SALES & SERVICES GOALS

Convention Sales book group business for Visit Jackson and Convention Services manage the complimentary services that are offered by the sales department. They are partner-to-planner services that are delivered based on promises made by the sales staff to the client. While working as a sales and services team to continue to book new business in Jackson, one of the services goals for 2022/2023 is to continue to define and develop a framework to help sustain commitments from the sales department to the meeting planner. These commitments will include working closely with Jackson support services alliances throughout the city such as attractions, restaurants, and food trucks councils to promote the latest market trends and establish a common goal of promoting the socioeconomic benefits of hosting events as a destination.

Prior to the pandemic, in 2019, Jackson’s convention and meetings market share averaged 296 events per fiscal year, which yielded an estimated economic impact of slightly over $114 million. With the onset of the pandemic in 2020, the number of events declined to 102 in 2020. A reduction of 61.4% of our convention & meeting destination demand.

The estimated impact in 2020 was realized by an economic impact reduction of $2 Million. During the pandemic, Visit Jackson was able to implement strategies utilizing funding from the TRF (Round 1), including shifting sales and marketing targets that considered the reduction in our meetings market, yielding an increase in outdoor sports, equine, and other sporting events. This helped to minimize the negative revenue impact of COVID-19 in the Capital City marketplace.

As COVID infection case numbers started to decline in 2021, Visit Jackson began to see a slight increase in the number of in-person events resulting in some recovery. To mitigate the negative impact of the global pandemic, Visit Jackson maintained an aggressive sales approach, including intentional tactics resulting in consistent contact with our meeting planners via virtual familiarization tours, offering incentives for in-person meetings, and establishing & promoting safe meeting protocols, including providing PPEs to our meeting attendees, and front-line visitor industry employees.

At the end of the fiscal year 2021, Visit Jackson reported 141 events resulting in an estimated impact of over $122 million. To date, Jackson has yet to recover to pre-pandemic numbers. We are experiencing hesitation and decreased numbers within our corporate, religious, and association markets. Much of this hesitation is the result of older populations choosing limited travel. At the end of the fiscal year 2022, we had 229 events with an estimated economic impact of over $119 million. Our goal and key performance indicators are focused on implementing strategies resulting in an increase in demand for the destination. The economic impact continues to grow as we see an increase in the average daily rates at our local hotels since the pandemic.

As the destination continues to recover from the negative impact of COVID-19, new yet aggressive sales tactics are essential to destination organization survival. The TRF (Round 2) funding support provides critical life support for Jackson’s meetings, conventions, sporting events, group tours, and leisure markets. Similarly to TRF (Round 1), Visit Jackson will explore TRF (Round 2) tactics resulting in reigniting and growing the demand for the destination as a viable meeting site.

Research indicates that because of the Global Pandemic, visitors are excited to get out and travel after being restricted for so long. Research data validates that travelers will be more considerate of utilizing vehicles as a transportation mode. Meetings and conventions will be utilized to incite extended professional and business travel resulting in family get-aways; in short, the “American Road Trip” is making a comeback! Visit Jackson will capitalize on those research indicators and aggressively promote Mississippi’s Capital City as a destination for Mississippians and those within the Southern Region of the United States. The accessibility of the intersection of U.S I-55 and U.S. I-20 enhances the opportunity for success.

As previously mentioned, suggested complimentary convention programming assistance with highlights of our tourism assets such as Civil Rights and other historical and cultural assets will be used to attract potential meetings, conventions, and event activities to the destination.

Destination marketing sales tactics have changed since the pandemic. Meeting planners are still concerned with public health and safety. Visit Jackson will utilize protocols the following to showcase how Visit Jackson and the meeting sector have adjusted meeting practices to be safe for in-person meetings with the opportunity for virtual delegate attendees. Visit Jackson will also continue to provide PPEs to convention delegates and industry front-line staffers.

The following represent strategies and tactics that Visit Jackson will utilize to enhance the meetings market resulting in enhanced demand for the destination.

• Jackson Destination FAM Tour for meeting planners

• Visit Jackson’s sales team will host a meeting planner FAM in 2023 to invite planners that have not been to Jackson since the pandemic. This FAM will give local hotels, restaurants and meeting facilities an opportunity to showcase their products.

• Meeting Planner Incentive

• Incentives will be offered to meeting planners that book meetings or conventions at a local Jackson hotel or meeting venue. Incentives will be based on specific criteria, i.e., shoulder and soft season booking windows.

• Per room night incentive-an incentive for funding specifically to meeting planner’s organization.

• Visit Jackson Sports Sponsorship package

• Due to the increased opportunity in the sporting market post-COVID, Visit Jackson will enhance its position as a sporting/ tournament destination.

• Engage a consultant to audit Jackson sporting venues

• Develop a new sports guide for the destination, utilizing the data from the consultant.

• With the new Mississippi state flag, Visit Jackson will aggressively lobby tournaments via the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA).

• Third-party lead generation fees to help identify new business for the destination.

• Engage a sales-generating organization to solicit sales leads.

• Out-of-state sales mission public relations support and welcome letters, technical support, attendance promotion tactics, on-site welcome, public health, and public safety strategies.

• Utilize data to engage planners in feeder cities to secure out-ofstate conferences, meetings, and activities.

Visit Jackson’s complimentary Convention Services strategies are utilized to help level the playing field in the competitive convention and meetings market. The Jackson market has identified challenges, including public transportation, the capacity of rooms in the convention district, first-class full-service downtown hotel rooms, infrastructure, and security. Convention Sales tactics will be employed to heighten the destination’s position as a viable meeting site for meeting planners and other decision-makers.

Complimentary services are the catalyst to attract new business and sustain repeat business. Conferences are drawn to locations that are easily accessible, centrally located, knowledgeable, and provide hands-on support for all event functions enhancing the planning process. The Visit Jackson Complimentary Services strategy will help encourage meeting planners to restart in-person meetings after the height of COVID-19 and choose Jackson as their meeting destination.

As a part of the convention services strategy, Visit Jackson will offer underwriting to qualified groups that chose the destination. The qualified underwriting (funds) will be returned to the meeting/ convention group to help defray costs associated with meeting in Jackson, i.e., venue rental, meals/ reception, security, and transportation. The amount of underwriting funds will be determined by utilizing Destinations International’s Economic Impact Calculator to quantify the economic impact with parameters to avoid eclipsing the local tax impact. Qualified parameters for underwriting consideration include documented overnight hotel room consumption inside the destination and meal/restaurant expenditures.

Other examples of complimentary group services include nametags, welcome bags, and promotional items for the conference attendees,