Tourism Office news - November 2013

November 2013  Prescott Office of Tourism  Partners Newsletter Tourism News for November 2013  The October Bed Tax report (reflecting September sales) was up 11.35% over the same month last year and according to Smith Travel Research, lodging metrics for October are looking good as well.   As of October 26th Occupancy for the month was up 5.8% and RevPAR was up nearly 8%. Tourism Stats - 241 brochures requests fulfilled during October - 8,058 Subscribers for monthly consumer/trade/media e-newsletters - 144 "Book Direct" referrals to Prescott hotels and B&Bs during October. - Facebook: 2,090 "Likes", reaching approximately 1,800 per week - Twitter: 1,811 followers Prescott Chamber of Commerce Visitor Center Report Phone Calls : 1765, Walk-Ins : 3059, International Walk-Ins : 199 Total Community Information Packets mailed : 71 Channel 3/Weather Bug Camera in Prescott Channel 3 and Weather Bug now have a live camera feed on the north side of Courthouse Plaza that they are using in weather and news segments. You can see the camera shot at: http://www.azfamily.com/weather/cameras/ then scroll down to "Prescott Courthouse Plaza". We also have access to a second camera with a video feed of Courthouse Plaza that will be available soon on the tourism website: www.visit-prescott.com   AAA/Arizona Highways Travel Show The Prescott Office of Tourism and two of our hotel partners will be at the AAA/Arizona Highways Travel Show November 15-17. There is still an opportunity to participate. Call Don Prince for details if you are interested. Tourism Advisory Committee (TAC) Update There have been several changes in the Tourism Advisory Committee in the past couple of months as participating organizations have changed their representatives. Some of the newer members include Jon Meyers representing the Prescott Area Arts & Humanities Council (PAAHC), Matt Brassard representing the Prescott Area Independents (PAI), Kim Villapando representing museums and Alicja Kania as the at-large representative for hospitality.  A current list of TAC members can be found at: http://www.visit-prescott.com/about-us.  Advertising Highlights November advertising includes placements in the AAA "Highroads" magazine (November/December edition), AOT's Official State Visitor Guide and Map, Experience Arizona magazine, Arizona Drive Guide and banner ads on AOT's consumer site, www.arizonaguide.com. Industry News Economic Confidence Ends Month Still Deeply Negative Improvement is slow after mid-month, shutdown-induced  plunge by Lydia Saad PRINCETON, NJ -- The Gallup Economic Confidence Index rose six points last week to -30. While this marks the second straight week of improvement since the end of the federal government shutdown, confidence is still well below the -15 reading Gallup found in mid-September, in the weeks before the shutdown. It remains sharply lower than the -3 reached earlier this year. The latest results are for the week ending Oct. 27, based on interviews with more than 3,500 U.S. adults. The index represents Americans' net optimism about the economy, combining their views about current economic conditions and their perceptions of the economy's direction. The index has a theoretical maximum of +100 if all Americans think the economy is "excellent" or "good" and improving, and a theoretical minimum of -100 if all believe the economy is "only fair" or "poor" and getting worse. Media Update Travel writer Jackie Dishner is working on a new project:  budget-conscious travel. Called "Phoenix Living on the Cheap," it's a new local website designed to help travelers ferret out free and inexpensive things to see and do, find dining specials to take advantage of, lodging deals for out-of-town guests, shopping bargains and more. The site will highlight travel deals for outside of the Valley, in-state and beyond, as well.    Phoenix Living on the Cheap is part of the "Living on the Cheap"(LOTC) brand network, featuring more than 40 American cities. Your Phoenix guide, the editor & publisher, is Jackie Dishner, a 40-year Arizona resident and graduate of Northern Arizona University. A journalist and freelance writer, she has written locally for AAA HIGHROADS, Arizona Highways, The Arizona Republic, PHOENIX magazine, PHOENIX Home & Garden and Arizona Capitol Times. She's also the author of the travel guide Backroads & Byways of Arizona (Countryman Press, 2010).    The site welcomes information from retailers, hoteliers, restaurateurs, government entities, special-interest organizations and anyone who has a bargain to offer. Readers are encouraged to share their own dollar-stretching tips and ideas. Visit the free site at www.phoenixlivingonthecheap.com or email the editor at jackie@phoenixlivingonthecheap.com. To learn more about the LOTC network, visit www.livingonthecheap.com. Media coverage for October 2013 If you would like a copy of any of these stories, please contact Wendy Bridges (928) 777-1204. Lodging Performance     Data from City of Prescott            Prescott Lodging Occupancy - Data from Smith Travel Research Cordially, Don Prince Director Prescott Office of Tourism don.prince@prescott-az.gov