October 13, 2022 Meeting Summary

 

Rotarian of the Week: Jan Lawrence nominated Amanda Nilsson for her donation; Dave Hansen nominated Ron Van Ekeren and Ken Patel for their spotlights last week; Steve Morgan nominated Doug Faus and Terry Moss for their work at the hospital.   

 

Special Presentation: The Junior Rotarians were presented with their certificates.

 

Amanda Nilsson celebrated her 18^th birthday with a check to the Rotary Foundation.

 

Songs: Happy Birthday

 

 

Introduction: Becky Maddox

 

Scott Larson has been the Visit Laramie director for 4 years. Visit Laramie works to share travel experiences, act as the front door to economic development, share what makes Laramie unique, and create amenities for locals.

 

One important aspect of the organization is bringing people in to spend money that our community then benefits from.

 

Visit Laramie operates a visitor’s center. It is funded by a 4 percent lodging tax. This includes hotels and short-term rentals. It does not include campgrounds. The lodging tax is up for renewal next month.

 

Visit Laramie is a destination marketing organization, designed to promote everything within Albany County. It is a small group of employees, but the budget has grown allowing for more marketing and creative designs happening in-house.

 

The organization runs many different marketing plans. It spends the bulk of its funding here. It also provides grants to events that encourage people to stay overnight, as well as for market research.

 

Visit Laramie is working on new marketing segments, such as Dallas, Texas. It also targets Nebraska, Kansas City, and Minneapolis.

 

The impact is over 100,000 visitor guides and brochures annually and 80,000 visitors on the website. It reached 2 million on social media last year, and has a very engaged email audience.

 

The organization moved to a new visitor’s center on Third Street. It now sees about 70 percent more foot traffic.

 

In 2021, Albany County had over 1 million travelers. Over 68 percent spent the night, and the average stay is three days. About 70 percent of Colorado travelers spend the night. The average nightly stay is increasing steadily.

 

COVID made the travel industry change dramatically, but tax revenue has continued to be steady.

 

In a survey of visitors, 70 percent said Laramie exceeded their expectations, and 50 percent reported Laramie as their final destination. Most are seeking outdoor recreation and scenery.

 

In FY22, the lodging tax did well with over $1 coming in. The average hotel/motel occupancy was 56.7 percent, and the average short-term rental was 77.6 percent.

 

Response: Don Prehoda

Of the things we think, say, or do

•Is it the Truth?

•Is it Fair?

•Will it build Good Will and Better Friendships?

•Will it be Beneficial to All Concerned?

 

The Object of Rotary is to encourage and foster the ideal of service as a basis of worthy enterprise and, in particular, to encourage and foster:

•FIRST. The development of acquaintance as an opportunity for service;

•SECOND. High ethical standards in business and professions; the recognition of the worthiness of all useful occupations; and the dignifying of each Rotarian's occupation as an opportunity to serve society;

•THIRD. The application of the ideal of service in each Rotarian's personal, business, and community life;

•FOURTH. The advancement of international understanding, goodwill, and peace through a world fellowship of business and professional persons united in the ideal of service.

 

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Spoke Editor: Caitlin White, 307-630-1965, cwhite@acplwy.org