HomeMy WebLinkAbout08-11-2021 TBID Agenda PacketCity of San Luis Obispo, Agenda, Planning Commission
Agenda
TOURISM BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT BOARD
Wednesday, August 11, 2021
10:00 a.m.
City Hall - Council Hearing Room
990 Palm Street, San Luis Obispo
REGULAR MEETING
CALL TO ORDER Chair John Conner
ROLL CALL: Chair John Conner, Vice Chair LeBren Harris and members Pragna Patel-Mueller,
Natalie Ward, David Smith, Stephanie Bolles and Matthew Wilkins
PUBLIC COMMENT: Each speaker is limited to two minutes of public comment for items not on the agenda.
Public comment for each agenda item will be called for separately and is also limited to two minutes per speaker.
State law does not allow the board to discuss or take action on issues not on the agenda, except that members of the
board may briefly respond to statements made or questions posed by the person giving public comment. Staff may
be directed by the board to follow-up on such items and/or place them on the next board agenda.
CONSENT ITEMS
C.1 Minutes of Meeting on Wednesday, July 14, 2021
C.2 Smith Travel Report
C.3 Transient Occupancy Tax (TOT) Report
C.4 Chamber Public Relations Monthly Report
C.5 Chamber Guest Services Monthly Report
C.6 Noble Studios & DCI Marketing Monthly Report
C.7 Marketing Committee: FY 21-22 Paid Media Plan Approval
PRESENTATION ITEMS
1. NOBLE STUDIOS UPDATE 10 mins
Representatives from Noble Studios will present the recent award recognition for the #SLOready
campaign as well other key program highlights.
BUSINESS ITEMS
1. CONTENT MARKETING SERVICES PRESENTATIONS 90 mins
The Board will receive proposal pitch presentations from the finalist agencies selected by the RFP
taskforce.
Tourism Business Improvement District Board Agenda for August 11, 2021 Page 2
TBID LIAISON REPORTS AND COMMUNICATION
1. HOTELIER UPDATE – Liaison Reports
2. MARKETING COMMITTEE UPDATE – Meeting Minutes: August 4, 2021
3. MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE UPDATE – None. July meeting cancelled
4. PCC UPDATE – Meeting Minutes: July 14, 2021
5. VISIT SLO CAL UPDATE – Liaison Reports
6. TOURISM PROGRAM UPDATE – Staff Report
ADJOURNMENT
The next Regular Meeting of the Tourism Business Improvement District Board is scheduled for
Wednesday, September 8, 2021 at 10:00 a.m. held at City Hall.
The City of San Luis Obispo wishes to make all of its public meetings accessible to the
public. Upon request, this agenda will be made available in appropriate alternative formats to
persons with disabilities. Any person with a disability who requires a modification or
accommodation in order to participate in a meeting should direct such request to the City Clerk’s
Office at (805) 781-7100 at least 48 hours before the meeting, if possible. Telecommunications
Device for the Deaf (805) 781-7107.
POSTING STATEMENT: I, Molly Cano, Tourism Manager, do hereby certify that on August 6, 2021, by 5:00 p.m.,
a true and correct copy of this agenda was posted on the bulletin board outside City Hall. Internet access to agendas
and related material is available at www.slocity.org.
DRAFT Minutes – Tourism Business Improvement District Board Meeting of 7/14/2021 Pg. 1
Minutes - DRAFT
TOURISM BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT BOARD
Wednesday, July 14, 2021
Regular Meeting of the Tourism Business Improvement District Board
CALL TO ORDER
The regular meeting of the San Luis Obispo Tourism Business Improvement District Board was called to
order on July 14, 2021 at 10:02 a.m. by Chair John Conner.
ROLL CALL
Present: Chair John Conner, Vice Chair LeBren Harris and members David Smith, Natalie Ward, and
Matt Wilkins
Absent: Members Stephanie Bolles and Pragna Patel-Mueller
Staff: Tourism Manager Molly Cano and Tourism Coordinator Chantal Stewart
PUBLIC COMMENT ON ITEMS NOT ON THE AGENDA
Tom Nuckols from the SLO Noor Foundation and John Thomas from PCC introduced themselves and the
organization. Information on the Noor Foundation was provided which staff will make available to TBID
constituents.
--End of Public Comment--
CONSENT ITEMS
ACTION: MOTION BY BOARD MEMBER WARD SECONDED BY BOARD VICE CHAIR
WILKINS, CARRIED 5-0-2 TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA ITEMS 1 THRU 7.
C.1 Minutes of Meeting on Wednesday, June 9, 2021
C.2 Smith Travel Report
C.3 Transient Occupancy Tax (TOT) Report
C.4 Chamber Public Relations Monthly Report
C.5 Chamber Guest Services Monthly Report
C.6 Noble Studios & DCI Marketing Monthly Report
C.7 Marketing Committee: Tradeshow Co-Op Program Commitment Report
PRESENTATION ITEMS
1. SLO CHAMBER Q4 & YEAR-END PRESENTATION
Representatives from the San Luis Obispo Chamber of Commerce presented the end of year highlights and
data for the 2020-21 Guest Services and Public Relations contracted work. Notable items included 16,693
hotel referrals from the Visitor Center and Cal Poly related visits are booming. Additionally, we received
mentions in Forbes Magazine and Reader’s Digest and have thrived in promoting support local and
sustainability efforts over the last fiscal year.
