"The most recent ‘Branson Lakes Area Chamber of Commerce and CVB Fact Sheet,’ indicates just why Branson Missouri is the unique and special travel destination it is," said Tammy Johnson, the Director of Operations for the Branson Tourism Center. "From live shows to attractions, shopping, natural beauty, lakes, choices of hotels and lodging, family friendliness and customer service, Branson has a synergy that virtually ensures that its visitors have a wonderful experience that will bring them back time and time again," she continued.
Johnson said that according to the Fact Sheet, compiled under the auspices and the financing of the Branson Lakes Area Tourism Community Enhancement District (TCED), a large part of that experience, for about 85 percent of the people who come to Branson, is attending one or more of Branson’s great live shows. It said, "Branson offers 50 theaters and more than 100 shows with 64,057 seats (more than Broadway)" and that audiences can see shows throughout the day from morning shows to matinees and evening shows.
"That’s easy to do," said Johnson, "Branson has a choice of live shows that is the envy of any destination city of a similar size and is called by some, ‘The live music show capital of the world.’" She emphasizes that it’s not just that there are a number of live shows available just about any time of the day during Branson’s season, but the variety and quality of the entertainment experience those show offer that makes Branson such a great place for show goers.
Johnson points out that The Official Branson.Com Shows Schedule indicates a choice of shows covering every genre of music from Broadway and country to opera, swing, gospel, blue grass pop and rock n roll and says, "But that’s just the beginning. Branson’ live show also include drama, comedy, acrobatics and a variety of comedy."
For additional information or tickets for any of Branson’s other shows and attractions or for lodging arrangements please contact the Branson Tourism Center (BTC), one of Branson’s largest and most respected vacation planning services. BTC can be reached by either calling their toll free number 1-800-785-1550 or through their website www.BransonTourismCenter.com.
The entire Fact Sheet referred to in this article is reproduced below in its entirety:
Fact Sheet for the Branson Lakes Area
OVERVIEW: Branson, Missouri is situated in Southwest Missouri, 35 miles south of Springfield, and is ranked 25th among all overnight leisure vacation destinations in the country.
2009 TOURISM IMPACT:
*An estimated 7.8 million visitors in 2009
*Tourism is the Branson/Lakes Area’s chief industry, with an estimated $3.0 billion in tourism-related spending in Taney and Stone counties in 2009
2009 VISITOR INFORMATION:
* 38.5% of visitors were families
* 61.5% of visitors were adults
* 90.1% travelled to Branson via personal vehicle
* 6.9% travelled to Branson by air
* 4.3% travelled to Branson via RV/Camper
* 6.6% were groups
* Average adult age was 57 years
* Average length of stay was 4.54 nights
* Average party size was 4.06 persons
* Average amount spent per party was $961 per trip
* 14.4% of visitors came from 100 miles or less
* 25.7% of visitors came from 101-300 miles away
* 26.3% of visitors came from 301-650 miles away
* 33.5% of visitors came from 650+ miles away
* On a 1 to 5 rating scale, visitor satisfaction measured 4.51
ACTIVITIES:
* 85.5% – Shopping
* 85.1% – Shows
* 53.7% – Lake/Outdoor Activities
* 31.3% – Museums
* 26.6% – Theme Parks
* 4.1% – Fishing
* 3.8% – Golf
THEATERS/SHOWS: The Branson/Lakes Area offers 50 theaters and more than 100 shows with 64,057 seats (more than Broadway). Audiences can see shows throughout the day – breakfast shows, matinees and evening performances. Country, pop, swing, rock n" roll, gospel, classical and Broadway-style music and productions join comedy, acrobatics and magic shows to provide visitors a wide array of entertainment choices.
LAKES: Table Rock, Taneycomo and Bull Shoals — 3 pristine lakes with 1,200 miles of shoreline offering fishing, boating, parasailing, jet skiing and swimming. While the lakes all offer great fishing, each has its specialty. Table Rock Lake offers world-class bass fishing; Lake Taneycomo with its cold waters offers superb trout fishing; and Bull Shoals Lake is a warm water angler’s paradise, especially for tournament bass fishing.
LODGING: 208 facilities with 22,000 rooms
RV/CAMPGROUNDS: 26 parks with 2,870 sites
RESTAURANTS: 242 restaurants with 37,048 seats
GOLF COURSES: 12 courses (7 Championship)
SHOPPING: 300+ shops — Branson is home to three outlet shopping malls with more than 200 retailers. Visitors can find contemporary clothing, gift items, house wares, designer shoes, luggage and other treasures at reduced prices throughout the year at Tanger Outlets, Branson Meadows, or Factory Merchants. Historic Downtown Branson is also a shopper and diner’s delight — Dick’s Old-Fashioned 5 & 10, countless boutiques and specialty stores combined with quaint eateries make the downtown area truly special. The new Branson Landing’s 100+ retail shops and lakefront dining establishments are just minutes away.
DEMOGRAPHICS:
* 7,435 – Branson Population
* 75,152 – Taney and Stone County Population
* 19 square miles – Branson’s incorporated area
* $468,546,090 – Total assessed Branson property values
