Visit Buffalo Niagara Annual Business Review 2007 by Matt Steinberg

C O NVEN T I O N & VISI T O RS BUREAU

2 007 annual business review

A M e s s a g e f r om

0 0 0 0 Richard Geiger 0 0 0 0 P RESI D EN T

CEO

Looking back on the year just past, I’m struck by a number of events that I think illustrate the Buffalo Niagara CVB’s work ethic and the support we receive from a host of community organizations. The chemistry of hard working professionals and passionate partners is responsible for much of our success. I’m thinking in particular of the hundreds of Buffalo boosters who gave National Trust president Richard Moe a “City of Good Neighbors” welcome that he will probably never forget on a beautiful June evening at Kleinhans Music Hall. This event – and the subsequent selection of Buffalo as the host of the 2011 National Preservation Conference – would not have happened without the support and collaboration of the local preservation community and area foundations. The thousands of happy hoops fans who filled our hotels, restaurants and bars during a memorable “March Madness” stop in Buffalo by the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament are another example of our community’s determination to please and impress our guests. Working with the CVB, a dedicated local organizing committee spent 18 months making sure that this event would happen without a hitch. Similarly, the horde of fans and supporters who gathered at Gallagher Beach and the Small Boat Harbor to watch the world’s best fishermen vie for the ESPN Bassmaster Elite Series Tournament title is something that took months of planning, as well as the enthusiastic support of a cross-section of business, government, and hospitality industry leaders. Active community involvement can signal the kind of interest and commitment that makes the difference between landing an event or being among the runners-up. Exactly this type of helping hand was offered one night last May when Mayor Brown joined the CVB in hosting the Coalition of Black Meeting Planners at the Sky Bar. The Mayor’s enthusiasm set the tone for the evening and left our guests with a very positive impression of our community. These are just a few of the more memorable moments from a year that will go down as one of our industry’s finest. Hotel occupancy was up more than 4 percent, average daily rate was up 8.5 percent and total hotel revenue was up more than 12 percent. These are the key metrics that signal a healthy visitor industry and I’m pleased to report that the lines continue to trend positively for our community. I also felt a sense of gratification in the results of a 2007 study of New York State’s travel and tourism industry conducted by the highly regarded firm Tourism Economics. Commissioned by the New York State Division of Tourism, the study concluded that Erie County’s travel and tourism industry generated more than $1.2 billion in direct visitor spending in 2006. This figure included $205 million spent on lodging, $433 million spent on food and beverage, and $260 million in retail sales. Of particular note, was the study’s conclusion that tourism in Erie County generated $140 million in state and local taxes. 1

0 0 0 0 0 0W 0 0 0 0 0 0 The study’s author, Tourism Economics’ Managing Director Adam Sacks, described Buffalo and Erie County as the “driver of the tourism economy in the Greater Niagara region” – responsible for nearly 70 percent of the region’s tourism sales. Although this flies in the face of the conventional wisdom that Niagara Falls is the engine of the local tourism economy, it came as no surprise to the CVB staff and board of directors who have long recognized the strength of our many lines of business: conventions and meetings, group travel, amateur sports, corporate transient and the leisure market. Erie County’s multifaceted hospitality industry constitutes one of the few growing business sectors in all of Western New York. 2007 also saw significant progress made on a number of long-running projects that will add critical appeal to Buffalo and Erie County as a visitor destination, including:

0 0 0 0 0

e M&T Bank Rainforest Falls at the Buffalo Zoo moved closer to a projected Th opening date of July 2008. e Erie Canal Harbor project saw substantial completion of the Commercial Slip Th area and is scheduled to open to the public in spring 2008. e new Burchfield-Penney Art Center is scheduled to open its doors by Th October of 2008. rank Lloyd Wright’s Buffalo continued to mature as the Darwin F Martin House Complex and Graycliff Estate experienced a surge of visitors in 2007 and continued to move forward with ambitious restoration projects. e Nash House Museum (right) opened to visitors last year and added Th to Buffalo’s burgeoning appeal to the African American heritage market.

Each of these projects gives the CVB new product to sell and new stories to tell, contributing to our community’s reinvention as a visitor destination. But their appeal goes well beyond the leisure market. The Nash House is a major contributor in the CVB’s sales pitch to meeting planners in the minority meetings market. A revitalized Erie Canal Harbor and Naval Park help bring military reunions to Buffalo. The Martin House and Graycliff both played critical roles in attracting the National Preservation Conference to Buffalo. And a LEED-certified Burchfield-Penney Art Center gives us credibility as we try to attract “green” meetings similar to the ones we signed in 2007 – the North American Association for Environmental Education and the American Solar Energy Society. This synergy between market sectors is part of the CVB’s aggressive and holistic marketing strategy and a reaffirmation of the vision our community leaders have demonstrated in investing in visitor attractions and related infrastructure. In ever increasing numbers, our prospects – group tour operators, meeting planners, leisure visitors – are “buying” Buffalo for the economic benefit of the entire community. Sincerely,

Richard Geiger President & CEO 2

Whoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Coming to Buffalo?

