Group Sales & Services

Group Sales & Services 2015-2016

2013-2016 Timeline 2012-2013 2013-2014 2014-2015

FY 13 Foundation Goal: 50,0000 Actual: 55,128 CRM Integrated & Trained Enhanced reporting Build the Sales Pipeline Emphasis on outreach Added prospecting tools Expanded Travel Trade shows Added markets Enhanced Toolkit Started suite of collateral Communication Strategy Meeting Development Fund

FY 14 Client Interaction Goal: 56,900 Actual: 57,153 Introduced 48-Hour Concept Hosted three Experiences (19) Building Team Asheville ACVB coordinated tradeshows, client events, FAMS, 48-Hours, AAA trainings Client Events ASAE (Atlanta) Destination & Travel Foundation (DC) Steal the Pint Night (DC) Enhanced Toolkit Cont d suite of collateral: tradeshow banners, fact sheets, evites, tradeshow e-blasts, etc. Communication Strategy Establish process for regular client communication

FY 15 Driving National Awareness\Interest Goal: 60,900 YTD: 39,964 Position AVL on National Level High Impact - IMEX Sponsorships PCMA, Holiday Showcase, Smart Meetings Communications Distribion Advertising Expanded Travel Trade shows (20) TN, FL, Atlanta Enhanced Toolkit Introduced online MP Guide Introduced two videos Continue Sports 48-Hours and like programs Targeted prospecting

Outcomes

Outreach Person to Person Outreach: Indirect outreach: 65,000 55,000 45,000 One-to-one : Phone calls, emails, sales missions/calls, site visits, appointment based tradeshows, FAMs, client events. One-to-many: Direct mail, webinars, e-blasts, non-appointment based tradeshows, networking events, local industry events. 44,291 60,000 Projected 35,000 25,000 27,161 Person to Person Indirect Outreach 15,000 5,000 4,284 14,064 8,586 9,000 Projected 6,113 (5,000) FY 13 FY 14 FY 15* (as of February 2015)

Sales Leads Sent 800 700 600 500 400 315 374 439 482 607 515 770 Projected 300 200 100 0 FY 10 FY 11 FY 12 FY 13 FY 14 FY 15* (as of February 2015)

Sales Leads Sent Room Nights 180,000 160,000 145,838 128,370 174,000 Projected 140,000 120,000 100,000 103,064 92,166 85,344 116,440 80,000 60,000 40,000 20,000 - FY 10 FY 11 FY 12 FY 13 FY 14 FY 15* (as of February 2015)

Definite Bookings (events) 400 350 336 397 Projected 300 250 223 221 250 265 200 190 150 100 50 0 FY 10 FY 11 FY 12 FY 13 FY 14 FY 15* (as of February 2015)

Definite Bookings Rooms Nights 60,000 55,128 57,670 60,900 Goal 50,000 42,808 42,670 43,574 40,000 30,000 39,964 40,600 Pace 20,000 10,000 - FY 10 FY 11 FY 12 FY 13 FY 14 FY 15* (as of February 2015)

Actualized Revenue $7,000,000 $6,379,227 Projected $6,000,000 $5,000,000 $4,000,000 $5,178,513 $5,686,649 $4,252,818 $3,000,000 $2,000,000 $1,000,000 $- FY 13 FY 14 FY 15* (as of February 2015)

Groups Serviced 500 434 472 447 400 370 450 Projected 300 281 282 200 100 0 FY 10 FY 11 FY 12 FY 13 FY 14 FY 15* (as of February 2015)

Site Visits YTD 85 75 69 80 Projected 65 55 45 19 58 13 48 Hour Experience 35 Site Visits 25 50 45 15 5-5 FY 14 FY 15 (as of February 2015)

48 Hour Meeting Planner Experience - YTD Attendees 31 organizations RFPs to Date 17 Total Rooms Represented 5,945 Definite Rooms Booked 2,505 Definite Rooms Revenue $510,149 Definite F&B Revenue $289,263 Definite Groups Total Revenue $799,412

Meeting Development Fund Commitment Schedule YTD 2012-2013 (year committed) Room Nights Amount Awarded BMW Riders Association 1,500 $3,000 Rotary Zone 33/34 990 $2,000 SACUBO 1,434 $2,000 International Police Mountain Bike Association 884 $1,000 $8,000 awarded ($30,000 available) 2013-2014 Room Nights Amount Awarded American Wood Protection Association 800 $2,000 NCUR 3,310 $3,000 National Federation of State High School Associations 470 $1,500 NC Society of Human Resource Managers 1,000 $1,500 $8,000 awarded ($15,000 available) 2014-2015 Room Nights Amount Awarded Momentum Sports Group - UHC 990 $5,000 27% 53% 33% $5,000 awarded ($15,000 available)