DRAFT Minutes – Tourism Business Improvement District Board Meeting of 7/14/21 Pg. 2
BUSINESS ITEMS
1. MARKETING SERVICES Q4 & YEAR-END PRESENTATION
Agency representatives from Noble Studios and DCI presented the Q4 and end of year highlights and
data for the 2020-21 marketing agency contracted work. Highlights included great SEO numbers such
as a 27% increase in organic traffic, the website and blog seeing a 62% increase YOY in overall traffic
and an 84% increase in desktop site speed index. Email marketing continued to hold a consistent and
the agency team is looking into more personal experiences for the 30K database starting Q1 in 2021-
22. DCI was able to secure 27 total PR placements for the 2020-21 fiscal year and help SLO outperform
industry benchmarks.
Looking ahead, Shyla from Noble Studios reviewed the upcoming 30/60/90 day plan and reviewed the
remaining fiscal year 2020-21 paid media budget that has two options for board consideration:
1. Roll remaining funds into FY 21-22 paid media budget.
2. Roll remaining funds into SLO TBID general funds.
By consensus, the board members preferred to roll funds into the TBID’s general fund to maintain flexibility
in a still questionable time with unforeseen changes.
Public Comment
None.
--End of Public Comment--
ACTION: MOTION BY BOARD MEMBER SMITH SECONDED BY BOARD MEMBER YOUNG-
HARRIS, CARRIED 5-0-2 to move forward with Option 2 as presented to move the remaining $26,210.85
paid media budget from FY 2020-21 into the TBID’s general fund.
2. 2021-22 MARKETING & BUSINESS PLAN APPROVAL
Agency representatives presented the high-level pieces of the Marketing & Business Plan as reviewed and
recommended by the Marketing Committee for the 2021-22 fiscal year. Highlights included a change in
photography used throughout the plan (30% are landscape photos and 62% of the photos include
diversity) and an added DEI and Sustainable SLO section.
Public Comment
None.
--End of Public Comment--
ACTION: MOTION BY BOARD MEMBER WILKINS SECONDED BY BOARD MEMBER WARD,
CARRIED 5-0-2 to adopt the 2021-22 Marketing and Business Plan as presented.
3. 2021-22 BRAND CAMPAIGN CONCEPT
Agency representatives presented the creative brand campaign concept as recommended by the Marketing
Committee including an update to the current logo that allows for more flexibility and an extension to the
primary brand color palette. Additionally, Gabbi of Noble Studios reviewed the SLO Life Mantra and the
‘Say Hello to the SLO Life’ Brand Campaign Concept. Board members provided feedback and potential
concerns with the mantra.
Public Comment
Visitor Center Manager, Dusty Colyer-Worth voiced how he sees people truly living the SLO Life
while in town. Katy McGrath from Badger Branding suggested to creatively utilize the dot above the
‘i’ in obispo for the logo update.
DRAFT Minutes – Tourism Business Improvement District Board Meeting of 7/14/21 Pg. 3
--End of Public Comment--
ACTION: MOTION BY BOARD MEMBER WILKINS SECONDED BY BOARD MEMBER SMITH,
CARRIED 5-0-2 to move forward with the presented logo and color update, brand line and campaign
concept as presented and recommended by the Marketing Committee.
4. CONTENT MARKETING SERVICES RFP UPDATE
Staff reviewed the status and upcoming dates of the TBID’s Content Marketing Services RFP. Tourism
Manager Cano also reviewed recent changes including the budget amount of the not to exceed of $86,000
being named within the RFP and the addition to require ‘expert knowledge of San Luis Obispo’ instead of
requiring a local business location to avoid discrimination.
Public Comment
None.
--End of Public Comment--
No action was taken.
TBID LIAISON REPORTS AND COMMUNICATION
1. HOTELIER UPDATE – Many noted that the biggest challenge currently is finding hotel staffing.
2. MARKETING COMMITTEE UPDATE – None.
3. MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE UPDATE – None.
4. PCC UPDATE – Chair Conner reported on activities such as banners, budget discussions and GIA.
5. VISIT SLO CAL UPDATE – Tourism Manager Cano reported on the research that is starting, travel
trade bid in the Fall, reengagement on website updates and the visitor guide magazine development.
6. TOURISM PROGRAM UPDATE – Tourism Manager Cano reported on our team participating in Cal
Poly SLO Days in a different capacity this year, and upcoming dates to remember:
i. 8/3/21 RFP Task force
ii. 8/4/21 Marketing Committee
iii. 8/5/21 Management Committee
iv. 8/11/21 Board Meeting:
v. 8/18/21 Special Board Meeting:
ADJOURNMENT
The meeting was adjourned at 12:06 p.m.. The next Tourism Business Improvement District Board meeting
will be a special meetin and is scheduled for Thursday, August 11, 2021 at 10:00 a.m. held remotely and
via teleconference.
