WOW No Longer Accepting Lodging Tax Dollars
Wonders of Wildlife will no longer accept hotel-motel tax funds, museum board president Rob Keck announced in November. The museum was receiving about $330,000 annually from the tax.
At the same press conference, Keck announced that John L. Morris, founder of Bass Pro Shops and a major financial supporter of WOW, was making a donation of $1.3 million and a pledge of an additional $2.7 million over the next five years to Community Foundation of the Ozarks.
The $1.3 million private donation symbolically represents the amount of tax money collected by WOW since it closed in 2007 and a major renovation project began. The $2.7 million pledge is equivalent to hotel-motel revenue invested in the museum from the inception of the tax in 1998 until 2007.
A portion of the gift will be endowed; its principle will remain intact and an annual distribution of its investment growth will be available each year for grants to non-profit agencies working in the areas of conservation, natural resources and tourism.
The museum will continue using sales tax revenue collected through the Museum Sales Tax District established for the Bass Pro complex. The Springfield City Council will determine how the hotel-motel tax revenues will be allocated per the 1998 ballot language.
2012 Visitors Guide Goes to Print
The 2012 Visitors Guide is at the printer and should be available for distribution by mid December.
The bureau publishes 150,000 Visitor Guides distributed at the bureau’s three tourist information centers, at conventions and events and by mail to people who have requested information about the city.
Nearly 300 area businesses advertise in the guide, which includes a listing on the CVB’s website and mobile application.
For information about ways to promote your business to visitors with the CVB's marketing tools and programs, contact Jane Rips or Dustin Burke at 417-881-5300.
Ad Effectiveness Study Completed
An Ad Effectiveness study was conducted by Jerry Henry of H2R Marketing to assess the CVB's FY11 spring advertising campaign.
A few highlights from the study are below:
- The CVB spent $1.03 million on the spring 2011 campaign.
- The campaign reached 8.4 million traveler households at a cost of only $0.12 per aware household (anything under $0.50 is considered good).
- Ads generated 106,300 incremental trips and $63 million in incremental spending with an ROI of $61.
- Visitors spent an average of $591 (excluding transportation) per trip.
- 40% of regional travelers recalled seeing at least one Springfield advertisement.
- 73% of respondents said the advertisements had a positive impact on their perception of the area.
For more information about the CVB's advertising programs, contact marketing director Laura Whisler at lwhisler@springfieldmo.org.
The CVB in Action
- CVB sales director Dana Maugans will attend the Kansas City Chapter of Meeting Planners International workshop in December.
- Lance Kettering, executive director of the Sports Commission and sports sales manager for the CVB, will represent Springfield at the U.S. Sports Congress in December in San Diego.
- The CVB provided convention services to 15 groups totaling more than 13,400 delegates and 4,450 room nights.
Board Action in November
The CVB Board of Directors in November:
- Reviewed a proposal sent to Springfield-Branson National Airport in response to an RFP for selling advertising in the terminal.
Welcome New Partners and Advertisers!
Did you know more than 3 million overnight visitors come to Springfield annually and the number of day trip visitors is even greater? One way to tap into that pool of potential customers is through CVB marketing opportunities targeting visitors.
We welcome those that recently made the decision to utilize CVB marketing opportunities to promote their businesses to tourists.
- Bag Lady Boutique
- Elle's Patisserie
- Hibachi Steak & Sushi
- HyVee
- Jumpin' Joey's
- LaBelle Beauty Boutique
- Lavare Spa
- Mother’s Brewing Company
- Nine of Clubs Comedy Lounge
- Springfield Flea Market and Gifts
- Star Cakes
- Vendors Flea Market
- Zion Lutheran Church
Businesses outside Springfield city limits also can be promoted through the bureau's Marketing Partnership Program. New partners are:
- Copper Run Distillery, Branson
- RFD-TV Theatre, Branson
- Running Spring Farm Hunting Preserve and Inn, Everton
For information about advertising opportunities or the Marketing Partnership Program, call 417-881-5300 and ask for Partner Development Managers Jane Rips (attraction and retail accounts) or Dustin Burke (hotel and restaurant accounts). Information also is available on our website.
Support the Springfield Sports Commission
We hope you've had a chance to view the new Springfield Sports Commission website at SpringfieldMOSports.org. And don't forget to Like and Follow them on the Facebook and Twitter. It's one more way to stay connected to Sports in Springfield.
The purpose of the new website is to announce Springfield sporting events, promote local clubs and organizations, and feature Springfield Sports Commission Members. Please check out your business listing in the Members section.
We appreciate your support of the Springfield Sports Commission!
December Meetings
- Springfield Hotel Lodging Association, 11:30 a.m. Dec. 21, Holiday Inn & Suites.
- VB Board of Directors, 7:30 a.m. Dec. 15, The Tower Club
- Sports Commission Board of Directors, 11:30 a.m. Dec. 21, Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce
Groups Booked Recently by the CVB:
- Missouri Society of Respiratory Care, December 2011, 150 room nights
- US Attorney - Law Enforcement, March 2012, 157 room nights
- Missouri Department of Social Services, October 2012 and June 2012, 600 room nights
- National Fishing Lure Collectors Club, July 2015, 1,445 room nights
Springfield Travel Statistics
| Oct. 2011 | YTD 2011 | YTD 2010 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Information Centers Visits | 3,348 | 29,096 | 38,916 |
| Tourist Inquiries | 1,007 | 57,155 | 74,553 |
| Website Unique Visitors | 43,090 | 376,476 | *See Below |
| Total Contacts | 47,445 | 462,727 | *See Below |
| Airline Passengers | 67,048 | 612,079 | 674,615 |
*The CVB is using a new analytics program to track website traffic. Because of differences in how the new program works compared to the old program, statistical comparisons with previous years are not possible.
Springfield Hotel Statistics
| Sept. 2011 | YTD 2011 | YTD 2010 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Room Supply | 180,420 | 1,662,784 | 1,660,899 |
| Room Demand | 97,926 | 894,543 | 850,975 |
| Percent of Occupancy | 54.3% | 53.8% | 51.2% |
| Average Daily Rate | $69.64 | $68.18 | $66.02 |
| Revenue Per Available Room | $37.80 | $36.68 | $33.82 |
| Room Sales | $6,819,176 | $60,990,586 | $56,177,437 |
Welcome Groups with Your Marquee!