# June 11, 2012

Sponsor: Branson/Lakes Area Chamber of Commerce & Convention and Visitors Bureau

Dan Lennon, Vice President, Marketing and Public Relations Congressional Code: MO

- 07
Dun & Bradstreet Number: 073065328 Tax Identification Number (EIN): 44

- 0586242 

# BRANSON/LAKES AREA CH AMBER OF COMME RCE & CONVENTION AND VISITORS BUREAU Application Under the Small Community Air Service Development Program Docket DOT

- OST

- 201 2

- 0069
Application for Federal Support for Growth of Air Service at the Branson Airport via Advertising and Marketing ProgramProposal of Branson/Lakes Area Chamber of Commerce & Convention and Visitors Bureau • June 2012 

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

Introductory Letter of Support 3 Summary Information

– Appendix C 7
Introduction 9
The Branson/Southwest Missouri Air Service Market 10
Current and Historical Service 12
Potential for New Markets 15
Air Service Needs and Deficiencies 16
Branson Visitor Trends 17 Regional Airline Capacity 18 Per Capita Capacity 19 Average Midwest Fares 21 Strategic Marketing Plan 24 Funding Plan 25 Public/ Private Partnership 26 Legal Sponsor 29
Conclusion 30 

### Section Page NumberProposal of Branson/Lakes Area Chamber of Commerce & Convention and Visitors Bureau • June 2012 

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INTRODUCTORY LETTER OF SUPPOR TProposal of Branson/Lakes Area Chamber of Commerce & Convention and Visitors Bureau • June 2012 

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SUMMARY INFORMATION

– APPENDIX C

Small Community Air Service Development Program
Docket DOT

- OST

- 201 2

- 0069



### A. Applicant Information

Not a Consortium Community now receives EAS subsidy Interstate Consortium Intrastate Consortium Community previously received a Small Community Grant If previous recipient, Date of Grant: __________________

______________ Expiration date of G rant: _______________________ Federal Funds Requested: ______________________ Carrier(s) Service Obtained: ____________________ Destination(s) Served: __________________________



### B. Public/Private Partnership

Public:

1. Branson/Lakes Area Chamber of Commerce & Convention and Visitors Bureau 2. Taney County 3. City of Branson

Private:

1. Branson Airport 2. Frontier AirlinesProposal of Branson/Lakes Area Chamber of Commerce & Convention and Visitors Bureau • June 2012 

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C. Project Proposal

Marketing Upgrade Aircraft New Route
Travel Bank Service Restoration Subsidy Surface Transportation Regional Service Revenue Guarantee Launch New Carrier Start

- Up Cost O ffset First Service Study Secure Additional Service Other (Specify)



### D. Existing Landing Aids at Airport

Full ILS Outer/Middle Marker Published Instru ment Approach Localizer Other:



### E. Project Cost

1. Federal amount requested: $ 50 0,000
2. State cash financial contribution: $ 0
Local cash financial contribution:
3a. Airport cash funds: $ 100 ,000
3b. Non

- Airport cash funds: $ 400 ,000
3. Total local cash funds: $ 1,00 0,000
4. TOTAL CASH FUNDING: $ 1,00 0,000
In

- Kind Contribution:

a. Airport In

- Kind contribution: $ Undetermined
b. Other In

- Kind contribution: $ Undetermined
5. TOTAL IN

- KIND CONTRIBUTION: $ Undetermined
6. TOTAL PROJECT COST: $ 1,00 0,000 + In

- Kind



### F. In

- Kind Contributions

For funds in lines 4 a (airport in

- kind contribution) and 4 b (other in

- kind contribution), please describe the source(s) of fund(s) for each. Advertising and marketing matching funds (media companies)Proposal of Branson/Lakes Area Chamber of Commerce & Convention and Visitors Bureau • June 2012 

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G. Is Application Subject to Review by State Under Executive Order 12372 Pr ocess?

This application was made available to the s tate under the Executive Order 12372 Process for review on ______. Progr am is subject to E.O 12372, but has not been selected by the state for review

. Program is not covered by E.O 12372

.



### H. Is Applicant Delinquent on any Federal Debt?

NoProposal of Branson/Lakes Area Chamber of Commerce & Convention and Visitors Bureau • June 2012 

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INTRODUCTION

In the early morning hours of February 29, 2012

– leap day

– before the sun had come up, tornado sirens went off throughout Branson, Missouri. Residents and visitors alike took cover up and down the town’s famed “strip”

– the center of entertainment boasting more than 50 theatres, doz ens of other attractions, and
19 ,000 hotel rooms. In a matter of minutes

an EF2 tornado cut a narrow, 22

- mile path from Kimberling City in Stone County,
Missouri
, to Kissee Mills in central Taney County , Missouri

.

