Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout02/18/2025 05.B. Yakima Valley Tourism 2024 Annual Report and 2025 updateItem No. 5.B. For Meeting of: February 18, 2025 ITEM TITLE:Yakima Valley Tourism 2024 Annual Report and 2025 update SUBMITTED BY:Vicki Baker, City Manager BUSINESS OF THE CITY COUNCIL YAKIMA, WASHINGTON AGENDA STATEMENT SUMMARY EXPLANATION: John Cooper, President & CEO of Yakima Valley Tourism, will present the 2024 annual report and 2025 update. ITEM BUDGETED: N/A STRATEGIC PRIORITY 24-25: A Thriving Yakima RECOMMENDATION: ATTACHMENTS: Yakima Valley Tourism Annual Report and Update 2025.pdf 5 6 January 2025 7 Yakima Convention & Event Center 8 Convention and Meetings Marketing 9 Media & Travel Trade Met with 139 tour operators and travel writers 10 Sports Commission •31 WIAA State Championships held •Five signature events for visitors and residents 11 Marketing & Promotions 12 Marketing & Promotions 13 Best Wine Region in USA 20 Wine Regions, 10 finalists, Yakima Valley voted #1 in USA!14 Membership & Industry Provided workshops, industry training and online learning plus sent 24 e-newsletters 284 member businesses 15 Certified training program for front line staff, managers and volunteers 16 Visitor Services 17 Sample of What’s Up in 2025 •Develop innovative tourism products. •Utilize pop-up booth at events to inform community about attractions, etc. •Continue projects for the Convention Center like parking & improved lodging. •Expand relationships with sporting groups, venues and directors to bring events. •Stage events for meeting planners to attract more conventions. 18 Sample of What’s Up in 2025 •Develop tailored pitches to travel media and content creators. •Secure travel and lifestyle coverage of the Yakima Valley in a variety of media outlets. •Foster industry partnerships and collaborations. •Provide training and support to businesses. •Specific efforts to assist craft beverage industry. 19 Taste Washington Grand Tasting March 15-16 •Lumen Field Event Center •Feature “best” of Valley wines •Chef Dan of Crafted in our booth serving tasty bites 20 2025 Official Travel Guide Out! 21 Thank You 22 ©istr but d at Meeting: item#5B Tourism is a vital and growing segment of the economy in Yakima County. It enhances our quality of life by supporting small businesses and generating tax revenue that funds essential public services such as parks, roads, social programs and public safety. The most recent data shows: Nearly 2.5 million visits came to Yakima County 500,000 room nights are attributed to visitors Travelers spent $397 million in Yakima County $51.6 million in state and local tax revenue generated Visitors support 5,145 jobs for our residents Working with our partners, communities and businesses, we advanced our mission to strengthen the tourism economy, support small businesses and serve our residents. LINDA DILEMBO JOHN COOPER YVT Board Chair President B CEO HIGHLIGHT USA TODAY A VAIN-1' One of the most exciting moments of 2024 came in late July when the Yakima Valley was selected as the Best Wine Region in USA TODAY's Readers' Choice Awards out of twenty competing wine regions. Yakima Valley Tourism organized a campaign encouraging the public to vote for the designation. The award is a testament to our local wine industry and community. YAKIMA CONVENTION & EVENT CENTER The Yakima Convention & Event Center is the premier meeting and event facility in Yakima and Central Washington. The facility generates significant economic activity for Yakima while being a stunning showcase for the community. In 2024 the Center produced great increases in revenue, event days held, booking pace and attendance growth. In addition, we welcomed groups that had not met here for many years or have never been here, including Washington State Municipal Clerks, Administration of the Courts and the Association of County/City Information Systems, to name a few. The Center received very high accolades on service and the quality of the facility. Maintaining the facility's quality is crucial for its success. The restrooms originally built in the 1997 expansion were fully renovated to align with the upgrades from the recent expansion. Additionally, the audio/visual and sound systems in the Kathy Coffey South Ballroom were completely overhauled, ensuring this space matches the high standards of the rest of the building. na9er,.:.:.. :.......;:.: a tn State Dein° is > us t wanted to thankto ��.u:an.., .:,..a.rt +�Xtnd'a.: eafor; all : the greatsupport youoffered ea at our y event to work ,wit d° this weekend. request.a.:h ...d: *::truly�:went .... ae nd::oe�r staff �..'pgat.:.had �� extremelyresponsive s .t� any h ................�.. - ove and beyond. 