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Marketing & Communications Report First Quarter
<br />Business Today (Print)
<br />Circulation: 10,500
<br />August 2010
<br />Business Today Business Today
<br />CABARRUS COUNTY
<br />o ,ter• ..,, ..... ,x.., ., x
<br />Carpenter has Cabarrus County t0unsm
<br />...
<br />Upon my arrival we did a complete
<br />on a fast track The and CEO
<br />restructure, of the organization. There
<br />of Cabarrus County .Convention 8i
<br />were 11 full time positions and two part
<br />Visitors Bureau counts opening. two
<br />time positions currently there are 13 full'
<br />satellite offices, one at the speedway and
<br />time positions and six part time posi
<br />'one at Concord . Mihs, among her
<br />lions approved for this fiscal year. The
<br />achievemebfs-
<br />additional positions added are visitor
<br />In an Interview on her one year
<br />information manager, administrative
<br />anniversary, Carpenter said Cabarrus'
<br />assistant and four part time travel coun-
<br />hotel occupancy rates fell slightlyfor the
<br />selors
<br />first six months of 2010, but they rose In,
<br />Wbot ha vs you done in tit e past year?
<br />June, this in the face of a whopping 32
<br />The.bureau has gone through some
<br />percent increase in rooms.
<br />Through June`, demand for rooms in
<br />significant changes over the past year.
<br />Cabarrus County was up 16 percent, an
<br />The first part of the year was spent on
<br />restructuring and building a new team,
<br />increase to bank on,
<br />Carpenter, who was the director of
<br />once in place, to the board of directors in
<br />tourism and partnership development
<br />addition to the team, held a two-day
<br />retreat to determine a new mission and
<br />for Visit Charlotte, oversees a $337 mil
<br />vision for the organization as well as the
<br />lion budge4 funded by hotel tax receipts.
<br />beginning steps for strategic, plan.
<br />Business Today interviewed
<br />Carpenter as her agency was gearing up
<br />During the latter half of the year great_
<br />for race week in October, the only night
<br />strides have been made, including • the
<br />production and distribution of the
<br />race in the Chase,
<br />Destination Guide, probably our great
<br />What is your total budget jar the new
<br />est success.
<br />fiscal year? What was it last year and
<br />- We have opened two satellite visitor
<br />the year before? 1
<br />information office§, aL Clazloite Motor
<br />FY 2010.2011 Budget $3,371,116
<br />Speedway and Concord Mils Mall. This
<br />FY 2009.2010 Budget: $3.781,069:
<br />has enabled us to'connect with the visi-
<br />Porecasting end of year FY 2009 /2010 •
<br />for face to ^face, answer any questions
<br />$3,119,731
<br />they may -have and also offers us the
<br />FY 2008.2009 Budgets $2,804,146
<br />opportunity to tell the bigger story about
<br />FinishedIY2008 /2009 - $2,735,216
<br />Cabarrus County and all it has to offer as
<br />How many staffers do you have? How
<br />a destination;
<br />many. when you came. on board ayear
<br />„ ,; s � CARpIM Page 7+ . -
<br />CiABARRUS COUN
<br />CARPENTER jnom page 6 y ou cannot get anywhere else. I think it
<br />is safe to say that packaged along with
<br />tours of the speedway and race shops
<br />Any recent FAM visits? and other attractions, it has encouraged
<br />The bureau conducts more site visits
<br />additional overnights in Cabarrus
<br />than it does FAM trips. Between Sales, County.
<br />Services and Communications/PR we
<br />What are you hearing or what are
<br />have hosted more than 20 sitevisits over you seeing in terms of occupancy levels
<br />the last six months. We have a 16 person for the October races?
<br />UK/German PR FAM coming in during
<br />The October race at Charlotte Motor
<br />NHRA as well as a travel trade UK FAM
<br />Medway is the only night race in the
<br />coming in during the October Race.
