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HomeMy WebLinkAboutM091019 Tourism Coordinating Council – Jefferson County Minutes of the Meeting of the Coordinating Council September 10, 2019 (DRAFT) The September 2019 meeting of the Tourism Coordinating Council (TCC) for Jefferson County, was called to order at 10:04 am by TCC Chair Roney, noting membership to reach a quorum was present with Council members Cleone Telling, Diana Smeland, Crystie Kisler, Joy Baisch, Marsha Massey and Bill Roney in attendance. Partners Present: Commissioner Greg Brotherton, Bethany Smith and Christina Pivarnik TCC Marketing Coordinator present: Steve Shively Consent Agenda Approval of June 11, August 13 past TCC minutes and current TCC Financials was approved by consent CALL TO ORDER CONSENT AGENDA Commissioner Greg Brotherton shared information on the following topics of tourism related interest and insight: • Update on WSDOT’s proposal to install roundabouts at SR104 and Shine/W. Hood Canal Bridge, and Beaver Valley (SR19) and SR104 resulting from public meeting held Aug. 29 – Missed analysis on congestion mitigation, WSDOT focusing on safety improvement. • On topic of congestion call has been issued for WSDOT to work with other partners related to Hood Canal bridge openings and compounding events. Bridge opening data is available tracking historic openings for maintenance, pleasure craft and military. • Ongoing community outreach meetings by JeffCo BoCC – last week Quilcene, next week Brinnon, inclusive of addressing public sewer at Dosewalips State Park and capacity for commercial, community hook-ups. • Ariel spraying update on Pope timber lands, impacting neighboring Tarbo Lake, Lake Leland, City Lake, and even the Gateway VIC. Not equal with spraying activity in Kitsap Co. Based upon 1993 regs, WA State administers spray levels until a city population of 100,000+ is reached. • Critical Areas Ordinance efforts. Working towards creating more Ag and more farm related jobs. OPTC - Marsha Massey provided the following OPTC (Olympic Peninsula Tourism Commission) highlights: • Good OPTC meeting. Early numbers from summer. Are for the most part flat or slightly softer than compared YTD against the regions last few years of record growth. Same findings coming out of Olympic National Park. Number trends are being discussed. • Penny Wagner from NPS and Susan Gardener US Forest, shared that goat relocation project is finishing up • Lake Crescent still has some 4 hours closures for final paving work • Print ads are up and running, digi ads up and running. Fall bus ads are being worked on. • Fall roadtrip campaign has launched. Target markets are CA, AZ, TX, FL and NY. Features include a Texas monthly advertorial launching this mid-August- to mid-October campaign. Initial response is great, with initial two-weeks of campaign already meeting all of 2018 campaign entries. • Several FAM tours underway or arriving soon. Two-nation vacation, with Irish, Swiss and Korean travel writers. All on-site or coming between now and October. • Maintaining good web traffic volumes later into summer and early fall. New Business a) Renewal of current Marketing contractors agreement was encouraged COMISSIONER’S UPDATE OPTC REPORT NEW BUSINESS b) Proposal to reissue the TCC request for $195,000 in allocated LTAC funding once the 2020 RFP is issued was also discussed and affirmed by TCC. Marketing Report Steve provided a TCC briefing of current marketing activities, including: • TCC is still awaiting word from LTAC regarding process for 2020 funding requests. Bill and Steve will recommend to TCC that funding at the originally requested 2019 levels will be the proposition submitted to LTAC. “If only…” will be easy to wonder in light of impressive current returns from TCC tourism marketing investments. • Steve reviewed new TCC ad buys for this Fall including: National Parks – Olympic – Trip planner, NFL Seahawks, season-long commemorative “yearbook”, play bill advertorial in the Sept. Sept. 19 – Oct. 6 Flying Karamov Brothers production at the Seattle Broadway Performance Hall, sponsorship of the 2nd Farm-to-Table Trade Meeting to be held this fall at Fort Worden. • The MyOlympic Park.com Jefferson Co. Road Trip advertorial has launched. Very good beginning reach and engagement. • Simmilar advertorial content + display ad will be used with “Club Sandwich” playbill advertising at the Seattle Broadway Performance Hall • Ongoing marketing opportunity of October 11-13 hosting both Apple & Cider Fest and the Dungeness Seafood and Crab Festivals. TCC’s position statement will be: o One October weekend. o Two great North Olympic Peninsula Festivals! o Plan on enjoying BOTH celebrations of LOOP Bounty! In preparation Steve has issued a call to East Jefferson Co. lodging to build “basecamp” accommodation packages as all of Port Angeles is already sold out for the weekend. • Ongoing Overtourism watch includes review of NY Times travel piece detailing six places in Europe “offering Shelter from the Crowds”. It’s an interesting pivot and play off of already crowded destinations. Simmilar to our transit advertising in