HomeMy WebLinkAbout10-13-2021 TBID Agenda PacketCity of San Luis Obispo, Agenda, Planning Commission
Agenda
TOURISM BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT BOARD
Wednesday, October 13, 2021
10:00 AM REGULAR MEETING TELECONFERENCE
Pursuant to Executive Orders N-60-20 and N-08-21 executed by the Governor of California, and subsequently
Assembly Bill 361, enacted in response to the state of emergency relating to novel coronavirus disease 2019
(COVID-19) and enabling teleconferencing accommodations by suspending or waiving specified provisions in
the Ralph M. Brown Act (Government Code § 54950 et seq.), members of the public, Tourism Business
Improvement District (TBID) Board, City Staff, and City Consultants may participate in this regular meeting
by teleconference.
Using the most rapid means of communication available at this time, members of the public are
encouraged to participate in TBID meetings in the following ways:
1. Remote Viewing - Members of the public who wish to watch the meeting can view:
View the Webinar (recommended for the best viewing quality):
URL: https://slocity-org.zoom.us/j/87604453791?pwd=ZVBneDZlZ2NlZGN3YjdLUVg5VklJdz09
Phone #: 1 669 900 6833
Webinar ID: 876 0445 3791
Passcode: 889673
2. Public Comment - The TBID will still be accepting public comment for only items on the agenda. Public
comment can be submitted in the following ways:
Mail or Email Public Comment
o Received by 8:00 AM on the day of meeting - Can be submitted via email to:
advisorybodies@slocity.org or U.S. Mail to City Clerk at 990 Palm St., San Luis Obispo, CA 93401
o Emails sent after 8:00 AM – Can be submitted via email to advisorybodies@slocity.org and will
be archived/distributed to members of the Advisory Body after the meeting. Emails will not be read
aloud during the meeting.
Verbal Public Comment
o Received by 8:00 AM on the day of the meeting - Call (805) 781-7164; state and spell your name,
mention the agenda item number you are calling about and leave your comment (limited to 3
minutes). All voicemails will be forwarded to the TBID members and saved as Agenda
Correspondence. Voicemails will not be played during the meeting.
o During the meeting – Members of the public who wish to provide public comment can join the
webinar (instructions above). Once Public Comment is opened for the item you would like to speak
on please raise your virtual hand. Your name will be called and your mic will be unmuted. You
will have 3 minutes to speak.
All comments submitted will be placed into the administrative record of the meeting.
Tourism Business Improvement District Board Agenda for October 13, 2021 Page 2
CALL TO ORDER Chair John Conner
ROLL CALL: Vice Chair LeBren Harris and Members Pragna Patel-Mueller, Natalie Ward,
David Smith, Stephanie Bolles and Matt Wilkins
PUBLIC COMMENT: At this time, people may address the Committee about items not on the agenda.
Persons wishing to speak should come forward and state their name and address. Comments are limited to
three minutes per person. Items raised at this time are generally referred to staff and, if action by the
Committee is necessary, may be scheduled for a future meeting.
CONSENT ITEMS
C.1 Minutes of Meeting on Wednesday, September 8, 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
PRESENTATIONS
1. VISIT SLO CAL EDI CO-OP STUDY INSIGHTS 30 mins
Representatives from Visit SLO CAL and the research partner SMARI will present the findings from
the Equity Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) study.
2. MARKETING SERVICES QUARTER REPORT 20 mins
Representatives from Noble Studios and DCI will present the first quarter report for the marketing
activities for the SLO TBID.
3. PUBLIC RELATIONS & GUEST SERVICES QUARTER REPORT 15 mins
Representatives from the SLO Chamber will present the quarter report for the Public Relations and
Guest Services activities with the SLO TBID.
BUSINESS ITEMS
1. SLO TBID BRAND CAMPAIGN 30 mins
Representatives from Noble Studios will present the brand creative for the “Hello to the SLO Life”
campaign for the Board’s review and approval.
2. VISIT SLO CAL BOARD SEAT APPOINTMENT 5 mins
The Board will recommend an appointee to the Visit SLO CAL Board of Directors.
TBID LIAISON REPORTS AND COMMUNICATION
Tourism Business Improvement District Board Agenda for October 13, 2021 Page 3
1. HOTELIER UPDATE – Liaison Reports
2. MARKETING COMMITTEE UPDATE – Meeting Minutes: October 6, 2021
3. MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE UPDATE – Meeting Minutes: October 7, 2021
4. PCC UPDATE – Meeting Minutes: September 8, 2021
5. VISIT SLO CAL UPDATE – Liaison Report
6. TOURISM PROGRAM UPDATE – Staff Report
ADJOURNMENT
The next Regular Meeting of the Tourism Business Improvement District Board is scheduled for
Wednesday, November 10, 2021 at 10:00 a.m. held remotely and via teleconference.
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) 781-7410.
Meeting audio recordings can be found at the following web address:
http://opengov.slocity.org/WebLink/1/fol/61016/Row1.aspx
DRAFT Minutes – Tourism Business Improvement District Board Meeting of 9/8/2021 Pg. 1
Minutes - DRAFT
TOURISM BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT BOARD
Wednesday, September 8, 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 September 8, 2021 at 10:02 a.m. by Vice Chair LeBren Harris.
