HomeMy WebLinkAboutAugust 9 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, August 9, 2017
10:00 A.M.
City Hall- Council Hearing Room
CALL TO ORDER: Chair Matthew Wilkins
PUBLIC COMMENT: Each speaker is limited to two minutes of public comment for items not on the
agenda. Public comment for each agenda item will be called for separately and is also limited to 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
Bruce Skidmore, appointed by the City Council on July 18, 2017, will take the oath of office to serve on the
TBID Board.
CONSENT ITEMS
C.1 Minutes of Meeting on Wednesday, July 12, 2017
C.2 Smith Travel Report
C.3 Chamber Public Relations Report
C.4 BCA + Matchfire Marketing Report
C.5 Chamber Guest Services Report
C.6 TOT Report
PRESENTATIONS
1. MARKETING AGENCY MONTHLY REPORT 10 mins
Representatives from BCA + MatchFire will present the report for the marketing activities over the past
month for the SLO TBID.
2. CHAMBER PUBLIC RELATIONS YEAR-END REPORT 15 mins
Representatives from the SLO Chamber will present the 2016-17 year-end report for the Public Relations
contract with 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. CAL POLY STUDENT AFFAIRS STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP 15 mins
The Marketing Committee will present the recommendation for the establishment of a two- year strategic
partnership agreement between SLO TBID and Cal Poly Student Affairs – Parent Program and New
Student & Transition Program.
2. 2017-18 EVENT PROMOTION FUNDING RECOMMENDATIONS 20 mins
The Marketing Committee will present the funding recommendations for the 2017-18 Events Promotion
sponsorship program.
3. GRASS VOLLEYBALL TOURNAMENT APPLICATION REVIEW 10 mins
The Board will review the application for the Grass Volleyball Tournament for final approval and finalize
the allocation of the $5,000 previously earmarked for the event.
4. 2017-19 MARKETING CAMPAIGN 20 mins
Representatives from BCA + MatchFire will present the Marketing Committee’s recommendation for the
2017-19 destination marketing campaign.
5. BOARD MEMBER COMMITTEE ASSIGNMENTS 5 mins
The Board Member representation on the Marketing and Management committee will be reviewed.
6. 2016-17 TBID ANNUAL REPORT PREPARATION 5 mins
The Board will direct staff on development of the TBID’s written annual report to the City Council to be
presented on October 17, 2017. The Board is to review the 2015-16 report as an example of the format and
information that has been included in the previous year report.
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 – Minutes: July 17, 2017
3. MARKETING COMMITTEE UPDATE – Minutes: July 18, 2017
4. PCC UPDATE –Minutes: July 12, 2017
5. VISIT SLOCAL UPDATE – Liaison Reports; June Activity Report
6. TOURISM PROGRAM UPDATE – Staff Report
ADJOURN.
POSTING STATEMENT: I, Liesel Kuehl, Tourism Coordinator, do hereby certify that on August 4, 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.
DRAFT Minutes – Tourism Business Improvement District Board Meeting of July 12, 2017 Page 1
Minutes - DRAFT
TOURISM BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT BOARD
Wednesday, July 12, 2017
Tourism Business Improvement District Board
CALL TO ORDER
A Meeting of the Tourism Business Improvement District Board was called to order on
Wednesday, June 21, 2017 at 10:00 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, LeBren Young-Harris, Vice Chair Nipool Patel (exited
10:38), and Chair Matthew Wilkins
Absent: Board Members Pragna Patel-Mueller and Kimberly Walker (one seat empty)
Staff: Tourism Manager Molly Cano and Tourism Coordinator Liesel Kuehl
PUBLIC COMMENT ON ITEMS NOT ON THE AGENDA
Sierra Haddock was introduced as a new member of the MatchFire team.
CONSENT AGENDA
ACTION: MOTION BY BOARD MEMBER PATEL, SECOND BY BOARD MEMBER
PEARCE, CARRIED 4-0, to approve the Consent Calendar Items C1 through C6.
C1. Minutes of Special Meeting on Wednesday, June 21, 2017
C2. Smith Travel Report
C3. Chamber Public Relations Report
C4. BCA + Matchfire Marketing Report
C5. Chamber Visitor Center Report
C6. Transit Occupancy Tax (TOT) Report
DRAFT Minutes – Tourism Business Improvement District Board Meeting of July 12, 2017 Page 2
PRESENTATIONS
Presentation Items were heard following Business Items.
1. Marketing Agency Year End Report
Representatives from BCA + MatchFire reviewed their marketing activities for fiscal
year 2017-18. Highlights included a review of events, metrics, marketing and media
developments and programs, and materials introduced during fiscal year 2017-18.
Public Comments:
None.
---End of Public Comments---
No action was taken on this item
2. SLO Chamber of Commerce Monthly Report
Committee Member Nipool Patel exited the meeting at this time.
Dusty Colyer-Worth, Chamber of Commerce Visitor Center Manager, reviewed the
guest promotions activities for fiscal year 2016-17. Highlights included a review of
visitor traffic – noting a spike in European visitors, impacted weekends, hotel referrals,
and the live-chat trial.
Public Comments:
None.
---End of Public Comments---
No action was taken on this item.
DRAFT Minutes – Tourism Business Improvement District Board Meeting of July 12, 2017 Page 3
BUSINESS ITEMS
The Business item was heard prior to the Presentation items.
1. SLO Welcomes Initiative
The Marketing Committee and the marketing agency representatives presented their
recommendation for the development and promotion of the “SLO Welcomes” initiative.
The initiative aligns with BrandUSA’s One Big Welcome campaign and Visit
California’s All Dreams Welcome. It was noted that a key reason to pursue marketing
with this message is that travelers are making decisions on where to go, by how
inclusive and welcoming a City communicates they are. The City’s welcoming city
resolution was reviewed. A review on how marketing efforts can align with the City
resolution was previewed, with possible marketing concepts, including a video clip of
the Mayor, being presented. It was noted that a strategic goal for the initiative is to
differentiate San Luis Obispo as a leader in the state on inclusivity.
Public Comments:
None.
---End of Public Comments---
ACTION: MOTION BY BOARD MEMBER PEARCE, SECOND BY BOARD MEMBER
PATEL, CARRIED 4-0, to approve the “SLO Welcomes” marketing initiative for
implementation.
TBID LIAISON REPORTS &COMMUNICATIONS
1. Hotelier Update
The Board discussed that business seems a bit light at this time. They further discussed
possible impacts of the Hwy. 1 closure and fires in the area.
2. Management Committee Update
There was no meeting during June. The next meeting will be Monday, July 17th.
3. Marketing Committee Update
The next Marketing Committee meeting will be held Tuesday July 18th and the Event
Application Review will be July 31st.
DRAFT Minutes – Tourism Business Improvement District Board Meeting of July 12, 2017 Page 4
4. Promotional Coordinating Committee (PCC) Update
Tourism Manager Cano reported on the activities of the PCC, specifically covering the
importance of the SLO Happenings app.
5. Visit Slocal Update
Committee Member Pearce noted that he is the new Board Chair and discussed work
done on messaging concerning the Hwy. 1 closures. Activities of the Visit Slocal
Director were reviewed. It was noted that Aaron Graves has joined the Executive
Committee and that the meeting schedule for the Board and Executive Committee have
been modified.
Tourism Manager Cano reported on advertising efforts and upcoming changes
concerning advertising contract services.
6. Tourism Program Update
Tourism Manager Cano reviewed the following:
Bruce Skidmore, Area Director of Sales and Marketing for Embassy Suites, has
been recommended to the open TBID board seat by the Council sub-committee.
City Council approved the TBID work program at their July 5, 2017 meeting.
The Special Events Application is currently open, and closes on July 21st.
SLO Days (New Student in Transition Program) is beginning. Ten sessions are
planned for the summer.
Noted that she has been appointed for an additional year as Board President of the
CCTC (Central Coast Tourism Council), and that the 2017-18 funding grant has
been approved.
Reviewed the CalTravel Summit meeting of June 27-29th
Noted that the City’s Community Development Department is preparing an update
on the Short-Term Rental program for presentation to the TBID.
ADJOURNMENT
The meeting was adjourned at 11:13 a.m. The next Regular meeting of the Tourism Business
Improvement District Board is scheduled for Wednesday, August 9, 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 July 2017Week of June 25 - July 1Percent Change2017 2016 2017 2016 2017 2016 Occ ADR RevPARRoom Rev Room Avail Room SoldCity of Paso Robles 85.7 75.5 148.75 146.91 127.52 110.97 13.5 1.3 14.9 14.9 0.0 13.5City of Pismo Beach 86.8 81.4 197.20 190.91 171.21 155.47 6.6 3.3 10.1 10.2 0.1 6.7City of San Luis Obispo 86.5 75.4 162.82 154.92 140.84 116.77 14.8 5.1 20.6 20.7 0.0 14.8Week of July 2 - July 8Percent Change2017 2016 2017 2016 2017 2016 Occ ADR RevPARRoom Rev Room Avail Room SoldCity of Paso Robles 80.0 77.5 154.06 154.72 123.21 119.84 3.3 -0.4 2.8 2.8 0.0 3.3City of Pismo Beach 86.1 85.7 232.59 221.07 200.31 189.44 0.5 5.2 5.7 5.8 0.1 0.6City of San Luis Obispo 81.4 78.9 161.85 166.55 131.79 131.47 3.2 -2.8 0.2 0.3 0.0 3.2Week of July 9 - July 15Percent Change2017 2016 2017 2016 2017 2016 Occ ADR RevPARRoom Rev Room Avail Room SoldCity of Paso Robles 83.5 79.7 150.80 150.32 125.92 119.86 4.7 0.3 5.1 5.1 0.0 4.7City of Pismo Beach 86.9 86.7 203.71 202.85 177.08 175.78 0.3 0.4 0.7 0.8 0.1 0.4City of San Luis Obispo 82.0 83.8 160.51 163.97 131.64 137.44 -2.2 -2.1 -4.2 -4.2 0.0 -2.1Week of July 16 - July 22 Percent Change2017 2016 2017 2016 2017 2016 Occ ADR RevPARRoom Rev Room Avail Room SoldCity of Paso Robles 91.1 86.8 176.80 169.97 161.13 147.50 5.0 4.0 9.2 9.2 0.0 5.0City of Pismo Beach 91.4 92.3 218.84 209.28 199.96 193.24 -1.0 4.6 3.5 3.5 0.1 -1.0City of San Luis Obispo 89.4 87.5 177.04 169.03 158.33 147.94 2.2 4.7 7.0 7.1 0.0 2.2Week of July 23 - July 29Percent Change2017 2016 2017 2016 2017 2016 Occ ADR RevPARRoom Rev Room Avail Room SoldCity of Paso Robles 90.3 93.4 199.24 184.35 179.87 172.17 -3.3 8.1 4.5 4.5 0.0 -3.3City of Pismo Beach 92.3 95.3 223.78 215.72 206.57 205.48 -3.1 3.7 0.5 0.6 0.1 -3.0City of San Luis Obispo 88.9 91.1 185.04 176.51 164.45 160.78 -2.4 4.8 2.3 2.3 0.0 -2.4July2017 2016 2017 2016 2017 2016 Occ ADR RevPARRoom Rev Room Avail Room SoldCity of Paso Robles 86.2 84.3 171.16 165.80 147.61 139.84 2.2 3.2 5.6 5.6 0.0 2.2City of Pismo Beach 89.2 90.0 220.11 212.24 196.27 190.99 -0.9 3.7 2.8 2.8 0.1 -0.9City of San Luis Obispo 85.5 85.3 173.31 169.21 148.15 144.41 0.2 2.4 2.6 2.6 0.0 0.2Occ %RevPARCurrent Week - TY vs. LYOcc %Current Week - TY vs. LYRevPARADROcc %Current Week - TY vs. LYADRADRRevPARADR Percent ChangeOcc %Running 28 Days - TY vs. LYRevPARCurrent Week - TY vs. LYCurrent Week - TY vs. LYOcc % ADR RevPAROcc % RevPARADR
Report to City of SLO – TBID and PCC
Public Relations Contract
July 2017
Media/Community Relations
1. Worked with Visit SLO Cal to develop a Cal Poly viticulture pitch for the LA Times.
2. Sent press release regarding San Luis Obispo being named the town with the Best
Blend of Sunshine, Food, and Beaches by Outside Magazine.
