HomeMy WebLinkAbout01-11-2017 TBID Agenda PacketCity of San Luis Obispo, Agenda, Tourism Business
ImprovementDistrictBoard
Any writings or documents provided to a majority of the TBID Board regarding any item on this agenda will be made available for public
inspection in the Administration office of the City of San Luis Obispo at 990 Palm Street during normal business hours.
Wednesday, January 11, 2017
10:00 A.M.
City Hall- Council Hearing Room
CALL TO ORDER: Vice Chair Nipool Patel
PUBLIC COMMENT: Each speaker is limited to two minutes of public comment for items not on the
agenda. Public comment for each agenda item will be called for separately and is also limited to 2 minutes per
speaker.
State law does not allow the board to discuss or take action on issues not on the agenda, except that members
of the board may briefly respond to statements made or questions posed by the person giving public comment.
Staff may be directed by the board to follow-up on such items and/or place them on the next board agenda.
APPOINTMENT - OATH OF OFFICE
Amy Swink, appointed by the City Council on December 13, 2016, will take the oath of office to serve on the
TBID Board.
CONSENT ITEMS
C.1 Minutes of Regular Meeting on Wednesday, December 14, 2016
C.2 Smith Travel Report
C.3 Chamber Public Relations Report
C.4 BCA + Matchfire Marketing Report
C.5 Chamber Visitor Center Report
C.6 TOT Report
PRESENTATIONS
1. MARKETING AGENCY QUARTERLY REPORT 15 mins
Representatives from BCA + Matchfire will present the activity report for the marketing activities over the
previous quarter for the SLO TBID.
2. CHAMBER OF COMMERCE QUARTERLY REPORT 15 mins
Representatives from the SLO Chamber will present the activity report for the public relations and
phone/availability contracts from the previous quarter for the SLO TBID.
BUSINESS ITEMS
Public comment will be taken for each individual agenda item. Each speaker will be limited to two minutes of
public testimony.
1. HOMESTAY PROGRAM UPDATE 15 mins
Xzandrea Fowler, Deputy Director Community Development, will update the TBID on the homestay
program activity for FY 2015-16.
2. WINTER PROMOTION APPROVAL 15 mins
Representatives from BCA + Matchfire will present the winter promotion program for the Board’s review
and approval.
TBID LIAISON REPORTS & COMMUNICATION
At this time board members make announcements, report on activities, refer to staff issues for study and report
back to the board at a subsequent meeting.
1. HOTELIER UPDATE – Liaison Reports
2. MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE UPDATE –No Meeting
3. MARKETING COMMITTEE UPDATE – No Meeting
4. PCC UPDATE – Minutes: December 14, 2016
5. VISIT SLO COUNTY UPDATE – Liaison Reports; November Activity Report
6. TOURISM PROGRAM UPDATE – Staff Report
ADJOURN.
POSTING STATEMENT: I, Molly Cano, Tourism Manager, do hereby certify that on January 6, 2017, by 5:00
p.m., a true and correct copy of this agenda was posted on the bulletin board outside City Hall. Internet access
to agendas and related material is available at www.slocity.org.
Minutes - DRAFT
TOURISM BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT BOARD
Wednesday, December 14, 2016
Regular Meeting of the Tourism Business Improvement District Board
CALL TO ORDER
A Regular Meeting of the Tourism Business Improvement District Board was called to order on
Wednesday, December 14, 2016 at 10:01 a.m. in the Council Hearing Room, located at 990 Palm
Street, San Luis Obispo, California, by Chair Wilkins.
ROLL CALL
Present: Board Members Clint Pearce, Pragna Patel-Mueller (arrived 10:10), LeBren Young-
Harris, Vice-Chair Nipool Patel and Chair Matthew Wilkins
Absent: Board Member Dean Hutton
Staff: Tourism Manager Molly Cano, Economic Development Manager Lee Johnson, and
Recording Secretary Kevin Christian.
PUBLIC COMMENT ON ITEMS NOT ON THE AGENDA
San Luis Obispo Museum of Art (MOA) representatives Karen Kile, Executive Director, Robyn
Letters, Board of Directors representative, and Jody Kocsis, Public Relations Manager, displayed
an architectural “fly over” of the proposed new MOA building. They announced that their
Capital Campaign will begin in a couple of months and requested letters of support from the
TBID and individual hotels directed to City Council for the City’s goal setting process.
CONSENT AGENDA
ACTION: MOTION BY VICE CHAIR PATEL, SECOND BY BOARD MEMBER YOUNG-
HARRIS, CARRIED (4-0), (BOARD MEMBER PATEL-MUELLER ABSENT), to approve
Consent Calendar Items C1 through C6.
C1. Minutes of regular meeting on Wednesday, November 9, 2016
C2. Smith Travel Report
C3. Chamber Public Relations Report
C4. BCA + Matchfire Marketing Report
DRAFT Minutes – Tourism Business Improvement District Board Meeting of December 14, 2016 Page 2
C5. Chamber Visitor Center Report
C6. Transit Occupancy Tax (TOT) Report
PRESENTATIONS
1. CAL POLY SENIOR PROJECT REPORT
Tourism Intern Katie Conroy presented her senior project on Sport Tourism to the Board.
Public Comments:
None.
---End of Public Comments---
No action was taken on this item.
2. MARKETING AGENCY MONTHLY REPORT
Representatives from BCA + Matchfire presented an activity report for their marketing
activities over the past month for the TBID. Highlights included Facebook metrics
reporting issues, an introduction of Gmail sponsored Interest Marketing as a new data
source, and advances in TripAdvisor data.
BCA + Matchfire representatives responded to Board member questions concerning
Facebook metrics reporting issues.
Public Comments:
None.
---End of Public Comments---
No action was taken on this item.
DRAFT Minutes – Tourism Business Improvement District Board Meeting of December 14, 2016 Page 3
3. CHAMBER MONTHLY REPORT
Representatives from the San Luis Obispo Chamber of Commerce presented the public
relations activities report for SLO TBID for October and November, and responded to
Board Member inquiries.
Public Comments:
None.
---End of Public Comments---
No action was taken on this item.
