ANNUAL
REPORT
EXHIBIT 2
A LETTER FROM OUR CEO
WELCOME TO 2022!
Partners, Stakeholders and Community Members,
As we near the second anniversary of the beginning of the pandemic, we continue to be amazed by the tenacity and persistence of our hospitality and local business community through what continues to be uncertain times. 2021 brought with it much optimism and encouraging signs, but as the year came to a close, we soon realized that more challenges lie ahead. We are much better at navigating the unknown, but we are fatigued. Our community has become more resourceful and closer in many ways, as organizations across all spectrums continue to partner and work together for the betterment of Stockton.
In Stockton, our hotel community has seen one of the best years ever, but normal is still out of sight. While 2021 saw most months with occupancy and average rates above those in 2019, the entire hospitality community is still challenged with labor shortages, increasing costs, and supply chain issues. Many have not returned to offering the same level of service and amenities from before the pandemic. The continued loss of group and corporate business has been replaced by a robust leisure travel market and our youth and amateur sports market. As groups and companies adapt to the realization that the virus is here to stay, travel and conferences are returning safely. We are, again, optimistic about the year ahead.
Our team continues to work hard on behalf of the citizens of Stockton and the hospitality and small business community. As the year ended, I felt a sense of excitement as the team we have built and the organizational culture at Visit Stockton has never felt so solid. We are laser focused on supporting each other, our community, and our mission to this city. We also are thrilled to lead the efforts to return a signature food festival to Downtown Stockton with the Stockton Flavor Fest, May 14 & 15.
Some of our highlights from 2021 include:
• Wrapping up the Stockton Healthy Pledge in June, after a year of serving over 300 businesses with resources and PPE. • City of Stockton Small Business Relief Grant Program concluded after distributing $3.15 million dollars in funds over two years to our local small businesses through a partnership with the City of Stockton. • Our first live event in two years, Stockton Brew Fest, was a great success at our new location, the Weber Point Events Center. • The Stockton Experience Trails, including the Stockton Taco Trail, the Stockton Arts Trail, and the San Joaquin County Farm Trail were all well received and successful, and complement our existing Savings Pass well. • We are learning a lot from the results of our Stockton Resident Sentiment Survey, including insights into our community shared values, and feedback from our citizens about festivals, events and priorities moving forward. • Continuing to support our small business community through our efforts coordinating Stockton Small Business Week and the Virtual Downtown Stockton Investor Summit, both in partnership with the City of Stockton Economic Development Department; our hospitality job board; and the work to support our local farm stands and markets and the Stockton airport through the San Joaquin County Tourism Recovery Grant.
While we do not know everything 2022 will bring, we are hopeful that the year ahead is brighter and safer than the one before. The team at Visit Stockton is proud to be a part of, and serve, the Stockton community. We wish each of you a safe and healthy 2022.
Regards,
Wes Rhea, CEO
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
George Kaplanis, CTA
President
Omega Hospitality
Wes Yourth, CTA
Vice President
University of the Pacific
Susan Obert, CTA
Treasurer, Haggin Museum
Alex Munro, CTA
Hilton Stockton
Rhona Miles, CTA
University Plaza
Waterfront Hotel
Isadora Harness, CTA
Marriott Properties
Jai Patel
Red Roof Inn
Christina Fugazi
Council Appointee
Councilmember, District 5,
City of Stockton
MEET THE TEAM
Wes Rhea, CTA
CDME, CHIA
Chief Executive Officer
Christa Griffith, CTA
Office Manager &
CTA Program Manager
Rebecca Scharmann, CTA
Director of Sports & Tourism
Development
Nicholas Ramirez
Events Services Manager
Amy Alpers, CTA
Director of Marketing &
Communications
Anthony Esteves, CTA
Social Media Manager
Jesse Salazar, CTA
Video Production Manager
Wesley Sosa
Graphic Designer &
Brand Manager
Diana Nuño
Events & Community
Engagement Manager
EXHIBIT 2
With the reintroduction of leisure and business travel, the opening of local attractions, and stay at home orders lifted, Stockton saw the positive economic impact that tourism and visitors have on our community.
THE TOURISM EFFECT 2021
2021 HOTEL REVENUE GENERATED
FROM OVERNIGHT VISITS:
OF STOCKTON HOTEL ROOMS WERE SOLD EACH NIGHT IN 2021.
2021 AVERAGE HOTEL OCCUPANCY
2021 DEMAND (ROOM NIGHTS)
2020 REVENUE:
2019 REVENUE:
2018 REVENUE:
$62,161,172
$69,423,227
$66,351,097
2021 AVERAGE DAILY RATE (IN DOLLARS)
LODGING STATS
RESIDENT SENTIMENT SURVEY
In partnership with University of the Pacific marketing students, Visit Stockton conducted a resident sentiment survey to identify the community shared value of Visit Stockton, including the awareness of the organization, our efforts, and local programming. This was an opportunity for residents to share what they would like to see from our organization, and for us to determine their understanding of local tourism and the positive impact tourists make in our community. The survey was deployed through August 31, 2021 and our goal was to collect 1,000 responses from zip codes across the city. We did reach our goal of collecting over 1,000 completed survey results, and over 2,000 partially competed. Those results are currently being reviewed and analyzed by the University of the Pacific Marketing Department, and we expect to have completed reporting early 2022.
