Savannah Area Chamber of Commerce 2012 ANNuAL rEPOrT

Savannah Area Chamber
of Commerce
2012 ANNuAL rEPOrT
Mission Statement
To provide quality customer service and programs that meet the needs of our
members, improve the economic environment of our community, and build a
legacy of leadership for the next century.
Vision Statement
The Chamber is the essential investment for the future of every business.
Financials
During 2012, the Chamber exceeded its approved budget and continues
to contribute to the growth of the Savannah business community. This was a
productive year for membership revenue and membership retention rate ended
the year at 89%, significantly higher than industry averages. Several networking
events realized record attendance as well and higher than expected sponsorship
levels. Members continue to appreciate the benefit of networking and doing
business with other Chamber members.
101 East Bay Street
Savannah, Georgia 31401
912.644.6400
www.SavannahChamber.com
www.VisitSavannah.com
CONTENTS
Letter from Chamber Chairman 2
Public Policy 3
Government Affairs & Manufacturing 5
Chamber Membership 6
Councils 8
Leadership Savannah 9
Chamber Communications 9
Visit Savannah 10
Letter from Chamber Chairman, BILL SHIRA
The Savannah Area Chamber of Commerce had a busy and productive 2012. Each
department in the organization has been hard at work serving members, old and new,
and the Savannah area to make this a better place to work, live and visit. We¹ve made
great strides in meeting the needs of the business community this year. The Chamber
intends to maintain the momentum gained on all fronts over the past year and build on
it in the next.
I am proud to report the Chamber has more than 2,200 members, representing more
than 80,000 employees. One of the most gratifying results of the year is the 89
percent membership retention rate. This is one of the highest rates in the country and a
1 percent increase from 2011. Retaining members lets us know that we are serving them
and energizes us to look for other ways to contribute even more.
People do business with people they know, and one of the benefits to membership is access to a variety of events
designed to give business professionals the opportunity to connect with potential partners and customers and to
develop their business skills. Our staff has organized and hosted nearly 100 events with more than 10,000 total
attendees. In addition, our Visit Savannah and Sports Council hosted upwards of more than 100,000 attendees at
events such as The Tall Ships Festival, the Savannah River Bridge Run, the Savannah Craft Brew Festival, the Savannah
Tire Hockey Classic and the Savannah Rock N’ Roll Half Marathon & Marathon.
Leadership Savannah, one of the oldest programs of its kind in the country, continues to build and enlighten the
next generation of community and business leaders with valuable programs about the inner workings of Savannah’s
schools, government and local economy. The program graduated 41 in 2012 and, out of more than 100 candidates,
selected 47 for its 2013 cohort.
The Chamber remained dedicated to represent the interests of our members in state and local governments. In 2012,
the Savannah Harbor Expansion Project gained more support as well as a considerable amount of state funding, which
we hope will be matched or exceeded in the President’s 2013 federal budget. The Chamber led a local campaign in
support of the transportation special purpose local option sales tax that would have funded many major road projects
in our region, all though the TSPLOST measure was ultimately turned down by voters. For the foreseeable future, the
Chamber will look for other sources and opportunities to make these necessary transportation projects a reality.
Visit Savannah reported 12.2 million visitors in 2011 and is likely to see 2012 meet and exceed that number. The
organization’s ambitious marketing team churned out a series of successful campaigns and remains a respected
force and forerunner among industry peers. The Visit Savannah sales department saw a better-than-expected 2012,
exceeding its definite room night production quota by 15 percent, a 19 percent increase over the previous year.
From a personal perspective, this year has been a very meaningful one for me as I have joined you in many business
meetings, networking events and in the various milestones that you have celebrated. As a long time resident of
Savannah, this experience has allowed me to see with new eyes and with heightened appreciation.
Good relationships are a key for successful business. Good relationships are founded on trust, and the best way to
build trust is face-to-face. Many thanks for your trust in us by being members of the Chamber. As always, please
continue to support the Chamber and our fellow members by doing business with other Chamber members.
2012 annual report
2
“Top 10 Cities in the United States” - Condé Nast Traveler
Public Policy
One of the major functions of the Chamber is advocacy for businesses and best business practices. There is always a
registered lobbyist on staff to work with state and local government entities to ensure that business interests are
considered and represented. Although the Coastal Region’s TSPLOST initiative failed, a lot of progress has been made
on this front from securing more funding for the Savannah Harbor Expansion Project to connecting the business and
educational communities and lobbying for reduced business-relative taxes.
Savannah Harbor Expansion Project
The Savannah Harbor Expansion Project (SHEP) is vital to the economic
success of our region and our state. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
reached the long awaited record of decision October 27, approving the
SHEP plan, thus moving the project forward. The past legislative session
was successful in regards to SHEP, as additional state matching funds were
secured. The governor approved an additional $46.7 million for SHEP,
bringing the total amount of dedicated state funds to $181 million. These
dollars will be totaled with federal funds, which hopefully will be included in
the president’s 2013 budget. The project has gained momentum in 2012 with Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed embracing
SHEP and regularly vocalizing his support for the project.
Public Safety
The Public Safety Council and Chief Lovett’s Task Force met three times this year. These were educational meetings
where the Chief updated attendees on crime rates and other issues. As a result of these meetings the Chamber was able
to lobby on issues brought to our attention, such as purchasing concerns, taxi driver education issues, communications
between the Savannah Metro Police Department and the Counter Narcotics Team (CNT) and allowing officers to bring
their patrol vehicles home. Due to the sensitive nature of the issues, the task force has remained small in size. Education
Island Education is one of the highest priorities for any community and ensures a strong workforce for the future. The
Chamber supports public education and continuing education in the Savannah area through a number of programs and
services that connect the business community to schools and that offer professional development to our members.
