## Ontario County Four Seasons Local Development Corporation

- d.b.a. Finger Lakes Visitors Connection

### Annual Report on the operations October 1, 2021 through September 30, 2022

# Valerie Knoblauch, President

This report is being submitted in compliance with the Public Authorities Accountability Act of 2005 Chapter 766 of the Laws of 2005. It is not intended to be a substitute for or to replace the Corporation’s financial statements prepared as of September 30, 2022.

- 1. Operations and Accomplishments

The Corporation accomplished the following during FYE - 2022:

- • its contractual agreements with Ontario County for the Calendar Year 2021 and • its contractual agreements with Ontario County for the Calendar Year 2021 and completed 9 months of 2022.
- • Coordination: meet (often virtually) with tourist promotion agencies to collaborate with • Coordination: meet (often virtually) with tourist promotion agencies to collaborate with these agencies to achieve common tourism goals, and specifically to foster participation in #VisitConfidently.
- • Preparation: Prepare and submit an annual plan for visitor promotion and proposed • Preparation: Prepare and submit an annual plan for visitor promotion and proposed budget.
- • Development: Distribute the I Love New York – Ontario County Visitors Guide; • Development: Distribute the I Love New York – Ontario County Visitors Guide; Produce other materials including travel information packages, events calendars, and maps.
- o new Visitors Guide (Top 50) was published. o new Visitors Guide (Top 50) was published.
- o Cartoon maps were produced o Cartoon maps were produced
- o book was published o book was published
- o robust schedule of delivery was facilitated and recorded in our CRM. o robust schedule of delivery was facilitated and recorded in our CRM.
- • Research and Marketing Activities: Took the next stages of the Destination Next • Research and Marketing Activities: Took the next stages of the Destination Next Research, focusing on recovery of the industry
- • marketing program includes research, public relations, paid advertising, trade shows and • marketing program includes research, public relations, paid advertising, trade shows and conventions of tour operators, digital marketing presence, and professional development training for county attractions and accommodations. This was scaled back in light of COVID, but new branding was completed, website changes were made and progress towards a new website and the public relations program pivoted to more local endeavors.
- • our association with STR for ongoing occupancy statistics and development • our association with STR for ongoing occupancy statistics and development information.
- • the county with a six month update on project status and accomplishments. • the county with a six month update on project status and accomplishments.

##### Other

- • our website with the images and video produced from prior year. • our website with the images and video produced from prior year.
- • social media presence – Engaged 29Design • social media presence – Engaged 29Design
- • on enhanced content creation and SEO analysis to raise metrics of website. • on enhanced content creation and SEO analysis to raise metrics of website.
- • in the CARES program funding for our industry, holding educational seminars and • in the CARES program funding for our industry, holding educational seminars and participation in the evaluation by the committee.
- • corporation completed a NYS Office of State Comptroller audit. The results, which focused • corporation completed a NYS Office of State Comptroller audit. The results, which focused on procurement, were properly responded to and included documentation of a corrective action plan and a few small policy changes.