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3. What tools will you use to measure your event's impact on tourism? Please be specific and provide <br />examples. Include the following information: <br />I. Is your project/event year-round or is it seasonal or date -specific? <br />II. What strategies will you employ to assure you are attracting tourists from at least 50 miles away? <br />III. What strategies will you use to assist in marketing all of Kittitas County as a tourist destination <br />with your event/project funding request? <br />The Spirit of the West Cowboy Gathering is an annual, date specific event that takes place every <br />Presidents Day weekend. Being a festival that takes place during the off season of tourism and over a <br />three day weekend, we offer tourists something a little different that takes place indoors no matter <br />what the weather and can be either an all-inclusive weekend or a single day side trip/activity after <br />skiing, snowmobiling or any other winter activity. For people from the west side of the mountains, it is a <br />great way to get away from the rainy winter weather to enjoy a weekend of fun. <br />The tools we use to measure the impact of the Spirit of the West Cowboy Gathering on tourism include: <br />Gathering zip code information from concert ticket sales and merchandise sales. <br />Providing an online survey via SurveyMonkey that will help us gather data regarding where the attendee <br />was visiting from (zip code), where they stayed (hotel/motel or other) and how long they stayed in the <br />area. <br />Partnering with local hotels/motels by saving blocks of rooms specifically for Spirit of the West <br />attendees/entertainers, so that we can follow up after the event to get actual numbers of rooms booked <br />that weekend. <br />Calling hotels/motels one week before the event to try to get more specific numbers of room nights <br />booked by Spirit of the West attendees for that specific weekend. <br />Google Analytics to get an overview of visitors both old and new to the Spirit of the West website. <br />Facebook campaigns and ads. <br />In 2015 we presented a survey to local downtown businesses to get feedback regarding the impact on <br />Sales and customer visits. We will be distributing surveys to local downtown businesses after the 2017 <br />event to see if changes have made any difference in increasing attendance in the downtown area and <br />what changes are still needed. <br />A marketing campaign partnership will be handled through the Kittitas County Chamber of Commerce <br />and Genesis Marketing. This marketing and advertising campaign will be geared towards reaching <br />customers in Washington Oregon, Idaho and Utah. But also reaches nationally with True West magazine. <br />The following strategies are used by Spirit of the West to assist in marketing all of Kittitas County as a <br />tourist destination: <br />The Spirit of the West Website offers The CentralWashington.com "Live Life in Color" branding logo on <br />our main page with a clickable link and the MyEllensburg.com branding logo with a clickable link also, all <br />locate on the contact page. The website also includes a page listing all lodging and food available in the <br />Kittitas County area with links to those businesses. <br />Both the CentralWashington.com Live Life in Color and My.Ellensburg.com branding logos are on <br />informational posters and mailers for Spirit of the West and newspaper ads. <br />Spirit of the West Cowboy Gathering is listed in the Official Central Washington Visitors Guide, the <br />Washington Festivals and Events catalog and the Explore Kittitas County Guide. <br />Spirit of the West event is listed on the Ellensburg Downtown Association website and <br />MyEllensburg.com website. <br />