BUSINESS ITEMS
1. 2017 TRADESHOW DELEGATION SELECTION
The Board completed the selection of delegates to represent the TBID at the upcoming
tradeshows in 2017 using a blind drawing of interested candidates.
Results:
SLO Brew Lofts will attend the Bay Area show on 2/11-2/12. (Alternate – Apple Farm)
Apple Farm will attend the LA show on 2/18-2/19. (Alternate – SLO Brew Lofts)
Lamplighter will attend the San Diego show on 3/4-3/5 (Alternate – SLO Brew Lofts)
Public Comments:
None.
---End of Public Comments---
2. STRATEGIC PLAN UPDATE
Tourism Manager Cano reviewed the San Luis Obispo TBID Strategic Plan Mid-Point
Check-In update for the Board’s input and approval.
Public Comments:
None.
---End of Public Comments---
ACTION: MOTION BY VICE CHAIR PATEL, SECOND BY BOARD MEMBER
PEARCE, CARRIED (5-0), to accept the Strategic Plan Mid-Point Check-In as presented.
DRAFT Minutes – Tourism Business Improvement District Board Meeting of December 14, 2016 Page 4
TBID LIAISON REPORTS & COMMUNICATION
1. HOTELIER UPDATE
None at this time.
2. MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE UPDATE – November 15, 2016
Tourism Manager Cano reviewed that the committee had worked through the questions
presented in the strategic plan update, as well as reviewing and giving input for the
Tourism Coordinator position interview questions.
3. MARKETING COMMITTEE UPDATE – MINUTES: December 8, 2016
Chair Wilkins noted the review of the website updates, and Tourism Manager Cano
reviewed the Visit SLO County Coop advertisement opportunities, consumer brochure
updates, map updates, and tradeshow incentives.
4. PCC UPDATE – MINUTES: November 17, 2016
Chair Wilkins reported the PCC selected Regenerate Group as the contractor for their
Strategic Plan creation.
5. VISIT SLO COUNTY UPDATE
Board Member Pearce reported that a conference center feasibility study was approved,
noting that they will look at both single and multiple location options within the
County, and that a “SLOCAL” logo was approved. Tourism Manager Cano reported on
advertising targeting the Seattle market for the upcoming new air service, and noted
that Visit SLO County will probably ask the City of SLO/TBID for funding towards
this in the future. A flier entitled “Global Ready Seminar Takeaway Points” was passed
out to help hotels with Chinese visitors.
6. TOURISM PROGRAM UPDATE
Tourism Manager Cano reported:
A final candidate has been selected for the Tourism Assistant position, noting a
mid-January start date.
Amy Swink was appointed to the TBID by the City Council at their 12-13-2016
meeting. Her first meeting will be January 11, 2017.
ADJOURNMENT
The meeting was adjourned at 11:04 a.m. The next Regular meeting of the Tourism Business
Improvement District Board is scheduled for Wednesday, January 11, 2017 at 10:00 a.m., in the
Council Hearing Room, 990 Palm Street, San Luis Obispo, California.
APPROVED BY THE TOURISM BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT BOARD: XX/XX/2017
STR Report December 2016
Week of November 27 - December 3
Percent Change
2016 2015 2016 2015 2016 2015 Occ ADR RevPAR Room Rev Room Avail Room Sold
City of Paso Robles 54.5 56.9 110.05 111.00 59.98 63.18 -4.3 -0.9 -5.1 -5.1 0.0 -4.3
City of Pismo Beach 44.0 43.5 117.54 113.76 51.70 49.54 1.0 3.3 4.4 4.2 -0.1 0.9
City of San Luis Obispo 51.9 54.0 107.46 110.20 55.78 59.48 -3.8 -2.5 -6.2 -6.2 0.0 -3.8
Week of December 4 - 10
Percent Change
2016 2015 2016 2015 2016 2015 Occ ADR RevPAR Room Rev Room Avail Room Sold
City of Paso Robles 52.9 57.3 107.72 108.63 57.01 62.25 -7.6 -0.8 -8.4 -8.4 0.0 -7.6
City of Pismo Beach 44.9 45.5 113.52 114.85 50.92 52.27 -1.4 -1.2 -2.6 -2.7 -0.1 -1.6
City of San Luis Obispo 47.4 59.1 102.59 115.42 48.63 68.25 -19.8 -11.1 -28.7 -28.7 0.0 -19.8
Week of December 11 - 17
Percent Change
2016 2015 2016 2015 2016 2015 Occ ADR RevPAR Room Rev Room Avail Room Sold
City of Paso Robles 49.0 46.8 108.14 105.74 52.94 49.52 4.5 2.3 6.9 6.9 0.0 4.5
City of Pismo Beach 44.5 41.2 118.58 110.89 52.78 45.69 8.0 6.9 15.5 15.4 -0.1 7.9
City of San Luis Obispo 52.2 45.0 111.43 102.49 58.21 46.08 16.2 8.7 26.3 26.3 0.0 16.2
Week of December 18 - 24
Percent Change
2016 2015 2016 2015 2016 2015 Occ ADR RevPAR Room Rev Room Avail Room Sold
City of Paso Robles 48.2 53.2 108.70 114.68 52.44 60.96 -9.2 -5.2 -14.0 -14.0 0.0 -9.2
City of Pismo Beach 53.0 59.5 121.55 131.12 64.43 78.04 -10.9 -7.3 -17.4 -17.5 -0.1 -11.0
City of San Luis Obispo 51.1 56.3 104.26 113.50 53.30 63.85 -9.1 -8.1 -16.5 -16.5 0.0 -9.1
Week of December 25 - 31
Percent Change
2016 2015 2016 2015 2016 2015 Occ ADR RevPAR Room Rev Room Avail Room Sold
City of Paso Robles 79.8 78.8 126.63 123.08 101.06 97.03 1.2 2.9 4.2 4.2 0.0 1.2
City of Pismo Beach 82.8 85.3 156.94 153.56 129.96 131.00 -2.9 2.2 -0.8 -0.9 -0.1 -3.0
City of San Luis Obispo 81.7 81.8 124.59 119.41 101.82 97.64 0.0 4.3 4.3 4.3 0.0 0.0
December
2016 2015 2016 2015 2016 2015 Occ ADR RevPAR Room Rev Room Avail Room Sold
City of Paso Robles 57.5 59.0 114.56 114.24 65.84 67.44 -2.6 0.3 -2.4 -2.4 0.0 -2.6
City of Pismo Beach 56.3 57.9 132.36 132.59 74.50 76.74 -2.8 -0.2 -2.9 -3.0 -0.1 -2.9
City of San Luis Obispo 58.1 60.5 112.50 113.92 65.34 68.95 -4.0 -1.2 -5.2 -5.2 0.0 -4.0
Current Week - TY vs. LY
Current Week - TY vs. LY
Occ %ADR RevPAR
RevPAR
RevPARADR Percent ChangeOcc %
Current Week - TY vs. LY
Occ %
Current Week - TY vs. LY
RevPARADR
Running 28 Days - TY vs. LY
Current Week - TY vs. LY
ADR
Occ %RevPAR
ADR RevPAR
ADR
Occ %
Occ %
Report to City of SLO – TBID and PCC
Public Relations Contract
December 2016
Media/Community Relations
1. Wrote and distributed release regarding upcoming winter events in San Luis Obispo
including GIA and City sponsored events.
