2019 Annual Report

ANN UAL R E P O R T

20 19

Released: July 2020

CONT ENTS 2019 Annual Report

Agency Overview

01

Messages from the President & Board Chair

03

Mission, Vision, Goals, Values & Diversity Inclusion Statement

04

Financial Overview

Departmental Review

07

Sales

09

Marketing

Corporate Outlook

11

Strategic Goals & Partnerships

12

Board of Directors & Advisory Committee

3

Message from the President & CEO First, a heartfelt thank you to the dedicated and committed members of the Visit Jackson Board of Directors; their support and direction during the past year has been the foundation of your destination leadership organization’s (DLOs) growth.

I would also like to thank members of our Advisory Committees and those stakeholders that participated in focus groups and surveys. Your involvement has helped us execute and complete a true strategic planning process that will lead us into the future. Collective ambition will undergird our united successes.

Typically, annual reports are documents submitted to government agencies to help keep records of corporate activity and agency modifications. You will note that our FY2019 Annual Report varies from previous Visit Jackson annual reports.

This report will focus on highlights from last year’s goals, our activities, key performance indicators, and value propositions.

This report represents significant growth. Our Board and strategic plan have established our goals for the next five-years. While the impact of environmental conditions will influence some sense of fluidity, our sights are set on supporting a Tourism Industry that is destined for evolution.

Rickey L. Thigpen, MSL President & CEO Visit Jackson

1

2019 Annual Report

Fiscal 2019 was a year steeped in adjusting our practices to embrace industry best-practices better, solidify our positioning, and value to stakeholders. As we move forward, you will note a higher focus on research analytics and a formal introduction of our community shared value strategy and tourism lexicon work.

I believe that what gets measured, gets done. With that in mind, we were proud to have implemented the industry standard Event Impact Calculator (EIC) this past year.

Message from the Board Chair Fiscal 2019 was a record year for Tourism Economic Vitality in Jackson, Mississippi.

The Visit Jackson Board spent the better part of FY2018 developing a new strategic direction for Jackson’s destination leadership organization. This retrospective preparation has established a launchpad for FY2019 that welcomed new agency leadership coupled with an opportunity for me to serve as Board Chair. This practically new Board encompasses new talent, new goals, new strategies, a new culture, and attitude.

2019 Annual Report

I am proud of the accomplishments that our collective resources have realized in such a short timeframe. While ever-changing external environmental forces will require our Board’s lens to be insightful and fluid, the commitment of this governing authority provides a broad bandwidth that will prepare us for future challenges.

As you examine the pages of this report, I hope that you join me in the pride associated with being a Jacksonian and a new realization of the potential of the tourism product of “MY CITY.” On behalf of the entire Visit Jackson Board of Directors, thank you for your engagement and support of our hospitality industry.

Carol Burger Board Chair Visit Jackson

2

Mission

To attract, promote and facilitate tourism to and with our market.

Goal The overall goal of Visit Jackson is to cause major economic impact for Jackson through programs designed to identify, attract and service conventions and meetings, trade shows, group tours, sporting events, and consumer travelers, while cultivating relationships with stakeholders, the value of citizen contributions, and the collective quality of life of the destination.

Vision

Values Integrity

Collaboration

We are fair, honest and transparent, inspiring trust in others.

We respect, nurture, support and empower one another.

Passion

We uphold the spirit of our community; the goal of our organization, and we are committed to making our jobs and the jobs of our co-workers’ fun on a consistent basis.

Respect

We respect and understand the importance of our bureau’s mission, take pride in being an integral part of its success, and are committed to aggressively upholding the principles of diversity, inclusion and hospitality.

Diversity Inclusion Statement Visit Jackson is fiercely committed to reflecting and upholding the value of diversity of thought, culture, and lifestyles that is inherent in the Jackson community. We are dedicated to practicing radical inclusion and believe that a plurality of ideas and experiences shaped around civil dialogue and equitable outreach is the driving and consistent force that makes Jackson a great destination and a great city.

3

2019 Annual Report

To be recognized and respected as an innovative destination marketing organization that sustainably achieves economic vitality and success through the constant, complete, and fully committed practice of our shared values in the promotion of Jackson, Mississippi, as a world-class destination city.

Financial Overview

Restaurant & Occupancy Revenue $3,137,645 $3,665,371

$527,726

42% Personnel | 1,506,406 28% Funding | 1,010,062 13% Advertising | 465,759 11% Operations | 393,000 6% Sales | 204,151 5% Marketing | 176,639 2019 Annual Report

2% Travel | 74,782

FY 2018 Expenditures

3,830,799

39% Personnel | 1,434,334 32% Funding | 1,169,849 13% Advertising | 487,276 12% Operations | 445,772 6% Sales | 215,892 5% Marketing | 193,123 3% Travel | 106,433

FY 2019 Expenditures

4,052,679 *Visit Jackson budgeted for a deficit for FY 2018 and 2019. Thus, resulting in expenditures exceeding revenues so percentages do not total 100.