ROLL CALL
Present: Vice Chair LeBren Harris and Members David Smith, Pragna Patel-Mueller, Natalie Ward,
and Matt Wilkins
Absent: Member Stephanie Bolles and Chair John Conner
Staff: Tourism Manager Molly Cano and City Clerk Teresa Purrington
PUBLIC COMMENT ON ITEMS NOT ON THE AGENDA
None.
--End of Public Comment--
CONSENT ITEMS
ACTION: MOTION BY BOARD MEMBER WARD SECONDED BY MEMBER PATEL-MUELLER,
CARRIED 5-0-2 TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA ITEMS 1 THRU 7.
C.1 Minutes of Meeting on Wednesday, August 11, 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
BUSINESS ITEMS
1. ECOSLO PARTNERSHIP: URBAN TREE PLANTING
Hannah Romano and Grant Helete from ECOSLO presented the Urban Tree Program including the
work effort based on the TBID’s revenue contribution to the sustainability and climate action
initiative.
Public Comment
None.
--End of Public Comment--
DRAFT Minutes – Tourism Business Improvement District Board Meeting of 9/8/2021 Pg. 2
ACTION: MOTION BY BOARD MEMBER WILKINS SECONDED BY BOARD MEMBER
WARD CARRIED 5-0-2 to approve the work effort presented at the meeting.
2. 2020-21 TBID ANNUAL REPORT
Molly Cano, Tourism Manager presented the draft FY 2020-21 TBID annual report for
recommendation to City Council on September 21, 2021.
ACTION: MOTION BY BOARD MEMBER SMITH SECONDED BY BOARD MEMBER
WILKINS CARRIED 5-0-2 to approve the FY 2020-21 TBID Annual Report.
TBID LIAISON REPORTS AND COMMUNICATION
1. HOTELIER UPDATE – None
2. MARKETING COMMITTEE UPDATE – None
3. MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE UPDATE – Tourism Manager Cano provided a summary of the
sales response process provided by the SLO Chamber and approved by the Management Committee.
4. PCC UPDATE – None, no meeting in August.
5. VISIT SLO CAL UPDATE – None.
6. TOURISM PROGRAM UPDATE – Tourism Manager Cano provided staffing updates and currently
projects.
ADJOURNMENT
The meeting was adjourned at 11:01 a.m.. The next Tourism Business Improvement District Board meeting
will be a special meetin and is scheduled for Wednesday, October 13, 2021 at 10:00 a.m. held remotely and
via teleconference.
APPROVED BY THE TOURISM BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT BOARD: XX/XX/XXXX
September 2021
WD WE Total
WD WE Total
WD WE Total
WD WE Total
WD WE Total
WD WE Total
City of Paso Robles 64.2 91.4 72.0 135.16 272.51 184.98 86.79 248.96 133.12 24.9 4.5 16.6 18.8 30.2 21.4 48.4 36.1 41.6
City of Pismo Beach 54.7 85.4 63.5 203.36 409.97 282.82 111.22 350.26 179.51 -10.6 -8.3 -9.7 12.8 25.2 19.8 0.8 14.8 8.2
City of San Luis Obispo 52.2 88.9 62.7 158.17 301.59 216.30 82.51 268.05 135.52 5.9 -1.1 2.9 13.2 23.3 17.6 19.9 22.0 21.1
City of Morro Bay 52.0 87.9 62.3 148.75 290.58 205.96 77.38 255.43 128.25 2.2 -2.0 0.5 14.1 20.7 17.0 16.7 18.3 17.6
WD WE Total
WD WE Total
WD WE Total
WD WE Total
WD WE Total
WD WE Total
City of Paso Robles 70.0 84.6 74.2 166.67 241.07 190.92 116.67 203.95 141.61 16.1 14.0 15.4 26.3 31.6 28.3 46.7 50.1 48.0
City of Pismo Beach 67.7 80.3 71.3 245.93 352.39 280.19 166.55 283.04 199.83 -11.9 -7.6 -10.6 20.0 21.4 21.0 5.7 12.1 8.2
City of San Luis Obispo 64.9 82.2 69.8 194.60 272.93 220.95 126.26 224.35 154.28 -4.8 6.6 -1.3 18.2 30.4 23.7 12.5 39.0 22.2
City of Morro Bay 64.8 82.7 69.9 179.33 255.06 204.92 116.20 210.84 143.24 -6.0 3.6 -2.9 18.3 20.3 20.0 11.2 24.7 16.5
WD WE Total
WD WE Total
WD WE Total
WD WE Total
WD WE Total
WD WE Total
City of Paso Robles 74.1 93.4 79.6 145.27 260.29 183.85 107.59 243.24 146.35 25.5 12.4 20.8 28.6 40.8 32.4 61.4 61.4 59.9
City of Pismo Beach 76.6 89.5 80.3 217.05 343.53 257.34 166.20 307.39 206.54 19.0 1.6 12.8 27.3 18.2 20.8 51.4 51.4 36.3
City of San Luis Obispo 76.0 90.5 80.1 201.30 282.06 227.36 152.93 255.32 182.19 45.1 12.7 32.8 53.2 41.6 44.6 122.3 122.3 92.0
City of Morro Bay 72.4 90.1 77.4 161.78 256.65 193.31 117.08 231.19 149.68 26.1 7.9 19.4 30.9 24.6 25.6 65.0 65.0 50.0
WD WE Total
WD WE Total
WD WE Total
WD WE Total
WD WE Total
WD WE Total
City of Paso Robles 70.2 88.6 75.4 140.92 252.11 178.23 98.88 223.32 134.43 28.0 22.0 26.0 24.4 32.6 27.4 59.3 61.8 60.5
City of Pismo Beach 68.3 85.0 73.1 195.41 333.35 241.25 133.48 283.38 176.31 9.4 6.3 8.3 12.0 11.5 11.4 22.5 18.5 20.7
City of San Luis Obispo 62.5 86.2 69.3 162.14 251.80 194.03 101.32 217.11 134.40 30.5 5.3 20.2 23.6 25.5 21.7 61.2 32.1 46.3
City of Morro Bay 61.2 86.8 68.5 146.00 243.69 181.36 89.40 211.58 124.31 11.1 5.7 9.1 16.2 17.7 16.3 29.2 24.4 26.8
WD WE Total
WD WE Total
WD WE Total
WD WE Total
WD WE Total