000 00 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Hotel/Motel Market Segmentation The chart below outlines the allocation of hotel rooms occupied in Erie County in 2007. Approximately 40 percent of all the room nights consumed in 2007 were generated by corporate transient visitors, 34 percent by leisure visitors, 23 percent by conventions, meetings and amateur sports groups, and 3 percent by group tour visitors.

Erie County Hotel/Motels (Total Room Nights Reported 819,007) Leisure (non-group) 34%

Conventions/Meetings/ Amateur Sports (Group) 23%

Group Tour 3%

Corporate Transient 40%

NOTE: The survey results compiled above were based on a sample of 1,011,510 room

nights reported by participating properties, which accounts for approximately 48 percent of the total room nights consumed in Erie County during 2007. Smith Travel Research Erie County Hotel Report

Av e r ag e REVE N U E H ot e l O c c u pan c y Rat e PA R * R e v e nu e s

2007 68.60% $85.09 $58.34 2006 65.80% $78.45 $51.62 2005 61.90% $75.00 46.42 * Revenue PAR = Revenue Per Available Room

$182,245,659 $162,301,073 $146,388,574

Convention Sales

0000 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 The convention sales and services staff at the Buffalo Niagara Convention & Visitors Bureau works tirelessly to promote our city as a meetings and competition destination to convention, meeting and amateur athletic planners. Most often the process of landing a convention or sporting event can be a daunting task – from initial contact to hosting the event can often take years. The sales process begins with phone calls, meetings and correspondence to the potential client. In the meantime, the CVB staff collaborates with local hotel and attraction partners to assemble a proposal and presentation to the organization. Before producing a signed contract, meetings, discussions and negotiations regularly take place. The sales department’s efforts in 2007 resulted in 412 new sales leads. During 2007, the sales department booked 190 future conventions, meetings and events. As a result, 118,647 hotel room nights have been booked in Erie County hotels. While this represents a significant “win” for the CVB, the real impact will be seen in our local restaurants, hotels, stores and entertainment venues, where these out-of-town visitors will make expeditures of close to $60 million.

CO N VE N T I O N S B Y T H E N U M B ERS

118,647 190 412 45 11

Booked 118,647 hotel room nights

Booked 190 conventions, meetings or events Generated 412 new sales leads

Conducted 45 site inspections for convention and event planners

Attended 11 trade shows promoting Buffalo Niagara

Amateur Sports

000 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Amateur athletics and special events are a source of considerable media exposure and revenue for Buffalo Niagara’s hotels, restaurants and other service providers. Among site selectors, event planners and sports officials, Buffalo is known for its outstanding venues, commitment to service and community hospitality. In the amateur athletics community, the Buffalo “brand” is strong and growing stronger. In 2007, Buffalo Niagara’s economy experienced an infusion of more than $15 million from 46 sporting events that were held at area sports venues. Over 40,000 athletes and spectators consumed almost 37,000 hotel room nights due to competitions held in Buffalo. The CVB’s sports department was instrumental in successfully hosting the 2007 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament, ESPN Bassmaster Elite Series Tournament and the four-week USA Hockey tournament.

A M A TE U R SPORTS B Y T H E N U M B ERS

46 40,950 36,997 $15,812,625

Amateur sporting events

Attendance

Hotel room nights Direct spending

H i g h l i g h t EVE N TS

At t e n d an c e

NCAA Basketball Division 1 Men’s 1st and 2nd Rounds USA Hockey Tier 1 & Tier 2 Supersite United States Bowling Congress NCAA Swimming and Diving Atlantic 10 Swim Championships NYS Public High School Boys State Swim Championships ESPN Bassmaster Elite Series Fishing Tournament US Figure Skating North Atlantic Regionals All numbers represent out-of-town attendees