At the center of that path: Branson. As the sun rose, the community so reliant o n tourists for its economy woke up to severe damage to 30 commercial buildings and

seven homes. The storm caused additional major damage t o another 22 businesses and 27 homes. In all 33 people were hurt

– but no one was killed.

The town’s major hotel tower and convention center had taken a direct hit

– the Hilton’s windows were blown out and its lobby was ripped apart. The hotel will not reopen until October of 2012 . And it was joined by three of Branson’s famed theatres, which also suffered significant damage.

But, perhaps, the greatest damage came from the impressions of the tornado that were splashed across television screens from New York to Los Angeles

– startling dama ge in a
town that many know as a vacation getaway. The storm got extra play on the networks, as it happened in 

### FIGURE 1: Tornado Damage to the Branson “Strip” Source: St. Louis Post Dispatch

FIGURE 2: Tornado Dam age to the Branson Hilton Source: FOX 4 Kansas CityProposal of Branson/Lakes Area Chamber of Commerce & Convention and Visitors Bureau • June 2012 

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February

– Missouri isn’t supposed to see tornados in February. The impact was immediate

– many who were thinking of traveling to Branson in 20 12 made plans to go elsewhere.

This summer the Branson/Lakes Area Chamber of Commerce & Convention and Visitors Bureau ( BLACVB ) is doing all it can to assure potential visitors that Branson is open for business. Despite the images, less than 5% of attractions in the region suffered a ny impact from the tornado. Virtually all theatres are up and running this summer. Most hotels are open

– and the Hilton will fully reopen in the fall

.

In recent years, Branson has seen its visitor base go nationwide. Branson draws from coast to coast, with especially strong visitor

- ship from Southern California, the Pacific Northwest, and Florida. The opening of the Branson Airport i n 2009 helped to draw new visitors from new markets, as low cost service opened the community to people who could never have afforded to come before. But
, with the publicity from the February tornado, the community knows many
of those who travel from afar to vi sit Branson might not come back, or delay their trip for a significant amount of time.

That’s why the BLACVB is partnering with the Branson Airport to request federal funding under the Small Community Air Service Development Grant Program this year. Both organizations have pledged matching funds to be used in a wide scale marketing campaign to help convince pot ential airline passengers that Branson is, indeed, open for business again. The campaign will feature the Branson Airport as a gateway to the region for visitors who live beyond the reach of a simple day of driving

– more than six hours away by car

.

The timing of this campaign is critical. While Branson’s summer drive visitors are expected to be up marginally in 2012 versus 2011, largely due to significant regional advertising, it is unknown how traffic will respond th is coming fall and winter . The Airp ort is a key component in growing
off

- peak Branson visitors. It is of tremendous importance to the region that the “Branson is open” message gets out, across the country, as soon as possible. The Department of Transportation’s partnership in growing Bran son Airport passengers would be a huge boost not only to the Airport,
but to the region’s economy as a whole. 

## “The timing of this campaign is critical. The Airport is a key component in growing off

peak Branson visitors.”Proposal of Branson/Lakes Area Chamber of Commerce & Convention and Visitors Bureau • June 2012 

## 9

THE BRANSON/SOUTHWEST MISSOURI AIR SERVICE MARKET Current and Historical Air Service

Until the last decade, Branson was not known as an air travel tourism market, but it has become a market where inbound air travelers make up a significant portion of the nearly 7.7 million
annual visitors. A recent economic impact study conducted by Dr. Lee McPheters, a professor at Arizona State University, found that in 2011 the Branson A irport generated more than $45 million in visitor spending and nearly 1,000 local jobs. The study also estimates that with a half a million enplanements, the airport could generate an estimated $204 million in visitor spendi ng. Air travel tourism growth has exploded in the last three years, as service launched at the nearby Branson Airport supplemented the air service provided at the Springfield National Airport, which is a little more than an hour away.

The Branson Airport has a somewhat unique market area, spanning a wide region in southwestern Missouri and northwest Arkansas (see map 1). Within 30 minutes’ drive of the Branson Airport

– the area shaded in the deepest blue

– the current population is 99,825 as of the 2010
US Census. The 60 minute drive time radius

– seen in the
next darkest shade of blue

– is currently home to 403,042
pe ople, while the 90
minute drive time population is 603,512 as of the 2010 US Census. The Airport serves a large population that is isolated from the service of major airports, such as Kansas City and St. Louis. But the local population generates 

### MAP 1: Branson Airport’s Catchment Area, by Drive Time Source: Sixel Consulting Group, 2010 US CensusProposal of Branson/Lakes Area Chamber of Commerce & Convention and Visitors Bureau • June 2012 

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only a s mall portion of the overall passenger demand

– as many of the passengers using the Branson Airport, in particular, are inbound to the region as tourists.