2. Coordinated and SLO City portion of press trip for Toronto Sun Managing Editor Kevin
Hann.
3. Pitched the Butler Hotel to Men’s Journal for their upcoming story about micro-hotels.
4. Worked with Molly Cano to pitch San Luis Obispo as a feature in the Active Junky
video and editorial highlight in partnership with the CCTC and Visit California.
5. Pitched the following ideas to Visit California for their round up of What’s New - spring
2017:
a. Embassy Suites
b. Thomas Hill
c. Giuseppe’s
d. Mint + Craft
e. Central Coast Brewing Co.
6. Pitched family friendly activities in San Luis Obispo to be featured in the CCTC Black
Diamond newsletter which is distributed to travel agents in the UK and Ireland.
7. Began identifying writers to invite to San Luis Obispo for the SLO Film Fest.
8. Worked with Jarnard Sutton of The Nardcast to identify types of content and times of
year that would be ideal for his audience.
9. Continued to work with the city, Barnett Cox & Associates and StudioGood on overall
tourism marketing campaign including the lodging loyalty program and working with City
sponsored events.
Report to City of SLO – TBID and PCC
Public Relations Contract
December 2016
Media Placements
1. Craft Beer is the New Black: Artisan Breweries are on the Rise
Donna Sozio, who was hosted by the City and SLO Beer Week, writes about trends in
brewing as well as the connection between wine country and breweries in San Luis Obispo
in her article for Organic Authority.
Unique Visitors Per Month: 717,916
http://www.organicauthority.com/how-craft-beer-has-gone-gourmet-and-the-scene-is-hotter-
than-ever/
2. America’s Hoppiest City
The Tasting Panel article by Mike Dawson covers SLO Beer Week as well as a number of
breweries located in the city.
Circulation/Audience: 80,000
Unique Visitors Per Month: 43,497
http://digital.copcomm.com/i/759555-december-2016
Report to City of SLO – TBID and PCC
Public Relations Contract
December 2016
3. The 13 Places You Should Go In Southern California In 2017
Only in Your State recommends a train trip between San Luis Obispo and San Diego as
one of the best ways to experience Southern California in 2017.
Unique Views: 5,038,247
http://www.onlyinyourstate.com/southern-california/2017-bucket-list-so-cal/
4. Winter Events in San Luis Obispo
A collection of articles and local news features showcase winter events in the City of San
Luis Obispo.
Unique Visitors Per Month: 676,202
http://www.sanluisobispo.com/entertainment/music-news-reviews/article118213198.html
http://www.sanluisobispo.com/news/local/article121493812.html
Unique Visitors Per Month: 208,330
http://www.ksby.com/story/34019808/civic-ballet-presents-the-nutcracker-this-weekend
Report to City of SLO – TBID and PCC
Public Relations Contract
December 2016
5. California Dream Eater visits Sidecar in San Luis Obispo
The California Dream Eater’s trip to Sidecar was featured in their Restaurant Month
newsletter as well as prominently on their website.
http://www.visitcalifornia.com/dream365tv/california-dream-eater-visits-sidecar-san-luis-
obispo?utm_source=NEWSL&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Dec+4+US_+Culinary_
2016-12-21_476456&utm_content=11113651&utm_term=_476456_476472
6. 2017 best places to travel for business
Churchill Living names San Luis Obispo the eight best places to travel for business in
2017 citing the abundance of leisure activities, short commute time, business climate and
economic health.
https://www.furnishedhousing.com/blog/2017-best-places-to-travel-for-business
Report to City of SLO – TBID and PCC
Public Relations Contract
December 2016
7. 16 Best Eats of 2016
Melody Pittman, who was hosted by the city early last year, names Big Sky as the place of
her sixth best meal in 2016 in an article for her website Wherever I May Roam.
http://www.whereverimayroamblog.com/16-best-eats-2016/
8. Travel Trends 2017: 6 Road Trips and Staycations
Travel Pulse names the road trip between San Luis Obispo and Monterey as a top road trip
to take in 2017.
Unique Visitors Per Month: 209,889
http://www.travelpulse.com/news/destinations/travel-trends-2017-6-road-trips-and-
staycations.html
Report to City of SLO – TBID and PCC
Public Relations Contract
December 2016
9. The Most Fitness-Friendly Places for 2017
Smart Asset names San Luis Obispo as the sixth most fitness friendly place in America in
2017 citing the early smoking ban and healthy dining options.
https://smartasset.com/mortgage/the-most-fitness-friendly-places-for-2017
10. Family Time In California!
Black Diamond trade newsletter which is sent to approximately 2,500 travel
agents/product managers here in the UK and Ireland features activities and attractions in
San Luis Obispo. The newsletters have an average of between 15-20% open rate.