12,000 2,200 2,000 1,700 1,300 600 400 300

“Teamwork Pays Off in Buffalo” Collaboration between community organizations creates a successful 2007 NCAA Men’s Basketball tournament in the Queen City. Teamwork and leadership are essential ingredients for success - whether it be a sporting contest or in the field of business. When the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament came into Buffalo in March 2007, it was teamwork that helped the winning teams defeat their opponents and progress toward their goal of earning a National Championship. Preceding the event, a local organizing committee consisting of representatives from the Buffalo Niagara CVB, Canisius College, Niagara University, Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority, City of Buffalo, Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference, Fox 40 International, Buffalo Sabres, Buffalo Place, Get Noticed Promotions, and Hart Hotels worked tirelessly to plan and coordinate the games. More than 150 volunteers joined the effort to ensure that the games were successful, and more importantly, that fans and visitors had a winning experience during their stay in Buffalo. “No one entity could pull off hosting an event of this magnitude,” said Jay Josker, Sports Logistics Coordinator for the CVB. “We had 11 groups working together on every aspect of this tournament. This type of teamwork guaranteed that the games were going to be a success for Buffalo and bolster the city’s reputation of successfully hosting major sporting events.” Led by the CVB, the local organizing committee spent 18 months planning the logistics of hosting 12,000 out-of-town fans. The committee thoroughly examined Buffalo’s visitor readiness from a fan’s perspective. Would fans have enough time and resources to get a bite to eat between basketball sessions? Would fans know how to travel from their hotels to the numerous attractions throughout the region? Where should signage be placed to welcome fans? The list was extensive, and the committee determined to make sure every detail was taken care of. Leading up to “March Madness,” the CVB hosted a “NCAA Restaurant Awareness” meeting with over 35 downtown restaurants. The goal was to raise awareness of the event so they could be prepared for the influx of visitors. To ensure that the sports fans could find these venues, 15,000 maps highlighting downtown Buffalo’s food and beverage establishments were distributed to fans before and during the tournament. The CVB’s staff and “Buffalo Ambassadors” helped operate special welcome tables in the lobby of all the major hotels throughout Buffalo. If fans had questions about local attractions or needec directions to the nearest chicken wing joint, a helpful, friendly ambassador was on-hand to provide information. The local organizing committee played an important role in hosting the event and coordinating volunteer activities. Buffalo Place ensured that downtown Buffalo sparkled, and also installed numerous signs welcoming fans to Buffalo. Canisius College and Niagara University helped field numerous volunteers to assist fans out on the streets near the HSBC Arena, as well as NFTA Metro stops. Many of these volunteers were instrumental in distributing thousands of restaurant maps as fans exited the arena. The Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority established special shuttles that would usher fans from the arena to local restaurants during the break between the afternoon and evening games. The end result was a slam dunk for Buffalo – thousands of fans had a tremendous experience in Buffalo, and created a $4.6 million impact in the local economy. It won’t be long before the CVB will once again be leading the charge in preparing for the 2010 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament. 6

“Our Visit to Buffalo Made Us Change Our Minds” Bringing minority meetings and African American business to Buffalo In March 2007, the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, one of America’s oldest African American sororities, held its annual conference in Buffalo, generating more than $1.2 million in revenue through expenditures by its 1,500 members at area hotels, restaurants and businesses. This impressive gathering of African American women, their impact on area businesses and the goodwill their visit generated was a harbinger of more good things to come in 2007.

“Holding our convention in Buffalo worked out well,” Schylbea Hopkins, Regional Director of the sorority, told The Buffalo News. “The Visitors Bureau was very accommodating and supportive.”

Minority meetings and African American heritage tourism is one of the fastest growing market segments of the visitor industry and the Buffalo Niagara Convention & Visitors Bureau is leading the effort to make sure our community benefits from this emerging trend. In fact, Dionne Williamson, the CVB’s multicultural sales manager, is dedicated to bringing African American conventions, meetings and reunions to Buffalo for the economic benefit of the entire community. By attending the Religious Conference Management Association (RCMA) annual conference, by advertising in Black Meetings and Tourism, by distributing the CVB’s African American Heritage Guide, and by hosting site visits, Dionne is winning friends and influencing the decision makers who are in a position to bring their organizations to Buffalo. Using every tool at the CVB’s disposal was what it took to convince Carlyle Holder, chairman of the National Association of Blacks in Criminal Justice, to bring his organization to Buffalo in July 2007. “I just want you to know that when I first started talking to the CVB, there was a zero chance of coming to Buffalo,” said Holder. “ Our visit to Buffalo made us change our minds.” After his mind-changing visit to Buffalo during Taste of Buffalo weekend in 2005, Holder signed on to bring 800 members of the National Association of Blacks in Criminal Justice to Buffalo. Last year’s conference consumed 3,000 hotel room nights and left behind $650,000 in direct economic impact. One of Dionne’s most potent tools in courting this business is the Buffalo Niagara African American Heritage Guide. Redesigned and re-printed in 2007 with the financial support of M&T Bank, the guide documents the history, sounds and culture of Buffalo’s African American community. Buffalo’s commitment to the minority meetings market was applauded by comments made by a representative of the National Black Catholic Congress after the group met in Buffalo last July: “Our conference experience in Buffalo leaves us with the conviction that Buffalo really cares and we were grateful to have worked with people who could meet any challenge,” said Valerie Washington, Executive Director of the National Black Catholic Congress. 7

Buffalo Niagara Convention Center

000 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 The 110,000 square-foot Buffalo Niagara Convention Center is the cornerstone of the region’s conventions and tradeshow market. Each year, the downtown facility hosts a myriad of public events, tradeshows, conventions and meetings. Some of the annual events the convention center hosts include, the Buffalo Home & Garden Show, Buffalo Auto Show, and the World’s Largest Disco, to name a few. In 2007, the Center was the site of many large conferences and meetings, including National Black Catholic Congress (2,500 attendees, shown at right), Buffalo Niagara Dental Meeting (2,000 attendees), Alpha Kappa Alpha’s Great Lakes Regional Conference (1,500 attendees) and New York Library Association Annual Convention (1,500 attendees). In total, the Buffalo Niagara Convention Center was responsible for attracting over 340,000 people to downtown Buffalo.