4

Inquiries by State

2019 Annual Report

From October 1, 2018 to September 30, 2019, the Bureau had over 5K inquiries; which resulted in 10K items requested, within the United States.

Tourism Spend Visit Jackson’s support of events & meetings prompted $88.4 million in total tourism spend which generated over $151.7 million in economic impact

Return on Operating Cost 22% (visitor spend generate by cvb efforts/ total dmo operating cost = 88m/4m)

Direct Tourism Spending (compared to state & fed)

5

Local

MS

Federal

88.4 million

9.1 billion

$1.1 trillion

Tourism Tax Revenue

Tourism Payroll

Total tax revenue generated by Jackson Tourism: $25.5 million

Total Tourism Payroll in Jackson: $42 million

Wages shared by workers directly employed by travel:

$3M

Local Tax Total MS Tax Total

(compared to state & fed)

$9.6M

Local: $25 million MS: $2.9 billion Federal: $277.4 billion

$12.7M

Federal Tax Total 0

4

8

12 Millions

Tourism offset local property tax by $3.6 million

Tax Return on Total DMO Public Funding = 7% 2019 Annual Report

(Total tax produced by visitor spend/cvb revenue = 25.5m/3.7m = 7%)

Total tax revenue generated by travel spending for federal, state & local governments:

Local Tourism

$25.5M MS Tourism

$1.2B Federal Tourism

$179.7B

6

Sales Number of Events Room Nights Booked Attendance

2018

2019

317

304

34,411

45,480

615,881

793,343

56.7%

58.5%

$80.00

$80.11

DATA from STR Report: Occupancy Average Daily Rate (ADR)

Religious

5,965

4,040

Association

3,105

6,291

860

2,578

Sports

13,970

17,485

Equine

4,800

6,195

Education

2,937

3,159

Corporate

987

1,636

Reunions

500

600

618

721

Multicultural

0

100

International Tours

0

36

34,137

44,741

Fraternal

Group Tour

TOTAL

7

15,000

1,900

10,000

395

Government

5,000

2019

0

2018

20,000

Room Nights by Markets 2018 & 2019

International Tour Visitation

2018 United States

2018

2019

2018 & 2019

3,477

2019

3,298 8

Marketing Websites Web Traffic: Overall visitjackson.com Sessions – up 37.33% Users – up 35.64% Pageviews – up 26.21% Web Traffic: Target Markets visitjackson.com Atlanta – up 266.41% Memphis – up 86.56% New Orleans – up 75.38% Dallas – up 18.99% Birmingham – up 101.87% Web Traffic: Meetings Page visitjackson.com Pageviews – up 219.10% Unique pageviews – up 205.88% 2019 Annual Report

Web Traffic: Overall JXN.MS Sessions – up 33.22% Users – up 32.85% Pageviews – up 57.83% Web Traffic: Overall SippJackson.com Sessions – up 46.08% Users – up 49.21% Pageviews – up 30.16%

Social Media Facebook – City With Soul Fans – up 16.00% Impressions – down 10.16% Engagement – up 5.27%

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Twitter – City With Soul Followers – up 3.27% Impressions – down 12.58% Engagement – up 2.46%

YouTube – City With Soul Views – up 170.86% Watch Time – up 154.55%

Instagram – City With Soul Followers – up 42.52% Impressions – up 80.56% Engagement – up 53.88%

Influencer Campaigns Audience Reach – up 11.11% Impressions – up 34.55% Engagements – up 500.82%

Communications E-mail Marketing Sends – down 38.18% Open Rate – up 26.09% Click Rate – down 11.76%

2019 Annual Report

Media Appointments – up 46.67%

10

2020 Strategic Goals 1.

Educate stakeholders of purpose of a DMO/DOO

3. Create Jackson Metropolitan Tourism Association 4. Support conference hotel adjacent to JCC 5. Focus on importing one main attraction

Strategic Partners

11

2019 Annual Report

2. Build proponents of Visit Jackson in the community

FY 2019-20 Board of Directors

Carol J. Burger Business Community Chair Susan Branson Attractions

Blake Brennan Restaurant Community

2019 Annual Report

Mike Burton Hotel Community

Shawn Cochran Hotel Community Monique Davis Education

Pamela Junior Arts John Miller At-Large

Al Rojas Jackson Convention Complex General Manager Enrika Williams Restaurant Community

12

308 E. Pearl Street, Suite 301 Jackson, MS 39201 1.800.354.7695 | 601.960.1827 Fax visitjackson.com