In 1966, Mayor Lou Ritter proclaimed June “Convention Month” in Jacksonville.
There’s been no such proclamation from the current administration — but it would be appropriate, with 15,615 hotel room nights booked this month by more than 30 groups.
It’s the most convention business in Jacksonville in June in the past four years and follows the best convention month of 2016, when more than 16,600 room nights were registered by groups.
Groups arriving in Jacksonville this month range from small family and military reunions to much larger groups hosting national meetings.
The Special Forces Association will check into the Hyatt Regency Jacksonville Riverfront on June 12 for an eight-day national convention with 1,200 attendees who have booked 4,500 room nights.
On June 30, the Christian Congregation of the Jehovah’s Witnesses will begin a four-day meeting. About 10,000 attendees are expected, with visitors reserving 2,825 room nights at the Hyatt, the Omni Jacksonville and 10 suburban properties.
Also on the list for June, the Grand Lodge of Free & Accepted Masons of the State of Florida booked 2,175 room nights over its six-day stay in Jacksonville.
The U.S. Green Building Council is bringing 500 delegates who have booked nearly 1,100 room nights for the organization’s 2016 Midyear Meeting.
The 10th International Conference on Hypoparathyroidism is at the Hyatt through Sunday, with 300 attendees booking 720 room nights.
The brisk business is due to the overall improvement in the economy, how the city is marketed as a destination and the range of accommodation options in the area, said Paul Astleford, president and CEO of Visit Jacksonville, the convention and visitors bureau for Jacksonville and the Beaches.
“We have what groups are looking for, from the time they arrive at the airport until they leave after their meeting,” he said.
So far this year, nearly 47,800 room nights have been booked by groups, continuing the trend of steady growth in the local hotel business.
Hotel occupancy, at 73.2 percent, is up 2.7 percent compared to 2015.
The average daily rate is $86.08, up from $80.94 last year, a 6.3 percent increase.
The largest gain in the past year is in revenue per available room, which is a combination of the occupancy percentage of the roughly 18,000 hotel and motel rooms in the market and average rate.
At $63.02, it’s 9.2 percent better than 2015’s $57.71.
Those figures include performance at the Downtown full-service business and convention hotels, as well as the limited-service suburban properties.
Another trend that’s maintaining its growth is how Jacksonville is competing with other markets for convention business.
Astleford said Visit Jacksonville has identified 21 cities that are the most direct competitors for group bookings — and Jacksonville’s revenue per available room growth is better than 19 of the competitors, including Atlanta, Chicago, Miami, Nashville and Orlando.
“For convention business, we compete with the world and we’re doing much better than other cities,” he said.
How Jacksonville is marketed to meeting planners plays a major role in the continued growth, Astleford said.
Over the past several years, Visit Jacksonville has moved away from print advertising and direct-mail promotions in favor of the Internet and social media. That’s based on how convention and meeting planners communicate and do business.
“Marketing professionals are very proud of their IT knowledge and they are always using their smartphones. We take advantage of that and, based on what meeting professionals look at, Jacksonville is more visible,” he said.
“We are hoping June is an indicator,” he added. “Over the next six months, we’re keeping our fingers crossed that the growth will continue.”
To see how Visit Jacksonville markets the city online and through social media, go to visitjacksonville.com.
@DRMaxDowntown
(904) 356-2466