Comments on: Dec 5th http://strategicplan.visitrenotahoe.com/2006/11/20/120506/ Reno-Tahoe, America's Adventure Place Fri, 09 Feb 2007 18:28:37 -0800 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.5 hourly 1 By: Ellen Oppenheim http://strategicplan.visitrenotahoe.com/2006/11/20/120506/comment-page-1/#comment-32 Ellen Oppenheim Thu, 30 Nov 2006 18:16:54 +0000 http://strategicplan.visitrenotahoe.com/2006/11/20/122006/#comment-32 I'm happy to hear that you found the public input meeting worthwhile. Thank you very much for your time at the meeting and for your feedback here as well. We appreciate you passing on the information and your ideas related to marriage "tourism" and will be taking it into account as we work through the strategic plan process. Again thank you for your input! Ellie Ellen Oppenheim, RSCVA President & CEO I’m happy to hear that you found the public input meeting worthwhile. Thank you very much for your time at the meeting and for your feedback here as well. We appreciate you passing on the information and your ideas related to marriage “tourism” and will be taking it into account as we work through the strategic plan process. Again thank you for your input!
Ellie
Ellen Oppenheim, RSCVA President & CEO

]]> By: Pat and Alan Simpson http://strategicplan.visitrenotahoe.com/2006/11/20/120506/comment-page-1/#comment-30 Pat and Alan Simpson Thu, 30 Nov 2006 06:19:15 +0000 http://strategicplan.visitrenotahoe.com/2006/11/20/122006/#comment-30 Dear Ms. Oppenheim: We enjoyed the strategic plan meeting Nov. 15 and appreciate your open-mindedness and attentiveness. Mark Curtis has a brilliant mind and is a tremendous asset to our community. His thoughts on turning negatives into positives, combined with the other gentleman's input regarding "heritage" tourism struck chords with us. As wedding chapel owners, we are part of an industry that once was unique to Reno. The industry followed as the "divorce capital of the world" faded, but has been in sharp decline over the past 20 years. The decline in Washoe County is in direct correlation with the increase in Clark County. During those 20 years, Washoe County license issuance has increased only one year over a previous year, while Clark County has decreased only four times over a previous year. Clark County has already issued over 110,000 licenses this year. License issuance peaked in Washoe County in 1978 when it sold over 38,000 marriage licenses. Compare that with the prospect that we may not reach even 14,000 licenses in 2006. While it's encouraging to see such places as the Peppermill planning to add wedding chapels, much could easily be incorporated to turn this business around and the RSCVA could and should take a leading role in achieving a turn-around. Consider the fact that approximately 80% of all marriage licenses in Washoe County are sold to couples from out of the area and most of those couples bring several guests with them, all filling rooms and dining. This industry helps fill rooms every day of the year. Weddings are constant, day in and day out, and have two tremendous occasions; New Year's and Valentine's Day (perhaps this could become an event). And with the explosion of internet marketing, we have become internationally known. Reno-Tahoe: "The Adventure Place"--What greater adventure is there than marriage--and what greater place to get married and honeymoon than the Reno-Tahoe area!! We're also told by account reps. for movie theaters that studies show the top activities couples in love do, even today, are dinner and a movie. Perhaps movie theater adtertising in our feeder markets is an overlooked venue for this industry as well as for Reno-Tahoe. Wedding chapels in Washoe County are all small businesses with insufficient resources to accomplish anything significant without the assistance of an organization such as the RSCVA. We're proud of our business and would like to see our industry contribute to the health of the local economy, thereby becoming our own small piece of your pie. Pat and Alan Simpson Arch of Reno Wedding Chapel 155 N. Virginia St. (775)337-1555 Dear Ms. Oppenheim:

We enjoyed the strategic plan meeting Nov. 15 and appreciate your open-mindedness and attentiveness.

Mark Curtis has a brilliant mind and is a tremendous asset to our community. His thoughts on turning negatives into positives, combined with the other gentleman’s input regarding “heritage” tourism struck chords with us.

As wedding chapel owners, we are part of an industry that once was unique to Reno. The industry followed as the “divorce capital of the world” faded, but has been in sharp decline over the past 20 years. The decline in Washoe County is in direct correlation with the increase in Clark County. During those 20 years, Washoe County license issuance has increased only one year over a previous year, while Clark County has decreased only four times over a previous year. Clark County has already issued over 110,000 licenses this year.

License issuance peaked in Washoe County in 1978 when it sold over 38,000 marriage licenses. Compare that with the prospect that we may not reach even 14,000 licenses in 2006.