SLOTBID AGENCY REPORT December 2016
HAPPENING NOW
• Restaurant Month
• Festival Mozaic WinterMezzo
• Rainy Day Promotion 2017
• Travel & Adventure Tradeshow Promotions
& Planning 2017
• SLO Craft Beer Fest Paid Media
• SLO Jazz Fest Paid Media
• New Photography
SLO VACATIONS
• Updated Pages
-Restaurant Month
-Beaches
-SLO Jazz Fest
• Fixed Broken Links
• Staged Site Enhancements
EMAIL
• December Perk Email, offering San Luis Obispo
ornament
• Last Call Lodging Loyalty Email
• 800 new leads
SHARESLO
• Community Blog Posts
-SLO Holiday Gift List (updated)
-SLO in the News: October
-SLO Little Theatre Experience
-Top 5 Things to Do in Downtown SLO
-SLO in the News: November
PARTNERSHIPS:
• CCTC
-Updated events listing through March
SLOTBID AGENCY REPORT December 2016
LOOKING AHEAD
• Lodging Loyalty Program – Ongoing
updates
• SLO Craft Beer Fest
• Tradeshows
• SLO Film Fest Sponsorship
• Matador & Buzzfeed Co-Ops
SLOTBID AGENCY REPORT December 2016
SESSIONS PAGE VIEWS USERS REFERRALS
SanLuisObispoVacations.com 19,541 34,240 16,797
m.facebook.com
slocity.org
facebook.com
GOSLO Mobile Experience 30 80 27
FACEBOOK
New Fans
Total Fans
Total Reach
Average Reach per post
Average Daily Page Engaged Users
Total Engagements
2,114
57,495
844,570
6,136
676
4,249
TWITTER
New Followers
Total Followers
Total Engagements
#ShareSLO
24
3,577
378
172
INSTAGRAM
New Followers
Total Followers
Total Reach
Average Reach per post
Total Engagements
#ShareSLO
268
9,175
101,424
2,415
9,971
3,119
YOUTUBE SLO Promo Video 27,248
Report to City of SLO – TBID
Phone Line and Availability Contract
December 2016
Response to TBID Advertising
Week
1
Week
2
Week
3
Week
4
Dec 2015
Dec 2016
Calls to
1-877-SLO-TOWN
8 13 7 5 20 33
Hotel Availability Tracker
Week
1
Week
2
Week
3
Week
4
Dec 2015 Dec 2016
Email Response 9 11 10 11 34 41
Phone Calls to
Hotels
30 41 37 29 118 137
Hotel Referrals
Week
1
Week
2
Week
3
Week
4
Dec 2015
Dec 2016
Visitors Served
(Walk-ins)
1,032 1,584 1,825 1,328
4,948 5,769
Farmers’ Market* n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a
Hotel Rooms
Referred
269 412
488
364
1,488 1,533
*estimate without people counter
TOT Comparison
2009-10 2010-11 2011-12 2012-13 2013-14 2014-15 2015-16 2016-17 Change +/-2015-16 2016-17 Change +/-2015-16 2016-17 Change +/-2015-16 2016-17 Change +/-
July 508,195$ 541,806$ 591,184$ 636,778$ 699,845$ 761,346$ 844,845$ 877,391$ 3.9%88.3 84.7 -4.1 160.52$ 175.36 9.2 141.66$ 148.48 4.8
August 511,564$ 542,194$ 574,395$ 623,655$ 674,244$ 732,271$ 774,501$ 765,232$ -1.2%84.8 82.6 -2.6 151.23$ 155.11 2.6 128.23$ 128.09 -0.1
September 400,023$ 437,543$ 490,524$ 508,583$ 505,954$ 557,002$ 643,127$ 650,117$ 1.1%78 74.8 -4.1 140.93$ 152.37 8.1 109.94$ 114.03 3.7
October 414,870$ 442,586$ 437,805$ 469,977$ 509,435$ 594,032$ 642,221$ 628,049$ -2.2%78 72.9 -6.6 142.17$ 146.18 2.8 110.87$ 106.51 -3.9
November 280,913$ 330,924$ 347,437$ 359,163$ 425,769$ 475,360$ 468,016$ 497,162$ 6.2%64.8 127.19$ 82.40$
December 246,684$ 274,417$ 314,784$ 319,451$ 355,315$ 391,132$ 429,600$ 59.2 117.78$ 69.72$
January 230,279$ 256,351$ 276,165$ 302,153$ 331,853$ 400,239$ 387,304$ 55.2 118.80$ 65.57$
February 273,373$ 302,246$ 323,359$ 344,160$ 366,980$ 431,510$ 466,915$ 66.2 129.14$ 85.53$
March 326,099$ 333,783$ 392,266$ 426,879$ 448,103$ 520,795$ 559,235$ 72.3 131.90$ 95.33$
April 423,158$ 451,133$ 475,913$ 486,850$ 564,617$ 610,894$ 609,439$ 72.6 145.81$ 105.81$
May 372,997$ 433,874$ 447,116$ 489,862$ 546,916$ 601,614$ 598,093$ 70.7 145.55$ 102.93$
June 490,326$ 512,543$ 578,234$ 610,948$ 630,729$ 727,028$ 731,038$ 78.9 $160.81 126.91$
Total/Average 4,478,481$ 4,859,400$ 5,249,181$ 5,578,460$ 6,059,758$ 6,803,224$ 7,154,334$ 3,417,952$ 72.42 139.32$ 102.08$
7,186,067$ 1.6%
Occupancy ADR RevPAR
Figures from Smith Travel Research report
* August TOT total missing one lodging property contribution
Minutes - DRAFT
PROMOTIONAL COORDINATING COMMITTEE
Wednesday, December 14, 2016
Regular Meeting of the Promotional Coordinating Committee
CALL TO ORDER
A Regular Meeting of the Promotional Coordinating Committee was called to order on
Wednesday, December 14, 2016 at 5:35 p.m. in the Council Hearing Room, located at 990 Palm
Street, San Luis Obispo, California, by Chair Roberson.
ROLL CALL
Present: Committee Members Daniel Levi, Patricia Loosley, Matthew Wilkins (5:38), and Chair
Stephanie Roberson.
Absent: Deborah Lewis, Sasha Palazzo, and Vice-Chair Jill LeMieux
Staff: Tourism Manager Molly Cano, Economic Development Manager Lee Johnson, and
Recording Secretary Kevin Christian.