3. Pitched Bubblegum Alley, the Serenity Swing, Sunset Drive-In, Bike Night and the
Architecture Graveyard for including in the CCTC’s round up of hidden gems of
California's Central Coast.
4. Began working with locally based blogger The Charming Olive to identify opportunities
to share San Luis Obispo with her readers as a travel destination.
5. Worked with Mindbody to coordinate pitches and Identify opportunities to work together
when positioning San Luis Obispo as a health and wellness destination.
6. Continued working with Portia Smith to plan a press trip to San Luis Obispo from
Seattle.
7. Continued to work with the city, Barnett Cox & Associates and Matchfire on overall
tourism marketing campaign.
Report to City of SLO – TBID and PCC
Public Relations Contract
July 2017
Media Placements
1. Forget Napa Book a Trip to California’s Central Coast Right Now
Bloomberg | Pursuits, article lauds the advantages of visiting San Luis Obispo and the
Central Coast saying “SLO has become one of California’s great, unsung culinary
destinations.” The Atlanta Journal-Constitution Online and more than ten other online
publications picked up the story.
Circulation/Audience: 375,000
Unique Visitors Per Month: 43,730,621
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-07-17/forget-napa-book-a-trip-to-
california-s-central-coast-right-now
Unique Visitors Per Month: 11,850,394
http://www.myajc.com/travel/forget-napa-book-trip-california-central-coast-right-
now/wC4V4gVOnEbJIoKstntlWK/
Report to City of SLO – TBID and PCC
Public Relations Contract
July 2017
2. The Ultimate Guide To Doing San Luis Obispo Right
Thrillist covers the best places to stay, eat, drink and play in their coverage of San Luis
Obispo.
Unique Visitors Per Month: 11,537,716
https://www.thrillist.com/lifestyle/san-francisco/things-to-do-in-san-luis-obispo-ca
3. Eight California Central Coast Dining Destinations Worth the Drive
Eater: Los Angeles highlights SLO Provisions and SLO Donut Company in their round
up of restaurants worth the drive from LA.
Unique Visitors Per Month: 898,877
https://la.eater.com/2017/6/27/15878818/central-california-coast-driving-destination-
restaurants
4. 17 Weird and Wacky hotels across America
CNN | Travel highlights the Madonna Inn in their round up of the most unique hotels.
Unique Visitors Per Month: 29,788,453
http://us.cnn.com/travel/article/united-states-wacky-hotels/index.html
Report to City of SLO – TBID and PCC
Public Relations Contract
July 2017
5. 5 Destinations in San Luis Obispo
Wine Enthusiast outlines the best things for wine lovers to do in SLO Wine Country
including a stop in the city for culture, cheese and great beer.
Circulation/Audience: 178,648
Unique Visitors Per Month: 468,356
http://www.winemag.com/listicle/5-destinations-in-san-luis-obispo/
6. You Can See This Gorgeous Stretch of Pacific Coast by Train for Under $100
Town and Country is the latest lifestyle magazine to highlight the advantages of taking
the train from San Diego to San Luis Obispo.
Unique Visitors Per Month: 1,717,182
http://www.townandcountrymag.com/leisure/travel-guide/a10317281/pacific-coast-train-
ride/
7. SLO Wine Country
Phoenix Magazine shares a first person account of the perfect trip to San Luis Obispo
and how to wine taste you way through the Edna Valley.
Circulation/Audience: 70,648
Unique Visitors Per Month: 44,971
http://www.phoenixmag.com/travel/slo-wine-country.html
Report to City of SLO – TBID and PCC
Public Relations Contract
July 2017
8. 51 Places That Are So Drop Dead Gorgeous You'd Think They're Part Of A Movie
Set
BuzzFeed round up features photos of the Madonna Inn.
Unique Visitors Per Month: 17,634,375
https://www.buzzfeed.com/delaneystrunk/53-real-life-places-that-look-like-sets-from-a-
wes-anderson?utm_term=.hmMJp5vYM#.iqeE0ax5X
9. San Luis Obispo International Film Festival 2017: It’s Quaint at First Glance, but
SLO Has A Lot Going On
Max Winstein, who was hosted by the city during his stay for the SLO Film Fest, writes
“…my feeling about the town upon arrival was that things were almost too quiet. Yet,
L.A.-bound on closing night, I left convinced that this hushed, indie-friendly spot not only
had a lot to offer, but a lot to say.’ The article appeared in MovieMaker Magazine and
online.
Circulation/Audience: 54,000
Unique Visitors Per Month: 145,732
https://www.moviemaker.com/archives/festivals/san-luis-obispo-international-film-
festival-2017/
Report to City of SLO – TBID and PCC
Public Relations Contract
July 2017
10. Postcard Ponderings: Motels -- A uniquely American experience
Antique Trader writes about the history of Motels and the story of the Motel Inn in San
Luis Obispo.
Physical circulation/Audience: 9,444
http://www.antiquetrader.com/antiques/collectibles/motels-uniquely-american-
experience/
Auction Central News
https://www.liveauctioneers.com/news/columns-and-international/postcards-of-the-
past/postcards-motels-became-uniquely-american-experience/
11. Travel: California Diaries - Road Trip San Luis Obispo to San Francisco
Dutch blogger The Styling Dutchman chronicles her trip from San Luis Obispo to San
Francisco.
http://stylingdutchman.blogspot.pt/2017/07/travel-california-diaries-roadtrip-san.html
Report to City of SLO – TBID and PCC
Public Relations Contract
July 2017
12. 101 South: San Luis Obispo, Bubblegum Alley, Mission San Luis Obispo de
Tolosa and SLO Brew
Freelance writer and blogger Carole Terwilliger Meyers shares her trip to San Luis
Obispo through a series of posts on her blog, Weekend Adventures.
https://weekendadventuresupdate.blogspot.com/2017/07/101-south-san-luis-obispo-
bubblegum.html
https://weekendadventuresupdate.blogspot.com/2017/07/101-south-san-luis-obispo-
mission-san.html
https://weekendadventuresupdate.blogspot.com/2017/07/101-south-san-luis-obispo-slo-
brew.html
SLOTBID AGENCY REPORT July 2017
HAPPENING NOW
• Marketing Plan 2017–2018
• Cal Poly SLO Days
• 2017–19 Campaign
• 2017–18 Media Planning
• Events Applications Review
• Cal Poly Parent Program Partnership Details
• “SLO Welcomes” Campaign
SLO VACATIONS
• Added Pages
-Overlanding
-SLO Welcomes
• Updated Cal Poly Things to Do Page
• SEO
-Alt image tags added to property pages
-Broken links fixed
-Redirect chains and loops fixed
EMAIL
• July/August Newsletter
• 242 new leads
SLOTBID AGENCY REPORT July 2017
SHARESLO
• Pride in the Plaza Video
• Community Blog Posts
-Top Historic Sites in SLO
-Experiencing Bubblegum Alley
-SLO in the News: June
LOOKING AHEAD
• Annual Report
• Sizzle Reel
• Cal Poly Parent Program
Partnership Campaign
• LA Food & Wine Festival
TBID Activation/booth
SLOTBID AGENCY REPORT July 2017
SESSIONS PAGE VIEWS USERS REFERRALS
SanLuisObispoVacations.com 18,622 37,987 15,126
slocity.org
m.facebook.com
orientation.calpoly.edu
FACEBOOK
New Fans
Total Fans
Total Reach
Average Reach per Post
Average Daily Page Engaged Users
Total Engagements
0
104,218
384,495
5,189
368
4,911
TWITTER
New Followers
Total Followers
Total Engagements
#ShareSLO
53
3,795
730
414
INSTAGRAM
New Followers
Total Followers
Total Reach
Average Reach per post
Total Engagements
#ShareSLO
282
11,219
141,874
2,782
12,022
3,152
YOUTUBE SLO Promo Video 35,015
Report to City of SLO – TBID
Phone Line and Availability Contract
July 2017
Response to TBID Advertising
Week
1
Week
2
Week
3
Week
4
July 2016
July 2017
Calls to
1-877-SLO-TOWN
13 15 14 18 47 60
Hotel Availability Tracker
Week
1
Week
2
Week
3
Week
4
July 2016 July 2017
Email Response 15 16 16 14 37 61
Phone Calls to
Hotels
45 60 51 64 111 220
Hotel Referrals
Week
1
Week
2
Week
3
Week
4
July 2016
July 2017
Visitors Served
(Walk-ins)
1,505 1,926 1,657 1,692
6,807 6,780
Farmers’ Market* 500 500 500 500 2,000 2,000
Hotel Rooms
Referred
294 366
301
351
918 1,312
*estimate without people counter
TOT Comparison2009‐102010‐11 2011‐12 2012‐13 2013‐142014‐15 2015‐162016‐17 Change +/‐2015‐162016‐17 Change +/‐2015‐162016‐17 Change +/‐2015‐162016‐17 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 4.8August 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$ 128.09‐0.1September 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 3.7October 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$ 106.51‐3.9November 280,913$ 330,924$ 347,437$ 359,163$ 425,769$ 475,360$ 468,016$ 497,162$ 6.2% 65.1 66.5 2.1 128.84$ 133.3 3.5 83.85$ 88.61 5.7December 246,684$ 274,417$ 314,784$ 319,451$ 355,315$ 391,132$ 429,600$ 434,836$ 1.2% 59.7 58.9‐1.3 118.86$ 123.17 3.6 70.92$ 72.52 2.3January 230,279$ 256,351$ 276,165$ 302,153$ 331,853$ 400,239$ 387,304$ 396,559$ 2.4% 55.2 56.4 2.2 118.85$ 115.69‐2.7 65.62$ 65.30$ ‐0.5February 273,373$ 302,246$ 323,359$ 344,160$ 366,980$ 431,510$ 466,915$ 439,735$ ‐5.8% 66.2 61.7‐6.8 129.14$ 128.71‐0.5 85.53$ 79.36‐7.3March 326,099$ 333,783$ 392,266$ 426,879$ 448,103$ 520,795$ 559,235$ 549,642$ ‐1.7% 72.3 69.1‐4.3 131.95$ 130.03‐1.5 95.34$ 89.91‐5.7April 423,158$ 451,133$ 475,913$ 486,850$ 564,617$ 610,894$ 609,439$ 708,724$ 16.3% 72.5 80.4 10.9 145.67$ 149.96 2.9 105.62$ 120.56 14.1May 372,997$ 433,874$ 447,116$ 489,862$ 546,916$ 601,614$ 598,093$ 645,114$ 7.9% 70.7 72 1.8 145.58$ 147.7 1.5 102.92$ 106.33 3.3June 490,326$ 512,543$ 578,234$ 610,948$ 630,729$ 727,028$ 731,038$ 763,738$ 4.5% 78.9 79 0.2 $160.81 164.33 2.2 126.92$ 129.9 2.3Total/Average 4,478,481$ 4,859,400$ 5,249,181$ 5,578,460$ 6,059,758$ 6,803,224$ 7,154,334$ 7,356,299$ 2.8%72.4871.58‐1.2 139.55$ 143.492.8 102.29$ 104.131.87,186,264$ *April TOT totals missing 2 homestays*May TOT totals missing 3 homestays *June TOT totals missing 11 homestaysOccupancy ADR RevPARFigures from Smith Travel Research report
SLO TBID :: Cal Poly Student Affairs (Parents Programs / NSTP) ‐‐ Partnership Plan
Objective: Develop partnership between SLO TBID and Cal Poly Student Affairs to generate brand
awareness of the City of San Luis Obispo lodging properties, encouraging parents to stay in SLO when
visiting their Mustang. Collectively generate opportunities for current Cal Poly parents to engage with
the local community throughout the year, specifically in non‐peak seasons.