WD WE Total
City of Paso Robles 62.6 88.5 70.0 137.80 256.42 180.62 86.33 226.87 126.48 27.8 10.6 21.0 23.5 32.4 25.5 57.9 46.5 51.8
City of Pismo Beach 62.8 81.8 68.3 189.55 321.96 234.89 119.11 263.34 160.32 1.9 -6.2 -1.0 6.4 10.5 7.2 8.5 3.7 6.2
City of San Luis Obispo 59.7 85.7 67.1 162.50 261.51 198.62 97.01 224.13 133.33 8.0 -1.5 4.3 24.4 31.6 26.6 34.3 29.5 32.0
City of Morro Bay 55.1 82.1 62.8 144.20 238.36 179.35 79.50 195.65 112.68 -0.6 -5.4 -2.4 17.0 16.8 16.2 16.3 10.5 13.4
For the Week of September 26,
2021 to October 02, 2021
For the Week of September 19,
2021 to September 25, 2021
For the Week of September 12,
2021 to September 18, 2021
For the Week of September 05,
2021 to September 11, 2021
For the Week of August 29, 2021
to September 04, 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
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 2021-22
Change +/- to
FY 19-20
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$ 1,035,459$ 113.4%
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$ 992,367$ 120.1%
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$
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$
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$
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$
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$
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$
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$
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$
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$
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$
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$ 2,027,826$
2020-21 2021-22 Change +/-2020-21 2021-22 Change +/-2020-21 2021-22 Change +/-
July 54.5 82.2 50.7%165.96 226.69 36.6%90.53 186.23 105.7%
August 61.0 71.9 17.9%162.84 213.77 31.3%99.27 153.67 54.8%
September 63.1 167.66 105.79
October 61.9 162.18 100.38
November 49.85 145.06 72.32
December 33.32 123.53 41.16
January 40.5 124.24 50.28
February 54.4 138.33 75.18
March 66.7 144.67 96.55
April 70.5 169.50 119.42
May 65.8 181.33 119.38
June 76.0 203.39 154.53
Total/Average 58.13 77.05 0.34 157.39 220.23 0.34 93.73 169.95 0.80 Updated: 10/7/2021
TOT Comparison
Occupancy ADR RevPAR*Figures from Smith Travel
Research Report
Report to City of SLO – TBID and PCC
Public Relations Contract
September 2021
PR ACTIVITY
Implementation/Proactive Work
Drafted ‘Meet Your Neighborhood Mobile Taco Catering Company’ Q&A for VisitSLO.com
Continued working DCI on the Sustainable SLO urban tree-planting program
Met with EcoSLO & the Noble/DCI team on the Sustainable SLO urban tree-planting program
Pitched the Sustaiable SLO urban tree-planting program to KSBY & Scott Bridges for inclusion in his sustainable story
Continued working with Verdin on Support Local Campaign and implementation
Continued working with the City and Noble Studios/DCI on overall tourism marketing campaign
Responsive leads
Pitched Sunset Drive-In through HARO for a story on "coolest drive-in theatres in the US"
Provided photos of Sunset Drive-In for November 2021 pickleball magazine
Provided suggestions to Carole Dixon for a story in Pasadena Mag
Helped coordinate story on international travel for Pacific Coast Business Times
Partnerships
Planned & hosted freelancer Brian Cicioni's SLO visit for USA Today 10Best in partnership with Visit CA and Highway 1 Discovery Route
Began planning freelancer Laurie Werner's SLO visit for Forbes in partnership with Hotel SLO
Began planning freelancer Christina Mueller's visit for Marin Magazine in partnership with Hotel SLO & Hotel Cerro
Planned & hosted freelancer Ali Wunderland's SLO visit for SF Gate in partnership with Visit SLO CAL & Visit California
Shared 2022 SLO events & key brand assets with SLO CAL for consideration in the Official Visitors Magazine
Coorinated with Noble and Mindbody to publish Jacki Carr's blog on wine + wellness in SLO
Pitched "Dine Globally in the Golden State" & "Agritourism in California" story ideas to Visit California
PUBLICATION PLACEMENTS UVPM AD VALUE PILLARS RESULT OF
TRIPSAVVY The 10 Best Things to Do Along California’s Highway 1 Discovery Rout 4,361,168.00 $40,341.00 Beer/Wine DCI pitching
MARTHA STEWART Enjoy a Pint at One of the Best Craft Breweries Around the United States 7,914,890.00 $73,213.00 Beer/Wine DCI pitching
LALASCOOP The Future of Travel 3,000.00 $28.00 Family Media hosting w/DCI
LALASCOOP A Sustainable Lifestyle Is an Attainable Lifestyle 3,000.00 $28.00 Media hosting w/DCI
