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Home My WebLink About10-11-2017 TBID AgendaCity of San Luis Obispo, Agenda, Tourism Business Improvement District Board 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, October 11, 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. CONSENT ITEMS C.1 Minutes of Meeting on Wednesday, September 13, 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 QUARTER REPORT 15 mins Representatives from BCA + Matchfire will present the quarter report for the marketing activities for the SLO TBID. 2. SLO CHAMBER QUARTER REPORT 15 mins Representatives from the SLO Chamber will present the quarter report for the contracts 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. FISCAL HEALTH RESPONSE PLAN 15 mins Economic Development Manager, Lee Johnson will present the City’s approach to the development of the Fiscal Health Response Plan. 2. 2017-19 TOURISM MARKETING CAMPAIGN PRESENTATION 30 mins BCA + Matchfire will present the final campaign elements for the 2017-19 tourism marketing campaign titled, “Be Here.” 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: October 3, 2017 3. MARKETING COMMITTEE UPDATE – Minutes: September 19, 2017 4. PCC UPDATE –Minutes: September 13, 2017 5. VISIT SLOCAL UPDATE – Liaison Reports; August Activity Report 6. TOURISM PROGRAM UPDATE – Staff Report ADJOURN. POSTING STATEMENT: I, Liesel Kuehl, Tourism Coordinator, do hereby certify that on October 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. DRAFT Minutes – Tourism Business Improvement District Board Meeting of September 13, 2017 Page 1 Minutes - DRAFT TOURISM BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT BOARD Wednesday, September 13, 2017 Tourism Business Improvement District Board CALL TO ORDER A Meeting of the Tourism Business Improvement District Board was called to order on Wednesday, September 13, 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 Pragna Patel-Mueller, Bruce Skidmore, Kimberly Walker (10:01), LeBren Young-Harris, and Chair Matthew Wilkins Absent: Board Member Clint Pearce and Vice Chair Nipool Patel Staff: Tourism Manager Molly Cano, Tourism Coordinator Liesel Kuehl, and Recording Secretary Kevin Christian PUBLIC COMMENT ON ITEMS NOT ON THE AGENDA None. CONSENT AGENDA ACTION: MOTION BY BOARD MEMBER HARRIS, SECOND BY BOARD MEMBER SKIDMORE, CARRIED 4-0, to approve the Consent Calendar Items C1 through C6. C1. Minutes of Meeting on Wednesday, August 9, 2017 C2. Smith Travel Report C3. Chamber Public Relations Report C4. BCA + Matchfire Marketing Report C5. Chamber Guest Services Report C6. Transit Occupancy Tax (TOT) Report DRAFT Minutes – Tourism Business Improvement District Board Meeting of September 13, 2017 Page 2 PRESENTATIONS 1. Marketing Agency Monthly Report Representatives from BCA + MatchFire reviewed their monthly marketing activities. Highlights included new metrics on website book-now use, a promotional video featuring Bubblegum Alley, #shareslo use increases, and a report on the Cal Poly Parent Program activity with the students moving in this week. Public Comments: None ---End of Public Comments--- No action was taken on this item 2. SLO Chamber of Commerce Monthly Report Chamber of Commerce representative Molly Kern, Director of Communications and Business Education, reviewed their Public Relations report for August. Highlights discussed included coverage in Seattle Magazine, the Mercury News, the East Bay Times, and A Practical Wedding which had a piece entitled, “23 Best North American Honeymoon Destinations.” Public Comments: None. ---End of Public Comments--- No action was taken on this item. DRAFT Minutes – Tourism Business Improvement District Board Meeting of September 13, 2017 Page 3 BUSINESS ITEMS 1. 2018 SLO Jazz Festival Sponsorship Consideration Tourism Manager Cano recapped the TBID Board’s funding requirements for the awarded $10,000 for the 2018 SLO Jazz Festival. Jazz Festival representative Scott Andrews reviewed the Jazz Festival concerns about the TBID stipulated marketing requirements, outlined the Festival’s priorities to increase outside attendance, and expressed their belief that the marketing efforts should drive attendees directly to the Jazz Festival website in the most streamlined method possible. Tourism Manager Cano and representatives from BCA + MatchFire reviewed the past Jazz Festival website traffic and related ticket sales statistics for the Board and responded to questions. The Board discussed their priorities and the expressed marketing concerns of the Jazz Festival. Jazz Festival representative Scott Andrews was informed that there would be no change in the funding requirement terms. Public Comments: None. ---End of Public Comments--- No action was taken on this item. 2. 