CO N VE N T I O N CE N TER B Y T H E N U M B ERS

340,000 178 15,500

Over 340,000 people attended events at the convention center

The convention center hosted 178 events

Over 15,500 hotel room nights were utilized due to events at the center

“Buffalo is Rolling Out the Green Carpet” “Green” bookings signify community’s commitment to environmental and energy issues The Buffalo Niagara Convention & Visitors Bureau booked two important “green” conferences for Buffalo in 2007. The American Solar Energy Society and North American Association for Environmental Education (NAAEE) both selected Buffalo to host conferences in 2009 and 2010, respectively. The Buffalo Niagara Convention & Visitors Bureau was able to solicit these conferences due to innovative energy-related efforts already being made in Buffalo, as well as the commitment to making the local hospitality industry greener. For the NAAEE conference, the CVB had to submit a proposal that highlighted how the local hospitality industry would address becoming more “green.” The CVB has begun work with hospitality partners to review current environmental practices and establish a more comprehensive green plan for the industry. The hospitality industry will look to improve in the areas of waste management, energy savings, food production and disposal, water savings, environmentally safe cleaning products, paints, and office practices. “Being green is becoming part of the criteria organizations consider when selecting a host city for their conference,” said Cheryl Zanghi, CVB National Sales Manager. “The signing of these two conferences signifies that our community is sensitive to environmental and energy issues. Buffalo is rolling out the green carpet in order to attract more business of this type.” Buffalo was selected by the American Solar Energy Society to host the National Solar Energy Conference in May 2009. The meeting will attract over 1,500 energy experts, entrepreneurs, and interested parties from across the world generating more than 2,000 hotel room nights and creating a $1.2 million impact on Buffalo’s economy. The National Solar Energy Conference is the premier conference on renewable energy and energy efficiency in the nation. “The CVB played a critical role in the pursuit of this conference,” said Joan Bozer, co-chair, Western New York Sustainable Energy Association, and co-chair of the Solar Conference local organizing committee. “That’s why we got this business – the CVB knew exactly how to handle it. I cannot imagine a more effective operation and a more effective CVB – the Solar Conference was so impressed with the teamwork in Buffalo!” The North American Association for Environmental Education (NAAEE) will bring their national conference to Buffalo in 2010. The conference will attract more than 1,200 attendees utilizing 3,600 hotel room nights, bringing in over $1 million in outof-town dollars. NAAEE is the professional association for environmental education. The organization’s members promote professional excellence in non-formal organizations, K-12 classrooms, universities, government agencies, and corporate settings throughout North America and in over 55 countries. “This conference is a huge international undertaking,” said Mary Anna Russo, President of the New York State Outdoor Education Association. “Because of Cheryl Zanghi’s initiative in putting together a proposal package and her willingness to do all the little things that needed to be done, we were able to bring this event to Buffalo. We’re delighted to be working with Cheryl and the CVB.”

Tourism Development

000 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 The tourism department of the Buffalo Niagara Convention & Visitors Bureau has the task of selling Buffalo as a place to visit. In order for Buffalo to see cars and buses full of visitors pulling into the city, the department must spend years cultivating relationships with group planners and targeting appropriate leisure markets. In attracting the group tour market, the tourism department utilizes a variety of tactics and communications tools to gain the attention and interest of group tour decision makers. Once the tour operators are impressed with Buffalo, they then have to convince consumers to book a tour to the Queen City. In 2007, the tourism department hosted 5 familiarization tours and 10 site inspections for more than 100 tour operators. The department also conducted 5 sales blitzes and attended 15 trade shows to promote Buffalo Niagara as a visitor destination. As reported by Erie County hotels, more than 64,255 hotel room nights were consumed by group tours in 2007. For the leisure travel market, the department advertised in regional and national publications, including Better Homes & Gardens, Preservation Magazine, Ladies Home Journal, Country Living, Family Circle, USA Weekend, The New York Times and Great Vacation Getaways. Tourism sales staff attended “One Tank Getaways” trade shows which are used to promote the area’s assets to consumers within a 300 mile radius. The tourism staff also collaborated with the local tourism industry and cultural attractions to develop incentives, promotions and packages for the Southern Ontario market highlighting shopping, sports, theatre and arts weekends. More than 350,000 Buffalo Niagara Visitors Guides were distributed to visitor inquiries, group tour operators, international receptive operators, convention delegates, business travelers, visitor centers, New York State Gateway Centers, rest stops and American Automobile Association (AAA) and Canadian Auto Association (CAA) offices. An integral part of the CVB’s ongoing effort to re-brand Buffalo Niagara as a destination rich in culture, heritage and family entertainment, the 72-page Visitors Guide is the primary tool utilized by staff to tell the Buffalo story to potential visitors. The cover of the 2007 guide featured an illustration of Shea’s Performing Arts Center by local artist Michael Gelen. The Tourism Department also printed and distributed the Group Tour Planner and the African-American Heritage Guide.

