Executive Summary Organization The Chester County’s Conference & Visitors Bureau (CCCVB) is the Destination Marketing Organization (DMO) for Chester County and its Brandywine Valley. DMO’s build quality of life and create opportunity in their communities by attracting visitors and investment to the area. This reflects the community driven message behind why we value tourism. The CCCVB uses a five-year strategic planning process, supplemented by an annual Action Plan including marketing and sales direction, in order to achieve these objectives and optimize performance. This 2020- 2025 Strategic Plan builds off the priorities and direction set forth in the CCCVB’s 2015-2020 plan. The Mission, Vision and Core Values of the organization are maintained, providing for valuable continuity in the strategic orientation of the organization. Within this framework, this 2020-2025 plan draws on and responds to updated information on the current consumer environment and positioning of the destination in order to optimize the tactical goals and strategies pursued by the Chester County Conference & Visitors Bureau over the next five years. Longwood Gardens MISSION Chester County Chester County’s Conference & Visitors Bureau Brandywine Valley To build awareness of and promote Chester To intrigue, captivate and welcome visitors with County’s Brandywine Valley as an ideal conference our charming small towns and scenic countryside and visitor destination to help stimulate healthy within close proximity to Philadelphia. We invite economic development and sustainability for the guests to connect with our fascinating history, County and its stakeholders. unique renowned attractions, diverse events, tranquil environments, and vibrant lifestyle. O R E V A L U C E S TY AUTH ALI EN PIT TI S CI O TY H O I S I N V P I A H To be universally R S T D I recognized as the S R T A premier Mid-Atlantic R Y W E destination delivering T S experiences that are C S unsurpassed in quality E S L E and diversity. E N B E R V A I T S I U O L N C N I D I S Y C R E O V Executive Summary | Chester County Conference & Visitors Bureau | Strategic Plan 2020–2025 | iii Research Insights The research process reviews the visitor experience, assets and Visitor surveys confirm that the experience in Chester County is performance of the Chester County tourism industry, and tracks highly rated. The highest ratings were applied to the region’s key trends in consumer preferences. gardens and historic sites, and visitors cite the region’s charming atmosphere and friendly character in open-ended responses. Visitor Experience The breadth of experiences related to history is a particular Chester County offers a number of outstanding attractions that strength in the area, with historic houses, gardens, museums, appeal to many types of visitors for both overnight and day trips. battleground sites, and historic main streets all providing a The range of distinctive and memorable experiences includes connection with the past. In addition, visitors report high levels museums, gardens, historical attractions, outdoor activities, and of interest in outdoor activities and food-related experiences (as trails and driving tours. outlined within the main report). How would you rate your satisfaction or experience with the following (scale of 1 to 4)? Gardens 3.60 Historic sites 3.36 Restaurants 3.25 Accommodations 3.22 Variety of things to do 3.16 Ease of local travel 3.07 Availability of signs and directions 3.06 Shopping 2.97 Nightlife activities 2.92 0.0 0.5 1.0 1.5 2.0 2.5 3.0 3.5 4.0 Visitor Word Cloud of Descriptions of Chester County gardens relaxing good food unique Picturesque people peaceful historical Beautiful good enjoyable Diverse Charming quaint Rural Friendly country scenic countryside historic interesting Fun pleasant easy great Pretty bucolic home nice close Lovely area green iv | Chester County Conference & Visitors Bureau | Strategic Plan 2020–2025 | Executive Summary Consumer Preferences was $122, resulting in a revenue per available room of $76. The occupancy rate lagged the performance of nearby Bucks, The tourism industry has seen noticeable changes in recent years Delaware and Montgomery counties, while the average daily as consumer behavior and expectations continue to evolve. Trends rate was the highest among this group. This variance is driven by relevant to Chester County’s tourism market discussed in the plan day of week patterns, with Chester County seeing the strongest include: performance during mid-week (when rates are elevated) but ■ Experiential and socially conscious travel, including trailing its competitors in weekend occupancy. agritourism, farm-to-table dining and an emphasis on activities County Assets and culture that are unique and authentic to