The organization helped garner business support for the Early Learning College, which seeks to better educate parents
on how to support students’ needs and to ensure that pre-kindergartners are “school and learning ready” when they
reach kindergarten. The Chamber promoted the Early Learning College to businesses by making it the topic of a CEO
Council meeting and an Owners Council meeting. And to promote technical education, the Chamber continued to
advocate at Woodville-Tompkins and Savannah Technical College.
This year, there were many opportunities for businesses to partner with
local schools. The Chamber helped to promote the Ready Set Go! Back to
School Expo for the Savannah Chatham County Public School System
(SCCPSS), encouraging member business contributions. The Chamber
also sponsored and promoted a reception for Gulfstream’s Student
Leadership Program (SLP), which partners businesses and schools to
empower youths with education, mentorship and leadership skills. SLP’s first
graduating class completed the program in June 2012, with 96 percent of
the original class graduating. Approximately 600 students are participating
2012 annual report
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“Top 10 City U.S. & Canada” - Travel + Leisure
in SLP, with 150 community advisors. The reception featured
this information in addition to a presentation by Stedman
Graham, a longtime supporter of SLP. And the Chamber has
been briefed on Gulfstream’s Live Well, Be Well, a continuing
education program for the workplace that teaches the value of
a healthy lifestyle and the importance of avoiding obesity.
As a watchdog and an advocate, the Chamber continued
to monitor ESPLOST spending, voice bidding concerns for
ESLOST projects and attend groundbreakings and openings
for completed facilities.
Stedman Graham and members of SLP.
The Chamber helped the school system add new business
partners and, in cases where schools had a disproportionate number of partnerships, the Chamber matched companies
and organizations with alternate institutions. There are now 424 business-school partnerships in the SCCPSS, up
from 375 in 2011. The Chamber marketed the school system’s Job Shadow Day, although Junior Achievement
doesn’t appear to be tracking participation any longer. The Chamber also supported the programming of Woodville
Tompkins High School, which began as a career and technical center where high school juniors and seniors could take
high-tech, career oriented classes and learn everything from robotics and computer programming to nursing and hotel
management. The program’s success prompted its conversion to a full-time high school, which now earns some of the
highest end-of-course test scores in the district, second only to nationally ranked Savannah Arts Academy.
Previously, the Chamber was involved in recruiting employees to take a skills-based exam to be certified for the Work
Ready Program. However, the Governor’s Office for Workforce Development no longer manages Work Ready as a
state-wide initiative. The program still exists nationally; the assessments are still administered; and companies use Work
Ready as a hiring tool, and municipalities still use the status to attract businesses. The Chamber’s role had been assisting
Savannah Tech in finding current employees willing to take a six-hour certification test. This was not necessary in 2012.
Legislative Lobbying
The 2012 Legislative Session was successful, with most of the Chamber’s priority issues/bills passing. The Governor
approved an additional $46.7 million for SHEP, bringing the total amount of dedicated state funds to $181 million.
HB386 passed, addressing comprehensive tax reform and competitiveness and granting sales tax exemptions for
construction and regionally significant projects. HB386 also eliminated state sales taxes on energy used for
manufacturing, mining and agriculture (four-year phase out). Unfortunately, no new tourism money was available. HB48
passed as well; allowing counties to cut or eliminate inventory taxes. HB861, the Social Responsibility and Accountability
Act, passed, requiring TANF recipients to undergo drug testing prior to receiving welfare benefits. However, legislative
challenges are expected. For education, the Governor and the Legislature did restore 10 of the previous 20 days cut from
the state’s Pre-K program during the last session. HB872 passed, strengthening the state’s metal theft laws and changing
the way scrap metal dealers conduct business.
Transportation & Regionalism for TSPLOST
The organization led the effort to garner local support for the TSPLOST referendum in the Coastal Region in collaboration
with the Georgia Chamber of Commerce. The campaign raised $100,000 in Chatham County and an additional
$100,000 throughout the rest of the Coastal Region. The promotional campaign was developed by the GA Chamber
and conducted with these dollars, combined with $200,000 in state matching monies. Ultimately, the voters struck down
the proposal in our region, with 57 percent rejecting it in Chatham County and 58 percent opposing in the Coastal Region.
2012 annual report
4
“#1 City for Ice Cream” - Travel +Leisure’s America’s Favorite Cities
Chamber interests remain vested in transportation projects that will move commercial and residential traffic more
efficiently, and federal stimulus dollars were acquired to fund some of these. Progress on many of the city’s and county’s
long-term projects remains slow, with officials weighing a variety of options and solutions. Project DeRenne remains a
long-term priority for stakeholders in Savannah, however progress is slow. The Chamber continues to work with city
officials on solutions for Abercorn Extension, however there has been little advancement. No headway was made to curb
industrial traffic on Bay Street in 2012, though the Chamber will continue to advocate for a solution in 2013.
Community Planning
In partnership with SEDA, the Chamber has led efforts, including securing legal representation, to ensure that the Unified
Zoning Ordinance (UZO) is fair to businesses and landowners. Progress on UZO was successfully slowed in order to
allow reconsideration and education for various business sector and public input meetings. These business sector meetings
have been coordinated by the Chamber and SEDA and are now scheduled for 2013.
