C en t r a l Penn s y lva ni a C o n v en t i o n & V i s i to r s Bure au
ANNUAL REPORT F IS C AL
YEAR
2 0 1 2 - 2 0 1 3
2012-2013 CPCVB Annual Report L E T T ER FRO M T H E b oa r d pre s i d en t a n d E XEC U T I V E DI REC TO R We are pleased to provide you the Central Pennsylvania Convention and Visitors Bureau Annual Report which showcases our accomplishments and progress in promoting tourism during Fiscal Year 2012-2013. Your CVB is committed to fulfilling its mission to bring leisure tourists, meetings and sporting events to the Central Pennsylvania region. We started in early spring to work with our local lodging partners to capitalize on local events to increase overnight stays during these events. Our first efforts included Flavors of Happy Valley, which was launched in conjunction with the Central PA 4th Fest and America’s Longest Pasta Table, which was planned around the Mt. Nittany Marathon. Both of these efforts proved successful in driving more overnight business to the area as well as increasing business for our local attractions, retailers and restaurants. Working with our local restaurant members, we launched a very successful Culinary Week – a celebration of food and dining establishments in Centre County. We continued our partnership with The Alleghenies Regional Tourism Council which provides us with opportunities to attend group tour trade shows at a fraction of the cost. We also continued our partnership with the Bellefonte Intervalley Area Chamber of Commerce which enables us to operate a satellite visitor center at the Train Station in Bellefonte. The travel and tourism industry is a critical economic driver for Pennsylvania. There should be no question that travel and tourism is part of the solution to our state’s budget problems because it generates tax revenues and creates good jobs. We need you to join us in reaching out to our elected officials to remind them about the importance of the travel and tourism industry to Pennsylvania’s economic well-being and encourage them to invest in it. On behalf of your Board of Directors, we are proud to share with you our Annual Report for FY 2012-2013. You have our promise that we will continue to brand and promote Centre County and Central Pennsylvania as a premier leisure, business and sports destination. Sincerely,
Dottie Yukish Betsey Howell CPCVB Board President Executive Director
2
C e n t r a l P e n n s y lva n i a C o n v e n t i o n & V i s i t o r s B u r e a u • ANNUAL RE P ORT • F IS C AL YEAR 2 0 12 -2 0 13
Marketing YOU! 3
C e n t r a l P e n n s y lva n i a C o n v e n t i o n & V i s i t o r s B u r e a u • ANNUAL RE P ORT • F IS C AL YEAR 2 0 12 -2 0 13
MarketingYOU! Advertising Leads Nearly 51,000 leads delivered information from advertising campaigns.
CPCVB advertised with the following publications in 2012-2013 fiscal year:
4
24-7 Website
GuestQuest
Pursuits
America’s Best Vacations
Ladies Home Journal
Readers Digest
Audubon
Meredith Publications
Redbook
Better Home & Gardens
Oprah
Southern Living
Country Home
PA Travel Guide
USA Weekend
Family Circle
Parade
Where & When
Great Vacation Getaways
People
C e n t r a l P e n n s y lva n i a C o n v e n t i o n & V i s i t o r s B u r e a u • ANNUAL RE P ORT • F IS C AL YEAR 2 0 12 -2 0 13
MarketingYOU! Articles Published In:
5
The Golden Times
CindyRossTraveler
Main Line Today
Family Traveler
