LAYTON — Through November, hotel night stays in Davis County were still in the positive column – up by three-tenths of a percent over the previous year.
But that was also counting the “heady” months earlier in the year, prior to the economic downturn. However, it still puts the county’s hotels in better stead than those in many other parts of the state, says Barbara Riddle, CEO of the Davis Area Convention & Visitors Bureau.
“Ogden was down by 1.2 percent (for the year vs. 2007), Salt Lake was down by 4.2 percent and the state by 4.6 percent,” she said.
That downward trend is reflected, locally, in figures for the last couple of months. November saw a dip of 5.4 percent in the county, while October dropped by 8 percent, bringing an average occupancy of 69.5 percent for the entire year, Riddle said.
“We’re still up (overall),” she reiterated, adding that the average daily rate paid for rooms is up by more than $6, compared to last year.
That sort of information will be among items shared in an overview and year-end report of the CVB which will be presented Jan. 16, 7 a.m. to 9 a.m. at the Wight House Reception Center, 95 N. Main, Bountiful.
The CVB is a nonprofit entity with which Davis County contracts to promote tourism and conventions. It is funded from transient room tax. Some $816,000 has been approved by the County Commission for the coming year to operate the Layton-based agency, a 2 percent increase.
“The emergence of Davis County as a destination for skiers” is among items that will be shared with attendees, Riddle said.
“People are discovering the area, and its closeness to the ski resorts: one destination, close to 10 resorts. If they stay in Layton, they’re as close to Snowbasin (or closer) as downtown Ogden, and in South Davis, they’re as close to the Big and Little Cottonwood Canyon resorts as downtown Salt Lake City,” she said.
“There is great accessibility, affordability, things to do, restaurants,” the Layton Hills Mall, and more, Riddle continued.
“We have seen a 50 percent increase in ski group bookings,” she said. The CVB has been working with ski councils, has hosted the conference of at least one such major group. In addition, print advertising promoting Davis County as a ski resort is now in place.
“We’ve spent a lot of energy in the ski market. The reason why is that’s our real need, to fill hotel rooms between December and March,” Riddle said. “That’s when our room nights are the lowest.”
The CVB was hoping to see upward of 15,000 room nights booked by year’s end, generating an estimated economic impact of $4 million to $4.5 million.
“Last year we booked over 24,000 nights. We had an incredible economy,” she said. “The first quarter (of 2008) we were ahead on bookings, the second and third quarters were slower. Then it picked back up.
“For 2009, we’re increasing our focus on trade shows, increasing print advertising, meetings and conventions, trade publications, tourism publications,” Riddle said.
The tourism rack distribution of brochures about Antelope Island and the Great Salt Lake received a big boost, thanks to the CVB receiving a $53,000 grant from the Utah Tourism Cooperative Marketing Program, which had a local funding match.
“We’re excited to see Salt Lake hosting the World Congress of Meeting Planners International in 2009,” she said. “We look forward to showcasing our area to those folks.”
tbusselberg@davisclipper.com