Experience Columbus Celebrates Successful 2016
Last year was a game-changer for Columbus in many ways, as the city continues its rise as an emerging destination for conventions, sporting events and leisure visitors. Last night, at its Annual Meeting, Experience Columbus celebrated the community’s many successes of 2016 and shined a spotlight on local makers and products made in Columbus.
Despite what was anticipated to be a flat year for the city’s hotel and lodging industry due to construction at the Greater Columbus Convention Center, Columbus’ visitor industry surpassed records and goals in 2016. According to Smith Travel Research (STR), from January 1 to December 31, 2016, Greater Columbus hotel production remained steady with slight increases over the previous year. Hotel occupancy increased 1.69 percent, the average daily rate (ADR) at Greater Columbus hotels grew 2.52 percent and RevPAR (Revenue Per Available Room) rose 4.26 percent over the previous year. In addition, bed tax collections were at an all-time high of $44.5 million, up 4.3 percent from 2015.
Key Performance Indicator | YTD | % change | Average in competitive set |
Occupancy | 66% | 1.69% | 65.7% |
Average Daily Rate | $99.28 | 2.52% | $108.38 |
RevPAR* | $67.21 | 4.26% | $71.36 |
* RevPAR is a hotel industry performance metric, which is calculated by multiplying a hotel’s ADR by its occupancy rate divided by the number of rooms available
Experience Columbus and the Greater Columbus Sports Commission beat production quotas, booking a record 492,775 room nights. Also, Experience Columbus welcomed 184 new members, totaling 1,074 members and partners.
One of the biggest wins of the year was Columbus being awarded the 2019 American Society of Association Executives (ASAE) Annual Meeting & Exposition. The annual conference will draw over 5,000 attendees to the Greater Columbus Convention Center, filling 16,800 hotel rooms and generating over $16 million in direct visitor spend. Hosting ASAE puts Columbus on the map with key decision makers and influencers planning meetings for their national associations, which could result in as much as $500 million in visitor spend for future bookings.
In October, a study by J.D. Power ranked Columbus, “Highest in Visitor Satisfaction in the Midwest.” The success is testimony to the power of a community-wide commitment to the visitor experience through participation in the Experience DedicatedTM Destination (EDD) and Certified Tourism AmbassadorTM (CTA) programs. At the Annual Meeting, Experience Columbus and the Greater Columbus Sports Commission recognized Billy King, security administrative supervisor at the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium, as the Greater Columbus CTA of the Year, and Visit Gahanna, as the Greater Columbus CTA Employer of the Year.
The organization’s work to raise the city’s profile and bolster its image generated strong results. A new ExperienceColumbus.com was named among the best destination marketing organization websites in the world. And the organization hosted 67 writers, including the Midwest Travel Writers Association and the city’s first-ever convention-trade press trip.
To view the full 2016 Annual Report, click here.
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