The Grand Junction Area Tourism Membership program is in full swing and moving along nicely. Feel free to reference last month's Stakeholder eNews for details regarding the program. The Visit GJ team has been contacting and following up with all tourism businesses outside the City of Grand Junction, via phone and email, sharing details of the program and determining interest. If you have not heard from us yet or have questions, please feel free to reach out. You can also reference the Q&A page, which provides a significant amount of information including the benefits of the membership. If you have been contacted at least three times by Visit GJ staff, and we have not received a response, you will receive an email stating that your content will begin being removed from Visit GJ platforms after 5 business days of the email notice.
What is the next step if you have responded "YES" to the membership?
During our current outreach, the contract is being developed. Once the contract is finalized, Visit GJ will follow-up and meet with you, prior to signing, to review the partnership and answer questions. The contract could not be drafted until Grand Junction City Council approved the new Resolution, which was voted on April 20. At that point, contract development was started. During this time, Visit GJ is reaching out to all tourism businesses outside the City of GJ.
Thank you,
Elizabeth
Director of Visit Grand Junction
ElizabethF@GJcity.org or 970-256-4052
|
|
Lodging Tax Revenue Report
|
|
|
March 2022
From the 4.25% lodging tax collections that Visit GJ received (short-term lodging tax revenue was not available to include at the time of this report), March 2022’s business was a factor of 28.5% higher compared to March 2021 (adjusted for late and missing payments). Of the Grand Junction lodging properties that reported their metrics to STR, LLC., occupancy for March 2022 was 63.9%, ADR was $93.02, and RevPAR was $59.44. All three metrics were the highest for any March in Grand Junction's lodging history!
Grand Junction experienced an increase in all hotel metrics compared to the previous month of February. March 2022’s business experienced a factor of a 21.0% increase in occupancy, a 7.8% increase in ADR, and a 30.4% increase in RevPAR compared to February 2022.
GJ hotels continue to do a fantastic job with yielding rates! We continue to see record increases in ADR each month compared to the same months historically, and it is evident the revenue strategies are working! Here is another excellent source of Revenue Management Tips, Tricks, and trends for 2022 from Cendyn and posted by Hotel News Resource. If you need additional assistance, feel free to contact Elizabeth at ElizabethF@GJCity.org.
Click here for the latest sales, use, and lodging tax collection reports from the City of Grand Junction.
|
|
|
For national metrics, Grand Junction was even with U.S. hotels in average occupancy, 36.6% lower in ADR, and 36.6% lower in RevPAR for March 2022. As a reminder, U.S. metrics include major metropolitan areas like NYC, LA, Chicago, Houston, Phoenix, Denver, etc. Those cities and hundreds of others create a dichotomy concerning the unbalanced comparison of Grand Junction metrics to U.S. metrics. Despite that, we think the data is helpful and certainly a goal to work towards!
|
|
Compared to the entire state, Grand Junction was 1.0% higher than Colorado hotels in average occupancy, 50.3% lower in ADR, and 49.8% lower in RevPAR for March 2022.
Visit GJ has recently purchased a STR report that excludes the ski resorts and towns to provide a more fair comparison to Grand Junction. We will be reporting these customized metrics moving forward. When excluding Colorado ski towns (Breckenridge, Frisco, Silverthorne, Vail, Avon, Beaver Creek, Winter Park, Steamboat, Snowmass, Aspen, Crested Butte, and Telluride), Grand Junction was 2.9% higher than the rest of the state in average occupancy, 26.6% lower in ADR, and 24.5% lower in RevPAR. Please keep in mind, the two largest cities, Denver and Colorado Springs, will still weigh the data disproportionately compared to Grand Junction.
*Source: STR, LLC. - REPUBLICATION OR OTHER RE-USE OF STR’s DATA WITHOUT THE EXPRESS WRITTEN PERMISSION OF STR IS STRICTLY PROHIBITED.
|
|
Outdoor Recreation Economic Impact Study
|
|
|
Visit GJ deployed a national survey to assist Dr. Nathan Perry, CMU Associate Professor of Economics, with an Outdoor Recreation Economic Impact Study. The survey, sent to over 1 million consumers in the U.S., included a variety of questions that is assisting in Dr. Perry’s study as well as data that Visit GJ monitors regularly. One question asked of consumers who have visited the Grand Junction area in the last three years is provided below. This data can change based on season.
|
|
Would you and your staff like to learn more about new tourism businesses in the area? Would you like ideas about off-the-beaten-path activities you can share with your guests? Visit GJ encourages businesses and residents to stop by the Visitor Center to meet our friendly Ambassadors and familiarize yourself with the information and materials we have available. Feel free to stop by Monday - Friday, 8:30 am - 5:00 pm at 740 Horizon Drive. And don't forget to pick out your complimentary stamped postcard - we even mail it for you!
If you'd like a brief tour of the Visitor Center, please reach out to Mason at MasonB@GJcity.org to ensure a team member will be available. Recently, a local business stopped by with their staff and they found it extremely helpful!
|
|
Love'n GJ on Social Media
|
|
|
|
|
|
Chastity commented
"We were just there yesterday. The wildflowers were gorgeous and plentiful!"
|
|
|
|
|
Heidi said, "Gosh! I miss living in GJ!!! 💜"
|
|
|
|
|
lsessums wrote, "Such majestic animals! Beautiful"
|
|
|
|
|
|