Small Market Meetings
10best.com
Recreation News
Central PA Live
Pittsburgh Tribune Review
National Geographic Traveler
Altoona Mirror
Livability.com
USA Today
Town & Gown
Meetings East
State College Magazine
Momsguidetotravel.com
Williamsport Sun Gazette
C e n t r a l P e n n s y lva n i a C o n v e n t i o n & V i s i t o r s B u r e a u • ANNUAL RE P ORT • F IS C AL YEAR 2 0 12 -2 0 13
MarketingYOU! Results of December 2012 Visitor Survey Conversion Study Respondents Say Their Top Five Reasons for Traveling to the Area:
Conversion Study Respondents Top Five Activities They Participated in While in the Area:
1. Seeing the scenery
1. Viewing scenery
2. Shopping
2. Shopping
3. Visiting a historic site
3. Visiting friends
4. Visiting Penn State
4. Visiting historic locations
5. Hiking
5. Visiting relatives
86% of respondents say they would visit Central Pennsylvania again. Survey Respondent Distribution Map
6
C e n t r a l P e n n s y lva n i a C o n v e n t i o n & V i s i t o r s B u r e a u • ANNUAL RE P ORT • F IS C AL YEAR 2 0 12 -2 0 13
MarketingYOU! Website Numbers: VisitPennState.org 270,575 website visits (27.5% increase from 2011-2012)
932,109 total page views (32.7% increase from 2011-2012)
3.44 pages views per visit 00:03:04 average visit duration
Website User Device: Visitors using mobile/tablet to access VisitPennState.org increased from 12.2% of site visitors in 2011-2012 to 26.8% in 2012-2013
Social Media • 9,195 Facebook fans (as of June 30, 2013; an increase of +8,387 fans from July 1, 2012)
• 750 followers on Twitter
7
C e n t r a l P e n n s y lva n i a C o n v e n t i o n & V i s i t o r s B u r e a u • ANNUAL RE P ORT • F IS C AL YEAR 2 0 12 -2 0 13
MarketingYOU! Tourism Grant Awards $226,000 distributed to 28 recipients for upcoming 2013-2014 year. ($2,465,852.00 distributed since inception of program in 2003)
Applicant ** = new applicant Arboretum At Penn State
Type of Project Marketing and Educational
$15,000.00
Marketing
$2,500.00
Bellefonte American Legion Baseball/ Bellefonte Baseball Inc.
Capital Improvements
$2,500.00
**Bellefonte Youth Football and Cheer League
Capital Improvement
$5,000.00
Central PA 4th Fest
Marketing
$15,000.00
Central PA Festival of the Arts
Marketing
$35,000.00
Art Alliance
Capital Improvement – Centre County Grange Encampment & Fair Equine Facility Centre County Grange Encampment & Fair **Centre County Pomona Grange #13 Centre County Historical Society/ Centre Furnace Mansion Centre County Library & Historical Museum
$10,000.00
Marketing
$5,000.00
Help defer conf. costs – Gov. Corbett attending
$2,500.00
Marketing $10,000.00 Capital Improvement
Discovery Space of Central PA Marketing and Capital Improvement
$5,000.00 $10,000.00
Downtown Improvement District
Marketing
$5,000.00
First Night State College
Marketing
$3,500.00
Friends of the PA Military Museum
Marketing
$4,000.00
Historic Bellefonte Inc.
Marketing
$30,000.00
Jazz PA
Marketing
$3,000.00
Lemont Village Association
Marketing
$2,500.00
Mountain Top Swimming Pool Association
Capital Improvement
$10,000.00
**Nittany Mountain Biking Association
Capital Improvement
$1,500.00
Nittany Valley Symphony
Marketing
$8,000.00
Penn State Center for the Performing Arts
Marketing
$8,000.00
Penn State Centre Stage
Marketing
$6,000.00
Penn State School of Music – Music at Penns Woods
Marketing $1,500.00
Philipsburg Revitalization Corp.
