Mike McAfee, Executive Director of Visit Bloomington, gave a presentation on the economic impact of tourism for the 2012 Inter-City Visit.

2. Monroe County Visitor Industry
•1977 – 3% Innkeeper’s Tax (Indiana uniform code)
•Monroe County Convention & Visitors Commission – 5 members
•Convention & Visitors Bureau of Monroe County, Inc. formed as 501C(6)
•CVB Board – 13-17 members
•1990 – tax increased to 5% to develop Convention Center
•2012 collections & INVESTMENT > $2 million

3. Monroe County Visitor Industry
Economic Impact:
•1.5 million annual visitors
•$279 million in annual sales
•Spend $175 per trip ($104 lodging, $52 f&b, $19 retail)
•Meetings = $75 per day
•Sporting events = $61 per day
•Leisure traveler = $57 per day
•Helps create 8,000 area jobs

4. Visitor Profile
•33% to visit friends or relatives
•28% for leisure trip
•18% for a special event
•33% for business
•40% visit Aug-Oct
•44% stay in hotel
•2.5 nights average stay
•28% eat at a local restaurant
•21% visit IU campus
•58% female
•61% repeat visitor

5. Convention & Visitors Bureau
of Monroe County, Inc.
•DBA – Visit Bloomington
•Bloomington, Indiana is our brand/anchor/heart
• County lines are meaningless to our CUSTOMERS
•Community leaders agree
•For the greater good

6. Visit Bloomington 2011-2013 Strategic Plan
Destination Vision:
Monroe County, and the progressive community of
Bloomington with its world-class Indiana University, is
recognized as an authentic year-round Midwest city and
regional service center offering visitors a vibrant and
walkable downtown and entertainment and arts district,
varied family-friendly attractions and events, expanded and
modern convention center and major sports and cultural
venues, all conveniently located in a spectacular outdoor
recreational setting of uplands, lakes and forests.

7. Visit Bloomington – 2011-2013 Strategic Plan
6 key challenges:
1. Use research & partnerships to increase productivity.
2. Develop a more viable convention center & full service host hotel.
3. Improve online & direct sales efforts.
4. Increase business during off-peak periods.
5. Strengthen visitor industry locally through focused advocacy.
6. Allocate resources for best destination returns.

8. Visit Bloomington - Convention Marketing
WEEKDAY BUSINESS!
•Partnership with Convention Center, IMU, etc.
•Lead generator
•CRM - Simpleview
•Expansion and F&B tax

9. Visit Bloomington – Sports Marketing
Difference maker!
•Hoosier Sports Corporation
•Partnerships
•Signature sports?
•Facilities

10. Visit Bloomington – Leisure Tourism Marketing
•Indiana University
•Arts & Culture, Outdoor Recreation, Culinary
•Electronic marketing
•Event grant program
•Niche markets – the LGBT story

11. Mike McAfee
Executive Director
Visit Bloomington
812-355-7720
mike@visitbloomington.com