by Caroline Gabsewics
Staff Writer
The Jacksonville & the Beaches Convention and Visitors Bureau held its annual meeting at the Hyatt Wednesday. However, the meeting was about more than just this past year’s numbers.
The CVB is putting together a Convention Center task force and the steering committee members will be announced later this month. The task force will begin working in January and results will be released by October. The CVB will also make an effort to increase brand awareness this year.
Speakers included Mayor John Peyton, City Council President Michael Corrigan, Chairman of the CVB Board of Directors M.G. Orender, Chairman-elect of the CVB Board of Directors Dennis Pate, President and CEO of the CVB John Reyes and keynote speaker Bill Geist, who’s an author, consultant and marketing expert who addresses convention bureaus all over the country.
By the numbers 2005-06:
• Duval County was the sixth most-visited county in Florida and the third most popular destination in the state for auto travelers
• About 3.6 million visitors traveled to Duval County
• Visitors spent $3 billion within the local business community, resulting in a total economic impact of $4.9 billion
• 79 percent of visitors were here for leisure, 21 percent for business