HomeMy WebLinkAboutM071420Tourism Coordinating Council —Jefferson County
Minutes of the Meeting of the Coordinating Council
July 14, 2020 (DRAFT)
The July 14 meeting of the Tourism Coordinating Council (TCC) for Jefferson County, was called CALL TO ORDER
to order at 10:02 am by TCC Chair Roney. A quorum assembled with Council members Crystie
Kisler, Marsha Massey, Cleone Telling, Diana Smeland, and Bill Roney in attendance.
Partners Present: Commissioner Greg Brotherton
TCC Marketing Coordinator present: Steve Shively
Consent Agenda Moved for Approval by Marsha of the June 9, TCC minutes and current TCC
Financials, seconded by Diana, approved by consent CONSENT AGENDA
JeffCo. Highlights - Commissioner Greg Brotherton provided the following JeffCo. BoCC (Board
of County Commissioners) highlights —
Construction of SR 104 Roundabout project has been delayed a year. COMMISSIONERS
Related to COVID-19: REPORT
• LTAC meeting to formulate plans related to 2021 RFP timeline and process.
• Phase 3 application was submitted to state prior to current stoppage of consideration for
processing counties to next phase. JeffCo. health and BoCC are reconsidering application
based on current COVID rates related to safe and sustainable reopening.
• Camping impacts at JeffCo. Fairgrounds due, in part, to housing of homeless population.
• Jefferson Health Care COVID testing capacity video, https://youtu.be/OdAcBABoXKE, has
been posted. This adds to the recently completed masking PSA video.
• Jefferson County's masking directive from Dr. Locke and challenges of education and
enforcement continue to exist.
• Marsha shared personal —and positive —July 41h family visitation experience. Giving praise
to Resort at Port Ludow, and majority of Port Townsend businesses and fellow tourists for
being well organized and abiding with compliance of the mandatory masking directive.
Some displays of Chambers "JeffCoCares" campaign, inclusive of its "pledge" noticed.
Comment made by TCC business owners that posters are too big to logistically post.
OPTC Highlights — Marsha shared various items of OPTC information, including:
OPTC REPORT
• Marsha shared updated travel industry survey and sentiment reports.
• 30K foot level Nationally visitor's sentiment is trending backwards with overall consumers'
confidence in travel is eroding.
• The Meeting industry will now recover at a slower pace than leisure travel. Non -urban hubs
are peaking in interest as meeting locations. (This may play into favor of Olympic
Peninsula's destination meeting venues.)
• Major leisure growth in roadtrips, Still Oregon, Calif., Texas and New York as our regions
traditionally major markets for visitors. Even as drive vs. flight travelers.
• OPTC is noticing lots of traffic to its what's open and closed page, with special emphasis for
the National Resource areas.
• OPTC has voted to enter into a 2020 BlackBall marketing partnership. Ongoing emphasis on
August launch for office season travel focus.
• WTA's campaign is "Explore WA's Backyard" with a Bandwango —virtual passport program.
This partially parallels WA Hospitality's — "Rediscover WA" — WTMA is seeking collaboration
between the two organizations and their campaigns.
• Diversity & Equity Intelligence. Has also emerged as a critical topic to be addressed. Crystie
offered some resources, e.g. "Whiteness at Work" by Desiree Adaway.
New Business — Bill and Steve shared with TCC the revised 2020 budget based upon LTAC and TCC MARKETING
BoCC's COVID-19 impact requests. The revised TCC 2020 budget is $136,950, down from COORDINATORS
previously approved $200,000. This revised 2020 TCC budget was accepted by consent. REPORT
Marketing Report
Steve provided a TCC briefing of COVID-19 marketing highs and lows, including:
• Record lows for June LTAX revenues collected $533.76. One golden lining was — finally —
identifying that investment interest income $208.24 is also included with the DRS's figures
for a reported total of $742.00 for the month.