a location. Chester County is well-positioned geographically, adjacent to the ■ Weekend getaways, with shorter and more spontaneous trips cities of Philadelphia and Lancaster and within a 2-and-a-half-hour throughout the year replacing longer planned-in-advance drive of the New York and Baltimore / Washington, D.C metro vacations as the dominant model. regions. Chester County is also highly accessible by train from ■ Generational trends, including the short term importance of New York, Harrisburg and Lancaster through five AMTRAK stops retirees who have the means and time to travel and the long and from Philadelphia through AMTRAK or SEPTA. term shift of travel decision making to younger generations with different preferences. Demographic and economic trends in the County also impact the vibrancy and character of the visitor experience in a destination. ■ Impact of technology on trip planning and booking, Chester County has a population of 530,000 with a median particularly given the prevalence of app-based online reviews household income of around $100,000, providing a strong that make it possible to evaluate potential destinations at base of local disposable income to help support the amenities a glance. and attractions that are enjoyed by both locals and tourists. In Industry Performance recent years, Chester County’s population has grown faster than the southeast region and Pennsylvania as a whole. This trend Tourism spending in Chester County reached $835 million in is situated within the context of a strong tradition of historic 2017, reflecting steady growth since a recession-driven low in preservation, which has helped to direct growth towards strategic 2009. Over this period, visitor spending has growth by areas of the County, enhancing the vibrancy of denser areas while 32 percent, in line with the rest of the region. preserving the bucolic character of more rural parts of the County. Chester County’s lodging occupancy rate from 2015-2018 was 62.5 percent (year-round average), while average daily rate Charming Chester County Sunflowers Executive Summary | Chester County Conference & Visitors Bureau | Strategic Plan 2020–2025 | v SWOT Analysis Key findings from the research phase were assembled into a SWOT analysis. This framework considers both positive and negative aspects of the regional tourism industry, and also considers which aspects are internal to Chester County and which are impacted by external forces. The analysis considers the Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats in three areas: 1 Tourism Product 2 Tourism Brand and Audiences 3 Assets and Infrastructure SWOT ANALYSIS: TOURISM PRODUCT STRENGTHS WEAKNESSES ■ Strong anchor attraction (Longwood Gardens) ■ Lack of resort / boutique hotel product matches top rated activity (gardens) ■ Lack of notable spa / wellness amenities ■ Compelling supporting attractions (arts, history, ■ Shortage of major performing arts venues and outdoors) events ■ Natural beauty / scenery ■ Limited nightlife ■ Distinctive events ■ Trails and open space ■ Farm to table dining ■ Beer and wine product ■ Historic main street experiences (Kennett Square, West Chester, Phoenixville) OPPORTUNITIES THREATS ■ Recent investment in key attractions (Longwood ■ New tourism product in surrounding counties, Gardens, Brandywine River Museum of Art) including shopping and lodging experiences across border at King of Prussia ■ Existing interest in history and historic preservation ■ Limited opportunity for shopping in key lodging ■ Growing traveler interest in outdoor / agritourism / ecotourism activities clusters compared to competition. ■ Additional events leveraging brand strengths ■ Strengthened connections between related experiences vi | Chester County Conference & Visitors Bureau | Strategic Plan 2020–2025 | Executive Summary SWOT ANALYSIS: TOURISM BRAND AND AUDIENCES STRENGTHS WEAKNESSES ■ Satisfaction with visitor experience ■ Family travel ■ Authenticity of experience ■ Demand on weekends, shoulder seasons, and holidays ■ Corporate travel / weekday market ■ Limited awareness / familiarity among general ■ Getaway market travel market ■ Amateur sports market ■ Audience with disposable income ■ Appeal to and increasing awareness among international travelers. OPPORTUNITIES THREATS ■ Connecting business travelers to experience ■ Competition (Poconos, Lancaster, Bucks, etc.) product – leisure conversion ■ Evolving technology and consumer preferences ■ International visitation (from Asia in particular) ■ Nearby counties adding and/or expanding ■ Day trip conversion athletic infrastructure and fields ■ Event conversion (weddings, youth sports, ■ Chester County hospitality region’s preparation to festivals) fulfill the needs and preferences of Asian inbound travelers ■