Marketing
$7,500.00
State College Community Theatre
Marketing
$3,500.00
(The) State Theatre
Marketing
$10,000.00
**Together We Are One
Marketing
$4,500.00
8
Total Award
TOTAL AMOUNT $226,000.00
C e n t r a l P e n n s y lva n i a C o n v e n t i o n & V i s i t o r s B u r e a u • ANNUAL RE P ORT • F IS C AL YEAR 2 0 12 -2 0 13
Sales Outcomes 9
C e n t r a l P e n n s y lva n i a C o n v e n t i o n & V i s i t o r s B u r e a u • ANNUAL RE P ORT • F IS C AL YEAR 2 0 12 -2 0 13
Sales Outcomes 2012-2013 Fiscal Year Sales Outcomes Meeting / Convention / Sports / Group Tour Business Conv / Sports Sales Leads 80 Tour & Travel Leads 13 Total Leads 93 Conv / Sports Sales Lead Room Nights 20,944 Tour & Travel Lead Room Nights 1,366 Total Lead Room Nights 22,310 Conv / Sports Sales Bookings Tour & Travel Bookings Total Bookings
10
58 23 81
Conv / Sports Sales Booked Room Nights Tour & Travel Booked Room Nights Total Booked Room Nights
16,532 2,463 18,995
Total Picked Up Room Nights
18,355
C e n t r a l P e n n s y lva n i a C o n v e n t i o n & V i s i t o r s B u r e a u • ANNUAL RE P ORT • F IS C AL YEAR 2 0 12 -2 0 13
Sales Outcomes Trade Shows and Sales Missions ** Co-op with Regional Partners
AAA Offices – Harrisburg-Hershey
NCAA** Sports
AAU** Amateur Athletic Union
PASAE**
ABA** American Bus Association
PBA** PA Bus Assoc.
ASA** Amateur Softball Union
PA County Commissioners
Heartland Travel **
PA Park & Rec**
MASAE ** Mid Atlantic Association of Society Executives
TEAMS** (Sports)
Maryland Bus Association ** NASC ** Sports
USSSA** (Sports) USOC** (Sports)
Sales Missions/Direct Sales Colorado Springs, CO** / Indianapolis, IN ** Allentown-Bethlehem-Harrisburg-Hershey-York-Lancaster
11
C e n t r a l P e n n s y lva n i a C o n v e n t i o n & V i s i t o r s B u r e a u • ANNUAL RE P ORT • F IS C AL YEAR 2 0 12 -2 0 13
Membership 12
C e n t r a l P e n n s y lva n i a C o n v e n t i o n & V i s i t o r s B u r e a u • ANNUAL RE P ORT • F IS C AL YEAR 2 0 12 -2 0 13
Membership
CPCVB Membership 405 Members and Member Businesses
Member Events: • The schedule kicked off with An Evening at the Vineyard. The storms created the ambiance. The Philips Hotel & 1921 Restaurant served delicious hors d’oeuvres, complimented by Edible Arrangements chocolate dipped fruit and fruit bouquet all served with a sampling of wines from Mount Nittany Vineyard. • Our Annual Luncheon was held at the Penn Stater Conference Center Hotel featuring the Nationally Recognized Tourism Guru, Bill Geist as our guest speaker. • Members were invited to the table to talk business with us and with other Central PA CVB members during Member Marketing Roundtables. • Our e-Learning U offers a wide range of online courses, focusing on topics such as internet marketing, sales, and business growth with an emphasis on the needs of the tourism industry. • New and long-time members are encouraged to attend our Quarterly Membership Refresher and New Member Orientations. • Lodging partners continue to receive Front Line Training focusing on frequently asked questions about visiting Centre County. • In order to maintain a higher level of standards and safety procedure involved in selling, serving, and consuming alcohol the Centre County/Penn State Visitor Center hosted RAMP Certification training for members and area businesses. • The year was capped off with the Inaugural “Happy Valley Culinary Week”, celebrating local restaurants and local food. The culinary week highlights included Chef Demonstrations at the Penn State Downtown Theatre and Farmers Market events with donations collected for area food banks.
