HomeMy WebLinkAbout2021 TCCJEFFERSON COUNTY
Application Deadline: December 31, 2020 at 4:30 p.m.
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TOURISM PROMOTION PROGRAM • APPLICATION FOR FUNDING
Name of Organization Tourism coordinating council (TCC) Web Site www'Enjoy0lympicPeninsula.com
Mailing Address: 2023 E. Sims Way #308, Port Townsend, WA 98368
Contact Person: Steve Shively E-Mail: TCC@S3solutions.biz phone: 360-440-7006
Funding Title: Jefferson County Tourism Marketing Coordinating Council
Funding Dates: January 1 - December 31, 2021
Amount Requested: $ 205,000 ($141,450 + $63,550 of 2020 carry-over)
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Signature of Authorized Representative ::� U
TYPE OF PROPOSAL (CHECK ALL APPLICABLE):
�✓ TOURISM PROMOTION/MARKETING
OPERATION OF A SPECIAL EVENT/FESTIVAL DESIGNED TO ATTRACT TOURISTS
OPERATION OF A TOURISM -RELATED FACILITY OWNED BY/OPERATED BY NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION
OPERATION AND/OR CAPITAL EXPENDITURE OF A TOURISM -RELATED FACILITY OWNED BY A MUNICIPALITY
SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS:
• A one -page funding request including all income and expenses for the entire funding request
(including matching funds and in -kind contributions) and clearly itemizing or detailing expenses
for which County lodging tax dollars will be used.
• Documentation of non-profit or government status.
• List of Board Members.
• Your organization's most recent financial statement, Form 990, or tax return. Other documentation
showing financial viability may be submitted if organization is newly created.
• A document up to three pages including a description of the proposed funding request with an
explanation of how it will assist in building tourism and/or promoting events or activities that will
bring overnight tourists to Jefferson County.
• Include up to three examples and plans or links for marketing, performance indicators, and future
sustainability.
• If the application is not fully complete, the application will not be reviewed.
Send Completed Application and Required Documentation to:
Jefferson County Administrator's Office
P.O. Box 1220
Port Townsend, WA 98368
Ilocke@cojefferson.wa.us
All documentation must be received by deadline and contain ALL submission requirements to be
considered for funding. Please provide one (1) original and a digital copy of submission package.
Questions? Call Leslie Locke at 360.385.9100 or e-mail llocke@co.jefferson.wa.us
TCC Proposed Budget 2021
2021 Proposed
Advertising - Collateral
$ 34,000
Lodging List Placement in Getaway Guides
6,000
Changes to Lodging List for Act. Map Reprint
1,000
Opportunities
5,000
Regional Map Offerings
10,000
Brochure + Distribution
6,000
Web Hosting, Domain Reg. & Social Media Sub.
1,000
Ad Creative Services
5,000
Advertising - Marketing
$ 88,500
Spring/Fall Campaigns
18,000
Digital Marketing
21,000
FAM Tour Support
3,000
Olympic Culinary Loop
5,500
Oly Peninsula Tourism Summit Collaboration
2,000
WTA Participation
1,000
Year -Around TCC Campaigns
15,000
Value Seasons TCC Campaigns
23,000
Olympic Peninsula Tourism Comm. + Programs
$ 42,000
OPTC
32,000
Sustainable Tourism effort
10,000
Professional Services
$ 40,500
Coordination of Marketing, Budget, etc.
34,500
Travel, Postage, Copies, Office Expenses, etc.
6,000
TOTAL
$ 205,000
FUNDING
ICOVID Carry-over of 2020 award allocation
$ (63,550)
FUNDING
12021JeffCo. LTAC award allocation
$ 141,450
TCC board, as appointed by the Jefferson County BoCC, is comprised of:
Quilcene & Brinnon
Cleone L Telling, Quilcene Museum
Joy Baisch, Elk Meadows Farmstay
(2nd Larry McKeehan)
Port Ludlow
Diane Smeland (2nd. Dan Ratigan), Port
Ludlow Associates
Bill Roney, OPGVC
West End
Joe Alfano, Kalaloch Lodge
Marsha Massey, OPVB
Port Had lock/Tri -Area
Aaron Terada, c/o Fort Flagler State Park
Crystie Kisler, Finnriver Farm & Cidery
TCC Contract Marketing Coordinator - Steve Shively, S3 Solutions
Jefferson Co. Washington - Tourism Coordinating Council Page 11
Description of proposed funding request:
TCC is the Tourism Marketing Council operating under authorization of Jefferson County, Washington.