The Chamber has continued its involvement in the remaining community planning initiatives listed above, such as the
MPO, International Committee, as well as various major infrastructure projects like the arena, baseball facility, cruise
ships, hotels, etc.
GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS AND MANUFACTURING
In addition to the Chamber’s policy initiatives, the Chamber’s Governmental Affairs and Manufacturing arms support
members by having staff listen to and address specific concerns as well was through meetings and luncheons that keep
them informed of economic and policy issues that will affect them.
Economic Outlook Luncheon
The Savannah Area Chamber of Commerce’s Economic Outlook Luncheon was held in January at the Savannah
International Trade and Convention Center. More than 600 Chamber member and member guests came to hear
Robert T. Sumichrast, Dean, Terry College of Business, who gave attendees state, regional and national forecast, and the
local forecast, which was presented by Dr. Michael Toma, Armstrong Atlantic
State University. The Title Sponsor was Gulfstream with Presenting Sponsors:
Gas South, Savannah Tire, United Community Bank and Wendy’s; and the
Economic Trends Sponsor was SunTrust Bank.
Savannah Chatham Day
Savannah Chatham Day attendees.
2012 annual report
More than 200 Savannahians, including business, civic and elected leaders,
traveled to Atlanta and attended the Chamber’s Annual Savannah Chatham
Day on January 26. Having so many locals in Atlanta for Savannah Chatham
Day is vital to catch the attention of state legislators and enlighten and
familiarize them with Chatham County’s legislative needs. The productive
visit featured meetings with top leaders in state government, including
meetings with Gov. Nathan Deal, Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle, President Pro Tem
Tommie Williams, Speaker David Ralston and Majority Leader Larry O’Neil.
The group from Savannah also heard from various state department heads,
as well as from members of the Chatham County Legislative Delegation. At
the conclusion of the meetings, the Chamber hosted a seafood reception and
dinner for more than 800 locals and guests.
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“A best Fall Getaway” - U.S. News & World Report
350 Attendees Enjoy Maj. Gen. Abrams’
Comments at Military Appreciation Luncheon
There are 29,300 military and civilian personnel stationed at Ft.
Stewart/Hunter Army Airfield. This sector earns more than $1.5 billion
in payroll, making them a valuable and vital part of the Savannah area
economy. As such, the Chamber’s Military Affairs Councils works to
hear the needs of our military community and honor their service.
On May 23, more than 350 people gathered at the Westin Savannah
Harbor Golf Resort & Spa ballroom to express gratitude and reflect
on the contributions of our military service members. The Military Military Appreciation Luncheon.
Appreciation Luncheon was conducted by the Chamber’s Military Affairs Council and sponsored by
Georgia Power and WTOC TV. Dr. Bill Cathcart, general manager of WTOC was the emcee. Maj.
Gen. Robert Abrams, commanding general of the 3rd Infantry Division, Fort Steward/Hunter Army
Airfield, spoke about the successes our local troops have had during their deployments in Iraq and
Afghanistan during the last 10 years.
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At the conclusion of the event, Cathcart presented the Civilian of the Year award to Scott Martens. This honor was
awarded to Martens because of his tireless and unwavering support in bringing the STARBASE program to Hunter
Army Airfield. Mr. Martens led the efforts for more than eight years to bring this highly awarded program to Hunter.
STARBASE is a program for fifth grade students who have a strong interest in math, science and technology.
Hunter Army Airfield, the Savannah Chatham County School System and Gulfstream all sponsor the program and instruct
public school fifth graders each day. The council would like to thank Dr. Cathcart, Maj. Gen. Abrams, Georgia Power and
WTOC TV for making this event a huge success.
ChAMbEr MEMbErShiP
The Chamber is proud to report its 2012 member retention rate is 89%, a 1% increase from 2011. This is one of the
highest rates in Savannah Chamber history, and it speaks volumes to the value our members see in the Chamber.
Overall, more than 100 Chamber events drew 10,000+ members and member guests to network, to celebrate new
businesses, to honor standout companies and individuals, to learn about Savannah’s economy, its progress and the issues
the community faces in the future and more. These events are opportunities for members to support each other and to
make the partnerships and potential customers they need to further develop their businesses.
Chamber’s Annual Membership Campaign,
“Forward Savannah”
Rewards Session winners.
2012 annual report
The Chamber’s 2012 Membership Campaign, Forward Savannah,
exceeded its new member goal by 25%, bringing in more than $50,000
and adding 140 new memberships. The campaign also and exceeded the
sponsorship goal by 50% bringing in $18,000. There were 33 volunteer
teams lead by co-chairs Cathy Hill of Georgia Power and Rick Monroe
of Monroe Marketing. Four campaign volunteers and one staff member
qualified for four-day cruises in the Bahamas for their recruitment efforts.
Further, the Campaign was completed on schedule — far faster than in
recent years. This year, to inspire our volunteers, the Chamber gave away
four cruises to the Bahamas. See a list of the winners on the following page.
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“A Top 10 City for Historic Preservation” - Livability.com
• The Top Dues Producer Cruise went to Abby Wolfe, formerly SunTrust Bank, and now Certus Bank, who brought in over $5,900 in new member dues.
• The first April 5 – June 28 Cruise Drawing was won by Ambassador Team Member Chase Mouchet, Alpha Financial Management.
• The second April 5 – June 28 Cruise Drawing was won by Caroline Koncul with First Chatham Bank.
