HomeMy WebLinkAbout09-10-2025 TBID Agenda Packet
Tourism Business Improvement District Board
AGENDA
Wednesday, September 10, 2025, 10:00 a.m.
Council Hearing Room, 990 Palm Street, San Luis Obispo
The Tourism Business Improvement District Board holds in-person meetings. Zoom participation will
not be supported at this time. Attendees of City Council or Advisory Body meetings are eligible to
receive one hour of complimentary parking; restrictions apply, visit Parking for Public Meetings for
more details.
INSTRUCTIONS FOR PUBLIC COMMENT:
Public Comment prior to the meeting (must be received 3 hours in advance of the meeting):
Mail - Delivered by the U.S. Postal Service. Address letters to the City Clerk's Office at 990
Palm Street, San Luis Obispo, California, 93401.
Email - Submit Public Comments via email to advisorybodies@slocity.org. In the body of your
email, please include the date of the meeting and the item number (if applicable). Emails will not
be read aloud during the meeting.
Voicemail - Call (805) 781-7164 and leave a voicemail. Please state and spell your name, the
agenda item number you are calling about, and leave your comment. Verbal comments must be
limited to 3 minutes. Voicemails will not be played during the meeting.
*All correspondence will be archived and distributed to members, however, submissions received
after the deadline may not be processed until the following day.
Public Comment during the meeting:
Meetings are held in-person. To provide public comment during the meeting, you must be
present at the meeting location.
Electronic Visual Aid Presentation. To conform with the City's Network Access and Use Policy,
Chapter 1.3.8 of the Council Policies & Procedures Manual, members of the public who desire
to utilize electronic visual aids to supplement their oral presentation must provide display-ready
material to the City Clerk by 12:00 p.m. on the day before the meeting. Contact the City Clerk's
Office at cityclerk@slocity.org or (805) 781-7114.
Pages
1.CALL TO ORDER
Chair Pearce will call the Regular Meeting of the Tourism Business
Improvement District Board to order.
2.PUBLIC COMMENT FOR ITEMS NOT ON THE AGENDA
At this time, people may address the Committee about items not on the agenda.
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.
3.CONSENT
3.a MINUTES OF TBID REGULAR MEETING ON AUGUST 19, 2025 5
3.b SMITH TRAVEL REPORT (STR)9
3.c TRANSIENT OCCUPANCY TAX (TOT) REPORT 11
3.d SLO CHAMBER PUBLIC RELATIONS MONTHLY REPORT 13
3.e SLO CHAMBER GUEST SERVICES MONTHLY REPORT 17
3.f NOBLE STUDIOS & UNIQUELY DRIVEN MARKETING MONTHLY
REPORT
21
3.g BADGER BRANDING ORGANIC SOCIAL REPORT 31
4.BUSINESS ITEMS
4.a FY 2024-25 TBID ANNUAL REPORT APPROVAL (15 MINUTES)41
Staff will present the draft FY 2024-25 TBID annual report for
recommendation to City Council on October 7, 2025. Pending the City
Council’s approval of the report, the annual public hearing for the TBID
will be scheduled for the October 21, 2025
4.b FY 2024-25 TBID ANNUAL REPORT HIGHLIGHT VIDEO (5 MINUTES)
Staff will present the TBID FY 2024-25 Annual Report highlight video for
the Board’s review. The highlight video will be presented to City Council
on October 7, 2025.
4.c SLO LIFE COACH CAMPAIGN INVESTMENT (15 MINUTES)
Staff and contractors will present an opportunity for additional
investment in short-form videos for the SLO Life Coach campaign, per
the recommendation of the Marketing Subcommittee.
5.TBID LIAISON REPORTS & COMMUNICATION
5.a HOTELIER UPDATE
5.b MARKETING COMMITTEE UPDATE
5.c MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE UPDATE
5.d PCC UPDATE 73
5.e VISIT SLO CAL UPDATE
5.f TOURISM PROGRAM UPDATE
6.ADJOURNMENT
The next Regular Meeting of the Tourism Business Improvement District Board
is scheduled for October 8, 2025, at 10:00 a.m. in the Council Hearing Room at
City Hall, 990 Palm Street, San Luis Obispo.
LISTENING ASSISTIVE DEVICES are available -- see the Clerk
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) 781-7114 at least
48 hours before the meeting, if possible. Telecommunications Device for the
Deaf (805) 781-7410.
Agenda related writings or documents provided to the Tourism Business
Improvement District Board are available for public inspection on the City’s
website, under the Public Meeting Agendas web page:
https://www.slocity.org/government/mayor-and-city-council/agendas-and-
minutes. Meeting video recordings can be found on the City’s website:
http://opengov.slocity.org/WebLink/Browse.aspx?id=61016&dbid=0&repo=CityCl
erk
1
Tourism Business Improvement District Board Minutes
August 19, 2025, 10:00 a.m.
Council Chambers, 990 Palm Street, San Luis Obispo
TBID Board Present: Member Mark Eads, Member Christine Nelson, Member Nipool
Patel, Member Prashant Patel, Member Dante Specchierla, Vice
Chair Lori Keller, and Chair Clint Pearce
City Staff Present: Economic Development & Tourism Manager Laura Fiedler
_____________________________________________________________________
1. CALL TO ORDER
A Regular Meeting of the San Luis Obispo Tourism Business Improvement
District Board was called to order on August 19, 2025, at 10:02 a.m. in the
Council Chambers at City Hall, 990 Palm Street, San Luis Obispo, by Chair
Pearce.
2. PUBLIC COMMENT FOR ITEMS NOT ON THE AGENDA
Public Comment:
None
--End of Public Comment--
3. APPOINTMENTS - OATH OF OFFICE
Deputy City Clerk Sara Armas administered the Oath of Office to Mark Eads.
4. BOARD INTRODUCTIONS
Board members introduced themselves to new Member M. Eads.
5. CONSENT
Motion By Vice Chair L. Keller
Second By Member P. Patel
To approve Consent Items 5a. to 5g.
Ayes (6): Vice Chair L. Keller, Member P. Patel, Member C. Nelson, Member N.
Patel, Chair Pearce, and Member D. Specchierla.
Page 5 of 79
2
Abstain (1): Member M. Eads
CARRIED (6 to 1)
5.a MINUTES OF TBID REGULAR MEETING ON JULY 9, 2025
5.b SMITH TRAVEL REPORT (STR)
5.c TRANSIENT OCCUPANCY TAX (TOT) REPORT
5.d SLO CHAMBER PUBLIC RELATIONS MONTHLY REPORT
5.e SLO CHAMBER GUEST SERVICES MONTHLY REPORT
5.f NOBLE STUDIOS & UNIQUELY DRIVEN MARKETING MONTHLY
REPORT
5.g BADGER BRANDING ORGANIC SOCIAL REPORT
6. PRESENTATIONS
6.a MARKETING SERVICES YEAR-END REPORT (30 MINUTES)
Hayley Corbett and Danni Winter from Noble Studios and Autumn Enoch
from Uniquely Driven presented the year-end activity highlights and results
data for the FY2024-25 marketing agency contracted work as well as Q4
performance.
Public Comment:
None
--End of Public Comment--
Action: No action was taken on this item.
6.b ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE AND IMPLICATIONS FOR THE TOURISM
INDUSTRY (20 MINUTES)
Tom Duffy, Head of Artificial Intelligence (AI) Strategy from Noble Studios
presented and discussed with the Board Noble's AI philosophy, its
approach to leveraging AI (including for the tourism industry), and AI's role
in sustainability.
Public Comment:
None
--End of Public Comment--
Page 6 of 79
3
Action: No action was taken on this item.
7. BUSINESS ITEMS
7.a ANNUAL MEDIA PLAN (30 MINUTES)
Danni Winter from Noble Studios presented the annual paid media plan to
the Board for review and approval.
Public Comment:
None
--End of Public Comment--
Motion By: Vice Chair L. Keller
Second By: Member M. Eads
To approve the annual media plan as presented.
Ayes (7) Vice Chair L. Keller, Member M. Eads, Member C. Nelson,
Member N. Patel, Member P. Patel, Chair Pearce, and Member D.
Specchierla.
CARRIED (7 to 0)
7.b PROMOTIONAL ITEM PURCHASE APPROVAL (5 MINUTES)
Laura Fiedler, Economic Development and Tourism Manager, presented
an estimate order of Visit SLO branded socks to be approved by the
Board and distributed at the Spartan Race and for other promotional
purposes.
Public Comment:
None
--End of Public Comment--
Motion By: Member N. Patel
Second By: Member D. Specchierla
To approve the purchase up to $3,000.00 of Visit SLO branded socks for
distribution at the Spartan Race and for other promotional purposes. The
budget line of Events and Activation will be used for this purchase.
Page 7 of 79
4
Ayes (7): Member N. Patel, Member D. Specchierla, Member M. Eads,
Vice Chair Keller, Member C. Nelson, Member P. Patel, and Chair Pearce.
CARRIED (7 to 0)
8. TBID LIAISON REPORTS & COMMUNICATION
8.a HOTELIER UPDATE
No update at this time.
8.b MARKETING COMMITTEE UPDATE
No meeting was held in July.
8.c MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE UPDATE
No meeting was held in July.
8.d PCC UPDATE
Member D. Specchierla provided a brief update that PCC liaisons have
been established for the CACP grant recipients and the PCC received an
update on the Mission Plaza construction project.
8.e VISIT SLO CAL UPDATE
Molly Cano, Vice President of Marketing with Visit SLO CAL, provided a
brief update on Visit SLO CAL activities and the upcoming Visit SLO CAL
Summit.
8.f TOURISM PROGRAM UPDATE
Laura Fiedler, Economic Development and Tourism Manager provided an
update on the Tourism program. Molly Burchett from Badger Branding
shared that a @ShareSLO video reel went viral and hit 1.2 million views, a
record for Visit SLO social media channels.
9. ADJOURNMENT
The meeting was adjourned at 11:47 a.m. The next Regular Meeting of the
Tourism Business Improvement District Board is scheduled for September 10,
2025, at 10:00 a.m. in the Council Hearing Room at City Hall, 990 Palm Street,
San Luis Obispo.