TO U R I S M B Y T H E N U M B ERS

5 10 100 15 5 60,000

Designed and conducted 5 fam tours and 10 site inspections for 100 tour operators and group leaders

Attended 15 trade shows to promote Buffalo Niagara

Conducted 5 sales blitzes with local tourism industry partners

Responded to 60,000 visitor inquiries 10

“It Doesn’t Get Any Better Than This” The Pursuit of the 2011 National Preservation Conference

“In my line of work, it doesn’t get any better than this. To come up here and in one day see the best of Upjohn, Sullivan, Richardson, Wright, Saarinen and Olmsted -- nowhere else, nowhere else in the United States, with the possible exception of Chicago, do you see the rich array of 19th and 20th century architecture that you have here in Buffalo.” So said Richard Moe (at right, with the CVB’s Mike Even and Ed Healy), President of the National Trust for Historic Preservation, after a whirlwind tour of Buffalo last June that culminated in a reception and dinner attended by 430 wildly enthusiastic Buffalo boosters. Mr. Moe couldn’t help but be impressed. Richard Moe’s visit to Buffalo was part of an 18-month-long pursuit of the National Preservation Conference, the annual meeting of the National Trust for Historic Preservation, by the Buffalo Niagara CVB and the local preservation community. The announcement of Buffalo’s selection as the host city for 2011 was made shortly after the conclusion of the 2007 Conference held in St. Paul, Minnesota in October. The National Preservation Conference will bring approximately 2,500 National Trust members to Buffalo. The potential economic impact from expenditures at hotels, restaurants, attractions and ancillary services is anticipated to exceed $2 million dollars. In addition, the Conference represents an unparalleled opportunity to tell our story to a highly targeted group of opinion makers from throughout the United States. “Conference attendees are sure to be impressed by Buffalo’s incredible collection of great buildings, but I believe they’ll also be impressed by the city’s inspiring examples of how preservation can be a springboard for sustainable economic revitalization,” added Mr. Moe. “We’re looking forward to spending a week in this great city.” In nearly every respect the pursuit of the National Preservation Conference was an exhilarating experience for those involved. In forming an organizing committee and soliciting support for our bid it quickly became clear that our community relished the opportunity to compete for this business, certain that we had what it takes to successfully make our case. Our preservation community, tourism industry, philanthropic organizations and business interests all came together as the Buffalo Niagara Preservation Consortium in a collegial and concerted effort to bring the National Trust to Buffalo. A genuine sense of common purpose and shared passion emerged among disparate organizations as we assembled our bid proposal, worked on the Richard Moe reception and lobbied on behalf of Buffalo’s bid in St. Paul. “In many ways, our community viewed the opportunity to host the National Preservation Conference as the culmination of years of investment – of time, energy, capital and passion – in our historic architecture, the natural environment and urban infrastructure,” said Catherine Schweitzer, Executive Director of the Baird Foundation and co-chair of the Buffalo Niagara Preservation Consortium. That investment has been recognized and rewarded by the National Trust in naming Buffalo to host its prestigious annual conference. 11

Communications

000 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Working in collaboration with Resnicow Schroeder Associates, a New York City-based media relations firm specializing in cultural clients, the Communications Department successfully placed stories with a variety of national and international media in 2007. Notable placements include an extensive article in the San Francisco Chronicle about the GardenWalk Buffalo, written by Amy Stewart. Ms. Stewart was brought to Buffalo as a result of a CVB-sponsored press trip, which resulted in additional stories in the North Coast Journal (Humboldt County, CA) and her personal gardening blog titled Dirt. The GardenWalk Buffalo also attracted the attention of Donna Talley, a producer for Meredith Publications (Better Homes & Gardens, Country Home). Ms. Talley scouted numerous Buffalo gardens last July and will be returning in the summer of 2008 to photograph selected gardens for future Better Homes and Gardens publications. In-flight publication Delta Sky Magazine published a picture-filled article called “The Queen City of the Empire State.” Large images of the H.H. Richardson Building, Guaranty Building and the Darwin Martin House Complex were featured in a corresponding story called “Bullish on Buffalo” on the front page of the Travel Section in the Newark Star-Ledger. Industry publication Tradeshow Week published an article titled “Buffalo’s the Comeback Kid” which discussed Buffalo coming from behind to win the National Rural Letter Carriers’ Association’s 2012 convention. The Chicago Tribune published an article about Ani DiFranco’s Babeville complex titled “19th Century church gives sanctuary to the arts.” Canadian real estate publication Building Magazine featured the Guaranty Building on the cover, with a story entitled “Buffalo on the Wright track.” The CVB’s communications staff also assisted several national television shows with Buffalo productions; NBC’s The Today Show, ESPN’s Monday Night Football and ESPN Bassmaster series all visited Buffalo in 2007. The strength of the Canadian dollar, and the subsequent shopping stories, were a hot topic in 2007. The CVB communications department assisted over 10 international news outlets, including The Guardian (England), covering the Canadian shopping story. Locally, The Buffalo News and Business First continued their steady coverage of the hospitality industry. Both publications weighed in on the bed tax issue with forceful commentary supportive of restoration and dedication of the bed tax.

