Economic Development: April 2005 Economic Development Report

April 2005 Economic Development Report

Nelson County Department of Economic Development and Tourism
April 2005 Report

Economic Development Update
Projects
* Preparing for Business Appreciation Week
* Managing Lovingston Revitalization planning grant project
* Facilitating Lovingston historic district project
* Managing market analysis for Lovingston and Nellsyford planning processes
* Working with Virginia Main Street retail specialist
* Working with the Economic Development Authority on gateway signs and
landscaping

Meetings
March 1 ö business recruitment
March 2 ö Entrepreneurial Roundtable
March 3 ö business recruitment
March 3 ö Economic Development Authority
March 4 ö Rural Utilities Service workshop on broadband
March 8 ö business retention
March 8 ö Explore Nelson Wine
March 9 ö travel writer
March 10 ö Blue Ridge Tunnel
March 10 ö business retention
March 10 ö Crossroads visitors center
March 14 ö VDOT - gateway signs
March 15 ö Orchard marketing
March 15-17 ö Staff attended annual Virginia Tourism Corporation Visitor
Center Training
March 17 ö travel writer
March 18 ö travel writer
March 22 ö Explore Nelson Wine
March 23 ö Charlottesville-Albemarle Regional Airport
March 29 ö Charlottesville Chamber of Commerce Commonwealth Breakfast
March 31 ö Entrepreneurial Roundtable

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

Web Site Update
* When the new site was launched in July 2004, the expectation was that the
views would reach 10 x in one year ö we reached that goal in 7 months
* Average monthly views in 2003 ö 5000
* March 2005 views ö 51,163

Tourism Update

Projects
* Re-designing tourism brochure
* Submitted information for Virginia Tourism Corporationâs meeting and tour
planner guide
* Assisting with the plans for a fall Orchard promotion
* Working with Virginia Logo company on the Tourist Oriented Directional
Signage program
* Planning Jamestown 2007 events
* Distributing Explore Nelson Wine coasters and bumper stickers
* Working with Charlottesville CVB on the regional visitors center at
Crossroads, North Garden

Marketing and Promotion
3 media leads distributed to Nelson County tourism businesses

Montebello Fish Hatchery
212 paid visitors in March 2005

Meetings
March 8 ö Explore Nelson Wine
March 9 ö travel writer
March 10 ö Crossroads visitors center
March 15 ö Orchard marketing
March 15-17 ö Staff attended annual Virginia Tourism Corporation Visitor
Center Training
March 17 ö travel writer
March 18 ö travel writer
March 22 ö Explore Nelson Wine

Tourism Statistics
            March 2005            YTD 2005            March 2004        YTD 2004
Phone   111                        728                          135                       418
Labels 1,094                     1,575                       215                       574
Internet 51,163                  144,542                  6,735                    18,169
Walk In   693                     1,576                       740                       1,592

Taxes   February 2005         YTD 2005            February 2004     YTD 2004
Lodging     $27,094               43,858                  24,171                46,871
Meals         $52,415               92,294                  51,855                101,554

Media Coverage
Nelson County Times, News Advance, Daily Progress, News Virginian, magazines
Column Inches ö 890   Number of articles - 26
Average open rate is $23.67 per column inch for regional papers ö
Nelson County received $21,066 in advertising through print media sources