TEMECULA, Calif., Jan. 11, 2007 (PRIME NEWSWIRE) -- The Board of Directors of the Temecula Valley Convention and Visitors Bureau has approved a marketing plan that is projected to boost revenue at area hotels and motels by at least $4.7 million over the next five years.
The projection was part of an 84-page marketing plan put together by Strategic Marketing Group of South Lake Tahoe that will serve as the blueprint for the bureau's efforts to brand and market the Temecula Valley as a rich and diverse tourist destination for the estimated 25 million people who live in Southern California and the thousands of business travelers who flock to the region each year.
"The plan clearly shows that a key priority for the Bureau is focusing on boosting tourism and convention business on weekdays. This will have a significant impact on the Valley's lodging sector as well as other tourism partners," said Denis Ferguson, 2007 TVCVB chairman. "None of this would have been possible without the support of the city, local lodging industry and countless volunteers who worked tirelessly on committees helping to set the stage for this marketing document."
The five-year revenue projection calls for more aggressive increases in occupancy and average daily rates in local lodging properties. Based on those assumptions, CVB marketing efforts would bring in an additional $4.7 million a year to Temecula Valley hotel and motel operators. That means for every $1 the bureau invests in marketing, $7.90 would return to the local lodging industry, the report said.
The growth assumptions are very conservative and could understate actual performance of the region, explained Carl Ribaudo, SMG owner and founder.
With most Temecula area rooms sold out during weekends, the Bureau plans to bolster midweek occupancy rates by targeting independent travelers interested in vacation getaways and group and business travelers who may not be aware that the Temecula Valley is a convenient destination that offers a wide range of activities.
"...a 5 point increase in midweek occupancy could lead to approximately $2 million plus in lodging revenue alone," the report stated. "This in turn should also stimulate demand and revenues for the other parts of the tourism economy within the greater Temecula Valley area."
The Temecula Valley Visitors & Convention Bureau is a non-profit organization that is the first in Inland Southern California to use a marketing assessment fees rather than taxpayer money to market the region.
Strategic Marketing Group specializes in tourism marketing strategy development for the travel, recreation and hospitality industries. Since 1992, SMG has written more marketing plans for California visitor bureaus and destination marketing organizations than anyone else. Its founder and owner, Carl Ribaudo, has more than 15 years of experience in the travel and tourism industries.