Over the past few weeks, especially since we had the unfortunate task of implementing a round of layoffs here, many people have asked my staff and me, “What’s going on at the VVP?”
Well, what’s going on here is exactly what’s going on throughout the Valley. We’re trying to cope with a downturn in business. As you can imagine, our business is a direct reflection of what’s happening with our members. As their businesses grow or retract, their ability to invest in everything from capital improvements to inventory to association memberships are affected, so we’ve seen a downturn in new members, some valuable, long-time members have left us and our revenues from advertising in our publications and event sponsorships are down.
If there’s any good news from enduring that kind of assault on our finances, it’s that it has forced us to take an even closer look at what we can do to retain members, offer better value for the dollars our members spend with us and to seriously scrutinize how we interact with our businesses.
So, here are a few things you can look forward to from the VVP over the coming months.
• Packaged Membership Plans – for those businesses with multiple business units, locations, etc., we will be assembling and presenting in person, comprehensive “engagement” programs that bundle chamber services, marketing activities, networking opportunities and event sponsorships at preferred prices. Current free benefits will be enhanced and included for all single-site members as well.
• Stronger Event Schedule – The Vail Valley Business Forum, July 30, 2009, at the Westin Riverfront, will be headlined this year by Rob Katz, Chairman of the Board of Directors and CEO, Vail Resorts Inc., and Don Elliman, Director of the Governor’s Office of Economic Development and International Trade, among other notables (scheduling in progress). The increasingly popular, free to VVP members, “Ask the Experts” series will see three additional events added to its bi-monthly schedule. Our Business After Hours mixers are now packing in more than 120 members at each event and additional mixers are now scheduled in Eagle.
The success and growing attendance of our “Leads Group” and “Success in :60 Seconds” networking events is proving to be a real asset to members in generating local business and are getting so large we’re looking for larger venues every month. Finally, this year for the first time, we held a free “Labor Law Seminar” co-sponsored by Sherman Howard, LLC, and all the intermountain chambers and we’re looking forward to doing another cooperative event on a similar hot topic this fall.
• Webination – Online visibility for our partners and the destination has never been better and now the VVP operates multiple sites to raise awareness and generate business for locally-focused and destination visitor-oriented enterprises, see the VVP’s websites at visitvailvalley.com; vailvalleypartnership.com; vailonsale.com, golfvailvalley.com; weddingsinvail.com, blog.vistvailvalley.com and blog.visitvailvalley/search.
• Increased Group Sales & Participatory Sports Business – Last year, the VVP booked nearly $1.25mm in leisure business and more than $2.17mm in group business into the Valley and we’re well ahead of that pace this year. Based on industry standards that represents an economic impact of approximately $12mm. Our new efforts at recruiting Participatory Sports business has already produced results with contracts for the IronKids Triathlon in September (more than 1,500 room nights) and O’Hara’s Irish Festival and Hurling Tournament in August (more than 1,600 room nights) already signed and we expect efforts aimed this sector will continue to be very successful.
With these new initiatives added to our already highly successful Destination Experience – Platinum Service Program (more than 100 participating business) and Destination Luxury – Lodging Quality Assurance Program (nearly 1,500 representative rooms inspected in ’08), the value of belonging to the VVP is higher than ever.
Yes times are tough, even for the VVP, but as we concentrate on listening to our members about their needs, connect them with the community and each other and stay involved with the economic development issues of the day, we continue to be in great shape and poised to be an even stronger asset to the local economy going forward. After all, we are and remain, Destination Success.
|