As of summer of 2012, Branson Airport has non

- stop service on three carriers to eight destinations from the
East Coast to the Rocky Mountains (see map 2). The Airport has been chosen as one of 22 that Southwest Airlines will retain when it fully integrates AirTran into its network in 2013 and 2014. For now, AirTran, under the Southwest operating certificate, provides non

stop service to five cities, including Atlanta, Baltimore/Washington, Houston Hobby, Orlando, and Chicago’s Midway Airport. Frontier operates non

- stop service to its hub in Denver. At the same time, during the summer of 2012, Branson Air Express, operated by Corpora te Flight Management, has service on non

- stop routes to Austin and Nashville

.

In all, Branson Airport capac ity will be up in July 2012 24.6 % over July 2011 (see figure 3). The largest portion of the capacity increase comes from AirTran/Southwest upgradi ng service to daily flights
between Branson and Houston and Branson and Chicago, both
routes that operated less

- than

- daily in summer of 2011. Frontier Airlines’ capacity in the market will be down slightly in summer of 2012, as it ends service to Austin, and also Milwaukee
, in 

### MAP 2 : Current Service at the Branson Airport Source: Sixel Consulting Group; OAG Schedule Data, Ju ly 2012

FIGURE 3: Branson Airport Schedule Comparison Source: Sixel Consulting Group; OAG Schedule Data, July 2012Proposal of Branson/Lakes Area Chamber of Commerce & Convention and Visitors Bureau • June 2012 

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conjunction with the closure of its focus city there. These route closures are partially related to Frontier’s decision to retire the aircraft it used, the 50

- seat Embraer ERJ145.

Despite the capacity gains year

- over

- year at the Branson Airport, the market still sees an average of just 6.2 departures per day, or a total of 667 seats per day each way, as of July 2012. Airlines serving the Branson Airport will offer roughly 60,000 total seats in the summer of 2012,
which contribute s only a small number of visitors to the overall economy

– a number which Branson businesses need to see grow to help them reverse visitor declines and increase visitor spending

.

It’s important to remember the Branson Airport cannot be analyzed in a vacuum. It is a part of a larger air transportation network in southwestern Missouri that also includes the Springfield National Airp ort. The two a irports are separated by about 7 0 minutes of highway, but Springfield is the more
established airport with, traditionally, a wider
breadth of

se rvice. Together,
the a irports generated
an average of 1,205
passengers per day each way in
2011 (see figure 4). Together the airports lost an average of 19.5 passengers per day each way last year, as fares have been rising quickly in the region over the last three years.

Since calendar year 2009, southwestern Missouri travelers have seen their aver age one way fare climb from $183 each way to $215 each way

– an increase of 17.5%, or an average of $64 roundtrip (see figure 4). Springfield is still the dominant airport in the region, as the Branson 

### FIGURE 4: O&D Passengers and Average One Way Fares, BKG+SGF Source: US DOT OD1A, Calendar Year 2003

– Calendar Year 2011Proposal of Branson/Lakes Area Chamber of Commerce & Convention and Visitors Bureau • June 2012 

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Airport captures just 22.7% of total passengers to an d from southwestern Missouri. Still Branson’s share is up from just 9.6% in 2009. Most passenger growth in the region in the last three years has happened at the Branson Airport. Since 2009, Branson Airport passengers are up 143 %, despite fare increases in the region, while Springfield National Airport passengers have declined by 12 % over the same time period.

While Branson is thought of as a drive

- only tourist market, data shows the opposite to be the case. Branson is able to draw visitors from all over the country due to its family

- friendly attractions and low overall costs. While it is true Branson draws we ll from Missouri, Arkansas, and
Illinois

– all areas within a day’s drive

– it also draws heavily from places such as south Texas,
S outhern California, the northern tier including
Minnesota
and Wisconsin, and from Florida (see map 3). The success of

non

- s top service at the
Branson Airport to cities such as Denver, Orlando, and Baltimore has illustrated the fact that tourists will seek out the most convenient route to the place where they want to vacation. There are a number of potential unserved airline m arkets from which Branson draws heavily. According to the “heat map” compiled by the Branson/Lakes Area VCB
, those markets include Las Vegas, Tampa/St. Petersburg, Dallas/Ft. Worth, New York City, Minneapolis/St. Paul, Phoenix, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Boston, Detroit, Milwaukee, Indianapolis, Des Moines, and Seattle/Tacoma.



