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Volume 8, Issue 4 April 2012 |
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Greetings!
Our fabulous city has been buzzing with visitors lately. From our windows we watch groups of students unload off of school buses, eyes widening as they look up at the Missouri State Capitol. The downtown has been alive with people coming from all over the state to attend numerous rallies, and the Missouri State Penitentiary 2012 tour season opens tonight! Here's to a great start to Spring,
Ryan Winkler |
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Upcoming Meetings
April 3
· Discover Jefferson City Foundation Meeting
April 6
· JC Outdoors
April 10
· Hotel/Motel Council Meeting
· Diplomat Meeting
April 18
· Athletic Events Committee |
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Missouri State Penitentiary 2012 tour season opens tonight
Thousands of people all across America were left on the edge of their seats after the Missouri State Penitentiary was featured in an episode of "Ghost Hunters" in November of 2011 just as the tour season ended. Tonight the cool, iron gates will finally swing open for the first tours of 2012 and the hallways, which have set eerily dormant over the winter, will once again be filled with droves of curious visitors.
The Jefferson City Convention & Visitors Bureau spent the last five months preparing for this day and the excitement around the office is tangible - folks cannot wait for the tours to begin! Overnight Paranormal Investigations, Group Tours, Student Tours and many public tours have been booked for the coming weeks and a steady flow  of traffic is anticipated as the 2012 tour season kicks off. A big thank you is due to the Office of Administration for their hard work getting the site to a point where tours can begin.
The 2012 calendar will include a new monthly public Overnight Paranormal Investigation. The public events will take place the last Saturday of every month. Participants are required to be 18 year of age. Tickets are $95 per person and the tours will run from 10 pm to 6 am.
In addition to the tremendously popular 2-hour History tour, MSP will also offer an in-depth 3-hour History tour in 2012. The 3-hour tour will include visits to the housing units, the gas chamber and death row. Tickets to the 3-hour tour are $25 per person.
For more information or to purchase tickets please visit www.MissouriPenTours.com. You may also contact Sheila Sanford via email at sheila@visitjeffersoncity.com or phone at (866)998-6998. |
Jefferson City Outdoors Group launches website
Two of the Jefferson City Convention & Visitors Bureau's support groups, the Athletic Events Committee and the Jefferson City Outdoors Group, are busy planning upcoming sporting events for this spring and summer. Several new events are in the works and the time and energy spent by the volunteers in these groups is key to their success.
Earlier this month, the Jefferson City Outdoors group launched its website, www.JeffersonCityOutdoors.com, intended to function as a central hub for those looking for information on outdoor and adventure sports activities in Jefferson City.
"Jefferson City is a remarkable backdrop for outdoor events with its array of settings which outdoor enthusiasts can take advantage of," said Chris Wilson, Jefferson City CVB sports sales manager. "The Missouri River, the Katy Trail, Binder Park, the Greenway Trail - these venues are just a few of many to choose from if you are looking to get outside and get physical."
The Jefferson City Outdoors website offers an event calendar which features upcoming races such as the Capital City Adventure Race, a multi-sport event which showcases Jefferson City's natural resources and historic structures. To learn more about outdoor events coming to Jefferson City, visit www.JeffersonCityOutdoors.com. To submit an event, contact Chris Wilson at (573)632-2820 or chris@visitjeffersoncity.com. |
Pinterest is a new way to learn about Jefferson City
Anyone who has ventured into the world of the rapidly growing next social media "it" platform, Pinterest, knows that is is incredibly easy to become addicted. If you are looking for creative ideas for your child's birthday party, indulging your love of vintage photography, hunting for the perfect wedding dress or searching for your next travel destination - then Pinterest is the place for you.
Pinterest has more than 10 million registered users and that number keeps on growing. According to AppData  and Facebook, 97% of Pinterest users are women between the ages of 25-34. Coincidentally, these same women are the key decision makers in 70% of travel plans. Not only that, but 74% of women look for travel information on the internet and begin dreaming and planning about a vacation six months prior to making their final decisions and booking travel arrangements (About.com).
