Challenges and Opportunities for Jax's Tourism Market

[Kerry]

I'm glad it isn't just me with doubts.

https://www.jacksonville.com/news/20180507/tax-collector-corrigan-moving-to-visit-jacksonville

Corrigan, who has not previously worked in the tourism industry, will take the helm of Visit Jacksonville and its $4.9 million budget at a time when the nonprofit is reporting record-breaking numbers for visitors, and the Downtown Investment Authority is inviting proposals for development of a new convention center.

Visit Jacksonville is the nonprofit agency that has a long-standing city contract to promote business and leisure travel, a mission that has drawn some criticism from City Council members who have questioned whether Jacksonville is keeping up with other cities in the competitive tourism market.

Of course, we know what happened to the Convention Center proposal.

An article on Jax Business Journal behind the pay wall says Corrigan was hired specifically for his political connections.  Go figure.

In the last month I've been to Pike Place Market in Seattle and The Municipal Fish Market in Washington DC.  There is zero reason why these couldn't be duplicated at The Landing, especially if combined with Beaver Street Farmer Market.  All it takes is someone with the right vision and in a place of authority to say, "Hey, we have all these things we just need to put them together in one spot.", and then do it.

So there it is - I have zero, zip, nadda, zilch experience with the tourism industry - except being an actual tourist and getting out of Jax on a regular basis and I've suggested two great ideas (if I do say so myself) - an attraction pass and a riverfront public market.  What has the CVB come up with this week?

Anyhow, I think I said all I can to make my point on this subject.  I think Jax can do better to develop (emphasis on develop) and promote tourism but I don't think we have the people in place to actually do it nor apparently the budget to do it either.

[Peter Griffin]

Hue hue hue I'm a tourist and can rattle off grand ideas almost as quickly I can derail a thread!

Take THAT, Jacksonville leadership! U just got literally PWN3D by Kerry
ePiC WrEcKed! xD jacksonville more like CRINGEsonville! LMAO!!!1


uh oh... somebody pointed out that 75% hotel occupancy is actually a respectable number... BETTER DERAIL THE THREAD EVEN FURTHER!

[thelakelander]

I went ahead and split this into a thread of its own.

[Peter Griffin]

I went ahead and split this into a thread of its own.

Kerry is even more powerful than I thought...

[Wacca Pilatka]

I went ahead and split this into a thread of its own.

Thanks Lake

[Charles Hunter]

I don't know what the share is, but medical tourism is growing in Jacksonville.

Jacksonville Business Journal - Dec. 27, 2018
"Jacksonville is becoming a destination for health care," said Dr. Robert Wharen, a longtime professor of neurology at Mayo. "There are new businesses coming here and research efforts that are being coordinated through Mayo, like the Jacksonville campus innovation building for lung transplants."

Wharen said that Mayo serves more than 100,000 patients a year and employs 6,000 people. In the last three years, international patients have tripled.

In response, Visit Jacksonville launched a new medical meetings initiative, and is already participating in trade shows, developing medical meetings collateral and advertising in medical meeting publications in preparation.

https://www.bizjournals.com/jacksonville/news/2018/12/27/year-in-review-first-coasts-health-tourism.html

[Kerry]

I don't know what the share is, but medical tourism is growing in Jacksonville.

Jacksonville Business Journal - Dec. 27, 2018
"Jacksonville is becoming a destination for health care," said Dr. Robert Wharen, a longtime professor of neurology at Mayo. "There are new businesses coming here and research efforts that are being coordinated through Mayo, like the Jacksonville campus innovation building for lung transplants."

Wharen said that Mayo serves more than 100,000 patients a year and employs 6,000 people. In the last three years, international patients have tripled.

In response, Visit Jacksonville launched a new medical meetings initiative, and is already participating in trade shows, developing medical meetings collateral and advertising in medical meeting publications in preparation.

https://www.bizjournals.com/jacksonville/news/2018/12/27/year-in-review-first-coasts-health-tourism.html

I know that story say 2018, but the Visit Jacksonville web site says their Medical Tourism initiative was launched back in 2008.  Is there a new "new initiative" because 2008 was 11 years ago.

https://www.visitjacksonville.com/media/news-releases/visit-jacksonville-ramps-up-its-convention-sales-initiatives/

The recent changes make hosting a meeting in Jacksonville effortless for the meeting planner. In addition to the Sales staff reorganization to create more efficient relationships with meeting planners, Visit Jacksonville has created new collateral for target-specific markets, added end of the year discounts and launched a new initiative for medical tourism, branded "America's Health Center."

