Dialogue to Achieve Common Measurement/ Indicators for Group Business Reyn Bowman, President & CEO Durham Convention & Visitors Bureau

Definitions Average Occupancy – Average number of available guest rooms occupied during a period of time. Average Daily Rate – Average rate for the available guest rooms actually sold during a period of time. Lodging Revenue Per Room (REVPar) Revenue per available guest room, whether vacant or occupied during a period of time.

Definitions Room Nights – number of guest rooms utilized over the course of an event or meeting. Peak Rooms – Highest number of rooms used on one night during the event. Room Pick Up – Total room nights actually used by the event Pick up Pattern – Total room nights used per night during the event.

Definitions Guests Per Room – Average number of individuals occupying each room. Event Length – Number of days and nights of the event. “Rotatibility” – The ability of an event to rotate to more than one community over time.

Definitions Definite Booking – Booking confirmed in writing by the planner with a letter of intent to the bureau or headquarters property Tentative Booking – Potential future booking where the planner has expressed interest, but has not yet confirmed. Occurring Meeting or Event – Events actually taking place in a given time period.

Definitions Lead – An inquiry that has been qualified as feasible for a specific destination, including cleared dates, specs and details, which is then distributed by the DMO to potential venues targeted by the planner. Overflow Rooms – Rooms needed outside the headquarters property, or requested by one destination of another to accommodate a group that is largely hosted by one destination.

Definitions Multi-Destination Event – An event large enough to require facilities in more than one destination and a joint bid process. A multi-destination event has regional impact and utilization, not just draw. Market Segments – Breakdowns by event type, attendee origin, and attendee type. Event Type – Convention and meetings, exhibition/trade show, group tour, sports, film and consumer show.

Definitions Attendee Origin –International – Draws national and int’l audience, 15% or more reside outside the host country. –National – Draws national audience, more than 40% reside outside a 400 mile radius. –Regional – Delegates reside in a multi-state area, 60% within a 400 mile radius. –State – More than 80% of the delegates reside in the event state, and more than 20% of the delegates reside outside a 50-mile radius. –Local/Intraregional – 80% of the delegates reside within a 50-mile radius, typically do not require overnight accommodations.

Definitions Attendee Type –Delegates – Those who attend an event to participate. –Day Delegates - Non residents who commute from home to participate in an event. –Exhibitors – Thos who attend an event to staff an exhibit. –Attendees – a combination of delegates, exhibitors, media, speakers, guests/companions, etc.

Definitions Delegate Spending – Total spending during an event by day and overnight delegates and guests/companions. Organizer Spending – Total spending per delegate or exhibitor by the sponsoring organization. Economic Impact – Total spending times the county- specific input/output multiplier. This represents the number of times the dollars are re-spent within the county’s economy before they go outside to pay for supplies produced elsewhere or to pay debt. This is usually 1.2 – 1.7 times the direct spending amount. Non-Visitor Event Impact – Total spending including residents and spending by the organizer outside the county.

Sources IACVB and NTA Expenditure Surveys (indexed to local indicators) Smith Travel Research (customized to county level) National Association of Sports Commissions Past Event History Surveying Event Organizers and Lodging Properties

Collecting Data How to get cooperation (justification to provide) –Ensure confidentially of individual property data –Show overall impact of meetings –Show return on investment, occupancy taxes spent –Provide market trends, guide marketing adjustments –Explain impact of changes in supply –Justify or refute need for expanded facilities

Collecting Data What to do when a property won’t cooperate –Use averages from similar properties –Hold roundtables to let early adopters persuade resisters –Pursue higher up in the organization –Adopt policies to predetermine listings and leads based on cooperation

Adapting or Indexing Expenditure Surveys Index the average rate used in the model to the average rate relevant to that group in your community. Index people per room to account for amateur sports groups that room far more than the model reflects. Through surveys of or at local features, determine the customary resident to non- resident ratio.

Adapting or Indexing Expenditure Surveys Adjust models for centric MSA’s downward to reflect regions with no dominant destination. Reconcile significant differences between the impact in your county versus the impact reported by previous hosts.

Formulas Convention and Meetings DCVB M&C Expenditure Calculator DCVB M&C Expenditure Calculator DCVB Meetings Impact Template DCVB Meetings Impact Template Sports Events DCVB Sports Expenditure Calculator DCVB Sports Impact Template

Suggestions for Next Steps Session at next meeting to complete discussion and align Develop website portal where counties can enter monthly information. (Computations could be set up behind the scene so destinations just add raw numbers.) Work with the Division to include group statistics in the state’s annual report.