APPROVED BY TOURISM BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT BOARD:
XX/XX/202X
Page 8 of 79
AUGUST 2025
WD WE Total
WD WE Total
WD WE Total
WD WE Total
WD WE Total
WD WE Total
California 72.09 80.22 74.41
188.31 210.81 195.24
135.76 169.11 145.29
0.13 0.69 0.31
-0.62 -1.04 -0.75
-0.49 -0.36 -0.45
City of Paso Robles 78.31 92.12 82.25 169.97 263.13 199.78 133.10 242.39 164.33 9.17 28.46 14.68 -4.60 1.84 -0.65 4.15 30.83 13.94
City of Pismo Beach 82.08 91.42 84.74 260.64 366.15 293.16 213.92 334.71 248.43 0.04 1.18 0.39 1.00 2.28 1.58 1.04 3.49 1.97
City of San Luis Obispo 81.45 90.65 84.08 168.47 251.95 194.19 137.23 228.40 163.27 -1.12 -1.12 -1.12 -2.35 5.57 0.67 -3.45 4.39 -0.46
City of Morro Bay 73.83 88.08 77.90 151.12 236.27 178.63 111.57 208.11 139.15 -0.79 2.18 0.15 -4.30 5.16 -0.24 -5.06 7.45 -0.09
WD WE Total
WD WE Total
WD WE Total
WD WE Total
WD WE Total
WD WE Total
California 69.01 77.36 71.39
190.90 214.25 198.13
131.73 165.74 141.45
-0.06 -0.75 -0.27
-0.38 0.89 0.02
-0.44 0.14 -0.25
City of Paso Robles 85.41 91.47 87.14 180.46 281.44 210.75 154.13 257.43 183.64 30.63 11.39 24.20 -1.54 -3.09 -3.81 28.62 7.95 19.46
City of Pismo Beach 75.07 89.76 79.27 272.24 413.70 318.01 204.36 371.36 252.07 1.86 -1.72 0.67 -2.09 -0.78 -1.87 -0.27 -2.49 -1.22
City of San Luis Obispo 78.18 85.82 80.36 175.92 278.63 207.26 137.54 239.11 166.56 9.69 -3.24 5.40 2.85 5.10 2.45 12.81 1.70 7.97
City of Morro Bay 72.32 82.46 75.22 177.69 282.06 210.38 128.51 232.57 158.24 2.20 -5.99 -0.52 -6.39 0.45 -4.36 -4.33 -5.56 -4.85
WD WE Total
WD WE Total
WD WE Total
WD WE Total
WD WE Total
WD WE Total
California 66.97 75.02 69.27
180.87 200.11 186.82
121.13 150.13 129.41
-3.17 -0.54 -2.38
-0.79 1.42 -0.02
-3.94 0.87 -2.40
City of Paso Robles 64.96 66.24 65.33 165.27 253.23 190.76 107.37 167.75 124.62 -0.76 -15.79 -5.64 -0.93 -7.61 -5.40 -1.68 -1.68 -10.74
City of Pismo Beach 69.18 88.80 74.78 240.13 309.68 263.73 166.12 274.99 197.23 -3.40 6.46 -0.27 4.65 -5.03 1.37 1.09 1.09 1.10
City of San Luis Obispo 72.13 82.94 75.22 161.01 219.70 179.50 116.13 182.21 135.01 4.00 -0.80 2.43 -2.07 -4.65 -3.43 1.85 1.85 -1.08
City of Morro Bay 64.77 78.48 68.69 143.29 206.79 164.02 92.80 162.30 112.66 -3.74 -2.38 -3.30 -6.87 0.84 -3.76 -10.35 -10.35 -6.93
WD WE Total
WD WE Total
WD WE Total
WD WE Total
WD WE Total
WD WE Total
California 61.66 80.24 66.97 169.74 204.80 181.74 104.66 164.34 121.72 0.06 1.20 0.45 -0.74 -0.36 -0.54 -0.68 0.83 -0.10
City of Paso Robles 59.41 84.99 66.72 160.13 292.01 208.13 95.13 248.19 138.86 1.10 1.60 1.29 -4.85 0.36 -2.19 -3.80 1.97 -0.94
City of Pismo Beach 60.45 89.58 68.77 215.96 371.95 274.01 130.56 333.18 188.45 -0.53 4.89 1.42 1.98 3.90 3.64 1.43 8.98 5.11
City of San Luis Obispo 62.26 89.86 70.14 146.73 243.91 182.30 91.35 219.18 127.87 1.16 2.81 1.76 -0.44 0.11 0.03 0.72 2.92 1.78
City of Morro Bay 57.94 86.79 66.18 128.14 230.88 166.63 74.24 200.38 110.28 3.46 3.68 3.54 -4.61 -0.06 -2.27 -1.31 3.61 1.19
For the Week of August 24, 2025
to August 30, 2025
For the Week of August 17, 2025
to August 23, 2025
For the Week of August 10, 2025
to August 16, 2025
For the Week of August 03, 2025
to August 09, 2025
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
Page 9 of 79
Page 10 of 79
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 2022-23 2023-24 2024-25 2025-26
Change +/- to
previous FY
July 508,195$ 541,806$ 591,184$ 636,778$ 699,845$ 761,346$ 844,845$ 877,391$ 861,241$ 884,317$ 913,019$ 530,064$ 1,214,080$ 1,297,863$ 1,245,883$ 1,296,972$ 1,295,159$ -0.14%*missing 8 properties
August 511,564$ 542,194$ 574,395$ 623,655$ 674,244$ 732,271$ 774,501$ 765,232$ 728,932$ 775,513$ 826,465$ 623,523$ 992,620$ 1,057,478$ 1,037,434$ 1,118,215$
September 400,023$ 437,543$ 490,524$ 508,583$ 505,954$ 557,002$ 643,127$ 650,117$ 693,704$ 682,810$ 720,414$ 660,405$ 965,595$ 1,039,589$ 1,024,869$ 935,689$
October 414,870$ 442,586$ 437,805$ 469,977$ 509,435$ 594,032$ 642,221$ 628,049$ 601,208$ 650,101$ 711,393$ 632,733$ 889,485$ 993,400$ 986,681$ 921,418$
November 280,913$ 330,924$ 347,437$ 359,163$ 425,769$ 475,360$ 468,016$ 497,162$ 513,487$ 556,885$ 593,403$ 422,488$ 722,487$ 770,599$ 757,010$ 825,128$
December 246,684$ 274,417$ 314,784$ 319,451$ 355,315$ 391,132$ 429,600$ 434,836$ 473,701$ 488,296$ 488,757$ 236,391$ 638,253$ 628,735$ 628,260$ 637,018$
January 230,279$ 256,351$ 276,165$ 302,153$ 331,853$ 400,239$ 387,304$ 396,559$ 415,690$ 465,547$ 520,813$ 302,621$ 557,369$ 554,408$ 621,595$ 696,606$
February 273,373$ 302,246$ 323,359$ 344,160$ 366,980$ 431,510$ 466,915$ 439,735$ 503,451$ 524,327$ 596,021$ 426,144$ 716,045$ 735,450$ 687,480$ 745,586$
March 326,099$ 333,783$ 392,266$ 426,879$ 448,103$ 520,795$ 559,235$ 549,642$ 577,285$ 602,781$ 268,458$ 614,973$ 820,473$ 807,997$ 850,274$ 806,319$
April 423,158$ 451,133$ 475,913$ 486,850$ 564,617$ 610,894$ 609,439$ 708,724$ 641,919$ 741,364$ 69,184$ 742,477$ 1,068,408$ 1,056,663$ 1,025,966$ 1,034,160$
May 372,997$ 433,874$ 447,116$ 489,862$ 546,916$ 601,614$ 598,093$ 645,114$ 630,820$ 665,603$ 174,982$ 760,006$ 919,831$ 910,508$ 989,619$ 1,025,327$
June 490,326$ 512,543$ 578,234$ 610,948$ 630,729$ 727,028$ 731,038$ 765,362$ 796,899$ 835,727$ 409,945$ 973,975$ 1,100,000$ 1,160,330$ 1,201,226$ 1,317,578$
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$ 6,925,799$ 10,604,646$ 11,013,020$ 11,056,297$ 11,360,016$ 1,295,159$
2024-25 2025-26 Change +/-2024-25 2025-26 Change +/-2024-25 2025-26 Change +/-
July 83.3 81.5 -2.1%203.44 203.66 0.1%169.32 166.07 -2.0%
August 77 194.49 149.82
September 70 184.04 128.89
October 69.3 178.14 123.46
November 66.8 171.03 114.16
December 59.8 146.17 87.41
January 62.4 144.12 89.99
February 67.1 161.94 108.66
March 65.8 161.67 106.36
April 73.2 183.34 134.22
May 70 181.88 127.38
June 75.9 216.12 165.02
Total/Average 70.05 177.20$ 125.39$ Updated: 09/04/2025
Occupancy (%) ADR RevPAR*Figures from Smith Travel
Research Report
TOT Comparison
Page 11 of 79
Page 12 of 79
SLO Chamber of Commerce
Public Relations
Contract
Report to the City of San
Luis Obispo – TBID & PCC
August 2025
Page 13 of 79
SLO Chamber of Commerce
Implementation and Proactive Work
Hosted freelance writer Chris Dong in partnership with Uniquely Driven
Began planning for travel writer Christina Silvestri’s upcoming trip, in partnership with Uniquely Driven
Began planning for travel writer Ligaya Malone’s upcoming trip, in partnership with Uniquely Driven
Continued planning for travel writer Vanita Salisbury ’s upcoming trip
Continued planning for travel writer Dahvi Shira’s upcoming stay
Continued outreach to TBID stakeholders to inform Visit SLO Influencer Strategy
Continued working with the City, Noble Studios and Badger Branding on overall tourism marketing
campaign
2
Responsive Work & Partnerships
Pitching
Pitched "Spooky Fun After Dark", "All Dreams Always Welcome" and "Luxe California Adventures
for Families" story ideas to Visit California
Partnerships
Continued planning for Midweek Influencer Fam
Met Visit SLO CAL's new PR team on their immersion trip
Continued planning for ARTober with the City, Badger Branding and Verdin
Continued planning for Buy Local Bonus with the City, Badger Branding and Verdin
Continued planning for SLO Restaurant Month with the City, Badger Branding and Verdin
Central Coast Tourism Council (CCTC)
Reviewed and provided feedback for September social media content calendar
Media Features
Proactive Work
San Diego Beer News: San Luis Obispo, California Brewery Guide | UVPM: 27,393
As a result of hosting Brandon Hernandez in SLO after meeting him on 2024's SoCal Media Mission
Substack: We Found More Cheap Thrills in Great Places | UVPM: 4,285,00,000
As a result of Uniquely Driven’s pitching
Page 14 of 79
SLO Chamber of Commerce
Media Features
Media Monitoring
AUGUST TOTALS:
Placements: 10
UVPM: 81,636,772
YEAR TO DATE TOTALS:
Placements: 24
UVPM: 1,266,984,772
3
PUBLICATION PLACEMENTS UVPM
KEYT San Luis Obispo International Film Festival
Announces 2026 Dates 151,217.00
AAA'S THE EXTRA MILE 9 Small Towns to Add to Your U.S. Bucket List 770,890.00
FRESNO BEE SLO County’s only drive-in theater has hosted
movie nights for 75 years. Here’s how 448,079.00
FAMILY DESTINATIONS
GUIDE
11 Old-Timey Drive-In Theaters In California That
Are Absolutely Worth The Journey 2,128,550.00
NEWSBREAK 10 Sunniest Cities in California Perfect for Retirement 17,070,969.00
YAHOO The 9 best California cities and towns to visit, from LA to
Santa Barbara 3,586,636.00
NEWSBREAK Best California cities and towns to visit in 2025 40,409,462.00
NEWSBREAK Unusual roadside attractions that were worth the stop 17,070,969.00
Page 15 of 79
Page 16 of 79
SLO Chamber of Commerce
Guest Services
Contract
Report to the City of San
Luis Obispo
August 2025
Page 17 of 79
SLO Chamber of Commerce
VISITOR INTERACTION
August
2024
July
2025
August
2025
Walk-Ins 5,948 5,422 5,126
Phone Calls 215 150 173
Email & Digital 1,326 1,574 1,448
2
CALLS TO 877-SLO-TOWN
August
2024
July
2025
August
2025
Calls 48 55 37
HOTEL REFERRALS
August
2024
July
2025
August
2025
Referrals 115 71 56
HOTEL AVAILABILITY TRACKER
August
2024
July
2025
August
2025
Email 185 75 94
Phone Calls 146 119 142
INFORMATION REQUESTS
August
2024
July
2025
August
2025
Fullfilled 92 3 2
EVENTS SHARED
August
2025 YTD
VisitSLO.com 26 178
DEMOGRAPHIC SNAPSHOT
International Travelers
Asia 4%
Europe 50%
Australia/NZ 1%
UK 22%
North America 8%
Central America 0%
South America 15%
Domestic Travelers
West Coast 4%
Southwest 15%
Midwest 24%
South 30%
East Coast 27%
California Travelers
Northern CA 19%
Central Coast 40%
Central Valley 4%
Desert 4%
Southern CA 33%
Page 18 of 79
SLO Chamber of Commerce
Other Highlights
3
Guest Quote of the Month
“We are trying to decide what we want our matching tattoo
to be to remember our time here.”