Goals:
Increase Cal Poly parent’s opportunity for engagement with Cal Poly and within the City of San
Luis Obispo.
Increase Cal Poly parent’s awareness of lodging properties within the City of San Luis Obispo.
Generate brand loyalty amongst parents and City of San Luis Obispo lodging properties.
Increase overnight stays of parents in City of San Luis Obispo lodging properties.
Establish long term relationships with parents to encourage visits/stays in City of San Luis
Obispo even after their child has graduated.
Strategy: In partnership with Cal Poly Student Affairs, the City of San Luis Obispo Tourism Business
Improvement District (SLO TBID) and their agency partners, will develop a creative, unique and engaging
marketing campaign specifically targeted to Cal Poly parents. The campaign will highlight San Luis
Obispo as a “home away from home” destination for parents to visit year‐round. SLO TBID and Cal Poly
Student Affairs will promote the campaign via the following tactics
Marketing & Communications:
Stay in SLO itineraries (4‐6) on Cal Poly Parent Program website, NSTP website and any other
appropriate Cal Poly Student Affairs website – link back to SanLuisObispoVacations.com. Add
Plan Your Visit to the main navigation. Content provided by SLO TBID.
2 social posts per month on Parent Program, NSTP and any other appropriate channels – 1
unique post co‐created with SLO TBID and Cal Poly Student Affairs; 1 post shared from SLO TBID
social channels.
Parent Program and NSTP to host quarterly getaway giveaways on their social channels. Content
provided by SLO TBID.
Section of Parent Program and NSTP email newsletter dedicated to SLO TBID content. Content
provided by SLO TBID.
2 dedicated promotional emails from Parent Program and NSTP highlighting SLO TBID specific
promotions.
SLO TBID to create 2‐3 Cal Poly specific videos to share across digital channels. Cal Poly Student
Affairs provides featured parents, administrators, and video ideas.
Special hotel offers for Cal Poly parents, featured on the SanLuisObispoVacations.com website.
Develop activations for key Cal Poly events to engage parents. (SLO Days, Move‐In Weekend,
Mustang Family Weekend, Commencement).
Bi‐Monthly (6/year) Cal Poly student/parent feature on ShareSLO, highlighting why they love to
visit SLO. Cal Poly Student Affairs supports by identifying story ideas and featured parents.
A portion of SLO TBID’s digital advertising will support the campaign and target Cal Poly parents
with specific promotions.
Dedicated TripAdvisor Article detailing parent exclusives
New creative elements including a program name, tagline and branding to be used across
marketing campaign
Experiences & Events: Cal Poly Parent Experiences & Events that connect to the City of San Luis Obispo.
Create 2‐3 long weekend exclusive experiences that showcase San Luis Obispo’s activities.
• SLO TBID coordinates City of SLO activity components. (Ex. Meet the Brewer and
Walking Beer Tour)
• Cal Poly Student Affairs hosts reception/welcome event at sponsored community
location.
• Cal Poly Student Affairs host and manages ticketing platform and promotes to
parents.
What success looks like to SLO TBID:
Website traffic
Email metrics – sent, delivered, bounced, opens, unsubscribes
Digital ad metrics – impressions, clicks, CTR, conversions
Event attendance
Overnight stays in San Luis Obispo lodging properties during weekend activations, as compared
to year prior
Increased communication and ultimately, involvement from parents
Loyalty to Cal Poly and San Luis Obispo from parents
Increased longevity of the relationship with parents, beyond their child’s time at Cal Poly
Increased community support from parents
Timeline:
Now – mid‐July 2017 – Brainstorm and create SLO Days presentation strategy
o Nail down presentation points, giveaways, backdrop or PPT.
o Create schedule for SLO Days presentations. (Who, What, When)
July – August 2017: Create campaign – name, tagline, creative, etc.
Late August – September 2017: Launch campaign
September 2017 – June 2018: Ongoing campaign deliverables as outlined above
Partnership Term: Establish a two‐year agreement with the option to review for additional two‐year
terms.
Exclusivity: Partnership with Student Affairs requires exclusivity from NSTP and Parent Programs with
SLO TBID for all destination and lodging promotions.
TBID Cash Sponsorship: $20,000
Event(s) Organization Event Dates Contact E‐mailFunding Request TBID Recommendation PCC RecommendationRecommended Support Subtotal Subcommittee Notes: 5th Annual 2017 SLO Jazz Festival SLO Jazz Festival, Inc. May 18‐19, 2018 Scott Andrewsscott@slojazzfest.org43,000$ 10,000$ 1,000$ 11,000$ TBID funding: To be used for out‐of‐area marketing purposes only. Funds will go to BCA & Matchifre for ad placements. All artist rooms MUST be housed in SLO City hotel properties with NO exception ‐ if this is not adhered to then future funding will not be considered by TBID and TBID funding towards ads will need to be returned. A housing report is required and should include hotel name and number for rooms & nights booked. TBID will verify the booking consumption. PCC Funding: cash sponsorship toward event. *** PCC would like additional discussion on sponsorship contribution.Sponsorship level must represent full contribution from the City. 2017 Fall FestivalSLO Fall Festival, Inc. September 28‐ November 11, 2017 Scott Andrewsscott@slojazzfest.org10,000$ ‐$ 1,000$ 1,000$ PCC funding only: PCC to contribute funding toward the event at same support level as previous year. *** PCC would like additional discussion on sponsorship contribution. Central Coast Growing Edible Education SymposoumSLO County Food System Coalition, Fiscal Sponsor: SLO County Office of Education October 6‐7, 2017Teresa Lees/Shannon Klischtlees@slocoe.orgsklisch@ucanr.edu 1,000$ 500$ 500$ 1,000$ TBID and PCC to split full fudning of the evet as requested. Central Coast Hop FestivalPouring Productions 21‐Oct‐17 Michael Gasbarragasbarra@att.net16,000$ 3,000$ ‐$ 3,000$ TBID funding only: Funding to be used for out of area marketing only and placed by BCA/Matchfire. Funding is contingent on moving the date to the following weekend (10/28).City Farm Harvest FestivalCentral Coast Grown 8‐Oct‐17 Steven Marxsmarx@calpoly.edu14,900$ ‐$ 2,900$ 2,900$ PCC funding only: Funding to be used for local marketing Festival Mozaic's WinterMezzo Festival MozaicOctober 20‐30, 2017; February 23‐25, 2018 Bettina Swiggerbettina@festivalmozaic.com12,000$ 5,000$ 5,000$ 10,000$ Committee did not want to limit the event to creating new programs if not necessary. Staff to discuss with event organizer. Love SLOMission College Prep 24‐Mar‐18 Chris Blakecblake@missionprep.org4,250$ ‐$ 4,250$ 4,250$ PCC funding only: full funding of the event as requested. Mission Prep Christmas ClassicMission College PrepDecember 15‐19, 2017 Terrance Harristerrancel.harris@yahoo.com30,000$ 30,000$ ‐$ 30,000$ TBID funding only: TBID funding to go towards rooms in SLO hotel properties and to work with BCA/Matchfire for marketing guidance; funding contingent on naming rights for the eventNew Year's Eve Celebration and ConcertSan Luis Obispo Symphony 31‐Dec‐17 Catherine Lansdownecatherine@slosymphony.com 10,000$ ‐$ 4,350$ 4,350$ PCC funding only: Funding to be used towards local advertisingOklahoma! A Citywide Arts CollaborationOpera San Luis Obispo May 12‐13, 2018 Sharon Dobsonsharon@operaslo.org12,000$ ‐$ 2,000$ *** PCC would like additional discussion on sponsorship contribution. Roll Out the Barrels WeekendSan Luis Obispo Wine Country Association June 21‐23, 2017 Heather Muranheather@slowine.com15,000$ 11,000$ 4,000$ 15,000$ Full funding of the event as requested. SLO Craft Beer FestivalPouring ProductionsFebruary 23‐24, 2018 Mike Gasbarragasbarra@att.net16,000$ 6,000$ 3,000$ 9,000$ TBID funding: Funding to be used for out of area marketing only and ads placed by BCA/Matchfire. PCC funding: funding to be used toward local event promotion. San Luis Obispo International Film Festival San Luis Obispo International Film Festival March 13‐18, 2017 Wendy Eidsonwendy@slofilmfest.org35,000$ 12,150$ 8,000$ 20,150$ TBID funding: $8500 of TBID to go towards advertising/PR as listed on the application; remaining TBID funding of $3650 to go towards a media FAM. Sponsorship benefits for the TBID should include: step and repeat in the tent; TBID logo in the tent; TBID videos shown before movie screenings; hosting of media in SLO City hotels. SLO Marathon + Half Race SLO April 27‐29, 2017 Samantha Pruittsamantha@raceslo.com15,000$ 15,000$ ‐$ 15,000$ TBID funding only: full funding of the event as requested. TEDxSanLuisObispo TedxSanLuisObispo 28‐Oct‐17 Meghan Julinmjulin@calpoly.edu8,000$ ‐$ ‐$ ‐$ No funding recommended by TBID or PCC. Student focused event with limited to no benefit to the community or visitors. The Civic Ballet of SLO Presents the NutcrackerCivic Ballet San Luis ObispoDecember 8‐10, 2017 Leslie B. Michelcivicballetofslo@gmail.com7,320$ ‐$ TBD#VALUE!*** PCC would like additional discussion on sponsorship contribution. Committee requested info on GIA funding history. US Trail Running Conference Race SLOLate Aug/Early Sept 2018 Samantha Pruittsamantha@raceslo.com25,000$ 20,000$ ‐$ 20,000$ TBID funding only: date requested for conference to be last full week of August 2018. Subtotal274,470$ 112,650$ 36,000$ #VALUE!Allocated Budget 117,000$ 40,000$ Budget Remaining4,350$ 4,000$ 2017‐18 Annual Event Promotion Sponsorship
2 SLO TBID Annual Report 2015-16 A Letter from the Chair
A LETTER FROM THE CHAIR
The Tourism Business Improvement District (TBID) led the San Luis Obispo lodging community to a banner year
in 2014-15, recording a 12 percent increase in transient occupancy tax collection (TOT) over the previous year. That
was a not an easy act to follow, but I am pleased to report that the final tally for 2015-2016 did not disappoint,
again showing strong growth with a 5.2 percent gain in TOT. While occupancy did tick down slightly from last
year’s peak, the average daily rate went up by 7 percent for a 5.4 percent gain in revenue per available room
(RevPAR).