APPROVED BY THE TOURISM BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT BOARD: XX/XX/XXXX
July 2021
WD WE Total
WD WE Total
WD WE Total
WD WE Total
WD WE Total
WD WE Total
City of Paso Robles 76.6 88.0 79.8 159.64 247.39 187.26 122.23 217.61 149.48 78.3 49.5 68.1 35.4 39.7 34.9 141.4 108.9 126.7
City of Pismo Beach 81.9 90.9 84.4 299.21 382.83 324.94 244.92 348.12 274.41 30.1 12.1 24.0 46.1 35.3 40.4 90.2 51.7 74.2
City of San Luis Obispo 76.9 91.7 81.1 199.50 271.60 222.79 153.41 249.06 180.74 64.9 36.7 54.6 32.4 43.5 35.2 118.2 96.1 109.0
City of Morro Bay 78.4 91.1 82.0 200.50 273.94 223.81 157.14 249.51 183.53 47.8 24.3 39.4 39.3 37.0 36.6 105.8 70.3 90.4
WD WE Total
WD WE Total
WD WE Total
WD WE Total
WD WE Total
WD WE Total
City of Paso Robles 81.1 89.5 83.5 150.86 256.66 183.24 122.38 229.64 153.03 71.1 55.3 65.9 28.7 53.2 37.1 120.1 137.9 127.4
City of Pismo Beach 81.2 90.7 83.9 259.96 394.00 301.36 210.99 357.25 252.78 19.1 10.9 16.4 26.9 34.6 29.1 51.1 49.2 50.3
City of San Luis Obispo 78.8 92.0 82.6 185.82 278.98 215.47 146.43 256.58 177.90 56.6 33.2 48.3 26.8 45.9 32.7 98.6 94.3 96.8
City of Morro Bay 80.8 89.4 83.3 179.94 282.47 211.37 145.48 252.40 176.03 33.7 17.6 28.3 27.7 39.4 30.9 70.7 64.0 67.9
WD WE Total
WD WE Total
WD WE Total
WD WE Total
WD WE Total
WD WE Total
City of Paso Robles 78.9 90.7 82.2 161.93 277.72 198.41 127.73 251.82 163.18 65.6 53.4 61.6 39.0 63.0 47.6 130.2 150.0 138.5
City of Pismo Beach 83.0 90.8 85.3 270.60 392.47 307.68 224.70 356.32 262.30 23.2 7.5 17.9 29.2 30.3 28.2 59.2 40.0 51.1
City of San Luis Obispo 83.0 90.4 85.1 190.03 290.18 220.41 157.73 262.19 187.57 60.4 21.8 46.4 29.7 50.3 34.8 108.0 83.1 97.3
City of Morro Bay 82.0 90.4 84.4 182.72 289.67 215.46 149.80 261.90 181.83 39.3 14.9 30.8 27.3 39.0 29.7 77.3 59.7 69.6
WD WE Total
WD WE Total
WD WE Total
WD WE Total
WD WE Total
WD WE Total
City of Paso Robles 78.3 92.2 82.3 172.74 281.29 207.50 135.23 259.29 170.68 61.1 22.4 46.3 48.5 69.3 53.2 139.2 107.2 124.1
City of Pismo Beach 81.4 88.6 83.4 277.82 415.43 319.57 226.07 367.98 266.61 10.8 -0.2 7.2 30.4 39.2 32.7 44.4 38.9 42.2
City of San Luis Obispo 81.1 89.5 83.5 197.89 290.34 226.20 160.45 259.74 188.82 46.3 9.1 32.4 35.3 49.4 37.8 97.8 62.9 82.5
City of Morro Bay 82.7 88.5 84.3 189.67 294.13 220.97 156.85 260.19 186.38 27.0 4.3 19.2 30.7 40.2 32.1 66.0 46.3 57.5
Week of July 25 to July 31, 2021
Week of July 17 to July 24, 2021
Week of July 11, 2021 to July 17,
2021
Week of July 4, 2021 to July 10,
2021
RevPar
Current Week Totals Percent Change
Occupancy (%) ADR RevPar Occupancy (%) ADR RevPar
Current Week Totals Percent Change
Occupancy (%) ADR RevPar Occupancy (%) ADR
Current Week Totals Percent Change
Occupancy (%) ADR RevPar Occupancy (%) ADR RevPar
Current Week Totals Percent Change
Occupancy (%) ADR RevPar Occupancy (%) ADR RevPar
2009-10 2010-11 2011-12 2012-13 2013-14 2014-15 2015-16 2016-17 2017-18 2018-19 2019-20 2020-21 Change +/-
July 508,195$ 541,806$ 591,184$ 636,778$ 699,845$ 761,346$ 844,845$ 877,391$ 861,241$ 884,317$ 913,019$ 535,638$ -41.3%
August 511,564$ 542,194$ 574,395$ 623,655$ 674,244$ 732,271$ 774,501$ 765,232$ 728,932$ 775,513$ 826,465$ 622,435$ -24.7%
September 400,023$ 437,543$ 490,524$ 508,583$ 505,954$ 557,002$ 643,127$ 650,117$ 693,704$ 682,810$ 720,414$ 660,475$ -8.3%
October 414,870$ 442,586$ 437,805$ 469,977$ 509,435$ 594,032$ 642,221$ 628,049$ 601,208$ 650,101$ 711,393$ 626,320$ -12.0%
November 280,913$ 330,924$ 347,437$ 359,163$ 425,769$ 475,360$ 468,016$ 497,162$ 513,487$ 556,885$ 593,403$ 420,171$ -29.2%
December 246,684$ 274,417$ 314,784$ 319,451$ 355,315$ 391,132$ 429,600$ 434,836$ 473,701$ 488,296$ 488,757$ 233,987$ -52.1%
January 230,279$ 256,351$ 276,165$ 302,153$ 331,853$ 400,239$ 387,304$ 396,559$ 415,690$ 465,547$ 520,813$ 300,504$ -42.3%
February 273,373$ 302,246$ 323,359$ 344,160$ 366,980$ 431,510$ 466,915$ 439,735$ 503,451$ 524,327$ 596,021$ 425,501$ -28.6%
March 326,099$ 333,783$ 392,266$ 426,879$ 448,103$ 520,795$ 559,235$ 549,642$ 577,285$ 602,781$ 268,458$ 614,863$ 129.0%
April 423,158$ 451,133$ 475,913$ 486,850$ 564,617$ 610,894$ 609,439$ 708,724$ 641,919$ 741,364$ 69,184$ 742,319$ 973.0%