### MAP 3 : Branson Visitors by Origin County Source: Branson/Lakes Area VCB , Calendar Year 2010Proposal of Branson/Lakes Area Chamber of Commerce & Convention and Visitors Bureau • June 2012 

## 13 Indeed, the largest current southwestern Missouri origin and destination passenger marke t without non

- stop service is Las Vegas, generating an average of 75.2 passengers per day each way in 2011 (see figure 5 on next page ). A large portion of travelers choose to fly to and from the Branson Airport, instead of the Springfield National Airport, when they have the option

– especially in markets where Branson, itself, has non

- stop service. These markets include Atlanta, Denver, Chicago, and Baltimore.
Non etheless, there are a number of markets where there is potential for

non

- stop service from the region.

Overall fares in the region have risen dramatically in the last three years, as
the southwestern Missouri market now has some of the highest average fares in the Midwest. Even fares in markets where Branson’s Airport offers “low cost” service have high fa res as compared to markets with more competition. The overall average fare at the combined Branson Airport and Springfield National Airport was $215 one way in 2011 (see figure 6). Surprisingly, some fares, such as the fare to and from Chicago which is $ 226 each way, are high despite low cost service penetration. Even markets 

### FIGURE 5: Top 20 O&D Passenger Markets, BKG+SGF Source: US DO T OD1A, Calendar Year 2011

FIGURE 6: Average One Way Fares at Top 20 O&D Markets, BKG+SGF Source: US DOT OD1A, Calendar Year 2011Proposal of Branson/Lakes Area Chamber of Commerce & Convention and Visitors Bureau • June 2012 

## 14

such as Atlanta and Baltimore

– where AirTran has offered non

- stop service

– have fares above $140 each way, or $280 roundtrip, which is not typical in AirTran markets.

The result of rising fares and declining capacity has been a reduction in passengers flying in and out of southwestern Missouri. While many markets have seen passenger declines and fare increases over the last three years, it’s a particularly critical situation in B ranson, as the majority of the economy relies upon inbound tourism. In the last three years it has become increasingly difficult for non

- drive tourists to get to Branson, despite the efforts to grow low cost service at the Branson Airport.

The Airport op ened in 2009, creating a new opportunity to grow Branson visitors. Based on the success of the service, and with Southwest committing to the market for the long term, now is the time to capitalize on the service to help make Branson a national leisure des tination.Proposal of Branson/Lakes Area Chamber of Commerce & Convention and Visitors Bureau • June 2012 

## 15

AIR SERVICE NEEDS AND DEFICIENCIES IN SOUTHWEST MISSOURI

In the last 20 years Branson has grown from a small town in southwest Missouri, near Table Rock
Lake , to a national vacation destination. Branson was built on family enter tainment. Today it’s
home to more than 50 theatres with 61,000 seats, a dozen championship golf courses, an award winning theme park (Silver Dollar City), a number of museums, a shopping district, and even adventure activities such as rock climbi ng and zip line courses.

The increased popularity of Branson is evidenced in its annual visitor statistics. In 1991, Branson
drew a total of three million visitors or an average of 8,219 visitors per day (see figure 7). By 2007 the number of annual visitors had grown by 155%

- to 8.3 million or an average of 22,740 visitors per day.

Still, in the last five years Branson has seen a decline in its number of visitors. The market lost an average of 1,792 visitors per day between 2007 and 2011

– a decline of 8% (see figure 7). Total visitors have fallen below the 8 million mark in each o f the last three years

– although 2010 was 

### FIGURE 7 : Annual Visitors to Branson Source: Branson/Lakes Area Chamber of Commerce & Convention and Visitors Bureau , 1991

– 2011Proposal of Branson/Lakes Area Chamber of Commerce & Convention and Visitors Bureau • June 2012 

## 16

close. It is clear that Branson needs to diversify its visitor base. Reaching out to potential visitors traveling by air not only opens the market to a new set of tourists, but it also increases the
average reve nue per stay, as air travelers are likely to stay longer and budget more money for their trips.

The establishment of the Branson Airport has helped pull in new visitors to the region by air. But
there is an opportunity to do more, especially as Southwest establishes its brand in Branson in the next couple of years. The community as a whole must rise to the occasion with the appropriate advertising and marketing effort to build upon the local air service momentum.

Even with new service at the Branson Airport, the southwestern Missouri region, as a whole, has seen its available airline seats and daily flights decline appreciably in the last two years. Since the summer of 2010, the Branson

- Springfield market has lost an average of 11.5 departures per day, or 34% of its airline departures from the Branson Airport and Springfield National Airport (see figure 8). The market has just 22.2 depart ures per day, on average, as of January of 2012.

At the same time,
the Branson

Springfield combined market has lost more than 38% of its available airline seats (see figure 8). In July of 2010, the combined market had an average of 2,206 seats per day ea ch way

– in and out. By January of 2012 that number has fallen to 1,370 seats per day each way. While it is true there are summertime peaks in capacity, Branson

- Springfield’s peak summer capacity in 2011 was 199 seats per day each way below its peak capacity in 2010

– a peak capacity decline of 9%. The net result is higher fares and a suppression of potential tourist traffic.



