2023 Annual Meeting & Report

Thank you for attending our Annual Meeting! Keep scrolling to find the agenda for our Annual Meeting and the FY 22-23 Annual Report. If you have any questions, please contact us at info@visitranchocordova.com

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Meeting Agenda
Annual Report
board of directors
Marketing Highlights
Sales Highlights
TBID-Assessed Hotels

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Meeting Agenda

12:00pm - Lunch & Networking

12:30pm - Welcome: Terry Park

12:35pm - Report Presentation: Marc Sapoznik

1:15pm - Guest Speakers: SMUD, PG&E

1:25pm - Short Break

1:30pm - Board Meeting & Installation of New Board Members

Annual Report

Letter from our CEO

Dear Stakeholders,

Business levels have remained strong in Rancho Cordova, despite residual impacts from COVID-19. Staffing shortages for many properties and tourism-related businesses remained a significant issue. As we embark on the 23/24 Fiscal Year, forecasts from Tourism Economics indicate that our industry should remain healthy and minimally impacted by any downturns in the economy. Over the past year, the tourism economy generated over $300 million in economic impact for our region; this number surpasses pre-pandemic levels.

Our sales and marketing efforts have been as productive as ever. Over this past year, 50,515 room night leads have been generated via 212 individual leads by the sales team. That is a year-over-year increase of 785% in leads, and 934% in room nights generated. In addition, the team has been representing Visit Rancho Cordova at trade and meeting planner events nationally and internationally. Over time, participation in these events will yield new business for our hotels and community businesses. The sales team has also been hosting critical destination analysis events and meeting planner familiarization tours. We are building new sales and marketing strategies based on the input from these meeting planners and our local hoteliers. To find out what the sales team and Visit Rancho Cordova are up to, the sales team developed the PERC program, a portal that gives partners direct access to an extranet with leads, happenings, and much more.

Our digital marketing programs have reached millions of potential travelers, and the addition of Ripe (a booking platform that allows us to create packages with hotel stay and gift cards or activity discounts) has been activated. We've reached over 25 million potential travelers via Google campaigns, made over 3 million impressions on Facebook, and delivered almost 1 million impressions on Instagram. Our productive Expedia campaigns will continue in this fiscal year.

Additionally, Visit Rancho Cordova took the lead role in marketing Rancho Cordova’s Barrel District. Aside from the productive digital marketing for the Barrel District, our marketing team was able to partner with the California Capital Airshow and secure the opportunity for the Barrel District to host a premium craft beer experience called The Hangar this September 23-24, 2023. Our resident graphic artist and Marketing Coordinator, Aubrey Hall, also designed The Hangar’s mascot, which was named by Rancho Cordova community members who voted in a cross-promoted marketing activation. Hundreds of these voters chose to opt into the Barrel District’s new email list, which can be used to promote the Barrel District in the future. The Hangar is the first Barrel District event of this magnitude and we are hoping for it to become an annual tradition.

Furthermore, we have forged new branding for Visit Rancho Cordova with our partner Madden Media. Expect to see more effective positioning over the next year, along with abundant new content. Speaking of content, we added a new Content Manager to our staff in March 2023. Kristen Achziger has been with us for only a few months, but her creativity, productivity, and positive attitude have been a welcomed addition to our team. I am also happy to share that Dawn Hall was promoted to Vice President of Operations.

The all-new Marriott TownePlace Suites opened this year, and there are prospects of another Hyatt property entering our market within the next year.

At Visit Rancho Cordova, we will leverage the good work that has been done to create a prosperous year for our stakeholders and community.

Respectfully,

Marc Sapoznik
President & CEO
Visit Rancho Cordova

Who We Are

Established in 2010 but formally organized in 2011, the Rancho Cordova Tourism Business Improvement District (RCTBID) increases district visitors, improves destination brand awareness, and bolsters market share for Rancho Cordova hotels. Through robust marketing, brand positioning, and relationship management, Visit Rancho Cordova continues to accomplish these goals for the Rancho Cordova community.


Our Core Values

Teamwork: We collaborate as a team with our staff, vendors, partners and our community. We are intentional on how we support and assist one another to achieve meaningful outcomes.

Authenticity: We celebrate and stay true to our destination’s character to make decisions that are aligned with the goals of our stakeholders and community.

Trust: We strive to be effective stewards of our community, our resources and experiences. Accountability is paramount. We communicate respectfully and appropriately to be effective ambassadors of our destination.

Kaizen: We are inspired by the Japanese term “Kaizen,” which means to continuously innovate and improve. We encourage entrepreneurism and are solution focused.

I.D.E.A. (Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, Accessibility): We are intentional to create safe environments that welcome and celebrate all people in our programs, partnerships, marketing and events.

TBID over Time

Since the formation of RCTBID in 2011 through the pre-pandemic period, the Occupancy rate increased by over 50%, the Average Daily Rate (ADR) increased by more than 45%, and RevPAR increased by 79%. Over this same timeframe, nationally, the Occupancy rate only increased by 15.1%.