13
C e n t r a l P e n n s y lva n i a C o n v e n t i o n & V i s i t o r s B u r e a u • ANNUAL RE P ORT • F IS C AL YEAR 2 0 12 -2 0 13
Membership
Community Outreach • Working with Intern Megan Hill, the Centre County/Penn State Visitor Center hosted a Red Cross Blood Drive. All presenting donors were entered to win a Central Pennsylvania Staycation package including prizes from: Appalachian Outdoors, Best Western Plus University Park Inn & Suites, Country Inn & Suites, Discovery Space, Elk Creek Cafe, ESSpa, Gram & Paps Fort Bellefonte Campground, Happy Valley Minigolf and Mount Nittany Vineyard! Thanks to the Canteen sponsors: Coca-Cola Refreshments, Rita’s Water Ice of Happy Valley, Dolce Vita Desserts, Café Lemont and Wegman’s! • The Centre County/Penn State Visitor Center was a drop-off location for Toys For Tots and Food Drive. • Penn State University Police along with Penn State Federal Credit Union offered members and the community a free seminar on Identity Theft Prevention. • Information Specialists from the Front Desk participate in one tour of an area member business per month. • In celebration of National Travel & Tourism Week as well as 50 years as the official Destination Marketing Organization for Centre County (May 6 May 10, 2013), the CVB displayed a Wheel of Tourism giving away gifts and chances to win prizes and tickets for area businesses and attractions. Visitors were given an opportunity to spin the Wheel of Tourism for some great gifts donated by the members and supporters of the CPCVB including: Jersey Shore State Bank, Westminster Woods of Huntington, DelGrosso’s, Clyde Peeling’s Reptiland, The Queen B&B, Nittany Lion Inn / Penn Stater, Discovery Space, Downtown State College, Mount Nittany Vineyard & Winery, Jersey Mike’s Subs, Elk Creek Cafe + Aleworks, Art Alliance of Central PA, Center for the Performing Arts, Centre County Historical Society, Representative Kerry Benninghoff, State College Choral Society, St. Paul UMC, Bed & Breakfast at the Rock Garden, State College Spikes, and the PA Military Museum. A drawing was held at the end of the week for a chance to win an overnight stay at the following lodging properties: the Reynolds Mansion, the Hampton Inn, Days Inn State College, Best Western University Park Inn & Suites, Comfort Suites, Sleep Inn, Country Inn & Suites, Wildfire Ranch, or Gram & Pap’s Fort Bellefonte Campground. Intern Janni Tassa assembled a video collage of why tourism matters that ran on an iPad at the front desk.
14
C e n t r a l P e n n s y lva n i a C o n v e n t i o n & V i s i t o r s B u r e a u • ANNUAL RE P ORT • F IS C AL YEAR 2 0 12 -2 0 13
Visitor Centers
Centre County/Penn State Visitor Center The Centre County/Penn State Visitor Center, Penn State Campus got a major facelift in 2012/13. The walls have been painted and new carpet was placed throughout the common areas. Our VIS staff and volunteer, Patsy Cullen, worked year round to help guests discover all there is to see and do in Centre County.
Visitor Center Amenities include: • Information Specialists at the Visitor Center Front Desk • Old State Clothing Gift Shop • Interactive Exhibit Area with Complimentary Wi-Fi and Touch-Screen Kiosks
• Penn State Parking Permits
• Restrooms
• Conference rooms and Auditorium Rentals
• Local Business Gift Certificates available for purchase
• ATM • Keurig Coffee and Vending Machines
Hours of Operation: * 8:00am-6:00pm Monday through Friday 9:00am-6:00pm Saturday and Sunday
15
• Maps and Brochures • Pet Friendly
Winter Hours (December 1-March 31) 8:00am-5:00pm Monday through Friday 9:00am-5:00pm Saturday and Sunday
C e n t r a l P e n n s y lva n i a C o n v e n t i o n & V i s i t o r s B u r e a u • ANNUAL RE P ORT • F IS C AL YEAR 2 0 12 -2 0 13
Visitor Centers
Satellite Visitor Center – Train Station, Bellefonte Hours of Operation: * 8:00am-5:00pm Monday through Friday 9:00am- 4:00pm Saturday * Both Visitor Centers are closed on Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day, New Year’s Day and Easter Sunday.
