ANNUAL REPORT
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THE BROOKINGS CONVENTION & VISITORS BUREAU (CVB) WORKS WITH STRATEGIC PARTNERS TO MARKET BROOKINGS, DEVELOP TOURISM, AND STRENGTHEN EVENTS PROVIDING ECONOMIC IMPACT TO OUR COMMUNITY.
OUR MISSION
C B
CVB S TAFF + BOARD OF DIRECTORS
LAURA SCHOEN CARBONNEAU | Executive Director BRIDGIT BURGHARDT | Director of Sales and Operation EMILY BRAUN | Marketing & Communications Coordinator
Seth Koch, Wooden Legs Brewing Co. Randy Soma, Brookings High School Athletic Dept. Jeff Drietz,*SDSU Athletic Department Kate Treiber, SD Children’s Museum Michael Johnson, Pheasant Restaurant Carrie Kuhl, UpFrame Creative
Aaron Carsrud, Comfort Suites Tom Richter, Swiftel Center Jamison Lamp, SDSU President’s Office Victoria Blatchford, Wells Fargo Dan Brettschneider,* City of Brookings Parks & Rec Jacob Meshke, City of Brookings *Denotes members who left the CVB Board in 2019.
20 19
ANNUAL REPORT
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FROM THE DIRECTOR Greetings Community Leaders and Industry Partners, 2019 was an impressive year for our tourism industry. From hotels to attractions, special events to business travel, the numbers were up, providing a positive impact on our local economy. When our hotels, attractions, restaurants and gas stations do well, we all benefit.
Our biggest success comes in the form of partnerships with our industry partners in Brookings as well as with the team from the South Dakota Department of Tourism. We know that through working together, we can do more to promote our wonderful community. The CVB team and board welcomed me as the new Executive Director last July and it has been my pleasure to bring together ideas and energy to work toward our mission of marketing Brookings, developing tourism and strengthening events. Our office is building on success of the past and excited to take a big step forward in the coming year. Thank you for taking this opportunity to look through our highlights of 2019 and for the opportunity to be part of this incredible community, Kind regards, Laura Schoen Carbonneau Executive Director Brookings Convention & Visitors Bureau
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A N N U A L 20 R E P O R T 19
20 19
ANNUAL REPORT
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EVE NT RE CRU I TME NT 2 019 BY T H E N UM B E R S
79,370
$10.1 MILLION
Number of Visitors
Event Economic Impact
10,973 Number of Hotel Rooms
50
Number of Events Supported by the CVB (through grants or services)
19 New Events
$102.88 Return on Investment
43
Event Grant Applications Processed
In 2019, the Brookings CVB, in combination with industry partners generated $10.1 million in economic impact. Through the CVB Event Grant Program, the CVB supported 50 events, including 19 new events.
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A N N U A L 20 R E P O R T 19
NE W E V E NT S
E VENT T YPE
26%
EVENTS
53%
21%
18 24 23 24 19
TOURNAMENTS
CONVENTIONS/ MEETINGS
28% NEW
21%
51%
YEARLY
2015 2016 2017 2018  2019
ROTATING
Sporting events and tournaments remain a foundational component of the visitor industry in Brookings, generating high weekend volume and the highest event ROI. The CVB works to support and increase this important market segment, while focusing on the development of meetings and conventions, which boost week-day hotel night stays.
The Brookings CVB works to provide an increasing number of events and visitors which contribute to the economic and cultural growth of Brookings. In 2019, the CVB helped attract 19 new events to Brookings. Our goal is to make these yearly events.