STOCKTON AMBASSADOR PROGRAM
AS OF 12/31/2021
WE HAVE CERTIFIED
733
STOCKTON CTAS!
The Stockton Ambassador Program is a
multifaceted program that serves to increase
tourism by inspiring front-line employees and
community members to turn every visitor
encounter into a positive experience by
highlighting the quality of life in our city.
IN 2021...
19 CTAS
WERE CERTIFIED
2 CTA EVENTS
WERE HELD2
CERTIFICATION
CLASSES
WERE HELD
Lodging Data Source: Smith Travel Research (STR), December 2021. 668k
764k
746k
765k
2018
2019
2020
2021
2018
2019
2020 93.02
105.53
88.88 90.69
2021
73.4%
$80,676,104
EXHIBIT 2
RECOVERY OVER EVERYTHING
Destination Marketing Organizations bring valuable visitor dollars to our community which in-turn improves and enhances the quality of life for the residents in our community. For Visit Stockton it is not only the place in which we work, but also where we live. Stockton is a community filled with loved ones, friends, families, and life long memories. Our priority in 2021 was to support our community and our partners during these unprecedented times. Read on to learn more about our efforts to support our community during the pandemic:
STOCKTON RESTAURANT WEEK
In order to comply with state mandates and
support our local restaurant community,
Stockton Restaurant Week 2021 shifted to a
focus on take-out and waived participation
fees. With the help of the Dine Pass, a digital
mobile passport program which allowed users
to check-in at restaurants to win prizes, the
event saw great success and we were grateful
to provide support to our community during
such a difficult time.
STOCKTON TACO TRAIL
Launched as a means of
economic recovery for
our restaurants and a
way to highlight the diversity of cuisine in our
community, the Stockton Taco Trail launched
in April 2021. The mobile passport saw nearly
3,000 sign-ups and 2,200 restaurant check-
ins in 2021.
SMALL BUSINESS RECOVERY GRANTS
The team assisted the City of Stockton with
processing federally funded small business
grants to local recipients. At the conclusion of
the program, our team processed over three
million dollars in grant funds directly to the
Stockton small business community.
STOCKTON SMALL BUSINESS WEEK
Our office was contracted by the City of
Stockton to coordinate the marketing and
programming of Stockton Small Business
Week in May. The event, through online digital
trainings, mixers, and toolkits, provided
support to our business community as they
navigated through their reopening process.
VIRTUAL DOWNTOWN STOCKTON
INVESTOR SUMMIT
For the second year, the City of Stockton
contracted our office to coordinate and host
their Virtual Downtown Stockton Investor
Summit. With nearly 200 registrants, the
half-day program featured presentations
from City leadership, Economic Development
professionals, and the business community
and highlighted why investors should choose
Downtown Stockton for their next project.
HOSPITALITY JOB BOARD
As a response to the ongoing struggle of
staffing shortages, our office created the
Hospitality Job Board. We reached out to
our hotel, restaurant, and attraction partners
and gave them the tools to post their open
positions on our compiled listing platform,
and we promoted the job board on our
website and social media pages.
SAN JOAQUIN COUNTY TOURISM
RECOVERY GRANT
Our office applied for and received a $80,526
grant from the San Joaquin County Tourism
Recovery Grant Fund. Our grant focused
on two main areas, Stockton Metropolitain
Airport promotion and the revamping of the
San Joaquin County Farm Stands and Markets
Guide. In coordination with the guide, we also
launched our third experience pass, the San
Joaquin County Farm Trail.
BACK IN ACTION
Live events are back, and Stockton was ready.
2021 welcomed the optimism we had been
hoping for, and the economic recovery seen
from reopening was welcomed with open
arms. From disc golf championships to beer
festivals, there was no shortage of things to
do in Stockton.
• OTB Championships In May the Open Disc
Golf Pro and Amateur Tours were hosted
at Swenson Park Golf Course. Our office
was integral in the soliciting, planning, and
executing of the multi-weekend event, which
welcomed dozens of athletes from across the
nation and hundreds of spectators. We are
proud of the success brought from the event
and are excited to welcome it back in 2022.
• Stockton Brew Fest: Our first hosted live
event in 2021, Stockton Brew Fest welcomed
30 breweries and 1,100 guests at its new
home at the Weber Point Events Center. The
event featured live music, beer sampling,
food trucks, an artist market, yard games,
and lots of fun in the sun!
• Stockton Flavor Fest: In coordination with
the City of Stockton, our office has started
the planning of the inaugural Stockton
Flavor Fest, hosted at the Weber Point
Events Center May 14 & 15, 2022. We have
contracted with Goodstock Productions as
our event management team, and together
we are creating the next great destination
driving festival for the economic prosperity
of our community.