Current Trends Impacting Group Sales Decrease in the group room allotment = smaller group bookings - Notable Friday-Saturday Increase in group room rates and other group-related expenses - Added fees, F&B minimum, etc. Limited amounts of meeting space coming online Direct air service remains a real challenge (legacy carriers) Market mix changing - Core markets producing less group overnights - Focus on finding less rate sensitivity groups (corporate, incentive, boards) Increased demand for ACVB to generate awareness/interest in destination - More sales channels compete for bookings: third party planners, internet, national sales offices, etc.

CVB Average Booking Size (All) Room Nights* 250 220 200 150 172 150 YTD 100 50 13% Decline FY 14 to 15 0 FY 13 FY 14 FY 15 * ACVB sourced only;

CVB Average Booked Group Size Room Nights* 240 220 220 200 180 190 YTD 14% Decline FY 14 to 15 160 FY 14 FY 15 * ACVB sourced only; EXCLUDES wedding, sport and group tour groups

CVB Average Booking Size Room Nights* For All North Carolina-based Groups 250 225 200 183 150 137 YTD 100 50 25% Decline FY 14 to 15 0 FY 13 FY 14 FY 15 * ACVB sourced only;

CVB Average Booked Group Size Room Nights* NC Meeting Groups Only 250 200 213 150 131 YTD 100 50 38% Decline FY 14 to 15 0 FY 14 FY 15 * ACVB sourced only; EXCLUDES wedding, sport and group tour groups

FY 2016 Top Line Focus Finding the Groups the Hotels Want Right price, right time and right sized groups - Less price sensitive overall - Priority is Sunday-Thursday business - Off-season remains a focus shrinking off-season - Smaller groups - meetings Find trade events with national draw to find target groups - IMEX Americas, PCMA, Smart Meetings, etc. ACVB must drive awareness on a national level Sports continues to drive room nights

FY 16 Fine Tuning Continue to Position AVL on National Level IMEX Sponsorships PCMA, Destination Showcase, Smart Meetings Optimize Staff Responsibilities Motorcoach/small group Continue 48-Hour Communications strategy, etc. Meeting Development Fund Recommend program adjustment Build on ACVB / Hotel Partnership Model Access to assets Come See Us program

Meeting Development Fund

Meeting Development Fund Requirements A minimum of 500 total room nights is required to qualify for MDF; The group must represent new business for the Asheville CVB or, if a previous client, the group has not met in Asheville for at least four years; Seasonality and day patterns will be given priority during identified shoulder seasons; Direct source only.

Meeting Development Fund Reduce rooms threshold from 500+ to 350+ Community wants smaller groups overall Requirements associated with large groups may not fit AVL - extensive space requirements - transportation issues with multiple housing sites, etc. Low conversion rate for groups 500+ FY 14-71 total RFP s - 15 (21%) meeting groups converted FY 15-56 total RFP s - 8 (15%) meeting groups converted Larger pool of opportunities FY 14 23 groups lost in the 351-500 room night range FY 15 15 groups YTD lost in the 351-500 room night range

NEW - See For Yourself Program

Drive Sunday-Thursday Meeting Business Partner with hotels to fly in planners for site visits Researched available programs Demonstrable record of success Create awareness/interest in AVL as a meeting destination Once found, we adjusted the program to fit our needs Sunday-Thursday group meeting business Input and support from industry representatives -Director of sales and a convention hotel manager

NEW - See For Yourself Program Drive new qualified Sunday-Thursday group business by providing air reimbursement of up to $400 to hotels for site visits sourced by the hotel Allocate $ to a See For Yourself line item for the purpose of reimbursing hotels for a site visit that meets very specific qualifications: 150 cumulative room nights and $10,000 food & beverage minimum -increase the number of properties able to participate 90% of rooms must be contracted/consumed on Sunday-Thursday nights Hotel pays for ticket then applies to ACVB for reimbursement Reimbursement made once qualifications and history verified One ticket per organization for new business groups (not last 3 years) Exclusions may apply -weddings, reunions, church retreats, etc. Outcomes tracked and business reported using a special source code ACVB staff involvement optional How is it different from the MDF? 1) Hotel sources the business and 2) No incentive dollars involved

Program model: Flights for Sites Amelia Island

Enhanced Hotel/ACVB Partner Program Meeting Development Fund Shared assets video files, fact sheets, etc. Partner opportunities trade shows, client events, joint sales calls Come & See program

Questions?