• Interested in a proposed US Travel Assoc. proposed tax incentive for travel of up to $4k per
household to help restart domestic business and leisure travel.
• Research echoes Marsha's reporting of current eroding confidence in travel confidence.
• Further research focuses on the economic impacts of loss of Alaska cruise season from
Seattle and Yelp's assessment that over 40% of closed businesses have shut down for good
due to COVID, with biggest spike in retail — especially restaurants.
• Noteworthy examples of campaign messaging pivots include alt. dining, i.e. Ajax's "Boat
Shack" patio and Visit Anchorage Alaska's adding "a negative COVID-19 test within 72-hours
prior to arrival" visitor requirements.
• Raise in Glamping, e.g. Kalaloch's ROAM beyond, and consumers increased interest in
camping.
• Sharing Gateway VIC's change in visitors contact via "top-10 brochures", topical posters and
QR code displays. Communicating the switching "off" shutdown of all travel was unified and
easy. Conversely, clearly communicating the "Reopening" message within various phases,
and phrases of messaging is a much larger challenge.
• Studies continue to show that travelers trust the CDC over any other 'brand' when it comes
to safe 'welcome back' travel messaging. This was agreed upon that personal conversations
and well communicated and shared expectations are resulting in best experiences for all.
• Ongoing and upcoming TCC's marking involvement include:
• August 1 Facebook Watch party in partnership with NOAA's Get Into Your Sanctuary,
Olympic Peninsula Seafood Chowder Cooking demo.
• Partnering with Olympic Culinary Loop and the Eat Local First — Olympic Peninsula the full
month of September as a Eat Local campaign with Jefferson Farm Tour and a September
restaurant month.
• On -going marketing with Sound Publishing's awarded matched marketing grant for print
and digital, focusing in Federal Way Mirror, Seattle Weekly, Mercer Island Reporter and
others, all focusing on the 1-5 corridor `Staycation' audience.
• Outdoors NW and Adventures Northwest magazines and SeaTac's Port of Seattle Airport
advertising program — all rescheduled from previous Q2 original run dates.
Area Updates: AREA UPDATES
Port Ludlow - Diana shared:
• Good village compliance wearing masks.
• Reopened INN June 11. Mostly leisure, some business YTD $700K gross revenue down.
• Golf course hosting best ball tourney and PGA WA high schoolers seeking college looks.
• Dusty Green Cafe now leasing Nicklebys
• No Marina hosted rendezvous, however individual moorage performing well.
• Relaunched into marketing. With focus on Sept. Health Retreats.
Gateway VIC — Bill noted:
• VIC has been open the last two -weekends. Weekends Friday — Sunday.
• Pivoting and learning lots. Success measured in —460 brochures picked up.
• The Olympic Peninsula Travel planner is still #1 most popular brochure AREA UPDATES
(cont.)
• Waiting for public access WiFi hotspot to be installed.
• Volume in parking lot has necessitated added Sanican
Tri-Areas — Crystie shared information, including:
• Finnriver remains open for sit=down and curbside takeout Friday -Sunday 12-8pm.
Quilcene — Brinnon — Cleon reported:
• Worthington House Funds development continues. Grant applications submitted to WA
Heritage and Murdock Foundation grants.
• Local efforts to raise matched grant with $350K goal.
• Lots of area hikers — anecdotal reporting of 30+ cars at Mt. Townsend trailhead.
• Joy emailed unable to attend as they are prepping to welcome a new guest arrival.
West End — Marsh shared:
Pivot on Forks "Forever Twilight Festival", has canceled their full festival, instead focusing
on existing free experiences.
Non -tribal West End beaches have reopened. Good visitor responses to these popular
resources reported.
ADJORN
Adjournment - There being no further business the TCC meeting was adjourned at 11:52 AM
Next meeting of TCC is Tuesday August 11, 2020 — 10:00 AM at location TBD (the Inn at Port
Ludlow if "Stay At Home" order has been lifted. Otherwise via Zoom).