2016-17 TBID Annual Report Tourism Manger Cano presented an overview of changes and highlights for the draft FY 2016-17 TBID annual report, played a sizzle real presentation, and informed the Board that the report would be presented to the City Council on October 17, 2017. Board member Patel-Mueller requested a spelling change to her name. Board members Harris and Walker each requested minor changes to the names of their respective hotels. Public Comments: None. ---End of Public Comments--- ACTION: MOTION BY BOARD MEMBER WALKER, SECOND BY BOARD MEMBER SKIDMORE, CARRIED 5-0, to approve the report with the minor changes discussed. DRAFT Minutes – Tourism Business Improvement District Board Meeting of September 13, 2017 Page 4 3. Board Member Committee Assignments Tourism Manager Cano reviewed the management and marketing committee meeting schedules. The Board discussed their availability, directed staff to make some changes to meeting dates, and decided on the following sub committee assignments. The new committee assignments will begin in October 2017. Management Marketing Patel-Mueller Young-Harris Patel Walker Pearce Skidmore Public Comments: None. ------------------ ---End of Public Comments--- DRAFT Minutes – Tourism Business Improvement District Board Meeting of September 13, 2017 Page 5 4. Property Liaison Assignments Tourism Manager Cano reviewed the background and purpose of property liaison assignments. The Board made changes to the assignments to group them geographically as follows: 2017-18 Board Liaison Property Name Clint Budget Inn Clint Homestead Motel Clint Los Padres Motel Clint Madonna Inn Inc Clint San Luis Obispo Travelodge Clint Villa San Luis Motel Bruce Royal Oak Bruce Economy Motel Bruce Holiday Inn Express Bruce La Cuesta Inn Llc Bruce Vagabond Bruce Embassy Suites Kimberly Avenue Inn Kimberly Granada Hotel & Bistro Kimberly Hostel Obispo Kimberly San Luis Creek Lodge Kimberly SLO Brew Lofts LeBren Motel 6 #1373 LeBren Motel 6 #138 LeBren Rose Garden Inn LeBren Courtyard By Marriott LeBren Hampton Inn & Suites Matt Inn at San Luis Obispo Matt Sunbeam Matt Sands Inn & Suites Matt Super 8 Motel Matt The Butler Hotel Matt Petit Soleil Nipool America's Best Value Inn Nipool Lamplighter Nipool Quality Suites San Luis Obispo Nipool Ramada Olive Tree Inn Nipool San Luis Inn & Suites Pragna Lexington Inn Pragna Apple Farm Pragna Garden Street Inn Bed & Breakfast Pragna Heritage Inn Pragna Peach Tree Inn DRAFT Minutes – Tourism Business Improvement District Board Meeting of September 13, 2017 Page 6 Public Comments: None. ------------------ ---End of Public Comments--- ACTION: MOTION BY BOARD MEMBER WALKER, SECOND BY BOARD MEMBER HARRIS, CARRIED 5-0, to approve the assignments as discussed. TBID LIAISON REPORTS &COMMUNICATIONS 1. Hotelier Update No further discussion at this time. 2. Management Committee Update Tourism Manager Cano reported on changes to the STR report contract and additional committee activity. 3. Marketing Committee Update Tourism Manager Cano reported on MindBody University, upcoming travel show booth changes, and approval of the 2017-18 Media Plan. 4. Promotional Coordinating Committee (PCC) Update Tourism Manager Cano reported on the activities of the PCC, specifically covering approval of the SLO Happening program plan and work on their Strategic Plan. 5. Visit SLO CAL Update Tourism Manager Cano reported on activities of the Visit SLO CAL Marketing Committee. 6. Tourism Program Update Tourism Manager Cano reviewed the following: • Cal Poly partnership – Move-In weekend at Cal Poly • Promotional Gift Cards left over from the Rainy Day promotion • Central Coast Tourism Council • Short-term rental program and AirBnB compliance DRAFT Minutes – Tourism Business Improvement District Board Meeting of September 13, 2017 Page 7 ADJOURNMENT The meeting was adjourned at 11:38 a.m. The next Regular meeting of the Tourism Business Improvement District Board is scheduled for Wednesday, October 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 September 2017 Week of September 3 - September 9 Percent Change 2017 2016 2017 2016 2017 2016 Occ ADR RevPAR Room Rev Room Avail Room Sold City of Paso Robles 76.4 74.9 152.90 144.47 116.81 108.18 2.0 5.8 8.0 8.0 0.1 2.1 City of Pismo Beach 81.3 77.2 192.71 174.52 156.57 134.78 5.2 10.4 16.2 16.2 0.1 5.3 City of San Luis Obispo 79.5 71.1 169.78 156.60 134.91 111.31 11.8 8.4 21.2 21.3 0.0 11.9 Week of September 10 - 16 Percent Change 2017 2016 2017 2016 2017 2016 Occ ADR RevPAR Room Rev Room Avail Room Sold City of Paso Robles 74.4 81.1 139.27 139.74 103.59 113.37 -8.3 -0.3 -8.6 -8.6 0.1 -8.3 City of Pismo Beach 75.5 79.8 162.96 165.54 123.09 132.15 -5.4 -1.6 -6.9 -6.8 0.1 -5.3 City of San Luis Obispo 69.2 77.6 143.73 151.34 99.49 117.51 -10.9 -5.0 -15.3 -15.3 0.0 -10.8 Week of September 17 - 23 Percent Change 2017 2016 2017 2016 2017 2016 Occ ADR RevPAR Room Rev Room Avail Room Sold City of Paso Robles 78.9 81.0 140.59 142.20 110.94 115.24 -2.6 -1.1 -3.7 -3.7 0.1 -2.6 City of Pismo Beach 78.1 81.6 164.55 162.83 128.58 132.85 -4.2 1.1 -3.2 -3.2 0.1 -4.2 City of San Luis Obispo 70.9 77.7 144.21 144.74 102.27 112.53 -8.8 -0.4 -9.1 -9.1 0.0 -8.7 September 2017 2016 2017 2016 2017 2016 Occ ADR RevPAR Room Rev Room Avail Room Sold City of Paso Robles 74.4 79.3 145.18 141.18 108.03 111.89 -6.1 2.8 -3.5 -3.4 0.1 -6.1 City of Pismo Beach 76.7 76.8 176.34 169.67 135.20 130.29 -0.2 3.9 3.8 3.8 0.1 -0.1 City of San Luis Obispo 71.8 73.8 152.93 149.71 109.78 110.54 -2.8 2.2 -0.7 -0.6 0.0 -2.7 Current Week - TY vs. LY Occ % Current Week - TY vs. LY RevPARADR Occ % Current Week - TY vs. LY ADR Percent ChangeOcc % Running 28 Days - TY vs. LY RevPAROcc %ADR RevPAR RevPARADR Report to City of SLO – TBID and PCC Public Relations Contract September 2017 Media/Community Relations 1. Coordinated San Luis Obispo portion of press trip for 2TravelDads. 