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2 <br />hopeful for an increase in summer transient business between Memorial Day and Labor <br />Day. Strunk indicated that since we had the original research study two years ago, the <br />Bureau had put all mechanisms in place as suggested by the study, and based on the <br />funds we had. These mechanisms include a new website, search engine optimization, <br />changing the brand name to visit Chapel Hill. <br /> <br />GUEST SPEAKER <br /> <br />Chair Pavao welcomed John Pelletier of Equation Research. Mr. Pelletier gave a brief <br />overview of the results from the last study the company did for the Visitors Bureau: <br /> <br />☸ People are unusually aware of our area (for our size) <br />☸ Our resources are what visitors are looking for <br />☸ UNC and Chapel Hill have joint appeal (which is extraordinary) <br />☸ We are running parallel with Ann Arbor based on a study he just <br />completed for that city and he found new information that will help both <br />college towns moving forward. <br />☸ The level of satisfaction after visiting here is high <br />☸ Our weakness is parking and traffic <br /> <br />Pelletier stated that now we need to ask - how do we keep ambassadors of our <br />community? This will provide a platform, a guide for what we are doing and one that we <br />will need to execute more precisely. <br /> <br />Pelletier informed the board members of what we should want from research: 1) confirm <br />the first survey results, 2) satisfaction, 3) change in factors of destination selection and 4) <br />learn what to expect and capitalize on it. <br /> <br />Pelletier informed that there is a change in patterns of destinations from two years ago <br />and the #1 factor in this change pattern is fuel cost. Several years ago rising fuel costs <br />were a shadow of reporting concern but now visitors are behaving on it. The number 2 <br />factor is a decrease in disposable income. We need to market the justification of spending <br />here. Number 3 factor is credit card debt. Number 5 is incentives, what is it going to take <br />to bring the visitor, i.e. lower air fares, mileage bonuses, hotel discounts etc. and number <br />6 is competitive information, how are we matching up. <br /> <br />A discussion ensued about the Chambers trip to Ann Arbor and what information can be <br />obtained and useful. <br /> <br />Pelletier informed on the impact of the Internet and closing the gap between looking <br />online and actually going to the destination. <br /> <br />The floor opened to questions <br />