ADVENTURE SPORTS JOURNAL Earn Your Beer Hike & bike in San Luis Obispo 21,824.00 $202.00 Outdoor Media hosting w/DCI
BARRON'S PENTA Great Escapes: A Different Kind of Wine Country in SLO CAL 5,989,783.00 Beer/Wine Media hosting w/SLO CAL
SF GATE A lifelong Californian gets 'stoked' at the U.S. Open of Surfing and her first-ever lesson 9,457,598.00 Outdoor Media hosting w/SLO CAL & Visit CA
TRAVEL PULSE The 50 Best College Towns in America 277,465.00 Cal Poly
LOVE EXPLORING Your state's most unusual place to stay 201,500,000.00 Cultural
LOVE FOOD America's most beautiful restaurants revealed 67,015,000.00 Culinary
ONLY IN YOUR STATE Splash Café In Southern California Claims To Have The World’s Best Clam Chowder 2,014,000.00 Culinary
KUSC Play On, California!--Cultural
MEN'S JOURNAL 17 Best Summit Beers to Drink After Hiking and Mountaineering 1,300,000.00 Outdoor
PACK UP + GO The College Towns of Pack Up + Go 4,765.00 -Cal Poly
FAMILY MINDED 25 Best Drive-In Movie Theaters in the U.S, Ranked 77,000.00 Cultural
SOUTH FLORIDA REPORTER Bubblegum Alley (San Luis Obispo) And The Market Theater Gum Wall (Seattle) – Are Gum-Centric Tourist Attractions13,400.00 Cultural
MUSTANG NEWS San Luis Obispo Is Coming Alive With The Return Of In-Person Events 7,500.00 Cultural
PASADENA NOW The Cow on the Cal Poly Pomona Rose Parade Float Will Jump Over the Moon – With a Jet Pack42,928.00 Cal Poly
NEW TIMES Linnaea's Cafe showcases three SLO artists in new abstract exhibition 41,000.00 $9.32 Cultural
TOTALS
19 300,044,321.00 $113,821.32
Report to City of SLO – TBID
Guest Services Contract
September 2021
Response to TBID Advertising Week
1
Week
2
Week
3
Week
4
Sept.
2020
Sept.
2021
Calls to
1-877-SLO-TOWN
43 39 31 22 100 135
Hotel Availability Tracker
Week
1
Week
2
Week
3
Week
4
Sept.
2020
Sept.
2021
Email Response 27 28 27 27 92 109
Phone Calls to
Hotels
94 102 91 87 305 374
Hotel Referrals
Week
1
Week
2
Week
3
Week
4
Sept.
2020
Sept.
2021
Visitors Served
(walk-ins)
1,375 1,829 1,851 1,362 4,335 6,417
Guests Served
(via phone and
digitally)
481 535 402 454 2,400 1,872
Hotel Rooms
Referred
392 466 420 344 1,479 1,622
Agency Report · September 2021
SLO-TBID
Agency Repor t
September Activity & Performance
What’s Ahead:
●Quarterly Marketing Plan FY21-22:
Copy of Oct-Dec Mkt Plan FY21-22_SLO TBID
Paid Media
Paid search drove 29,072 impressions (a 2% decrease PoP), 2,605 clicks, a 8.96% CTR ( a 3%
increase PoP) and 2,496 sessions (0% change PoP)while driving 194 Book Now Conversions (10%
increase PoP), 542 hotel referrals (7% increase PoP) and 19 homestay referrals (17% decrease
PoP)at a 5% increase in cost.
Paid social drove 1,011,605 impressions, 174,248 users reached and 7,453 clicks across
Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest with a 0.89% CTR for FB/Insta and .34% on Pinterest for 3,067
sessions (23% decrease PoP)while driving 3 Book Now Conversions (25% decrease PoP), 5 hotel
referrals (58% decrease PoP) and 0 homestay referral at a 6% decrease in cost.
Display drove 1,940,164 impressions (a 19% increase PoP), 8,326 clicks, a .43% CTR (a 6%
decrease PoP) and 9,751 sessions (a 11% increase PoP)while driving 2 Book Now Conversion (a
100% increase PoP) and 5 hotel referrals (a 67% increase PoP) and 0 homestay referrals at an 5%
increase in cost.
●Proactively monitored and optimized paid media placements ($29,929 spend)
●Planned California Visitors Guide placement
●Launched Expedia placements for Sept-Oct-Nov
●Planned Cal Poly Interstitial Placements
●Planned SLO CAL Visitors Guide
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. The latest email was
●October Newsletter Email
○Content focused on fall activities and specifically featured Jacki Carr ’s recent blog
post about her influencer visit to SLO this summer
2
○Sent 10/5
○A/B tested two headlines: One with first name personalization and one without. The
personalization won.
○18.1% Open Rate
○1.5% Click Rate
Search Engine Optimization (SEO) & Content Creation
Organic search traffic increased period-over-period by 1% and increased 71% year-over-year.
Organic hotel partner referrals decreased 2% (189 vs 192), Book Now increased 13% (63 vs 56) and
Homestay referrals decreased 18% (23 vs 28) period-over-period (September 1-30, 2021 vs August
2-31, 2021). We saw a 3% decrease in Avg Session Duration,a 1% increase in bounce rate and a 2%
decrease in pages per session PoP and 71% increase in sessions, a 7% decrease in bounce rate and
a 14% increase in avg. session duration YoY for organic search.
