November 2005 Tourism Report
Nelson County Department of Economic Development and Tourism
November 2005 Report
Tourism Update
Projects
ï Staff is assisting at the Rockfish Gap (Afton)
Visitor Center on Fridays and Saturdays ñ Saunders Brother
Orchard is supplying peaches and apples
ï Working with Amherst County and Lynchburg on the August 2007 Dixie Youth Sports event
ï Working with Virginia Tourism Corporation on Travel South February 2006 Showcase (Richmond)
ï Developing a framework for the 2007 Nelson County Bicentennial
ï Working with Explore Nelson Wine on marketing to Wintergreen Resort
ï Planning Jamestown 2007 events
ï Working with Lynchburg CVB and 7 other localities on a tourism attraction passport program
Marketing and Promotion
ï 15 media leads distributed to Nelson County tourism businesses
ï Promoted Virginia Corporation Canadian Savings program
ï Nominated attractions for Virginia Field Trips Magazine
ï Working with 2007 AAA TourBook for tourism listings
ï Southern Living staff visited Dickie Brothers Orchard for a September 2006 article
ï Wintergreen Winery wines will be honored at a
reception at Capitol Hill for the Congressional Wine Caucus and others
Montebello Fish Hatchery
716 paid visitors in October 2005
Meetings
October 3 ñ Virginia Society of Association Executives tradeshow with Lynchburg Tourism
October 12 ñ Charlottesville-Albemarle Convention and Visitors Bureau
October 28 ñ Virginia Tourism Corporation Fall Caucus
Tourism Statistics
October
2005 YTD 2005 October
2004 YTD 2004
Phone 334
3,056
149
1,680
Internet 72,447
553,970
46,775 177,975
Walk In 1,569
11,224
1609
10,691
Taxes September 2005 YTD
2005 September 2004 YTD
2004
Lodging $15,275
134,533
14,419
145,104
Meals $41,030
359,442
40,081
372,203
Media Coverage
Nelson County Times, News Advance, Daily Progress, News Virginian,
magazines Column Inches ñ 1,152
Number of articles - 40
Average open rate is $23.67 per column inch for regional papers ñ
Nelson County received $27,268 in advertising through print media sources
Economic Development Update
Projects
ï www.nelsoncounty.com now has a geographic cluster map counter on the home page
ï Nomination for Friends of the Rockfish stream restoration project resulted in award from Scenic Virginia
ï Facilitating the Nellysford Planning process ñthe second community meeting is planned for November 22, 2005
ï Facilitating Schuyler historic district project ñ first community
meeting was held 9/21; survey work was completed on schedule
ï Managing Lovingston Revitalization planning grant project ñ
transportation enhancement fund application was submitted November 1,
1005
ï Marketing Small Business Development Center seminars and coordinating monthly onsite sessions
ï Working on the online business directory (800 of the 1100 business license holders now in the system)
ï Working with the Economic Development Authority on broadband initiatives and business retention visits
ï Working with Wintergreen Resort to change the GSA per diem
Meetings
October 3 ñ Virginia Society of Association Executives tradeshow with Lynchburg Tourism
October 4 ñ Lovingston Revitalization Project Management Team meeting
October 6 ñ Virginia Piedmont Technology Council conference
October 11 ñ Commonwealth Transportation Board
October 12 ñ Charlottesville-Albemarle Convention and Visitors Bureau
October 13 ñ new business prospect
October 14 ñ Virginia Business Review
October 17 ñ Central Virginia Small Business Development Center Advisory Council
October 20 ñ Region 2000 Technology Council seminar
October 20 ñ public meeting for the Blue Ridge Tunnel project
October 24-25 ñ Virginia Rural Leadership Conference
October 27 ñ Center for Innovative Technology workshop
October 28 ñ Virginia Tourism Corporation Fall Caucus
Recruitment and Retention
Working with 3 new prospects and 1 ongoing relationship