Donna Carpenter in the driver’s seat: Her job is filling rooms and she’s doing it

After a year on the job, Donna Carpenter has Cabarrus County tourism on a fast track. The president and CEO of Cabarrus County Convention & Visitors Bureau counts opening two satellite offices, one at the speedway and one at Concord Mills, among her achievements.

In an interview on her one year anniversary, Carpenter said Cabarrus hotel occupancy rates fell slightly for the first six months of 2010, but they rose in June, this in the face of a whopping 32 percent increase in rooms.

Through June, demand for rooms in Cabarrus County was up 16 percent, an increase to bank on.

Carpenter, who was the director of tourism and partnership development for Visit Charlotte, oversees a $3.37 million budget, funded by hotel tax receipts.

Business Today interviewed Carpenter as her agency was gearing up for race week in October, the only night race in the Chase.

What is your total budget for the new fiscal year? What was it last year and the year before?

FY 2010-2011 Budget: $3,371,116

FY 2009-2010 Budget: $3,781,069  Forecasting end of year FY 2009/2010 - $3,119,731

FY 2008-2009 Budget: $2,804,146  Finished FY 2008/2009 - $2,735,216

How many staffers do you have? How many when you came on board a year ago?

Upon my arrival we did a complete restructure of the organization.  There were 11 full time positions and two part time positions currently there are 13 full time positions and six part time positions approved for this fiscal year.  The additional positions added are visitor information manager, administrative assistant and four part time travel counselors

What have you done in the past year?

The bureau has gone through some significant changes over the past year.  The first part of the year was spent on restructuring and building a new team, once in place, to the board of directors in addition to the team, held a two-day retreat to determine a new mission and vision for the organization as well as the beginning steps for a strategic plan.  During the latter half of the year great strides have been made, including the production and distribution of the Destination Guide, probably our greatest success.

We have opened two satellite visitor information offices, at Charlotte Motor Speedway and Concord Mills Mall.  This has enabled us to connect with the visitor face to face, answer any questions they may have and also offers us the opportunity to tell the bigger story about Cabarrus County and all it has to offer as a destination.

Any recent FAM visits?

The bureau conducts more site visits than it does FAM trips.  Between Sales, Services and Communications/PR we have hosted more than 20 site visits over the last six months.  We have a 16 person UK/German PR FAM coming in during NHRA as well as a travel trade UK FAM coming in during the October Race.

Where do you see your best opportunities for tourism growth- amateur sports events, NASCAR, Concord Mills?

Cabarrus has a multitude of opportunities for future tourism business.  We have conducted our research and it clearly shows we are a leisure destination and we have motorsports, Concord Mills and Great Wolf Lodge to thank for that. But this doesn’t dismiss that fact that group business is big business for us too-amateur sports, car clubs, four-legged shows, military and associations in general are great targets and on our list.  I believe obtaining a balance within all the markets is critical for our continued success. 

What are current occupancy levels vs. year-earlier levels?

For the month of June 2010 54.8 percent vs. 53.9 percent in June 2009.
Year to date occupancy through June 2010, 53.2 percent vs. 54.1 percent YTD through June 2009

Have you been able to organize any cooperative efforts with the Cabarrus race teams?

We currently work closely with Charlotte Motor Speedway on joint marketing efforts. Our sales and services team works with many of the race teams to provide groups with a unique venue for a reception or for scheduling tours.   As far as a collaborative effort with all the race teams, it is on our list of to do’s for this fiscal year.

Have you seen an increase in hotel occupancy with the opening of the NASCAR Hall of Fame?

It is virtually impossible to track room nights related specifically to the NASCAR Hall of Fame.  We do, however, know the addition of the Hall of Fame partnered with the race shops located in the region has certainly elevated the region’s appeal and confirms us as a true racing destination with experiences that you cannot get anywhere else. I think it is safe to say that packaged along with tours of the speedway and race shops and other attractions, it has encouraged additional overnights in Cabarrus County.

What are you hearing or what are you seeing in terms of occupancy levels for the October races?

The October race at Charlotte Motor Speedway is the only night race in the “Chase.” This sets us apart from other nine destinations that host a race in the “Chase.”  With this, the loyalty of the motorsports fans, the shops located in the area and the addition of the NASCAR Hall of Fame, we anticipate a very successful October race.  We typically reach out to our hotel partners in early to mid-September to get their feedback.  A travel trend that we are continuing to see is the trend towards a shorter booking window.  Travelers are continuing to book last minute and are looking for value added packages.

Discuss average daily room rates and what the trend looks like.

Average Daily Rate for June 2010 $79.51 vs. $83.08 in June 2009.

Year to Date Average Daily Rate through June 2010 $86.65 vs. $89.15 YTD through June in 2009.

When comparing year-over-year numbers we have to take into consideration the amount of supply that has been introduced. Since April 2009 there has been a 32 percent increase in total room supply. This effects year over year number’s until the new supply is cycled through.

Great Wolf Lodge recently completed their first year. Residence Inn and Courtyard by Marriott properties did not open until summer 2009.  In the last six months three additional properties, Hilton Garden Inn, Country Inn and Suites, and Affordable Corporate Suites opened.

One key factor that the bureau can measure is demand. Through June 2010 demand for rooms is up 18.4 percent in Cabarrus County. The increased demand is spread amongst the new supply in the destination resulting in slightly lower occupancy levels for individual properties.  The last five months have performed very well and all indications are pointing towards increased occupancy and Average Daily Rates in the second half of 2010.