December/January 2010 

Local, National Tourism Officials See Signs of a Brighter 2010
New Golf Daytona Beach Brochure Now Available
CVB Hosts Fall 'Mancation' Media Tour
KUDOS!
Visit Florida Welcome Center Promotions
New CVB Members
Web Watch
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Meetings & Conventions Committee.
December 16, 12:00 p.m., Starlite Dining Cruise, Daytona Beach

Advertising/Internet Advisory Committee.
December 16, 9 a.m., Daytona Beach Area CVB, 126 East Orange Avenue. Second Floor Boardroom.

Halifax Area Avertising Authority
December 16, 3 p.m., Daytona Beach Area CVB, 126 East Orange Avenue. Second Floor Boardroom.

Arts & Entertainment Committee.
February 3, 3:00 p.m., Daytona Beach Area CVB, 126 East Orange Avenue. Second Floor Boardroom.

Internet Technology Subcommittee.
February 4, 3 p.m., Daytona Beach Area CVB, 126 East Orange Avenue. Second Floor Boardroom.

ADR/Occupancy Rates
For information on the Daytona Beach area's lodging occupancy and average daily rates, visit the Market Research section on www.daytonabeachcvb.org

Quotable Quotes

'The idyllic city of Daytona Beach is literally built on a rich history steeped in investment moguls and local culture, having originally caught the attention of northern tycoons back in the 1800s.  The destination proved favorable to fast-track entrepreneurs ranging from Matthias Day to John D. Rockefeller and it's definitely a place that everyone should experience in their lifetime.' - Ronald Smith, African-American Golfer's Digest, November 2009   

Local, National Tourism Officials See Signs of A Brighter 2010

The U.S. Travel Association recently released its 2010 travel forecast which projects modest increases in leisure, business and international inbound travel in 2010, enabling the travel industry to add nearly 90,000 American jobs. According to the forecast, leisure travel is expected to rise two percent, business travel is projected to increase by 2.5 percent and international inbound travel will increase by three percent. These job gains come on the heels of 400,000 combined travel industry job losses in 2008 and 2009.

In addition, domestic travel projections for 2010 show an expected increase of two percent in that sector, with a corresponding increase in leisure travel spending of nearly five percent. Domestic business travel volume will grow 2.5 percent next year and business travel spending will increase four percent.

"Projected growth in leisure travel is an indicator of rising consumer confidence and disposable income," says Dr. Suzanne Cook, senior vice president of research for the U.S. Travel Association. "Following a difficult 2009, businesses have a heightened focus on the value and bottom-line benefits of travel. We expect to see a slight increase in business travel next year based in part on pent-up demand for face-to-face meetings that drive growth and productivity."

Locally, tourism officials view the U.S. Travel Association's projections, as well as local industry trends as promising.

'We are seeing some small indicators that our local tourism economy is slowly recovering,' says Sharon Mock, president/CEO of the Daytona Beach Area Convention and Visitors Bureau.  'From August through October the destination has seen small increases in its monthly occupancy rates.  This gives us a little hope that business is picking up.'

Despite a sluggish economy, several departments at the Daytona Beach Area CVB are reporting strong interest in the destination from consumers.

The Internet Services Department reports that traffic to the CVB's official visitor Web site has been up throughout the fall and winter seasons compared to the same periods in 2008.  While Information Services has seen an enthusiastic response to the CVB's direct mail piece that allows consumers to request the newest edition of the area's visitor magazine. 

'Since they were mailed to our consumer database in September, we have had approximately 8,300 request cards mailed back to us, already easily besting our final tally of 7,200 for last year's request card.  This is great news considering we usually receive these request cards back through February, so we fully expect this number to increase, Mock explains, adding, 'All of this tells us there is some pent-up consumer demand out there for travel.'   

The CVB's convention sales staff also reports increased interest in the Daytona Beach area with the number of sales leads generated from October through December triple that of the same period in 2008.  'The OceanCenter expansion has definitely generated increased interest in our area from meeting planners, which bodes well for our destination's future,' says CVB Director of Convention Sales Sally Gardiner.

To view the U.S. Travel Association's annual forecast, click here on this link

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New Golf Daytona Beach Brochure Now Available

The Daytona Beach Area CVB is now distributing its new golf brochure highlighting courses and hotels that are members of its Golf Daytona Beach program.  Produced in-house by CVB staff, the publication also provides a brief overview of area attractions, dining and nightlife.  The CVB expects to distribute 12,000 copies of the inquiry fulfillment piece in the coming year. 

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CVB Hosts Fall 'Mancation' Media Tour

On November 16-20, the Daytona Beach Area CVB hosted seven travel journalists from around the U.S. on its Original Mancation Media Tour.  Comprised solely of male journalists, the group was lead by the CVB's communications staff.  The group had the opportunity to visit several area businesses and attractions including: Fletcher's Cigar Bar; the Daytona 500 Experience at Daytona International Speedway; LPGA International; SpeedPark Motorsports; Daytona Beach Kennel Club & Poker Room; Destination Daytona and Jackie Robinson Ballpark.  The journalists also spent time on the water courtesy of Critter Fleet and Cracker Creek Canoeing and were pampered with spa treatments at Terra Acqua Day Spa at the Daytona BeachResort & ConferenceCenter and Ocean Waters Spa at The Plaza Resort & Spa.  The media tour's host hotel was The Cove On Ormond Beach.  Above, Daytona Cubs mascot Cubby is interviewed by Bruce Northam of American Detour and filmed by Chris Hunt and Dan Coletta of Oktane Media.