May 372,997$ 433,874$ 447,116$ 489,862$ 546,916$ 601,614$ 598,093$ 645,114$ 630,820$ 665,603$ 174,982$ 728,950$ 316.6%
June 490,326$ 512,543$ 578,234$ 610,948$ 630,729$ 727,028$ 731,038$ 765,362$ 796,899$ 835,727$ 409,945$ 973,791$ 137.5%
Total/Average 4,478,481$ 4,859,400$ 5,249,181$ 5,578,460$ 6,059,758$ 6,803,224$ 7,154,334$ 7,357,923$ 7,438,338$ 7,873,272$ 6,292,853$ 6,884,953$ 9.4%
2019-20 2020-21 Change +/-2019-20 2020-21 Change +/-2019-20 2020-21 Change +/-
July 80.0 54.5 -31.9 184.4 165.96 -10.0 147.59 90.53 -38.7
August 77.1 61.0 -21.0 173.97 162.84 -6.4 134.18 99.27 -26.0
September 73.3 63.1 -14.0 159.48 167.66 5.1 116.97 105.79 -9.6
October 73.0 61.9 -15.2 156.99 162.18 3.3 114.56 100.38 -12.4
November 67.4 49.85 -25.5 147.11 145.06 -0.8 99.17 72.32 -26.1
December 57.7 33.32 -42.0 134.41 123.53 -7.6 77.59 41.16 -46.4
January 62.3 40.5 -34.7 130.45 124.24 -4.4 81.27 50.28 -37.6
February 63.5 54.4 -14.4 145.70 138.33 -5.1 92.48 75.18 -18.7
March 33.6 66.7 98.4 130.78 144.67 10.6 44.00 96.55 119.4
April 18.3 70.5 285.2 91.88 169.50 84.5 16.80 119.42 610.7
May 33.6 65.8 96.0 114.29 181.33 58.7 38.38 119.38 211.0
June 48.1 76.0 58.1 150.68 203.39 35.0 72.41 154.53 113.4
Total/Average 57.33 58.13 28.26 143.34 157.39 13.59 86.28 93.73 69.93 Updated: 8/5/2021
TOT Comparison
*Figures from Smith Travel
Research Report
Occupancy ADR RevPAR
Report to City of SLO – TBID and PCC
Public Relations Contract
July 2021
PR ACTIVITY
Implementation/Proactive Work
Pitched the Children Museum’s Plaza Pop-Up to regional media
Drafted ‘Meet Your Neighborhood Gourmet Market & Restaurant’ Q&A for VisitSLO.com
Drafted ‘Support Local Round-Up’ blog for VisitSLO.com
Continued working on the Plaza Pop-Ups pilot program
Continued working with Verdin on Support Local Campaign and implementation
Continued working with the City and Noble Studios/DCI on overall tourism marketing campaign
Partnerships
Coordinated itinerary and hosted Denver influencer Jacki Carr's Wine & Wellness visit in SLO in partnership with Mindbody and Malene Wines
Coordinated hotel stay and hosted dinner for James Murren writing for Adventure Sports Journal
Connected Molly O'Brien with an interview for Living Lavishly Magazine for a story on "How to Host the Perfect At-Home Wine Tasting"
Coordinated overnight stay and experiences for freelancer Dakota Kim in partnership with Visit SLO CAL
Completed Visit CA PR Survey
Pitched End-of-Summer Family Travel & Parents-Only Getaway story ideas to Visit California
PUBLICATION PLACEMENT UVPM AD VALUE PILLARS RESULT OF
KSBY Live 3D art Pop-Up coming to Mission Plaza on Tuesday 139,000.00 $31.97 Support Local Proactive pitching
KSBY July's Mission Plaza pop-up art explores views of "Home" 139,000.00 $31.97 Support Local Proactive pitching
THRILLIST 14 of the Coolest Queer-Friendly Hotels in the US 3,610,000.00 $829.63 Cultural Responsive pitching w/DCI
SOCALPULSE SLO Ups the Luxe: San Luis Obispo Getaway 2,100.00 - Cultural Responsive pitching w/DCI
ENTERTAINMENT TODAY Park 1039 – A Mandatory Visit When in San Luis Obispo 500.00 - Culinary Partnership hosting
ENTERTAINMENT TODAY Hotel Cerro – The Ideal Base of Operations for Your Vacation in the Central Coast 500.00 - Cultural Partnership hosting
THE POINTS GUY 10 best US daytrips you can take this summer on points and miles 2,060,000.00 $473.06 Cultural Ongoing media relationship/past hosting
BUSINESS INSIDER 16 stunning hotel bathrooms that are the best part of the room - all under $500 28,100,000.00 $6,500.00 Cultural
LIVABILITY 9 Best Themed Hotels & Inns in America 132,000.00 $106.45 Cultural
LIVABILITY Spend the night in a beagle’s belly or a helicopter cottage—9 quirky hotels that are 132,000.00 $106.45 Cultural
NEWSBREAK Active Coffee Co is Serving Up Some of the Dreamiest Drinks in San Luis Obispo 7,600,000.00 $1,750.54 Culinary
NEW TIMES Ragtag opens its doors in downtown SLO and hopes other wineries will follow suit 41,000.00 $9.32 Beer/Wine
KSBY SLO Symphony set to open for 60th anniversary season 139,000.00 $31.97 Cultural
TOTALS
13 42,095,100.00 $9,871.36
Report to City of SLO – TBID
Guest Services Contract
July 2021