We had a group of 6 sisters from Minnesota stop by on their
way to Farmer’s Market looking for inspiration for their
commemorative tattoo. They had a great time on their sister
trip in SLO and spontaneously decided to make sure they
never forgot it!
Cal Poly SLO Days
The Chamber partnered with Jacqui and Laura from the
City of SLO to welcome supporters of incoming Cal Poly
students and provide them with valuable information
about SLO.
Farmer’s Market
This month the Visitor Center participated in our Thursday
night Farmer’s Market to provide information as well as a few
souvenirs to our out of town visitors and local patrons.
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Page 20 of 79
SLO Marketing Activities Report
Key Performance Highlights
August 2025
At-a-Glance Highlights
● Total Website Sessions: 61,978 (-39% YoY)
● Top Traffic Source: Paid Social
● Total Lodging Referrals: 4,015 (-27% YoY)
● Top Performing Ads: YoY, SLO Life Coach Ads on paid social saw:
○ +6% engagement rate
○ +64% average session duration
○ +77% increase in website sessions
○ +85% increase in CTR
● PR Media Mentions: Travel + Leisure: This Is California’s ‘Last Great Beach Town’—
and It Has One of the Most Peaceful Beaches in the State With No Crowds
○ Total estimated reach of 41M+ as the article was syndicated across AOL
and Yahoo News Malaysia as well
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2
YTD KPI Performance
Expected Pace through August: 16.6%
Overall Performance Summary
In August 2025, Visit San Luis Obispo saw strong engagement from the new SLO Life
Coach campaign, but overall declines in traffic and lodging referral metrics compared
to August 2024. Website sessions fell 39% YoY to 61,978, and lodging referrals dropped
26% to 4,015. These declines were influenced not only by broader industry headwinds in
Organic Search—driven by the growing prevalence of AI-generated search results - but
also by the absence of last year’s Summer MidWeekend promotional campaign, which
had delivered a meaningful lift to midweek bookings (partner referrals) and traffic in
2024.
In August, Paid Social became the top traffic source. Paid social ads for SLO Life Coach
delivered standout results, including a 14% higher engagement rate and 97% higher CTR
YoY.
The move from short-term incentive promotions to an evergreen midweek strategy
supports our long-term goals but removes the short-term traffic lift seen last summer.
Next Steps: We are auditing and improving the schema on VisitSLO.com to provide
clearer context cues to search engine crawlers and enhance page visibility. We are also
developing new SLO Life Coach itinerary-style content designed to perform well in AI-
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3
generated responses and rich SERP features. We will continue monitoring the rapidly
evolving search landscape and adapt strategies to reach potential travelers in the right
channels at the right time. In addition, we plan to review August 2025 TOT performance
to gain deeper insight into visitation trends—particularly in light of the absence of the
Summer MidWeekend promotion—to better inform future campaign strategies.
Paid Media Snapshot
● Paid Search
○ Impressions: 52,434 (-13% YoY)
○ Clicks: 5,128 (+11% YoY)
○ CTR: 9.78% (+28% YoY)
○ Sessions: 5,267 (+21% YoY)
○ Lodging Referrals: 2,251 (+11% YoY)
○ Cost: $14,257 (+14% YoY)
● Paid Social (Evergreen Campaigns Only)
○ Impressions: 883,541 (-6% YoY)
○ Clicks: 33,993 (+75% YoY)
○ CTR: 3.85% (+85% YoY)
○ Sessions: 16,495 (+77% YoY)
○ Lodging Referrals: 104 (-10% YoY)
○ Cost: $9,994 (+4% YoY)
● Paid Social (With Midweekend 2024)
○ Impressions: 883,541 (-41% YoY)
○ Clicks: 33,993 (+16% YoY)
○ CTR: 3.85% (+97% YoY)
○ Sessions: 16,495 (+21% YoY)
○ Lodging Referrals: 104 (-24% YoY)
○ Cost: $9,994 (-26% YoY)
● Display, Demand Gen, & PMAX (Evergreen Campaigns Only)
○ Impressions: 1,160,032 (+3% YoY)
Page 23 of 79
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○ CTR: 0.72% (-16% YoY)
○ Clicks: 8,297 (-13% YoY)
○ Sessions: 8760 (+66% YoY)
○ Lodging Referrals: 209 (+50% YoY)
○ Cost: $4,533 (+17% YoY)
● Display, Demand Gen, & PMAX (With Midweekend 2024)
○ Impressions: 1,160,032 (-82% YoY)
○ CTR: 0.72% (+2% YoY)
○ Clicks: 8,297 (-82% YoY)
○ Sessions: 8,760 (-52% YoY)
○ Lodging Referrals: 209 (-70% YoY)
○ Cost: $4,533 (-73% YoY)
Key Insight: The new SLO Life Coach campaign has been showing significant
performance improvements across display, demand gen, PMAX, and paid social
channels when compared to the previous campaign that we ran last year, resulting in
higher click-through rates, higher engagement rates, longer time on site, and more
pages per session. While we see a large decrease in total partner referrals when
comparing against the summer MidWeekend campaign last year, our core evergreen
ads that feature midweekend messaging show drastic improvements YoY.
Audience Age Test:
In August, we ran an audience age test across Display and Paid Social campaigns to
determine the impact of raising our minimum age for our target audiences from 25 to
35. For Display, the results so far have been relatively mixed between campaigns; the
average CTR for the test campaigns was 8% lower, but the conversion rate increased by
12%, and average session duration increased by 28%.
For Paid Social, we saw a 4% decrease in CTR for the test campaigns, but a 36% increase
in conversion rate and saw a 40% increase in average session duration. The results so
far are promising but we’re continuing to run this test for a few more weeks to ensure
we’re gathering actionable data.
Page 24 of 79
5
*The chart above shows comparisons to last year’s evergreen campaigns in addition to the 2024
Summer MidWeekend Campaign. Despite not running the Summer MidWeekend in 2025, lodging
referrals only decreased 10% despite a 43% decrease in paid media spend YoY .
Owned Media Snapshot
Email Marketing
● Emails Sent: 1
● Avg. Open Rate: 48.5% (45.2% Benchmark)
● Avg. CTR: 1.1%
● Total Sessions: 608 (-29% YoY)
● Total Partner Referrals: 20 (-84% YoY)
Page 25 of 79
6
Key Insight: On Tuesday, August 19th, we sent an email highlighting California Wine
Month. There was a large interest among readers in exploring wineries in San Luis
Obispo, and we saw a 5% increase in engagement YoY, as well as a 31% increase in
average session duration. Users also visited 6% more pages this August than they did
last year. When comparing metrics YoY, we see a decrease in total sessions and lodging
Page 26 of 79
7
referrals, mostly because the August newsletter last year directly promoted the summer
MidWeekend promotional incentive.
Website
● Total Sessions: 61,978 (-39% YoY)
● Lodging Partner Referrals: 4,015 (-26% YoY)
● Avg. Pages/Session: 1.98 (+7% YoY)
● Average Session Duration: 2m 19s (+30% YoY)
● Top Lodging Referral Channels: Paid Search (56%), Organic Search (20%),
Referral (7%)
SEO + Content
● Organic Sessions: 16,377 (-34% YoY)
● Organic Partner Referrals: 2,906 (-48% YoY)
● Organic Impressions: 1.75 Mil (+5% YoY)
● Organic Clicks: 12.1K (-39% YoY)
● Organic CTR: 0.7% (-42% YoY)
● Page 1 Keywords: 4.4K (-11%)
● Sessions from LLMs (ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, etc): 173 (+1,231% YoY)
● Top Losses: things to do in San Luis Obispo, San Luis Obispo, Sunset Drive-In
Next Steps: We prompted our first new itinerary page aimed at providing in-depth,
helpful content for Cal Poly parents. This page is the first of a new strategy that works to
curate more content to our specific audiences which will help Visit SLO show up in
Google’s AI Overviews, ChatGPT, and other LLMs. We’re also working on
auditing/optimizing schema across many of our key pages, as this additional data will
become more important as we move further into the AI era of search.
Key Insight: YoY drops in Organic traffic are industry-wide and are tied to a 46%
decrease in organic CTRs related to a rapidly evolving search engine results page,
which now features AI responses and significantly more SERP features, allowing
searchers to get more information without the need to click through to a website. A
study done by Simpleview across over 400 DMOs showed that the average decrease in
Page 27 of 79
8
organic search traffic was 40% for July 2025. We’re continuing to lean into new
strategies to improve Visit SLO’s visibility in this new era of search.
Creative & Web Maintenance
Website Maintenance, Repair & Optimization (MRO)
● Theme Updates
○ PHP error fixes
○ Increased size of footer form submit button to improve ADA CWV scores (4
point jump)
○ Removed the “More Info” link from cookie banner. We don’t need it, and the
“more info” text cost us 8 points in SEO score.
○ Added margin controls to custom blocks
● Plugins and Updates
○ ACF Pro
○ Gravity Forms
○ Safe SVG
○ Yoast
Website Services
● August Website Services Efforts:
○ 3.25h out of 120 hours were utilized for August 2025 (Remaining hours:
112.50)
○ Work Accomplished: Stakeholder updates, SLO Days pulls
Creative Services
● August Creative Services Efforts:
○ 0h out of 150 hours were utilized for August 2025 (Remaining hours: 144.75)
Earned Media Activity
Earned Media Highlights
Page 28 of 79
9
Total Impressions/Circulation: 41,213,585
Placements: 5
Press Coverage
● 8/4/25: EIN News: I Live in California and This Is the Most Underrated Part of the
State—With a Stunning Stretch of Highway (Cu Fleshman – Individual FAM)
(Reach: 60,345)
● 8/21/25: Way To Go: We Found More Cheap Thrills in Great Places (Pavia Rosati)
(Reach: 75,900)
● 8/23/25: Travel + Leisure: This Is California’s ‘Last Great Beach Town’—and It Has
One of the Most Peaceful Beaches in the State With No Crowds (Reach: 10,233,649)
○ 8/23/25: Yahoo News Malaysia: This Is California’s ‘Last Great Beach
Town’—and It Has One of the Most Peaceful Beaches in the State With No
Crowds (Reach: 460,601)
○ 8/23/25: AOL: This Is California’s ‘Last Great Beach Town’—and It Has One of
the Most Peaceful Beaches in the State With No Crowds (Reach: 30,383,090)
Upcoming Individual Press Trips:
● October 1-4: Ligaya Malones (San Diego Magazine, Lonely Planet, Travel + Leisure)
Page 29 of 79
Page 30 of 79
August 2025
SLO TBID - SHARESLO
ORGANIC SOCIAL REPORT
Date: 09/03/25Page 31 of 79
Followers: 40,539 ( 2.6%)
Total Net Growth: 1,022
Total Posts: 195
Total Views: 580,961 ( 35.5%)
Total stories: 178
Total Engagements: 11,618 ( 1.8%)
Engagement Rate: 2% ( 27%)
INSTAGRAM
In August, we saw an increase in followers and views. We saw a slight decrease in engagements and engagement rate, but they
remain within the industry standard of success. There is a disclaimer from Meta at the bottom of this page for your consideration.
TOP POSTS:
Page 32 of 79
Page Followers: 107,345 ( 5.8%)
Total Net Audience Growth: 5,837
Total Posts: 17
Total Impressions: 1,477,245 ( 106%)
Total Organic: 763,697 ( 84%)
Total Engagements: 20,320 ( 250%)
Engagement Rate: 1.4% ( 70%)
FACEBOOK
TOP POSTS:
In August, we saw an increase in page followers by 5.8k new followers! We saw an increase in impressions by 106%,
engagements by 250%, and engagement rate by 70%. We are very happy that our new Hub ‘n’ Spoke series was the top
performer on this platform.
Page 33 of 79
Followers: 2,646 ( 9%)
Followers Gained: 213
Impressions: 41,768 ( 52%)
Engagement: 3,089 ( 49%)
Engagement Rate: 7.4% ( 7%)
In August, we saw an increase in followers and engagement rate. We saw a decrease in impressions and engagements due to the
viral Tiktok from last month slowing down. We are still very happy with the success from this platform. The 41k impressions
mostly comes from the viral video from last month still growing.
TIKTOK
TOP POSTS:
Page 34 of 79
Total Audience: 485 ( 1.5%)
Total Net Growth: 7
Total Posts: 4
Impressions: 496 ( 15%)
Engagements: 35 ( 15%)
Engagement Rate: 7.1% ( .3 %)
LINKEDIN
TOP POSTS:
In August, we saw an increase in followers and engagement rate. We saw a decrease in impressions and engagements. Top
performing posts were about photo opportunities in SLO, Central Coast adventure in SLO, & Wine in SLO.
Page 35 of 79
Impressions: 2.02k ( 112%)
Engagements: 101 ( 188%)
Outbound Clicks: 3
Saves: 33 ( 266%)
Total Audience: 1.23k ( 84%)
Engaged Audience: 71 ( 184%)
PINTEREST
In August, we performed a trial of mirroring Instagram posts to Pinterest and saw great success. We plan to discuss
continuing this strategy with Staff at our next monthly check-in.
TOP POSTS:
Page 36 of 79
WHAT WE WORKED ON THIS MONTH:
- Viral Trend Reel Continues to Grow
- IG & FB : July (886k Views) —> August (1.4M Views)
-Tiktok : July (69.7k Views) —> August (86.1k Views)
-2 Ticket Tuesdays
-SLO Rep Theatre & PACSLO
-Hub ‘n’ Spoke Series : Santa Margarita Adventures Collaboration (51.9k Views)
-Two Successful Trends
-The Summer I Spent in San Luis Obispo (16.9k Views)
-SLO Sunsets Favorite Color (3.9k Views)
-Addressed the Fires in SLO County
-Stay & Dine Michelin Guide Reel (17.4k Views)
-New Businesses in SLO Reel (23.6k Views)
-SLO Life Coach & SLO Life Tip Reels & Stories
-Sharing PR Placements on Stories w/ Links & Created News Highlight
-Sharing Stories Directly Linking to Visitslo.com Blog Pages Page 37 of 79
SEPTEMBER’S FOCUS:
- Hub ‘n’ Spoke Series Continues - Avila Valley Barn
- Art After Dark Feature
- Local Legends / Cal Poly Alumni Businesses
-MidWeekend Wine Tasting Reel
-Ticket Tuesday Giveaways
- Cafe Roma Gift Cards & SLO Brew Concert
-Sustainable SLO carousel
-Local’s Guide to SLO
-Cozy Coffee Shops in SLO
-Blast to the Past - Retro SLO
-SLO Life Tip Reel
-New Businesses in SLO
-Upcoming Events in SLO
-National Burger Day / Burgers in SLO Page 38 of 79
THANK YOU!
Page 39 of 79
Page 40 of 79
SLO TBID ANNUAL REPORT
2024-2025
Page 41 of 79
Background . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3
Advisory Body . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3
Advisory Body Bylaws . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4
2024-2025 Year By The Numbers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5
Strategic Plan Implementation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6
Constituent Relations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8
Sustainability . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9
Partnering for Impact . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10
Marketing Activities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Brand Strategy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12
Brand Platform . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13
Brand Campaign . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14
Brand Promotions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15
Website . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16
SEO . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16
Digital Media . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17
Email Marketing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17
Print Advertising . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18
Social Media . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19
Public Relations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20
Guest Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21
Events . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22
Strategic Partnerships . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .23
Industry Relations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24
2024-2025 Awards & Accolades . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .25
Financial Statement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .26
Looking Ahead . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .27
Appendix . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .28
TOT Chart For 2024-2025 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .28
TOT Distribution For 2024-2025 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .28
TOT Month To Month 2024-2025 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .39
OCC Month To Month . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .29
ADR Month To Month . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .30
REVPAR Month To Month . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .30
Strategic Imperatives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .31
CONTENTS
Page 42 of 79
SLO TBID Annual Report 2024-2025 3
In June 2008, the City Council adopted Ordinance 1517, establishing the Tourism Business Improvement District (TBID)
in the City of San Luis Obispo as requested by the local lodging industry . The assessment of 2% of gross receipts for
the district became effective on October 1, 2008, and the use of funds as defined in Section 12 .42 .030 of the Municipal
Code states:
“This ordinance is made and enacted pursuant to the provisions of the Parking and Business Improvement
Area Law of 1989 (Sections 36500 et seq . of the California Streets and Highways Code) . The purpose of forming
the district as a business improvement area under the Parking and Business Improvement Area Law of 1989
is to provide revenue to defray the costs of services, activities and programs promoting tourism which will
benefit the operators of hotels in the district through the promotion of scenic, recreational, cultural and other
attractions in the district as a tourist destination .”
The use of the assessment fund is based on the recommendation of the Tourism Business Improvement District
advisory board (TBID Board) which is staffed by City of San Luis Obispo hotel owners, operators and/or managers .
The board members are appointed by the City Council and serve for an initial term of four years with the opportunity
to serve a second term for a maximum of eight years .
2024-2025 TBID Board Members
BACKGROUND
ADVISORY BODY
*Lydia Bates served as Chair for a portion of FY 2024-25 .
**Clint Pearce served as Vice Chair and also served as acting Chair
for a portion of FY2024-25 following Lydia Bates’ resignation .
NAME PROPERTY STATUS TERM CONCLUDES
Clint Pearce**Madonna Inn Appointed May 2022 3/31/2026
Lydia Bates*Hotel San Luis Obispo Appointed September 2022 Resigned 5/14/2025
Winston Newland Quality Suites Appointed April 2022 Resigned 2/28/2025
Lori Keller Apple Farm Inn Appointed June 2022 3/31/2026
Prashant Patel Vagabond Appointed September 2022 3/31/2029
Nipool Patel Lamplighter Inn & Suites Appointed October 2023 3/31/2028
Christine Nelson TownePlace Suites Appointed April 2025 3/31/2027
Dante Specchierla Petit Soleil Appointed April 2025 3/31/2029
Page 43 of 79
SLO TBID Annual Report 2024-2025 4
In addition to the governing City ordinance, the TBID Board established its advisory body bylaws and further
defined its role and functions as:
The functions and duties of the TBID Board shall include, but not be limited to, the following:
A . Planning a comprehensive program to promote tourism to the City of San Luis Obispo and prepare an
annual marketing program consistent with industry goals and objectives .
B . Develop advertising and promotional programs and projects to benefit the lodging industry in
San Luis Obispo .
C . Present an annual assessment report to the City Council regarding the implemented promotional
programs and projects .
D . Perform any other lawful tasks as directed by the Council .
The TBID Board meets monthly on the second Wednesday at 10 a .m . for its regular board meeting . In fiscal
year 2024 -25 the board approved the formation of marketing and management subcommittees in lieu of a
second monthly special meeting . The marketing subcommittee meets monthly on the fourth Wednesday while
the management subcommittee meets monthly on the fourth Thursday of every month . In total, the Board
met 15 times for regularly scheduled monthly board meetings and special meetings during the fiscal year and
held 7 subcommittee meetings and one member event—representing an average of 45 volunteer hours annually
per each of the seven board members .
ADVISORY BODY BYLAWS
Page 44 of 79
SLO TBID Annual Report 2024-2025 5
In the 2024 -25 fiscal year, the City of San Luis Obispo again collected a record-breaking figure of transient occupancy
tax (TOT) totaling just over $11 .3 million . This number represents nearly a 4% increase over the City’s adopted revenue
assumption . San Luis Obispo saw five $1 million revenue-collection months in July, August, April, May and June . This
incredible contribution of TOT revenue to the City’s General Fund is one of the direct benefits of tourism for the City, as
the full collection of TOT revenue is retained by the City . Separately, the TBID retains the revenue collected through its
special assessment of 2%, which in FY 24-25 resulted in nearly $2 .2 million - 4% higher than initial fiscal year projections .
The fiscal year 2024-25 occupancy level in the City slightly increased by nearly 3% compared to the 2023-24 fiscal year,
with an average annual occupancy rate of 70% for the year . This growth reflects a continued recovery in overnight
travel, with the average occupancy rate now approaching the pre-pandemic level of just below 71% seen in the
2018-19 fiscal year .
The growth of the Average Daily Rate (ADR) in the City has stabilized . In fiscal year 2024-25, the annual ADR was
approximately $177 . This rate is relatively flat compared to the previous year (a 0 .2% increase) but remains $24
higher than the pre-pandemic year of 2018-19 . However, the current ADR is below the peak of $195 achieved in
fiscal year 2021-22 .
The last key indicator used by the TBID to gauge impact is RevPAR, defined as Revenue Per Available Room .
In the 2024 -25 fiscal year, the annual average RevPAR was up nearly 3% from the prior year at the rate of $125 .39
on average .
While these numbers present a snapshot status of lodging properties, the TBID Board also tracks visitation
to the downtown Visitor Center to represent the foot traffic . In fiscal year 2024-25, the Visitor Center served
approximately 74,000 guests .
2024‑25 YEAR BY THE NUMBERS
CHECK THE APPENDIX FOR COMPLETE GRAPHS (GRAPHS FOR TOT/ADR/REVPAR/OCC)
MEASUREMENT FY 2024-25 RESULT % CHANGE FROM FY 2024-25
TOT $11,340,583.00 +2.6%
TBID Revenue $2,267,292.00 +2.6%
Occupancy 70.05%+2.9%
ADR $177.18 +0.2%
RevPAR $125.39 +2.9%
Page 45 of 79
SLO TBID Annual Report 2024-2025 6
In the fall of 2024, the TBID Board undertook a significant effort to establish a refreshed Strategic Plan that will
guide efforts from 2025 through 2030 . This foundational work included a dedicated workshop led by Whereabout, a
destination consultancy specializing in stewardship, which facilitated a comprehensive session to align the TBID Board
around a shared vision and strategic direction .
The resulting 5-year Strategic Plan provides a clear and unified framework for the Board’s priorities and decision-
making . It outlines the TBID’s key roles in stewarding the Visit San Luis Obispo brand, representing its lodging partners
and driving overnight visitation through targeted marketing strategies, strategic partnerships and destination
advocacy .