• The Late Bloomer Cruise for volunteers recruiting new members from May 24 – June 28 was won by Robert Prescott with Georgia Ports Authority.
Business Connections
People do business with people they know, making the Chamber’s Business Connections one of the most utilized
benefits of Chamber membership. These networking events give attendees the chance to market their products and
services and meet the right counterparts in a low-pressure environment. In 2012, the Chamber hosted 6 Business
Connections, with a total of about 2,750 members attending these events.
In January, more than 350 Chamber members attended the
14th Annual Hockey Business Connection. This event featured
delicious fare from Outback Steakhouse Downtown. Sponsors
were: Outback Steakhouse Downtown, Savannah – Hilton
Head International Airport, Seacrest Partners, Inc. and Cumulus
Broadcasting. The Chamber held its Annual Oyster Roast Business
Connection in March at Tubby’s Tank House, with over 350
attendees. Sponsors were: Adventure Radio, AT&T, Deemer, Dana
& Froehle LLP, Liberty Mutual Insurance Legends of Golf and
Thomas & Hutton. In April, more than 200 Chamber members and
their guests enjoyed the Savannah Sand Gnats Business Connection,
sponsored by AT&T, Liberty Mutual Insurance Legends of Golf, Kix
96 and I-95, the Rock of Savannah.
With team mascot, Gnate the Gnat, at the
Savannah Sand Gnats Business Connection.
Two Business Connections offered member restaurants the
opportunity to flaunt their fare. The 11th Annual Taste of Downtown
Business Connection was held in Johnson Square and featured
over 40 restaurants and caterers showcasing their cuisines. The
May event boasted 1,200 attendees and was presented by Bank of
America and support came from Clear Channel Media, Cricket
Wireless, Deemer Dana & Froehle, Southern Eagle Distributing and
Yates-Astro Termite & Pest Control Company. In September, the
16th Annual Taste of Tybee Business Connection was held on the
Tybee Island Pier & Pavilion, with more than 700 Chamber
Taste of Tybee attendees.
members and their guests tasting specialties from 20 member
restaurants and caterers. This event was presented by Chatham Parkway Toyota, Scion, Lexus, Subaru and The
Toyota Certified Collision Center. Supporting sponsors were: Deemer Dana & Froehle LLP, First Citizens Bank,
Georgia Power, Pratt Industries, The Savannah-Hilton Head International Airport, Southern Urgent Care, WRHQ —
Quality Rock 105.3 and Where to Eat at the Beach. More than 250 members and their guests ended the year with
the 2nd Annual Savannah River Oyster Roast Business Connection at the Westin Savannah Harbor Golf Resort &
Spa. Sponsors for this event were: Principal — the Westin Savannah Harbor Golf Resort & Spa; Supporting — Clear
Channel Radio of Savannah, International Diamond Center, Liberty Mutual Insurance Legends of Golf and Southern
Urgent Care.
2012 annual report
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“America’s Greenest City (#2)” - Travel +Leisure
2012 Business Expo and Awards Banquet
In October, the Chamber held its 2012 Business Expo & Awards Banquet in partnership with the Savannah Morning
News at the Savannah International Trade & Convention Center.
This event provided another venue for networking, with more than 100 member exhibitors and hundreds of attendees.
The Awards Banquet was expanded, and was again held in conjunction with the Expo, with 1,000+ attendees.
This year, nationally-renowned business experts, Peter Yesawich and LeRoy Maughan spoke to attendees and exhibitors.
At the Awards Banquet that evening, businesses and business leaders were honored for their contributions to the Savannah
community. Small business, manufacturing, international trade and hospitality sectors were represented at this event:
• Entrepreneur of the Year: Chad Barrow – Coastal Logistics Group, Inc.
• Environmental Excellence Award: Weyerhaeuser
• Gulfstream Manufacturer Community Involvement Award: Billy Robinson – Port City Logistics, Inc.
• Helen V. Head, Small Business Advocate: Jane A. Feiler – Metro Developers
• Hospitality Award: Olympia Café – Nick Pappas and Vasilis Varlagas
• Manufacturer’s Safety Award: NuStar Energy – Savannah Refinery
• Small Business of the Year: Stacye Jarrell – Oceanfront Cottage Rentals
• World Trade Center Savannah International Business of the Year: JCB
Sponsors for this event were: Principals — City of Savannah,
Georgia Power Company, Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation,
Savannah International Trade & Convention Center, Stage Front
Presentations, Wells Fargo, World Trade Center Savannah and
WSAV ; Supporting — The Chatham Commerce Club, Express
Employment Professionals, Gas South, Georgia Southern
University, Industrial Technical Services, Infinity, Inc. and PSAV.
MemberCare Alliance
The Chamber and Visit Savannah have teamed up with
Purchasing Alliance Solutions and your local insurance agents
Winners at the Awards Banquet.
to offer its small business members a great opportunity to
receive a discount on employee benefits insurance products. Launched in 2006, MemberCare Alliance of the Savannah
Area provides real cost savings on health insurance premiums. There are 57 member companies participating, which
reflect a cumulative annual savings of all Savannah Area Chamber participating members of $133,935. The program
allows business members with two to 50 covered employees the opportunity to take advantage of a comprehensive
health insurance plan underwritten by United Healthcare and Blue Cross Blue Shield of Georgia and features group
health insurance with premium rate adjustments of up to five percent. The program is part of a statewide network with
more than 140 Georgia Chambers of Commerce offering discounted insurance products to their members.
