Springfield CVB FY 2022/2023 Annual Report

FISCAL YEAR 2022/2023

ANNUAL REPORT

SPRINGFIELD CONVENTION & VISITORS BUREAU

FY 2022/2023 SPRINGFIELD CVB SPRINGFIELD BOARD OF DIRECTORS CVB STAFF EXECUTIVE BOARD MEMBERS Joe Wadkins, Chair DoubleTree by Hilton Springfield

Bill Hobbs, Vice Chair Elliott Properties, Ltd.

Callie Linville, Treasurer City Utilities

Laura Head Elliott, Assistant Treasurer

Bass Pro Shops/Wonders of Wildlife/Big Cedar Lodge

Amy Austin, Past Chair

ADMINISTRATION GROUP SALES Mark Hecquet

Director of Sales

Tonia Castaneda

Melissa Martelli

Director of Finance & Administration

Jennifer Holt

Executive Assistant

Shelly Grauberger

Visitor Services Manager

Jennifer Daniels

Visitor Services Associate

Tracy Sullivan

Visitor Services Associate

BOARD MEMBERS

Connor Shanley

Visitor Services Associate

Bob Belote

Springfield-Greene County Park Board

Brad Beattie

Springfield Cardinals

Brian Hammons

Hammons Products Co.

Collin Quigley

City of Springfield

Darline Mabins

Multi-Cultural Business Association

Matt Morrow, Chamber Representative Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce

Missy Handyside

MARKETING Megan Buchbinder Director of Marketing

Michael Rose

Marketing Manager

Susan Wade

Public Relations Manager

Madison Yohn

Content Coordinator

Ashley Clair

Partner Development Manager

Nancy Riggs, Chamber Representative

Lori Casey

Shelley Copeland, SHLA Representative

Jane Rips

Tim Rosenbury

Pam Girardot

Holiday Inn Express & Suites Springfield Medical District City of Springfield

Sales Manager

Lisa Perez

Sales Manager

Carrie Chavez

Event Services Manager

SPRINGFIELD SPORTS COMMISSION Lance Kettering Executive Director

Oasis Hotel & Convention Center Penmac Staffing Services, Inc.

Dana Maugans

President/CEO

Advertising Sales Specialist Advertising Sales Specialist Admin/Marketing Assistant

Katie Johnson

Director of Local Strategies & Events

A LETTER FROM OUR BOARD CHAIR I am pleased and honored to present the Annual Report for the Fiscal Year 2022/2023 on behalf of the Springfield Convention & Visitors Bureau. The past year has been a wonderful journey filled with notable achievements and significant milestones that have propelled our organization forward.

One of the most pivotal events of this year was the transition in leadership, marking the first change in this capacity in over 35 years. In January, we welcomed our new President and CEO, Mr. Mark Hecquet, whose leadership and vision have already begun to shape our future endeavors.

Our innovative marketing campaigns and strategic collaborations have effectively engaged our target audiences, resulting in an impressive $1.91 return on investment, underscoring the effectiveness of our initiatives.

The proactive approach of our sales team has continued to yield substantial economic benefits for our community, with over 140 groups hosted this year, resulting in more than 73,000 room nights.

Furthermore, we have secured commitments for the future, anticipating an additional 40,000 room nights and an economic impact exceeding $20 million.

We committed financial support to key tourism development projects, including the Wilson Logistics Arena, Cooper Park and Kilian Softball Complex, and the Chadwick Flyer Trail, all of which will contribute to the enhancement of our region’s tourism infrastructure.

Reflecting on this transformational year for the SCVB, I am even more enthusiastic about what lies ahead. With new leadership at the helm, a highly engaged team, and a clear strategic direction, I am not only excited for the future of our organization but also for the prosperity of our entire tourism community.

In conclusion, I extend my sincere gratitude to each member of our board and staff for their invaluable contributions. Together, we have achieved remarkable results, and together, we shall continue to elevate Springfield as an exceptional destination for all.

Warm Regards, Joe Wadkins, Board Chair

WELCOMED 250 GUESTS to celebrate the industry at rebranded annual event, Toast to Tourism.