Central to the plan are four newly defined Strategic Objectives that will shape the TBID’s focus over the 2025-2030
period:
• Ensure Organizational Excellence
• Deliver Smart Growth
• Build Meaningful Partnerships
• Activate the SLO Life
Each Strategic Objective is supported by specific strategies and measurable indicators of success, ensuring
accountability and progress over time . Throughout this annual report, examples of accomplishments aligned with
these objectives are highlighted, demonstrating the TBID Board’s commitment to implementing the Strategic Plan
and advancing the long-term vitality of San Luis Obispo’s tourism economy .
CHECK THE APPENDIX TO VIEW THE FULL TBID 2025-2030 STRATEGIC PLAN MATRIX
STRATEGIC PLAN IMPLEMENTATION
Page 46 of 79
SLO TBID Annual Report 2024-2025 7
As a commitment to the Strategic Objective to “Ensure Organizational Excellence” the TBID Board continued to
support constituent-relations efforts in 2024-25 . To keep the lodging constituency abreast of all TBID business, the TBID
Board was assigned properties to liaise . Each board member was responsible for communication with their respective
group of hotels and then asked to report their findings during the “Hotelier Update” portion of each Board meeting .
The TBID also leveraged the outreach support of the SLO Chamber’s contracted services to perform weekly lodging
call-arounds and quarterly hotel visits . This resulted in 2,927 touchpoints with San Luis Obispo hotels through phone
calls, emails and property visits to distribute important visitor-serving collateral .
In addition, the TBID hosted a partner reception in February 2025 to encourage networking and share updates on TBID
projects and programs, including a sneak peek of the new SLO Life Coach brand campaign . In post-event surveys,
constituents rated the presentation and updates from the TBID and partners—as well as the ability to network—as
most valuable .
In addition to creating opportunities for networking and education, the TBID also created marketing resources to
support the lodging properties’ connection to promotional efforts . Visit San Luis Obispo’s MidWeekend promotion to
support off-peak, shoulder-season travel was once again turned into a toolkit that was shared with lodging properties
to utilize across their own channels . In addition to the marketing efforts of the TBID, the toolkit allowed individual
properties to utilize draft messaging and promotional creative to more easily speak to their audiences, incentivizing
travel to their property and San Luis Obispo .
CONSTITUENT RELATIONS
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SLO TBID Annual Report 2024-2025 8
DIVERSITY, EQUITY AND INCLUSION
The TBID is proud to stand with the global movement to advance diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI), and it prioritizes
these values through thoughtful marketing and business strategies . In partnership with destination organizations
such as Visit SLO CAL, the TBID is committed to reinforcing San Luis Obispo’s identity as a welcoming and inclusive
destination for all .
As an active ally, the TBID listens, learns and evolves to meet the growing call for more intentional and authentic
engagement . At the heart of the organization’s mission is a deep-rooted belief in the dignity and worth of all
individuals—across race and ethnicity, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, national origin, language,
age, abilities, veteran status, pregnancy status and spiritual or religious beliefs .
As part of its commitment to DEI, the TBID welcomed a new public relations partner in 2024: Uniquely Driven, a firm
recognized for its expertise in multicultural marketing . This partnership has played a vital role in expanding the TBID’s
reach to more diverse audiences, ensuring inclusive storytelling and broader representation in media and PR efforts .
The TBID’s commitment to DEI is reflected through tourism marketing initiatives such as:
• Creating content that resonates with and reflects diverse audiences
• Showcasing the authentic diversity of San Luis Obispo through inclusive imagery, narratives and community
partnerships
• Leveraging paid, earned and owned media channels to engage wider, more representative audiences
• Offering destination materials in Spanish to foster accessibility and inclusion
• Amplifying the voices and visibility of diverse-owned businesses
• Building and maintaining strategic relationships, including the partnership with the Gala Pride & Diversity
Center
Through these efforts, the TBID continues to foster a tourism environment that reflects the full richnessof San Luis
Obispo—and ensures all who visit or live here feel welcomed, respected and celebrated .
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SLO TBID Annual Report 2024-2025 9
SUSTAINABILITY
Visit San Luis Obispo’s brand vision is to be known as a tourism organization that balances business and sustainability .
In doing so, the TBID supports the City’s ambitious 2035 carbon neutrality goal while striving to serve as a model for
sustainable tourism leadership . San Luis Obispo is more than just a beautiful place to visit—it’s a destination deeply
committed to preserving its natural beauty for generations to come .
Sustainability is woven into the very fabric of the community and is a key differentiator in attracting conscientious
travelers . Through its initiatives, partnerships and marketing strategies, Visit San Luis Obispo works to embed
sustainability into every aspect of the tourism experience—ensuring that the destination remains vibrant, responsible
and resilient .
A central pillar of this work is the Sustainable SLO sub-brand, developed to create a consistent visual and messaging
identity that resonates with both visitors and locals . From this foundation emerged the Keys for Trees program, a
meaningful initiative that brings visibility to the City’s climate goals while facilitating real-world impact through tree
planting and education .
In FY 2024–25, the TBID significantly amplified its sustainability efforts through several key initiatives:
• Partnering with Kind Traveler, a responsible travel platform, to engage their sustainability-focused audience
and expand the reach of San Luis Obispo’s eco-conscious offerings .
• Continuing the Keys for Trees program, developed to help offset the carbon impact of travel; 1% of the TBID’s
projected revenue supported local tree planting in partnership with the City’s Office of Sustainability
and Natural Resources and EcoSLO .
• Launching a short-form educational video to raise awareness of the Keys for Trees program .
• Integrating sustainability messaging into the new SLO Life Coach campaign .
• Supporting citywide collaborations, including efforts with Solid Waste and Parks & Recreation to co-brand
Big Belly trash receptacles and enhance signage at trailheads .
• Promoting off-season and mid-week travel through the Midweekend campaign and messaging tactics, which
encourages lower-impact visitation and helps distribute tourism more evenly throughout the year .
• Hosting a sustainability-themed familiarization trip with Kind Traveler featuring four Southern California-based
content
creators, which generated strong social reach and culminated in a hands-on community tree-planting
experience .
These efforts not only elevated the visibility of Sustainable SLO, but also reinforced Visit San Luis Obispo’s ongoing
commitment to environmental stewardship . While the initiative serves as a cornerstone of this commitment, it is just
the beginning . The TBID will continue to support the City’s sustainability objectives through intentional programming,
passionate partnerships and a long-term vision for a thriving, sustainable destination .
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SLO TBID Annual Report 2024-2025 10
PARTNERING FOR IMPACT
CONTRACTED AGENCY PARTNERS:
Noble Studios Uniquely Driven SLO Chamber of
Commerce
Badger Branding
Executing a year-round marketing strategy requires not only expertise, but close collaboration . The TBID works
alongside City Staff and a dedicated team of contracted partners to ensure cohesive, creative and performance-
driven marketing across all efforts . Each agency brings specialized capabilities that, together, create a fully integrated
marketing ecosystem .
Regular coordination, shared strategic planning and cross-functional execution between the TBID and its partners
ensure that all tourism marketing elements—from media buying to public relations to social content—are aligned in
tone, message and purpose .
Agency-of-record
leading integrated
marketing strategy, brand
development, creative
direction, campaign
execution and media
planning/buying .
National public relations
agency focused on
multicultural marketing
and audience-specific
storytelling .
PR and guest services
partner, supporting media
relations and in-market
visitor experience .
Content marketing partner
responsible for developing
and managing organic
social media content across
Share SLO channels .
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SLO TBID Annual Report 2024-2025 11
MARKETING ACTIVITIES
To effectively influence travel decisions, the TBID’s marketing strategy is intentionally mapped to the traveler journey—
from the earliest stages of dreaming to the final step of sharing . By leveraging a multi-channel approach, the TBID
ensures that Visit San Luis Obispo messaging reaches audiences at the right time, with the right content, through the
right platforms .
This integrated strategy spans a wide mix of tactics, including paid media, public relations, social media, content
marketing and website engagement—each tailored to key touchpoints in the traveler’s experience .
• Aim to create
brand awareness
& connection
• Create shareable
content that
inspires travel
• Bring prospects
to the website
to encourage
research and
discovery about
what makes the
destination special
and unique
• Help prospective
travelers plan
with destination-
specific content
• Encourage
travelers to visit
key stakeholder
pages to book &
plan their trip
SERVICES
• Organic Social
• Paid Social
• Display Ads
• Email
• PR
• Influencers
SERVICES
• Website Experience
• Organic Search
• Paid Search
• Organic Social
• Paid Social
• Display Ads
• 3rd Party Ads
• Email
• Public Relations
• Print
SERVICES
• Organic Search
• Paid Search
• Paid Social
• 3rd Party Ads
• Website
Experience
• Email
SERVICES
• Website
Experience
• Email
• Organic Social
• Visitor Center
SERVICES
• Organic Social
• Keep the
conversation
going to amplify
our message
• Utilize website to
plan in-destination
moments and
activities
• Find up-to-date
travel information
DREAMING PLANNING BOOKING EXPERIENCING SHARING
MARKETING ACTIVITIES BY STAGE OF TRAVELER’S JOURNEY
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SLO TBID Annual Report 2024-2025 12
POSITION
(Distinctly stand out
among competition)
PROMISE
(Clear messaging and
identity that connects)
PURPOSE + PERSONALITY + PRINCIPLES
(United brand & culture)
BRAND STRATEGY
Visit San Luis Obispo is the official tourism brand for the destination . The inclusion of “Visit” is an intentional choice,
clearly signaling the brand’s purpose as a tourism entity and inviting travelers to experience and explore San Luis
Obispo . The Visit San Luis Obispo brand supports the TBID’s mission to share the abundance of SLO, drive prosperity
to the lodging economy and serve as the voice of all stakeholders .
In FY 2024–25, Visit San Luis Obispo branding was consistently applied across all marketing initiatives to ensure a
cohesive and unified brand presence . The brand book outlines what the destination marketing organization stands
for, how it benefits travelers and locals and why it stands out . It captures the brand’s essence and spirit, and outlines
how the brand comes to life visually, verbally and culturally . It includes everything from messaging, logo usage and
color palettes to brand philosophies, values and partnership examples .
At its core, the brand book reinforces a powerful distinction: while putting heads in beds is Visit San Luis Obispo’s
business purpose, putting hearts in beds is its brand purpose . The organization exists to share everything San Luis
Obispo stands for—so that visitors connect emotionally, care for the community as their own and return time and
time again .
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SLO TBID Annual Report 2024-2025 13
PURPOSE
HEARTS IN BEDS
If putting “heads in beds” is our business purpose, putting
“hearts in beds” is our brand purpose . We live to share
all that San Luis Obispo stands for so we can emotionally
connect with and welcome people who will fall in love
with our community in such a way that they actually
become part of it, caring for it like they live here and
returning time and time again .
PROMISE
A CHANCE TO LIVE THE SLO LIFE
The “SLO Life” is a deep breath that releases life’s
pressures . It’s a change of pace . It’s a fresh take . It’s a warm
embrace . It’s a feeling of comfort and calm in a welcoming
place filled with a special energy, connection, creativity
and a wholehearted spirit . You can feel the “SLO Life” wrap
its arms around you and pull you close . It’s tangible . And
you’ll never want to let that feeling go, so you live the “SLO
Life” to its fullest while you’re here and take a piece of it
with you when you head back home .
