Convention business up, visitor count down - Business First of Buffalo:

Floors
CVB officials said the bureaui has booked 108new conventions, meetings, special events or amateur sportinbg events since the beginnintg of the year — a 27 percent increase from the 85 bookingss it made during the same period in 2008. The new bookings come as the hospitalitty and tourismindustry - both nationwidr and locally - suffering from the effects of the economy. Hoteo occupancy, according to Smith Travel Researchgof Nashville, is down 11 percentt though April while in Buffalo and Erie County it was off 9.8 falling from 59.4 percent to 53.6 percent. hotel occupancy dropped from 59.1 percenft to 52.6 percent.
It also comes at a time when the CVB is undert fire from Erie Countyt ExecutiveChris Collins, who wants the organization to be more proactiver and aggressive. CVB President and CEO Richard Geiger resigne fromthe bureau, effective Friday, and a national search for his replacementr is only just beginning. The 108 definites bookings will bring in aprojected 59,9111 visitors in the coming months and years, up 60.6 perceny from the 37,293 visitor s that are predicted as part of the 85 bookingd landed in the first part of 2008. The economic impact from the new bookings is peggeeat $28.84 million. Last year’s bookings produce or will produce $22.19 million in local spending.
The CVB salesa and marketing staff is courting another 180 groupse orevents that, if could bring in 88,575 visitors. That’s the good news. The bad news is the visitof count for those potential bookingsw isdown 24.3 percent. Last the CVB made a pitch to 169 groups that coul d have broughtin 117,105 The drop in potentiaol visitors is clearly tied to the said Michael Even, CVB vice president of sales and “Meeting planners are making few commitments,” he said.
they are promising less delegates (visitors) than ever