2. Coordinated San Luis Obispo press trip for San Diego Blogger Ellis Beardsley. 3. Continued to work with CCTC partners to coordinate FAM for Adventure Travel Trade Association influencers, writers, photographers and videographers. 4. Pitched Car Free SLO for inclusion in the Visit California’s round up of destinations that make alternative transportation easy. 5. Pitched San Luis Obispo for inclusion in the Visit California’s round up of best destinations in the state for coffee lovers. 6. Pitched the Madonna Inn to the Travel Channel for inclusion in their round up of ‘hotels that pop with color.’ 7. Began planning press trip for Kathy Chin Leong on assignment with Active Over 50. 8. Worked with TravelMag.com to feature San Luis Obispo as one of the most charming towns and small cities in California. 9. Pitched a number of activities in San Luis Obispo to be featured in the CCTC’s ‘wellness road trip.’ 10. Worked with the California Cyber Training Complex at Camp SLO to feature City promotional footage in the video they send to companies considering hosting an event there. 11. Worked with Seattle Met on an article featuring the City of SLO as a new, convenient destination. 12. Worked with Mindbody to coordinate pitches and identify opportunities to work together when positioning San Luis Obispo as a health and wellness destination. 13. Continued working with Portia Smith to plan a press trip to San Luis Obispo from Seattle. 14. 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 September 2017 Media Placements 1. Why San Luis Obispo is coastal California's storybook wine country Robin Soslow, who was hosted by the City in partnership with SLO Wine earlier this year, writes about her trip including places to stay, hikes and restaurants for the Dallas Morning News. Circulation/Audience: 216,244 Unique Visitors Per Month: 9,376,788 https://www.dallasnews.com/life/travel/2017/09/08/san-luis-obispo-iscoastal-californias- storybook-wine-country 2. Hug the coast on Amtrak's Pacific Surfliner between San Luis Obispo and San Diego LA Times calls the Pacific Surfliner route between San Diego and San Luis Obispo “the best Amtrak miles in California.” Unique Visitors Per Month: 23,904,510 http://www.latimes.com/travel/la-tr-california-bucket-list-updates-hug-the-coast-on- amtrak-s-pacific-1504292405-htmlstory.html Report to City of SLO – TBID and PCC Public Relations Contract September 2017 3. State of American WellBeing | 2016 Community Rankings for Exercise San Luis Obispo ranks 3rd in Gallup’s rankings of communities with the highest rates of regular exercise. Additional outlets, including The Tribune, also picked up the results. Unique Visitors Per Month: 3,164,483 http://info.healthways.com/hubfs/Gallup-Sharecare/Gallup- Sharecare%20State%20of%20American%20Well- Being_2016%20Community%20Exercise%20Rankings%20vFINAL.pdf?t=15057705875 25&__hstc=56314740.77e3bf3c1bdd82229f46e2b4916d6938.1505835965301.1505835 965301.1505840780851.2&__hssc=56314740.1.1505840780851&__hsfp=1496530038 Unique Visitors Per Month: 856,264 http://www.sanluisobispo.com/news/local/article174162936.html?#emlnl=Breaking_New sletter 4. What is SLO best at? Judging from these ‘best of’ lists, just about everything The Tribune article mentions recent coverage of SLO as the Best Town Ever, Best College Town and Best Small Town in California. Unique Visitors Per Month: 856,264 http://www.sanluisobispo.com/news/local/article171797022.html Report to City of SLO – TBID and PCC Public Relations Contract September 2017 5. 11 California Vegan Restaurants to Add to Your Bucket List Spoon University’s line up of ‘a hardcore vegan foodie's restaurant bucket list’ included a stop in San Luis Obispo for Bliss Café. Unique Visitors Per Month: 3,717,788 https://spoonuniversity.com/lifestyle/a-vegan-foodie-s-restaurant-bucket-list-california- edition 6. Seriously hip hotels you need to follow on Instagram UK based Stylist includes Madonna Inn in their list of “Some of the coolest, quirkiest and most inspiring Instagram accounts.’ Twitter followers: 701,000 Facebook followers: 619,000 Instagram Followers: 279,000 http://www.stylist.co.uk/travel/hotels-rooms--world-to-follow-on-instagram-holiday- vacation-accommodation-places-to-stay-escape-weekend-break Report to City of SLO – TBID and PCC Public Relations Contract September 2017 7. These Are the Amazing Airline Perks That Only Frequent Flyers Know About Cheat Sheet lauds the Alaska Airlines’ Wine Flies Free program for flights departing from wine country (including San Luis Obispo) as ‘one of the most unique airline perks,’ in their round up of the 15 best. Unique Visitors Per Month: 10,187,182 https://www.cheatsheet.com/culture/amazing-airline-perks-that-only-frequent-flyers- know-about.html/?a=viewall 8. I’M HEADING OUT ON AN EPIC CALIFORNIA ROAD TRIP Stuffed Suitcase writer Kim Tate teases her trip with the Adventure Travel Trade Association throughout California including San Luis Obispo. Unique Visitors Per Month: 44,169 https://stuffedsuitcase.com/wild-california-road-trip/ Report to City of SLO – TBID and PCC Public Relations Contract September 2017 9. Vài nơi mà trẻ em có thể đi chơi bằng xe lửa (Places where children can go by train) Vietnamese website Văn nghệ covers the Pacific Surfliner in its article about family friendly train attractions. http://vanghe.blogspot.pt/2017/09/con-trai-tui-me-xe-lua-qua-nen-tui-cu.html SLOTBID AGENCY REPORT September 2017 HAPPENING NOW • Backlink Outreach • Enhanced Email Marketing Strategy • 360˚ Video Page • Quarterly Member Newsletter • “SLO Discovery Weekend” Planning • Cal Poly “Visit” Pages Development • 2017–19 Campaign Production SLO VACATIONS • Updated Pages -Sustainable Ag Expo -Mustang Family Weekend -Wine Tasting Vacation Idea -Restaurants • Added Cal Poly Deals page • Added intros to Deals landing page • SEO -Meta descriptions updated -Broken links fixed EMAIL • 140 new leads • Ongoing Welcome Series & Hotel Page Email SHARESLO • National Dog Week Instagram Story • Community Blog Posts -Top 10 Things to Do this Fall -SLO in the News: August SLOTBID AGENCY REPORT September 2017 PARTNERSHIPS • Cal Poly Parent & NSTP Partnership -E-Newsletter Content -Getaway Giveaway Promotion -Cal Poly Parent Deals & Packages -SLO Discovery Weekends Planning -Finalized logo -Buildout of “Visit” pages on Parent & NSTP websites • Cal Poly Athletics -Full page print ad for Football Program -Football Game 360-degree video shoot for campaign • SLO Wine -Prep for Sip in SLO promotion -LA Food Event Planning -360 video experience -San Diego Food & Wine -Getaway Giveaway Promotion -Harvest on the Coast -Full page print ad -Editorial content for October E-Newsletter • MINDBODY BOLD Conference -Getaway Giveaway + MINDBODY University Registration LOOKING AHEAD • Rainy Day Promotion • 2017-19 Campaign Launch • Custom VR Glasses Delivery • Cal Poly Mustang Family Weekend Oct. 20-22 -Photo booth and “SLO Discovery Weekend” promotion • Sustainable Ag Expo Nov. 13-15 BROUGHT TO YOU BY CAL POLY & THE CITY OF SAN LUIS OBISPO SLO DISCOVERYWEEKEND inspired Visiting? Head to SanLuisObispoVacations.com or call 1-877-SLO-TOWN for a complete listing of available lodging properties.Be here. SLOTBID AGENCY REPORT September 2017 SESSIONS PAGE VIEWS USERS REFERRALS SanLuisObispoVacations.com 35,082 50,810 21,893 facebook.com m.facebook.com slocity.org FACEBOOK New Fans Total Fans Total Reach Average Reach per Post Average Daily Page Engaged Users Total Engagements 19 104,256 452,085 6,739 1,017 5,924 TWITTER New Followers Total Followers Total Engagements #ShareSLO 38 3,869 645 234 INSTAGRAM New Followers Total Followers Total Reach Average Reach per post Total Engagements #ShareSLO 154 11,518 139,951 2,856 10,911 3,124 YOUTUBE SLO Promo Video 36,417 TOT Comparison 2009-10 2010-11 2011-12 2012-13 2013-14 2014-15 2015-16 2016-17 2017-18 Change +/-2016-17 2017-18 Change +/-2016-17 2017-18 Change +/-2016-17 2017-18 Change +/- July 508,195$ 541,806$ 591,184$ 636,778$ 699,845$ 761,346$ 844,845$ 877,391$ 878,786$ 0.2%84.7 84.9 0.3 174.75 174.02 -0.4 148 147.82 -0.1 August 511,564$ 542,194$ 574,395$ 623,655$ 674,244$ 732,271$ 774,501$ 765,232$ 733,970$ -4.1%82.5 76.6 -7.2 155.56 157.94 1.5 128.38 121.01 -5.7 September 400,023$ 437,543$ 490,524$ 508,583$ 505,954$ 557,002$ 643,127$ 650,117$ 74.8 152.37 114.03 October 414,870$ 442,586$ 437,805$ 469,977$ 509,435$ 594,032$ 642,221$ 628,049$ 72.9 146.18 106.51 November 280,913$ 330,924$ 347,437$ 359,163$ 425,769$ 475,360$ 468,016$ 497,162$ 66.5 133.3 88.61 December 246,684$ 274,417$ 314,784$ 319,451$ 355,315$ 391,132$ 429,600$ 434,836$ 58.9 123.17 72.52 January 230,279$ 256,351$ 276,165$ 302,153$ 331,853$ 400,239$ 387,304$ 396,559$ 56.4 115.69 65.3 February 273,373$ 302,246$ 323,359$ 344,160$ 366,980$ 431,510$ 466,915$ 439,735$ 61.7 128.71 79.36 March 326,099$ 333,783$ 392,266$ 426,879$ 448,103$ 520,795$ 559,235$ 549,642$ 69.1 130.03 89.91 April 423,158$ 451,133$ 475,913$ 486,850$ 564,617$ 610,894$ 609,439$ 708,724$ 80.4 149.96 120.56 May 372,997$ 433,874$ 447,116$ 489,862$ 546,916$ 601,614$ 598,093$ 645,114$ 72 147.7 106.33 June 490,326$ 512,543$ 578,234$ 610,948$ 630,729$ 727,028$ 731,038$ 765,362$ 79 164.33 129.9 Total/Average 4,478,481$ 4,859,400$ 5,249,181$ 5,578,460$ 6,059,758$ 6,803,224$ 7,154,334$ 7,357,923$ 71.58 143.48 104.12 7,186,264$ *April TOT totals missing 2 homestays *May TOT totals missing 3 homestays *June TOT totals missing 2 homestays *July TOT totals missing 5 homestays *August missing 3 homestays Occupancy ADR RevPAR Figures from Smith Travel Research report Tourism Business Improvement District Management Committee Meeting Minutes October 3, 2017 – 3:00 pm City Hall – HR Conference Room 990 Palm Street, San Luis Obispo PRESENT: LeBren Harris, Clint Pearce, Nipool Patel STAFF PRESENT: Molly Cano, Tourism Manager Call to order time: 3:11 p.m. BUSINESS ITEMS 1. Strategic Plan The committee discussed the strategic initiative to “develop new ways to connect and effectively communicate with our stakeholders”. They discussed the current communications tools which include email communication from staff on an as needed basis and the quarterly hotel visit from the Chamber. The committee brainstormed other successful methods for outreach which included possible surveys and the implementation of the quarterly member newsletter. Staff presented the quarterly newsletter example outline for the committee’s review. The committee agreed with the newsletter but expressed the need to limit agency time on the production. Staff noted that moving forwarded the newsletter would be a tourism coordinator job function but due to staff changes the agency team would write the copy this quarter. The committee recommended hand delivering the newsletters with the quarterly visits when feasible. Staff noted that we will be able to track the open rates and clicks on the newsletter as we can gauge member interaction. Action: The committee directed staff on the production of the first quarterly newsletter. 