POSITION
HOMEBASE AWAY FROM HOME
You don’t just visit SLO on vacation, you become part
of our community and culture, an honorary local . The
welcoming waves hello, neighborly nods and small-town
California charm instantly make you feel comfortable and
allow you to start living the “SLO Life .” As you immerse
yourself in our city, you bond with it and start to feel a
sense of belonging that blends with the beauty of life’s
stresses being released because you’re away–it truly feels
like a home away from home . And with the beaches,
iconic sites and stunning beauty of the world-class Central
Coast nearby, it’s also an incredible homebase during your
vacation . SLO is the ideal homebase away from home .
BRAND PLATFORM
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SLO TBID Annual Report 2024-2025 14
BRAND CAMPAIGN
In FY 2024–25, Visit San Luis Obispo took a bold step forward in evolving its core brand message with the development
and launch of the SLO Life Coach campaign . This creative platform builds on the success of the established brand line,
“Live the SLO Life,” which has served as a powerful anchor for the destination’s messaging over the past few years .
The SLO Life Coach campaign marked a significant investment in creative storytelling and brand amplification . It
introduced a fresh, personified expression of the Visit San Luis Obispo brand—embodied by a charismatic, laid-
back and witty character who shares “SLO Life Tips” with charm and a touch of bold energy . As a personality-driven
approach, the SLO Life Coach brings the brand to life in a way that’s relatable, engaging and distinctly San Luis Obispo .
Launched at the tail end of FY 2024–25, the campaign represented a major milestone . It was seamlessly integrated
across Visit San Luis Obispo’s owned, earned and paid media channels, supported by refreshed brand visuals and
optimized landing pages tailored to target audiences . This cross-channel execution helped ensure brand consistency
and impact at every stage of the traveler journey .
The SLO Life Coach is more than a campaign—it’s an invitation to experience San Luis Obispo in a deeper, more
personal way . As the campaign continues to roll out in the year ahead, it will remain a key tool in showcasing the
destination’s welcoming spirit and reinforcing what it truly means to “Live the SLO Life .”
DISPLAY ADS
META ADS
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SLO TBID Annual Report 2024-2025 15
PROMOTIONS
Encouraging midweek travel continues to be a strategic priority for the TBID to support their Strategic Objective and
commitment to Deliver Smart Growth and sustainable tourism practices . By driving visitation outside of peak periods,
the MidWeekend initiative helps support lodging businesses while easing pressure during high-demand times .
1 | Summer MidWeekend Promotion
(July–August 2024)
In the summer of 2024, the MidWeekend promotional
campaign returned to help drive midweek stays in San
Luis Obispo . From July 1 to August 31, visitors who booked
a qualifying two-night midweek stay (Sunday–Thursday)
at participating TBID properties received a $100 cash
incentive . The promotional campaign was integrated
across owned, earned and paid marketing initiatives .
Key results from the promotional campaign included:
• 462 Midweek Room Nights Booked
• $90,288 Booking Revenue Across SLO’s Lodging
Properties
3 | Mayoral Declaration & Middle Name Giveaway (April 2025)
To support this strategic evolution and help drive shoulder-season
visitation, Mayor Erica A . Stewart officially declared San Luis Obispo
the MidWeekend Vacation Capital of the World . To mark the occasion
and generate awareness, Visit San Luis Obispo launched the Middle
Name Giveaway in April 2025, inviting travelers whose middle name
(or a variation of “Luis”) matched the city's namesake to enter for a
chance to win a midweek vacation . The promotion was supported
through dedicated paid media placements, PR outreach, social
amplification and featured on VisitSLO .com .
Key results included:
• 350 Newsletter Sign-Ups (Giveaway Entries)
• 191,136 Page Views
• 78 Lodging Partner Referrals on VisitSLO .com
2 | Strategic MidWeekend Evolution
Following the success of the summer promotion and
in recognition of the need for a year-round approach to
midweek travel, the TBID made a strategic decision in the
latter half of FY 2024–25 to evolve MidWeekend into an
evergreen campaign . This pivot moved away from short-
term cash incentives in favor of sustained, brand-forward
messaging integrated into the broader brand campaign .
The shift supports an “always-on” strategy designed to
build long-term travel habits and align with Visit San Luis
Obispo’s broader brand values .
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SLO TBID Annual Report 2024-2025 16
WEBSITE
SEO
VisitSLO .com serves as the City’s official tourism website and is the primary digital platform for promoting
the destination . While designed primarily for consumers, it also provides valuable resources for travel trade
professionals, meeting planners, TBID members and media . As the central hub of Visit San Luis Obispo’s
marketing efforts, all campaigns and communications are strategically connected to and supported by the
website—making it the cornerstone of the organization’s digital presence .
Search Engine Optimization (SEO) remains essential to driving visibility, authority and engagement for VisitSLO .
com . By deepening content and optimizing key pages, SEO efforts support the site’s discoverability and the
broader effectiveness of Visit San Luis Obispo’s digital strategy .
In FY 2024–25, SEO performance was challenged by rapid shifts in the search landscape—particularly the rise of
AI-generated results and evolving formats on Search Engine Results Pages (SERPs) .
Despite these changes, a proactive and comprehensive SEO strategy continued to deliver results . Strengthened
technical foundations and content authority ensured Visit San Luis Obispo remained discoverable by the right
audiences at the right time .
25%
Increase in Overall
Traffic
13%
Increase in Average
Session Duration
33%
Increase Things To Do Partner
Referrals (39,179 vs 29,439)
26%
Increase in Hotel Partner
Referrals (43,923 vs 34,758)
26%
Increase in New
Users
2%
Increase in Newsletter
Sign Ups (1,006 vs 804)
WEBSITE PERFORMANCE YOY
2%
Increase in Organic
Traffic
11%
Increase in Pages per
Session
8%
Increase in Organic Hotel
Partner Referrals (10,168 vs
9,427)
19%
Increase in Average Session
Duration
SEO PERFORMANCE YOY
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SLO TBID Annual Report 2024-2025 17
DIGITAL MEDIA
Visit San Luis Obispo significantly expanded its digital media strategy, supported by a 24% increase in paid media
budget compared to the previous year . This investment allowed for greater emphasis on upper-funnel awareness-
building tactics while continuing to balance performance-driven, lower-funnel strategies aimed at driving bookings
and measurable conversions . This approach directly supports the TBID’s Strategic Objective to Deliver Smart Growth,
ensuring both long-term brand health and near-term economic impact .
Our digital media efforts employed an integrated, cross-channel strategy designed to connect with travelers at
all stages of their journey . Campaigns were informed by performance data and market insights to optimize reach,
relevance and return on investment .
EMAIL MARKETING
Visit San Luis Obispo continued to deepen subscriber engagement by integrating branded content like SLO Life Tips,
exclusive promotions and introducing the SLO Life Coach . Email remained a key channel for delivering personalized
travel inspiration to key audience segments, guided by performance insights . Tactics such as gated content, giveaways
and prominent sign-up opportunities across VisitSLO .com supported steady list growth while fostering strong
connections with both new and existing subscribers .
57%
Increase in Paid Traffic
38%
Increase in Paid Social Click-
Through Rate
56.7 Million
Total Paid Impressions
10.2%
Paid Search Click-Through Rate
(Benchmark 8 .7%)
54%
Increase in Google Ads Partner Referrals
42%
Increase in Google Ads and Facebook
Clicks
50%
Average Newsletter Open Rate
(45 .2% Industry Benchmark)
11,645
Sessions Driven to VisitSLO .com
16
Total Emails Sent
48%
Growth in Newsletter Subscribers
Email Marketing Performance YOY
Digital Media Performance YOY
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SLO TBID Annual Report 2024-2025 18
PRINT ADVERTISING
Visit San Luis Obispo continued to include limited print placements within its media mix . While digital remains the
primary focus, strategic print advertising served as a valuable tool to reach niche and mature market segments,
reinforcing travel inspiration and supporting broader brand awareness efforts .
Print Placements Included:
• Cal Poly Program Ad & Visiting Teams Guide
• Central Coast Tourism Council Map (cover & listing)
• Certified Folder destination-brochure distribution
• Visit California Visitors Guide
• Visit SLO CAL Visitors Guide
• SLO International Film Festival Program Guide
Certified Folder
destination-brochure
distribution
SLO International Film Festival
Program Guide
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SLO TBID Annual Report 2024-2025 19
SOCIAL MEDIA
@ShareSLO—Visit San Luis Obispo’s official social media presence—continued to be a powerful platform for engaging
locals and inspiring visitors through dynamic, trend-driven and brand-aligned content . In FY 2024–25, efforts expanded
reach and engagement across platforms, introduced new content formats and integrated key brand campaigns
including SLO Life Coach, MidWeekend and SLO Restaurant Month .
Social Media Highlights:
• Nearly 7,000 new organic followers across all
platforms
• Produced 170 original Reels, executed 26
giveaways and facilitated 88 collaborations
• Maintained a cohesive visual aesthetic across
Reels covers, Linktree, banners and Highlights
• Established successful content series including
Generational To-Dos and SLO Fine Dining
• Increased community engagement through
Ticket Tuesday giveaways and campaign support
Top Performing Content:
• Cozy Cafes in SLO
154k IG views | 40 .7k TikTok views
• Reservoir Canyon Waterfall
122k IG views | 57 .4k TikTok views
Visit San Luis Obispo Social Media Channels:
Cozy Cafes in
SLO Reel
Sunset Drive-
In Reel
Reservoir Canyon
Waterfall Reel
Demure
Trend Reel
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SLO TBID Annual Report 2024-2025 20
PUBLIC RELATIONS
Visit San Luis Obispo maintained its shared public relations model through a joint contract between the TBID and
the Promotional Coordinating Committee (PCC) with the San Luis Obispo Chamber of Commerce . This collaborative
approach was strengthened by the addition of Uniquely Driven, a national PR agency specializing in multicultural
marketing . The SLO Chamber focused on regional outreach, while Uniquely Driven led national efforts—working
together to implement an integrated PR strategy .
Together, these partners executed a comprehensive program aimed at building awareness, securing high-quality
media coverage and amplifying the Visit San Luis Obispo brand by highlighting the community’s unique character and
vitality .
Our PR strategy this year included 19 individual media visits and the coordination of two group familiarization (FAM)
trips . One of these, a sustainability-themed FAM in partnership with Kind Traveler, brought four Southern California-
based content creators to San Luis Obispo . The trip delivered strong social media reach and concluded with a
community tree-planting event aligned with the Keys for Trees initiative . The second group FAM welcomed five
journalists and showcased the "Essence of SLO(w) Travel," spotlighting the destination's unique, mindful pace and
immersive local experiences .
Collectively, these PR efforts resulted in 84 media placements, generating over 6 .7 billion impressions . Coverage
appeared in prominent national and regional outlets such as National Geographic, Forbes, Thrillist, USA Today, NBC Los
Angeles, La Opinión, Travel + Leisure, Sacramento Bee and AARP .
With the PR landscape continuing to evolve—marked by newsroom reductions and a growing reliance on freelancers—
Visit San Luis Obispo is exploring new media formats such as satellite interviews, advertorials and pay-to-play
opportunities to ensure sustained visibility and reach .
6,717,238,130
Circulation
6.7
Billion Media Impressions
84
Total Number of Placements
PR Performance
Travel & Leisure Feature
USA Today 10Best Feature
Men's Journal Feature
Page 60 of 79
SLO TBID Annual Report 2024-2025 21
GUEST SERVICES
Through a dedicated contract with the TBID, the San Luis Obispo Chamber of Commerce continues to provide a
comprehensive suite of guest services that support Visit San Luis Obispo’s mission to create welcoming experiences for
travelers .