2024 CONVENTION CENTER NUMBERS 20% increase over 2023 23% increase over 2023 10% increase over2023 CONVENTION & GROUP SALES Recruiting and serving the needs of conventions, tradeshows and other events to our community is a major charge for Yakima Valley Tourism. CYNTHIA LYDUM, CMP Vice President of Global Accounts, Conference Direct I have spent years working for and with Destination Marketing Organizations and understand how valuable they are when selecting a destination and for support during the meeting. The team at Yakima Valley Tourism are true professionals and assist myself and my clients every step of the way. They really make the process of selecting their location and producing a meeting so easy! FORGING AHEAD With the Center expansion appealing to new and larger groups, 2024 was a solid year for meetings and events. Although some cancellations occurred, the conventions held, as well as those holding future dates, continue to grow. The sales department finished the year with strong lead generation. In April, the Convention Sales team hosted the Spring Client Event at the Tacoma Rainiers. Thirty- four meeting planners attended along with hotel partners, Sodexo Live! Catering and the Yakima Convention & Event Center team. MEDIA & TRAVEL TRADE Yakima Valley Tourism invites and hosts trade travel members for tours of Yakima and the Yakima Valley. We hosted several travel writers and social media influencers who explored hop and wine country, the outdoors, cultural events, our restaurants and farm fresh experiences. We secured media coverage through staff outreach, our public relations firm and past media visits. MEDIA COVERAGE Our efforts resulted in 97 print and digital features about Yakima and the Yakima Valley, with more than 3.6 billion in circulation and views. We built new relationships with social influencers, content creators and editorial partners to stay top -of -mind for future coverage and provided content and imagery to media and bloggers. EENTHUSIAST YI N E PAI R FOOD USA TODAY WINE 1 Best TRAVCPULSE TRAVEL TRADE In 2024 we promoted the community at US Travel's IPW Conference and the Travel & Words media conference. Staff met with 139 travel writers and tour operators to pitch stories about the Yakima Valley. In addition, we hosted our first podcaster, Allison Levine of the Wine Soundtrack (150,000 listeners globally), to interview ten different wine makers in our region and highlight our "Best Wine Region in the USA" accolade. We also hosted our first LGBTQ+ social media influencers (with more than 270k followers combined) to highlight diverse communities and groups in the Yakima Valley. YAKIMA VALLEY SPORTS COMMISSION Sports tourism is a driver of economic growth in the Yakima Valley. It generates financial benefits while raising the region's profile amongst the Pacific Northwest sports community. The Yakima Valley Sports Commission is committed to improving existing sporting events, attracting new ones and establishing the Yakima Valley as the leading sports destination in the Pacific Northwest. W AA PARTNERSHIP The Yakima Valley hosts numerous WIAA State Championships in several sports each school year. 31 WIAA State Championships events were held in our community in 2024. The newest WIAA event for the Yakima Valley, the 1 B, 2B and 1 A Boys and Girls Track & Field Championships, was held at Zaepfel Stadium, bringing in an estimated 1,630 athletes. The Sports Commission has a strong relationship with the WIAA and continues efforts to bring more WIAA State Championships to the Yakima Valley. SIGNATURE EVENTS The Sports Commission hosts several signature events to bring visitors to the Yakima Valley and serve the residents of our community. They include the Yakima Valley Sports Awards, the Dye Hard 5K, the Hot Shots 3-0n-3 Basketball Tourney, and the SunDome Volleyball Festival. In addition, staff partnered with a local lacrosse organization on the Duel in The Desert Lacrosse Tourney. For his years of service at the WIAA State Basketball Tournaments, the Sports Commission's Rich Austin received the Ed & Shirley Pepple Service Award by Washington Interscholastic Basketball Coaches Association (WIBCA).The honor is given to individuals who have made an exceptional positive contribution to high school boys basketball in Washington. In addition, Rich was recognized as Citizen of the Year by the Yakima Association of Realtors for his service to the community. The sports market continued to grow MILLION IN FUTURE EST. ECONOMIC IMPACT vleadin ° arts ific No MARKETING &PROMOTION 2024 was a year of evaluation and adapting as the travel industry, technology and consumer behaviors rapidly evolved. Our partnership with Datafy continues to provide integral insights into our unique visitation trends, revealing areas of opportunity. A growing partnership with TwoSix Digital has proven valuable in employing new digital solutions. NOTABLE ACHIEVEMENTS • VisitYakima.com saw a 15% engagement rate increase and 35% increase in pages viewed per session • 48% increase in social media impressions • 60% increase in VisitYakima.com traffic from bi-weekly email newsletter resulting from new content strategies • 132% increase in bi-weekly email newsletter open rate resulting from new email management strategies • 1,599,851 impressions generated by paid social campaign OPEN RATE INCREASE FOR EMAIL MARKETING n e r,Vnsivsie p roje t. .bc i ., +� fit � extensions .I , + ens tY �� �mmm: e site- .. ° wid ti at the userexperience and `zation:"performance dvelo �ent�n:.:.r..:..re n e itYakiiin fori a, o Asear '. e � : o ! unity :.opartnersand :hospitality collaborations remaineda.ktypriority. B0NNYSINE In 2024 we created and managed the websites, advertising and visitor guides for Sunnyside and Union Gap MEMBERSHIP SERVICES TOURISM AMBASSADOR PROGRAM We began developing the Yakima Valley Tourism Ambassador Program that will launch spring of 2025. It's an industry -recognized certification program that drives visitor spending through