20 19
ANNUAL REPORT
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EVE NT RE CRU I TME NT HIS TOR I C AL H I G HLI G HT S
48 53 45 49 43
The CVB works to maximize economic impact from events, while being fiscally responsible. Funding preference is given to events which draw attendees from out of town, multiple day events and reoccurring events
2016 2017
2018 2019
TOTA L N U M B E R OF EV E N T S
69 74 65 76 50
2015
EVENT S S UPPO R TED TH RO UGH THE GR ANT PRO GR A M
2015 2016 2017 2018 2019
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A N N U A L 20 R E P O R T 19
EVEN T R E C RU I T ME NT E C O N O MI C I M PAC T R E T U RN O N I NV ES T M ENT
2017
$9,699,876
2017
2016
$11,347,440
2016
$12,371,508
2015
*Economic impact is calculated using the following formula: $140 per day for first person lodging $60 per day for the second person lodging and $60 per day per commuter
2 019
2018
$6,793,326
2018
2 019
$10,168,037
2015
$102.88 $62.20 $91.58 $81.34 $106.37
E C ON OMIC IMPACT
*The formula includes a multiplier of 1.8 *event attendee numbers are based on the information provided by the event organizer through an application or post-event evaluation form. 20 A N N U A L 19 R E P O R T
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EVE NT RE CRU I TME NT PROGR E S S I N D I C ATO R S
Third B tax is collected on items such as alcohol sales, prepared food, and lodging. In 2019, Third B tax collections totaled $1,052,364
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A N N U A L 20 R E P O R T 19
2 019 2018 2017
BI D TAX
2 019
$256,340.00
2016
$837,593.75
$247,832.00
$220,613.00
2015
$924,378.84
2017
$933,056.77
$247,790.00
2016
$918,052.17
$267,538.00
2015
TH IRD B TAX
$1,052,364.00
2018
The CVB is funded through a combination of the Third B Tax and the BID Tax, commonly referred to as the Pillow Tax. In addition to our annual strategic goals and objectives, the CVB monitors both Third B and BID Tax as indicators of our overall progress and success.
The BID tax is a $2.00 tax collected on occupied hotel rooms. Brookings started collecting the tax in May 2012. In 2019, the BID tax increased 8% over 2018.
The NAIA Indoor Track & Field National Championship was a partnership between Dakota State University, South Dakota State University, the Swiftel Center and the Brookings CVB. The impact of this one event has been monumental to our overall success as a CVB and city.
20 19
ANNUAL REPORT
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M ARKETIN G AUD IEN C E PRO FI L E The Brookings CVB targets three different audience groups through various channels, both traditionally and digitally. A portion of visits are tracked through online forms and event recruitment, while another portion is tracked through actual visitation numbers provided by the South Dakota Department of Tourism.
THREE MAIN AUDIENCE GROUPS
1
EVENT PLANNERS
2
RECREATIONAL TRAVELERS
3
INDUSTRY PARTNERS
ARRIVALIST | GEO-LOCATION INTELLIGENCE FOR TRAVEL Arrivalist is a visitation intelligence company which provides actionable insights on consumer behavior, competitive share, media effectiveness, and market trends. The chart below features data collected from January 1, 2018 through December 31, 2019.
ARRIVALIST DATA Designated Market Area Name
% of Total Arrivals Arrivals Average time in Brookings Average time in South (Days, Hours)
Minneapolis/Saint Paul Fargo/Valley City Sioux City Omaha Des Moines/Ames Mankato Lincoln/Hastings/Kearney Rochester/Mason City/Austin Minot/Bismarck/Dickinson Medford/Klamath Falls Kansas City Chicago Cedar Rapids/Waterloo/Dubuque A N N U A L 20 Denver R E P O R T 19 Sioux Falls/Mitchell La Crosse/Eau Claire Eureka
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27.10% 10.00% 10.00% 7.10% 4.00% 3.70% 3.00% 2.70% 2.00% 2.00% 1.90% 1.60% 1.60% 1.50% 1.00% 0.90% 0.90%
101804 37497 37473 26796 15004 13817 11432 10191 7605 7580 7105 6044 5996 5454 3782 3370 3314
20 Hours, 51 Minutes 14 Hours, 32 Minutes 12 Hours, 35 Minutes 13 Hours, 52 Minutes 18 Hours, 30 Minutes 20 Hours, 28 Minutes 17 Hours, 23 Minutes 1 Day, 1 Hours, 50 Minutes 16 Hours, 56 Minutes 7 Hours, 27 Minutes 23 Hours, 34 Minutes 21 Hours, 37 Minutes 17 Hours, 34 Minutes 23 Hours, 47 Minutes 11 Hours, 17 Minutes 23 Hours, 23 Minutes 6 Hours, 34 Minutes