COUNCILS
The Chamber supports a number of different sectors and professions through its various councils, and below are some
of the highlights for each of these councils in 2012.
2012 annual report
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“The South’s Best Picnic Spots” - Southern Living
Small Business Council
Small businesses continue to make up a substantial share of total private firms in the Savannah area, employing 77 percent
of the workforce. The Savannah Area Chamber of Commerce Small Business Council works to cater to this vital sector
through its Small Business Luncheon SMART Series held most months, generally on the first Tuesday. Business owners and
employees attend the luncheons to network and gain information that is pertinent to the operation of their businesses.
In 2012, the Chamber held 10 educational luncheons. The series is sponsored by
Comcast and attendance ranged from 80 – 140 at each luncheon, which were held in
the Savannah Morning News Auditorium. Lunches are led by Small Business Council
Chairman Joe Marchese, of Marchese Construction, and leaders in the Savannah
business community. Some topics for the year included: “Relating to the Media: Do’s
and Don’ts,” an “Interactive Media Panel” and “Speed Networking.” In December Bill
Shira, of Gulfstream, presented on how small and big businesses can work together.
Small Business Council luncheon.
Ambassadors Council
The Ambassadors serve to orient new members and help ensure they maximize their membership. They contact
members six months after they join the Chamber to inquire about participation and gain any feedback the member
may have. There are 40 volunteer Chamber Ambassadors, with 11 more coming on board in for 2013.
Owners Council
The Owners Council met every other month, and speakers for this event included the publisher for the Atlanta Business
Chronicle, the mayor, the assistant county manager and Georgia Senator Buddy Carter.
CEO Council
The CEO Council met six times this year and heard from speakers including the mayor, the city manager and the CEO
of Southern Company.
PR Council
The Public Relations Council entered its second year with great programming and increased participation. The
70-member council held monthly meetings in 2012 with topics ranging from Time Management to Business Etiquette.
LEADERSHIP SAVANNAH
Leadership Savannah remains a coveted and highly respected
program in the Savannah area. Leadership Savannah graduated 41
in June and had more than 100 applicants for the new class, 47 of
whom were selected. This year’s classes are well underway, hosting
more than 10 programs per year. The Graduate Leadership
Savannah Program continues to grow as well, with more than 150
participants and three events completed to date.
CHAMBER COMMUNICATIONS
Patrick Graham presenting Leadership diplomas.
Chamber staff work daily to keep members informed about relevant upcoming events, opportunities and news. A
number of different mediums are used including emails, press releases, columns in the newspaper, frequently updating
our website, social media and more.
2012 annual report
9
“Best Affordable U.S. Destination” - U.S. News & World Report
The Chamber has been adapting technology, such as INFORMZ, iPads and Square-Ups, for our members to register
online for events, to take member payments and more.
The Chamber’s social media channels on Facebook and Twitter are used to greet new members, as well as promote
Chamber events and spread any news relative to our members. The Savannah Chamber has more than 1,600 Facebook
fans and 1,800 Twitter followers.
The Chamber website, SavannahChamber.com, has received
67,000 site visits with the average user spending 3 minutes on
the site. The top content by page views is:
1. Business Calendar: 14,771
2. About Savannah Tourism: 14,366
3. Member Directory: 9,672
4. Contact Us: 9,348
5. Relocation Information: 8,755
A member survey was conducted in the fourth quarter to get
feedback from members. Leadership Savannah classmates
have been surveyed, as well as other member groups such as
exhibitors and event or council participants.
Homepage of SavannahChamber.com.
The Chamber submitted 24 columns to Savannah Morning News’ Business in Savannah (BiS), published every other
week. These columns personalized and highlighted Chamber issues and events for the community. The Chamber also
communicates with its members once a week through the Chamber e-newsletter sent to more than 4,500 member
email addresses.
VISIT SAVANNAH
Administration
Savannah tourism had a big year in 2012, with occupancy rates up nearly more than 2% over 2011. All measurables
outpaced averages for the state as a whole and against comparable destinations across the U.S. The largest growth was
felt in the airport district.
Savannah-Area Occupancy & Average Daily Rate (Year-End)
Segment
2011
2012
Occupancy (%)
61.3
63.7
Average Daily Rate
89.00
91.38
Savannah-Area Local Hotels – Occupancy (Year-End)
Segment
2011
2012
Luxury
71.1
72.8
Upscale
74.0
76.2
Midprice 65.7
67.9
Economy 51.9
54.7
Budget 49.4 52.1
2012 annual report
Variance (%)
3.9
2.7
Variance (%)
2.4
2.9
3.4
5.3
5.4
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“#1 City for Peace & Quiet” - Travel +Leisure’s America’s Favorite Cities
Savannah’s Competitive Set – Occupancy (year- End)
Segment
2011
2012
Savannah
61.3
63.7
Atlanta
59.0
61.0
Charlotte
61.4
63.7
Santa Fe
57.0
56.5
Tampa-St. Petersburg
57.4
61.6
Jacksonville
57.7
60.3
Asheville
62.8
64.4
St. Johns County
56.9
59.0
Charleston
66.5
67.2
Hilton Head/Beaufort
52.5
55.0
Variance (%)
3.9
3.4
3.7
-0.9
7.3
4.5
2.4
3.7
1.0
4.7
hotel/Motel Tax Collections Set All-Time records
By all indications, Savannah once again had a record-setting for room tax collections. The City, County and Tybee
collection each saw significant boosts, which can be attributed to increases in occupancy and room rates.