PUBLIC COMMENT ON ITEMS NOT ON THE AGENDA
San Luis Obispo Museum of Art (MOA) representatives Karen Kile, Executive Director, Jody
Kocsis, Public Relations Manager, and Board members Wendy George and Betsy Kiser
displayed an architectural “fly over” of the proposed new MOA building. They announced that
their Capital Campaign will begin in a couple of months and requested that the PCC, as a
committee and as individuals, support the MOA as part of the City’s upcoming goal setting
process.
CONSENT AGENDA
ACTION: MOTION BY COMMITTEE MEMBER LEVI, SECOND BY COMMITTEE
MEMBER LOOSLEY, CARRIED (4-0) to approve the Consent Agenda items C1 to C8.
C.1 Minutes of the Meeting on November 17, 2016
C.2 Community Promotions Budget Report
C.3 Public Relations Report
C.4 Grants-in-Aid Support Report
DRAFT Minutes – Promotional Coordinating Committee Meeting of December 14, 2016 Page 2
C.5 Visitors Center Report
C.6 SLO Happenings Promotions Report
C.7 SLO Happenings Technology Report
C.8 TOT Report
PRESENTATIONS
1. SLO Chamber of Commerce Monthly Report
Molly Kern, San Luis Obispo Chamber of Commerce Director of Communications and
Business Education, presented their public relations activities report for October and
November, and responded to Committee Member inquiries.
BUSINESS ITEMS
1. PCC Committee Strategic Plan Preparation
Introductions were made between the individual Committee members and BethMarie
Ward of Regenerate Group, the contractor chosen to create the PCC Committee
Strategic Plan. Ms. Ward discussed the work approach, expectations, and priorities for
the Strategic Plan creation process with the committee. The importance that all
members be able to attend both workshops was stressed.
The committee tentatively selected the two following dates for the Strategic Plan
workshop dates.
January 19, 2016 - 4:15 p.m.
February 4, 2016 - 2:00 p.m.
Public Comments:
None.
---End of Public Comments---
2. Grants-In-Aide (GIA) Application Review
The committee reviewed the current GIA application and requested the template be
updated to include a table with important dates.
Public Comments:
None.
---End of Public Comments---
DRAFT Minutes – Promotional Coordinating Committee Meeting of December 14, 2016 Page 3
PCC LIAISON REPORTS AND COMMUNICATION
1. GIA Update
Tourism Manager Cano reported that she has reviewed final reporting needs with the
San Luis Obispo Classical Academy. Ms. Cano also noted that two applicant’s funding
has not yet been released as they have not submitted final required reports from the
previous Grant cycle.
2. TBID Board Report
Vice Chair Wilkins provided a review of the TBID November 9, 2016 minutes and a
brief review of the December 14, 2016 meeting.
3. Tourism Program Update
Tourism Manager Cano reported:
A final candidate has been selected for the Tourism Coordinator position, noting a
mid-January start date.
The SLO Happenings 3.0 App update is in the final stages and should be available
prior to the next PCC meeting.
ADJOURNMENT
The meeting was adjourned at 6:31 p.m. The next regular meeting of the Promotional
Coordinating Committee is scheduled for Wednesday, January 11, 2017 at 5:30 p.m., in the
Council Hearing Room, 990 Palm Street, San Luis Obispo, California.
APPROVED BY THE PROMOTIONAL COORDINATING COMMITTEE: XX/XX/2017
Visit San Luis Obispo County Activity Report, November 2016
VSLOC Announces Co-op Marketing Opportunities for Destination Partners
Visit San Luis Obispo County has released its 2017 cooperative marketing opportunities, featuring partnerships
with Buzzfeed, Matador Network and Brand USA. VSLOC worked with its agency, BCF, to develop opportunities
which allow VSLOC and its partners to widen the scope of marketing in order to attract new visitors to our
County. Space is limited, and participation will be awarded on a first come, first served basis. The deadline for
reserving space in any of these opportunities is January 3, 2017. For more details, and for the co-op application,
visit our Members Area at www.VisitSanLuisObispoCounty.com/Members-Area.
- What’s New -
Join Us for SAVOR – A San Luis Obispo County Experience in Seattle!
Visit San Luis Obispo County is taking SAVOR on the road again, this time to Seattle,
Washington! The SAVOR experience in San Diego was a huge success and became one of the
most talked about exhibits of the San Diego Bay Wine + Food Festival. Due to the large impact
of the event, we will again partner with local restaurant, winery, brewery, spirit and activity
partners at the Seattle Wine & Food Experience Grand Tasting on Sunday, February 26, 2017.
SAVOR - A San Luis Obispo County Experience will feature a large destination-experience
exhibit, showcasing some of the best wine, beer, craft spirits and culinary delicacies of SLO
County. If your business would like to partner and go on the road with VSLOC and participate
in an upcoming SAVOR - A San Luis Obispo County Experience, please contact Michael
Wambolt, Director of Travel Trade at Michael@VisitSanLuisObispoCounty.com.
VSLOC Initiates Countywide Conference Center Feasibility Study
In November, Visit San Luis Obispo County’s Board of Directors approved the initiation of a countywide conference
center feasibility study. As part of its multi-year Strategic Plan, VSLOC is looking to understand demand for a
countywide conference facility that would attract new business to the County. VSLOC will be working with B&D,
the company that performed Cal Poly’s 2013 feasibility study, to complete the project, which will include the
review of multiple communities in the County and the prioritization of up to five possible location sites.
VSLOC Hosts Visit California Global Ready China Seminar
On December 7, Visit San Luis Obispo County hosted a first-of-its-kind Visit California Global Ready
China Seminar in San Luis Obispo County. This seminar provided insight into China’s unique market
and culture so as to better serve travelers’ needs. Attendees gained an understanding of the Chinese
tourist and insight on how to welcome this growing market. Following the event, VSLOC facilitated a
DMO luncheon, at which our local DMO partners had the opportunity to meet with presenters and
Visit California team members, and learn more about how to better support constituent efforts.
VSLOC Heads to Chicago to Attract New Flights
Visit San Luis Obispo County’s President & CEO Chuck Davison, along with
representatives from the SLO County Regional Airport, met with officials at United
Airline’s headquarters in Chicago on December 2 to discuss the potential for additional
air service to San Luis Obispo from destinations like Denver, Colorado.
