Convention & Visitors Bureau: February 2007 Tourism Report

February 2007 Tourism Report

Nelson County Department of Economic Development and Tourism
February 2007 Report

Tourism Update
Projects
•   Camp Jeep will return to Oak Ridge Estate July 26-28, 2007
•   Invited to present at the November 2007 Virginia Agri-tourism Conference
•   Pinnacle Living magazine featured Nelson County wine events and Wintergreen events
•   Assembled the lodging database for Camp Jeep 2007 – 140 lodging facilities available

Montebello Fish Hatchery
219 visitors in January 2007

Tourism Statistics
                                            Fiscal                                            Fiscal
                January 2007       YTD 2007   January 2006       YTD 2006
Phone       491                    2,590                143                    1,771
Internet    139,569              93,685            466,111           417,710
Walk In   668                    7263                 538                    7509

Taxes       December 2006       YTD 2006   December 2005       YTD 2005
Lodging   $29,369                    150,816       22,944                        99,947
Meals       $43,635                    257,548       48,433                        243,398

Media Coverage
Nelson County Times, News Advance, Daily Progress, News Virginian, magazines    Column Inches - 929 Number of articles - 34
Average open rate is $23.67 per column inch for regional papers –
Nelson County received $21,989 in advertising through print media sources.

Economic Development Update

Project
•   Facilitating the marketing and branding strategy process– reveal is set for February 5
•   Received Phase I funding for for Dept. of Housing and Community Development Rural Broadband grant application
•   Applying for construction funds for the Lovingston Revitalization project from Dept. of Housing and Community Development
•   Working with the prospective buyer for the Callohill property
•   Coordinating the 2007 bicentennial celebration marketing efforts

January Meetings
January 4 – business prospect
January 6 – Girl Scout bicentennial update and merit badge project
January 10 – new lodging facility
January 11 – Economic Development Authority Strategy Session
January 11 - Dept. of Housing and Community Development Rural Broadband
January 12 – Regional Destination Marketing Partners meerting
January 13 – Thomas Nelson Lecture Series - Wintergreen Nature Foundation
January 16- Monticello Wine Trail
January 18 – Salute to Veterans
January 23 – Callohill property
January 24 - Dept. of Housing and Community Development Lovingston Revitalization
January 25 – Piedmont Workforce Network
January 26 - Dept. of Housing and Community Development Lovingston Revitalization
January 29 –Rural Broadband
January 30 Small Business Development Center Advisory Board

Recruitment and Retention
Working with 1 new prospects and 4 ongoing relationships