in-depth knowledge of the tourism product and aligning stakeholders to deliver a positive brand experience. EDUCATIONAL MARKETING SERIES We partnered with industry expert, April Reddout, to deliver a series of educational programs for craft beverage and related hospitality members. Each of the workshops was developed to help our industry partners drive consumer engagement and growth. Key topics included the power of tours and ag experiences, building your experiences and events portfolio and marketing. BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES At year-end, Yakima Valley Tourism proudly counted 284 businesses and organizations as members that included restaurants, hotels, attractions, wineries and breweries, community organizations and more. Together, we collaborated to enhance tourism across the Yakima Valley. Members were kept informed about tourism news and opportunities through 24 e-newsletters. The popular Yakima Valley Official Travel GuideTM and Yakima Area Map will return in 2025 with new featured listings, updated text and refreshed photos. VISITOR SERVICES Visitor information centers (VICs) have a proven record of serving visitors and inspiring them to extend their stays. They are also a vital resource for residents. (ZAPS sFe jj�f JOKES This year we leaned into new areas for our visitor service outreach. The main visitor center on Fair Avenue was open Tuesdays through Saturdays year-round. Our second location at Valley Mall was re -focused on info distribution and restarted mid- year with service Thursdays through Sundays. Pop- up booths at special events allowed us to reach more visitors and locals. We partnered with local arts and cultural attractions and groups to work the Farmer's Market booth, giving them exposure to the market visitors. ER ON ricre4a OPLE SERVED.: IY PHONE, E AI VeII" WHAT'S IN STORE FOR 2025 Here are key highlights from our 2025 Business Plan focused on boosting tourism and enhancing our community: YAKIMA VALLEY Yakima Valley Tourism 10 North 8th St. • Yakima, WA 98901 509.575.3010 • VisitYakima.com CO UNITY & GOVERN ENT RELATIONS • Continue to implement DestinationNEXT strategic efforts, including partner the new Tourism Ambassador Program. • Help develop new tourism products, facilities and opportunities countywide. • Keep the value of tourism top of mind with community leaders and the public. • Utilize Visitor Services pop -ups as a means to inform the community about our efforts. YAKIMA CONVENTION & EVENT CENTER • Showcase the 18,300-square-foot expansion and new amenities such as improved AV. • Pursue projects for the Center including increased parking and a new headquarter hotel. • Finish efforts to meet or exceed requirements of the Clean Building Law. • Maximize Center use to meet and exceed budgeted income and expenses. CONVENTION & GROUP SALES • Highlight the community through targeted sales calls and events to meeting planners. • Collaborate with the Yakima Convention & Event Center to attract conventions and events aligned with the facility's objectives. • Encourage planners to visit the region for site tours and professional development. • Generate 80-100 sales leads, book conventions and room nights. VISITOR & CO MUNITY SERVICES • Assess the long-term needs for funding, services, partners and locations. • Continue to get the Mobile Info Center Kiosk (M.I.C.K.) at local events and attractions. • Deliver exceptional customer service at Visitor Information Center locations and pop-up booths. • Assist more than 10,000 visitors through in -person interactions, mail, email, and phone inquiries. • Find creative ways to attract new visitors and locals to the information centers while encouraging travelers to stay longer. YAKI A VALLEY SPORTS COI w:. ON • Maintain the strong partnership with the WIAA. • Build relationships with local and regional sporting organizations, venues and tournament directors. • Raise awareness about the sports commission and the value of sporting events. • Encourage good sportsmanship through the Know Your RoIeTM program. • Highlight new and improved sports facilities to attract sporting events. • Implement data -driven marketing strategies and brand management practices. • Elevate the destination by promoting the four core pillars to attract visitors year-round. • Foster industry and community partnerships, building collaborations and promotions to support tourism industry stakeholders. • Provide focused assistance to the craft beverage industry. • Remain the Yakima Valley leader in tourism -related digital & social promotion. ENIBE SHIP SERVICES • Provide support and services to member businesses. • Meet and solicit 50 potential members. • Build membership to 325 members and sustain a high level of retention. • Update, sell and distribute the 2026 Official Yakima Valley Travel GuideTM. Plan new programs to boost business for members and the community. EDIA & TRADE RELATIONS • Develop and distribute tailored pitches to travel media and content creators. • Secure travel and lifestyle coverage of the Yakima Valley in diverse media outlets. • Represent the Yakima Valley at trade and media events, highlighting key attractions and events to drive visitation. • Enhance and oversee internal and external reporting on media activities and outcomes. • Facilitate connections between film crews and local resources.