CO M M U N I C AT I O N S B Y T H E N U M B ERS

52 105 110 12

Distributed news releases that led to 52 out-of-town print media hits

Facilitated 105 appearances by the CVB staff for electronic media

Managed media relationships and pitched stories that resulted in 110 local print placements

Wrote and distributed 12 e-mail newsletters to an average of 6,000 subscribers

“What You’re Doing is Working!” The Architecture & Art Marketing Initiative is changing perceptions of Buffalo “You should know that what you’re doing is working,” a delegate to the 2007 National Preservation Conference commented to CVB staff working at the Buffalo booth on the trade show floor. “Your ads and your presentation of your community have changed the way I think about Buffalo.” In the two years since the Buffalo Niagara CVB’s Architecture & Art Marketing Initiative commenced, the CVB and its partners have worked diligently to win hearts and change minds about Buffalo’s desirability as a visitor destination. We’ve hosted visiting writers, placed advertising in publications like Preservation Magazine, conducted a consumer research project, launched the wrightnowinbuffalo.com web site, begun a search engine optimization program, and produced two short documentaries called “Buffalo’s Architectural Treasures” and “Buffalo: A Sense of Place”; both can be found on YouTube and iTunes as downloadable podcasts. It’s a grassroots initiative that’s beginning to bear fruit. Both short- and long-term objectives have been achieved as a result of tools and tactics deployed by the Architecture & Art Marketing Initiative, including: • Convincing the National Trust for Historic Preservation to bring the National Preservation Conference to Buffalo through an aggressive sales effort that included attending the National Preservation Conference in Pittsburgh in 2006 and St. Paul in 2007, assembling a 150-page bid book documenting Buffalo’s assets as a host city, and organizing a dinner reception for National Trust President Richard Moe attended by 430 passionate Buffalo boosters in June 2007. The Architecture & Art Destination Marketing Initiative, which was already underway, gave the CVB and its partners a “running start” on this very ambitious undertaking, providing the organizing committee with many of the tools needed to tell our story and sell our destination. • Launching the wrightnowinbuffalo.com web site that has attracted more than 350,000 unique visitors since June 2006. +++++• +++++•

Printed on recycled paper

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 15, 2007

sfgate.com

• Conducting a media relations campaign with the assistance| of Resnicow Schroeder Associates of New York that has resulted in stories in the Cleveland Plain-Dealer, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, The New York Times, the Globe & Mail, San Francisco Chronicle, Architecture Magazine, Art Newspaper and many other publications. This coverage is valued at more than $250,000.

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 15, 2007

sfgate.com

415-777-1111 46¢ plus tax

• Producing two videos in collaboration with WNED-TV – “Buffalo’s Architectural Treasures” and “Buffalo: A Sense of Place” that can be found on YouTube.com and the CVB’s web sites. “Buffalo’s Architectural Treasures” was included as an extra feature on the DVD of “Frank Lloyd Wright’s Buffalo.” • Commissioning a customer research project that has helped the CVB to better understand our customers and target our marketing efforts. The consultant’s market and data analysis and resulting recommendations have served as a blueprint for positioning Buffalo as an “International Center for Architecture, Design and the Arts.” 13