2. Cal Poly Student Affairs Partnership Update Staff presented the committee with an update on the Cal Poly Student Affairs partnership and the launch of SLO Discovery Weekends. Staff shared the logo design, the draft itinerary and the dates for the 2018 weekends (Thursday, February 1st thru Sunday, February 4th & Thursday, May 10th thru Sunday, May 13th). The committee commented that the approach, plan and dates were great. They directed staff to continue working on the development of the weekends. 3. Committee Transition The committee discussed the change in Management Committee representatives. Pragna will join the Management Committee, while LeBren will join the Marketing Committee. Recurring committee meeting will begin in November and just like the transition on to Marketing Committee, staff will share the Strategic Plan and timelines with the new committee representatives to ensure a smooth transition. 4. New Business Items The committee asked staff to discuss the initial plan and approach for the recruitment to fill the open Tourism Coordinator position. Meeting was adjourned at 3:50 p.m. Tourism Business Improvement District Marketing Committee Meeting Minutes September 19, 2017 – 10:00 a.m. FIT Conference Room - 990 Palm St, San Luis Obispo PRESENT: Patel-Mueller, Skidmore, Walker STAFF PRESENT: Molly Cano, Tourism Manager; Liesel Kuehl, Tourism Coordinator Call to order time: 10:01 a.m. BUSINESS ITEMS 1. SLO CAL SAVOR On-The-Road Opportunity Staff presented the opportunity to represent San Luis Obispo in the DMO experience at SLO CAL’s SAVOR on the road activation at San Diego Bay Wine & Food Festival in San Diego in November 2017. After review of the opportunity and discussion, the committee decided to not participate in the Wine & Food Festival because several other businesses from San Luis Obispo are attending and SLO as a destination will be well represented. The committee approved for TBID to sponsor a giveaway package including a $500 stay voucher towards a SLO lodging property. The TBID is also interested in providing a giveaway package in partnership with SLO Wine to collect email addresses of attendees who enter to win the giveaway. Recommendation: The committee recommended not to exhibit at the 2017 San Diego Bay Wine & Food Festival but to provide a giveaway package in partnership with SLO Wine’s representation at the event. 2. Room Block Policy The committee reviewed and discussed the current process for room block policies. Staff presented that when TBID funds a program, staff works with the program organizer and distribute the group needs to all TBID members to supply responses to the program organizer. The organizer then chooses what works best for the program based on TBID responses. For non TBID funded programs, staff takes requests as they come in and will distribute an email to all TBID members based on the group needs. Properties can either connect with the group organizer or staff can collect responses and supply the organizer with the information depending on what the organizer prefers. The committee discussed different options with the process but ultimately decided that TBID provides a service to accommodate client needs. The committee noted it is important to ensure guests will stay in San Luis Obispo lodging properties and customer service needs to be provided to make it easier for the client, otherwise, they will search in other destinations that will provide their needs. Recommendation: The committee recommended to continue to use the current room block process to accommodate client needs. 3. Strategic Plan The committee reviewed the prioritized action steps within the strategic plan initiatives. The committee approved the prioritized action plans and will begin creating the new two-year marketing plan at the end of the year. Action: The committee approved prioritized action plans within the Strategic Plan. 4. Committee Transitions The committee discussed the change in Marketing Committee representatives. Pragna will join the Management Committee, while LeBren will join the Marketing Committee. Recurring committee meeting will begin in November and staff will share the Strategic Plan and timelines with the new committee representatives to ensure a smooth transition. 