The TBID Board continues to follow the road map laid out in our 5-year Strategic Clarity Plan. Guided by these
principles, we have improved focus on our mission and increased efficiency in our efforts. We have streamlined
and simplified the criteria for which events we sponsor and what trade shows in which we participate, all leading
to the best possible use of our dollars for maximal impact and reach.
The TBID Board is made up of a diverse group of hoteliers that represents the spectrum of properties in our
community. We have added some new faces in the past year, and the fresh perspectives they have brought with
them has been a great benefit. We are also fortunate to have our efforts bolstered by a very driven staff working
side by side with our team of adept marketers from Barnett Cox & Associates (BCA) and Matchfire (formerly
StudioGood).
With all of these elements in place, we have been able to achieve a long list of accomplishments, the highlights
of which include the creation and launch of a new responsive website, new videos and a host of other digital
assets. Our efforts did not go unnoticed, as we have been recognized by Visit California for Best Overall
Marketing Program as well as being emulated by our neighbors.
As we look forward into the next few years, we feel we are extremely well positioned to give us the best chance
at continued success. We have strengthened our strategic partnerships with the Chamber of Commerce to
spread our message and the newly formed county-wide Tourism Marketing District (TMD) entity Visit San Luis
Obispo County to help us tap new markets from Seattle to China. We are also excited about the growth of our
constituency, from the incorporation of licensed Home-Stays to new hotels downtown.
The TBID Board would like to express our gratitude to the City Council for its continued support.
Sincerely,
Matthew Wilkins
Sands Inn & Suites
SLO TBID Board Chair
3 SLO TBID Annual Report 2015-16 Table of Contents
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Background on TBID .................................4
Background ............................................4
Advisory Body ..........................................4
Advisory Body Bylaws ...................................5
2015-16 Year By the Numbers (TOT) ...................6
Strategic Plan Implementation
Year & Program Approach ............................7
TBID Activities ......................................8
Snapshot of the Progress ................................8
Branding ...............................................8
Digital .................................................10
Digital & Print Media ....................................13
Social .................................................14
Public Relations ........................................17
Tradeshows ............................................19
Special Promotions ....................................20
Guest Services .........................................21
Strategic Partnerships .................................22
Event Promotion ......................................23
Industry Relations .....................................24
2015-16 Financial Statement .........................25
Income ...............................................25
Expenditures ..........................................26
Looking Ahead to 2016-17 ...........................27
Appendix ..........................................28
TOT Chart 2015-16 .....................................28
TOT Month to Month 2015-16 ...........................28
OCC Month to Month 2015-16 ...........................29
ADR Month to Month 2015-16 ...........................29
RevPar Month to Month 2015-16 .........................30
4 SLO TBID Annual Report 2015-16 Background on TBID
BACKGROUND ON TBID
BACKGROUND
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
two percent of gross receipts for the district became effective on October 1, 2008 and the use of funds was
defined in Section 12.42.030 of the Municipal Code as follows:
“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.”
ADVISORY BODY
The use of the assessment fund is based on the recommendation of the Tourism Business Improvement
District advisory board that 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 second term for a maximum of eight years.
2015-16 ADVISORY BOARD
NAME PROPERTY TERM
Dean Hutton Apple Farm 3/31/17 2nd term
Kimberly Walker Granada Inn 3/31/17 2nd term
LeBren Harris Hampton Inn 3/31/17
Nipool Patel (Past Chair)Lamplighter Inn & Suites 3/31/20 2nd term
Pragna Patel-Muller Lexington Inn 3/31/19
Clint Pearce Madonna Inn 3/31/19 2nd term
Matthew Wilkins (Chair)Sands Inn & Suites 3/31/20 2nd term
5 SLO TBID Annual Report 2015-16
ADVISORY BODY BYLAWS
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 Board meets monthly on the second Wednesday at 10 a.m. for its regular board meeting.
In 2015-16, the Board met in 12 regular monthly meetings. Additionally, based on the implementation of
the TBID 5-year Strategic Plan, the board divided into two standing subcommittees. The Management
Committee and the Marketing Committee each made up of the three board members. The Marketing
Committee members also serve on the joint Event Promotion Committee with three members of the
Promotional Coordinating Committee to consider event sponsorship commitments.
In order to keep the lodging constituency abreast of all TBID business, the Board is assigned properties to
laisse. Each board member is responsible for communication with his/her respective group of hotels. The
Board Chair and staff continue to visit all properties at least once a year to personally bring TBID updates
and marketing opportunities to each property. An example of the focused communication and outreach
by the Board liaisons during the year was the launch of the new TBID website in October followed by the
Helium booking solution in early 2016. In 2015-16, the TBID Board also hosted a member appreciation event
in partnership with Cal Poly Athletics.
Background on TBID
6 SLO TBID Annual Report 2015-16 2015-16 Year by the Numbers
2015-16 YEAR BY THE NUMBERS
The 2015-16 fiscal year produced moderate growth in the tourism industry in San Luis Obispo. The City
collected over $7.1 million dollars (+5.2%) in transient occupancy tax (TOT) – the largest collection ever
recorded for the City of San Luis Obispo. The collections met the City’s forecasted and budgeted growth of
5% which is contributed directly into the City’s General Fund.
However, based on the Smith Travel Research (STR) reports, the occupancy rate in the City decreased by an
annual average of 1.5%. Occupancy remained consistently the highest during the summer and fall months
between June through October, then dipped in the winter and spring months of December through April.
This can be attributed in part to the seasonal weather patterns achieved by the mountain regions that
produced the first significant snow fall in over five years. This impacted the visitation from the drive market
guests. The 2015-2016 fiscal year concluded with average annual occupancy rate over 72% (-1.5%) compared
to the 2014-15 fiscal year.
While the occupancy rate decreased, the Average Daily Rate (ADR) was up 7% at $138.76. Every month
within the year out rated the same month in the prior year. Additionally the RevPAR, defined as Revenue Per
Available Room, grew by over 5.4% to $101.35. This means that although the occupancy was down overall for
the properties, the lodging businesses received higher profits based on rate increases with less day-to-day
impact on the properties.
Additionally, the downtown Visitor Center served over 84,000 (+3.1%) in person guests. San Luis Obispo
lodging properties maintained over twenty sell out weekends in 2015-16.
2015-16 YEAR BY THE NUMBERS
See the appendix for complete graphs.
MEASUREMENT FY 2015-16 RESULT % CHANGE FROM FY 2014-15
TOT $ 7,155,007 5.2 %
Occupancy 72.21 -1.5 %
ADR $ 138.76 7.0 %
RevPAR $ 101.35 5.4 %
8 SLO TBID Annual Report 2015-16 TBID Activities
TBID ACTIVITIES
SNAPSHOT OF THE PROGRESS
Fiscal year 2015-16, was a very accomplished year for the TBID activities. With the branding foundation
established in 2014-15, this year was about expanding that brand and the services provided. A few of the
notable accomplishment include:
• Launched the redesigned, fully responsive website and integrated the Helium booking solution
• Designed, launched, and leveraged new videography & photography for digital and print campaign
elements
• Enhanced our social media presence
• Implemented successful promotional campaign, Money for a Rainy Day
• Created new brochure and maps for statewide visitor center distribution
• Invested in Public Relations efforts
• Received the Visit California’s Poppy Award for Best Overall Marketing Program
• Awarded the Best of Show at the American Advertising Federation Awards
In order to implement the complex marketing programs, the TBID Board and staff work closely with the
team of contractors from the marketing agencies Barnett Cox & Associates (BCA) and Matchfire formerly
StudioGood, and the San Luis Obispo Chamber of Commerce.
BRANDING
The TBID manages the tourism brand for the destination of San Luis Obispo, delivering balanced growth of
tourism, with creativity and integrity. Fiscal year 2015-16 was the first complete year the new San Luis Obispo
tourism promotion and the ShareSLO campaign brands were utilized. The advertising campaign “It Means
Something Different Here” was continued across digital and print channels.
10 SLO TBID Annual Report 2015-16
DIGITAL
www.SanLuisObispoVacations.com
One of the most notable accomplishments in 2015-16 was the complete redesign and launch of the City’s
tourism website, SanLuisObispoVacations.com. The City’s official tourism website is designed primarily for
consumers, but also serves the travel trade, meeting planners, TBID members and media. It features robust
content including a detailed calendar of events integrated with SLO Happenings, lodging property listings,
itinerary suggestions and features, the ShareSLO blog, and featured press coverage.
Prior to the launch of the new site, the digital landscape for the TBID consisted of three websites:
SanLuisObispoVacations.com, ShareSLO.com, and m.SanLuisObispoVacations.com. With three websites, the
brand messaging was fragmented and less effective. In addition, the mobile experience left users wanting
more information, but unable to access it. In alignment with the Strategic Clarity Plan, the TBID also wanted
to continue to strengthen and develop the digital presence of the SLO Brand. The best way to do this and
address the mobile issue was by simplifying the digital presence of the brand – consolidating the three
websites into a single, fully-responsive website.
The new website launched in November 2015 was completely redesigned for both function and aesthetics,
and was created to be fully responsive to all technology devices a user may access the site through including
mobile and desktop. The integration of the ShareSLO blog into the SanLuisObispoVacations.com site,
continued to address internally the TBID Strategic Plan initiative of “breaking the SLO brand log jam.”
The TBID Board recognized the importance the Search Engine Optimization or SEO for the performance of
the site. The annual SEO site audit, monthly reports and keyword data were used to optimize all pages with
top keywords, metatags and meta-descriptions during website rebuild and as a result, pages now rank in
search engines within the top 4 positions such as Farmers’ Market, Wine Tasting and Day Trips. As a result,
organic traffic to the site continues to increase, hitting a new record in June with 8,551 organic sessions, an
81% increase from June 2015.
In 2015-16, the site traffic increased by 80% with over 183,000 total site sessions. The 5-year Strategic Clarity
Plan defined the success of site traffic growth by 10% year-over-year.
TBID Activities
11 SLO TBID Annual Report 2015-16
Helium
The customized booking system called Helium was integrated into SanLuisObispoVacations.com in January
2016. The system was intended to serve as a way for guests to book or request reservations directly through
SanLuisObispoVacations.com. In order for the system to operate effectively, lodging properties were
required to input inventory and rates to populate the system. Although the Board, staff and contractor
team invested a year in the development of the system, there was a low number in property participation.