In FY 2024–25, the Visitor Center served as a key resource for prospective and in-destination visitors, providing
personalized guidance and hospitality across multiple touchpoints . The center welcomed 73,999 walk-in visitors,
responded to 16,066 digital inquiries (via email and web chat) and fielded 2,592 phone calls throughout the year .
Included in this service offering is the 1-877-SLO-TOWN line—a dedicated phone number tied directly to Visit San Luis
Obispo’s marketing efforts . This line, managed by Chamber staff, provides live assistance to travelers planning their
trips and is used exclusively to promote San Luis Obispo lodging properties and experiences . In FY 2024–25, the line
handled 411 calls, offering friendly, real-time support to visitors looking for tailored trip planning .
These guest services play an essential role in extending the Visit San Luis Obispo brand, ensuring travelers receive
personalized attention and up-to-date destination information .
PLACEHOLDER
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SLO TBID Annual Report 2024-2025 22
EVENTS
Destination events continued to play a key role in attracting visitors to San Luis Obispo . The TBID Board reviewed
funding requests on a case-by-case basis, using the established application process .
Events Sponsored:
• VINEYARD TEAM, SUSTAINABLE AG EXPO — NOVEMBER 11-13, 2024
The Sustainable Ag Expo was a three-day, mid-week, off-season educational symposium and tradeshow
attracting over 500 wine industry professionals to San Luis Obispo . The Expo in 2024 marked the 19th year of
the event . Visit San Luis Obispo sponsored lodging for event speakers and presenters and was featured in event
promotions .
• MISSION COLLEGE PREP HIGH SCHOOL, MISSION PREP CHRISTMAS CLASSIC — DECEMBER 19-23, 2024
The Mission Prep Christmas Classic is a four-day premier California High School Basketball tournament
featuring some of the best high school basketball players from the state and beyond . The event draws a
majority of out-of-area attendees and livestreams to thousands more . Visit San Luis Obispo was the exclusive
lodging partner, providing hotel accommodations for visiting teams in exchange for inclusion in event
advertising .
• SLO INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL, 31ST FESTIVAL — APRIL 24-29, 2025
The 31st edition of the San Luis Obispo International Film Festival hosted a six-day event and screened over
100 films throughout the week . The event featured a VIP Festival Lounge, Red Carpet events, live music,
educational conversations with filmmakers and industry leaders and capstone events each night that brought
the community together to celebrate the arts and expose our audience to important topics around the world .
Visit San Luis Obispo supported the festival in various promotional ways including funding and managing the
out-of-area paid media campaign, funding to provide lodging for filmmakers, media and industry professionals
and promoting a complimentary See + Stay film fest package in exchange for overnight reservations .
• GALA PRIDE & DIVERSITY CENTER, PRIDE AND CULTURAL PROGRAM — YEAR ROUND
The TBID maintained its legacy partnership with the Gala Pride & Diversity Center in FY 2024–25, supporting
both the annual Central Coast Pride celebration and year-round Pride & Cultural programming . Visit San Luis
Obispo remained committed to amplifying authentic, community-rooted storytelling—collaborating with Gala
to help develop LGBTQIA+ content for VisitSLO .com . The partnership also included promotion of Central Coast
Pride through owned channels and select paid media tactics, reinforcing the destination’s inclusive values and
welcoming spirit .
In addition, Visit San Luis Obispo continued its participation in the Events & Festivals Working Group (EFWG)—a multi-
jurisdictional working group of 18 destination partners, event organizers and community leaders convened by Visit
SLO CAL . The group played an ongoing role in the development and implementation of the SLO CAL Events & Festivals
Strategy, aimed at increasing countywide overnight visitation, supporting economic growth and enhancing quality
of life for residents . Key focus areas included strategic planning for existing and future events, optimizing off-peak
periods, fostering event collaboration and guiding the process for regional event support and investment .
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SLO TBID Annual Report 2024-2025 23
STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS
In FY 2024–25, Visit San Luis Obispo continued to strengthen its collaboration with numerous community partners and
industry nonprofit organizations to amplify destination marketing efforts . These collaborations increase the efficiency
and impact of promotional activities by providing new platforms, audiences and alignment with shared values .
Now in its second year, the TBID’s partnership with Kind Traveler—a responsible travel platform—continues to serve
as a meaningful channel for engaging sustainability-minded travelers . Through Kind Traveler’s Every Stay Gives
Back program, Visit San Luis Obispo showcased its Keys for Trees initiative via a dedicated destination landing page
and annual community impact report . The collaboration also extended to influencer engagement, supporting a
sustainability-themed media FAM that helped bring San Luis Obispo’s story to life through content creators aligned
with environmental values .
Partnerships with Cal Poly remained a cornerstone of outreach efforts . Through ongoing collaborations with the
Office of Student Affairs, Visit San Luis Obispo participated in SLO Days, Mustang Family Weekend and Open House,
providing direct access to thousands of students, parents and supporters . The partnership with Cal Poly Athletics also
continued, including destination sponsorship, marketing exposure and lodging coordination with TBID properties .
Key partnerships in FY 2024–25 included:
• Cal Poly’s Office of Student Affairs (New Student & Transition Programs and Parent Program)
• Cal Poly Athletics (Mustang Sports)
• Kind Traveler
• ECOSLO (in support of Keys for Trees)
• Gala Pride & Diversity Center
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SLO TBID Annual Report 2024-2025 24
INDUSTRY RELATIONS
CALIFORNIA HOTEL & LODGING ASSOCIATION (CHLA)
The California Hotel & Lodging Association (CHLA) protects the rights and interests of the California lodging industry .
Legislative advocacy, educational training, communication and cost-saving programs are provided for all segments
of the industry . Through the TBID, all lodging properties in the City of SLO are members of CHLA and can utilize the
services offered .
VISIT CALIFORNIA
The Visit California partnership has been critical in the growth of Visit San Luis Obispo’s brand within the California Tourism product . SLO has received coverage through the marketing activities performed by Visit California including travel trade, press and industry outreach . Monthly submissions are uploaded to Visit California for media leads, trade
contacts and newsletter content .
CENTRAL COAST TOURISM COUNCIL (CCTC)
The Central Coast Tourism Council (CCTC) is an organization of tourism and hospitality professionals whose marketing
efforts accomplish collectively what no single tourism entity can do alone: promote the entire California Central
Coast as a destination and maximize our members’ tourism revenue . The CCTC serves as the Central Coast's voice in
Sacramento and partners with California Tourism's global marketing and advertising campaigns . The TBID is actively
involved in CCTC with a seat on the board from staff and the SLO Chamber public relations representative on the PR
committee .
VISIT SLO CAL
The TBID maintains participation with Visit SLO CAL by having a representative on the Board of Directors and the
Tourism and Community Promotions Manager on the Marketing Committee . The TBID Board leverages the partnership
with Visit SLO CAL to promote San Luis Obispo on a national and international level—beyond the local and state reach
the TBID’s marketing plan focuses to achieve . The TBID’s participation in Visit SLO CAL also encompasses group sales,
film commission, countywide public relations and countywide strategic planning like the SLO CAL Events & Festivals
Strategy .
Page 64 of 79
SLO TBID Annual Report 2024-2025 25
2024‑25 AWARDS & ACCOLADES
AAF RENO ADDY
Silver - Specialty Advertising / Merchandise
W3
Silver - General Websites – Tourism (VisitSLO .com)
AAF RENO ADDY
Silver - User Experience (VisitSLO .com)
PLACEHOLDERPLACEHOLDER
PLACEHOLDER
Page 65 of 79
SLO TBID Annual Report 2024-2025 26
2024‑25 FINANCIAL STATEMENT
INCOME SOURCE 2024-25
2024-25 TOT Revenue Assumption $10,918,080
TBID Assessment (20% of TOT Revenue)$2,183,616
Fund Balance Transfer
Fund Reserve $200,000
2024-25 TBID Program Budget $2,183,616
EXPENDITURE ALLOCATED
Operations/Staffing
Administration Overhead (2% of TBID Assessment)$43,627
Staffing (FTE & .75 FTE)
Staffing Contingency
$275,084
$85,000
Contracts & Marketing Services
Marketing Contract - Noble Studios/DCI $1,250,000
Chamber of Commerce - PR $50,000
Chamber of Commerce - Guest Services $51,975
Chamber of Commerce - Media Monitoring Service Fee $3,713
Co-op Marketing Program Funding $30,000
Content Marketing Services - Badger Branding $87,800
Partnerships
Cal Poly Athletics $65,000
EcoSLO - Sustainability Initiative $21,836
Kind Traveler $12,495
SLO Coast Wine Collective Membership $5,000
Events & Promotions
General Events Promotion $50,000
Event Activation + Collateral $5,000
Seasonal Promotion $25,000
Tradeshows
Tradeshows $19,500
Tourism Conferences $9,500
Tourism Organizations
CCTC Dues $1,000
Smith Travel Report $3,500
CalTravel Membership $1,000
California Hotel & Lodging Association $30,000
Research + Program
Research + Program Development $30,000
Support / Meetings
Tourism Program Expenses $7,500
FAM Trip Hosting $12,500
Services/Online Tools/ Fulfillment (Dropbox, Crowdiff, Survey Monkey)$15,000
Contingency
Contingency Fund $7,550
Totals Commited $2,198,625
Page 66 of 79
SLO TBID Annual Report 2024-2025 27
LOOKING AHEAD
As Visit San Luis Obispo enters FY 2025–26, the TBID remains committed to advancing the goals outlined in the newly
established 2025–2030 Strategic Plan while ensuring the continued execution of the amended 2024–2026 Strategic
Marketing & Business Plan . This two-year Strategic Marketing & Business Plan serves as a comprehensive guide for Visit
San Luis Obispo’s overarching marketing direction, as well as the tactical efforts that support destination stewardship,
overnight stays and represent the voice of stakeholders .
The following priorities will guide the work ahead:
• Deploying a Fall 2025 brand tracker and local sentiment study to measure progress in brand perception and
inform ongoing tourism program development
• Ongoing amplification and integration of the SLO Life Coach campaign to strengthen destination
storytelling and deepen audience engagement
• Securing impactful partnerships to broaden reach and elevate Visit San Luis Obispo’s marketing efforts
• Continuing to evolve MidWeekend messaging as part of the SLO Life Coach brand to promote year-round
midweek travel through an evergreen, always-on approach
• Developing a comprehensive influencer strategy, including hosting a micro-influencer midweek FAM, to
authentically showcase San Luis Obispo and connect with niche travel audiences
• Advancing business meetings and trade travel efforts, including a test-and-learn sponsorship of the
California Main Street Conference to explore a multi-venue conference model
• Optimizing paid and organic search efforts to keep VisitSLO .com discoverable amidst the rise of AI-
generated search results
• Embedding sustainability and DEI authentically across all programs, reinforcing the brand’s core values and
long-term vision
While these are not the only areas of focus for the TBID, they represent key priorities requiring significant attention as
Visit San Luis Obispo works toward meaningful, measurable implementation in the year ahead .