5. New Business No items were discussed under new business. Meeting was adjourned at 11:03 am DRAFT Minutes – Promotional Coordinating Committee Meeting of September 13, 2017 Page 1 Minutes - DRAFT PROMOTIONAL COORDINATING COMMITTEE Wednesday, September 13, 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, September 13, 2017 at 5:31 p.m. in the Council Hearing Room, located at 990 Palm Street, San Luis Obispo, California, by Chair Levi. ROLL CALL Present: Committee Members Zoya Dixon, Patricia Loosley, Sasha Palazzo (5:33), Matthew Wilkins, Vice Chair Jill LeMieux, and Chair Daniel Levi Absent: Committee Member Diana Cozzi Staff: Tourism Manager Molly Cano, and Recording Secretary Kevin Christian. PUBLIC COMMENT ON ITEMS NOT ON THE AGENDA none CONSENT AGENDA ACTION: MOTION BY VICE CHAIR LEMIEUX, SECOND BY COMMITTEE MEMBER LOOSLEY, CARRIED (5-0) to approve the Consent Agenda items C1 to C7. C.1 Minutes of the Meeting on August 9, 2017 C.2 2017-18 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 Transit Occupancy Tax (TOT) Report DRAFT Minutes – Promotional Coordinating Committee Meeting of September 13, 2017 Page 2 PRESENTATIONS 1. Chamber Public Relations Monthly Report Chamber of Commerce representative Molly Kern, Director of Communications and Business Education, reviewed their Public Relations report for August. Highlights discussed included coverage in Seattle Magazine, the Mercury News, the East Bay Times, and A Practical Wedding which had a piece entitled “23 Best North American Honeymoon Destinations.” Public Comments: None. ---End of Public Comments--- No action was taken on this item. BUSINESS ITEMS 1. Strategic Plan Work – GIA Program Evaluation Tourism Manger Cano reviewed the outline created for the Open Forum meeting and a draft of the survey questions that are to be used in gathering data from current and prior grant recipients. The Committee discussed their needs for particular information and edited the survey questions, determined who would present particular topics at the open forum meeting, and set the survey timeline. The Open Forum meeting is being held on September 27, 2017, at 4:30 p.m. at the Ludwick Community Center. Public Comments: None. ---End of Public Comments--- No further action was taken on this item. DRAFT Minutes – Promotional Coordinating Committee Meeting of September 13, 2017 Page 3 2. Strategic Plan Work – GIA Program Evaluation The committee discussed the evaluation questions. Public Comments: None ---End of Public Comments--- ACTION: MOTION BY COMMITTEE MEMBER PALAZZO, SECOND BY VICE CHAIR LEMIEUX, CARRIED (6-0) to adopt the evaluation questions as presented in the Agenda Packet, Item B2. 3. Strategic Plan Status Review The committee reviewed the Strategic Plan document to check in on progress made and evaluate priorities and the timeline. By consensus, the committee added “Event Promotion Criteria” to the evaluation listing, and decided that the next program to be assessed is SLOHappenings. Public Comments: None ---End of Public Comments--- No further action was taken on this item. PCC LIAISON REPORTS AND COMMUNICATION 1. Grants In Aid (GIA) Update GIA event liaisons reported on recent communications they have had with their assigned events. 2. TBID Board Report Tourism Manager Cano reviewed the August TBID meeting minutes. DRAFT Minutes – Promotional Coordinating Committee Meeting of September 13, 2017 Page 4 3. Tourism Program Update Tourism Manager Cano reviewed and provided updates on the following: - Cal Poly SLO Days - Move In weekend at Cal Poly - Visit Temecula Valley will be coming to meet and discuss the San Luis Obispo City Tourism Promotion program. ADJOURNMENT The meeting was adjourned at 7:19 p.m. The next regular meeting of the Promotional Coordinating Committee is scheduled for Wednesday, October 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 - Industry Engagement - Chuck Davison Attends Meeting About Highway 1 Closure with Assemblyman Cunningham Chuck Davison, VSC President & CEO, attended an outreach meeting with Assemblyman Jordan Cunningham in San Simeon on August 16. Davison provided an update about the impact of the Highway 1 closure and its effect on small businesses in SLO CAL’s North Coast area, and requested the Assemblyman’s assistance in reinforcing the need for a timeline on the rebuild plan. Upcoming Opportunities & Events • Fall Industry Educational Symposium (September 21): Presentations from Arrivalist, JBS Hotels/Hotelbeds Group, Host Compliance, as well as an update from Chuck Davison. This event will take place at Embassy Suites from 8am - 12:30pm. RSVP at http://bit.ly/fall-symposium-2017. • SLO CAL Packaging Party (October 19): SLO CAL’s lodging and non-lodging members will have the chance to network in a speed dating-style event to create special packages for SLO CAL visitors. This event will take place at Oyster Ridge from 1 - 5pm. For more information, contact Pam Roberts, Events & Membership Manager at Pam@SLOCAL.com. Visit SLO CAL Activity Report, August 2017 VSC Onboards New Media Agency The Executive Committee approved the Marketing Committee recommendation to pursue contract negotiations with Goodway Group as VSC’s Media Agency. They were chosen from among six agencies that submitted proposals. Goodway will provide an updated, data-driven media strategy for VSC’s FY 2017/18 fall and shoulder season campaigns. Visit SLO CAL Leadership Team Attends U.S. Travel’s ESTO VSC President & CEO Chuck Davison, VP of Marketing Brooke Burnham and Director of Travel Trade Michael Wambolt attended U.S. Travel’s Educational Seminar for Tourism Organizations (ESTO) Conference in Minneapolis, MN, August 26-29. Major takeaways include: • Travel forecast for the first half of 2018 continues to look strong, but the results of the second half will depend on mid-term elections. o 2019/2020 models show a downturn. • Destination Marketing Organizations are transforming into Destination Marketing and Management Organizations as they become key players in destination and economic development. To download some of the presentations, including an Online Optimizations breakout by Miles Media, click here: Budurl.com/ESTOMiles2017. Also, U.S Travel issued a number of new reports with valuable insights and data, including one entitled “Travel: America’s Unsung Hero of Job Creation,” linked here: http://bit.ly/travel-job-creation. 