Ultimately, Helium remains as a complimentary booking solution for interested properties to utilize as a
service through SanLuisObispoVacations.com but it does not act as the sole reservation referral solution.
2015-16 activities included:
• Launched the redesigned, fully responsive SanLuisObispoVacatons.com in November
- Integrated ShareSLO Blog
- Optimized all pages based on SEO keyword reports
- Implemented “Add to Itinerary” feature
-Leveraged stunning new photography and videography
• Launched Helium in January
• Added Homestay Property Pages in February
• Added over 20 pages to the website
See the appendix for complete graphs.
TBID Activities
SESSIONS
% CHANGE
FROM JULY
2015
PAGE
VIEWS
% CHANGE
FROM JULY
2015
USERS
% CHANGE
FROM JULY
2015
REFERRALS
SanLuisObispoVactions.com 18,425 109% 42,298 82% 14,740 92%
slocity.org
m.facebook.com
orientation.calpoly.edu
GOSLO Mobile Experience 23 99% 76 99% 22 99%
12 SLO TBID Annual Report 2015-16
Email Marketing
The TBID utilized email marketing activities through the newsletter to communicate regularly with potential
visitors on activities in SLO to build brand loyalty and encourage repeat visitation and an extended length of
stay. The newsletter promotes upcoming events and special promotions as well as compliments our seasonal
advertising campaigns and public relations outreach.
2015-16 Dedicated Newsletters:
• Cal Poly Open House Getaway Giveaway
• Roll Out the Barrels Promotion
• Money for a Rainy Day Promotion
• Wish You Were Here – New Website Announcement
• All Roads Lead to SAVOR Central Coast
• Plus 5 Monthly Newsletters
TBID Activities
NEWSLETTER ACTIVITY MEASUREMENTS
Total Number of Newsletters Sent 10
Total Number of Opens 37,903
Database Size 17,633
13 SLO TBID Annual Report 2015-16
DIGITAL & PRINT MEDIA
Digital Media
Target marketing, message tailoring, flexible rates, creativity, exposure, speed, and measurable ROI are
the top reasons for the growth and attractiveness of the online advertising for the TBID. Online campaigns
and the reliance on technology continues to be the most effective marketing and advertising tool to target
the drive markets in California for leisure travelers to San Luis Obispo. Through BCA, the TBID continues to
use branded advertising to maximize online reach for the promotion of San Luis Obispo through strategic
placement on top travel and lifestyle sites including: Facebook, Twitter, Google Display, Sunset.com,
TripAdvisor, Weekend Sherpa, Bay Area News Group online, and San Diego Union Tribune. In 2015-16, the
strategy expanded to include the use of the new video content for the placement of pre-roll and social video ads.
All print and digital advertising is directed toward the website or the toll-free phone number for more
information on San Luis Obispo.
TBID Activities
CUMULATIVE DIGITAL ADVERTISING MEASUREMENTS
Total Number of Digital Ad Impressions 18,172,601
Total Number of Pre-Roll Ad Impressions 2,830,193
Print Advertising
Limited print advertising placements were continued in the TBID’s media mix through BCA in the 2015-16
fiscal year. Traditional print campaigns are an important tool to reach niche market visitors primarily in the
mature demographic and to reinforce travel inspiration and build brand awareness for the destination. Print
advertising was placed in the following publications: San Francisco Chronicle, Horizon advertorial insert, San
Diego Union Tribune and the Mustang News 100 Year addition. The TBID also participated in a cooperative
advertising opportunity through Visit San Luis Obispo County in the California State Travel Guide and lodging
specific ads were placed in regional visitor publications including: SLO Chamber Visitors Guide, Visit SLO
County Visitors Guide, Central Coast Tourism Council map, and SLO Wine Map.
14 SLO TBID Annual Report 2015-16
SOCIAL
#SHARESLO
Through the ShareSLO program, the TBID leverages user generated content to promote San Luis Obispo
activities, events and businesses to increase the appeal of and loyalty to San Luis Obispo. Early in 2015-16 it
was determined that the buzz around the ShareSLO campaign had been created since the hashtag was being
used and shared daily. The TBID departed from strictly utilizing a select group of ShareSLO Influencers and
from focusing heavily on events to promote ShareSLO - to instead emphasizing attractions and activities that
visitors can find in SLO all year long.
ShareSLO continues to maintain a network of engaged social fans on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. New
in fiscal year 2015-16, ShareSLO joined Snapchat. Matchfire, formerly StudioGood leverages tools like social
listening reports and user analytics to guide the digital conversation to achieve the TBID brand goals. In
2015-16 dedicated campaigns like ShareSLO Chef Series in January and Bike Month in May, were executed
through ShareSLO social media channels. The enhanced social media presence and new approach created
more organic, user-generated content and video. A new addition to keep fans engaged featured real-time
posting at events on Twitter, Instagram and Snapchat. And there was the activation of Instagram giveaways
throughout the year to reward fans.
In 2015-16, the ShareSLO cumulative social fan base grew by 23,399 fans and followers across Facebook,
Twitter, and Instagram. The total social media engagements across all platforms was over 117,000,
representing a 285% increase in engagements over 2014-15.
TBID Activities
16 SLO TBID Annual Report 2015-16 TBID Activities
SHARE SLO SOCIAL METRICS 2015-16 % CHANGE
FROM 2014-15
Facebook
Total New Fans 17,829 1.2%
Average New Fans per Month 1,486 1.3%
Total Fans 45,518 65%
Total Reach 6,271,082 109%
Average Reach per post 5,346 178%
Average Daily Engaged Users 383 104%
Total Engagements 49,633 251%
Twitter
New Followers 569 72%
Average New Followers per Month 47 72%
Total Followers 3,447 17%
Total Engagements 5,259 35%
Average #ShareSLO per Month 343 0.59%
Total #ShareSLO 4,110 0.32%
Instagram
New Followers 5,001 228%
Average New Followers per Month 7,218 226%
Total Followers 62,128 404%
Total Engagements 24,426 n/a
#SHARESLO (Cont.)
17 SLO TBID Annual Report 2015-16
PUBLIC RELATIONS
Beginning in fiscal year 2015-16, Public Relations (PR) activities became a direct area of concentration for the
TBID. The TBID and PCC jointly held a dedicated contract with the San Luis Obispo Chamber of Commerce
for Public Relations efforts. On behalf of the City’s community promotions program, the SLO Chamber is
responsible for establishing professional relationships with media outlets and journalists in various markets
to build and maintain awareness of San Luis Obispo as a travel destination.
The 2015-16 contract elements with the SLO Chamber for Public Relations included: pitching to media,
bringing in media, coordinating media trips, sending out media releases, responding to natural media
inquiries, use of the Chamber’s photography library for editorial requests and press releases, planning and
executing press trips and developing media kits.
This focused PR effort was successful. During the 2015-16 fiscal year, the PR activities generated at least 308
total mentions or media placements that highlighted San Luis Obispo including those in the New York Times,
GQ China, National Geographic Traveler and Travel+Leisure.
Additionally, coordinated media visits or press trips were secured to promote the destination with the goal
of earning valuable editorial coverage. In fiscal year 2015-16, over 60 media outlets, both domestic and
international were hosted in San Luis Obispo. Top domestic and international media outlets hosted include:
Huffington Post, Yahoo Travel, Peter Greenberg Worldwide, and Conde Nast.
TBID Activities
18 SLO TBID Annual Report 2015-16
PUBLIC RELATIONS (CONT.)
Top Media Coverage:
1. Visit CA China FAM
GQ 460,000 - Alex Sun
Trading UP 450,000 - Becky Liu
Esquire 400,000 - Will Wang
National Geographic Traveler 494,200- Lu Yi
Traveler Weekly 250,000 - Huang Lei
2. Visit CA French FAM
On the Road by Bérénice Rocfort-Giovanni, in French weekly magazine, L’Obs . Claiborne and
Churchill in San Luis Obispo. Print: 498,558 copies Reach: 1,860,000 readers
Pacific Road written by Alexandre Kauffmann, ran in French daily newspaper, Les Echos Serie
Limitee. Print: 123,636 copies Reach: 528,000 readers
La Highway 1 entre San Francisco et Los Angeles French monthly magazine, Biba.
Print: 123,636 copies Reach : 528,000 readers
3. Multiple LA Times features
TBID Activities
PUBLIC RELATIONS MEASUREMENTS
Total Number of Media Outlets Hosted 60
Number of Mentions 308
Potential Reach 730,634,941
19 SLO TBID Annual Report 2015-16
TRADESHOWS
The TBID continues to maximize the consumer trade show strategy. Consumer trade shows provide the TBID
an opportunity to take San Luis Obispo on the road to key drive markets. The three consumer tradeshows
attended were: Los Angeles Travel & Adventure Show, Bay Area Travel & Adventure Show, and San Diego
Travel & Adventure Show. The booth featured key information on San Luis Obispo including lodging
information, maps and upcoming events. Shows were selected based on their anticipated attendance,
quality of attendees, and target drive market location. Booth visitors were presented with the call-to-action
to enter to win a $500 San Luis Obispo Getaway Giveaway. In addition to one-on-one conversations with
potential visitors, the TBID also met with numerous travel media and operators in the booth.
In 2015-16 the tradeshow strategy was expanded to utilize the potential visitor feedback through a survey
about San Luis Obispo. The survey was designed to check the alignment of the brand intention for San Luis
Obispo with the awareness of San Luis Obispo from the potential visitors. Highlights of the survey results
included:
• Respondents said the top 3 reasons they’d visit SLO is for a relaxing getaway, food/wine/beer
discovery, or an easy family getaway
• Most respondents said they first heard about SLO at the tradeshow, followed by a friend or family
member referral
• In LA, Relaxed, beautiful and happy were the top three words respondents used to describe SLO. In
San Francisco, relaxed, beautiful and beachy were the top three words.
TBID Activities
CONSUMER TRADE SHOW MEASUREMENTS
Number of Shows Attended 3
Newsletter Registrations Collected 937
Number of Surveys Completed 2114
20 SLO TBID Annual Report 2015-16
SPECIAL PROMOTIONS
Money for a Rainy Day
In 2015-16 the TBID Board created, funded and launched a special promotional offer designed to drive
overnight stays in the City of San Luis Obispo during the slowest months of the year. Through the promotion,
visitors were required to book two consecutive nights at a lodging property in the City of San Luis Obispo
between January – March 2016 and they would receive a $100 Visa Gift Card to spend how they choose.
There were up to 500 Visa gift cards available for redemption through the promotion. Postcards for
tradeshow distribution, Eblasts, Online/Mobile Marketing, content to all strategic partners all specifically
focused on Money for a Rainy Day promotion were used to advertise the offer. As a result, the promotion
garnered over 1100 room nights during January through March.
TBID Activities
21 SLO TBID Annual Report 2015-16
GUEST SERVICES
In addition to the PR support, the Chamber provides an exclusive hotel availability service to the TBID. During
fiscal year 2015-16, Visitor Center staff contacted every TBID property each week and maintained a record
of which hotels were sold out and which have availability for each Thursday, Friday and Saturday as well as
impacted weekdays throughout the year to help guests, who would otherwise need to call each property
on their own to find a room in SLO. This service also allowed for TBID properties to refer their clients directly
to the Visitor Center for centralized guest services. In addition, this information was widely utilized to assist
visitors to the Visitor Center in keeping the traveler in the City of San Luis Obispo. Since July, 2015, the
Chamber was able to make use of this availability information in conjunction with TBID marketing materials
to refer SLO TBID properties 6,800 times.