• Re-printing 75,000 copies of the “Walk Buffalo” self-guided walking tour booklet, in collaboration with the New Millennium Group. (55,000 copies of Walk Buffalo have been distributed in 2006-2007). •C ollaborating with the Corning Museum of Glass on a 2007 Explore NY Matching Funds Grant that allowed our respective destinations to launch the www.buffalocorningconnection.com website and implement a search engine optimization program designed to increase traffic to the site. By connecting the dots from the Corning Museum of Glass to the Albright-Knox Art Gallery, Buffalo and Erie County Botanical Gardens, the Roycroft Campus and Frank Lloyd Wright’s Martin House and Graycliff Estate, the Buffalo Niagara CVB and CMOG worked together to position and promote our portion of upstate New York as a desirable cultural and heritage tourism destination. • F unctioning as the sole out-of-market promotion and advertising voice for our partners:The Darwin D. Martin House, Graycliff Estate, Albright-Knox Art Gallery, Burchfield-Penney Art Center, Roycroft Inn, Roycroft Copper Shop, and the Buffalo and Erie County Botanical Gardens. • Creating a library of illustrations (such as the Michigan Street Baptist Church, as shown at left) of Buffalo-area landmarks by local artist Mike Gelen. These renderings of our community’s treasures have been used in the CVB’s annual visitors guide, on our web sites, trade show booths, letterhead and advertising. In a testament to the success we have had in promoting Buffalo’s architectural assets and historic preservation success stories, the National Trust has asked the Buffalo Niagara CVB to take part in a panel discussion entitled “Promoting Architectural Tourism” at the 2008 National Preservation Conference in Tulsa, OK. Trust officials were so impressed with our trade show booth, ads, web site, bid proposal and the “Buffalo’s Architectural Treasures” video as we worked to land the 2011 National Preservation Conference for Buffalo, that they asked us to share our thoughts on this emerging sector of the tourism industry with conference participants. Typical of the many passersby who stopped to convey their admiration for our marketing and branding strategy were the comments of Robert Saarnio, property manager of Shangri La, the historic home of Doris Duke in Honolulu. In an email after the conference concluded, Mr. Saarnio said he was “stunned and thrilled with the quality” of “Frank Lloyd Wright’s Buffalo” and impressed by our “dramatic and beautiful exhibit floor booth.” He requested additional copies of the DVD as a way to help him “spread the news about your city’s phenomenal architectural assets. I will be in Buffalo in the future, guaranteed,” he added. “What an architectural treasure your city is!” This is the essence of what the Architecture & Art Destination Marketing Initiative has achieved – winning friends and influencing people on behalf of Buffalo. While we are still in our infancy as a cultural tourism destination, we have influenced many opinions, and taken the first steps towards re-positioning Buffalo as a desirable destination.

Buffalo Online Telling Buffalo’s story to a worldwide audience Visitbuffaloniagara.com revamped and re-launched After an in-depth process using brand research and industry-wide benchmarking, visitbuffaloniagara.com, the CVB’s flagship web site, was redesigned to optimize the user experience. Re-launched in November of last year, the new site provides an interactive and engaging online experience, including the “Locals Talk” insider guides from area residents, a digitized visitors guide, Flash videos and downloadable audio podcasts. Newly implemented features also include a mapping tool called “What’s Around” and a “My Itinerary” tool that allows site visitors to collect, print and email information about the attractions, accommodations and tours that interest them. Editorial content has been expanded to include in-depth information on the African American experience in Buffalo, “My Buffalo” testimonials from celebrities such as Tim Russert, as well as a guide to Gay and Lesbian Buffalo. Visitbuffaloniagara.com attracted more than 360,000 visitors in 2007. The wrightnowinbuffalo.com web site, which was launched in 2006 to serve as an online resource for information on architecture, design and the arts in Buffalo, attracted nearly 280,000 unique visitors in 2007. This represents a 121 percent increase over 2006. This increase can be attributed to highly targeted advertising in Preservation Magazine, solicitation of new inbound links, promotional positioning in the credits of WNED-TV’s “Frank Lloyd Wright’s Buffalo” and a search engine optimization program implementing SEO best practices on the site. The wrightnowinbuffalo.com web site was awarded a Bronze Excalibur Award for excellence in Interactive Communications by the Public Relations Society of America Buffalo/Niagara Chapter in 2007.

The Year in Pictures Scenes from a very successful 2007

CVB Sales Manager Chuck Giglia hosted a site visit by the National Rural Letter Carriers in 2007 as the group evaluated Buffalo as a potential site for its 2012 conference. The letter carriers voted overwhelmingly to select Buffalo over Pittsburgh as the site of that year’s event. The convention will bring 3,000 attendees to Buffalo and generate $2.4 million in economic impact

Buffalo Niagara CVB President and CEO Richard Geiger spoke to the local media during a press conference for the National Hockey League’s Winter Classic at Ralph Wilson Stadium last summer. The sold-out match-up between the Buffalo Sabres and Pittsburgh Penguins brought thousands of visitors to Buffalo for New Year’s weekend and was a huge hit for area hotels and restaurants.

Visitor Center Manager Denise Drews responded to more than 60,000 inquiries in 2007. Denise and her staff field phone calls, respond to emails, and warmly greet the many walk-in visitors to the Market Arcade building. The Visitor Center is also home to the Star Theatre where Buffalooriented videos are screened and the Buffalo Architecture Center, site of the Landmark Society’s lecture series.