For all of these reasons and because it is gloriously gratifying, the Jefferson City Convention & Visitors Bureau has jumped into Pinterest feet first. Pinterest requires you to be "invited" by a user to join, so if you are interested in exploring all the site has to offer, then send an email to Ryan@VisitJeffersonCity.com and we will happily extend an invitation. You can follow all of our boards at www.Pinterest.com/VisitJCMO. Happy Pinning! |
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2012 Capitol Days for Tourism
 Capitol Days for Tourism, sponsored by the Missouri Travel Council, the Missouri Association of Convention & Visitors Bureaus and the Missouri Hotel & Lodging Association, is an annual event that offers the tourism industry a chance to emphasize the importance of tourism to Missouri's economy. Capitol Days for Tourism attendees visit their respective legislators' offices to discuss the invaluable economic benefit tourism provides to the state. On Thursday, March 8th, Executive Director Steve Picker served alongside Missouri State Senator Mike Kehoe and Trey Propes, Interim Director of Missouri Hotel & Lodging Association and General Manager of the Candlewood Suites, at the annual pancake breakfast. This breakfast is always well attended by legislators and capitol employees and allows tourism representatives to interact with their legislators once again.
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April Events
Museum after Hours - April 4 - 5-9 pm. At 7 pm interpretive staff from the museum will offer a program called "Jesse James in the Civil War." In 1864, young Jesse James joined the Confederate Army where he was involved in many conflicts from military actions to committing personal atrocities. Did this background help form the outlaw Jesse James who is remembered today? This program will take place in the museum classroom, which is located in the History Hall (east wing). (573) 751-2854.
"1940s Radio Hour" - April 12-15, 19-22 - times vary - Shikles Auditorium. "The 1940s Radio Hour" is a musical treat full of 1940s big-band music, swing dancing, patriotism and old-fashioned sound effects. Take a musical, sentimental journey to a bygone era as you experience this "live" radio broadcast from the Hotel Astor's Algonquin Room on December 21, 1942. Tickets are $30 for dinner and the show. Contact Capital City Players for more information. (573)681-9012. www.CapitalCityPlayers.com
3rd Annual ASA Spring Kickoff - April 14 & 15 - times vary. Part of the Black Ice Fast Pitch lineup for 2012 Tournaments. Each tournament is ASA sanctioned, two are Northern National Qualifiers. Games will be held at the Binder Sports Complex. See site for details: http://mosoftball.clubspaces.com/default_css.aspx
"The Nerd" - April 19-21 - 7:30 pm - Miller Performing Arts Center. "The Nerd" action centers on the hilarious dilemma of an aspiring young architect who is visited by a man he's never met but who saved his life when he was seriously wounded in Vietnam - the visitor turning out to be an incredibly inept, hopeless, stupid "nerd" who outstays his welcome with a vengeance. Directed by Keith Krueger. Tickets are $12. Miller box office open show week after 5 pm. House opens 30 minutes before curtain. For more details visit www.tltjc.org.
Cruisin' for MDA - April 28 - 5 - 9:30 pm - High Street, Downtown Jefferson City. Come see the largest car show in Jefferson City the last Saturday of every month from March to September. Listen to the music supplied by COOL 97.5, grab some food sold by the Jefferson City Host Lions Club and look at the cars displayed on the streets. Contact (573)680-9458 for more details. |
Tell us about it...
Are you submitting your events for inclusion in the CVB's Calendar of Events? The Calendar of Events is one of the most popular pages on the web site!
To enter an event, click here.
This is a completely free service the CVB offers, so get out there and enter in your information! Submissions are not guaranteed.
Call Ryan at 573-632-2820 with questions.
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Monthly Statistics
Marketing Report
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Visitor Requests |
March |
111 | |
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YTD |
2,002 | |
Website Unique Visitors |
March |
5,929 | |
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YTD |
16,879 | |
Website Visitors (Total) |
March |
7,209 | |
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YTD |
20,319 |
Diplomat Volunteer Hours
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Volunteer Hours |
March |
37 | |
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YTD |
132 |
STR (Smith Travel Research) Report
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February 2012 |
% Change 2011 | |
Occupancy |
51.2% |
6.0% | |
Room Rate |
$69.52 |
-1.7% | |
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Year-to-Date |
% Change 2011 | |
Occupancy |
44.4% |
1.8% | |
Room Rate |
$68.84 |
-3.1% |
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Thank you for your interest in Jefferson City. We look forward to sharing more about our wonderful community in the future. Feel free to contact the Bureau with any questions you may have! | |
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