0 - PR and Travel Trade - Media Placements • Seattle Magazine: Thanks to a Direct Flight, This Breathtaking Wine Region is Within Easy Reach from Seattle - http://bit.ly/SeattleMagSLOCAL • Phoenix Magazine: SLO Wine Country - http://bit.ly/PhoenixMagSLOCAL • The Tribune – Nick Jonas Shooting Music Video in the South County - http://bit.ly/NickJonasSLOCAL • KSBY – Film shoot brings Keanu Reeves, Winona Ryder to San Luis Obispo - http://bit.ly/FilmSLOCAL • Red Tricycle – Road Trip! California’s Central Coast Offers Sun and Fun for the Whole Family - http://bit.ly/RedTriSLOCAL • Fido Friendly Magazine – In San Luis Obispo, Fine Wines Pair Well with Dogs - http://bit.ly/FidoSLOCAL Media Visits • Asiana – Korean In-flight Magazine • Inspirations & Celebrations • About Time • The Daily Telegraph • The Vista Travel Trade • September Meetings & Conferences Mission (Bay Area), September 26-28 o Co-op space available ($300) – Contact Michael@SLOCAL.com for more details. • Recreation Vehicle Industry Association (Pomona), October 6-15 • Vacation Rental Management Association National Conference (Orlando), October 14-18 • World Travel Market (London), November 6 • IPW (Denver), May 19-23 o Early bird pricing ends in November Visit SLO CAL is a 501c6 tourism non-profit. For more information please call (805)541-8000. Featured in Red Tricycle: Avila Beach (left) and Seattle Magazine: Baileyana (right). Film SLO CAL Update As of September 1, 2017 Film SLO CAL has seen over 96 leads, ranging from tv shows, to independent movies, commercials and still shoots. This accounts for 80% of the total leads from last year in only eight months. Over 60 productions have filmed so far in 2017. For more information on filming, or to be considered as a location on an upcoming shoot, please contact Film@FilmSLOCAL.com. VISIT SLO CAL WEB ACTIVITY SESSIONS: 47,642 UNIQUE VISITORS: 39,757 PAGE VIEWS: 128,924 AVG. PAGE VIEWS/VISIT: 2.71 AVG. TIME ON SITE: 2:03 TOTAL ORGANIC TRAFFIC: 34,786 % OF ORGANIC: 73% MOBILE SESSIONS: 28,168 MOST VISITED EVENT PAGE: FAIRS AND FESTIVALS (1,709 VIEWS) TOTAL BLOG VISITS: 11,581 MOST SHARED BLOG: RUB ELBOWS WITH CHEFS AT SLO CAL FARMERS MARKETS (27 SHARES) VISIT SLO CAL SOCIAL MEDIA ACTIVITY FACEBOOK LIKES: 22,865 NEW: 161 TOT. IMPRESSIONS: 70,624 HIGHEST REACH: COME SAIL AWAY TO MORRO BAY CA… (8.0K PEOPLE REACHED) HIGHEST ENGAGEMENT: COME SAIL AWAY TO MORRO BAY CA… (435 ENGAGEMENTS) FOLLOWERS NEW TWITTER: 7,404 76 29K IMPRESSIONS PINTEREST: 706 0 INSTAGRAM: 15.1K 300 VISITOR GUIDE DIST. WEB DOWNLOADS: 109 GUIDES DISTRIBUTED: 506 TOTAL: 614 THIS MONTH IN SLO CAL SUBSCRIBERS 35,366 OPENS: 5,477 CLICK-THROUGHS: 747 THIS WEEK IN SLO CAL CIRCULATION: 1,121 MOST CLICKED LINK: STR REPORT Date: August 3, 2017 Client: SLO CAL Date Range: July 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; 20 fixed. * Optimized new blog posts. * Quarterly site speed check; both desktop and mobile look good. * Added slocal.com to keyword ranking tool. Keyword research. * Year End Summary reports compiled and delivered. * Continued work on the advanced sitemap for the new website. Organic Traffic Overview: Organic sessions increased 13.5% over last year. Some high-traffic pages with the best year-over-year organic growth were: Home by 49%, Our Area by 18%, 9 Places to Celebrate the 4th of July in San Luis Obispo County by 10%, Pismo Beach (Community) by 372%, Pismo Beach Activities by 58%, Avila Beach by 36%, Paso Robles by 113%, Sam Simeon by 50%, and Hotels by 10%. Other Notes: * Total sessions increased by 22%, users increased by 23% and pageviews increased by 9%. * The Blog home page received 196 pageviews last month. * The entire blog received 18,841 pageviews last month. **Data pulled from "All Website Data" Google Analytics Profile View. Industry Averages Engagement Metrics Industry Average Your Website % Difference Total Pages Per Visit:2.35 2.66 11.67% Total Average Visit Duration:0:02:06 0:02:01 -4.41% Total Bounce Rate:52.98%52.93%-0.09% Organic Pages Per Visit:2.41 2.88 16.41% Organic Average Visit Duration:0:02:13 0:02:11 -1.18% Organic Bounce Rate:50.94%48.50%-5.04% SEO Overview Page 2 of 20 Date: August 3, 2017 Client: SLO CAL Date Range: February 1 - July 31, 2017 Total Traffic Overview: Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Visits:319,761 410,064 510,628 305,084 97,564 70,911 Unique Visitors:198,300 207,036 268,867 182,207 76,882 58,509 Bounce Rate:84%83%83%81%66%53% Pageviews:444,105 572,584 715,222 461,690 221,654 188,665 Avg Pageviews Per Visit:1.39 1.40 1.40 1.51 2.27 2.66 Avg Time on Site:0:00:54 0:01:02 0:01:04 0:00:59 0:01:35 0:02:01 Total Organic Search Traffic:26,398 35,934 42,459 45,232 46,344 52,306 % of Traffic Organic Search:8%9%8%15%48%74% Entry Pages From Search:1,846 1,659 1,639 2,230 