Convention & Visitors Bureau: March 2007 Tourism Report

March 2007 Tourism Report

Nelson County Department of Economic Development and Tourism
April 2007 Report

Economic Development Update

Project
•   Facilitating the marketing and branding strategy process
•   Finalizing selection of consultant with VA Dept. of Housing and Community Development Rural Broadband grant
•   Working with the prospective buyer for the Callohill property
•   Coordinating the 2007 bicentennial celebration marketing efforts

March Meetings
March 1 – Economic Development Authority
March 1 – Explore Nelson Wine
March 5 – business retention visit
March 8 – Camp Jeep
March 9 – Thomas Jefferson Partnership for Economic Development
March 15-16 – VA Economic Development Association
March 19 – Dept. of Historic Resources
March 21 – Callohill Property Owners
March 22 – Rotary Club
March 23 – VA Tourism Corporation
March 27 – Broadband Planning Grant
March 28 – Bicentennial
March 30 – Broadband Planning Grant

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

Tourism Update
Projects
•   Waltons Mountain Museum will be featured by PBS program in May
•   Blue Ridge Country will feature Hurricane Camille in the July 2007 issue
•   Contributed to New York Times article on Appalachian Trail
•   Camp Jeep returns to Oak Ridge Estate July 26-28, 2007

Montebello Fish Hatchery
481 visitors in March 2007

Tourism Statistics
                                                   Fiscal               Fiscal
   March 2007       YTD 2007   March 2006   YTD 2006
Phone   247           3,295       156       2,051
Internet 207,779       1,291,448   87,577       580,733
Walk In   934           8,644       669       8,692

Taxes   February 2007       YTD 2007   February 2006   YTD 2006
Lodging   $38,385           213,785       27,900       150,951
Meals   $55,342           353,572       53,542       343,582

Media Coverage
Nelson County Times, News Advance, Daily Progress, News Virginian, magazines    Column Inches - 364 Number of articles - 8
Average open rate is $23.67 per column inch for regional papers –
Nelson County received $8,616 in advertising through print media sources.