City of Savannah
Chatham County
Tybee Island
vs November 2011
up 9.04%
up 4.44%
up 9.43%
vs yTD budget
up 10.98%
up 2.20%
up 9.34
Visit Savannah board of Directors
The new board of directors for Visit Savannah kicked off their year in February with Charlie Brazil, General Manager of
Old Town Trolley Tours, as Chairman. New members for 2012 included Kristin Detwiler, Greg Kelly, Michael T. Owens,
Bill Shira, Scott Snipes and Mark Spadoni, with Dr. Billy Jamerson re-elected for a second three-year term. New Mayor
Edna Jackson assigned City Manager, Rochelle Small-Toney, and City Alderman and Council Chairman Tony Thomas
to the board for new five-year terms. Rick Monroe, who not only served as board chair in 2010, but also fulfilled the
second half of Steven High’s term in 2011, assumed the
position of Immediate Past-Chairman and thanked outgoing
board members Lisa Coyle, Patrick Graham, Paul Kennedy and
Stratton Leopold for their service during their terms.
Savannah TALL ShiPS ChALLENGE®
and Festival
Visit Savannah staff played a major role in producing the 2012
Savannah TALL SHIPS CHALLENGE®. Led by the Savannah
Waterfront Association (SWA), the event brought 14 international
tall ships to Savannah from around the country and Denmark,
Tall Ships festivities.
Canada, France and Indonesia. Visit Savannah provided the
festival funding, all marketing support and ultimately the majority of event operations. More
than 75,000 people visited the festival during the four-plus-day event with nearly 25,000
tickets sold. To date, the SWA has not completed their final accounting for the event, although
projections were for a profitable outcome.
2012 annual report
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“Traveler Choice best Destination” - Trip Advisor
Visitor Center Enhancements
With a continued focus on “providing the best visitor experience possible,” a
number of enhancements were made to Visitor Center operations. Ten staff
members were sent to a TLC sponsored customer service training program.
From that experience, a Visit Savannah staff member suggested changing
the titles of center staff from Visitor Center Counselors to “First Impression
Specialists.” This change was implemented and all staff were provided
business cards for the first time to offer to guests. Other improvements made
include new operating hours for the River Street location to be more in line
with tourism traffic and increasing the experimental part-time staffer position
at the I-95 to now being full-time.
Tourists at a Visitor Center.
New Marketing Partnerships
A Request for Proposal process for a new tourism website and advertising creative was also completed, with the assistance of a task force compiled from Visit Savannah board members. Studiocom, an Atlanta-based company, was hired
to develop the new site. This company was the genius behind
Coca Cola’s MyCokeRewards program and also created award
winning work with partners like Dunkin’ Donuts, Kleenex and
Purina Dog Food. Production of this process has gone smoothly
thus far, with the anticipated launch date of late February.
Savannah harbor Festival of Lights
Animated light display.
The Visit Savannah Executive Committee approved the use of $100,000
from the remaining Special Events Fund balance to be contributed to the
Savannah Harbor Foundations “Festival of Lights”. A documented was
signed by Mark Spadoni (SHF) and Joe Marinelli (VS) on how the dollars
would be utilized. This funding was approved based on the notion that the
proposed new event met the requirements of how to use these funds by
creating an event (or activity) designed to help drive new tourism and fill a
need-time of the year.
National Trust for historic Preservation Annual Convention
A $25,000 sponsorship commitment was approved by the Visit Savannah
Executive Committee to assist the Historic Savannah Foundation in their
efforts to bring this convention to Savannah in 2014. The “National Trust” had their
largest and most successful convention ever in Savannah in 1998 and the plan is to
again capture that success and exceed their expectations. The convention is expected to attract over 2,100 attendees,
fill nearly 3,500 hotel rooms and generate an estimated visitor spending figure of approximately $1.3 million.
2012 annual report
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“reader’s Choice Award Winner” - ConventionSouth
Air Service Development Fund
A proposal was made, and ultimately approved by the Visit Savannah Executive Committee, by the airport leadership
team to help create a fund that can be used to help attract new air service to Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport.
Visit Savannah agreed to contribute up to $200,000 of its reserve funds, along with a $250,000 commitment by SEDA,
$150,000 commitment by the Hilton Head Chamber and a $50,000 commitment from the Savannah Chamber. Visit
Savannah will have a seat on the review commitment on how and when these funds will be utilized to pitch and attract new
air service.
SALES
The sales team finished the year with definite room night results that exceeded last year’s records. Definite room night
production exceeded quota by 15% representing a 18% increase over the previous year’s record results. Conventions,
Meetings and Group Tour all improved significantly over the previous year. The success was due in part to our ability to
grow our business on multiple fronts. Conventions and meetings placed additional focus on smaller, near term bookings
that impact individual hotels when they needed the most help. At the same time, our efforts to secure larger longer term
National Association bookings showed solid growth. Extra
focus was placed on identifying business that would impact
the hotels during the periods when they have historically
experienced softer demand. These “need periods” are defined
as January, February, August, September, November and
December. Group Tour increased its presence in the regional
motorcoach market while developing new relationships with
U.S. Receptive Operators that now provide us reports on the
business Visit Savannah influences. Together these efforts
created positive results on the near term while setting the stage
for sustained growth in future years.
Sales team members at the ASAE Conference in Dallas, TX.