Response to TBID Advertising Week
1
Week
2
Week
3
Week
4
July
2020
July
2021
Calls to
1-877-SLO-TOWN
34 29 31 37 132 131
Hotel Availability Tracker Week
1
Week
2
Week
3
Week
4
July
2020
July
2021
Email Response 26 26 28 25 117 105
Phone Calls to
Hotels
101 94 87 90 312 372
Hotel Referrals Week
1
Week
2
Week
3
Week
4
July
2020
July
2021
Visitors Served
(walk-ins)
1,442 1,467 1,762 1,800 3,972 6,471
Guests Served
(via phone and
digitally)
402 394 327 436 2,048 1,559
Hotel Rooms
Referred
320 371 428 455 1,359 1,574
Agency Report · July 2021
SLO-TBID
Agency Repor t
July Activity & Performance
What’s Ahead:
●Quarterly Marketing Plan FY21-22:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1EGZygTPmTaB6x9QpgTrXwc84mj-dt1ltPi_tfA5A
mCA/edit?usp=sharing
Paid Media
Paid search drove 28,181 impressions (a 32% increase PoP), 2,551 clicks, a 9.05% CTR ( a 7%
increase PoP) and 2,467 sessions (a 41% increase PoP)while driving 209 Book Now Conversions
(21% increase PoP), 574 hotel referrals (37% increase PoP) and 19 homestay referrals (58%
increase PoP)at a 44% increase in cost.
Paid social drove 799,591 impressions, 174,566 users reached and 7,600 clicks across Facebook,
Instagram and Pinterest with a 1.29% CTR for FB/Insta and .38% on Pinterest for 3,371 sessions
(24% increase PoP)while driving 3 Book Now Conversions (40% decrease PoP), 7 hotel referrals
(42% decrease PoP) and 0 homestay referrals at a 17%increase in cost.
Display drove 2,115,932 impressions (a 65% increase PoP), 8,845 clicks, a .42% CTR (a 31%
decrease PoP) and 10,681 sessions (a 14% increase PoP)while driving 1 Book Now Conversion
(stayed the same PoP) and 4 hotel referrals (stayed the same PoP)at an 8% decrease in cost. No
homestay referrals were earned in July through display channels.
Email Marketing
During the course of 2021-22, we have 12 emails. This will be sent on an as-needed basis, and will
not necessarily be sent at a monthly cadence. Upcoming emails include:
●August Events Email
●September California Wine Month Email
●CCTC Sponsored Email (Sent by CCTC)
Search Engine Optimization (SEO) & Content Creation
Organic search traffic increased period-over-period by 24% and increased 84% year-over-year.
Organic hotel partner referrals increased 16% (291 vs 251), Book Now increased 26% (92 vs 73) and
2
Homestay referrals increased 39% (39 vs 28) period-over-period (July 1-31, 2021 vs May 31-June 30,
2021). We saw an 11% increase in Avg Session Duration,a 4% decrease in bounce rate and a 2%
increase in pages per session PoP and 281% increase in sessions, a 4% increase in bounce rate and
a 13% decrease in pages per session YoY for organic search.
Overall keyword rankings on the search engine results page increased 35% in July, compared to
the previous period. In July, we saw additional positive MoM growth for many of the pages we have
optimized including: a 38% increase to Downtown San Luis Obispo, an 18% increase to Mission San
Luis Obispo de Tolosa, a 104% increase to Things To Do in San Luis Obispo With Family and a 204%
increase to the Bubblegum Alley page.
●SEO Optimizations created:
○Weekend Trips From Los Angeles to SLO
○San Luis Obispo Airport
○Avila Beach
Blog Posts (2 per month)
Completed:
●Blog #1: Live Shows Are Back in SLO
●Blog #2: Why Downtown SLO is the Perfect Hub for a SLOCAL Vacation (posting 8/4)
Website
The website saw a 9% increase in sessions period-over-period (July 1-31, 2021 vs May 31-June 30,
2021)and a 273% increase YoY; for a total of 39,894 sessions and 32,304 new users in July. From
an engagement perspective, bounce rate decreased by 4%, pages/session increased by 2% and
average session duration increased by 11% PoP.
●Monthly Web Maintenance Items
○WordPress and Plugin Updates
○Updated footer links to function properly
Social Media Management
We’re continuing to manage ShareSLO social media accounts during the search for your new social
media vendor. On Instagram, ShareSLO currently has 21.8k followers and is slowly growing. Content
interactions on Instagram are down 38.7% over the last month. The greatest oppor tunity for growth
on the platform is to utilize more videos and potentially even guides down the line.