VSLOC Delegation Heads to Sacramento for CalSAE Seasonal Spectacular
On December 1, Visit San Luis Obispo County led a delegation of five lodging partners to
Sacramento for CalSAE’s Seasonal Spectacular. Embassy Suites, SeaCrest OceanFront Hotel,
Allegretto Vineyard Resort, SpringHill Suites and Martin Resorts joined VSLOC’s Director of
Travel Trade, Michael Wambolt, in pitching the county to qualified association industry
professionals. Prior to the show, the delegation held a sales blitz, visiting 30 associations in
Sacramento, and VSLOC held nine qualified, pre-arranged appointments. During the show, the
group collected 18 meeting and association leads and RFPs, as well as 97 contacts.
0
Visit San Luis Obispo County is a 501c6 tourism non-profit. For more information please call (805)541-8000.
Featured on
TripAdvisor: Morro
Bay (left); and in the
California
Restaurant Month
Recipe Book:
Firestone DBA &
Cheddar Soup from
Enoteca, Paso
Robles (right).
Media
• Expedia: 101 most comfortable cities for travelers (#32 – Avila Beach) http://bit.ly/2gdzq2F
• TripAdvisor: 14 Beautiful Little Beach Towns in the USA http://bit.ly/28XSzXl
• Travel Planners Radio (no link)
• Il Gambero Rosso: California food—nel nome di organic & natural (Italian Magazine, no link)
• Visit California Restaurant Month Cookbook
Public Relations
• Toronto Sun Press: December 14 (Pismo Beach)
• Visit California New York Media Reception: March 21
Travel Trade
• GoWest: February 22-23 (Reno, NV)
• NTA: February 26-3/1 (St. Louis, MO)
• ITB: March 8-12 (Berlin, Germany)
• US Travel Association’s IPW: June 3-7 (Washington D.C.) – co-op opportunities available!
VSLOC Heads to Chicago for Visit California Media Boot Camp
On November 14-15, Visit San Luis Obispo County’s Sr. Communications
Coordinator & Film Commission Liaison, Kylee Corliss pitched San Luis Obispo
County to more than 20 media and digital influencers in Chicago, IL. Media
included writers from Delta Sky, Chicago Tribune, Dallas Morning News,
National Geographic Traveler, USA Today and other outlets.
Trending
VISIT SLO COUNTY
WEB ACTIVITY
VISITS: 39,981
UNIQUE VISITORS: 32,866
PAGE VIEWS: 129,763
AVG. PAGE VIEWS/VISIT: 3.25
AVG. TIME ON SITE: 2:30
TOTAL ORGANIC TRAFFIC: 31,774
% OF ORGANIC: 79%
MOBILE VISITS: 23,531
MOST VISITED EVENT PAGE:
CAMBRIA CHRISTMAS MARKET
(2,612 VIEWS)
TOTAL BLOG VISITS: 12,463
MOST SHARED BLOG: BE JOLLY BY
GOLLY: HOLIDAY HAPPENINGS IN
SLO COUNTY
HTTP://BIT.LY/2GWRSXN
(397 SHARES)
VISIT SLO COUNTY
SOCIAL MEDIA ACTIVITY
FACEBOOK
LIKES: 18,305 NEW: 295
TOT. IMPRESSIONS: 428,353
HIGHEST ENGAGEMENT: WE LOVE
OUR GOLDEN HILLS… #FANFRIDAY
(1.4K ENGAGEMENTS)
MOST REACTIONS: WE LOVE OUR
GOLDEN HILLS… #FANFRIDAY (1.3K
REACTIONS)
FOLLOWERS NEW
TWITTER: 6,766 60
26.4IMPRESSIONS
TWEETS: 6,950
PINTEREST: 688 4
PINS: 802
INSTAGRAM: 7,601 341
POSTS: 906
VISITOR GUIDE DIST.
WEB DOWNLOADS: 55
GUIDES DISTRIBUTED: 2,648
TOTAL: 2,703
THIS MONTH IN SLO COUNTY
SUBSCRIBERS: 36,172
# OF OPENS: 6,340
# OF CLICK-THROUGHS: 1,262
THIS WEEK IN SLO COUNTY
CIRCULATION: 912
MOST CLICKED LINK:
STR Report
SLO County Film Commission Quarterly Updates
The San Luis Obispo County Film Commission now provides a quarterly update for location
scouts, producers and filming professionals. The new quarterly e-blast features information
on local film permitting offices and filming locations, and it showcases why filmmakers
should film in SLO County. The SLOC Film Commission sent the first e-blast in October.
VSLOC Hosts Visit California Japan FAM
On November 15-16, VSLOC worked in partnership with Visit California
Japan to bring a seven-person media FAM to our region. The FAM stayed
at the Paso Robles Inn, and visited Morro Bay for lunch and Hearst Castle
for a private tour. Journalists represented publications and influencers
from Delta Sky, Croissant Online, California Style Vol.7, Link-USA, Ameba
Official Blog, Hiro Hirano SNS, Platt! and Tabi Labo.
VSLOC Builds Hype for SAVOR in San Diego Media Blitz
Leading up to the San Diego Bay Wine & Food Festival, VSLOC’s President & CEO, Chuck
Davison, whet the appetites of San Diegans for SAVOR – A San Luis Obispo County
Experience with a live appearance on CW San Diego 6’s Morning Show. Davison also
held meetings with Dining Out San Diego and Taste of Wine.
California
October 2016 vs October 2015 Lodging Statistics (STR, Inc.)
Monterey/Salinas
Santa Barbara/Santa Maria
October 2016 vs October 2015 Lodging Statistics (STR, Inc.)