Overall keyword rankings on the search engine results page increased 3% in September and 8% for
page 1 keywords, compared to the previous period.In September, we saw additional positive PoP
growth for many of the pages we have optimized including: a 55% increase to Where to Stay, 238%
increase in Breweries, an 37% increase to Wineries, a 11% increase to Weekend Trip from LA and a
17% increase to the PCH page.
●SEO Optimizations created:
○Page Optimization: Brunch San Luis Obispo
○Page Optimization: San Luis Obispo Restaurants
●Technical Improvement: Backlink Audit and Disavowing Toxic Links
Blog Posts (2 per month)
Completed:
●Blog #1: San Luis Obispo Breakfast Places
●Blog #2: How Visitors Create a More Sustainable Future for San Luis Obispo (posting soon)
Website
The website saw a 5% decrease in sessions period-over-period (September 1-30, 2021 vs August
2-31, 2021)and a 146% increase YoY; for a total of 36,834 sessions and 29,793 new users in
September. From an engagement perspective, bounce rate decreased by 1%, pages/session
increased by 1% and average session duration increased by 11% PoP.
●Monthly Web Maintenance Items
○WordPress and Plugin Updates
3
○Fixed broken links on Events and Things to Do pages
Social Media Management
Between Sept. 1-30, 2021, the @ShareSLO Instagram reach was up 26.6% and content interactions
increased 43.7%, according to Instagram Insights. Our follower count remained steady at 21.8k
Instagram followers. The most popular content of the last 30 days included giveaways, local murals,
the Hotel Cerro pool, a sunset and UGC from the Madonna Inn. During the same time period, post
reach on Facebook decreased from an average post reach of 954 vs. 1,090 in the previous period.
Followers also decreased by 49 people.
As of October 1, 2021, Badger Branding has officially taken over social media management for Visit
SLO.
PR, Media, And Influencer Relations
Proactive Pitch Development:
●SLO Sustainable Breweries (In progress)
●Sustainable wines & trails (In progress)
●Sustainable Program Promotion (Upcoming)
●Taste of SLO (From Organic Waste to Energy) (Upcoming)
Ongoing Media Conversations:
●AUTHORITY MAGAZINE, Martita Mestey,Reducing Food Waste (interview w/Jordan Lane)
●EAT THIS, Megan duBois, Best farm-to-table restaurants in every state
●MSN, Brittany Anas, Best farmers markets
●WINE TRAVELER, Sarah Phillips, Unusual wine tourism experiences
●ANDREW BENDER, Freelance writer, Fall destinations
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
●Proposed/Upcoming Partnerships:
○Francesca Murray – One Girl, One World (November 2-5)
DCI’s All Client Pitch Initiative
Proposed:(4-6 pitches throughout 2021-22)
Progress:In progress (1 completed - Fall Destinations, September 2021)
DCI 2021-22 SLO Coverage Grid:
4
●https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/14yqVCn3Ee--W9-pX-xfqPZsidrKOrNJ2J7z4RtSXL
00/edit?usp=sharing
5
Visit SLO CAL Board of Directors Guidelines
The San Luis Obispo County Visitors and Conference Bureau, Inc., DBA Visit SLO CAL Board of Directors includes
representatives from each community and type of lodging business, as described below. As directed in the
Management District Plan, each community defines the designated lodging constituent to serve as their
appointed member of the Board, which makes up the first eight (8) seats, one (1) representative at-large is
appointed by the County Board of Supervisors and the remaining ten (10) seats are elected by the Board.
The Visit SLO CAL Board reviews key strategies throughout the year. Realizing this, and the busy schedules of all
involved, we request that only lodging constituents who are able to attend the bi-monthly meetings in whole
apply for Board seats so that we may assure the business of the organization can be conducted. Board meetings
are currently held on the third Wednesday of every other month from 8:30 – 10:30 am and rotate locations
throughout the county. Occasionally, meeting times will be extended based on the needs of the business. This
format is expected to stay the same for the near future.
Board members must be an owner or currently working as the general manager of an assessed lodging business
in San Luis Obispo County in order to remain on the Board.
It is the responsibility of each community appointed Board member to liaison back to their community (e.g., the
Unincorporated County Business Improvement District (CBID)) on a monthly basis regarding Visit SLO CAL’s
efforts. However, we also ask our elected members to do the same with their respective communities. Within
one week of a Board meeting, you will receive a copy of the draft minutes to aid you in these efforts.
The Board of Directors serve for staggered three-year terms. The initial Board serve for terms of one, two, or
three years. Seats up for election serve for three-year terms, unless they are replacing a prematurely-vacated
seat.
As defined in the organization’s bylaws, “Any Board member who in a twelve-month period either does not
attend three (3) successive Board meetings or who misses a total of three (3) meetings without an approved
excuse will automatically be removed from the Board without Board resolution unless (i) the member requests a
leave of absence for a limited period of time, and the leave is approved by the members at a regular or special
meeting (if such leave is granted, the number of Board members will be reduced by one in determining whether
a quorum is or is not present); (ii) the member suffers from an illness or disability that prevents him or her from
attending meetings and the Board by resolution waives the automatic removal procedure of this subsection; or
(iii) the Board by resolution of the majority of Board members must agree before a member who has missed
three (3) successive meetings or three (3) meetings total may be reinstated.”
The Board of Directors criteria and structure as defined in the Management District Plan is outlined on the
following page.