...

Medical Meetings & Conventions - With Jacksonville's diversity in medical care and research, biotechnology companies and meeting venues, Visit Jacksonville designated the city as "America's Health Center." A new sales collateral piece and dedicated Web site provides information on Jacksonville meeting venues and on the 11 medical partners who can offer facility tours and experts in a number of medical and research specialties for educational symposiums, keynote addresses and meeting attendees.

http://www.jaxhealthcenter.com/

[fieldafm]

You do realize that 'medical tourism', people traveling to Jacksonville for extended periods of time to receive treatments in Jacksonville-based medical facilities... is different than booking medical conventions, which is the initiative you are quoting. 

Medical tourism is booming in Jacksonville. To even remotely criticize this niche, is patently absurd.  This is not the first, and very sadly, not the last time you'll dive into a subject in which you clearly know nothing about and completely conflate issues.

I say this as someone that has put together financing for the construction of these medical facilities, and various housing/lodging options to serve these patients and their families. 

Also, if you can consistently reach a 75% hotel occupancy rate... I'll gladly finance that as well.  That's a very healthy number.

[Peter Griffin]

SO many unfounded criticisms of Jacksonville, so little time...

At least we've got Greenville, SC to hear about now instead of just harping on OKC

[Tacachale]

SO many unfounded criticisms of Jacksonville, so little time...

At least we've got Greenville, SC to hear about now instead of just harping on OKC

You mean 66%ville? 

[Adam White]

SO many unfounded criticisms of Jacksonville, so little time...

At least we've got Greenville, SC to hear about now instead of just harping on OKC

You mean 66%ville? 

^Is that the hotel occupancy rate for OKC? If so, I guess it makes sense - I can't imagine it being a big destination for tourism.

[Tacachale]

SO many unfounded criticisms of Jacksonville, so little time...

At least we've got Greenville, SC to hear about now instead of just harping on OKC

You mean 66%ville? 

^Is that the hotel occupancy rate for OKC? If so, I guess it makes sense - I can't imagine it being a big destination for tourism.

No, Greenville. I actually looked for OKC but couldn't find it in my admittedly cursory search that showed Jax's occupancy rate is pretty healthy.

[Tacachale]

Speak of the devil, I found an estimate for OKC.

Oklahoma City: (projected): 64%
Asheville (2017): 65.5%
Greenville: 66%
Indianapolis: 70%
Tampa: 74.1%
Nashville: 75%
Miami: 76.7%
Atlanta (projected): 77%
Orlando: 78.1 (2019 YTD)
Charleston:  78.9%
National average: 66.2%

[Peter Griffin]

Speak of the devil, I found an estimate for OKC.

Oklahoma City: (projected): 64%
Asheville (2017): 65.5%
Greenville: 66%
Indianapolis: 70%
Tampa: 74.1%
Nashville: 75%
Miami: 76.7%
Atlanta (projected): 77%
Orlando: 78.1 (2019 YTD)
Charleston:  78.9%
National average: 66.2%

That's too funny. Thanks for doing the legwork.

Looks like Jacksonville COULD brag about its 75% occupancy rate afterall...

[Kerry]

You do realize that 'medical tourism', people traveling to Jacksonville for extended periods of time to receive treatments in Jacksonville-based medical facilities... is different than booking medical conventions, which is the initiative you are quoting. 

Medical tourism is booming in Jacksonville. To even remotely criticize this niche, is patently absurd.  This is not the first, and very sadly, not the last time you'll dive into a subject in which you clearly know nothing about and completely conflate issues.

I say this as someone that has put together financing for the construction of these medical facilities, and various housing/lodging options to serve these patients and their families. 

Also, if you can consistently reach a 75% hotel occupancy rate... I'll gladly finance that as well.  That's a very healthy number.

I wasn't criticizing it.  I was asking if the 2018 article about it was referencing the 2008 initiative or if there was a new one.

It turns out it was the 2008 version.  If you cared to read the website put together as part of that effort you would see that it hasn't been updated since 2015 as it talks about future meetings coming to Jax in 2016.

It might be a big thing, but it clearly isn't a current priority for VisitJax.  Hell, the entire page directed at patients and their families is blank.

Okay - NOW I am criticizing it.