CVB Honors Volunteer of the Year at Reception
The Springfield Convention & Visitors Bureau had a holiday reception for nearly 100 volunteers Dec. 11 at the Springfield-Greene County Botanical Center. Along with live entertainment, a delicious meal, gifts and a visit from Santa Claus, the volunteers were delighted with the introduction of The Volunteer of the Year Award.
The 2010 recipient of the award was John Williams. John and his wife, Mary, were among the first people to volunteer for the bureau when the program began more than 20 years ago. During his time with the bureau, he has contributed more than 5,400 hours helping with everything from installing Christmas lights at the Tourist Information Center to greeting people at conventions. Fondly called Mr. & Mrs. Springfield by the CVB staff, the Williamses are an outstanding example of the commitment and dedication of all the CVB’s volunteers. As the needs have grown through the years so has their never-ending desire to serve our community in any way possible. They are an inspiration to everyone they work with and are always the first to volunteer for new projects and eagerly fill in at a moment’s notice. There is no doubt that any Springfield visitor who meets Mr. & Mrs. Springfield returns to their home with a pos
itive impression of our city. John and Mary are a tremendous asset to the bureau and their service is more than appreciated by the CVB staff.
In 2010, volunteers prepared more than 65,000 information packets that were mailed to prospective visitors, greeted 36,000 tourists and answered questions about the city and gave more than 12,000 volunteer hours to the bureau.
The bureau extends a thank you to each and every one of them.
The CVB would like to thank the following for their sponsorship of the volunteer reception. Their assistance is appreciated.
- Springfield Cardinals
- Springfield-Greene County Park Board
- Todd Oliver
- Jim Strafford Theatre
- Doubletree Hotel
- Bass Pro Shops Outdoor World
- Wild Animal Safari
- Pizza Hut/NPC International
- TRAVELHOST
- Veterans Memorial Museum
- Hughes Brothers Theatre
- Presley's Theatre
- Legends in Concert
- Grand Country Music Hall
- Titanic Museum
- Dixie Stampede
- Acrobats of China featuring the New Shanghai Circus
- American Red Cross
Competitive Assessment Study Underway
Hunden Strategic Partners and Destination Consultancy Group is now working on the Competitive Assessment Study. Company representatives were in Springfield Dec. 15-16 conducting meetings with staff from the CVB, John Q. Hammons Hotels & Resorts, the City of Springfield and others involved in the local travel and tourism industry.
The company is expected to conduct two additional meeting dates in Springfield before completion of the study in late February or early March.
The competitive assessment study will:
- Compare Springfield with other cities that have convention and expo-type events. It will identify facilities and other amenities Springfield needs in order to remain competitive in attracting such events.
- Determine the best use for the lot adjacent to the Expo Center.
- Recommend strategies to improve revenues at the Expo Center.
Feedback Needed on Website
The Convention & Visitors Bureau is in the process of completely redesigning its website at www.SpringfieldMO.org. We would like your input on what you like and don’t like on the current site so we can make effective improvements to the site going forward.
Please click on the link below to take the survey. If the link does not work, copy and paste it into your browser.
http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/JB6HK5J
The survey is very short and should take less than 10 minutes to complete. Please be honest and know that unless you include your company name or email address (optional questions), your answers will be completely confidential.
In addition to getting feedback from the industry, we are also surveying our website visitors to get their impressions of the site. We will do a follow-up survey with them after their visit to find out if the site was useful in planning.
We are excited about the future of the CVB’s marketing efforts and look forward to receiving your feedback now and any time in the future. If you have any questions, please contact Laura Whisler at 417-881-5300, ext. 104, or email lwhisler@springfieldmo.org.
Tourism Commission Met Dec. 10
The Missouri Tourism Commission, the governing body for the Division of Tourism, met Dec. 10 at the Doubletree Hotel in Springfield. The commission meets quarterly and the June meeting will again be in Springfield.
The CVB hosted a reception and dinner for the Commission, members of the Division of Tourism staff and staff members of Hoffman|Lewis, the division’s advertising agency. Along with attending the meeting, division staff and staff from Hoffman|Lewis participated in tours of Wilson’s Creek National Battlefield, Askinosie Chocolate, Fantastic Caverns and other attractions.
Thank you to the businesses and individuals that provided welcome gifts for the commission members and staff at the Missouri Division of Tourism: Springfield Hot Glass Studio, Springfield Cardinals, OOVVDA Winery and Askinosie Chocolate.
CVB Board Action in December
In December, the Springfield Convention & Visitors Bureau Board of Directors:
- Recognized three members who are leaving the board, Jerry Harmison, Greg Horton and John Ford.