Criteria and Structure Defined in the Management District Plan:
Board of Directors
The Visit SLO CAL Board will strive to ensure that each jurisdiction is represented in approximate proportion to
the amount contributed by lodging businesses in that jurisdiction. Each Director must be the owner or the
general manager of an assessed lodging business, except for the County representative. The Directors will
include the following:
• At least one representative of a lodging business in each jurisdiction
• At least one representative each from a vacation rental, a bed and breakfast, and an R.V. park
• At least one representative who is appointed by the County of San Luis Obispo
• At least one at-large assessed lodging business member
The Board of Directors shall be selected as follows:
• At least one lodging business representative from each of the cities shall be appointed by the respective
jurisdiction’s city council or tourism organization, as each city determines
• At least one lodging business representative shall be appointed by the County Board of Supervisors
• At least one additional representative at-large shall be appointed by the County Board of Supervisors
• Nominations shall be sought from the assessed lodging businesses for the remaining at-large seats.
Nominations will be verified by the nominating committee, and a slate provided to the Board of
Directors for election. The slate will take into consideration the requirement for various business types.
The Board of Directors shall serve for staggered three-year terms.
Fiduciary and Legal Responsibilities of Board Members
As a Board member, you are responsible for financial and programmatic supervision of the association. You are
urged to acquaint yourself with California’s non-profit corporation laws. You can find this information here
(https://bit.ly/39Dm4Jd); see Part 3. NONPROFIT MUTUAL BENEFIT CORPORATIONS. In general, you can protect
yourself from liability through the following actions:
• Reviewing your fiduciary duties and the organization’s conflict of interest policy
• Exercise reasonable diligence and care in the affairs of the corporation
• Act in good faith with “business judgment”
• Avoid gross negligence or self-dealing (makes you personally liable if the corporation sustains loss or
injury)
• Oppose any board actions you don’t agree with and be sure opposition is in the written minutes
• Place reasonable reliance on the information and reports of others, but exercise prudence and good
judgment
• Attend all board and committee meetings, or show a valid reason for absence
• Thoroughly acquaint yourself with the by-laws
• Keep informed of program activities
• Ensure that statutory or technical requirements are fulfilled (annual reports, withholding taxes, etc.)
• Discourage transactions between the corporation and directors unless it is conducted entirely
openly and with stringent safeguards
• Make no monetary profit unless expressly provided in reimbursement for expenses directly
associated with the by-laws
• Be sure the records of the organization reflect good faith efforts and conscientious conduct
Code of Conduct
A healthy democracy respects the people’s right to debate issues with passion. A healthy democracy not only
tolerates disagreement but welcomes it in order to refine ideas and create policies that benefit the greater good.
A deterioration of civility at any level poses a threat to our community and our civic well-being. This deterioration:
● Compromises the integrity of a healthy, representative democracy
● Closes the door on depth of thought, reducing complex problems to harmful oversimplification
● Deters potential leaders from serving
● Poisons the well and discourages engagement on pressing community issues
● Casts the spotlight on poor behavior rather than shining a light on possible solutions
● Sets a poor example for our children
As a Board Member, you must affirm this Code of Conduct as a promise to each other, and to the investors we
serve, that we will always strive to conduct our debates - whether in person, online, or in written communication
- in ways that allow for the widest range of opinions on ideas and policies, yet also respect the dignity, integrity
and rights of those with whom we might disagree, and that we remember that the Board of Directors represents
the entire lodging community in its considerations and actions. Therefore, in our deliberations, we pledge to:
Listen First
We will make an honest effort to understand views and reasoning of others by actively listening to understand,
not listening to find fault, allowing thoughtful discussion to lead to the best possible outcomes.
Respect Different Opinions
We will invite and consider different perspectives, allowing space for ideas to be expressed, opposed and clarified
in a constructive manner.
Show Courtesy
We will treat all colleagues, staff and members of the public in a professional and courteous manner whether in
person, online, or in written communication, especially when we disagree.
Criticize Constructively
We strive to advance solutions to community issues; when faced with disagreement, we do more than simply share
our concerns with differing positions, we work to propose a course of action of mutual benefit.
Debate the Policy Not the Person
We will focus on the issue, and not personalize debate or use other tactics that divert attention from the issue.
Consider the Best Interests of the Countywide Lodging Community the Organization Represents
We will set aside the interests of the property or community(ies) we represent so that our decisions represent the
best interests of the countywide lodging community as a whole.
BOARD MEMBER RESPONSIBILITIES
You are elected or appointed to the Board of Directors because the community respects your good judgment
and your interest in travel and tourism. Since the board is the main decision-making body of Visit SLO CAL and
its legal representative, the community expects board members not only to be responsive to their needs, but
also to be informed and prudent as they conduct the business of Visit SLO CAL.
It is not necessary to handle administrative details or concern yourself with day-to-day operations, as this is the
responsibility of the President & CEO.
Your role is to ensure the continuity of Visit SLO CAL by planning for the future, establishing and reviewing the
major policies and programs that support its mission, and ensuring that the Bureau is fiscally sound. In many
ways, your function is critical to the life of the organization.
