busy month at the Mississippi River Visitor Center on Arsenal Island due to eagle watching. Almost 3,500 people visited the center this winter. Mike McKean, Natural Resource Specialist, says, We pull in a lot of people from out of town, especially Chicago, coming here to watch eagles. Both last winter and this winter there were great numbers of eagles to be seen. We heard from a lot of people who are coming back each year because of this. LeClaire is another popular place to go eagle watching. LeClaire saw eagle watchers and photographers from all over the U.S. and Canada. LeClaire Tourism Manager Cindy Bruhn wants people to remember that LeClaire does not close in the winter. We added an Eagle Watching Event this year and organized a variety of events to encourage winter visitors. The LeClaire Info Center visita on was higher in January and February this year over last year. The Quad City Mallards has a playoff posi on, and the organiza on has also enjoyed plenty of success away from the ice. The Mallards this season have increased weekend a endance by 25 percent over last season. Group cket sales this season have increased by 50 percent over last season. The team s season cket base has doubled over the last two years. The QCCVB s promo on in March for Quad Ci es Restaurant Week generated 148,000 total pageviews on the website, compared to 115,000 last year. 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.