### FIGURE 8 : Passengers, Seats, and Flig hts per Day Each Way, BKG+SGF Source: US DOT T100; June 2010

– January 2012Proposal of Branson/Lakes Area Chamber of Commerce & Convention and Visitors Bureau • June 2012 

## 17

With those capacity cuts, the Branson

- Springfield market has become one of the most underserved in the region. Despite the fact that Branson is a huge inbound passenger draw, service at both the Branson Airport and Springfield National Airport provides ju st one seat per resident of the combined catchment area (see figure 9). Of airports surrounding southwestern Missouri, only Columbia
has fewer airline seats per capita. The regional average is 2.67 seats per capita per year. The Branson

Springfield mark et has 164% fewer seats than the regional average.

Similarly, Branson

Springfield generates just 0.74 passengers per capita per y ear, which is 180% below the regional passenger average of 2.07 trips per capita per year (see figure 10). Other airports in the region, such as Fayetteville/XNA are able to generate more trips per capita due to their higher airline capacity. This trend defies logic, as of all the markets listed Branson is the biggest tourist draw. Branson should outpace the rest of the group, as many of its passengers are travelers inbound from other markets on vacation.

Part of the reason for the low number of passengers per capita in Branson

- Springfield, beyond a lack of airline capacity, is increasing average fares which drive passengers away. As of calendar year 2011, the combined Branson

- Springfield market had an average one way fare of $215

– or $430 round trip

– which is $60 more each way

– or $120 more 

### FIGURE 9 : Seats per Capita in Missouri and Arkansas Markets Sources: US DOT T100, 2010 US Census; Calendar Year 2011

FIGURE 10 : Passengers per Capita in Missouri and Arkansas Markets Sources: US DOT T100, 2010 US Census; Calendar Year 2011Proposal of Branson/Lakes Area Chamber of Commerce & Convention and Visitors Bureau • June 2012 

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roundtrip

– than the Missouri

- Arkansas average fare of $165 (see figure 11). Travelers in and out of the airports in Branson and Springfield pay 30% more than the average of all travelers to and from other airports in the region. Remarkably, the Branson

- Springfield combined fare is higher than the fares at much smaller markets, with fewer
seats and access to fewer carriers, such as Joplin, Columbia/Jefferson City, Cape Girardeau, Kirksville, El Dorado, and others. Many of those
smaller markets are served under Essential Air Service subsidies.

With increasing fares in the market, passengers have be en pushed away from local service at both Branson and Springfield. This has been evidenced by the average load factors in the
combined market. As of the 12 months ended February 2012, the Branson

Springfield market had filled 74% of its available airline seats, meaning 26% of
seats in the market arrived and departed empty. Load factors peak in summertime, which has always been peak season for Branson tourism. But even in the summer of 2011, the highest monthly load
factor in the combined Branson

- Springf ield market was 78.5%

- with 21.5% of seats flying empty (see figure 12 on next page ). Winter load factors average in the upper 60% range, with thousands of available seats not being filled each month. 

### FIGURE 11 : Average One Way Fares in Miss ouri and Arkansas Markets Sources: US DOT OD1A; Calendar Year 2011Proposal of Branson/Lakes Area Chamber of Commerce & Convention and Visitors Bureau • June 2012 

## 19

The load factor statistics speak to the heart of the coordinated community effort for marketing and advertising described in this proposal. While the Branson

- Springfield market would benefit from additional air service and additional airline seats, the local airports have empty seats that need to be filled with current service. Each empty seat represents
the potential for significant tourist revenue in Branson and the surrounding area. It is the goal of the partners in this application to fill the empty seats in the region through a targeted air service marketing and advertisi ng campaign, growing passengers through the airports while growing local tourism revenue that’s
vital to the southwestern Missouri
economy.

It’s also important to note that the community has available rooms for additional visits. Among
similar sized dest inations across the United States, Branson has the lowest room occupancy for calendar year 2010. Branson’s 2010 occupancy rate was 68.6% (see figure 13 on previous 

### FIGURE 12 : Average Monthly Load Factor at Branson + Springfield Sources: US DOT T100; January 2010

– February 2012

FIGURE 13 : Hotel Occupancy Rates in National Markets Sources: Smith Travel Research; Calendar Year 2010Proposal of Branson/Lakes Area Chamber of Commerce & Convention and Visitors Bureau • June 2012 

## 20

page ). By comparison, Myrtle Beach was able to fill 87.2% of its rooms in conjunction with a much larger collection of inbound air service. Similarly, Portland, Maine, Charleston, South Carolina, San Antonio, New Orleans, Lexington, Kentucky, and Savannah were all able to fill a higher percentage of their available hotel rooms in 2010.