2,269 2,338 VisitSLOCounty Visits:1 0 0 0 0 0 VisitSLOCounty Bounce Rate:100%0%0%0%0%0% Mobile/Tablet SnapShot: Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Visits:274,931 361,798 462,948 273,399 68,055 43,856 % of visits 86%88%91%90%70%62% Bounce Rate:86%84%84%85%71%57% Pageviews: 355,074 472,630 613,137 366,864 126,653 101,446 Avg Time on Site:0:00:51 0:01:01 0:01:03 0:00:49 0:01:07 0:01:40 0 100,000 200,000 300,000 400,000 500,000 600,000 Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Total Visits Comparison Prior Year This Year 73.81% 13.31% 12.36% 0.48% 0.04% Traffic Sources Organic Search Direct Referral media email 0 200,000 400,000 600,000 Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Mobile/Tablet Visits Prior Year This Year Page 3 of 20 Date: August 3, 2017 Client: SLO CAL Date Range: July 2017 Organic Traffic % of Total Site Traffic Visits 52,306 73.76% Organic Engagement Compared to Site Engagement Pageviews Per Visit 2.88 8.36% Avg. Time on Site 0:02:11 8.92% New Visits 78.21%4.63% Bounce Rate 48.50%-8.38% Search Engine Visits Percent google 49,416 94.47% yahoo 1,689 3.23% bing 1,169 2.23% aol 12 0.02% ask 10 0.02% baidu 4 0.01% Exact Keyword Visits Percent Landing Page Visits Percent (not provided)51,863 99.15%/events 6,477 12.38% san luis obispo 14 0.03%/6,050 11.57% san luis obispo events 12 0.02%/blog/839/9-places-to-celebrate-the-4th-of-july-in-san-luis-obispo-county 1,761 3.37% san luis obispo county 8 0.02%/profile/402/lake-lopez-recreation-area 1,470 2.81% lopez lake 6 0.01%/blog/950/insider-tips-15-free-things-to-do-in-slo-cal 1,336 2.55% paso robles 5 0.01%/community/morro-bay 1,290 2.47% san luis obispo ca 5 0.01%/community/pismo-beach 1,170 2.24% (not set)4 0.01%/our-area 1,039 1.99% cypress rentals pismo beach ca 4 0.01%/community/paso-robles 1,009 1.93% lopez lake camping 4 0.01%/profile/1757/morro-bay-farmers-markets 858 1.64% Organic Search Traffic: 0 10,000 20,000 30,000 40,000 50,000 60,000 Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Organic Visits Comparison Prior Year Current Year Page 4 of 20 Date: August 3, 2017 Client: SLO CAL Date Range: July 1 - 31, 2017 Demographics & Interests Affinity Categories: Top 10 Affinity Categories Visits Shoppers/Value Shoppers 27,316 Cooking Enthusiasts/30 Minute Chefs 27,166 News Junkies/Entertainment & Celebrity News Junkies 25,327 Travel Buffs 23,145 Art & Theater Aficionados 21,389 Book Lovers 21,140 Health & Fitness Buffs 20,076 Green Living Enthusiasts 19,961 Avid Investors 19,651 Family-Focused 19,238 Other Categories: Top 10 Categories Visits Arts & Entertainment/Celebrities & Entertainment News 13,035 News/Weather 9,243 Food & Drink/Cooking & Recipes 8,508 Arts & Entertainment/TV & Video/Online Video 7,053 Travel/Hotels & Accommodations 6,936 Travel/Air Travel 6,346 Real Estate/Real Estate Listings/Residential Sales 5,626 News/Sports News 5,093 Reference/General Reference/Dictionaries & Encyclopedias 4,852 Travel/Travel Agencies & Services 4,404 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 9.83% 14.90% 13.31% 10.34% 9.32% 4.90% 4.79% 8.39% 8.55% 6.47% 5.50% 3.71% 18-24 25-34 35-44 45-54 55-64 65+ Age Group by Gender Male Female Page 5 of 20 Date: August 3, 2017 Client: SLO CAL Date Range: July 1 - 31, 2017 Top Content:Geographic: Top Landing Pages Entrances /8,188 /events 7,387/blog/839/9-places-to-celebrate-the-4th-of-july-in-san-luis- obispo-county 1,943 /profile/402/lake-lopez-recreation-area 1,681 /blog/950/insider-tips-15-free-things-to-do-in-slo-cal 1,458 /community/morro-bay 1,407 /community/pismo-beach 1,311 /getting-here 1,236 /our-area 1,211 /community/paso-robles 1,093 Top Content Pages Pageviews /events 12,823 /10,829 /our-area 3,252/blog/839/9-places-to-celebrate-the-4th-of-july-in-san-luis- obispo-county 2,197 /events/all/fairs_and_festivals 2,149 /getting-here 2,098 /profile/402/lake-lopez-recreation-area 2,086 /community/morro-bay 1,909 /events?page=1 1,858 /community/pismo-beach 1,790 Top Exit Pages Exits /4,197 /events 2,986 /blog/839/9-places-to-celebrate-the-4th-of-july-in-san-luis-obispo-county1,875 /our-area 1,437 /profile/402/lake-lopez-recreation-area 1,336 /getting-here 1,282 /blog/950/insider-tips-15-free-things-to-do-in-slo-cal 1,061 /just-your-speed/1,014 /community/morro-bay 923 /community/pismo-beach 900 13% 10% 7% 2% 2% 2% 2% 2% 2% 2% 57% Top Cities Los Angeles San Francisco San Luis Obispo Paso Robles Atascadero Arroyo Grande San Jose Sacramento Bakersfield Fresno Other 83.3% 2.1% 2.0% 1.6% 1.4% 1.2% 0.8% 0.7% 0.6% 0.6% 5.4% Top States California Arizona Colorado Nevada Washington Texas New York Illinois Florida Oregon Other 25.04% 23.53% 18.38% 4.93% 4.37% 2.41% 2.34% 2.19% 1.86% 1.78% 13.18% Top Metros Los Angeles CA Santa Barbara-Santa Maria-San Luis Obispo CA San Francisco-Oakland-San Jose CA Fresno-Visalia CA Sacramento-Stockton-Modesto CA San Diego CA Monterey-Salinas CA Bakersfield CA Phoenix AZ Denver CO Other Page 6 of 20 Date: August 3, 2017 Client: SLO CAL Date Range: July 1 - 31, 2017 In-MarketVs Visitor: 5,413 19,495 0 5,000 10,000 15,000 20,000 25,000 30,000 35,000 40,000 In-Market Out of Market Desktop Visits 8,092 37,906 0 5,000 10,000 15,000 20,000 25,000 30,000 35,000 40,000 In-Market Out of Market Mobile/Tablet Visits 78.27% 21.73% 82.41% 17.59% Page 7 of 20