Dakota (Days, Hours) 1 Day, 11 Hours, 53 Minutes 1 Day, 7 Hours, 50 Minutes 22 Hours, 5 Minutes 1 Day, 8 Hours, 18 Minutes 1 Day, 14 Hours, 18 Minutes 1 Day, 5 Hours, 8 Minutes 1 Day, 8 Hours, 36 Minutes 1 Day, 18 Hours, 57 Minutes 1 Day, 13 Hours, 10 Minutes 9 Hours, 10 Minutes 2 Days, 0 Hours, 19 Minutes 1 Day, 20 Hours, 14 Minutes 1 Day, 12 Hours, 12 Minutes 3 Days, 1 Hours, 21 Minutes 13 Hours, 59 Minutes 1 Day, 19 Hours, 22 Minutes 8 Hours, 12 Minutes
Ô
W EBSIT E
VISITBROOKINGSSD.COM
69,540 53,551 TOTAL VISITS (SESSIONS)
NEW VISITORS TO THE SITE
40%
60% MALE
6,626
9,907
HOTELS
ATTRACTIONS
2.84
AVERAGE VIEWING FEMALE
TOP 5 PAGES VIEWED
EVENTS
HOMEPAGE
THINGS TO DO
RETURNING VISITORS TO THE SITE
11,028
14,421 10,182
8,517
AVERAGE PAGES VIEWED PER SESSION
1 min. 36 sec. 5% AVERAGE TIME ON SITE:
over 2018
10% 23% 21% 19% 16% 11% 18-24
25-34
35-44
45-54
55-64
65+
1.28 NUMBER OF SESSIONS /USER
SES·SION /ˈseSHən/
noun: session; plural noun: sessions 1. the period time a user is actively engaged with your website, app, etc. All usage data (Screen Views, Events, Ecommerce, etc.) is associated with a session.
AUDIENCE /AGES 20 19
ANNUAL REPORT
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M ARKETIN G WE B S IT E V I SI T S BY REGI ON & CIT Y REGION USERS
CITY USERS
South Dakota
Brookings 11,329
20,120
Minnesota 11,071
Chicago 7,824
Illinois 8,150
Minneapolis 7,153
Nebraska 1,570
Sioux Falls
3,087
Iowa 1,562
(not set)
2,873
California 1,215
Omaha 977
Virginia 995
Ashburn 848
North Dakota
847
Watertown 665
Missouri 733
Aberdeen 470
Wisconsin 666
New York
398
TABLET
5.2%
MOBILE
DESKTOP
43.3%
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A N N U A L 20 R E P O R T 19
TOP DEVICES US ED
51.3%
Mobile: 27,652 Desktop: 23,401 Tablet: 2,830
TOP 5 C H AN N EL S Organic search continues to be the top channel for visits to the website.
CHAN·NEL /’CHanl/
noun: channel; plural noun: channels 1. A channel is the way a visitor finds and accesses the website.
TOP CHANNELS
USERS
Organic Search
28,179
PAID SEARCH
11.84%
ORGANIC SEARCH :
Direct 13,186 Paid Search
6,614
Referral 3,336
SOCIAL
5.97% 4.49%
REFERRAL
DIRECT:
23.6%
50.43%
Social 2,511 Display 1,304
TOP REFERRALS
cityofbrookings.org facebook.com sdstate.edu brookingsmarathon.com travelsouthdakota.com 20 19
ANNUAL REPORT
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M ARKETIN G D I GITA L M AR K E T I N G
3,481 clicks
GOOGLE AD CAMPAIGNS
6,614
398
(34% INCREASE OVER 2018) HARD COPY VISITOR GUIDE
VISITOR GUIDE DOWNLOADS
EVENT PLANNING SEARCH:
FAMILY SEARCH:
645 clicks
2,013 clicks
TOTAL IMPRESSIONS
HOTEL CLICKS:
1,467 clicks
(38% INCREASE OVER 2018)
E M AIL M AR K E T I N G
678
Subscribers
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A N N U A L 20 R E P O R T 19
3 Month Email
127 Subscribers
551
Brookings CVB
31.75%
CVB Open Rate
SOCIAL M E D I A
E D Q TOTAL SOCIAL IMPRESSIONS: 1,951,214
IMPRESSIONS
IMPRESSIONS
1,612,814
256,700
6%
12%
increase over 2018
FOLLOWERS
3,058
increase over 2018
FOLLOWERS
23.8%
increase over 2018
1,495
IMPRESSIONS
81,700 *Between 2018 and 2019, Instagram made significant changes to their analytic offerings for business accounts. Before, we were only able to collect likes, comments, and shares on individua posts. Now we can collect insights on all content, activity, and audience. FOLLOWERS
5%
increase over 2018
1,385
25%
increase over 2018
20 19
ANNUAL REPORT
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M ARKETIN G PRIN T
TOTAL PRINT IMPRESSIONS:
194,000
TOWN & COUNTRY SHOPPER Miss SD: 20,000 impressions
BROOKINGS REGISTER Frost Fest 16,000 impressions
605 MAGAZINE Frost Fest 60,000 impressions
Great 8 Passport 60,000 impressions
CRYSTAL SPRINGS RODEO 10,000 impressions
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A N N U A L 20 R E P O R T 19
MIDWEST MEETINGS 28,000 impressions
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ANNUAL REPORT
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TOURISM DEVELOPMENT AT T HE S TAT E L E V E L The Brookings CVB works regularly with the South Dakota Department of Tourism. Their primary mission is to promote the state as a premier vacation destination. In 2019, the CVB partnered with state tourism on a Great Getaway co-op campaign mailer and the Brand USA Road Trip video.
