OVERVIEW:

Branson, Missouri is situated in Southwest Missouri, 35 miles south of Springfield.

TOURISM IMPACT:

  Estimated 7.3 million visitors in 2004

  $1.4 billion spent in the area in 2004

  More than $50 million in sales tax revenue generated each year by the City of Branson

  Tourism is the Branson/Lakes Area's chief industry

VISITOR DEMOGRAPHICS:

  35% of visitors are families

  65% of visitors are adults/seniors

  86% travel to Branson via personal vehicle

  5.0% visit via motorcoach

  Average age is 57.5 years

  Average income is $52,638 per year

  Average length of stay is 3.72 nights

  Average amount spent is $861 per trip

  19% of visitors come from 100 miles or less

  34% of visitors come from 101-300 miles away

  47% of visitors come from outside a 300 miles radius

  On a 1 to 5 rating scale, visitor satisfaction measures a 4.75

SEASONAL DEMOGRAPHICS:

Winter (January - March)
Overall percentage of visitors: 9.7%
Average Age: 55.3
Families: 28.3%
Adults <65: 49.3%
Adults 65+: 22.4%
Party Size: 2.7

Spring (mid-March - May)
Overall percentage of visitors: 18.1 %
Average Age: 57.6
Families: 15.8%
Adults <65: 30.1%
Adults 65+: 47.7%
Party Size: 2.9

Summer (June - August)
Overall percentage of visitors: 31.8%
Average Age: 53.5
Families: 29.9%
Adults <65: 28.7%
Adults 65+: 31.2%
Party Size: 3.1

Fall (September - October)
Overall percentage of visitors: 20.1%
Average Age: 57.9
Families: 12.5%
Adults <65: 42.9%
Adults 65+: 40.4%
Party Size: 2.8

Holidays (November - December)
Overall percentage of visitors: 20.3%
Average Age: 59.8
Families: 8.6%
Adults <65: 44.4%
Adults 65+: 41.8%
Party Size: 2.8

BRANSON FACTS:

Population: 6,050 (2000 census)
18 square miles
Total assessed evaluation of property: $363,000,000

RESTAURANTS:

408

RESTAURANT SEATS:

35,056

GOLF COURSES:

10

LAKES:

3

LODGING FACILITIES:

201

NUMBER OF ROOMS:

17,849

NUMBER OF THEATERS:

45 (2 new ones are under construction and scheduled to open in 2005)

NUMBER OF THEATER SEATS:

55,967 (Branson boasts more theater seats than New York City's Broadway district.)

SEASON:

Branson is a year-round destination with most of the entertainment offerings open mid-March through the end of December. Throughout the year, large special events such as Branson Fest (April), Veterans Homecoming (November) and Ozark Mountain Christmas (November and December) offer visitors a special reason to visit.

SUMMARY OF ACTIVITIES:
(percentage of Branson visitors enjoying each activity)

84.2% - Shows
59.4% - Shopping
29.5% - Theme Parks
7.1% - Outdoors
15.6% - Water Activities
28% - Historical Sites

SHOWS:

The Branson/Lakes Area offers 47 theaters and more than 100 shows. Audiences can see shows throughout the day - breakfast shows, matinees and evening performances round out a full day of great entertainment.

Branson offers a wide diversity of entertainment. Country, pop, swing, rock n roll, gospel, classical and Broadway-style music and productions join comedy and magic shows to provide visitors a wide array of entertainment choices.

MUSICAL HISTORY:

Bransons entertainers began performing for audiences in the early 1950s when country legend Red Foley moved to Springfield to host the Ozark Jubilee. In 1959, the Mabe Brothers began performing twice a week in a converted building down by the Lake Taneycomo waterfront. In 1962, the Presley family began entertaining visitors in nearby Kimberling City. The Presleys built the first theater along Highway 76 (The Strip) in 1967, followed by the Mabe Brothers, now known as the Baldknobbers, who built their theater in 1968.

Branson rose to national prominence as an entertainment destination during the early 1990s when the CBS program 60 Minutes dubbed the area the Country Music Capital. Since then, an increase in both entertainers and visitors has made Branson one of the top 20 family vacation destinations in the country, according to a 2004 Associated Press article.

SHOPPING:

Branson is home to three outlet shopping malls with more than 200 retailers. Visitors can find contemporary clothing, gift items, housewares, designer shoes, luggage and myriad other treasures at reduced prices throughout the year.

Historic downtown Branson is also a shopper and diners delight with more than 100 retailers. An old-fashioned 5 & 10, several boutiques and specialty stores combined with quaint eateries make the downtown area truly special.

LAKE ACTIVITIES:

The Branson/Lakes Area is home to three scenic and flourishing lakes offering fishing, boating, parasailing, jet skiing, snorkeling, tubing, swimming, camping and more. While the lakes all offer great fishing for novice and professional anglers, each has its specialty. Table Rock Lake offers world-class bass fishing. Lake Taneycomo, with its cold waters, offers superb trout fishing. Bull Shoals Lake is also an anglers paradise especially for tournament bass fishing.

OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES:

Located in the rolling Ozark Mountains, the Branson/Lakes Area is ideal for canoeing, camping, hiking, biking, bird watching and adventurous exploration in many other forms for everyone from the casual outdoor observer to the seasoned outdoor enthusiast. Ten world-class golf courses provide golfing opportunities for the scratch player and novice alike. Public and private nature parks, some inside Branson's city limits, give visitors the opportunity to combine top-notch live entertainment with outdoor recreation.

GETTING TO BRANSON:

Branson is conveniently located within a days drive of one-third of the countrys population.

The Springfield-Branson Regional Airport (SGF) is approximately 43 miles from Branson and serves all of Southwest Missouri with 66 daily flights connecting to eight international airports via five airlines. Choose from American Connection, American Eagle, Delta Connection, Northwest Airlink and United Express. These airlines offer direct flights to and from Chicago, Cincinnati, Dallas/Ft Worth, Denver, Detroit, Memphis, Minneapolis and St. Louis.