Polish Travel Agents Tour Daytona Beach



In late October, the Daytona Beach Area CVB hosted 15 travel agents representing the Konsorcjum Polskich Biur Podrozy Trade & Travel Company of Lodz, Poland on a brief familiarization tour.  Since the tour, the Daytona Beach area has been added to the company's Florida product.  Above, Travel Industry Sales Director Sandy Lucania (center) poses with the group in Victory Lane at Daytona International Speedway.

Select Small Inns Program Continues to Grow 



CVB Director of Membership & Promotions Roxanne Olsen, TMP, presents Shelly Bell (center) and Sandy Patel, general manager of the Holiday Inn Daytona Beach on LPGA Blvd., with the new property's Select Small Inns of Daytona Beach 'Approved Member' certificate.  SSI of Daytona Beach is a program designed to promote small lodging properties with 99 or less units. Each property must maintain quality assurance criteria designed to ensure guests enjoy quality and modern amenities, comfortable surroundings, cleanliness and personable service. Currently, SSI of Daytona Beach has 37 member properties.


On the Road…




CVB staff has been busily on the road promoting the Daytona Beach area to consumers and members of the travel trade. Above, Director of Travel Industry Sales Alexandra Lucania meets with Alan Long Jiang, president of Happy Vacations, at the National Tour Association convention in Reno, Nevada, November 13-18.  Lucania reports that Jiang's company is increasing Florida product for inbound Chinese travelers and was impressed with all the Daytona Beach area had to offer visitors, as well as the area's proximity to Orlando and convenience to other Florida attractions.


Check Out the Latest on BikerBeach.com 



BikerBeach.com - the Daytona Beach Area CVB's year-round biker vacation destination Web site - now features information on a host of great events taking place in 2010 that are perfect for those bikers who love to travel.
 
Currently featured events include Main Street's spectacular New Year's Eve celebration as well as upcoming OceanCenter entertainment events such as the Harlem Globetrotters and Lipizzaner Stallions.
 
The site is also utilized as the response Web site for Bike Week event advertising, which is funded by the Halifax Area Advertising Authority.  This enables the CVB to feature hotels and lodgings located throughout the entire Halifax Taxing District, from Ormond By The Sea to Ponce Inlet, giving all lodgings an expanded opportunity to linktothe site via the posted special event availability list as well as the Jack Rabbit on-line industry approved booking engine.  The site also directly links to the Daytona Regional Chamber's Bike Week member site which features official event information. 
 
Area lodging providers can stop by the CVB to pick-up free BikerBeach.com wallet cards to give to visiting bikers during Bike Week.  These wallet cards are a great way to encourage traveling bikers who love events to return to our area again throughout the year for even more popular and fun area events and activities. 

The CVB collects information from those who visit the site and sign-up to receive e-newsletters and uses it for future database mailings which provides the CVB with additional opportunities to promote the Daytona Beach area as a favored event destination.
 
BikerBeach.com is yet another way the CVB is working to expand the destination's tourism marketing opportunities year-round.  Stop by the site today and check it out! 

For more details on BikerBeach.com, visit www.BikerBeach.com or contact Janet Kersey at jkersey@daytonabeachcvb.org

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KUDOS!

• The Daytona Beach Golf Club's Rod Perry and John Cameron were recently honored by the North Florida PGA.  Perry, PGA director of instruction, received his third North Florida PGA Player of the Year Award.  Cameron, PGA director of golf, received the 2009 Junior Golf Leader Award.

• The Ormond Beach Scenic Loop & Trail has been designated a National Scenic Byway by the U.S. Department of Transportation.

• The Hampton Inn Daytona Speedway is the latest recipient of the state's Green Lodging designation.  To become a designated member of the voluntary program, facilities must adopt cost-saving green practices to conserve energy, reduce water consumption, protect air quality and reduce waste.

• Readers of the Orlando Sentinel recently selected The Shores Resort & Spa as the Best Local Hotel and Resort and The Best Resort for a Romantic Getaway in its Best Bets poll.

• The Villa Bed & Breakfast will be featured in the book Casas to Castles: Florida's Historic Mediterranean Revival Homes, set to hit store bookshelves this spring. 

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VisitFloridaWelcomeCenter Promotions

Each month, the CVB participates in promotional programs at the VisitFloridaWelcomeCenter located at the Yulee intersection on I-95.  During specific promotional periods, Welcome Center Representative Marlene Smith staffs the Daytona Beach booth.  All Daytona Beach area hotels and attractions are invited to participate in the promotions by supplying information for distribution.  A nominal fee is required for participation.  To learn how your  business can participate, contact CVB Director of Membership & Promotions Roxanne Olsen at rolsen@daytonabeachcvb.org or 386.255.0415 ext. 114.

Upcoming Daytona BeachWelcomeCenter Promotions
December 19-20
December 28-29
January 7-8
January 14-15
January 28-30
February 6-7

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New CVB Members
The CVB welcomes each of the following new and returning businesses to its membership program:

Lodging 
Seaside Luxury Rentals

Restaurants
Sloppy Joe's

Attractions
McK's Tavern

*As of November 10, 2009

CVB members receive industry leads, this bi-monthly newsletter, free listings in various publications, sales and marketing opportunities, and much more.  There is no charge to become a CVB member.  For more information, contact CVB Director of Membership & Promotions Roxanne Olsen at 386.255.0415, ext. 114 or rolsen@daytonabeachcvb.org.

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Web Watch Numbers: DaytonaBeach.com

Monthly Fast Facts

www.DaytonaBeach.com

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Daytona Beach Area Convention & Visitors Bureau
126 East Orange Avenue | Daytona Beach, FL32114