3
On Facebook from July 1 - August 31, average reach per post is down YoY (2020: 1,474 vs 2021:
1,097) for this time period. Our most popular posts were about the Plaza Pop Up and travel
planning/local tours.
Visit California Stories
In the months of June and July, we launched our 10 stories as part of Visit California’s initiative with
Crowdriff. These stories, similar to what you see on Instagram, live on the Visit California website on
the San Luis Obispo city page as well as other galleries created by VCA. They allow us to reach new
potential visitors, share specific elements of the SLO experience and link to key information on
VisitSLO.com. There is also the potential for these to show up in mobile Google search results,
though there is no guarantee.
The 10 stories are:
1.Best Hikes in SLO
2.Biking Through SLO
3.Must-See Attractions in SLO
4.6 Family-Friendly Things to Do in SLO
5.7 Pet-Friendly Things to Do in SLO
6.5 Must-Visit Sustainable Wineries
7.Your Guide to the Downtown SLO Farmers’ Market
8.6 Great Places to Catch a Show
9.8 Most Instagrammable Spots in SLO
10.The Foodie’s Guide to SLO
From July 1 -, there were 14,868 views of your stories including 188 clicks through toJul 31, 2021
VisitSLO.com. The most viewed story is 6 Great Places to Catch a Show in SLO (7,946). Meanwhile,
the 8 Most Instagrammable Spots in SLO has the most Swipe Ups (1,141). Search is the largest
source of our reach (92%).
Our stories were called out as “Top Performers” by Visit California in a recent email to DMOs and
shed more light on the increased search traffic. They said, “After being picked up by Google
Discover, these two stories (6 Great Places to Catch a Show in SLO &8 Most Instagrammable Spots
in SLO) by the City of San Luis Obispo saw a huge jump in story views for a few days! Metrics
indicate a jump in traffic from search results between July 20 - 24th for a total of 7,700 story views!
Google Discover actually indicates 400,000 total impressions on these two stories.”
4
PR, Media, And Influencer Relations
Proactive Pitch Development:
●Sustainable wine trail (In progress)
●Road Tripping (sustainably) in SLO (In progress)
●SLO Keeps Summer Travel Hot (In progress)
Ongoing Media Conversations:
●LIVABILITY, Cheryl Rodewig, Rooftop Bars
●CASSANDRA BROOKLYN, Freelance (Daily Beast, NatGeo),Sustainable Destination,
Media visit in December
●KAREN FRANCIS, Freelance (Medium, Blavity), Travel and Wine destination, Media Visit
Hosted Media or Influencer Partnerships (6-9 partnerships in 2021-22)
●Completed: Developed Most Wanted Influencer List for approval; revised strategy
●In Progress: Confirmed direction from SLOTBID; outreach to check interest, availability and
proposals
DCI’s All Client Pitch Initiative
Proposed:(4-6 pitches throughout 2021-22)
Progress:To Come
DCI 2021-22 SLO Coverage Grid:
●https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/14yqVCn3Ee--W9-pX-xfqPZsidrKOrNJ2J7z4RtSXL
00/edit?usp=sharing
5
San Luis Obispo Tourism Business Improvement District
Committee Recommendation Staff Report
August 4, 2021
TO: TBID Board
FROM: Molly Cano, Tourism Manager via TBID Marketing Committee
PREPARED BY: Molly Cano, Tourism Manager
SUBJECT: FY 21-22 Paid Media Plan
RECOMMENDATION
As recommended by the TBID Marketing Committee, approve the FY 21-22 Paid Media Plan.
DISCUSSION
Background
In the June 9, 2021 TBID Board Meeting, the San Luis Obispo TBID Board approved the 2021-2022
program budget (Attachment 1). This action was forwarded as a recommendation to City Council which
was approved at the July 6, 2021 City Council meeting. The approved 2021-22 budget included the
contract commitment with Noble Studios of $763,500. This amount had been further defined and
approved by the TBID Board as:
• $375,000 to Destination Marketing Services
• $375,000 to Paid Media (including Influencer Fees)
• $13,500 for supplemental social media and content support
Additionally, during the July 14, 2021 TBID Board meeting, the Board approved the FY 21-22 TBID
Marketing & Business Plan. This plan included the approved paid media overview which provided the
Media Flowchart for the channel timeline as well as the channel breakdown by budget percentage.
Marketing Committee Action
During the August 4, 2021 TBID Marketing Committee meeting, Noble Studios presented the FY 21-22
Paid Media Plan (Attachment 2). This plan further defined the allocation of the paid media budget by
quarter as well as the overall media strategy. Committee members asked questions about the plan and by
consensus ultimately approved the FY 21-22 Paid Media Plan as presented.
FISCAL IMPACT
There is no net new financial impact from this approval. The TBID has previously allocated $350,000 for
paid media from the 2021-2022 Marketing Services contract with Noble Studios.