SPOrTS MArkETiNG
The Greater Savannah Sports Council (GSSC) is a division of Visit Savannah and the Chamber.
Guided by its Advisory Board, is committed to developing sports-related events with local, regional
and national organizations. The Sports Council supports a wide range of events that offer a diverse
opportunity to athletes of all ages and all sports. These events bring a wide range of participants and
spectators to Savannah to stay, eat and shop while in town.
In January, the GSSC again produced record-breaking attendance numbers for the Savannah Tire
Hockey Classic with 11,000 spectators filling the Savannah Civic Center over three nights.
The GACA North vs. South All-Star Basketball Classic was held at
Alumni Arena on the campus of Armstrong Atlantic State University in
March for 96 of the best male and female high school basketball players
from all across the state.
Also in March, the GSSC announced that Savannah will host the YMCA
Gymnastics National Championships in summer 2013 in conjunction
with YUSA. The event is expected to book more than 6,000 room nights
and will bring thousands of visitors to our city for multiple days.
YMCA medal winners with Mayor Edna Jackson.
2012 annual report
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“A Top Ten Spot to spend St. Patrick’s Day in the World” - IrishCentral.com
In April, Liberty Mutual Insurance Legends of Golf PGA tournament, which our very own Greater Savannah Sports
Council helped bring to Savannah 10 years ago, drew a record crowd to our beautiful city to enjoy what was mostly
perfect weather and great golf. Liberty Mutual Insurance celebrated the 10th anniversary with the public by hosting a
free concert in Forsyth Park with The Charlie Daniels Band and Little Big Town. Hopefully the national audience watching
the tournament on CBS and The Golf Channel will be inspired to make a trip to Savannah soon.
The GSSC annual awards luncheon recognized Al Kennickell with
its OASIS Award and other standout local athletes, events and
sports advocates in September.
In October, the Sports Council launched the Spine & Sport
Cobblestone Hockey Cup, and in November, assisted in year
two for the Rock ‘n’ Roll Savannah Marathon and Half Marathon,
drawing 17,800 registered participants from all fifty states and six
countries. The 26.2-mile full marathon touched nearly every side
of Savannah and the 13.1-mile half marathon followed suit with live
bands and crowds cheering. The Rock ‘n’ Roll Savannah Marathon
& Half Marathon is slated to return through 2016.
Rock ‘n’ Roll participants at the starting line.
The final highlight of 2012 for the GSSC was the Enmark Savannah River Bridge Run. This event broke its own record
once again with a sold-out field of 6,070 runners and walkers in the 5K, 10K and Double Pump.
PriNT ADVErTiSiNG
Leisure Advertising
Savannah-branded leisure ads ran in all regional markets as well as some
national markets in more than 45 magazines and newspapers like Southern Living,
Cooking with Paula Deen, AAA Go, Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Travel + Leisure,
Cooking Light and Atlanta Magazine just to name a few. The ads highlighted
Savannah as a getaway destination as well as key signature Savannah events.
We continue to maximize our leisure spending by leveraging advertorials and
value-added website banners, as well as remnant rates.
Co-op Advertising
Through leisure publications, Visit Savannah continues to offer
co-op opportunities to our members. Co-ops allow our
members to advertise their business for a fraction of the cost in
national and regional magazines. This year, co-ops were sold
in Cooking with Paula Deen, Atlanta Weddings and the city
magazines for Charleston, Atlanta, Jacksonville, Charlotte and
Orlando.
Top: Sample leisure ad.
Bottom: Co-op spread promoting Craft Brew Fest.
2012 annual report
14
“recipient of the Gold Service Award” - Meetings & Conventions Magazine
Special Events Advertising
Many of the major special events in Savannah are promoted through leisure print
advertising. The Savannah branded ads included a call-out of the event name
and dates. The events included Savannah Music Festival, the Telfair Uffizi exhibit,
Savannah Tour of Homes & Gardens and the Savannah Craft Brew Festival.
Meetings and Conventions Advertising
Ad promoting Meetings & Conventions.
Through a continued partnership with the Savannah International Trade and
Convention Center, Visit Savannah continued branding Savannah as a meetings
destination in industry publications. Examples include Convene, Meetings &
Conventions, ASAE, Meeting Mentor, Meetings South and Black Meetings
& Conventions. Innovations in the form of new publications, new creative and
advertorial and online ads increased the value of the media buys.
iNTErACTiVE MArkETiNG
VisitSavannah.com
The Visit Savannah website, VisitSavannah.com, received 1.5 million site
visits this year, with the average user spending 4 minutes on the page. The top
content by page views is:
1. Attractions: 407,348
2. Dining: 307,800
3. Accommodations: 303,906
4. Events Calendar: 253,836
5. Tours: 208,039
Homepage of VisitSavannah.com.
Social Media
Visit Savannah leverages a strong presence across top social media channels to engage potential visitors and assist them
with recommendations. Visit Savannah has an industry leading source of referrals for Chamber members with more than
75,000 Facebook fans, 21,000 Twitter followers, 3,400 Instagram followers and 19,000 Pinterest followers. Another
great source of referrals for members, Visit Savannah’s Emarketing, is being sent to more than 105,000 subscribers. It’s
averaging a 19% open rate and a 4% click rate, which are much higher than the industry average of 14% and 2%.