It is the responsibility of Visit SLO CAL board members to:
• Meet with Visit SLO CAL’s President & CEO (along with a board member liaison) for a New Board Member
On-Boarding Meeting as assigned. The President & CEO will reach out to schedule a date that works best for
all parties
• View Visit SLO CAL’s Brown Act Training video and confirm that they have watched it
• Assess Visit SLO CAL programs and services
• Periodically review bylaws, policy and procedure manuals, and other pertinent documents
• Be familiar with past board business and policies by reading the minutes of previous board meetings
• Come to board meetings informed about issues to be discussed. If you have any questions about an item on
the agenda, consult the President & CEO or the Director of Operations prior to the meeting
• Help formulate and establish policies in the best interests of Visit SLO CAL’s investors, based on your
knowledge of their needs
• Be willing to accept assignments that result from action taken at board meetings and support the policies
and programs adopted by the Board
• Help make decisions affecting Visit SLO CAL’s financial structure and resource allocations and approve the
annual operating budget
• Evaluate the programs of Visit SLO CAL to be sure they serve the mission of the organization
• Help ensure that the organization has adequate resources and that those resources are managed effectively
• Be an active advocate of Visit SLO CAL to the community, government, and local businesses
• In addition to the monthly board meetings, attend Visit SLO CAL functions and activities when possible
including semi-annual Advisory Committee meetings, annual Destination Summit among others. Should you
be unable to attend board meetings, let Visit SLO CAL know in advance and provide a reason for your
absence.
WORKING WITH VISIT SLO CAL STAFF
It is important to work in partnership with Visit SLO CAL’s President & CEO and other key personnel to carry out
the policies the board develops. The staff possesses the professional skills and experience in handling Visit SLO
CAL affairs. They are committed to helping you in every way possible.
The President & CEO and staff are a reliable and essential resource. They can provide you with information,
answer questions you may have, identify problems, and offer solutions. They are the experts – equipped to
handle the day-to-day administrative details of Visit SLO CAL, and freeing you to carry out the essential tasks
involved in planning and decision making.
The President & CEO shares certain responsibilities with you, such as serving as spokesperson for the
organization, representing it before its many publics, communicating information, identifying future Visit SLO
CAL leaders, helping to develop policies and programs, and motivating participation. Because there are so many
ways the board, the President & CEO, and the staff interact, it is vital that you approach each other with trust,
candor, and respect. It is important to communicate openly and honestly from the very beginning and to agree
on your respective roles and responsibilities, the mission of Visit SLO CAL, and its goals and objectives.
The board is covered by the Directors and Officers (D & O) insurance policy of Visit SLO CAL. In order to ensure
that they do not put themselves at risk to be held personally liable or violate conditions of the insurance, board
members must not discuss any board matters or employee complaints with members of the press or others
outside the organization. All questions or requests for comments should be directed to the President & CEO.
HARASSMENT POLICY
It is the policy of Visit SLO CAL that every employee shall enjoy a work environment free from all forms of
harassment. Harassment is a form of misconduct that is not welcome, is personally offensive, and undermines
the integrity of Visit SLO CAL employment. This policy also applies to board members when in attendance at
Visit SLO CAL functions.
By signing below, I understand and agree to adhere to the Board Member Guidelines outlined above.
Name: ______________________________________________
Signature: ___________________________________________ Date: __________________________
Tourism Business Improvement District
Marketing Committee
Meeting Minutes
Wednesday, October 6, 2021 at 10:34 a.m.
Teleconference
BOARD MEMBERS PRESENT: LeBren Harris, Natalie Ward and Matthew Wilkins
BOARD MEMBERS ABSENT: none
STAFF PRESENT: Molly Cano, Tourism Manager
Call to order time: 10:34 a.m.
BUSINESS ITEMS
1. SLO TBID Sustainable SLO Icon
Representatives from Noble Studios presented the creative mark for the Sustainable SLO Program for the
committee’s review and approval. The committee discussed the shape of the o and if it should be modified.
Noble Studios noted that the letters are derived from the “parent logo” already used by the TBID. The
committee had consensus that they like the icon and approved it to be used. The committee also discussed
the idea of hotels using this icon to identify the partnership and efforts at their properties like for packages.
Committee Action: By consensus, the committee approved the Sustainable SLO icon.
2. Sustainable SLO Tree Initiative Public Relations Plan
Representatives from DCI presented the proposed Public Relations plan for the TBID’s Sustainable SLO
Tree Initiative for the committee’s review and approval.
Committee Action: By consensus, the committee approved the public relations plan for the TBID’s
Sustainable SLO Tree Initiative.
3. ShareSLO Social Media Content Strategy
Representatives from Badger Branding presented the ShareSLO social media content strategy for the
committee’s review and approval. The committee asked questions about TikTok and YouTube which
Badger Branding addressed.
Committee Action: By consensus, the committee approved the ShareSLO social media content strategy as
presented.
4. New Business Items
a. Committee Discussion: Staff shared the highlights from IPW and Noble shared some highlights from
the asset shoot project last month
b. Future Agenda Items: None
c. Next Regular Meeting Date: Wednesday, November 3, 2021 at 10:30 am
Meeting was adjourned at 11:42 a.m.
Tourism Business Improvement District
Management Committee
Meeting Minutes
Thursday, October 7, 2021 at 10:30 a.m.
