The Norman Transcript

Business

Discussion

January 13, 2013

It’s halftime for fiscal year

By Stefanie Brickman The Norman Transcript

NORMAN — The calendars turned to 2013 on Jan. 1 and it also marked the halfway mark for our fiscal year.

Now that our holiday decorations are put away, the second half of the year has started for the Norman Convention and Visitors Bureau and we are getting ready to hit the road to encourage travel to our city to both the group and leisure markets.

The first big trip will be to Minneapolis later in January as one of our sales managers and a hotel partner attend the annual Religious Conference Management Association gathering. RCMA — which celebrated its 40th anniversary in 2012 — is a professional, nonprofit, multi-faith organization of more than 3,000 members who are responsible for planning and/or managing meetings, tutorials, conferences, conventions, and assemblies for their religious organizations. Norman’s central location — near the intersection of major interstate highways and close to the geographical center of the continental U.S. — is a point of emphasis to these planners.

Successfully booking just one two-night conference of 300 people could mean a windfall of more than $175,000 of new dollars into the Norman economy which makes the hustle and bustle of standing at a booth for hours on end, setting up appointments and rubbing elbows during networking events a successful venture.

In February, the CVB will be attending two different weekend events to encourage leisure travel to Norman throughout the spring and summer travel seasons. The first will be Fort Worth’s three-day Vacation, Leisure and Outdoor Show followed by a three-day Women’s Fair in Wichita, Kan.

Efforts and initiatives like these to encourage overnight travel to Norman in both the group and leisure markets are on the upswing. During the first half of this fiscal year, occupancy rates in Norman reached 67.1 percent, which represented an increase of 7 percent during the same time period in FY 2012 (60.1 percent) and a whopping 12.3 percent increase versus FY 2011 (54.

Stefanie Brickman, CTA, is the communications manager of the Norman Convention and Visitors Bureau.

For local news and more, subscribe to The Norman Transcript Smart Edition, or our print edition.

Text Only | Photo Reprints
Business
  • Gov. Fallin impressed with Oklahoma wines

    The Oklahoma Grape Industry Council is partnering with Gov. Mary Fallin to help promote Oklahoma wines....

    May 19, 2013

  • New salon offers unique educational opportunity

    The Andrew Freeman Creative Studio recently opened in Norman and is offering Oklahomans unique and rare educational opportunities....

    May 19, 2013

  • Norman Chamber to host two events Wednesday

    If you live in Norman but work in Oklahoma City, the Norman Chamber of Commerce invites you to attend the next 35 South Luncheon at noon Wednesday at the Bricktown Brewery, 1 N. Oklahoma Ave. Registration begins at 11:45 a.m. Keynote ...

    May 19, 2013

  • Scratch mixes it up downtown

    Norman native Brady Sexton knows urban renewal starts with the arts. Sexton, an art supporter on the board of Dreamer Concepts Studio, has watched downtown Norman come alive. Now, he is opening an innovative concept restaurant in the ...

    May 19, 2013

  • people in business

    Scholarships announced The Oklahoma City Chapter of Executive Women International recently announced the finalists for its 2013 scholarship programs. Local 2013 EWISP winner is Ashton Walton, $1,000, Washington High School. The ASIST ...

    May 19, 2013

  • For you, Norman

    As the Norman Convention and Visitors Bureau heads into budgeting for the new Fiscal Year that begins July 1, we are able to enact some additional initiatives thanks to the passage of the Transient Guest Tax last month....

    May 19, 2013

  • real estate transactions

    Seller(s): Howe, Marjorie V; Buyer(s): Marashi, Afshin; Kelly, Kathleen A; Amount: $129,000; Deerfield Addition 03; Lot 8; Block2 Seller(s): Sheridan L L C; Buyer(s): Chapman, Megan Brittney; Amount: $146,500; Alameda Park Add 03; Lot 37; ...

    May 19, 2013

  • A safe Internet for the kids

    I got my first computer at the age of 30. In contrast, my daughter has lived her entire life around computers. I have pictures of her as an infant, barely able to peek over the top of the desk, merrily pecking away at the keyboard. Very ...

    May 19, 2013

  • BikeToWorkDay Norman cyclists take the path less traveled to work

    Rain, shine or fog, Norman bicyclists show up every year, and have been showing up every year for eight years, for the city’s annual Bike to Work event. Despite drizzle and fog Friday morning, this year was no exception. “Norman has one ...

    May 18, 2013 1 Photo

  • NCVB jazzes things up at its luncheon

    It wasn’t your usual tourism luncheon. For one thing, there were wild animals — albeit extinct ones — running amok and harassing the visitors. Maybe the mayor was partly at fault, she did try to take the bone right out of the month of ...

    May 12, 2013