In addition, the Chamber is contracted to answer each call made to the TBID’s 1-877-SLO-TOWN number,
which is serves as a response tool to the TBID’s advertising efforts and digital presence. This creates the
option for a ‘real person’ to assist in trip planning, ensuring that travelers seeking personal guidance have a
friendly, live voice to shape their experience of San Luis Obispo before even arriving. The telephone number,
1-877-SLO-TOWN, is a separate line that rings in the Chamber and is used solely to refer and promote TBID
properties. During fiscal year 2015-16 over 550 calls were answered on the 1-877-SLO-TOWN line, an increase
of 30% over the prior year.
TBID Activities
22 SLO TBID Annual Report 2015-16
STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS
The TBID collaborates with numerous community partners and industry nonprofit organizations in marketing
San Luis Obispo as a destination which makes the TBID more efficient in promotional activities. The TBID’s
strategic partnerships allow the marketing agencies to build relationships with the organizations below,
elevating the destination as a whole. Promotional opportunities with each organization give the TBID new
platforms and audiences to build brand awareness. Top partnerships achievements include:
Cal Poly Athletics
• TBID maintains the exclusive hotel industry sponsor to advertise with Cal Poly Athletics
• TBID hosted over 600 room nights for visiting teams, recruits, and coaches
• Basketball suite event for TBID sales teams
• ShareSLO throws 3 first pitches at Cal Poly Baseball
• CP Athletics Facebook page posts
• Banner ad in ongoing Athletics newsletters
• Cal Poly Alumni E-blast & Alumni Getaway Giveaway
• Radio spots for basketball
• Homecoming game ticket giveaway
• New rotating graphics submitted for LED banner at Mott Gym
• Soccer Visiting Teams Guide
• ShareSLO Track & Field Meet
• Program ad
• :15 scoreboard video using new footage
SLO Wine
• Deployed 41 e-newsletters to over 12,000 subscribers that included TBID content, logo, and links
• Hosted travel, lifestyle, wine writers in San Luis Obispo for various media visits resulting in media
coverage in: Wine Enthusiast, SF Gate & SF Chronicle, USA Today, LA Time, 805 Living, Chicago
Tribune
• The “Stay” page on SLOwine.com garnered over 8,000 unique views, with over 2800 direct referrals
to the sanluisobispovacations.com website.
• TBID web ads were viewed by over 30,000 visitors on SLOWine.com webpages
TBID Activities
23 SLO TBID Annual Report 2015-16
EVENT PROMOTION
In 2015-2016, the TBID sponsored, promoted, and was represented at more than a dozen local events of
different shapes and sizes. Over the course of the year, the TBID continued to shape an event strategy to
ensure all SLO TBID-sponsored events are well-aligned with the brand, and that expectations and best
practices were clear. These guidelines allowed the TBID to reach visitors before, during, and after an event
takes place, which in turn arms us with the tools we need to leverage events to put heads in beds.
This year the activation at many of the larger events featured various personal interaction with San Luis
Obispo. At SAVOR the Central Coast and the Bacon & Barrel events, the San Luis Obispo representation
featured water color painting stations and wine tasting opportunities. At the Film Festival, Roll Out the
Barrels, and Eroica the activation featured photo stations with the San Luis Obispo step & repeat.
TBID Sponsored Events:
• SAVOR the Central Coast
• EROICA California
• Festival Mozaic - WinterMezzo Chamber Music Series
• Holiday Train Celebration / Elf Express and SLO Train Day
• San Luis Obispo International Film Festival
• San Luis Obispo Marathon, Half Marathon, 5K + Family Fitness
• SLO Jazz Festival
• SLO Wine Roll Out the Barrels
• CowParade SLO sponsorship
• Bacon & Barrels San Diego
• Bacon & Barrels San Luis Obispo
• Inaugural SLO Craft Beer Week Sponsorship
• Central Coast Tourism Council Annual Retreat
TBID Activities
EVENT SPONSORSHIP MEASUREMENTS
Number of Events Sponsored 13
Estimated Total Number of Event Attendees
Reached through Sponsorship 28,350
Total Sponsorship Investment $ 164,250
24 SLO TBID Annual Report 2015-16
INDUSTRY RELATIONS
Visit California
The Visit California partnership has been critical in the growth of our brand within the California Tourism
product. San Luis Obispo has received coverage though the marketing activities performed by Visit California
including travel trade, press, and industry outreach. Monthly submissions are uploaded to Visit California
for media outreach, trade contacts, and newsletter content. Additionally the TBID maintains ongoing
coordination to keep City of San Luis Obispo destination page up to date. ShareSLO also participated in 5
Visit California sponsored Twitter chats. The TBID attended the Visit California Outlook Forum educational
event in the spring and during that event was awarded the industry’s Poppy Award for Best Overall Marketing
Campaign.
Central Coast Tourism Council
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 the Tourism Manager as the Vice President
and Regional Board Member and the Marketing Committee Chair. In 2015-16, the TBID leveraged the CCTC
activities through media and trade leads, blog and social presence, and travel trade leads. The TBID provided
54 new blog posts about San Luis Obispo. The TBID also hosted and coordinated the inaugural fall Mid-Year
Workshop by hosting over 50 CCTC members in San Luis Obispo and also the Annual Planning Retreat in the
spring attended by over 100 members.
Visit San Luis Obispo County
Fiscal year 2015-16 was the first year of the new countywide Tourism Marketing District. The TBID maintains
participation in the new structure of Visit SLO County by having two representatives on the Board of
directors and the Tourism Manager on the Marketing Committee. The TBID Board leverages the partnership
with Visit San Luis Obispo County to promote San Luis Obispo on a national and international level- beyond
the local and state reach the TBID’s marketing plan focus to achieve. The TBID’s participation in Visit San
Luis Obispo County also encompasses group sales, film commission, countywide public relations, and
countywide special events like Restaurant Month, Wine Month, Savor the Central Coast. In 2015-16, the TBID
partnered with visit SLO County in cooperative advertising opportunities including American Way Magazine
Feature and the California Visitor’s Guide.
TBID Activities
25 SLO TBID Annual Report 2015-16
2015-16 FINANCIAL STATEMENT
2015-16 Financial Statement
INCOME SOURCE 2015-16
TOT Revenue Assumption (Revised with Supplement)$6,844,000
TBID Assessment (20% of TOT Revenue)$1,368,800
Administrative Overhead (2% of TBID Assessment)$27,376
Tourism Manager Salary (.75 FTE)$84,686
2014-15 Fund Balance $144,676
TBID Fund Reserve $100,000
TBID Program Budget $1,401,414
INCOME
26 SLO TBID Annual Report 2015-16 2015-16 Financial Statement
EXPENDITURE ALLOCATED
Contracts
Marketing Contract $700,000
Website Redesign $70,000
RaceSLO Arch $5,000
Chamber of Commerce - Guest Services $31,000
Chamber of Commerce - PR $48,000
Chamber of Commerce - Media Monitor $7,950
Marketing/Advertising/Promotions
SAVOR Bags $8,176
Rainy Day Campaign $80,000
Additional Brochure Printing $7,201
Video Asset Project - Music $8,000
Partnerships
Cal Poly Athletics $95,500
Cal Poly New Student & Transition Program $20,000
SLO Wine $18,000
History Center - Guided Tour Program $6,700
Support/Meetings
Tourism Expenses $3,000
FAM Trip Hosting $5,000
Past Due CP Rooms $1,100
2014-15 Gateway Winners $3,000
Events Promotion
General Events Promotion $195,000
2016 Steelhead Summit $3,000
Bacon & Barrels SD Event Expenses $5,000
Tradeshows
Tradeshows Expenses $25,000
SAVOR Booth Build Out $2,500
Tourism Conferences $3,000
Tourism Organizations/Research
Central Coast Tourism Council Membership $1,000
Smith Travel Report $1,500
Total Allocated Expenditure $1,353,627
EXPENDITURES
*This figure represents the total allocated expenditures. The difference will be
available for carryover to the 2016-17 program budget.
27 SLO TBID Annual Report 2015-16 Looking Ahead to 2016-17
LOOKING AHEAD TO 2016-17
As the TBID moves into 2016-17, the Board is committed to the continued implementation of the 5-year
Strategic Clarity Plan. In the next fiscal year, the Board will review the plan in the mid-way point to address
any changes and plan amendments. As stated in the marketing plan, BCA and Matchfire will update the
SLO TBID Marketing Plan each fiscal year. It is imperative to acknowledge trends, be observant of growth
or decline and make changes according to the current tourism climate on an ongoing basis. The SLO TBID
Marketing Plan coupled with the SLO TBID Strategic Clarity Plan provides a foundation for building the City of
SLO brand and establishing real tactics for consistently improving tourism in the City of San Luis Obispo.
The highest priority Strategic Clarity Plan initiatives for the 2016-2017 fiscal year are:
• Deliver smart growth
• Develop the SLO brand
• Ensure Organizational Excellence
• Contribute to an unforgettable SLO experience
The key program activities include:
• Focus on creating content to inspire returning and new tourists
• Explore marketing automation
• Capture more candid, “local perspective” video content
• Continue to explore new social media opportunities
• Develop seasonal promotional campaigns and coordinate fulfillment with SLO Chamber
• Develop loyalty program targeted to Cal Poly parents
• Utilize sponsored event worksheets from 2015-2016 to improve ROI for 2016-2017 events
• Explore new tradeshow locations and business-to-business options
• Leverage new “Creative Community” designation as part of SLO TBID’s Arts & Culture pillar
In addition the TBID is looking forward to growing the district membership, to include new hotel properties
coming into the City of San Luis Obispo.
Tourism Business Improvement District
Management Committee
Meeting Minutes
July 17, 2017 – 10:30 am
City Hall – Council Hearing Room
990 Palm Street, San Luis Obispo
PRESENT: LeBren Harris, Nipool Patel, Clint Pearce
STAFF PRESENT: Molly Cano, Tourism Manager; Liesel Kuehl, Tourism Coordinator
GUEST PRESENT: Tessa Stevens Espinoza, Director of Parent & Family Programs and
Commencement for Cal Poly San Luis Obispo
Call to order time: 10:35 am
BUSINESS ITEMS
1. Cal Poly Partnership Plan
Staff and guest, Tessa Espinoza, presented the opportunity of a partnership between TBID and
Cal Poly Student Affairs - specifically, the Parent Program and New Student & Transition
Program. This partnership is an opportunity to develop a connection with Cal Poly parents whose
student is in any year of their college path, as well as first year college parents.
The committee reviewed and discussed the Cal Poly Partnership Plan and didn’t have any
changes to the components of the partnership, but noted addendums can be made as needed.
Recommendation: The committee recommends the Board approve the Cal Poly Student Affairs
Partnership Plan and recommends to establish a 2-year partnership with the opportunity to renew
after an evaluation of accomplishments.