13,420 visited the ROUTE 66 VISITOR CENTER and the AIRPORT VISITOR CENTER

Springfield Sports Commission hosted the National Christian HomeSchool Basketball Championships, bringing in

NEW INSTAGRAM FOLLOWERS

stayed overnight with 57% of visitors being from out-of-state

WITH A REACH OF

TikTok Followers & 3M Video Views

Group Sales Efforts resulted in in website traffic from the previous year

in economic impact

The Springfield Sports Commission started the

ESPORTS COALITION to grow Springfield into an ESports destination.

Printed and distributed

100,000 COPIES

of the reimagined Springfield Area Guide in partnership with 417 Magazine.

140 Groups Visited Springfield resulting in

Missouri Future Business Leaders of America brought

$1.9 MILLION IN ECONOMIC IMPACT in April 2023

Hosted first-ever CVB Connections event bringing together

50+ CITY & INDUSTRY LEADERS

Ozarks Coffee Trail grew from 19 participating locations to

Served through digital campaigns

Produced over 180 videos across TikTok and Instagram gaining

MARKETING FY 2022/2023 brought a lot of growth in the engagement with the marketing and content campaigns deployed throughout the year. With the additional grant funding from the Missouri Division of Tourism and cooperative marketing campaigns with area attractions and partners, the additional dollars added to the advertising spend allowed the strategy to saturate target markets and resonate with audiences.

DIGITAL LEISURE CAMPAIGN PERFORMANCE 124M+ Impressions 1.5M+ Clicks 375,000+ Video views

SEM CAMPAIGN 3.4M+ Impressions 226,000+ Clicks 6.53% CTR

WEBSITE TRAFFIC 1.8 MILLION Users 4.1 MILLION Pageviews

HAMILTON TICKET GIVEAWAY CONTEST 630,000+ Impressions 6,000+ Clicks 750+ Entries

BASS PRO SHOPS COOPERATIVE MARKETING CAMPAIGN 6.5M+ Impressions 350,000+ Clicks 340,000+ Video views

SPRINGFIELD CARDINALS COOPERATIVE MARKETING CAMPAIGN 2.4M+ Impressions 23,000+ Clicks 10,000+ Video views

OZARKS TAP & POUR TOUR 17% Growth in partner participation 43% Increase in pass sign-ups 18% Increase in check-ins

OZARKS COFFEE TRAIL 38% Growth in partner participation 31% Increase in pass sign-ups 32% Increase in check-ins

SPRINGFIELD CONVENTION & VISITORS BUREAU ADVERTISING GENERATES… in the local economy

TRIPS PER YEAR

IN TRAVEL SPENDING

spent on advertising

DIGITAL PERFORMANCE This year, an emphasis was placed on developing rich, video and itinerary-based content. Due to this refined approach, the LoveSpringfield social media accounts and dedicated blog content on SpringfieldMO.org saw record engagement and growth.

SOCIAL MEDIA CHANNELS 138,000+ Facebook Followers/Likes (6% growth) 50,000+ Instagram Followers (39% growth) 16,000+ TikTok Followers (89% growth)

12,959,709 Facebook Reach for FY23 1,635,468 Instagram Reach for FY23

PRODUCED OVER 180 VIDEOS ACROSS TIKTOK AND INSTAGRAM WITH 8 MILLION+ VIDEO VIEWS BLOGS 104 Blogs published 669,000+ Page views to blogs #1 BLOG WAS HIDDEN GEMS AND WAS VIEWED OVER 50,000 TIMES.

EMAIL NEWSLETTER 13,000+ Subscribers 32.7% Average open rate 2.5% Average CTR

PUBLIC RELATIONS

ARTICLE HIGHLIGHTS MSN Travel

In FY 2022/2023, the CVB’s strategic communication, media engagement and stakeholder involvement enhanced the city’s attraction to visitors and invigorated the local economy. With particular emphasis on generating articles from content creators, the PR efforts of the CVB have the power to propel hidden gems into tourist hotspots and elevate the city of Springfield as a premier travel destination.

PUBLIC RELATIONS STATS Articles Generated: 91 Content Creators Hosted: 11 Total Unique Visitors Per Month: 73.5M+

ARTICLE HIGHLIGHTS Little Family Adventure Blog

St. Louis Dispatch

SALES

The Springfield CVB Group Sales team alongside the Springfield Area Sports Commission achieved remarkable success throughout FY 2022/2023.

Through innovative strategies and unwavering dedication, they’ve secured significant bookings and partnerships and established long-standing connections, showcasing their pivotal role in curating exceptional travel experiences to Springfield.