IMPACT OF TOURISM
ACROSS SOUTH DAKOTA
$308 MILLION
IN STATE & LOCAL TAXES
14.5 MILLION
VISITATION IN 2019
$4.1 BILLION
IN VISITOR SPENDING
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A N N U A L 20 R E P O R T 19
increase
2.8%
increase
VISITOR SPENDING SUPPORTS
8.8% JOBS IN SD
CO-OP ADVERTISING WITH THE SD DEPT. OF TOURISM Brand USA Road Trip | Great Getaway
3.1%
AT T HE R E G I O N AL LE V E L The Brookings CVB is a member of the Glacial Lakes & Prairies Tourism Association (GL&PT), a non-profit organization which covers the 20-county area of Northeastern South Dakota. With our membership, we receive endless supplies of South Dakota Vacation Guides and South Dakota Highway Maps, as well as avid promotion of our city, attractions, and events. GL&PT REGIONAL TOURISM MARKETING GRANT OPPORTUNITY Through the marketing grant program, the following initiatives have increased our reach to visitors and enhanced our overall marketing efforts. The Brookings CVB has been utilizing this grant since 2015.
C A M PA I GN S + P RO JEC T S
• Downtown at Sundown • Brookings Great 8 Passport
• Email Marketing • Online Advertising Campaigns
Name
Passport to Brookings Address
City
Email addre
State
ss
Zip
MakeI’ma interes stop at each ted in receivi ng occasional location to receive a emails about local events and Brookings. stamp in your passport. Get as many stamps as you can and turn in the completed passport to any one of our Brookings Great 8 attractions. You will then be entered into a monthly drawing for a $25 cash card.
Brookings Great 8 Brookings Great 8 Explore our
great places original to Broo and enjoy end kings less amounts of laughter while creating memories to last a lifetime .
Learn more about the Brookings Great 8 Passport at 415 8th Street Visitbrookingssd.com/great8 South |
Brookings SD | 605.692.61 25
Minimum of 6 stamps to be eligible. Passport valid through December 2018
passpo
rt
20 19
ANNUAL REPORT
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TOURISM DEVELOPMENT MEMORABLE MOMENTS
22
A N N U A L 20 R E P O R T 19
MOVIN G FORWARD EFFOR T S M OV I N G FO RWA R D At the end of 2019, the CVB took steps to become our own, independent 501(c)6 organization. The paperwork was submitted at the end of 2019 and by January 2020, we legally became Visit Brookings. Our new brand was announced to the public in June of 2020.
AT OUR CORE
In 2020, our CVB priorities remain consistent within Event Recruitment, Marketing & Awareness, and Tourism Development. Our goals throughout the year are a combination of new initiatives and on-going duties. EVENT RECRUITMENT
Event recruitment and retention continue to be the heartbeat of tourism in the Brookings market. The CVB remains focused on this effort and is identifying new tools and resources for event planners. MARKETING
Sharing the Brookings story to prospective event planners and leisure travelers remains a key priority. Throughout 2020 we will also focus on branding the CVB as its new entity, Visit Brookings, emphasizing the importance of tourism on the local economy. TOURISM DEVELOPMENT
In an effort to enhance and expand the overall tourism products in Brookings, our organization will be intentional about working with partners and view this priority as a mix of hospitality education and active cultivation of tourism assets.
20 19
ANNUAL REPORT
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WE MAKE TOURISM HAPPEN