NORTHERN KENTUCKY CONVENTION BUREAU REPORTS GROUP BUSINESS BOOKINGS INCREASE

NEWS RELEASE

Contact:
Tom Caradonio
859-655-4157

Bureau Sees 12% Boost in Group Bookings in 2009; Lower Air Fares Help

Covington, KY/March 16, 2010—Officials at the Northern Kentucky Convention & Visitors Bureau will report today at its 2009 Annual Meeting that the Bureau generated a 12% increase in group business bookings in 2009 vs. 2008 bookings. The group business increase represented a boost of almost 12,000 hotel guest room nights. Bookings included group meetings and other events that were conducted in 2009 or scheduled for future years. The Annual Meeting will take place at 5:30 p.m. today at the Northern Kentucky Convention Center.

"We focused on group markets like sports and religious organizations that offered the highest sales opportunities, especially with the new Bank of Kentucky Center fully operational for the entire year in 2009," says Bureau President & CEO Tom Caradonio of the group business bookings increase. "Also, lower air fares at our airport have made us more competitive as a group destination. As opposed to previous years when our air fares were the highest in the nation, our sales team reported that we did not lose any group business bids as a result of air fares." Officials at the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport (CVG) reported that air fares dropped approximately 40% in 2009 after Delta initiated its new fare structure in February 2009.

Northern Kentucky Convention & Visitors Bureau '09 Annual Meeting

Other statistics to be released at the Annual Meeting today include:

• Total economic impact of visitor spending during 2009 in Boone, Campbell and Kenton Counties was $262 million, down from $306 million in 2008, a 14.5% decrease.
• The return on investment for Bureau marketing initiatives in 2009 was $11.28, an increase of 8.63% from the prior year. This figure represents economic impact returned to the community in the form of visitor spending for every dollar spent in Bureau marketing efforts.
• The total community economic impact as a result of 2009 Bureau efforts was $42.5 million, off from $44.1 million in 2008, a decrease of 3.66%.
• Corporate travelers remained the largest market segment in Northern Kentucky, comprising 41.04%, followed by leisure (36.22%), meetings/conventions (20.28%), and government (2.46%).

Caradonio attributes the drop in total visitor spending to Delta Air Lines' 10% reduction in flights in 2009 at CVG following a 23% drop in 2008, along with the continued effects of an historic recession with sustained 10% unemployment, slashed corporate travel budgets, and shaken consumer confidence that decreased leisure travel.

New Sales Lead Program Encourages Community Involvement

Also to be unveiled today at the Annual Meeting will be a new program, "Are You The Next Big Attraction?" that is designed to generate group business sales leads from members of the Northern Kentucky community. “Whether you know of a corporate conference of 5,000 people or a military reunion of 50, we want to know about it,” says Caradonio. “All you have to do is give us the name of the organization and our sales staff will take it from there.” More information about the new community involvement program can be obtained at www.nkycvb.com or by calling (859) 261-4167.

Northern Kentucky Convention & Visitors Bureau '09 Annual Meeting

The Bureau also recognized these individuals and attractions with the following awards:

• Dave Gausepohl was named to the Bureau's Champions program for helping book the Brewery Collectibles Club of America meeting in 2011, creating an estimated economic impact of $370,000.
• Susan Michels, owner of Cities on Tour for 26 years until her recent retirement, will receive the Star of Tourism Award for educating and entertaining thousands of Northern Kentucky visitors through her guided tours.
• Also receiving a Star of Tourism Award will be the Creation Museum, which has attracted almost one million visitors since it opened in May 2007. According to Museum officials, over half of its visitors traveled from more than 250 miles away, making it a significant generator of overnight stays in Northern Kentucky hotels.

The Bureau's 2009 complete annual report will be posted on its web site, www.nkycvb.com, beginning March 19. To increase efficiency and be more eco-friendly, the Bureau did not print an annual report. "We're always seeking ways to increase our efficiency, and anything that drives people to visit our award-winning web site also is one of our goals," says Caradonio.

The mission of the Northern Kentucky Convention & Visitors Bureau is that of an aggressive sales, marketing, service, and informational organization whose primary responsibility is to positively impact the Northern Kentucky economy through conventions, meetings, and visitor expenditures. The direct economic impact of visitors' spending in Boone, Campbell, and Kenton Counties in 2009 was $262 million.