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HomeMy WebLinkAboutM051209 Tourism Coordinating Council Meeting Minutes, 5-12-09 Resort at Port Ludlow Members attending were: Joy Baisch, Miriam Villiard, Bill Roney, Crystal Hudson, Frances Rawski, Larry McKeehen Staff: Kitti deLong Friend and Partners: Diane Schostak, Christina Pivarnik, John Austin Minutes Crystal asked for a change on second page under Tourism Commission Update to read, “Christina and Diane went to Victoria . . .” Christina asked to change under Southern Strategy, “This brochure will be sent to the East County Journals and to the Oregonian with 60,000 zip codes in Portland including some in Vancouver, and also will be included in the Olympian.” Larry made a motion to approve as corrected. Crystal seconded. Motion passed unanimously. Financials Kitti stated we are right on track. Invoices for this month included: Leader Getaway Guide $10,000.00 OPVB, part of Spring Campaign 3,964.11 Conference Calling during Apr. Meet 11.17 OPTC, Joint Marketing Commitment 1,264.24 Admin Services 761.06 OPVB, part of Spring Campaign, March 1,563.74 We will tentatively submit the Leader Getaway Guide bill, but not submit for payment until we review the Getaway Guide. We have listed our concerns. It is now Scott Wilson’s responsibility to present the galleys to us. Mailing: Christina stated that we would continue the fulfillment out of Sequim at this time. We are still using the old travel planners until they are gone. The Getaway Guide will be placed on PT Guide and Enjoy PT. When the disks for Port Townsend are gone, will fulfill with the interactive pdf for the Getaway Guide on Leader’s website. Getaway Guide can also be on the Chamber’s website. Discussion about how to reproduce the disks. Will need maybe 5,000 until the end of the year. ACTION ITEM: Joy and Christina will get quotes for cost to reproduce disks. Crystal made a motion to approve the six submitted invoices with tentative approval on the Leader Getaway Guide pending reviewing the galleys. Bill seconded. Passed unanimously. Additions: Combining Chamber Meetings After discussion, the consensus was to rotate meetings from chamber to chamber. Co-op Website with Clallam County – Bill This will be much more than the static website from the past. Each chamber will have to take on responsibility for their part on olympicpeninsula.org, with all 11 partners on the peninsula. Carolyn Cooper is coordinator. Commissioner’s Update – John Last time we met, there was concern about three parks on the verge of closing but that has been taken care of by the Opt-Out Plan that has passed both houses. Now just needs the Governor to sign. Road repair on Dose is finally moving forward with a single lane which will enable bypassing of trees. Will take three years because of documentation. Three Island Home-type ferries will now be built thanks in large part to Tim Caldwell. The #7 bus serves Port Ludlow to the Park and Ride with 20 rides per day and is free! County now is saving 6.25% of salaries from most of the elected officials and most people who work in the courthouse cut back their salaries at least until the end of the year. Tim Caldwell gave the info that there is still room on the Twilight Ferry, which does not fill up because of reservations. Brief Presentation – Dan Youra Dan Youra did not appear. Progress on Invitation for Unincorporated Pt to Participate – Frances & Crystal have had limited success so far. ACTION ITEM: Kitti will send contact info on lodgings with PT address that are outside PT to Frances and Crystal. Spring Marketing Campaign Update – Diane for Debbie Black We are half-way through. Olympic Peninsula Fun Facts has been a hit with 354 entries to win. Steve Kilbreath’s trip was successful and has been airing interviews. Seattle Dining – We did all issues that were within the time frame of the campaign. Journal Articles – Tourism Commission bought April and June. TCC bought May. Air Checks were forwarded from Debbie Black to all members via email. Most TCC Members have already listened to them. During the month of April, the campaign website received 4,459 page views, with the most going to the Waterfalls page, almost 800. Tourism Commission Update – Diane Team Carolyn Cooper is doing project coordination for the website, is working with Freelock. Is using the Travel Planner as a template from which to work. Chek 6 visited Sol Duc, Port Hadlock, Port Townsend. There were good reports on how things went. They filmed a painting in Water Street Brewing by a Victoria artist, then interviewed the artist in Victoria. Lots of FAM Tours: Sky, a Swiss Tour Operators group with 16 people, will be here first week of June: Media FAM by Edelman PR for Washington State Tourism will be here immediately following the Swiss Tour: Mr. Katosan, one of the primary outdoor writers in Japan, will be here with his photographer in late July or early August. He will get 2-4 pages published per month for four months. Rocket Transportation with Willy Nelson will help with transportation. Sun Cruiser Magazine, which has maritime maps, has Puget Sound and BC coverage, will covering the waterfall trail in August. Diane is working on Victoria Concierge Trade Show scheduled for May 27, which is a daytime show. Diane and Christina may go and will use the extra Southern Strategy brochures. Waterfall Trail – the website is up and running, olympicpeninsulawatefalltrail.com. Diane would like you to upload any waterfall trail pictures that you have. The Culinary Association is meeting next week in Mason County. The committee members are busy doing all kinds of things: identity, launch, website, etc. They did get a grant from the State of almost $16,000 but don’t know if that money will actually be awarded. Right now there is a bill before the Governor which will take money out of tourism to put in the general budget. Diane will send out an email to TCC members about this. It is important to address this issue immediately. Had a cruise ship in Port Angeles last week, and there will be two more soon. 11:17 am. Bill took over as Chair so Joy could prepare to leave. PTLTAC Update - Christina Christina presented her new business cards with “Life on the Other Side” logo. She has the icons and logos available for anyone who wants to use them. The Lodging List will go to PT Guide and they will only list lodgings on that list. Changes can not be made instantaneously. PT does have the concierge hired by the Chamber at the ferry each evening. Christina promoted Jefferson County as well as Port Townsend in all the interviews that she has done. Did have a media day in Seattle before the bridge closed with Christina, Mary Mullen from Mainstreet, Mayor Michelle Sandoval, and Chris Nelson. The message was that we are open and ready for business .and please come. A photographer is doing an article on the NW’s most beautiful villages and towns and Port Townsend will be included. Will have several writers come through in June, including NW Yachting Magazine. There is a possibility of a piece in Japan Airlines magazine. All libraries in Washington are putting on Grand Tour of Carnegy Libraries and Port Townsend is one. Business-to-business website - We need to know when big groups are coming through to inform businesses. Jeffconnections, run by the Leader, expects to have information for groups. Christina wanted to announce the new technology by Mobilisa that Port Townsend is going to use, wayfinding, but there has been too much going on with the bridge. Will wait until after the bridge opens to make that announcement. May be something like “The Amazing Race” from Seattle to celebrate the bridge opening. Diane stated that Becky Hixson wants to plan an event for when the bridge opens, and has asked Diane and Christina to put their heads together on that. Christina now has the PT video edited to five minutes, and is on the Twilight Ferry, water shuttle, etc. 11:32 am Frances left. Diane will not be able to attend the June 9 meeting. Christina announced awards given by King 5’s Evening Magazine: The Port Ludlow Marina won first Port Townsend won third best tourism town Hurricane Ridge won third best trail Manresa won Best Haunted Morgan Loft won first best place to kiss Meeting ended at 11:40 am. Next meeting will be on June 9, 2009. Venue to be determined.