2. New Business Items
a. Committee Discussion
The Committee discussed clarification on negotiated rates, per diem rates and the TBID
assessment. Staff will send out an email to TBID members to clarify any questions.
b. Future Agenda Items
c. Next Meeting Date: August 22, 2017 at 3:00 pm
Meeting was adjourned at 11:32 am.
Tourism Business Improvement District
Marketing Committee
Meeting Minutes
July 18, 2017 – 11:00 a.m.
BCA – 711 Tank Farm Road, Suite 210
PRESENT: Patel-Mueller, Wilkins, Walker
STAFF PRESENT: Molly Cano, Tourism Manager; Liesel Kuehl, Tourism Coordinator
BUSINESS ITEMS
1. 2017-19 New Campaign
The marketing agency representatives presented the 2017-19 campaign with various components.
The purpose of the new campaign is to encourage visitors to be in the moment and be themselves
when visiting San Luis Obispo.
Overall, the committee liked the campaign message and colors and agreed on fonts and a specific
layout for campaign ads. The committee also recommended to use thicker fonts for the campaign
message and to incorporate a font that differentiates from the logo for any other words used.
Additionally, the committee recommended to include “in the heart of SLO Cal” at the bottom of
our logo when partnering with the TMD to help distinguish the difference between SLO City and
SLO County and connect the message.
Recommendation: The committee recommended the approval of the 2017-19 marketing
campaign as presented.
2. New Business
Committee Discussion
Future Agenda Items
Schedule Next Committee Meeting: Monday, August 28th from 11:00am - 12:00pm.
Meeting was adjourned at 11:53 am
Minutes - DRAFT
PROMOTIONAL COORDINATING COMMITTEE
Wednesday, July 12, 2017
Regular Meeting of the Promotional Coordinating Committee
CALL TO ORDER
A Regular Meeting of the Promotional Coordinating Committee was called to order on
Wednesday, July 12, 2017 at 5:33 p.m. in the Council Hearing Room, located at 990 Palm Street,
San Luis Obispo, California, by Committee Member Patricia Loosley.
ROLL CALL
Present: Committee Members, Diana Cozzi, Zoya Dixon, Patricia Loosley, Sasha Palazzo,
Matthew Wilkins (5:44), Vice-Chair Jill LeMieux, and Chair Daniel Levi (5:35).
Absent: None
Staff: Tourism Manager Molly Cano, and Recording Secretary Kevin Christian.
PUBLIC COMMENT ON ITEMS NOT ON THE AGENDA
Mike Holiday of GFL Systems remarked that he loves the PCC.
CONSENT AGENDA
ACTION: MOTION BY COMMITTEE MEMBER LEMIEUX, SECOND BY COMMITTEE
MEMBER PALAZZO, CARRIED (5-0) to approve the Consent Agenda items C1 to C9.
C.1 Minutes of the Meeting on June 14, 2017
C.2 Community Promotions Budget Report
C.3 Public Relations Report
C.4 Grants-in-Aid (GIA) Support Report
C.5 Visitors Center Report
C.6 SLO Happenings Promotions Report
C.7 SLO Happenings Technology Report
DRAFT Minutes – Promotional Coordinating Committee Meeting of July 12, 2017 Page 2
C.8 Transit Occupancy Tax (TOT) Report
C9 2016-17 Community Promotions Budget Report
PRESENTATIONS
1. SLO Happenings Technology Year End Report
GFL Technology representative Mike Holiday presented the 2016-17 year-end report
for the SLO Happenings Technology contract. A review of the app updates, push
notifications, and events notifications made during Fiscal Year 2016-17 was presented.
2. SLO Happenings Promotion Year End Report
SOLVE representatives presented the past quarter and the 2016-17 year-end report for
the SLO Happenings Promotion contract. It was stressed that outreach to promoters is
key to obtaining event listings. As discussed in the past, there is still a push to obtain
positive reviews of the app which impacts download rates. A review of metrics for
videos, social media, promotional impact, and the app, was presented, along with a
listing of contest successes.
3. SLO Chamber of Commerce Monthly Report
Dusty Colyer-Worth, Chamber of Commerce Visitor Center Manager, reviewed the
guest promotions activities for fiscal year 2016-17. Highlights included a review of
visitor traffic, noting a spike in European visitors.
Public Comments:
None.
---End of Public Comments---
BUSINESS ITEMS
1. GIA Liaison Assignments
The Committee reviewed the 2017-18 recipient list and assigned committee liaisons.
Public Comments:
None.
---End of Public Comments---
No action was taken on this item.
DRAFT Minutes – Promotional Coordinating Committee Meeting of July 12, 2017 Page 3
2. Strategic Plan Work – Grants In Aid (GIA) Program Evaluation
Tourism Manager Cano reviewed the background of the Strategic Plan creation
process. The committee discussed the need to add value to the mandatory meeting, and
to create a forum for event applicants to provide input on the sustainable funding
allocation process.
Public Comments:
None.
---End of Public Comments---
No action was taken on this item.
3. Strategic Plan Work – Evaluation Process
The committee discussed creating an event impact report that shows the social impact
as well as the economic impact of their programs. It was also noted that there is a need
to understand/differentiate the Public Relations impact of the PCC program from TBID
programs. The next step is to develop the evaluation criteria for all programs.
Public Comments:
None
---End of Public Comments---
No action was taken on this item.
PCC LIAISON REPORTS AND COMMUNICATION
1. Grants In Aid (GIA) Update
No reports at this time.
2. TBID Board Report
Committee Member Wilkins reviewed the July 12, 2017, TBID meeting, specifically
highlighting the “SLO Welcomes” initiative.
DRAFT Minutes – Promotional Coordinating Committee Meeting of July 12, 2017 Page 4
3. Tourism Program Update
Tourism Manager Cano reviewed the following:
- The City Council approved the PCC work program and the GIA grants at their July
5, 2017 meeting.
- The Special Events Application is currently open, and closes on July 21st.
- SLO Days (New Student in Transition Program) is beginning. Ten sessions are
planned for the summer.
- Noted that she has been appointed for an additional year as Board President of the
CCTC (Central Coast Tourism Council), and that the 2017-18 funding grant has
been approved.
- Reviewed the CalTravel Summit meeting of June 27-29th
- Announced that the Special Events sub-committee meets July 31st and August 1st.
ADJOURNMENT
The meeting was adjourned at 8:00 p.m. The next regular meeting of the Promotional
Coordinating Committee is scheduled for Wednesday, August 9, 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
- Industry Engagement -
VSC Attends California DMO Leadership Summit
On June 12 and 13, Chuck Davison attended the California DMO Leadership Summit, hosted
by Visit California. Davison was among 11 destination CEO’s invited by Visit California to
participate. Attendees discussed a wide array of topics, including government affairs, industry
trends, organizational governance and business issues.
VSC Develops Second Round of Aerial Assets
In March, VSC commissioned Peregrine Media Group (PMG) to procure stunning
aerial photography of SLO CAL while the hills were green. This first round of asset
development produced footage of many of SLO CAL’s coastal destinations, as well as
outdoor adventure, vineyards and Hearst Castle. In June, PMG went back out into SLO
CAL for imagery of Paso Wine Country, Ragged Point, Lake Nacimiento, Lopez Lake,
downtown SLO Farmers Market and more.
Visit SLO CAL
Activity Report, June 2017
VSC Helps Launch New United Airlines Flight to Denver
June 7 marked another win for air travel to and from SLO CAL as the SLO County
Regional Airport welcomed the first direct flight from Denver. In Denver, passengers
coming to SLO CAL were treated to an in-terminal celebration and given SLO CAL
giftbags – a collaboration between VSC, local partners and Denver International Airport.
Locally, the San Luis Obispo County Regional Airport, VSC, EVC and other local entities
celebrated with a ribbon-cutting, local wine and Colorado craft beer.
Visit SLO CAL Attends Cal Travel Summit
Chuck Davison, President & CEO, and Brooke Burnham, VP of Marketing, represented
Visit SLO CAL at the 2017 Cal Travel Summit in Newport Beach June 26-29. The event
brings tourism and destination marketers together to learn about advocacy and industry
relations in California and beyond. Also in attendance were representatives from San Luis
Obispo and Pismo Beach. Davison moderated the panel Recreational Marijuana is Here:
Are You Ready For It?, in which Caroline Beteta, President & CEO of Visit California, Todd
Davidson, President & CEO of Travel Oregon, Cathy Ritter, Director of the Colorado
Office of Tourism and Sean Donahoe, a cannabis industry expert, discussed the effect of
legal recreational marijuana on tourism.
Renew Your Membership Today
Visit SLO CAL is now reaching out to current and past members to renew their membership for the FY2017-18. For more
information, contact Pam Roberts, Membership and Travel Trade Sales Coordinator, at Pam@SLOCAL.com.
0
- PR and Travel Trade -
Visit SLO CAL is a 501c6 tourism non-profit. For more information please call (805)541-8000.
Featured in Brides:
The Just Inn in Paso
Robles Wine Country
(left) and Allegretto
Vineyard Resort in LA
Times (right).
Media
• Prima Magazine: Trips of a Lifetime: San Francisco to Santa Barbara (print)
• Outside Magazine: The 25 Best Towns of 2017 http://bit.ly/2sZQjop
• Escapism Magazine: Shore Thing (print)
• Croissant Online http://bit.ly/2unMOM7 (Japanese publication)
• Brides: 8 Epic Bachelorette Party Retreats That Can Be All Yours http://bit.ly/2tUQMtk
• LA Times: A Wine Lover’s Weekend Escape in Paso Robles http://lat.ms/2tbSFVC
• Huffington Post: Going SLO This Summer http://bit.ly/2uo3t2f
Public Relations
• United Airlines and the Wine Traveller (Dan Weldy)
• USA Today (Susan Barnes)
Travel Trade
• Tour and Travel Sales Mission: July (Los Angeles) – co-op opportunities available ($300)
• Meetings & Conference Mission: September (Bay Area) – co-op opportunities available
($300)
Film Commission
• Animated Trailer (July)
• Major Motion Picture (late July-August)
• DIY Network: Cabin Brothers (August)
VISIT SLO CAL
WEB ACTIVITY
SESSIONS: 97,564
UNIQUE VISITORS: 76,882
PAGE VIEWS: 221,654
AVG. PAGE VIEWS/VISIT: 2.27
AVG. TIME ON SITE: 1:35
TOTAL ORGANIC TRAFFIC: 46,344
% OF ORGANIC: 48%
MOBILE SESSIONS: 68,055
MOST VISITED EVENT PAGE:
BARRELHOUSE AMPHITHEATER
CONCERTS (1,230 VIEWS)
TOTAL BLOG VISITS: 35,697
MOST SHARED BLOG: SAN LUIS
OBISPO NAMED ONE OF OUTSIDE
MAGAZINE’S BEST TOWNS EVER
2017 (207 SHARES)
VISIT SLO CAL
SOCIAL MEDIA ACTIVITY
FACEBOOK
LIKES: 22,567 NEW: 425
TOT. IMPRESSIONS: 1.1M
HIGHEST REACH: GREAT
NEWS! HIGHWAY 1 IS
OFFICIALLY OPEN IN SLO CAL…
(17,460 PEOPLE REACHED)
HIGHEST ENGAGEMENT:
CHECK OUT WHY OUTSIDE
MAGAZINE CHOSE SLO AS ONE
OF THE 25 BEST TOWNS OF
2017 (1026 ENGAGEMENTS)
FOLLOWERS NEW
TWITTER: 7,236 73
30.4K IMPRESSIONS
PINTEREST: 798 2
INSTAGRAM: 14K 1K
VISITOR GUIDE DIST.