LOOKING AHEAD (FY 2025‑26 PRIORITIES)
Page 67 of 79
SLO TBID Annual Report 2024-2025 28
APPENDIX
TOT 2024‑25
TOT DISTRIBUTION 2024‑25
12,000,000
8,000,000
4,000,000
6,000,000
10,000,000
$914,163
$10,426,420
0
2010-11 2011-12 2012-13 2013-14 2013-14 2015-16 2016-17 2018-19 2019-20 2020-21 2021-222017-18
Homestay Hotel
2022-23 2023-24 2024-25
Page 68 of 79
SLO TBID Annual Report 2024-2025 29
TOT MONTH TO MONTH 2024‑25
1,500,000
1,000,000
750,000
1,250,000
500,000
0 July Aug .Sept .Oct .Nov .Dec .Jan .Feb .Mar .Apr .May June
50
45
55
65
75
85
60
70
80
OCCUPANCY MONTH TO MONTH 2024‑25
90
40
2022-23 2023-24 2024-25
Oct .Sept .Aug .July JuneMayApr .Mar .Feb .Jan .Dec .Nov .
Page 69 of 79
30
AVERAGE DAILY RATE MONTH TO MONTH 2024‑25
SLO TBID Annual Report 2023-24
REVENUE PER AVAILABLE ROOM MONTH TO MONTH 2024‑25
(R
e
v
e
n
u
e
$
)
140
220
160
180
200
240
120
2022-23 2023-24 2024-25
Oct .Sept .Aug .July JuneMayApr .Mar .Feb .Jan .Dec .Nov .
80
70
90
110
130
150
160
170
180
190
100
120
140
200
60
2022-23 2023-24 2024-25
Oct .Sept .Aug .July JuneMayApr .Mar .Feb .Jan .Dec .Nov .
Page 70 of 79
SLO TBID Annual Report 2024-2025 31
TBID 2025‑2030 STRATEGIC PLAN MATRIX
Vision
A welcoming community
with a vibrant economy that
enriches the lives of visitors
and residents alike .
Values
We believe in:
• Service
• Leadership
• Adaptability
• CollaborationMission
We share the abundance
of SLO, driving the lodging
economy and serving as the
voice of our stakeholders
Position
The SLO TBID stewards the brand of Visit San Luis
Obispo and represents its lodging partners, driving
overnight stays by:
• Telling the San Luis Obispo story via targeted
marketing content and activities .
• Serving as a convener and subject matter expert for
tourism conversations impacting the destination .
• Advancing strategic partnerships that extend the
reach and influence of Visit San Luis Obispo .
NORTH STAR
STRATEGIC ACTION
• Grow organizational capacity .
• Invest in internal relationship building .
• Develop an innovation process .
• Communicate successes .
• Invest in stakeholder connections .
• Perform an audit of our partnership landscape .
• Develop partnerships to address key gaps .
• Develop an events strategy to complement
Visit SLO CAL’s approach .
• Foster ongoing positive resident sentiment .
• Develop remote work messages as part of SLO Life .
• Advocate for conference center development .
• Partner with Visit California and Visit SLO CAL to
bolster targeted segments of travel .
• Further enhance the use of data to inform marketing
programs .
• Maintain focus on social awareness & environmental
responsibility .
• Maximize the evolution of the “Live the SLO Life”
brand .
• Differentiate Visit San Luis Obispo while building off
Visit SLO CAL’s success .
STRATEGIC PRIORITIES
Ensure
Organizational
Excellence
Objectives ObjectivesIndicators Indicators
Build
Meaningful
Partnerships
Activate the
SLO Life
• Maintain stakeholder
sentiment of Visit San Luis
Obispo performance .
• Increased engagement and
participation with Visit San
Luis Obispo’s Brand Book and
promotional toolkits .
• Create one net new signature
brand partnership
• Partnerships balanced across
identified key sectors
• Lift in brand sentiment against
baseline .
• Increase RevPAR .
• Increase awareness of SLO as a
sustainable destination
Deliver Smart
Growth
• Increase in resident sentiment .
• Increase mid-week occupancy .
• Increase length of stay .
Page 71 of 79
SLO TBID Annual Report 2024-2025 32Page 72 of 79
1
Promotional Coordinating Committee Minutes
July 9, 2025, 5:30 p.m.
Council Hearing Room, 990 Palm Street, San Luis Obispo
PCC Members Present: Committee Member Maureen Forsberg, Committee
Member Dan Fredman, Committee Member Dante
Specchierla (arrived at 6:00 p.m.) Committee Member Anni
Wang, Committee Member Samantha Welch, Vice Chair
Robin Wolf and Chair John Thomas.
City Staff Present: Jacqui Clark-Charlesworth Tourism & Community
Promotions Manager and Laura Fiedler, Economic
Development & Tourism Manager
_____________________________________________________________________
1. CALL TO ORDER
A Regular Meeting of the San Luis Obispo Promotional Coordinating Committee
was called to order on July 9, 2025 at 5:29 p.m. in the Council Hearing Room at
City Hall, 990 Palm Street, San Luis Obispo, by Chair Thomas.
2. PUBLIC COMMENT FOR ITEMS NOT ON THE AGENDA
Public Comment:
Jim Dantona, CEO of SLO Chamber of Commerce, announced his candidacy for
the SLO County Board of Supervisors and his plan to resign from the Chamber
effective December 31, 2025.
--End of Public Comment--
3. CONSENT
Motion By: Committee Member Wang
Second By: Vice Chair Wolf
To approve Consent Items 3a. through 3e.
Ayes (6) Committee Member Wang, Vice Chair Wolf, Committee Member Welch,
Committee Member Fredman, Committee Member Forsberg and Chair Thomas.
Page 73 of 79
2
Absent (1) Committee Member Specchierla
CARRIED (6 to 0)
3.a MINUTES OF THE REGULAR MEETING ON JUNE 11, 2025
3.b 2025-26 COMMUNITY PROMOTION BUDGET REPORT
3.c SLO CHAMBER MONTHLY PUBLIC RELATIONS REPORT
3.d SLO CHAMBER GUEST SERVICES REPORT
3.e TRANSIENT OCCUPANCY TAX (TOT) REPORT
4. PRESENTATIONS
4.a MISSION PLAZA ENHANCEMENT PROJECT UPDATE (15 MINUTES)
Anthony Ramos and Devin Hyfield from the City presented an update on
the Mission Plaza Enhancement Project.
Public Comment:
None
--End of Public Comment--
Action: No action taken on this item.
4.b SUPPORT LOCAL PROGRAM ANNUAL REPORT (20 MINUTES)
Devan Spiegel from Verdin Marketing presented the FY 2024-25 year-end
report on marketing activities for the Support Local Program.
Public Comment:
None
--End of Public Comment--
Action: No action taken on this item.
Committee Member Specchierla joined the meeting at 6:00 p.m.
4.c SLO CHAMBER ANNUAL REPORT (25 MINUTES)
Page 74 of 79
3
Hollie West and Brianna Harris from the SLO Chamber of Commerce
presented the annual report on the Public Relations, Guest Services and
CACP Grant Support contract activities during FY 2024-25.
Public Comment:
None
--End of Public Comment--
Action: No action taken on this item.
5. BUSINESS ITEMS
5.a PCC ANNUAL PROGRAM PLANNING (15 MINUTES)
Tourism & Community Promotions Manager Jacqui Clark-Charlesworth
reviewed with the committee projects, timelines and priorities for the
FY2025-26 fiscal year.
Public Comment:
None
--End of Public Comment--
Action: No action was taken on this item.
6. PCC LIAISON REPORTS AND COMMUNICATION
6.a CACP LIAISON REPORT
Tourism & Community Promotions Manager Jacqui Clark-Charlesworth
gave an update on the FY2025-26 funding recommendations and process
for liaison assignments.
6.b COMMITTEE OUTREACH UPDATE
No updates at this time.
6.c TBID BOARD REPORT – TBID Meeting Minutes: June 11, 2025
Committee Member Specchierla provided an update on items the TBID
has been working on.
6.d TOURISM PROGRAM UPDATE – Staff Report
Tourism & Community Promotions Manager Jacqui Clark-Charlesworth
provided an update on the Tourism Program.
7. ADJOURNMENT
Page 75 of 79
4
The meeting was adjourned at 7:07 p.m. The next Regular Meeting of the
Promotional Coordinating Committee is cancelled for August 13, 2025. The PCC
will meet in a Special Meeting on July 15, 2025 at 1:30 p.m. in the Council
Hearing Room at City Hall, 990 Palm Street, San Luis Obispo.
_________________________
APPROVED BY PROMOTIONAL COORDINATING COMMITTEE: XX/XX/202X
Page 76 of 79
1
Promotional Coordinating Committee Minutes
July 15, 2025, 1:30 p.m.
Council Hearing Room, 990 Palm Street, San Luis Obispo
PCC Members Present: Committee Member Maureen Forsberg, Committee Samantha
Welch, Committee Member Anni Wang, Committee Member
Dante Specchierla, (arrived at 1:37p.m.) Vice Chair Robin Wolf,
Chair John Thomas
PCC Members Absent: Committee Member Dan Fredman
City Staff Present: Jacqui Clark-Charlesworth Tourism & Community Promotions
Manager and Laura Fiedler, Economic Development & Tourism
Manager
_____________________________________________________________________
1. CALL TO ORDER
A Special Meeting of the San Luis Obispo Promotional Coordinating Committee
was called to order on July 15, 2025, at 1:32 p.m. in the Council Hearing Room
at City Hall, 990 Palm Street, San Luis Obispo, by Chair Thomas.
2. PUBLIC COMMENT FOR ITEMS NOT ON THE AGENDA
Public Comment:
None
--End of Public Comment--
3. BUSINESS ITEMS
3.a Cultural Arts & Community Promotions Grant Liaisons
Tourism & Community Promotions Manager Jacqui Clark-Charlesworth
provided a timeline update to the committee.
Board Member Liaison assignments to the FY 2025-26 Cultural Arts &
Community Promotions Grant recipients are as follows:
Cal Poly Corporation - Vice Chair Robin Wolf
Page 77 of 79
2
Canzona Women's Ensemble- Committee Member Maureen Forsberg
Central Coast Childbirth Network- Chair John Thomas
Central Coast Comedy Theater- Committee Member Anni Wang
City Farm SLO- Committee Member Dante Specchierla
Civic Ballet of San Luis Obispo- Committee Member Samantha Welch
Diversity Coalition San Luis Obispo County- Vice Chair Robin Wolf
Downtown SLO- Committee Member Samantha Welch
ECOSLO- Committee Member Dan Fredman
History Center of San Luis Obispo County- Chair John Thomas
History Revisited- Committee Member Samantha Welch
Hospice of San Luis County- Committee Member Dan Fredman
Latino Outreach Council- Vice Chair Robin Wolf
Orchestra Novo, Inc. - Committee Member Dan Fredman
Saint Andrew Greek Orthodox Church- Committee Member Maureen
Forsberg
San Luis Obispo International Film Festival, Inc. - Vice Chair Robin Wolf
San Luis Obispo Master Chorale- Committee Member Anni Wong
San Luis Obispo Repertory Theatre- Chair John Thomas
SLO County Arts Council- Committee Member Samantha Welch
SLO Beaver Brigade- Committee Member Dante Specchierla
SLO Climate Coalition- Committee Member Anni Wong
San Luis Obispo Museum of Art- Committee Member Maureen Forsberg
SLO Overdose Awareness Day- Committee Member Dante Specchierla
Action: No Action was taken on this item.
4. ADJOURNMENT
Page 78 of 79
3
The meeting was adjourned at 1:42 p.m. The next Regular Meeting of the
Promotional Coordinating Committee is scheduled for September 10, 2025, at
5:30 p.m. in the Council Hearing Room at City Hall, 990 Palm Street, San Luis
Obispo.
_________________________
APPROVED BY PROMOTIONAL COORDINATING COMMITTEE: XX/XX/202X
Page 79 of 79