Downtown Baltimore?s hotel business is in trouble.
“We looked at the numbers and saw they?re down,” said Nancy Hinds, the vice president of public affairs for the Baltimore Area Convention and Visitors Association. “We could have an issue if we don?t – as an industry, a community and BACVA – act.”
In new numbers released Friday by Tom Noonan, president and chief executive officer of BACVA, the number of large groups coming into the city is expected to decline during the coming three years.
After analyzing the data, Noonan called a meeting with more than a dozen Baltimore hotel general managers Friday morning to discuss the looming issue and develop a plan of attack.
For 2008, only 10 large groups ? those with 1,200 hotel rooms book during their peak nights – currently are booked to visit Baltimore. The number dips to nine in 2009 and also in 2010. That compared to the 20 booked in 2005 and the 19 booked in 2006.
To bolster the faltering number, Noonan unveiled a multi-faceted attack to target corporations and pharmaceutical companies that bring in medium-sized groups for quick gatherings, and are often scheduled only a few weeks in advance.
To cater to the mid-sized market, Noonan will establish a one-man BACVA satelliteoffice in New York City to complement its other national offices in Washington, D.C., and Chicago.
Noonan?s plan also calls for the implementation of a monthly study conducted by a third-party expert of trends, analysis and projections. The expert will use 48 variables in Baltimore?s analysis. When completed, the study will tell BACVA and local hoteliers the strengths and weaknesses of the city and how it stacks up against other cities.
The study also will suggest the type of business the city should be doing.
The Trends Analysis Projections, costing about $25,000 for the first year, currently is conducted in 35 North American cities.
But Noonan warned that the initiatives will be unsuccessful unless hotels, business and BACVA work as a team to make Baltimore a destination spot.
Noonan also envisions taking hotel general managers with him on sales trips, and hotels pooling their money with BACVA for bigger and better national advertising.
“It was great because we sat down with all the general managers today,” Noonan said. “They were all supportive and they are doing this because it?s a chance to do it right.”
Fiscal year booking comparisons (net minus cancellations)
2004 Fiscal Year228,6502005 Fiscal Year265,4412006 Fiscal Year352,603 2007 Fiscal Year 246,398
Definite citywide groups starting Jan. 1, 2004-Dec. 31,20102004 Groups: 24Room Nights: 206,492Attendance: 144,625 2005 Groups: 28Room Nights: 254,126Attendance: 189,5002006 Groups: 20Room Nights: 168,318Attendance: 183,738 2007 Groups: 19Room Nights: 161,626Attendance: 157,580 2008 Groups: 10Room Nights: 72,231Attendance: 51,850 2009 Groups: 9Room Nights: 80,520Attendance: 37,2602010 Groups: 9Room Nights: 72,398Attendance: 40,550
Citywide Tentative Business2008: Groups: 5Rooms Nights: 44,766Attendance: 16,200Annual Groups: 7Rooms Nights: 38,195Attendance: 76,600 12 82,961Attendance: 92,8002009: Groups: 9Room Nights: 56,377Attendance: 31,700Annual Groups: 6Room Nights: 37,994Attendance: 68,600 15 94,371 100,300 2010: Groups: 6Room Nights: 64,707Attendance: 25,077Annual Groups: 5Room Nights: 29,265Attendance: 62,600 11 93,969 87,677
