JLL today announced that it has been selected to create a Destination Strategic Plan for the city of Raleigh and Wake County. Engaged by the Greater Raleigh Convention & Visitors Bureau (GRCVB), JLL will work with the city, the GRCVB and a broad spectrum of community stakeholders to identify new tourism generators and increase national and international visitor arrivals.

Dan Fenton, Executive Vice President with JLL's Hotels & Hospitality Group, will lead the project with support from William Sandridge, a Managing Director in JLL's Raleigh office.

"Raleigh's CVB team understands that consumer travel habits and preferences are changing," said Fenton. "Our approach will include stakeholder interviews, resident surveys and insights from our research team to ensure we're working with a comprehensive view of not just Raleigh but all of Wake County's current tourism landscape and potential for growth."

Added Sandridge, "Raleigh and Wake County has emerged as a key destination for tourists visiting the southeast. Our partnership will help support the GRCVB's and Wake County's tourism and destination development efforts and amplify them to a larger, national audience."

JLL's Hotels & Hospitality Group has over 25 years of experience in both public and private-sector projects and focuses on assisting clients with tourism strategic planning as well as assessing, planning, financing, and developing public-purpose tourism facilities such as convention, conference and civic centers; hotels; performing arts centers; arenas; stadiums; mixed-use; and other project types. 

"We are excited about teaming with JLL to engage the Greater Raleigh area in this important process that will set the stage for all of Wake County for many years to come," said Dennis Edwards, President and CEO of the GRCVB. "The visitor economy is the strongest it's ever been here with both visitation (15.6 million visitors annually) and visitor spending ($2.4 billion in direct spending) at all-time highs and now is the ideal time to undergo this forward-thinking process."

Added Edwards, "Our goal in developing this plan collaboratively with partners in the public and private sector is to set forth a blueprint for strategic product development and growth of the visitor economy county-wide that can guide us all well into the future."

"The visitor economy supports more than 25,535 local jobs in Wake County and generates more than $242 million in state and local tax revenues," said Jim Hartmann, Wake County Manager. "This plan will allow us to strategically invest in future projects and initiatives to further increase the economic impact of visitors to the area and create more jobs within Wake County. We are encouraged by the collaborative nature of the planning process."
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Those wishing to share input and get involved in the planning process can do so by visiting WakeCountyDSP.com. To remain informed on the progress and outcomes of the plan are encouraged to subscribe to the GRCVB's Tourism Talk Blog.

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About JLL
JLL (NYSE: JLL) is a leading professional services firm that specializes in real estate and investment management. A Fortune 500 company, JLL helps real estate owners, occupiers and investors achieve their business ambitions. In 2016, JLL had revenue of $6.8 billion and fee revenue of $5.8 billion and, on behalf of clients, managed 4.4 billion square feet, or 409 million square meters, and completed sales acquisitions and finance transactions of approximately $145 billion. At the end of the second quarter of 2017, JLL had nearly 300 corporate offices, operations in over 80 countries and a global workforce of nearly 80,000. As of June 30, 2017, LaSalle Investment Management has $57.6 billion of real estate under asset management. JLL is the brand name, and a registered trademark, of Jones Lang LaSalle Incorporated. For further information, visit www.jll.com.

About the Greater Raleigh Convention & Visitors Bureau (GRCVB)
The Greater Raleigh Convention & Visitors Bureau (GRCVB), as the official destination marketing organization of Raleigh and Wake County, accelerates sustainable economic growth and development by increasing visitor and convention business. Raleigh, N.C./Wake County welcomes more than 15 million visitors annually whose spending tops $2.4 billion. The visitor economy supports more than 25,535 local jobs in Wake County and generates more than $242 million in state and local tax revenues, saving each Wake County household $663 in taxes annually. www.visitRaleigh.com.


Contact: Maggie Nichols Scott Peacock
Phone: +1 312 228 3837 +1 919 645 2676
Email: Maggie.Nichols@am.jll.com

speacock@visitraleigh.com