While it’s encouraging to see such places as the Peppermill planning to add wedding chapels, much could easily be incorporated to turn this business around and the RSCVA could and should take a leading role in achieving a turn-around. Consider the fact that approximately 80% of all marriage licenses in Washoe County are sold to couples from out of the area and most of those couples bring several guests with them, all filling rooms and dining. This industry helps fill rooms every day of the year. Weddings are constant, day in and day out, and have two tremendous occasions; New Year’s and Valentine’s Day (perhaps this could become an event). And with the explosion of internet marketing, we have become internationally known.

Reno-Tahoe: “The Adventure Place”–What greater adventure is there than marriage–and what greater place to get married and honeymoon than the Reno-Tahoe area!!

We’re also told by account reps. for movie theaters that studies show the top activities couples in love do, even today, are dinner and a movie. Perhaps movie theater adtertising in our feeder markets is an overlooked venue for this industry as well as for Reno-Tahoe.

Wedding chapels in Washoe County are all small businesses with insufficient resources to accomplish anything significant without the assistance of an organization such as the RSCVA. We’re proud of our business and would like to see our industry contribute to the health of the local economy, thereby becoming our own small piece of your pie.

Pat and Alan Simpson
Arch of Reno Wedding Chapel
155 N. Virginia St.
(775)337-1555

]]> By: Ellen Oppenheim http://strategicplan.visitrenotahoe.com/2006/11/20/120506/comment-page-1/#comment-27 Ellen Oppenheim Tue, 28 Nov 2006 18:53:53 +0000 http://strategicplan.visitrenotahoe.com/2006/11/20/122006/#comment-27 Anicia - Your question is very timely ... in fact we just completed an extensive study of meeting planners to identify our competitive advantages and disadvantages. Among those who are aware of Reno-Tahoe as a meeting destination, compared to like-size cities, most planners see Reno-Tahoe as: • ‘easy going’ more than ‘fast-paced;’ • more ‘down-to-earth’ than ‘trendy or hip;’ • more of a ‘good value’; • more ‘friendly;’ • equally ‘exciting’ as other destinations. Source: EXPO Magazine Destination Appeal Study, July 2006 We also identified a top-line strenghth, weakness, opportunities and threats analysis. See below: Top 3 Strengths Cost/Value Customer Service Excellent/adequate meeting and convention space Top 3 Weaknesses Marketing/image Direct flights Hotel rooms near Reno-Sparks Convention Center Top 3 Opportunities Improve image FAMs and site visits Expand properties and develop more upscale properties Top 3 Threats Competition; Indian gaming Not working together Volatile airline industry Thank you for your participation in the process. Ellie Ellen Oppenheim, RSCVA President & CEO Anicia -
Your question is very timely … in fact we just completed an extensive study of meeting planners to identify our competitive advantages and disadvantages.
Among those who are aware of Reno-Tahoe as a meeting destination, compared to like-size cities, most planners see Reno-Tahoe as:
• ‘easy going’ more than ‘fast-paced;’
• more ‘down-to-earth’ than ‘trendy or hip;’
• more of a ‘good value’;
• more ‘friendly;’
• equally ‘exciting’ as other destinations.
Source: EXPO Magazine Destination Appeal Study, July 2006

We also identified a top-line strenghth, weakness, opportunities and threats analysis. See below:

Top 3 Strengths
Cost/Value
Customer Service
Excellent/adequate meeting and convention space

Top 3 Weaknesses
Marketing/image
Direct flights
Hotel rooms near Reno-Sparks Convention Center

Top 3 Opportunities
Improve image
FAMs and site visits
Expand properties and develop more upscale properties

Top 3 Threats
Competition; Indian gaming
Not working together
Volatile airline industry

Thank you for your participation in the process.
Ellie

Ellen Oppenheim, RSCVA President & CEO

]]> By: anicia beckwith http://strategicplan.visitrenotahoe.com/2006/11/20/120506/comment-page-1/#comment-26 anicia beckwith Tue, 28 Nov 2006 16:37:14 +0000 http://strategicplan.visitrenotahoe.com/2006/11/20/122006/#comment-26 Hello there. I have been following this process with great interest. One of my main questions: What is it that other conventions locations have that we don't offer? What is it that someone booking a convention is looking for that we don't provide? Thanks. Anicia Hello there. I have been following this process with great interest. One of my main questions: What is it that other conventions locations have that we don’t offer? What is it that someone booking a convention is looking for that we don’t provide? Thanks.

Anicia

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