Branson Profile
THE CITY
The city of Branson (population 7,500; 7.9 million visitors
annually and growing) is located in southwest Missouri, 35 miles
south of Springfield within the heart of the Ozark Hills.
Branson serves as the job, service and shopping center for a
two-county area with 80,000 year round residents. Branson is
surrounded by three prize winning fishing lakes – Taneycomo,
Table Rock and Bull Shoals. The city has an incorporated
boundary of over 19 square miles. The city has become the focus
of international attention as both a major development area and
an entertainment and tourism Mecca. The reasons are numerous
and range from the scenic natural beauty of the area to the star
studded theaters along Highway 76 with their line-up of major
recording artists as well as other family oriented entertainment
offerings.
TOURISM
Tourism is the Branson/Lakes Area’s chief industry. Situated
within a day’s drive of 25% of the U.S. population, Branson and
the Tri-Lakes Area serve almost 8-million visitors each year who
pump $1.7 billion dollars into the local economy. Branson is
ranked 20th among all overnight leisure vacation
destinations in the country. On a 1 to 5 rating scale, visitor
satisfaction measures a 4.63.
A
geographical profile of Branson visitors shows: 12% come from
100 miles or less; 23% come from 101-300 miles away; and 65%
come from outside a 300 mile radius.
TRANSPORTATION
Scenic U.S.
Highway 65, a north-south highway, is the main route to Branson
with over 70% of motorists coming from the north through
Springfield.
The
Springfield/Branson National Airport (SGF) is 42 miles from
Branson and serves all of southwest Missouri with 65 daily
flights connecting to eight international airports via six
airlines.
The Taney
County Airport, a general aviation airport with a 3,739-foot
runway, is located one mile south of Branson.
The first
privately financed and operated commercial airport in the
country will begin operations in the Branson area in the spring
of 2009. Branson Regional Airport, located south of the city,
will have a 7,140-foot runway to accommodate all types of
commercial aircraft, making Branson even more accessible.
CITY ROAD IMPROVEMENTS
The city has
taken the lead in ensuring a pleasant visit by adding new roads
in the area. Since 1991, an estimated $42 million has been
spent on more than 20 miles of new and reconstructed roads.
This network of new and improved streets has been designed to
work in concert with enhancements to state highways to ease the
visitor’s ability to get to and around the popular Highway 76,
which is the address of hundreds of theaters, hotels,
restaurants and family attractions.
SHOWS
Branson is
home to 52 music theaters with a total of 60, 317 seats. The
variety of music includes country, pop, gospel, bluegrass,
western, rock ‘n roll, classical jazz and Broadway. There’s
also comedy, magic and variety to provide visitors a wide array
of entertainment choices.
LAKE ACTIVITIES
The
Branson/Lakes Area is home to three scenic lakes offering
fishing, boating, parasailing, jet skiing and swimming. 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 Hills, the Branson/Lakes Area is
ideal for canoeing, camping, hiking, biking, bird watching and
simply wandering through the hills. World-class golf courses
provide golfing opportunities for the scratch player and novice
alike. The Branson/Lakes Area is dedicated to enhancing it
natural environment and preserving its lakes and waterways.
GOLF
Thirteen golf courses, eight of which are Championship golf courses,
are currently open in the Branson/Lakes Area. Golfing is one of
the fastest-growing interests of vacationers, who can enjoy
their favorite sport on a choice of courses within just a few
miles of each other. Country clubs, pro shops, lessons,
restaurants and all amenities are available. And who knows, you
may see a familiar face or two teeing off on the next fairway.
Many of Branson’s entertainers enjoy golf and occasionally can
be seen on local courses.
SHOPPING
Visitors consistently rank shopping among the most popular
activities of the area. Branson’s newest landmark,
Branson Landing, is a $420 million, 95-acre development along
Lake Taneycomo blending more than 100 retail shops with dining,
luxury lodging, river walk, town square, marinas and nightlife
into a dynamic waterfront setting.
Branson is home to
three outlet shopping malls (with more than 200 retailers), as
well as Engler Block, the Grand Village and other unique
shopping areas. Visitors can find contemporary clothing, Ozarks
crafts, gift items, house wares, designer shoes, luggage and a
myriad of other treasures throughout the year.
Historic Downtown
Branson is also a shopper and diner’s delight. Dick’s Old
Fashioned 5 & 10, several boutiques and specialty stores
combined with quaint eateries make the downtown area truly
special.
LODGING AND RESTAURANTS
More than
18,600 rooms are available in Branson motels, hotels, resorts,
bed and breakfast inns and condominiums. The number of lodging
facilities is 207.
Visitors
have an endless variety of restaurants and food establishments
from which to choose. There are 444 eating establishments with
37,048 seats.
NEW CONVENTION CENTER
The
new Branson Convention center opened in 2007 making Branson an
attractive destination for meetings and business gatherings.
Located next to Branson Landing, on the shores of Lake Taneycomo,
the center can accommodate up to 6,500 attendees. A wide range
of services includes a 50,000 square foot exhibition hall, a
23,000 square foot ballroom, meeting rooms, complete onsite
catering, top-tier audio-visual services, event management and a
business center. The convention center is connected to the
Hilton Branson Convention Center Hotel, a 12-story luxury hotel
with 294 rooms and suites.
