Post on 31-Dec-2015
transcript
Buncombe County Tourism Update
Presentation to Leadership Asheville Class
January 21, 2009
Kelly Miller, CDME
Overnight Leisure Visitation to Asheville Area
1,980,0002,200,000
2,760,000 2,790,000
0
500,000
1,000,000
1,500,000
2,000,000
2,500,000
3,000,000
2000 2002 2005 2007
Overnight Leisure Visits (D.K. Shifflet & Assoc.)
Visitor Spending
$138.55 $156.80 $171.45
$0.00
$50.00
$100.00
$150.00
$200.00
1998 2001 2007
Ave. Spend Per Person/Per Day
Spending increases 24%.
Typical Asheville Visitor
• Typical visitors are:– Age: 50s– HH income: $100,000+– College or post-
graduate degree– No children in the home
(i.e. empty nesters)– More than half
employed full-time, 1/3 retired
– Married & traveling as couple
– Have Internet Access
Information from 2007 Intercept Study & Cluster Study of Asheville Inquiry Database (06-07)
Anticipated Growth in Hotel Rooms
6,3436,534
7,004
7,144
5,800
6,000
6,200
6,400
6,600
6,800
7,000
7,200
Numer of Rooms
2007
2008 (estimated)
2009 (estimated)
2010 (estimated)
• Lodging Econometrics reported 36 percent growth in pipeline projects nationwide at the end of the 2007 that will come online in the next few years.
Economic Impact of Tourism
(Direct & Indirect)
$1,000,000,000
$1,887,608,954
0
200,000,000
400,000,000
600,000,000
800,000,000
1,000,000,000
1,200,000,000
1,400,000,000
1,600,000,000
1,800,000,000
2,000,000,000
2000 2007
The Total Tax Visitors Pay on Accommodations
4% Occupancy Tax (3% for marketing & advertising and 1% for product development)
Sales Tax (earmarked for state and 6.75% local government 10.75% Total Tax Paid on Lodging
Tax Returns to Local Government
• Buncombe County Government estimates that visitors to the Asheville area generate one third of all retail sales.
• Nearly $30 million goes back to local government in combined sales and property taxes that are the result of tourism.
Labor Impact
• More than 25,000 people are employed in hospitality- related jobs in Buncombe County.
• Estimated direct labor income impact is more than $473 million.
Projects Funded by Buncombe County Lodging
Industry Occupancy Tax (2007 Cycle)
Project Award
Pack Square Park $1,500,000
Asheville Art Museum $1,000,000
The Health Adventure (Momentum)
$1,000,000
Veteran’s War Memorial$67,000
Civil War Trails $16,500
TOTAL $3,583,500
Projects Funded by Buncombe County Lodging
Industry Occupancy Tax (Previous Cycles)
ProjectDate
AwardedAward
John B. Lewis Soccer Complex Azalea Park
2002 & 2004
$800,000
Grove Arcade Public Market 2002 $500,000
Bonsai Garden - North Carolina Arboretum
2003 $750,000
Asheville Visitor Center 2003 $750,000
Pack Square Park 2004 $500,000
The Health Adventure 2004 $500,000
TOTAL$3,800,00
0
Buncombe County Wayfinding Project
• $1,650,000 recommended by Tourism Product Development Committee and approved by BCTDA December 2007 to fund county-wide Wayfinding
in partnership with:– City of Asheville– Weaverville– Woodfin– Black Mountain– Montreat– Buncombe County
TDA Allocates $1.65 Million for Wayfinding
Wayfinding Update
• Working closely with NC DOT on established design guidelines and encroachment process for sign located on DOT roads in the county.
• Finalizing locations of pedestrian signs and kiosks and gateways. Fabrication will begin by end of the year.
Sample Tourism Ad Campaigns
• Atlanta Campaign launched August 2007
• Romance Campaign launched Fall 2007
• Epicurean Campaign launched January 2008
New overall campaign to be launched late 2008
Current Economic Challenges
Lodging Forecast
Occupancy ADR Rev Par
2008 -3.0% 3.4%+ 0.4%+
2009 -3.5% 1.0%+ -2.5%
2010 -0.6% 2.1%+ 1.5%+