Bill Zimmerman of Seven Seas Sailing was featured in a new video co-produced by the Buffalo Niagara CVB and WNED-TV in 2007. “Buffalo: A Sense of Place” highlighted the local perspective and knowledge of seven Buffalo insiders who graciously offered their assistance to the production. The video was produced with funding from the 21st Century Fund of the Community Foundation.

CVB Director of Tourism Dave Lacki and Tourism Sales Manager Karen Huefner hosted the annual I Love NY Fun Auction at the 2007 Heartland Travel Showcase in Cincinnati, Ohio. The much-anticipated auction brought hundreds of tour operators together to bid on a variety of special prizes. The Auction is a great tool that helps to build relationships that bring visitors to Buffalo Niagara.

In March 2007, the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, one of America’s oldest African American sororities, held its annual conference in Buffalo, generating more than $1.2 million in revenue through expenditures by its 1,500 members at area hotels, restaurants and businesses. This impressive gathering of African American women was a dynamic demonstration of the strength of the minority meetings market.

What They’re Saying About Buffalo Winning Friends and Influencing PeopleThrough the Media “ You may know it simply as the home of the Buffalo chicken wing, but it harbors all kinds of surprises.”

– Frommer’s New York State

“ This i s a c i t y t hat i s t ru ly a m e c c a. The q ua lit y o f ar chit ect ur e, an d t h e d i v e r si t y of a rchit ect ur e, is so asto nishing. ”

– Daniel Libeskind (as told to the Buffalo News)

“ Although gazing lovingly back to one’s glory days can often impede forward progress, Buffalo has discovered that mining a treasure trove of topnotch classical American architecture can be a cornerstone in the re-branding process.”

– Building Magazine

“Th e c i t y ’ s fad e d g l ory, i ts gr it t y histo ry, and it s br av e

a sp ir at io ns I fo un d ir r esist ible.”

– Newark Star Ledger

“ Imagine a garden tour that charges no fees or ticket prices, runs on a modest budget and still has money left over to give beautification grants to community groups to help further its mission. Oh, and it’s so popular that it sells a slick coffee-table book and a DVD documenting its success...Garden Walk Buffalo takes place on the last weekend of July, and this year more than 260 gardens participated. Based on the number of maps distributed, organizers estimate that more than 40,000 people descend on Garden Walk every year.”

– San Francisco Chronicle

“The problem with vac ations is that they’re always too short,

y et for five days this last week, I think I died and went to angler’s heaven. Each year, my wife Cindy and I take turns picking one

particular vac ationing area in North Americ a, and this year

she chose a smallmouth bass fishing adventure that landed

us in Buffalo, N.Y. and Lake Erie...Talk about fun – we had it and we’re already planning to go back next year. ”

– Bakersfield Californian

“ The Bacon show - a difficult and challenging examination of a highly important Modern artist - comes as a powerful reaffirmation of the Albright-Knox’s essential role as a champion of art from European Post-Impressionism to the present day. No other museum in the region, including Cleveland’s, can match its depth in that particular area, which means if you want to understand the art of the recent past, a reasonably short drive to Buffalo is essential.”

– The Cleveland Plain Dealer

“Buffalo has a big appetite for sports, and that comes

through in its passion for the NFL Bills, the NHL Sabres and

loc al collegiate and youth events. ”

– SportsTravel, September 2007 17

2007 CVB Board of Directors

Cindy Abbott

Warde Manuel

Tharwat Abouraya, CTIE

Michael Marsch

Law Office of Francis M. Letro, Esq.

University at Buffalo

AAA Western and Central New York

Hyatt Regency Buffalo

The Honorable John J. Mills

Barbara Baker

Erie County Legislature

Hunt Real Estate

Burt Notarius

Keith Belanger (Chair)

Premier Group

Manufacturers & Traders Trust Company

Jennifer Parker (Secretary) Black Capital Network

William Bissett

Ted Pietrzak (Vice Chair)

Delaware North Companies

Burchfield-Penney Art Center

Donald Boswell

Western New York Public Broadcasting Association

Gary Praetzel, Ph.D.

Richard Geiger (President)

Andrew Rudnick, Ph.D.

Niagara University

Buffalo Niagara Convention & Visitors Bureau

Buffalo Niagara Partnership

Richard Schroen (Treasurer)

Michael Gilbert

Buffalo Niagara Marriott

Buffalo Sabres

Timothy Wanamaker

David Hart (Past Chair)

City of Buffalo

Hart Hotels

Jennifer Washington

The Honorable Michele Iannello

J.L. James Enterprises corp.

Erie County Legislature

The Buffalo Niagara Convention & Visitors Bureau, as the marketing leader of the hospitality industry, promotes our region worldwide as a convention, tourism, leisure and business destination for the economic benefit of the community.

617 Main Street i Suite 200 i Buffalo, NY 14203 716 852 0511 i www.visitbuffaloniagara.com 19