WEB DOWNLOADS: 142
GUIDES DISTRIBUTED: 1,334
TOTAL: 1,476
THIS MONTH IN SLO CAL
SUBSCRIBERS 35,264
OPENS: 4,957
CLICK-THROUGHS: 810
THIS WEEK IN SLO CAL
CIRCULATION: 907
MOST CLICKED LINK:
STR REPORT
VSC Attends IPW in Washington, D.C.
On June 2-8, Chuck Davison and Michael Wambolt,
Director of Travel Trade, along with representatives from
San Luis Obispo, Morro Bay, Paso Robles, Pismo Beach
and Boutique Hotel Collection represented SLO CAL at
IPW in Washington, D.C. VSC debuted a brand-new,
custom 10x50 booth at this event, and held 57
appointments. They also delighted trade show goers with
SLO CAL wine on day one and beer on day two.
Date: July 3, 2017
Client: Visit San Luis Obispo County
Date Range: June 1 - 30, 2017
Executive Overview
SEO Activities Completed Last Month:
* Monthly SEO strategy call and report.
* Google Analytics & Search Console checks; no unusual activity noted.
* Crawl error review; none in need of fixing at this time.
* Keyword research.
* Duplicate content review.
* Blog post optimization.
* Broken link scan; 10 corrections made.
* Continued work on the advanced sitemap for the new website.
Organic Traffic Overview:
Organic sessions increased 23% over last year. Some high-traffic pages with the best year-over-year organic
growth were: Home by 62%, Our Area by 30%, Pismo Beach (Community) by 635%, 9 Places to Celebrate the 4th
of July in San Luis Obispo County by 10%, Children's Activities by 21%, Pismo Beach Activities by 133%, Paso Robles
by 275%, and Music & Dance by 29%.
Other Notes:
* Total sessions increased by 102%, users increased by 90% and pageviews increased by 56%.
* The Blog home page received 254 pageviews last month.
* The entire blog received 31,776 pageviews last month.
Industry Averages
Engagement Metrics Industry Average Your Website % Difference
Total Pages Per Visit:2.31 2.27 -1.68%
Total Average Visit Duration:0:02:04 0:01:35 -30.86%
Total Bounce Rate:53.07%65.54%19.03%
Organic Pages Per Visit:2.31 3.12 25.94%
Organic Average Visit Duration:0:02:08 0:02:21 9.05%
Organic Bounce Rate:52.09%47.17%-10.43%
SEO Overview
Page 2 of 20
Date: July 3, 2017
Client: Visit San Luis Obispo County
Date Range: January 1 - June 30, 2017
Total Traffic Overview:
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun
Visits:169,053 319,761 410,064 510,628 305,084 97,564
Unique Visitors:114,725 198,300 207,036 268,867 182,207 76,882
Bounce Rate:77%84%83%83%81%66%
Pageviews:290,378 444,105 572,584 715,222 461,690 221,654
Avg Pageviews Per Visit:1.72 1.39 1.40 1.40 1.51 2.27
Avg Time on Site:0:01:21 0:00:54 0:01:02 0:01:04 0:00:59 0:01:35
Total Organic Search Traffic:34,513 26,398 35,934 42,459 45,232 46,344
% of Traffic Organic Search:20%8%9%8%15%48%
Entry Pages From Search:1,803 1,846 1,659 1,639 2,230 2,269
VisitSLOCounty Visits:201 1 0 0 0 0
VisitSLOCounty Bounce Rate:56%100%0%0%0%0%
Mobile/Tablet SnapShot:
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun
Visits:138,355 274,931 361,798 462,948 273,399 68,055
% of visits 82%86%88%91%90%70%
Bounce Rate:82%86%84%84%85%71%
Pageviews: 198,783 355,074 472,630 613,137 366,864 126,653
Avg Time on Site:0:01:07 0:00:51 0:01:01 0:01:03 0:00:49 0:01:07
0
100,000
200,000
300,000
400,000
500,000
600,000
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun
Total Visits Comparison
Prior Year This Year
47.52%
24.61%
17.34% 9.26%
0.64%
0.62%
0.02%
Traffic Sources
Organic Search Referral Media
None Blog Link Paid Search
Email
0
200,000
400,000
600,000
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun
Mobile/Tablet Visits
Prior Year This Year
Page 3 of 20
Date: July 3, 2017
Client: Visit San Luis Obispo County
Date Range: June 1 - 30, 2017
Organic Traffic % of Total
Site Traffic
Visits 46,344 47.50%
Organic Engagement Compared to Site Engagement
Pageviews Per Visit 3.12 37.30%
Avg. Time on Site 0:02:21 48.51%
New Visits 78.64%13.57%
Bounce Rate 47.17%-28.03%
Search Engine Visits Percent
google 43,795 94.50%
yahoo 1,451 3.13%
bing 1,055 2.28%
aol 19 0.04%
ask 16 0.03%
baidu 3 0.01%
Exact Keyword Visits Percent Landing Page Visits Percent
(not provided)45,856 98.95%/events 6,151 13.27%
san luis obispo 24 0.05%/5,632 12.15%
san luis obispo events 23 0.05%/community/pismo-beach 1,499 3.23%
san luis obispo county 12 0.03%/profile/402/lake-lopez-recreation-area 1,414 3.05%
slo events 12 0.03%/blog/839/9-places-to-celebrate-the-4th-of-july-in-san-luis-obispo-county 1,333 2.88%
lake lopez 9 0.02%/community/morro-bay 1,194 2.58%
san luis obispo california 6 0.01%/community/paso-robles 971 2.10%
san luis obispo county events 6 0.01%/our-area 902 1.95%
san luis obispo ca 5 0.01%/blog/950/insider-tips-15-free-things-to-do-in-slo-cal 817 1.76%
events in san luis obispo 4 0.01%/activities/pismo-beach 704 1.52%
Organic Search Traffic:
0
5,000
10,000
15,000
20,000
25,000
30,000
35,000
40,000
45,000
50,000
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun
Organic Visits Comparison
Prior Year Current Year
Page 4 of 20
Date: July 3, 2017
Client: Visit San Luis Obispo County
Date Range: June 1 - 30, 2017
Demographics & Interests
Affinity Categories:
Top 10 Affinity Categories Visits
Cooking Enthusiasts/30 Minute Chefs 34,553
Shoppers/Value Shoppers 33,551
News Junkies/Entertainment & Celebrity News Junkies 32,113
Travel Buffs 26,590
Green Living Enthusiasts 24,536
Family-Focused 24,515
Avid Investors 24,416
Art & Theater Aficionados 24,336
Business Professionals 23,510
Health & Fitness Buffs 23,180
Other Categories:
Top 10 Categories Visits
Arts & Entertainment/Celebrities & Entertainment News 18,049
News/Weather 13,460
Food & Drink/Cooking & Recipes 9,634
Arts & Entertainment/TV & Video/Online Video 8,487
Travel/Air Travel 7,628
News/Sports News 6,770
News/Politics 6,586
Travel/Hotels & Accommodations 6,581
Real Estate/Real Estate Listings/Residential Sales 6,360
Reference/General Reference/Dictionaries & Encyclopedias 6,066
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
7.76%
13.23% 11.87%
9.30% 8.69%
4.67%
5.54%
9.91%
10.23%
7.60%
6.51%
4.68%
18-24 25-34 35-44 45-54 55-64 65+
Age Group by Gender Male
Female
Page 5 of 20
Date: July 3, 2017
Client: Visit San Luis Obispo County
Date Range: June 1 - 30, 2017
Top Content:Geographic:
Top Landing Pages Entrances
/7,758
/flights 7,254
/events 6,995
/just-your-speed/3,819
/activities/all/beaches?page=all 2,776
/activities/all/surfing 2,608/blog/973/pro-tips-let-us-help-you-create-your-best-slo-cal-
itinerary 2,554
/lodging/all/retreat_camps_and_rvs 2,362
/wine-country 2,064
/blog/950/insider-tips-15-free-things-to-do-in-slo-cal 2,051
Top Content Pages Pageviews
/events 12,274
/10,782
/flights 8,268
/just-your-speed/4,188
/activities/all/beaches?page=all 3,436
/lodging/all/retreat_camps_and_rvs 3,116
/activities/all/surfing 3,014
/our-area 2,938/blog/973/pro-tips-let-us-help-you-create-your-best-slo-cal-
itinerary 2,751/activities/search?search=true&categories[0]=air_adventures&
categories[1]=atvs&categories[2]=beaches&categories[3]=bikin 2,737
Top Exit Pages Exits
/flights 7,089
/4,102
/just-your-speed/3,819
/events 2,906
/activities/all/beaches?page=all 2,739
/activities/all/surfing 2,558
/lodging/all/retreat_camps_and_rvs 2,499
/blog/973/pro-tips-let-us-help-you-create-your-best-slo-cal-itinerary 2,444
/activities/search?search=true&categories[0]=air_adventures&categories[1]=atvs&categories[2]=beaches&categories[3]=biking&categories[4]=bird_watching&categories[5]=equestrian_activities&categories[6]=farm_and_ag_tourism&categories[7]=farmers_market&categories[8]=fishing&categories[9]=gardens&categories[10]=golf&categories[11]=hiking&categories[12]=kayaking&categories[13]=lakes&categories[14]=mountain_biking&categories[15]=parks&categories[16]=stewardship&categories[17]=surfing&categories[18]=water_activities2,046
/wine-country 2,004
15%
8% 6% 5%
2%
2%
2%
1% 1%
1%
56%
Top Cities Denver
Los Angeles
San Francisco
San Luis Obispo
Colorado Springs
Aurora
Paso Robles
Atascadero
Phoenix
San Jose
Other
42.8% 24.3%
8.5%
7.7%
6.9%
3.1%
2.2%
0.4%
0.4% 0.3%
9.7%
Top States California
Colorado
Washington
Nevada
Arizona
Texas
Illinois
Indiana
Oregon
Michigan
Other
27.58% 16.31%
15.03%
11.52%
2.91%
2.77%
2.77% 2.30%
1.93% 1.58%
15.30%
Top Metros Denver CO
Los Angeles CA
Santa Barbara-Santa Maria-San Luis Obispo CA
San Francisco-Oakland-San Jose CA
Fresno-Visalia CA
Sacramento-Stockton-Modesto CA
Colorado Springs-Pueblo CO
Phoenix AZ
San Diego CA
Seattle-Tacoma WA
Other
Page 6 of 20
Date: July 3, 2017
Client: Visit San Luis Obispo County
Date Range: June 1 - 30, 2017
In-MarketVs Visitor:
5,607
22,377
0 10,000 20,000 30,000 40,000 50,000 60,000 70,000
In-Market
Out of Market
Desktop Visits
6,497
63,083
0 10,000 20,000 30,000 40,000 50,000 60,000 70,000
In-Market
Out of Market
Mobile/Tablet Visits
79.96%
20.04%
90.66%
9.34%
Page 7 of 20