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
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
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.
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.
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%.
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
Lt. Nick Goncalves, Advisor
Rancho Cordova Police Department
Patrick Larkin, Advisor
Cordova Recreation & Park District
Edana Chisler
Fairfield Inn & Suites
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
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:
Moving forward, we have exciting plans to further our marketing, including:
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
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!
For information on your tour or to schedule your partner tour, please contact leena@visitranchocordova.com
Request the new Visitor's Guide today!
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.
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.
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
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.
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
SF Travel
HelmsBriscoe
HPN Global
CSUS Athletics
CA Star
Sports ETA
PCMA
SGMP
CalSAE
ASAE
MPISSN
MPINCC
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
Head of the American Regatta
The Head of the American Regatta returns to Sac State Aquatic Center this October 26th! Teams will be rowing up and down Lake Natoma at Nimbus Flat State Park in Rancho Cordova…
Hangtown Motocross Classic
Come take in the action of Hangtown Motocross Classic in Rancho Cordova! Amateur rides take place Thursday and Friday capping off the event with pro races on Saturday. Tickets are required for…
Golden State Race Series by Rio Strada Racing
Come celebrate Bike Month with a spectacular race in Rancho Cordova at Rio Strada Racing's annual Golden State Race Series event! Cyclists will be weaving around the Rancho Cordova business park racing…
Best Western Plus10713 White Rock Road
Rancho Cordova, California 95670
California Inn & Suites Rancho Cordova10800 Olson Drive
Rancho Cordova, California 95670
Comfort Inn & Suites12249 Folsom Boulevard
Rancho Cordova, California 95742
Courtyard by Marriott10683 White Rock Rd.
Rancho Cordova, California 95670
Days Inn & Suites3240 Mather Field Road
Rancho Cordova, California 95670
Extended Stay America10721 White Rock Road
Rancho Cordova, California 95670
Fairfield Inn & Suites Rancho Cordova10745 Gold Center Drive
Rancho Cordova, California 95670
Hampton Inn10755 Gold Center Drive
Rancho Cordova, California 95670
Holiday Inn Sacramento/Rancho Cordova11269 Point East Drive
Rancho Cordova, California 95742
HomeTowne Studios by Red Roof11299 Point East Drive
Rancho Cordova, California 95742
Homewood Suites by Hilton10700 White Rock Road
Rancho Cordova, California 95670
Hyatt Place - Rancho Cordova10744 Gold Center Dr.
Rancho Cordova, California 95670
La Quinta Inn & Suites11131 Folsom Blvd.
Rancho Cordova, California 95670
Residence Inn by Marriott2779 Prospect Park Drive
Rancho Cordova, California 95670
Sacramento Marriott11211 Point East Drive
Rancho Cordova, California 95742
TownePlace Suites Sacramento Rancho Cordova11212 Point East Dr
Rancho Cordova, California 95742
What can we help you find?
Featured Rancho Cordova Events
Discover the latest Rancho Cordova events on our updated calendar, happening every day of the week!
Rancho Cordova Hotels and Lodging
Whether you're visiting for business or pleasure, you'll find it all in the comfort of one of our Rancho Cordova hotels.
Outdoor Activities
Find outdoor activities Rancho Cordova, from water sports to cycling to skydiving. With Lake Natoma and the American River Bike Trail, there are many options.