ATTACHMENTS
1. FY 21-22 TBID Budget
2. FY 21-22 Paid Media Plan
TBID Budget Planning 2021‐22
Income Source 21‐22 Projection
TOT Revenue Assumption 7,213,000$
Adjusted TOT Revenue Assumptions
TBID Assessment (20% of TOT Revenue) 1,442,600$
Carryover
TBID Program Budget 1,442,600$
Fund Reserve 100,000$
Expenditure
TBID Board
Recommendation
% of Total
Budget
Expenditure (section in gray)21‐22 TBID Budget Allocation Detail
Operations/Staffing 256,852$ 17.8%
Administration Overhead (2% of TBID Assessment) 28,852$ 2.0%
Staffing (FTE & .75 FTE) 228,000$ 15.8%
Contracts 972,500$ 67.4%
Noble + DCI Marketing Contract 763,500$ 52.9%
$375k to agency fees; $375k to paid media spend ; $13,500 for
Q1 social management
Chamber of Commerce ‐ PR 45,000$ 3.1%2‐year contract; shared 50/50 w PCC
Chamber of Commerce ‐ Guest Services 47,500$ 3.3%2‐year contract
Chamber of Commerce ‐ Media Monitoring Service Fee 0.0%
2‐year contract; shared 50/50 w PCC; $3527 prepaid from 20‐
21
Co‐op Marketing Program Funding 30,000$ 2.1%Earmark $10k for VSC video distribution
Content Marketing Services 86,500$ 6.0%RFP for contracted services
Partnerships 5,000$ 0.3%
Cal Poly Athletics 0.0%
Modified from proposal to a 2‐year contract; $62,000 prepaid
from 20‐21
SLO Coast Wine Collective Membership 5,000$ 0.3%Annual membership
Events & Promotions 15,000$ 1.0%
Sustainability Initiative 15,000$ 1.0%Pilot program; contribution of 1% of TBID revenue
Tradeshows 23,000$ 1.6%
Tradeshows 15,000$ 1.0%22' IPW co‐op with Visit SLO CAL
Tourism Conferences 8,000$ 0.6%
Outlook Forum, CCTC Fall + Spring Workshops, others as
determined by staff
Tourism Organizations/Research 112,786$ 7.8%
CCTC Dues 1,000$ 0.1%Annual membership
Smith Travel Report Contract 3,500$ 0.2%Annual contract
CalTravel Membership 1,000$ 0.1%Annual membership
California Hotel & Lodging Association 27,286$ 1.9%Constituent membership
Research + Program Development 80,000$ 5.5%
Economic Impact (co‐op), Sustainability/Destination
Stewardship, Sales Strategy Development
STR Forecast Report ‐$ 0.0%Annual report
Support/ Meetings 56,940$ 3.9%
Tourism Program Expenses 5,000$ 0.3%Program expenses
FAM Trip Hosting 5,000$ 0.3%Media hosting via strategic partners
Contingency 41,440$ 2.9%Event Sponsorship, Misc. Marketing Opportunities
Services/Online Tools/Fulfillment (Dropbox, Crowdriff, Survey
Monkey)5,500$ 0.4%$6000 for crwdriff prepaid from 20‐21
100%
Subtotal 1,442,078$
Budget Remaining 522$
2021-22 Media Plan
Draft Review
4Confidential. Intellectual property of Noble Studios.
Objectives
●Continue to optimize the paid media strategy with an always-on approach
●Ongoing management of Display, Paid Social, 3rd Party Ads, Paid Search, and Video
Advertising
●Launch a midweek advertising campaign Our Big Goals
1.Build Awareness: show high intent audiences that SLO offers what they are
interested in
2.Increase Engagement: encourage audiences to engage with additional pieces of
content and to sign-up for SLO’s newsletter
3.Encourage Conversion: encourage audiences to engage with partner pages and
information
5Confidential. Intellectual property of Noble Studios.
Channel Timeline
●We want to leverage flexible digital media channels in this next year that will allow us to
maintain a nimble approach and an efficient use of budget
●We will adjust budget based on seasonality, introducing additional high/mid funnel tactics
with the new creative campaign
6Confidential. Intellectual property of Noble Studios.
Media Strategy Overview
Drive Markets: SF, LA,
Monterey, Santa
Barbara
August
Tactic
Geos
Paid Social, Paid
Search, Display,
Expedia
Drive Markets: SF, LA
Monterey, Santa
Barbara
September
Paid Social, Paid
Search, Display,
Expedia
Drive (Longer-haul): LA
& SF
Fly: Dallas, Seattle
October
Paid Social, Paid
Search, Display,
Expedia, Video
●In August/September, we will be completing an audience analysis and competitive audit to
inform the October campaign updates
●In October, we recommend expanding into fly markets, while maintaining longer haul drive
markets
Drive (Longer-haul): LA
& SF
Fly: Dallas, Seattle
November
Paid Social, Paid
Search, Display,
Expedia, Video
Drive (Longer-haul): LA
& SF
Fly: Dallas, Seattle
December
Paid Search
7Confidential. Intellectual property of Noble Studios.
FY21-22 Paid Media Budget
Budget Quarter/Quarter
Total Budget
(Influencer Costs
Removed, No Rollover):
$357,500
Tourism Business Improvement District
Marketing Committee
Meeting Minutes
Wednesday, August 4, 2021 at 10:30 a.m.
City Hall – 990 Palm Street, San Luis Obispo
BOARD MEMBERS PRESENT: Natalie Ward and Matthew Wilkins
BOARD MEMBERS ABSENT: LeBren Harris
STAFF PRESENT: Molly Cano, Tourism Manager
Call to order time: 10:42 a.m.
