Almost every business listing on visitmorganhill.org includes a URL

By Krista Rupp

Krista Rupp

As we enter a new fiscal year, Visit Morgan Hill continues its mission of being a catalyst for local tourism benefit through overnight hotel stays. Here’s a peek behind the curtain on what we accomplished in Fiscal Year 2023-2024.

First, we ensured VMH was fiscally sound, engaged with partners, and equipped with essential data. Supported by more than 84 percent of local lodging establishments, the Morgan Hill Tourism Business Improvement District was renewed for 10 years, securing stable funding and setting the stage for long-term tourism development.

In November 2023, VMH hosted a Tourism Summit with speakers from Visit California, San Jose, Gilroy, and Santa Cruz, sharing valuable tourism perspectives with more than 80 Morgan Hill attendees. Local sports, restaurant, and winery representatives put the fabric of our tourism industry in the spotlight. VMH also published the first Morgan Hill Tourism Market Assessment. This report offered an analysis of hotel performance, visitor spending, and lodging forecasts, to be implemented in VMH’s playbook.

Marketing and business development are critical to boosting awareness and generating leads for hotels and facilities. Through a mix of collateral development, networking, and pitching, VMH increased hotel room night opportunities by 132 percent. Key partnerships and targeted online tactics also played a significant role.

VMH expanded Morgan Hill’s audience by making local restaurants, wineries, shops, and events easy to find online in one place. Almost every business listing on visitmorganhill.org includes a URL, and click-throughs more than doubled thanks to search engine and content marketing.

Sometimes it pays off more to have someone else singing Morgan Hill’s praises, which is why VMH also prioritizes public relations. By implementing continuous story development, journalist pitching, and hosting, we secured 13 Morgan Hill story features in FY 23-24.

VMH’s social media growth has been remarkable, with a 45 percent increase in followers and an engagement rate of 4.7 percent, well above industry average. This means users find the photo and video content we produce compelling and useful.

Sports tourism development is also key. For a second year, VMH secured Morgan Hill as the home for the IFL Bay Area Panthers with a comprehensive agreement including sports facilities, hotel accommodations, and sponsorship benefits. VMH also supported adding two new swim meets to the Aquatics Center, boosting hotel bookings and marketing exposure to regional athletes and spectators.

As economic conditions compel travelers to watch their spending, now is the time to highlight Morgan Hill’s combination of quality and value. Our running 12-month average hotel metrics show a 63.2 percent occupancy rate, with an average daily rate of $123.35. Morgan Hill’s July occupancy was in line with the national figure, which hit a post-pandemic high of 73.5 percent. A slightly lower than average daily rate presents an opportunity to emphasize Morgan Hill’s high-quality experiences for its relative affordability and accessibility.

Growing new markets to fill the space once held by business travelers takes time. VMH is taking the lead with smart marketing strategies, expanding partnerships, and consistently showcasing Morgan Hill’s authentic appeal. Recent travel surveys indicate visiting friends and family and road trips will be some of the most popular types of travel this year.

We encourage businesses, stakeholders, and residents to support our efforts. Stay connected on social media, refer friends and relatives to our online resources, and don’t miss out on the exciting events and updates planned for the coming season.

Krista Rupp is the executive director of Visit Morgan Hill.