PubLiC rELATiONS
All 50 States and Puerto Rico totaling more than
187 Million Impressions.
2012 annual report
To help monitor the effectiveness of our Public Relations strategies,
Visit Savannah has contracted with Vocus Media Monitoring Service to
receive monthly media impact reports. This service tracks newspaper
and magazine articles, internet and television stories as well as, for the
first time, blog post and mentions. For 2011, there were 1,800+ media
placements reaching more than 126 million readers. If Visit Savannah
were to purchase advertising of equivalent value, it would cost more
than $4.3 million. In 2012, the many media outlets featured various
stories on Savannah’s many marketable attributes, including high profile
names such as Travel + Leisure, Southern Living, Condé Nast, Meetings
& Conventions and Bride Magazine.
15
“Best City for Hipsters” - Travel + Leisure
Atlanta Media Got the Scoop
The Visit Savannah PR team visited Atlanta in January to
meet with some of the region’s top media outlets in an effort
to maintain solid working relationships with this important
segment of our market. To make the visit special, Visit Savannah
enlisted the help of Leopold’s Ice Cream to bring a little taste
of Savannah up to brighten their day. The Atlanta Journal
Constitution, Atlanta Magazine and the Weather Channel were
treated to scoops, as the PR team updated them on Savannah’s
tourism products.
Stratton Leopold passing out ice cream at the Weather Channel.
Birmingham Media Meet at Little Savannah
Birmingham, Alabama was our destination in June as we took our
PR message to this important magazine publishing hub. Birmingham
is the home of Southern Living, Cooking Light, Coastal Living,
Paula Deen Magazine, Taste of the South and Victoria Magazine.
Editors and journalists from these publications along with Alabamabased freelancers attended a reception at Birmingham’s own Little
Savannah restaurant. Visit Savannah works hard at maintaining solid
relationships with these publications each year.
With Visit Savannah’s Tour & Travel partners in Birmingham.
Visit Savannah Shares Public Relations Message with NYC Media
Each year, Visit Savannah meets with editors and journalist in Atlanta, Birmingham and New York City to ensure that
Savannah and our tourism partners stay top-of-mind as they produce articles and television programming about travel.
In October, the Visit Savannah public relations team traveled to New York City where the team had a series of desk-side
appointments with editors and held a well-attended cooking demonstration evening event. To help make an impression
on the discerning taste buds of the event’s New York City audience, Chef Joe Randall from Chef Joe Randall’s Cooking
School, Chef Darin Sehnert from 700 Kitchen located at the
Mansion on Forsyth Park and bakers Cheryl & Griff Day from Back
in the Day Bakery joined Visit Savannah in NYC to cook up some of
Savannah’s favorite flavors.
Joe Marinelli with some of Savannah’s top chefs in NYC.
2012 annual report
The Savannah Team dazzled and impressed in a cooking school
format for editors from Travel + Leisure, Food + Wine, Condé Nast
Traveler, the Food Network, The New York Times, The New York Post,
Reuters and Good Morning America, just to name a few Thanks to a
great community wide effort, the team was able to take the Savannah
tourism message to the desks of the taste and travel influencers in the
world of magazine publishing.
Savannah Rakes in the Accolades in 2012!
“American Best Cities for Valentine’s Day (#2)” - Travel + Leisure, February 2012
“Hamilton Turner Inn – Voted a Most Romantic Inn” - Travel + Leisure, February 2012
“A Top Ten Spot to spend St. Patrick’s Day in the World” - IrishCentral.com, March 2012
“Best City for Hipsters” - Travel + Leisure, April 2012
“America’s Greenest City (#2)” - Travel +Leisure, April 2012
“A Best City for Nightlife in the USA” - U.S. News & World Report, April 2012
“Traveler Choice Best Destination” - Trip Advisor, May 2012
“A Best Burger City” - Travel + Leisure, May 2012
“A Top 10 City for Historic Preservation” - Liviabilty.com, May 2012
“The Best Places to Retire in 2012” - Forbes.com, June 2012
“Best Affordable U.S. Destination” - U.S. News & World Report, June 2012
“Best U.S. Vacation” - U.S. News & World Report, July 2012
“Top 10 City U.S. & Canada” - Travel + Leisure, July 2012 (World’s Best Poll)
“The South’s Best Picnic Spots” - Southern Living, August 2012
“A Best Fall Getaway” - U.S. News & World Report, August 2012
“Recipient of the Gold Service Award” - Meetings & Conventions Magazine, August 2012
“Top 10 Up-and-Coming Labor Day Destinations” - Travelocity.com, September 2012
“A Four Great Destination for Fall” - ApartmentTherapy .com. October 2012
“A Top Five Creepiest Towns” - Away.com, October 2012
“Top 20 U.S. Vacation Cities” - U.S. News & World Report, October 2012
“Top 10 Cities in the United States” - Condé Nast Traveler, November 2012
“#1 City for Architecture/Cool Buildings” - Travel +Leisure’s America’s Favorite Cities, November 2012
“#1 City for Fall Travel” - Travel +Leisure’s America’s Favorite Cities, November 2012
“#1 City for Charming Local Accents” - Travel +Leisure’s America’s Favorite Cities, November 2012
“#1 City for Ice Cream” - Travel +Leisure’s America’s Favorite Cities, November 2012
“#1 City for Peace & Quiet” - Travel +Leisure’s America’s Favorite Cities, November 2012
“#8 Most Attractive People” - Travel +Leisure’s America’s Favorite Cities, November 2012
“Reader’s Choice Award Winner” - ConventionSouth, December 2012Conventions, ASAE, Meeting Mentor,
2012 annual report