Pictured: Visit Rancho Cordova 5 year TBID growth
Pictured: 2023 Budget
$2.6 M

Our Staff

Marc Sapoznik

President & CEO

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Dawn Hall

Vice President of Operations

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Maggie Thyken Huss

Director of Sales

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Lisa Leonti-Nottingham

Sales Coordinator

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Leena Riggs

Director of Marketing & Partnerships

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Aubrey Hall

Marketing Coordinator

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Kristen Achziger

Content Manager

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Our Board of Directors

Thank you 2022-2023 Visit Rancho Cordova Board of Directors

Terry Park, Board Chair & Interim Board Secretary
Residence Inn

Sarah Alvarado, Treasurer
Hyatt Place

Kristin Goble, Board Member
Residence Inn

Diann Rogers, Board Member
Rancho Cordova Area Chamber of Commerce

Amanda Norton, Board Member
City of Rancho Cordova

Adam Bowley, Board Member
TownePlace Suites

Caitlin McNamee, Board Member
Courtyard

Advisory Visit Rancho Cordova Board Members

Lt. Nick Goncalves, Advisor
Rancho Cordova Police Department

Patrick Larkin, Advisor
Cordova Recreation & Park District

Incoming Visit Rancho Cordova Board Member

Edana Chisler
Fairfield Inn & Suites

Letter from the Chair

Dear Stakeholders,

On behalf of the Visit Rancho Cordova Board of Directors, I would like to express our sincere appreciation for your support and collaboration over the past year. Partner collaboration has been instrumental in helping us achieve our mission and goals.

The post-renewal Tourism Business Improvement District (TBID) has set up the organization for substantially more impact. Before the renewal, Visit Rancho Cordova was operated by a staff of two. Today, we have seven full-time employees, with staff dedicated to a sales department and content management, among other disciplines. As a member of the organization’s Board of Directors for over 10 years, I am very proud of the progress we have made together and look forward to continuing our work in the coming year. With a budget that is 5-fold what it was when I started, major steps have been taken to enhance the power and impact of Visit Rancho Cordova.

We are committed to building on our successes and strengthening our partnerships with all of our stakeholders. We recently worked with TAG Group on a resident survey that let us know that 63% of our community residents know of Visit Rancho Cordova. That number is considerably higher than it would have been before our staff additions and outreach over the past year.

From tourism advocacy to bringing and sponsoring events to our region like the California Mermaid Convention, Hangtown Motocross Classic, Golden State Race Series, and California Capital Airshow to marketing and sales, Visit Rancho Cordova makes an impact on our hotels, restaurants, retail outlets and attractions.

As Chair, I am very excited about the future of Visit Rancho Cordova.

Terry Park
Chair, Board of Directors

Marketing Highlights 2022-2023 FY

Refine, refresh, re-imagine Rancho Cordova!

Pictured: Visitor Data 2022-2023 FY

A Message from the Marketing Department

Dear Partners and Community Leaders,

First and foremost, we would like to express our appreciation for your support and trust in this marketing team. Over the past year, our marketing department has been working hard, implementing strategies to drive growth and foster brand recognition. We are pleased to share with you some notable achievements:

  • Digital Growth: We have successfully expanded our organic search results to visitranchocordova.com with an 85% increase in new users and a 127% increase in engaged sessions. Through targeted campaigns and effective advertising, our search engine marketing has produced a year-over-year increase in new users by 288% and engaged sessions by 177%.
  • Brand Redefining: We have undergone a brand redefining to stay current and relevant. By refining our brand identity and messaging, we have enhanced our ability to connect with our guests and differentiate ourselves as a golden opportunity for travel & tourism. Much of the content, ads, and visuals you see in this report directly reflect this effort. We thank our partners at Madden Media for their support and Destination Analysts for providing the research needed to move Visit Rancho Cordova forward.
  • Website Refresh: Our website refresh has been vital to our content and advertising success. Completed in the fall of 2022, this updated content management system has expanded our abilities to tell the story of Rancho Cordova visually, structurally, and effectively.

Moving forward, we have exciting plans to further our marketing, including:

  • Earned Media: We're looking forward to an expanded partnership with Madden Media for public relations support, including press FAM trips, targeted pitches, partnering with Gold Country Visitors Association and Visit California, and a renewed presence at IPW 2024.
  • Partnerships and Collaborations: We recognize the importance of strategic partnerships and collaborations to broaden our reach and create mutually beneficial relationships. Our team actively seeks opportunities to expand our content and authentically represent Visit Rancho Cordova to the world.

Your Visit Rancho Cordova marketing team remains dedicated to driving growth, building brand equity, and delivering value to our stakeholders. We constantly strive for excellence and are committed to informing you of our progress. Your continued support and feedback are critical to our success, and we value our partnership with you.

Leena Riggs,
Director of Marketing & Partnerships

New team member: Kristen Achziger, Content Manager

Since joining the team in March 2023, Kristen has already been hard at work updating our website content, strategizing our content calendar, sending press releases to and cultivating relationships with local media, and writing great ad content. Keep your eyes peeled for great content across the Visit Rancho Cordova brand!