This p roject has the potential to fill empty airlines seats, not only, at the Branson Airport, but throughout the region. The result will be increased demand and increased low cost service, lowering fares. With more people flying to and from the region there w ill be additional jobs generated through additional visitor spending.Proposal of Branson/Lakes Area Chamber of Commerce & Convention and Visitors Bureau • June 2012 

## 21

STRATEGIC MARKETING PLAN

The Branson/Lakes Area Chamber of Commerce & Convention and Visitors Bureau ( BLACVB) , in conjunction with the Branson Airport, proposes a targeted air service marketing and advertising campaign to grow local enplanements and the usage of local air service. The campaign will be designed with three main overarching objectives:

1) Assure potential out

- of

- market visitors that Branson is “ open for business” after the February 2012 leap day tornado;

2) Do a be tter job filling airline seats with bot h in

- market, outbound travelers; and with out

of

- market, inbound tourists;

3) To grow passengers to a level where additional service is necessitated, and where additional routes to targeted new destinations can be added.

In order to fulfill those objectives, the BLACVB , working with the Airport, has developed a plan to place the Branson Airport’s messaging on a wide ranging national campaign. The idea is to leverage all that people know about Branson, and all that Branson has to offer, with the messaging that people can get to Branson by flying into the local airport from their hometown. As such, the out

- of

- market campaign will be
focused on markets that have current non

- stop or

one

- stop service to the Branson Airport.

Inside the Branson market, the BLACVB and the Airport plan to use a smaller portion of the campaign budget to better educate local travelers on the breadth of local service. There is still a knowledge gap in the market due to the fact that the Branson Airport has only had commercial air service for three years. People don’t have ready knowledge about the service offered from the Airport, nor of the number or scope of the non

- stop and one

- stop destinations available.

The campaign will e ncompass a number of media platforms . Television will be used to deliver effe ctive reach and the high frequency messaging needed for the mass media campaign.
Geo

- targeted web campaigns on high traffic information and social media sites will provide 

## “There is still a knowledge gap in the
market due to the fact the Branson Airport has only had commercial air service for three years..”Proposal of Branson/Lakes Area Chamber of Commerce & Convention and Visitors Bureau • June 2012 

## 22

focus on travelers booking their trips

– or looking for where to go

– on the web. Radio and print will be used in many of the markets where TV is used, in order to layer the exposure. Print will also be used in national publications to sway people’s perceptions about Branson and influence booking.

The updated brand strategy will focus on a clear positioning of Branson as a wholesome, intimate, and authentic alternative to Las Vegas and Orlando. Branson will be branded as “the
heartl and” (see figure 14 ). The campaigns will appeal to those with the most disposable income, including Baby Boomer couples, younger adults, and families, in that order.

As part of overall messaging, the campaign will build upon the brands currently developed by
both the BLACVB and the Branson Airport. The BLACVB brand focuses on the tagline, “It’s Your
S how” (see figure 15 ). The line is designed to emphasize the fact that Branson is a world class entertainment destination, and also that each visitor is the star around which the individual experience is designed. The campaign will be targeted to different groups by season. Spring, summer, and fall

a dvertising will be directed at adults, couples, and “girlfriends,” while spring and summer will be targeted additionally at families, and Christmas will be targeted at the multi

- generational traveler.

Service at the Branson Airport will be advertised in
t andem with destination advertising, to ensure out

of

- market travelers understand how easy and inexpensive it can be to get to Branson. The Branson Airport uses the tagline, “Eve ry day low fares” (see figure 16 on next page). That tagline
will also be use d in the campaign emphasizing Branson is affordable for the budget traveler, even when traveling by air. 

### FIGURE 1 4 : Branson Brand Position S ource: BLACVB

FIGURE 15 : Branson Logo and Tagline Source: BL ACVBProposal of Branson/Lakes Area Chamber of Commerce & Convention and Visitors Bureau • June 2012 

## 23

Current Branson Airport advertising focuses on non

- stop destinations s erved by incumbent carriers and the one

- stop connectivity those incumbents offer through their hubs (see figure 15). Altogether, carriers serving the Branson Airport offer one

- stop connectivity to
more than 110 unique airports
from coast to
coast. Advert ising this easy connectivity will be a key in getting people out of their
cars and on inbound flights.

The total project cost of the Grant

supported air service marketing and advertising campaign is $1,000,000

– a large number but
a necessary amount due to the national nature of airline traveling tourists who visit Branson. The campaign must cover a lot of national ground to reach its target audience all over the country. Of the total project cost, $500,000 has already been committed by local partners in air service development. $400,000 of the funding will come from the sponsor of this application, the BLACVB . Another $100,000 in local funding will come from the Branson Airport. The final $500,000 for this campaign is earmarked from the federal Small Community Air



### FIGURE 1 6 : Branson Airport Connectivity Advertising Source: Branson AirportProposal of Branson/Lakes Area Chamber of Commerce & Convention and Visitors Bureau • June 2012 

## 24

Service Development Program. It is important to remember 50% of the total project funding is local and already committed.

