Convention & Visitors Bureau: May 2006 Tourism Report

May 2006 Tourism Report

Nelson County Department of Economic Development and Tourism
May 2006 Report

Tourism Update

Projects

• Working with Land Rover on May 12-13 Spring Rallye

• Working with Virginia Film Office on an art film on location in Afton

• Developing a framework for the 2007 Nelson County Bicentennial

• Working with Explore Nelson Wine and orchards on Taste of Nelson event August 18-19, 2006

• Planning Jamestown 2007 events

• Arranging for the installation of signage for the Watchable Wildlife program

Marketing and Promotion

• 33 media leads distributed to Nelson County tourism businesses

• Wintergreen Resort Spa featured in Southern Living

• Organizing familiarization tours of local wineries and accommodations

Montebello Fish Hatchery

251 visitors in April – Department of Game and Inland Fisheries will not charge visitors in 2006

April Meetings

April 4 – Lynchburg and Bedford Tourism

Regional Tourism Summit

April 11 – Explore Nelson Wine

April 12 –Taste of Nelson

April 13 – Virginia Association of Convention and Visitor Bureaus

April 14 – Explore Nelson Wine

April 19 – Taste of Nelson

April 24-25 - Virginia Association of Convention and Visitor Bureaus Tourism Summit

April 28 – Virginia Film Office

Tourism Statistics
                                               Fiscal               Fiscal
                April 2006            YTD 2006        April 2005   YTD 2005
Phone   305                        2356                 111                2064
Internet   60494                    641227             51163            405516
Walk In   971                       9663                693              9216

Taxes   March 2006        YTD 2006            March 2005   YTD 2005
Lodging   $24842            175339                15258                155850
Meals        $36075            375755                42442                378573

Media Coverage
Nelson County Times, News Advance, Daily Progress, News Virginian, magazines Column Inches – 357 Number of articles - 13

Average open rate is $23.67 per column inch for regional papers –

Nelson County received $8450 in advertising through print media sources

Economic Development Update

Project
•   Online business directory now complete and categorized by occupation
•   Facilitating Schuyler historic district project –final public meeting 5/4/06
•   Managing the installation of historic district signage for Lovingston
•   Lovingston Revitalization planning process – awaiting construction grant award
•   Working with the Economic Development Authority on broadband initiatives and Business Appreciation event (June 15, 2006)

April Meetings
April 3 – business prospect
April 4 – Lovingston Revitalization Project
April 4 – Schuyler Historic District
April 5 – Piedmont Community College-Monticello Wine Trail-South Africa project
April 6 – Economic Development Authority meeting
April 11 – Explore Nelson Wine
April 11 – Board of Supervisors update on Schuyler Historic District
April 13 – Virginia Downtown Development Association
April 14 – Explore Nelson Wine
April 18 – business prospect
April 26-27 – Community Development Block Grant workshop (Lovingston Revitalization Project)
April 27 – Shenandoah County Economic Development Council

Recruitment and Retention
Working with 3 new prospects and 5 ongoing relationships