Seattle/Bellevue, Pierce County and Portland with the play on (crowded City) ‘Here’ vs. (blissful) Olympic Peninsula. • Marsha, Greg and Steve shared reflections on initial Ad-Hoc work group formed by Clallam County Commissioner Randy Johnson, towards the goal of developing an RFP for a regional Destination Management Plan. Call for full Olympic Peninsula collaboration and coordination with upcoming State Destination Management Plan encouraged. • Steve reviewed current digital media results with TCC, noting that sunset photos published by Sunset magazine and short videos continue to be the most engaging social media lures. Area Updates: Port Ludlow – Diana shared a number of Port Ludlow initiatives, including: • Chef Arron on 8/15 and other Food Trucks, have helped increase offerings for their Wednesday Cruz-Ins. • Outdoor Movie Night will screen “Free Willy” Aug. 24 on a single screen hosted 520 attendees. 28 from other states and other countries. The movie night was credited with producing 19 additional boating slips being occupied • Prepping Dungeness Crab and Apple Cider lodging packages and marketing campaign. • “Beach Hunters” on HGTV – will have the prize winners filmed at Ludlow. • Wine maker diners are ongoing • Jefferson County Chamber Expo at Port Ludlow on 9/25 • Continues to be busy! TCC MARKETING COORDINATORS REPORT AREA UPDATES Gateway VIC – Bill • Plenty of visitors continue stopping by. Noticing non-school aged travelers now taking to the roads and enjoying the Olympic Peninsula now that school has begun. • Daily hours have shifted to 10AM – 4PM for the fall-winter and into early next spring. • Sad to say goodbye to some long tenured dedicated volunteers. They’ll be hard to replace. Quilcene – Cleone Quilcene headlines are “Great Gas Prices at Village Store!” Other insights included: • Wonderful attendance at Fundraising event Aug. 30 – 8-10PM – the film “The Secret Life of Pets 2” movie night • Seahawks game and rain sure do have impacts on visitor turn out to Worthington House! • Page-by-page review of all the Quilcene coverage in current issue of Fjord Magazine. • Plans underway for the Quilcene Fair – 8/14-15 - with Oyster Races. Big early registrations. • Upcoming historic photo restoration and preservation workshop offered by Jefferson Historical Society should be interesting. Brinnon – Joy shared that Elk Meadows is only renting cabin unit now. Good seasonal Salmon run has begun. Elk population is growing. Would invite herd management considerations by tribe or DFW. Chimacum – Crystie shared that they’d gladly work with TCC members to offer end of season volunteer appreciation gathering(s) at Finnriver. • Upcoming events include: Hosting ODT gala this Saturday. • Farm Tour 9/21-22 (“Wording the Land” poetry project as part of Tour this year), • Apple and Cider Fest 10/11-13 (will include World Apple Day on Sunday) • Business up about 20% this summer. Working towards sustainable growth. • The Chimacum Café is going on the market. Initial asking price set at $1.2M • Looking for local history and local story telling. • Community wellness – Farm to School. Adding Seed Work Chimacum, in partnership with Organic Seed Alliance. • Staff awareness around Social Equity for both hiring and hospitality for indeed making welcoming spaces. • Shout out for the Jeff. Co. Historical Societies – recent first Friday’s • Desiring follow-up on incentivizing recyclable take-out, and biodigester. All key to reducing landfill impacts. Tri-Areas – Bethany shared that The Old Alcohol Plant and Bayside Housing event is this weekend. • They continue on their sustainability campaign, moving on final conversion of guest room amenities to sourcing local and sustainable guest amenities and take-out food containers. • Big Sept. 28 Gala for Bayside Housing. • Garden is feeding their guests. Whole exhibit on aerial spraying in the art gallery. • Good room sales from the Fort Worden THING festival. Port Townsend Marketing – Christina shared news including: • THING festival went well at Fort. • Wooden Boat and Film Festival are next up. • Their partnered Port of Seattle enhancement grant offers an upcoming sweepstakes targeted to travelers from the states of AZ, CO, TX, FL, and NY. Oct. – April. Digi and Social analytics. AREA UPDATES (cont.) ADJORN • Christina’s marketing contract with Chamber concludes at end of August. Sad to say goodbye to 11-years of marketing Port Townsend. Chamber will most likely work with an internal staffer who’ll also cover Port Townsend marketing. Full plans are still TBD. Bill offered TCC thanks to Christina for all of her Olympic Peninsula support and partnership. Her leadership and vision will truly be missed. WTA/WTMA – Christina share details of: • State-wide rebranding received 24 proposals, culled to 10. Anticipate naming vendor by end of September. • 60 applicants for marketing position. • 2020 WA Visitors Guide is on a tight deadline for stories. Writer on Olympic Peninsula now. Adjournment - There being no further business the TCC meeting was adjourned at 12:07 PM Next meeting of TCC is Tuesday October 8, 2019 – 10:00 AM at the Inn at Port Ludlow.