W ACVB - Western Association of Convention & Visitors Bureaus

Bureau
News
Culinary Tourism
• Sunset Magazine
recently partnered
with the San Luis
Obispo County
VCB on the creation
of a fall event
(Savor the Central Coast) catering to
the discerning tastes and palates of
food and wine aficionados from all
over the state of California and up and
down the entire West Coast. The event,
in late September and early October,
showcased San Luis Obispo County’s
scenic beauty, growing wine region and
gourmet cuisine. Attendees joined
Sunset to taste, sip and savor California’s
Central Coast lifestyle. Highlights
of the four-day extravaganza included
the Sunset Western Wine Awards Gala,
Celebrity Chef appearances, culinary
tours, winemaker dinners and more
than 150 wineries offering specialty
food and wine pairings.
International Visitor Marketing
• Another British invasion touched
down in Las Vegas on October 25,
with the arrival of the inaugural flight
for British Airways. The new daily,
non-stop service is from London’s
Heathrow Airport to McCarran
International Airport in Las Vegas.
“This new partnership provides more
access for the world to experience Las
Vegas” said Mayor Oscar B. Goodman,
chairman of the board of directors
for the Las Vegas CVA. “The
strength of the two brands makes it an
ideal partnership. The investment by
British Airways to incorporate Las
Vegas into their strategic business plan
during a global recession demonstrates
the strength of our brand.” Mayor
Goodman joined LVCVA President/
CEO Rossi Ralenkotter and British
Airways CEO Willie Walsh aboard the
inaugural flight. McCarran officials
work jointly with the LVCVA to
cultivate relationships with airlines and
expand existing service or bring new
service to Las Vegas. There are nearly
170 non-stop international flights a
week to Las Vegas. The United Kingdom
is the No. 1 source of overseas
travelers to Las Vegas, generating
nearly 400,000 visitors in 2008. It
represents approximately 10 percent of
all international travel to Las Vegas.
6 n December 2009 n WACVB NewsNotes
The flight is estimated to provide an
economic impact to Las Vegas of
$260,000 per flight or $96 million
annually. The flight will depart daily
from Heathrow at 3:35 p.m., arriving
in Las Vegas at 7:20 p.m. local time.
The return flight departs Las Vegas
nightly at 9:20 p.m. and arrives in London
the following day at 2:05 p.m.
Mobile Technology
• The Tempe CVB recently introduced
a new mobile Web site, www.exploretempe.mobi,
for users of handheld
device that feature Internet access. The
new site is a mobile-friendly version of
the Bureau’s primary Web site and was
designed specifically for on-the-go
information. While visitors are planning
a trip to Tempe, or once they’ve
arrived, they’ll have the ability to
access information about Tempe from
the palm of their hand. Mobile devices
are becoming increasingly integrated
into every day Web use. According to
Microsoft, by 2011 the average person’s
first experience with the Internet
will be on a mobile device. The new
mobile-friendly platform will make
accessing information about Tempe
quick, convenient and user-friendly for
travelers on the move. Developed by
mobiManage, the mobile site
offers users easy navigation and
faster page loading.
Photo Contests
• Sixteen area
photographers
took top honors
in the 2009
Eugene, Cascades
& Coast Photo
Contest sponsored
by Travel
Lane County.
Nearly $2,000 in prizes
was awarded to contest
winners within three
categories, including one
overall winner in the
junior division. Travel
Lane County invited photographers to
submit digital images online representing
the theme “Real Adventures. Real
Close.” The contest was open to
photographers of all skill levels. Photos
were judged on technical quality,
composition and overall representation
of adventure experiences found within
the borders of Lane County. For a look
at all the contest winners, go to www.
travellanecounty.org/photocontestwinners.
Research
• A survey of Phoenix hotels found
that the tax impact visitors have on the
City of Phoenix is substantial. Based
on a survey conducted by the Greater
Phoenix CVB, the results showed that
City of Phoenix hotels paid more than
$166 million in combined property and
sales taxes in 2008. Phoenix Mayor
Phil Gordon said the contribution of
the tourism industry “is important for
us all.” He noted, “Tens of thousands
of Arizona jobs are directly related to
tourism–the majority of them right
here in the Valley. But teachers, police
officers, fire fighters, utility companies
and bankers are no more than One
Degree of Separation from the tourism
industry. Because tax revenues generated
from the industry go toward our
schools, public safety, libraries, pools,
parks, and streets. Whether we know it
or not, we all have a direct stake in
tourism. It matters how many visitors
we get. It matters how many conventions
we host. It matters how many
meetings are scheduled for Phoenix
and the Valley. Whether you work at
the airport or at a flower shop 300
miles from the airport, you are one of
the Faces of Tourism.” Greater Phoenix
CVB President Steve Moore said
the survey the CVB conducted calculated
to a gross tax yield per hotel
room of more than $6,300.
“Hotel property taxes are
approximately 27 percent of
this total, or over $45 million.
This equates to $1,710 per
room, which is eight percent
greater than the median
Phoenix household
property tax, yet a
hotel room is much
smaller than a
house. When one
considers that a
visitor uses a
fraction of the
government services
provided to residents, this is a
great investment for the state,
county and city,” Moore said.
Sustainable Tourism
Santa Cruz County CVC staff and the
Santa Cruz Mayor were among 200
industry professionals who participated
in the inaugural California Sustainable
Tourism Summit at Asilomar Con-