Most of the funding from this program will be dedicated to the out

- of

- market media plan. In all, $800,000 will be spent spreading the Branson message to potential fly markets outside the six

hour drive ra dius (see figure 1 7 ). The out of market program proposed below (subject to final adjustments) will focus heavily on television, with major cable networks being the major outlets for the program. Fall networks would include CMT, FOX News Channel, and WGN America. Spring networks would include Cookin g Channel, Lifetime, and the Weather Channel.

The in

- market advertising program will be funded with $200,000 of the total project cost. The plan includes monthly spendi ng on local broadcast TV, with periodic spending on cable TV, outdoor media including billboards, and on

- line advertising at major local new s source websites, that attract high volumes of local traffic (see figure 18 on next page ). The campaign will focus on the low cost service available at Branson Airport, and is targeted to fill seats in the off

- peak
months. 

### FIGURE 1 7 : Branson’s Out

- of

- Market Advertising Plan Source: Branson/Lakes Area Chamber of Commerce & Convention and Visitors BureauProposal of Branson/Lakes Area Chamber of Commerce & Convention and Visitors Bureau • June 2012 

## 25

As creative develop ment is already underway for the campaign, and half the funding has already been secured, the campaign is “turnkey” and ready to launch as soon as a contract has been signed with the Department of Transportation. The anticipated timeline for the campaign assumes a Grant would be awarded in September of 2012 (see figure
19 ). If the Grant agreement with the DOT is finalized in October of 2012, the campaign will begin both in and out

- of

market that month. The campai gn will have sufficient funding to be sustaine d for one full year , with the Grant

- supported portion of the air service development campaign ending in December of 2013 . The B LACVB would anticipate clos ing the Grant in January of 2014

.

Branson has found itself competing against dozens of other tourist drive markets throughout the Midwest. But Branson has something unique

– an airport located just minutes from all of its major attractions. The Branson Airport has seen tremendous growth over the last thre e years, generating all the air travel growth for southwestern Missouri. As Branson evolves, it will become increasingly reliant on its airport to bring in the visitors that sustain the local economy. This Grant is a key to helping the market not only ov ercome a natural disaster, but also in helping to make the transition from drive market to fly market. 

### FIGURE 19 : Branson’s Marketing Grant Timeline Source: BLACVB FIGURE 18 : Branson’s In

- Market Advertising Plan Source: Branson/Lakes Area Chamber of Commerce & Convention and Visitors BureauProposal of Branson/Lakes Area Chamber of Commerce & Convention and Visitors Bureau • June 2012 

## 26

PUBLIC/PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP

This application for federal Small Community Air Service Development Grant funding is unique, in
that it is sponsored by the Branson/Lakes Area Chamber of Commerce & Convention and Visitors Bureau (BLACVB) ins tead of an airport. The BLACVB recognizes the importance of the Branson Airport in helping to develop new inbound flows of tourists to the region and, as such, strongly supports the growth of passengers on local air service through marketing and advertising.



### Branson/Lakes Area Chamber of Commerce & Convention and Visitors Bureau ( BLACVB)

The Branson/Lakes Area Chamber of Commerce & Convention and Visitors Bureau (BLACVB) is the designated marketing or ganization for the Branson area. T he BLACVB implements a comprehensive area

- wide marketing plan that includes, bu t is not limited to, television , radio, print and web advertising, publicity, research, convention and group tour and travel progr ams and fulfillment. The marketing program is supported by local tax dollars. The BLACVB operates the only official Chamber of Commerce Tourism Information Center located in the greater
Branson area.

While the BLACVB focuses on tourism marketing, the Chamber of Commerce divisi on of the organization offers trad itional Chamber services and programs to its membership; these include, but are not limited to, the following areas of service: community and economic development, legislative affairs, small business development, quality of life, monthly newsletters and weekly fax updates, monthly networking functions, leadership training and a membership directory.Proposal of Branson/Lakes Area Chamber of Commerce & Convention and Visitors Bureau • June 2012 

## 27

Branson Airport

Branson Airport opened on May 11, 2009. The airport is located on 922 acres in the Ozark foothills of Taney County, Missouri
, just south of Bran son i n the southwestern part of the S tate. The airport is j ust a ten

- minute drive from Branson’s center.

The City of Branson is not financially obligated to the airport in the way most municipal airports
would be. The C ity has signed a 30

- year "pay

- for

- performance" agreement with the airport. Taney County officials also have no financial obligation to the airport but agreed to accept ownership of the property and provide a long

- term lease to Branson Airport LLC.