BUSINESS ITEMS
1. 2021-22 Media Plan Draft Review
Marketing Agency representatives presented the draft Media Plan for committee review approval.
Committee members provided feedback and asked questions about the plan.
The plan included the channel timeline as outlined in the Marketing Plan and approved by the Board in
July:
The plan outlined the media strategy overview:
The plan defined the media spend per quarter based on the overall media budget approved by
the Board in June:
Committee Action: By consensus the committee approved the FY 21-22 Paid Media Plan as
presented.
2. Photo and Video Asset Overview
The Marketing Agency representatives presented the plan for the photo and video shoot for the brand
campaign and the evergreen assets library buildout. They discussed the asset needs and approach with
the committee for review and input. Including:
• 12 scenes to collect still photos and b-roll for the Hello to the SLO Life campaign and your
evergreen library
• 3 days of shooting
• Professional casting and actors paired with locals to supplement
• Focus on diversity in every shot to ensure we fulfill the DEI needs of Visit SLO
• Deliver on the lifestyle imagery while still providing evergreen assets for your library
• Timing: Late August/Early September pending availability of photographer and videographer;
final dates TBD
The committee also discussed the need for 50+ hosted room nights for the production. Board and other
stakeholders would be tapped to host the production. They considered possible production weeks
based on availability of properties, talent and crew which may include Aug 30 - Sept 3/ Sept 6 - Sept
10 or later in the month of Sept/early October.
Committee Action: By consensus, the committee approved the shot list and production plan.
3. New Business Items
a. Committee Discussion – The committee and staff discussed the Visit SLO CAL House of Brands
concepts. The committee would like to better understand from Visit SLO CAL what the program
will entail.
b. Future Agenda Items- none
c. Next Regular Meeting Date: Wednesday, September 1, 2021 at 10:30 a.m.
Meeting was adjourned at 12:05 p.m.
DRAFT Minutes – Promotional Coordinating Committee Meeting of July 14, 2021 Page 1
Minutes - DRAFT
PROMOTIONAL COORDINATING COMMITTEE
Wednesday, July 14, 2021
Regular Meeting of the Promotional Coordinating Committee
CALL TO ORDER
A Regular Meeting of the San Luis Obispo Promotional Coordinating Committee was called to
order on Wednesday, July 14, 2021 at 5:30 p.m., by Chair Thomas.
ROLL CALL
Present: Chair John Thomas, Vice Chair Samantha Welch, Committee Members John Conner,
Maureen Forsberg, and Lori Lerian
Absent: Member Robin Wolf
Staff: Tourism Manager Molly Cano and City Clerk Teresa Purrington
PUBLIC COMMENT ITEMS NOT ON THE AGENDA
None
--End of Public Comment--
CONSENT ITEMS
ACTION: UPON MOTION BY COMMITTEE MEMBER CONNER, SECONDED BY
COMMITTEE MEMBER WELCH, CARRIED 5-0 (With Member Wolf absent and one seat
vacant) to approve the Consent Agenda items 1 thru 6.
C.1 Minutes of the Meeting on June 9, 2021, with the correction of a typo.
C.2 2020-21 Community Promotions Budget Report
C.3 SLO Chamber Monthly Public Relations Report
C.4 SLO Chamber Visitor Center Report
C.5 SLO Chamber Modified GIA Marketing Support Report
C.6 TOT Report
DRAFT Minutes – Promotional Coordinating Committee Meeting of July 14, 2021 Page 2
PRESENTATIONS
1. SLO CHAMBER Q4 & YEAR-END PRESENTATION
SLO Chamber of Commerce representatives, Dusty Colyer-Worth and Jacqui Clark-
Charlesworth presented highlights from the public relations report for the month and responded
to committee questions.
Public Comment
None.
--End of Public Comment--
No action was taken on this item.
2. SUPPORT LOCAL Q4 & YEAR-END REPORT
Ashlee Akers present the 2020-21 year-end report for the Support Local contracted services
for the PCC and preview the work plan for the 2021-22 program.
Public Comment
None.
--End of Public Comment--
No action was taken on this item.
BUSINESS ITEMS
1. PCC ANNUAL PROGRAM PLANNING
Chair Thomas and Tourism Manager Molly Cano reviewed and discussed projects, timelines,
and priorities for the 2021-22 fiscal year.
Public Comment
Dusty Colyer-Worth
--End of Public Comment--
No action was taken on this item discussion only.
PCC LIAISON REPORTS AND COMMUNICATION
1. GIA LIAISON REPORT
No reports
2. COMMITTEE OUTREACH UPDATE -
None.
DRAFT Minutes – Promotional Coordinating Committee Meeting of July 14, 2021 Page 3
3. TBID BOARD REPORT – TBID Meeting Minutes: July 14, 2021
John Conner provided a brief overview of the TBID Board Meeting.
4. TOURISM PROGRAM UPDATE
Tourism Manager Cano provided a brief Tourism Program update, highlighting the Buy
Local Bonus program.
ADJOURNMENT
The meeting was adjourned at 7:14 p.m. The next Regular Promotional Coordinating Committee
meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, August 11, 2021 at 5:30 p.m. in the Council Hearing room
at City Hall 990 Palm Street.
APPROVED BY THE PROMOTIONAL COORDINATING COMMITTEE: XX/XX/2021