STOCKTON HEALTHY PLEDGE
In June, the Stockton Healthy Pledge program was concluded after 14 months of supporting small businesses and their recovery from the Covid 19 pandemic. Businesses signed on to the pledge, affirming their commitment to creating a clean, safe, and healthy environment for residents and visitors. With the help of grant funding from the City of Stockton, Visit Stockton provided 333 businesses with marketing support, PPE, hand sanitizer stands, posters, window clings, floor decals, and more.
IN 2021 WE
DISTRIBUTED:
69,510
MASKS
31,600
GLOVES
1,266 BOTTLES
HAND SANITIZERS
131 BOTTLES
DISINFECTANT
1,367 SOCIAL
DISTANCING
FLOOR DECALS
$80,526 grant received from San
Joaquin County Tourism Recovery Fund
EXHIBIT 2
DIGITAL MARKETING
VISITSTOCKTON.ORG
2021 SNAPSHOT
SOCIAL MEDIA
DIGITAL MARKETING UPDATE
TOP 10 PAGES OF 2021
1. Event: Stockton Asparagus Festival
2. Events
3. Stockton Taco Trail
4. Homepage
5. Blog: Top Things to do in Stockton
According to Trip Advisor
6. Stockton Restaurant Week
7. Event: Stockton Con
8. Annual Events Listings
9. Pixie Woods Amusement Park
10. Free Things to do in Stockton
871,403
VISITS
664,414
USERS
1,386,249
PAGEVIEWS
19.82%
20.80%
25.44%
UP
19,570,576
TOTAL IMPRESSIONS
16,100,355 IMPRESSIONS
1,544,524 ENGAGEMENT
YOUTUBE
VIDEO
STATS:
PAID SOCIAL MEDIA PROMOTIONS:
1,670,989
TOTAL ENGAGEMENT
151.3K
VIEWS
262.1K
IMPRESSIONS
1,627
WATCH TIME
(in hours)
SOCIAL MEDIA FOLLOWERS:
EXPERIENCE PASSES
Visit Stockton began working with experience pass producer Bandwango in 2015 by launching our inaugural Stockton Savings Pass.
The success of the pass, which provides discounts and coupons across the city for local businesses, spurred us into creating more passes for visitors and residents alike. Our mobile passports are used as tools for visitors and residents alike to incentivize getting out and exploring the city. An added plus- users might even find a new favorite shop or restaurant along the way! Below is a highlight of the passes launched in 2021:
• Stockton Taco Trail - The Stockton Taco Trail
features over 50 restaurants, taquerias, and
trucks participating along the tasty trail, all
while celebrating the diversity of cuisine in our
community. Participants are rewarded for check-
ins with stickers, t-shirts, and trucker hats.
• Stockton Art Trail - Beautiful spaces are all
around us, and the Stockton Art Trail helps
highlight the artistic gems across the city.
From large-scale installations, sweeping
painted murals, to carved storm drain covers,
explore Stockton’s offerings for a chance to
claim an “I Love Stockton Arts” mug.
• San Joaquin County Farm Trail – Farmers’
Markets, roadside stands, estate distilleries,
and community gardens are just a sample
of the locally-grown experiences to explore
along the San Joaquin County Farm Trail.
Check in to win an exclusive “Greatness
Grows Here” tote.
This data includes Social, Web, Display, and Connected TV which promotes videos, blog content, special events, initiatives, and landing pages.
58.3K 22.6K 3.5K 1.1K 795
Visit Stockton increased our social media presence by activating both Pinterest and TikTok in 2021. We worked with a digital marketing agency in Q4 to amplify our Pinterest program, and in Q2 we started our TikTok page. We look forward to continuing to invest in TikTok as video is a dominant marketing platform for 2022.
We were also able to increase our digital marketing budget by $80,000 due to the San Joaquin County Tourism Recovery Grant program, increasing CTV and display campaigns.
UP
UP
EXHIBIT 2
WHO WE ARE
Visit Stockton is the official destination
marketing organization for Stockton, California
and as such, is charged with the promotion and
marketing of the City of Stockton as a leisure
travel, sports, events, and meetings destination.
Founded in 1979 as a 501(c)6, non-profit
corporation, Visit Stockton is dedicated to
positively impacting the local economy through
its programming and elevating civic pride
while highlighting the Stockton community as
a positive place to work, live, and visit. Visit
Stockton is funded in partnership with local
hotel properties through the Stockton Tourism
Business Improvement District.
Mission Statement
Visit Stockton is dedicated to enhancing the
region’s Quality of Life by collaboratively
leading the promotion of our richly diverse
community and advocating for initiatives that
will enhance the city’s Quality of Place.
Vision Statement
Stockton is widely respected as a diverse and
welcoming community, providing unique and
authentic experiences and opportunities for all.
Our Organizational Values
ACCOUNTABILITY • HAVE FUN
EXCELLENT SERVICE • GIVING BACK
LEARN AND IMPROVE
EXHIBIT 2