While i t is common in Europe for the private sector to be involved in commercial airports
, p rivately developed and operated commercial aviation is still a new concept in the United
States. The Branson Airport was privately developed as an asset for the Branson region, in hope of growing inbound air tourism and better linking local residents to faraway markets.



### City of Branson

The City of Branson has long been a popular destination for vacationers from Missouri and neighboring areas. The construction of music theaters by nationally

- known performers along Highway 76 has increased Branson's popularity as a tourist destination. Bra nson now draws visitors from all regions of the country. Local attractions include more than 50 live entertainment

venues, Historic Downtown Branson, the Hollywood Wax Museum
, Silver Dollar City
, White Water
, the Titanic Museum, Mount Pleasant Winery
, Stone Hill Winery
, Ride the Ducks
, Dolly Parton's Dixie Stampede
, 12 championship golf courses, four zip line courses, the Branson Belle , Track Family Fun Parks, the regional lakes including Table Rock Lake, the Haunted House and Monster Asylum, Butterfly Palace & Rainforest Adventure, and Branson Landing which is an upscale shopping and dining complex

. Ripley's Believe it or Not Museum in Branson is housed in a building that has been made to look as if it is cracked wide open by an earthquake or other disaster.

Branson Landing opened in the summer of 2006 on the Lake Taneycomo waterfront in downtown Branson. The lakefront project includes retail space with Bass Pro Shops and Hudson
Belk as anchors in an outdoor shopping mall of stores and restaurants. Th e new Branson Convention Center , which is situated b etween the Landi ng and Historic Downtown Branson
, opened September 7, 2007

.Proposal of Branson/Lakes Area Chamber of Commerce & Convention and Visitors Bureau • June 2012 

## 28

Taney County

Taney County is located in the southwest corner of Missouri and is in the heart of Ozark Mountain Country. It is home to the city of Branson , but the County Seat is in Forsyth . Taney County is also the home of Table Rock, Taneycomo
, and Bull Shoals lakes

– other major o utdoor recreation attractions

.

Taney County is a partner with the Branson Airport. While Taney County officials have no financial obligatio n to the airport , they have agreed to accept ownership of the property and provide a long

- term lease to Branson Airport LLC, allowing the Airport to finance construction with municipal debt.Proposal of Branson/Lakes Area Chamber of Commerce & Convention and Visitors Bureau • June 2012 

## 29

LEGAL SPONSOR

The Branson/Lakes Area Chamber of Commerce & Convention and Visitors Bureau (BLACVB) is the legal sponsor responsible for administering the proposed marketing program.

Branson/Lakes Area Chamber of Commerce & Convention and Visitors Bureau (BLACVB) PO Box 1897 Branson, Missouri 65615 Dan Lennon Vice President

– Marketing and Public Relations (417) 334

- 4084, extension 322 dlennon@bransoncvb.comProposal of Branson/Lakes Area Chamber of Commerce & Convention and Visitors Bureau • June 2012 

## 30

CONCLUSION

While the Branson market has faced many challenges over the last several years, not the least of which was the tornado in February of this year, the market also shows signs of growing potential. For the first time, Branson has its own airport, ready to ta ckle the challenge of linking Branson and its attractions to faraway, non

- drive markets all over the country. Branson has seen its hotel occupancy rate hit all

- time highs, proving that people come to Branson for longer

- stay vacations. At the same time, B ranson saw its average revenue per hotel room grow by almost 8% from 2010 to 2011.

The Branson/Lakes Area Chamber of Commerce & Convention and Visitors Bureau (BLACVB) and its partners in this application understand the potential of the Branson market. It has taken vision and commitment to grow Branson’s appeal beyond the Midwest. The market now boasts large numbers of visitors from places as far away

as New York, Los Angeles, Seattle, Denver, Atlanta,
and Orlando.

There is no doubt the establishment of the Branson Airport has helped pull in new visitors to the region by air. But there is an opportunity to do more, especially as Southwest establishes its brand in Branson. The community as a whole must develop an appropriate advertising and marketing effort to build upon the local air service momentum. As Branson evolves, it will become
in creasingly reliant on its airport to bring in the visitors that will help sustain its economy.

This marketing and advertising proposal under the Small Community Air Service Development Program will be a critical piece of the evolving Branson visitor marke t. Not only is the Grant a key component in overcoming the out

- of

- market impression that Branson is “closed for business”
due to the February 2012 leap day tornado, it will also be a key to filling regional airline seats that are currently empty . The com munity coalition put together for this Grant project is ready to get to work on spreading the message of the “new Branson” that’s just one

- stop from the world. 

## “The community as a whole must develop an appropriate advertising and marketing campaign to build upon the local air service
momentum.”