Website traffic 22-23 FY

  • 242.37K sessions with 272.51K users

Social media highlights

  • 32.91k fans on Visit Rancho Cordova-owned social media channels

Successful Fall Expedia Campaign

  • 1 $10K investment with a Visit CA match
  • 346 Room Nights/ 311 Guests
  • $43.3K Gross Booking
  • 3.5 return on ad spend

Threshold 360 Virtual Tours

  • $38,691 in Earned Media Value
  • Over 1.18 million views on Google
  • Nearly 146,000 views on ours and our partners' sites totaling to almost 190 hours of consumed video.

For information on your tour or to schedule your partner tour, please contact leena@visitranchocordova.com

New! Visitor Guide!

Request the new Visitor's Guide today!

Visit Rancho Cordova Foundation

The Visit Rancho Cordova Foundation (501c3) is official! Those interested in serving on the Board of Directors for the Visit Rancho Cordova Foundation should email Leena Riggs at leena@visitranchocordova.com. Stay tuned for our Fall Fundraising campaign.

Barrel District

In addition to successfully completing the FY 22/23 MOU with the City of Rancho Cordova regarding the Rancho Cordova Barrel District, Visit Rancho Cordova has extended the MOU to include signature local events, including the California Capital Airshow 2023. For further reporting and details please contact leena@visitranchocordova.com.

THE HANGAR (BARREL DISTRICT X CALIFORNIA CAPITAL AIRSHOW) is an exclusive new venue for the California Capital Airshow featuring the Rancho Cordova Barrel District. Visit Rancho Cordova marketing coordinator, Aubrey Hall, designed a new mascot for the venue. Approximately 400 tickets have been sold as of 8/1/23 with 650 email subscribers gained on Barrel District's behalf.

Meet Bomber!

Check out some of our Localhood stories!

Tour the Sacramento Rancho Cordova Marriott

FY 2022-2023 Sales Highlights

A Message from the Sales Department

Dear Stakeholders & Partners,

Throughout the past year, the VRC Sales Team has achieved exceptional growth, solidifying our destination's standing.

We saw an impressive increase of 185 leads, generating 45,107 room nights year-over-year. Our commitment to innovation led us to introduce PERCup!, a program designed to foster hotelier engagement through point-based incentives and increased involvement of the Visit Rancho Cordova sales team in the hotel sales process. Notably, we revamped Rancho Rewards, offering $10 nightly rebates and a compelling 1/40 comp ratio for new groups and events, boosting its appeal to event planners.

Our dedication to personal connections was evident in the implementation of Quarterly Quorum Sales Meetings, facilitating valuable face-to-face interactions. Expanding our reach, we forged new strategic partnerships with influential entities like CSUS Athletics, SF Travel, CA Star, Sports ETA, and HPN Global, ensuring heightened visibility locally and beyond.

This collective effort, supported by our passionate team and dedicated stakeholders, continues to propel Rancho Cordova as a coveted and irresistible destination.

Maggie Thyken Huss,
Director of Sales

Destination Analysis & FAM Trips

During the past fiscal year, we proudly organized two successful Meeting Planner Familiarization Trips, along with our highly anticipated Second Annual Hotelier Destination Analysis event. The invaluable insights garnered from these events have played a pivotal role in shaping our dynamic sales and marketing strategies.

Additionally, we undertook a comprehensive brand identity refresh to strengthen our market presence, developed our destination's first-ever Meeting Planner Guide to enhance planner engagement, and focused diligently on elevating our destination rewards to level the competitive destination playing field. These developments have empowered us to achieve greater prominence and have set the stage for continued growth.

Conferences & Trade Shows on the Horizon

ASAE Annual Meeting - AUG 2023
CONNECT Marketplace - AUG 2023
Northstar Destination CA - SEP 2023
Connect WEST – NOV 2023
Smart Meetings NorCal – NOV 2023
CalSAE Seasonal Spectacular – DEC 2023
PCMA Convening Leaders – JAN 2024
Northstar IPEC – JAN 2024
DI Convention Sales & Services - MAR 2024
CalSAE ELEVATE – MAY 2024
IPW – MAY 2024
HB ABC - MAY 2024

2023-2024 Sales Memberships & Partnerships

SF Travel
HelmsBriscoe
HPN Global
CSUS Athletics
CA Star
Sports ETA
PCMA
SGMP
CalSAE
ASAE
MPISSN
MPINCC

Major Events

Events are back! Rancho Cordova welcomed terrific events in 2021-2022, and Visit Rancho Cordova proudly sponsored or supported this fantastic return to in-person!

Events included

  • California Capital Airshow 2021
  • Hangtown MX
  • Golden State Race Series by Rio Strada Racing 2022
  • California Mermaid Convention 2022
  • SW Junior Rowing Championships
  • WCC Rowing Championships & Western Sprints
  • Gold Rush Masters Regatta
  • Pacific USA Track & Field
  • Golden West Invitational Track Meet
  • Pride with Leo & Friends at the Sacramento Children's Museum

Rancho Cordova Tourism Business Improvement District (TBID) Assessed Hotels

Rancho Cordova Tourism Business Improvement District (TBID) Assessed Hotels

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