Teleconference via Zoom
BOARD MEMBERS PRESENT: Pragna Patel-Mueller, David Smith and Stephanie Bolles
BOARD MEMBERS ABSENT: none
STAFF PRESENT: Molly Cano, Tourism Manager
Call to order time: 10:35 am
BUSINESS ITEMS
1. TOT Analysis
Jacob Nunez the City of SLO’s Revenue Analyst presented a TOT analysis to the committee. As
requested by the Board during the September meeting, the objective of the presentation was to take a
deeper look at the City’s TOT revenues. The analysis reviewed growth from 2015 to 2019, the impact
of Covid, and the spike in gross receipts following the lifting of Statewide travel restrictions. The
assumptions included:
• The time range for all data used was from January of 2015 to August of 2021
• Data is broken out by three main segments: Economy, Midscale, and Upscale. These segments are
not arbitrary. They are used by STR.
• The City cannot disclose any information that would reveal an individual property’s proprietary
data. All data here will be shown in percentages to reduce the risk of proprietary data being
disclosed.
• Homestays were not included in this analysis due to the deviation in how the revenue is collected.
The data showed:
2. Destination Stewardship Initiative
In purist of the strategic plan, the committee began the discussion on the Destination Stewardship
Plan development. Staff shared a partnership opportunity through Travel Foundation offered by a
subsidized program by Visit California as a way to begin this work effort. The committee was not
able to make the recommendation to the Board to move forward at the time of the meeting but
asked staff to revisit the discussion at the next Management Committee meeting in November.
3. New Business Items
a. Committee Discussion: Staff followed up on the question regarding if credit card fees
would be counted toward the hotel gross receipt amount for TOT remittance purpose and
staff responded that it would based on the definition of “rent” within the City’s Municipal
Code.
b. Future Agenda Items
c. Next Regular Meeting Date: Thursday, November 4, 2021at 10:30 am
DRAFT Minutes – Promotional Coordinating Committee Meeting of September 8, 2021 Page 1
Minutes - DRAFT
PROMOTIONAL COORDINATING COMMITTEE
Wednesday, September 8, 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 5:39 p.m., by Chair Thomas.
ROLL CALL
Present: Chair John Thomas, Vice Chair Samantha Welch, Committee Members, Maureen
Forsberg, Lori Lerian and Robin Wolf
Absent: Member John Conner
Staff: Tourism Manager Molly Cano and City Clerk Teresa Purrington
PUBLIC COMMENT ITEMS NOT ON THE AGENDA
None
--End of Public Comment--
CONSENT ITEMS
Public Comment
Annie Malak
Maureen Welch
--End of Public Comment—
ACTION: UPON MOTION BY VICE CHAIR WELCH, SECONDED BY COMMITTEE
MEMBER FORSBERG, CARRIED 5-0 (With Member Conner absent and one seat vacant) to
approve the Consent Agenda items 1 thru 6.
C.1 Minutes of the Meeting on July 14, 2021
C.2 2021-22 Community Promotions Budget Report
C.3 SLO Chamber Monthly Public Relations Report (July & August)
C.4 SLO Chamber Visitor Center Report (July & August)
C.5 TOT Report
C.6 Modified GIA Program: Grant Recommendation Report
DRAFT Minutes – Promotional Coordinating Committee Meeting of September 8, 2021 Page 2
PRESENTATIONS
1. DEI PRESENTATION
Dale Magee, Interim Project Manager for DEI provided a presentation on the City’s DEI
efforts.
Public Comment
Annie Malak
Dusty Colyer-Worth
--End of Public Comment--
No action was taken on this item.
2. PUBLIC RELATIONS MONTHLY ACTIVITY UPDATE
Jacqui Clark-Charlesworth, SLO Chamber presented the report for the public relations
activities that occurred over the past months.
Public Comment
None.
--End of Public Comment--
No action was taken on this item.
BUSINESS ITEMS
1. VACANT WINDOW PROJECT
Bettina Swigger, CEO Downtown SLO presented a project update on the vacant window
beautification project.
Public Comment
None
--End of Public Comment--
No action was taken on this item discussion only.
DRAFT Minutes – Promotional Coordinating Committee Meeting of September 8, 2021 Page 3
2. NEIGHBORHOOD MAP PROJECT
Molly Cano, Tourism Manager presented the PowerPoint regarding the Neighborhood Map
Project and provided options for the third business neighborhood to feature in Neighborhood
Map Project.
Public Comment
Jacqui Clark-Charlesworth
Katy McGrath
Dusty Colyer-Worth
--End of Public Comment--
ACTION: UPON MOTION BY MEMBER WOLF, SECONDED BY COMMITTEE
MEMBER LERIAN, CARRIED 5-0 (With Member Conner absent and one seat vacant) to have the
Broad/Orcutt area to be the next neighborhood to be included in the Neighborhood Map Project.
3. PCC COMMUNITY PLACEMAKING & RECOVERY PROJECT BRAINSTORM
The committee will discuss project ideas for the Community Placemaking and Recovery
Project work efforts.
Public Comment
Jacqui Clark-Charlesworth
Katy McGrath
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.
3. TBID BOARD REPORT – TBID Meeting Minutes: August 11, 2021
Tourism Manager Molly Cano provided a brief overview of the TBID Board Meeting.
4. TOURISM PROGRAM UPDATE
Tourism Manager Cano provided a brief Tourism Program update.
DRAFT Minutes – Promotional Coordinating Committee Meeting of September 8, 2021 Page 4
ADJOURNMENT
The meeting was adjourned at 8:08 p.m. The next Regular Promotional Coordinating Committee
meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, October 13, 2021 at 5:30 p.m. via teleconference.
APPROVED BY THE PROMOTIONAL COORDINATING COMMITTEE: XX/XX/2021