- Introduced new board members Dr. Melissa Dallas, John Wilson and Meghan Chambers
- Heard a report on progress of the Competitive Assessment Study.
CVB in Action:
Mark Your Calendar: The 2011 Salute to Travel and Tourism Awards Banquet is set for Feb. 17. More details coming soon.
Salute to Legislators: Members of the CVB staff and 11 other organizations will participate in the annual Salute to Legislators event Jan. 26-27 in Jefferson City.
Christmas Sale: The gift shop at the Tourist Information Center, 3315 E. Battlefield Road, is selling all Christmas merchandise at 50 percent off. Items include jewelry, stuffed toys, Christmas ornaments and more. Stop by and check out the selection!
Convention Services: The CVB provided convention services for four groups in November totaling more than 1,350 delegates and 630 room nights. For information about convention services, contact Carrie Chavez, convention services coordinator, at 881-5300, Ext. 108, or cchavez@springfieldmo.org.
New Advertisers: Welcome aboard to La Quinta Inn North, a new participant in the CVB’s Hotel-Motel Coupon program, and Cape Fair Marina, a new member of the Marketing Partnership Program for businesses outside Springfield city limits. For information about placing coupons on the CVB’s website, the Marketing Partnership Program and other opportunities to present your business to visitors, contact Melissa Divincen at 881-5300, Ext. 105, or mdivincen@springfieldmo.org.
2011 Visitors Guide: The 2011 Visitors Guide should be available for distribution Jan. 1. If you missed your opportunity to be in the book, there are still many other ways to tell visitors about your business, including the Passport to Family Fun coupon book, website, kiosks, etc. Contact Melissa Divincen, partner development manager, at 881-5300, Ext. 105, or mdivincen@springfieldmo.org for information.
Destination Springfield: Collin Quigley, Springfield’s assistant city manager, was elected to the Destination Springfield board of directors. Randy Blackwood was elected president, Sally Hargis was elected vice president, Erik Fjeseth was elected treasurer and Tracy Kimberlin serves as secretary. Destination Springfield is overseeing the process of building a new tourist information center at U.S. 65 and Chestnut Expressway, a project that has been delayed due to the weak economy.
Upcoming Conventions and Events
| Date | Event | Attendance |
|---|---|---|
| Jan. 6-8 | Missouri State Thespians | 1,200 |
| Jan. 28-30 | Missouri Dairy Forum | 130 |
| Feb. 10-12 | Missouri Organic Association | 300 |
| Feb. 21-23 | Small Fruit & Vegetable Conference | 200 |
| Mar. 1-3 | Missouri Canoe & Floaters Association | 100 |
| Mar. 3-6 | Missouri Art Education Association | 600 |
| Mar. 4-6 | Sports Car Club of America | 150 |
| Mar. 11-13 | Greater Springfield Sports Commission Champions Challenge | 4,000 |
| Mar. 13-20 | National Christian Homeschool Basketball Championships | 10,000 |
Groups Booked Recently by the CVB
| Date | Event | Room Nights |
|---|---|---|
| December 2010 | Missouri State Embalmers Association | 20 |
| April 2011 | Round Bobbin Sewing Expo | 400 |
| September 2011 | Governors Conference on Economic Development | 770 |
| October 2012 | Missouri Library Association | 340 |
January Meetings
- Jan. 19, 11:45 a.m., Springfield Hotel & Lodging Association at location to be determined
- Jan. 20, 8 a.m., CVB Board of Directors at the CVB offices
- Jan. 26, noon, Greater Springfield Area Sports Commission at the Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce
A big THANK YOU to volunteers who worked 759 hours for the CVB in November.
Springfield Travel Statistics
| Nov. 2010 | YTD 2010 | YTD 2009 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Information Centers Visits | 3,278 | 42,194 | 52,088 |
| Tourist Inquiries | 2,308 | 76,933 | 61,098 |
| Website Visitor Sessions | 25,801 | 520,503 | *See Below |
| Total Contacts | 31,459 | 639,630 | *See Below |
| Airline Passengers | N/A** |
*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. **Airport passengers not available yet. Will be here: http://flyspringfield.com/images%20copy/blog_images/web_statsum/STATSUM.htm
Springfield Hotel Statistics
| Oct. 2010 | YTD 2010 | YTD 2009 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Room Supply | 187,612 | 1,848,511 | 1,854,669 |
| Room Demand | 102,883 | 953,858 | 947,438 |
| Percent of Occupancy | 54.8% | 51.6% | 51.1% |
| Average Daily Rate | $66.82 | $66.10 | $66.89 |
| Revenue Per Available Room | $36.64 | $34.11 | $34.17 |
| Room Sales | $6,874,871 | $63,052,307 | $63,378,396 |