Atascadero
0.6%
2016 2015
Occupancy
2016 2015
$124.58 $126.43
1.5%
2016 2015
0.9%
ADR RevPAR
$77.36 $78.0462.1%61.7%
Morro Bay
0.7%
Occupancy
2016 2015
$126.75 $122.67
3.3%
2016 2015
4.1%
ADR RevPAR
$87.51 $84.0769.0%68.5%
Paso Robles
7.5%
Occupancy
2016 2015
$141.60 $138.63
2.1%
2016 2015
5.5%
ADR RevPAR
$102.06 $108.0072.1%77.9%
San Luis Obispo
6.6%
Occupancy
2015
$146.18 $142.17
2.8%
2015
3.9%
ADR RevPAR
$106.51 $110.8772.9%78.0%
2016 2016
Pismo Beach
Occupancy
2015
$164.87 $151.64
8.7%
2015
ADR RevPAR
$120.07 $120.7472.8%79.6%
2016 2016
0.6%
2016 2015
2016 2015
2016 2015
2016 2015
8.5%
Five Cities
7.4%
2016 2015
Occupancy
2016 2015
$157.49 $146.86
7.2%
2016 2015
ADR RevPAR
$112.63 $113.4771.5%77.3%
North Coast
1.5%
Occupancy
2016 2015
$155.44 $153.02
1.6%
2016 2015
0.1%
ADR RevPAR
$110.12 $110.0270.8%71.9%
North County
5.7%
Occupancy
2016 2015
$137.56 $135.91
1.2%
2016 2015
4.5%
ADR RevPAR
$95.50 $100.0569.4%73.6%
South County
7.0%
Occupancy
2015
$152.11 $144.64
5.2%
2015
2.2%
ADR RevPAR
$109.74 $112.2472.1%77.6%
2016 2016
2016 2015
2016 2015
2016 2015
San Simeon
3.2%
Occupancy
2015
$127.06 $126.18
0.7%
2015
ADR RevPAR
$82.16 $84.2464.7%66.8%
2016 2016
2.5%
2016 2015
0.7%
San Luis Obispo County
Occupancy
2015
$147.38 $142.31
3.6%
2015
ADR RevPAR
$104.75 $106.6171.1%74.9%
2016 2016
1.7%
SOURCE: STR, INC. REPUBLICATION OR OTHER RE-USE OF THIS DATA WITHOUT THE
EXPRESS WRITTEN PERMISSION OF STR IS STRICTLY PROHIBITED.
5.1%
Santa Barbara/Santa Maria
2.4%
2016 2015
Occupancy
2016 2015
$193.49 $179.25
7.9%
2016 2015
5.3%
ADR RevPAR
$143.55 $136.3274.2%76.1%
Monterey/Salinas
0.8%
Occupancy
2016 2015
$194.82 $198.24
1.7%
2016 2015
0.9%
ADR RevPAR
$148.79 $150.1676.4%75.7%
California
0.1%
Occupancy
2016 2015
$162.71 $157.28
3.5%
2016 2015
3.3%
ADR RevPAR
$126.54 $122.4777.8%76.9%
2016 2015
2016 2015
Comparatives:
Date: December 5, 2016
Client: Visit San Luis Obispo County
Dates: November 2016
Executive Overview
SEO Activities Completed Last Month:
* Monthly SEO strategy call.
* Google Analytics check. No unusual activity noted.
* Crawl error review, mapping, and corrections.
* Added internal links to 10 more pages.
* Reviewed agency's tags in Google Tag Manager and approved.
* Added link from SLO Wikipedia page.
Organic Traffic Overview:
Organic sessions increased 31% over last year. Some pages with the best year-over-year organic growth
were: Holiday Activities by 38%, Events by 45%, Cambria Christmas Market by 38%, Fairs & Festivals
by 15%, and Lighted Boat Parade event by 281%.
Other Notes:
* Total sessions increased by 13%, users increased by 14% and pageviews increased by 19%.
* The blog home page received 121 pageviews last month.
* The entire blog received 12,463 pageviews last month.
Industry Averages
Engagement Metrics Industry Average Your Website % Difference
Total Pages Per Visit:2.29 3.25 29.44%
Total Average Visit Duration:0:02:02 0:02:30 18.86%
Total Bounce Rate:55.66%46.33%-20.13%
Organic Pages Per Visit:2.32 3.36 30.98%
Organic Average Visit Duration:0:02:04 0:02:36 20.67%
Organic Bounce Rate:53.93%44.75%-20.50%
SEO Overview
Page 2 of 19
Date: December 5, 2016
Client: Visit San Luis Obispo County
Date Range: June 1 - November 30, 2016
Total Traffic Overview:
Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov
Visits:48,327 58,075 43,809 40,843 40,780 39,981
Unique Visitors:40,379 47,698 36,664 33,635 33,806 32,866
Bounce Rate:47%47%48%48%50%46%
Pageviews:141,856 172,916 128,985 124,889 122,415 129,763
Avg Pageviews Per Visit:2.94 2.98 2.94 3.06 3.00 3.25
Avg Time on Site:0:02:15 0:02:13 0:02:13 0:02:17 0:02:13 0:02:30
Total Organic Search Traffic:37,646 46,079 34,060 32,285 33,020 31,774
% of Traffic Organic Search:78%79%78%79%81%79%
Entry Pages From Search:1,904 2,045 1,935 1,957 1,903 1,789
VisitSLOCounty Visits:555 286 110 110 84 71
VisitSLOCounty Bounce Rate:55%79%49%64%40%55%
Mobile/Tablet SnapShot:
Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov
Visits:28,965 38,096 26,506 24,857 24,723 23,531
% of visits 60%66%61%61%61%59%
Bounce Rate:51%51%52%50%53%49%
Pageviews: 74,402 100,032 69,193 68,494 65,112 68,937
Avg Time on Site:0:01:49 0:01:52 0:01:54 0:02:01 0:01:53 0:02:07
0
10,000
20,000
30,000
40,000
50,000
60,000
70,000
Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov
Total Visits Comparison
Prior Year This Year
79.47%
11.42%
5.92% 3.06%
0.13%
Traffic Sources
Organic Search Direct Referral Social Email 0
8,000
16,000
24,000
32,000
Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov
Mobile/Tablet Visits
Prior Year This Year
Page 3 of 19
Date: December 5, 2016
Client: Visit San Luis Obispo County
Date Range: November 1 - 30, 2016
Organic Traffic % of Total
Site Traffic
Visits 31,774 79.47%
Organic Engagement Compared to Site Engagement
Pageviews Per Visit 3.36 3.57%
Avg. Time on Site 0:02:36 3.96%
New Visits 73.96%-0.26%
Bounce Rate 44.75%-3.41%
Search Engine Visits Percent
google 29,676 93.40%
yahoo 1,216 3.83%
bing 807 2.54%