16
C e n t r a l P e n n s y lva n i a C o n v e n t i o n & V i s i t o r s B u r e a u • ANNUAL RE P ORT • F IS C AL YEAR 2 0 12 -2 0 13
CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA CONVENTION & VISITORS BUREAU BOARD OF DIRECTORS 2013-2014 Dottie Yukish, President Boalsburg Village Conservancy
Gail Jones Penn State Federal Credit Union
Mike Szczesny, Vice President HFL Hotels
Deb Kerstetter Penn State Recreation, Park, & Tourism Management
Darlene Confer, Secretary/Treasurer Centre County Grange Fair Peter Sorensen, Past President Penn State Hospitality Services Steve Dershem Centre County Commissioner Gary Hoover BIACC Board Representative
Erin O’Leary Old State Clothing Company Bob Ricketts, Jr. Fasta & Ravioli Company Mary Sorensen Centre Furnace Mansion Historic Site
Joe Thomas Mountain View Country Club c/o Ramada Conference & Golf Hotel Scott Walker State College Spikes Aaron Weyman Tussey Mountain All Seasons Betsey Howell, Executive Director Central Pennsylvania Convention & Visitors Bureau
CPCVB STAFF 2013-2014 ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF
VISITOR CENTER STAFF
Satellite Center Staff
Betsey Howell, Executive Director
Lisa Schreffler
Renee Brown
Kevin Breon, Finance/Housing Bureau Manager
Corena Breon
Toni Paterino
Esther Del Rosso
Barb Bair
Brenda Hall, Sales Manager
Kate Kawulich
Sara Hoy, Technology Manager
Joyce Matis
Judy Maurer, Reception/Fulfillment
Katrina Shope
Lori Miller, Director of Visitor and Member Services Andy Rupert, Director of Marketing Shirley Smith, Director of Sales
17
C e n t r a l P e n n s y lva n i a C o n v e n t i o n & V i s i t o r s B u r e a u • ANNUAL RE P ORT • F IS C AL YEAR 2 0 12 -2 0 13
Financial Statement
AUDITED FINANCIAL STATEMENT
Fiscal Year: July 1, 2012 to June 30, 2013 Agency: Centre County Lion Country Visitors and Convention Bureau, Inc.
dba Central Pennsylvania CVB REVENUES AND GAINS
County Hotel Room Tax Cooperative Advertising County Brochure Membership Dues Event Revenue and Sponsorship Investment Income Retail Space Total Revenues
$ 1,454,662 $ 180,277 $ 93,398 $ 83,554 $ 39,776 $ 6,938 $ 6,875 $ 1,865,480
EXPENSES AND LOSSES
Promotional: Advertising $ 473,501 Promotion $ 149,000 Grants to Other Organizations $ 112,010 Salaries and Wages $ 94,972 Postage $ 37,497 Employee Benefits $ 24,093 Regional $ 13,274 Research $ 12,739 Travel and Entertainment $ 5,463 Printing $ 1,500 Total Promotional: $ 924,049
General and Administrative: Salaries and Wages $ 419,234 Occupancy $ 234,453 Employee Benefits $ 75,249 Grants to Other Organizations $ 54,053 Depreciation $ 41,041 Special Events $ 21,884 Office Supplies $ 8,932 Professional Fees $ 2,098 Total General and Administrative $ 856,944 Total Promotional & General and Administrative Expenses
$ 1,780,993
Unrealized Loss on Investments
$
5,673
Realized Loss on Sales of Investments
$
6,506
Total Losses
$ 12,179
$ 1,793,172
Total Expenses and Losses
INCREASE (DECREASE) IN NET ASSETS
18
$
72,308
C e n t r a l P e n n s y lva n i a C o n v e n t i o n & V i s i t o r s B u r e a u • ANNUAL RE P ORT • F IS C AL YEAR 2 0 12 -2 0 13
800 East Park Avenue State College, PA 16803 800.358.5466 www.visitpennstate.org
C e n t r a l P e n n s y lva n i a C o n v e n t i o n & V i s i t o r s B u r e a u • ANNUAL RE P ORT • F IS C AL YEAR 2 0 12 -2 0 13