GROUP & SPORTING EVENTS HOSTED IN FY 2022/2023 140 Groups 73,000 Room Nights 225,000 Attendees $30M Impact

EVENT SERVICES PROVIDED FOR GROUPS AND SPORTS IN FY 2022/2023 131 Groups 70,000 Room Nights 220,000 Attendees

HIGHLIGHTS NATIONAL GAS RODEO

$500,000 ECONOMIC IMPACT • 1,200 room nights • September 2023

NATIONAL CHRISTIAN HOMESCHOOL BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIPS

MSHSAA BOYS & GIRLS BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIPS CLASS 1-6

$3.2 MILLION ECONOMIC IMPACT • 48 teams • 900 athletes & coaches • Over 35,000 spectators • March 2023

$4.8 MILLION ECONOMIC IMPACT • 350 teams • 3,250 athletes • 10,000 spectators • 8,000-10,000 room nights • March 2023

USA PICKLEBALL MIDDLE STATES REGIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS

$383,000 ECONOMIC IMPACT • 425 athletes • June 2023

MSHSAA BASEBALL CHAMPIONSHIPS

$665,000 ECONOMIC IMPACT

• 24 teams • 600 athletes & coaches • Over 11,000 spectators • March 2023

HIGHLIGHTS CONT. MISSOURI FUTURE BUSINESS LEADERS OF AMERICA

$1.9 MILLION ECONOMIC IMPACT • 3,200 room nights • April 2023

MID AMERICA STREET ROD NATIONALS

$1 MILLION ECONOMIC IMPACT • 2,000 room nights • May 2023

LOOKING FORWARD FUTURE GROUP SALES & SPORTS BOOKING

$20 MILLION ECONOMIC IMPACT • 80 Groups • 40,000 Room Nights • 79,000 Attendees

FUTURE GROUP SALES & SPORTS ASSIST BOOKINGS • 63 Groups • 23,000 Room Nights • 97,000 Attendees

FUTURE GROUPS BOOKED HIGHLIGHTS Doberman Pinscher Club of America

$416,000 ECONOMIC IMPACT 1,650 room nights September 2023

Missouri USA Wrestling - Rookies / 6U

$499,000 ECONOMIC IMPACT

SITE VISITS HOSTED

1,100 athletes January 2024

USA BMX Show Me State Indoor Nationals

$1.2 MILLION ECONOMIC IMPACT 3,000 room nights 1,100 athletes March 2024

Missouri USA - State Wrestling Championship

EVENT PLANNER TRADE SHOWS ATTENDED

$895,000 ECONOMIC IMPACT 2,000 room nights 1,400 athletes March 2024

Missouri USA Wrestling - Greco & Freestyle

$393,000 ECONOMIC IMPACT 1,000 athletes May 2024

LOCAL CONVENTION COOP CAMPAIGN A $30,000 digital ad campaign was executed with three convention hotel partners.

101st Airborne Division Association

$246,000 ECONOMIC IMPACT 900 room nights August 2024

American Baptist Association

$655,000 ECONOMIC IMPACT 1,300 room nights June 2025

VISITOR EXPERIENCE In FY 2022/2023, the CVB embraced innovation to weave unforgettable experiences for those journeying to our destination. The iconic Route 66 Visitor Center witnessed a surge of visitation where visitors were met with updated displays and unmatched hospitality from a growing team while staffed hours at the Airport Visitor Center increased to welcome more of the 1 Million+ passengers throughout the year.

ROUTE 66 VISITOR CENTER 11% Increase in visitation 7,000+ total visitors from 28 COUNTRIES TOP COUNTRIES VISITED 1. UK 2. France 3. Spain

4. Germany 5. Italy

51% Growth of Souvenir Sales,

surpassing the goal by 30%

CVB VOLUNTEERS OVER 3,000 Hours of service

logged by 15 volunteers

COMMUNITY AND HOSPITALITY EVENTS Welcomed visitors and distributed information at

7 EVENTS throughout the year

AIRPORT VISITOR CENTER Added a part-time Visitor Services Associate position to

EXPAND HOURS OF COVERAGE 107% Increase in visitor count 1,178,434 PASSENGERS

(Enplaned and Deplaned)

CELEBRATED NATIONAL TRAVEL & TOURISM WEEK

at the Route 66 Visitor Center Participated in the City of

Springfield’s CLEAN GREEN

SPRINGFIELD INITIATIVE

Welcomed visitors to the

BIRTHPLACE OF ROUTE 66 FESTIVAL

PARTNER DEVELOPMENT Collaborative relationships with local businesses, tourism stakeholders and community organizations not only amplify the CVB’s promotional efforts but also foster a cohesive and holistic visitor experience. The partner development team plays a pivotal role by nurturing strong partner relationships and generating additional revenue for the organization that is vital to the success of the organization’s mission.