<br />"Chase." This sets us apart from other
<br />Where do you see your best opportuni-
<br />nine destinations that host a race in the
<br />"Chase! With this; the' loyalty of the
<br />ties for tourism growth - amateur sports
<br />events, NASCAR, Concord Milk?
<br />motorsports fans, the shops located in
<br />Cabarrus has a multitude of opportu-
<br />the area and the addition of the
<br />nities for future tourism business. We
<br />NASCAR Hall of Fame, we anticipate a
<br />have conducted our research and it
<br />very successfid October race. We typi
<br />clearly shows we are a leisure destine-
<br />Son and we have motorsports, Concord
<br />cally reach out to our hotel partners in
<br />early to nudSeptember to get theirfeed-
<br />Mills and Great Wolf Lodge to thank for
<br />back Atravel trend that we are continu-
<br />that. But this doesn't dismiss that fact
<br />ing to see is the trend towards a shorter
<br />that group business is big business for
<br />booking window. Travelers are continu-
<br />us too-amateur sports, car clubs, four -
<br />ing to book last minute and are looking
<br />legged shows, military and associations
<br />for value added packages.
<br />in general are great targets and on our
<br />Discuss average daily room rates and
<br />list I believe obtaining a balance within
<br />what the trend looks like.
<br />all the markets is critical for our contin-
<br />Average Daily Rate. for June 2010
<br />uM success.
<br />$79,51 vs. $83.08 in June 2009.
<br />Si' hat ar e 'current occupakey levels vs-
<br />Year to Date Average Daily Rate,
<br />through June 2010 $8&65. vs. $89.15'
<br />year - earlier levels?
<br />For the month of June 2010 54.8 per -
<br />, YID Hugh Joee In 2009r
<br />cent vs. 53.9 percent in Jane 2009.
<br />When comparing year -over -year num-
<br />Year to date occupancy through Jane
<br />: bers we have to take into consideration
<br />2010, 53.2 percent vs. 54.1 percent M
<br />the amount of supply that has been
<br />through June 2009
<br />introduced. Since April 2009 there has
<br />Have'you been able to organize any
<br />been,a 32 percent Increase in total room
<br />supp* This effects year over year num-
<br />cooperative'eJjorts with the Cabarrus
<br />bet's until the new supply is cycled
<br />race teams?
<br />We currently work closely with
<br />through.
<br />Great Wolf Lodge recently completed
<br />Charlotte Motor Speedway on joint mar-
<br />keting efforts. Our sales and `services
<br />their first year. Residence Inn and
<br />team works with many of the race teams
<br />Courtyard by Marriott properties did
<br />not open until summer 2009. In the last
<br />to provide groups with a unique venue
<br />for a reception or for scheduling toum
<br />six months three additional properties.
<br />As far as a collaborative effort with all
<br />Hilton Garden inn, Country Inn and
<br />Suites, and Affordible Corporate Suites
<br />the race teams, it is on our list of to do's
<br />opened. • '
<br />for this fiscal.year.
<br />One key, factor that the bureau can
<br />Have you seem an increase in hotel
<br />.
<br />measure is demand. Through June 2010
<br />occupancy with the opening of the
<br />`
<br />demand for rooms is up 18.4 percent in,
<br />County. 'The`:
<br />NASCAR Hall of Fame?
<br />It is virtually impossible to track room
<br />Cabarrus • increased
<br />demand is spread amongst the new sup -
<br />nights related specifically to the
<br />ply in the destination resulting in slight -
<br />NASCAR Hall of Fame. We do, however,
<br />, ly lower occupancy levels for individual
<br />know the addition of the Hall of Cone
<br />properties. The last five months have
<br />partnered with the race shops located in
<br />performed very well and all indications
<br />the region has certainly elevated the
<br />are pointing towards increased occupan-
<br />region s appeal and confirms us as a true
<br />cy and Average Daily Rates in th e sea
<br />racing destination with experiences that
<br />and half of 2010.
<br />Attachment number 1
<br />Page 175
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<br />Tourism czar: Giving
<br />local economy a bo
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