aol 53 0.17%
ask 10 0.03%
images.google 5 0.02%
Exact Keyword Visits Percent Landing Page Visits Percent
(not provided)30,870 97.15%/events 5,438 17.11%
san luis obispo 39 0.12%/2,278 7.17%
san luis obispo events 15 0.05%/blog/770/your-guide-to-thanksgiving-dining-on-the-central-coast 2,126 6.69%
san luis obispo california 10 0.03%/events/all/holiday_activities 1,207 3.80%
share email button sharebutton.to 10 0.03%/community/morro-bay 592 1.86%
events in san luis obispo 9 0.03%/blog/778/new-years-on-the-central-coast 588 1.85%
vk share button sharebutton.to 9 0.03%/events/all/fairs_and_festivals 524 1.65%
website buttons sharebutton.to 9 0.03%/our-area 520 1.64%
avila beach 8 0.03%/community/paso-robles 502 1.58%
email share button sharebutton.to 8 0.03%/events/942/christmas-at-the-castle 462 1.45%
Organic Search Traffic:
0
5,000
10,000
15,000
20,000
25,000
30,000
35,000
40,000
45,000
50,000
Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov
Organic Visits Comparison
Prior Year Current Year
Page 4 of 19
Date: December 5, 2016
Client: Visit San Luis Obispo County
Date Range: November 1 - 30, 2016
Demographics & Interests
Affinity Categories:
Top 10 Affinity Categories Visits
Movie Lovers 17,921
News Junkies/Political News Junkies 15,766
News Junkies/Entertainment & Celebrity News Junkies 15,583
Travel Buffs 15,480
TV Lovers 15,380
Shoppers/Shopaholics 14,441
Technophiles 14,339
Cooking Enthusiasts/Aspiring Chefs 14,157
Home Decor Enthusiasts 13,681
Shutterbugs 12,851
Other Categories:
Top 10 Categories Visits
News/Politics/Campaigns & Elections 11,911
Arts & Entertainment/Celebrities & Entertainment News 8,378
News/Weather 6,421
Food & Drink/Cooking & Recipes 5,697
Arts & Entertainment/TV & Video/Online Video 5,054
News/Sports News 3,409
Sports/Team Sports/American Football 3,137
Travel/Hotels & Accommodations 3,018
Reference/General Reference/Dictionaries & Encyclopedias 2,987
Travel/Air Travel 2,963
Affinity Categories broaden the scope to identify users in terms of
lifestyle; for example, Technophiles, Sports Fans, and Cooking
Enthusiasts. These categories are defined in a similar way to TV
audiences, and represent an opportunity to understand the behavior
of your audience.
Other Categories are used to classify groups of users based on the
specific content they consume, along with how recently and
frequently they consume that content. This category data provides a
more focused view of your users, and lets you analyze behavior more
narrowly than Affinity Categories.
* Per Google
9.03%
16.02%
11.93% 10.37% 11.64%
5.89%
4.03%
8.16%
7.14%
6.00% 5.79%
4.02%
18-24 25-34 35-44 45-54 55-64 65+
Age Group by Gender Male
Female
Page 5 of 19
Date: December 5, 2016
Client: Visit San Luis Obispo County
Date Range: November 1 - 30, 2016
Top Content:Geographic:
Top Landing Pages Entrances
/events 5,980
/4,829/blog/770/your-guide-to-thanksgiving-dining-on-the-central-
coast 2,338
/events/all/holiday_activities 1,313
/community/morro-bay 636
/blog/778/new-years-on-the-central-coast 623
/our-area 608
/events/all/fairs_and_festivals 567
/community/paso-robles 543/blog/934/be-jolly-by-golly-holiday-happenings-in-san-luis-
obispo-county-2016 532
Top Content Pages Pageviews
/events 12,882
/9,091/blog/770/your-guide-to-thanksgiving-dining-on-the-central-
coast 4,684
/events/all/holiday_activities 3,195
/events/2593/cambria-christmas-market 2,612
/events/all/fairs_and_festivals 2,050
/events?page=1 1,958
/events/2041/lighted-boat-parade 1,525
/our-area 1,455
/events/all/childrens_activities 1,227
Top Exit Pages Exits
/3,210
/events 2,756
/blog/770/your-guide-to-thanksgiving-dining-on-the-central-coast 1,408
/events/2593/cambria-christmas-market 729
/our-area 704
/events/all/holiday_activities 651
/hearst-castle 511
/events/all/fairs_and_festivals 466
/events/942/christmas-at-the-castle 441
/blog/934/be-jolly-by-golly-holiday-happenings-in-san-luis-obispo-county-2016433
12%
10% 10% 3% 3%
3% 2%
2% 2%
1%
52%
Top Cities Los Angeles
San Luis Obispo
San Francisco
Paso Robles
Atascadero
Arroyo Grande
Pismo Beach
Santa Maria
Baywood-Los Osos
Morro Bay
Other
87.6%
1.2%
1.1% 0.8% 0.8%
0.7%
0.7%
0.6%
0.6%
0.6%
5.1%
Top States California
Texas
Arizona
Oregon
Washington
Illinois
New York
Nevada
Florida
Colorado
Other
33.08%
21.81%
17.10%
3.80% 3.64%
3.23% 2.43%
1.51%
0.93%
0.78%
11.69%
Top Metros Santa Barbara-Santa Maria-San Luis Obispo CA
Los Angeles CA
San Francisco-Oakland-San Jose CA
Fresno-Visalia CA
Sacramento-Stockton-Modesto CA
Monterey-Salinas CA
San Diego CA
Bakersfield CA
Phoenix AZ
New York NY
Other
Page 6 of 19
Date: December 5, 2016
Client: Visit San Luis Obispo County
Date Range: November 1 - 30, 2016
In-MarketVs Visitor:
5,153
11,297
0 5,000 10,000 15,000 20,000 25,000
In-Market
Out of Market
Desktop Visits
5,658
17,873
0 2,000 4,000 6,000 8,000 10,000 12,000 14,000 16,000 18,000 20,000
In-Market
Out of Market
Mobile/Tablet Visits
68.67%
31.33%
75.96%
24.04%
Page 7 of 19