PARTNER HIGHLIGHTS 373 Partners $338,615 Partner Revenue 17% Increase in partnerships with area businesses

6% Overall revenue growth 15% Growth in digital

and social media revenue

FINANCE In FY 2022/2023, the CVB met their expense budget and exceeded revenue projections. Highlights of the year included over $2.5 million dedicated to leisure, sports, and convention marketing and $289,575 given to the Ozarks Empire Fairgrounds to be used as ARPA matching funds for the new multi-purpose arena.

FY 2022/2023 REVENUES Estimated* revenue is $4,810,928, exceeding the budgeted amount by over $108,000.

66.4%

Room Tax Revenue

11.9%

Treasurer’s Fund

2.5%

Other Revenue

6.3%

Advertising Revenue

12.8%

Cooperative Marketing Revenue

FY 2022/2023 EXPENSES Expenses total $4,683,173, coming in at $18,876 under budget for the year.

37.5%

Administrative

1.7%

Travel & Training

1.3%

Research & Development

43.6%

Advertising

1.6%

Public Relations

14.2%

Marketing Initiatives

*Estimated amounts represent anticipated totals that are subject to change as the City of Springfield wraps up its FY23 Adjusted accounting period.

ANNUAL ROOM TAX $4,000,000

$3,000,000

$2,000,000

$1,000,000

$0

FY14 FY15 FY16 FY17 FY18 FY19 FY20 FY21 FY22 FY23

COMMUNITY IMPACT

LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES HOTEL/MOTEL TAX BALLOT INITIATIVE

TOURISM SPENDING IN GREENE COUNTY

are employed in the hospitality industry in Springfield

10%

In April 2023 a ballot initiative was passed to include short-term rentals in the hotel/motel tax as well as increase the funding for arts and sports initiatives that would benefit the tourism industry for our city. The Springfield CVB was a leader in educating the community regarding the long-term benefits this ballot initiative would have for the city.

ARPA FUNDING SUPPORT

of the city’s civilian labor force The Springfield CVB pledged financial support to the City’s main ARPA projects that will positively impact the growth and development of tourism to our area.

Those projects included:

TOTAL COUNTY SALES TAX GENERATED

OZARK EMPIRE FAIRGROUNDS ARENA COOPER/KILLIAN PARK: SOCCER SOFTBALL AND BASEBALL COMPLEXES

GENERATED HOTEL REVENUE *Tourism Economics

CHADWICK FLYER TRAIL

FY 2022/2023 SPRINGFIELD, MO VISITOR PROFILE VISITOR BREAKDOWN

TOP 3 IN-STATE CITIES Kansas City

MO DAY TRIP VISITORS

St. Louis

Joplin

OVERNIGHT VISITORS

TOP 5 STATES • Arkansas • Oklahoma • Kansas • Texas • Illinois

IL MO

KS 2

TOP 5 CITIES

4

Northwest Arkansas (Bentonville, Fayetteville, Springdale) 2 Tulsa, OK 3 Little Rock, AR 4 Oklahoma City, OK 5 Dallas, TX

OK

1 3

AR

1

5

TX

OF VISITORS TRAVEL FROM 100-200 MILES AWAY

AVERAGE LENGTH OF STAY AVERAGE NUMBER OF TRIPS

TOP POINTS OF INTEREST IN SPRINGFIELD TO A VISITOR Bass Pro Shops Battlefield Mall Downtown Springfield Galloway District Wonders of Wildlife National Museum & Aquarium

VISITOR TRAVEL INTENT BREAKDOWN 33% Leisure 50% Business 12% Groups 3% Sports 2% Other

Springfield Convention & Visitors Bureau 815 E St Louis St Springfield, MO 65806 SPRINGFIELDMO.ORG