Create a BuzzVisit Spokane

2016 Annual Report

2016 BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Thank you to our funding partners: Spokane County, the cities of Liberty Lake, Spokane, Spokane Valley and the Spokane Public Facilities District. We would especially like to thank our Legacy Partner,

Northern Quest Resort & Casino; our Diamond Partners, DoubleTree by Hilton Spokane City Center, Hotel RL Spokane at the Park, Spokane Airports, Washington Trust Bank; Platinum Partner, Ruby

Hospitality and Gold Partners, Best Western PLUS City Center, Coeur d’Alene Casino Resort, Gonzaga University-Campus Services, Holiday Inn Spokane Airport, Itron, Nordstrom, River Park Square,

The Spokesman-Review and U.S. Bank of Spokane.

Jody Sander, ChairSterling Hospitality

Bryn West, Vice ChairRiver Park Square

Paul Read, TreasurerJournal of Business

Cheryl Y. Kilday, CDME, SecretaryVisit Spokane

Joyce M. CameronProvidence Health Care Foundation

Matt JensenDavenport Hotels

Brooke KienerSpokane Arts Fund

Greg LipskerBarrister Winery

Shelly O’QuinnSpokane County Commission

Meg MillerNorthern Quest Resort & Casino

Stephen B. PohlNAI Black

Jan Quintrall

Greg RepettiValley Hospital

Rhosetta RhodesWhitworth University

Andy RooneyMirabeau Park Hotel & Convention Center

Rita SantillanesBest Western Peppertree Airport Inn

Karen StrattonSpokane City Council

Kevin J. Twohig, CFESpokane Public Facilities District

Mayor Steve PetersonCity of Liberty Lake

Mayor Rod HigginsCity of Spokane Valley

DESTINATION BRAND COUNCILAfter Visit Spokane conducted the inaugural 2015 brand summit, we created a Brand Council comprised of organizations and businesses engaged in marketing the region for business relocation, academic recruitment, job growth, visitation, etc. Some 2016 highlights as the Council worked to create a regional brand identity:

• Conducted research with stakeholders, consumers and meeting planners • Developed foundational idea and story premise for the Spokane region, encompassing brand values, personality, and the basis for a narrative about the region and tested concepts with consumers and meeting planners

What’s next? 2017 will mark the completion of the regional brand’s visual expression, and a tagline connecting the idea and story to the visual presentation. The Brand Council will build support and awareness for the brand idea and expression before the launch in late August.

VISITSPOKANE.COM | #visitspokane

Dear Partners,

On behalf of the Visit Spokane Board of Directors and all those who participate with and support us, it is our pleasure to share the 2016 Visit Spokane Annual Report. This report highlights program achievements of the past year, including key performance indicators and activities that drive program successes. These programs fulfill our responsibilities to our member/partners, funding partners, stakeholders, and the promises we made to our visitors.

The financial data is impressive, and a great indication of the community’s “can do” collaborative spirit.

• Overall, visitors spent $995 million in 2016, a $48 million increase over the previous year• Visit Spokane directly touched $240 million in estimated economic impact from meetings and convention attendees as well as leisure travelers• Visit Spokane influenced visitation through marketing, advertising and public relations that resulted in visitor spending of more than $367 million

We will remember 2016 as a good year for both leisure travel and meetings and conventions. And while we highlight the past successes, we remain focused on the opportunities and challenges ahead of us. We are working to update our key performance indicators and goals, we are updating our strategic plans, and we continue to concentrate on city wide conventions while also recruiting self-contained meetings. We are working to expand leisure travel to the region, and we will be launching a new brand position that will support our new marketing initiatives.

We will continue to engage our industry partners and share in the opportunities that we believe will lead to regional prosperity.

Cheryl Y. Kilday, CDMEPresident & CEO

2016 VISIT SPOKANEPROGRAM BUDGET

REVENUETotal $5,036,121

EXPENSESTotal $4,484,118

Convention Sales, Services & Marketing

$1,809,456

Admin/IT$840,063

Leisure Mkt/Consumer/

Visitor Services$1,445,618

Membership$388,982

Lodging Tax$1,938,724

Private$845,771

TPA$2,251,626

Lodging Tax City of Spokane/PFD $1,765,074City of Spokane Valley $163,650City of Liberty Lake $10,000

• Launched VisitSpokane.com responsive website• Visitor Enews – 21% open rate (national average – 20.78%); click through rate – 3.15% (national average – 2.37%)

• Created five virtual reality experiences, and a downtown convention

center augmented reality platform for strategic sales initiatives

• Produced 21 destination videos for promotional use

• Members’ $356,733 financial investment supported overall marketing and programming, including enabling Visit Spokane to participate in activities restricted funds do not allow

• Membership listings on VisitSpokane.com had 1,477,177 views and 115,966 click-throughs

• VisitSpokane.com advertisers saw 3,161,133 impressions and 15,696 click throughs -- .50% CTR (national average - .10% CTR)

• Member/partner retention rate - 95.39%

• 1,392 partner referrals to local businesses

• Assisted an average of 80 unique conferences a month, representing a

combined 359,709 attendees

• River Park Square kiosk - 33,144 visitors assisted; Spokane International Airport kiosk - 12,500 visitors assisted; 45,644 total

• Points of origin: Eastern Washington, Western Washington, California,

Oregon, Alberta Canada, Idaho, Montana, British Columbia Canada; after Canada, most international visitors origin - Germany

CONVENTION SERVICES

VISITOR SERVICES

BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT

DESTINATION MARKETING

• 80 site visits, four familiarization tours, two destination reviews

• 79,963 definite future room nights booked with an estimated $136,610,004

in visitor spending

• 379,358 potential lead room nights generated with an estimated

$532,855,179 in visitor spending

• 37 industry trade shows, in-market client events and sales

missions connecting with a combined total of 1,120 group planners

59,032 62,25479,963

CONVENTION SALESHELLO

• Ace, the mobile visitor information center, attended 20 events within the Spokane region, connecting with 4,505 visitors and locals

• Ace traveled to Seattle Seafair and the National Lentil Festival in Pullman

and connected with more than 730 prospective visitors

• Exhibited at five US and Canada golf shows, promoting destination to

potential visitors

LEISURE SALES

VISITOR SPENDING & TRAVEL IMPACT

Total Followers 38,700