Fulfilling County Ordinance 02-0622-98 Jefferson County TCC is the one tourism promoter utilizing
Lodging Tax revenues to strategically target regional and global tourism promotions throughout the
entire County. TCC's operations are singularly focused on the development, maintenance, and dedicated
operations of Jefferson County's only dedicated tourism marketing and promotional entity.
At the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, JeffCo. BoCC turned to TCC to help structure and communicate
appropriate travel advisories. JeffCo. closed down visitor volumes faster and deeper than any city or
county around the Olympic Peninsula, noted by June LTAX receipts of only $533.76! July and August
followed with LTAX receipts coming in no better than -50% from 2019's record setting levels for the
same months. September marked improvements — beating 2018's level. October and November have
both returned the best monthly LTAX receipts to date. Throughout, TCC has invested in messaging,
education and even the distribution of face masks to business and visitors alike, as key to the ever -
dynamic 'Travel Wise', #StaySafeWA, campaign.
TCC has worked strategically to safely and sustainably inspire and welcome visitors throughout these
unprecedented waves of pivots the pandemic has challenged us all by. If fully funded, TCC will play a
significant role in guiding the recovery of the essential tourism industry to our county, region and state.
TCC's 2021 operating plan — if fully funded — includes:
1. Continued county, region and state-wide leadership in helping the hospitality industry navigate the
impacts from COVID-19, and strategically messaging to consumers the proper and timely news of when,
where and how -best to safely and sustainably Enjoy the Olympic Peninsula.
2. Collaborative promotion of emerging and on -going tourism events, facilities, and activities by
government or non-profit agencies to attract and draw tourists to unincorporated Jefferson County from
outside Jefferson County. (our primary feeder market remains the 1-5 corridor from Vancouver BC —
through Seattle/Bellevue —Tacoma & Olympia, south to Portland.) Our secondary visitor audience, as
determined by analytics — and current trend in the "Road Trip" drive markets of California, Texas,
Colorado, Arizona and Oregon.
3.Deep participatory partner co -operations with the Olympic Peninsula Tourism Commission (OPTC), a
robust tourism marketing and promotion organization, with significant state and regional influence.
4. Professionally market both re -turning legacy and continued - virtual -hybrid - special events and
festivals designed to inspire and attract tourists to unincorporated Jefferson County from outside
Jefferson County, as the conditions dictate safe and sustainable visitor engagement and attendance.
5. Inspire visitors to maintain Jefferson County as a front -of -mind destination for exceptional leisure and
hospitality experiences. Framed within, real-time, science -based, safe and sustainable messaging.
"From Canal to Coast & Sea to Summit"The Jefferson County tourism message is as broad and diverse as
our County is. From Marrowstone Island, to Kalaloch, to Brinnon to the fertile Chimacum Valley. TCC
remains active in guiding, amplifying, and where needed — coaching or incubating - these tourism focused
conversations directly to the ears, eyes and even mouths of our equally diverse and active travelers.
Our success is best known when our visitors convert our marketing messages of Enjoy Olympic Peninsula
into heads in beds, feet on the ground, and dollars in the cash registers, of Jefferson County hospitality
and lodging partners. However, when a global pandemic threatens, TCC's messaging can also powerfully
keep visitors away. This is the primary work of the TCC (Tourism Coordinating Council of Jefferson
County). The power of these strategically curated tourism messages is directly evident in the confidence
that there will be ongoing success of the overall Olympic Peninsula Tourism message and product.
Jefferson Co. Washington - Tourism Coordinating Council Page 12
Despite the unpresented impacts of a global pandemic, and through strategic decision making,
collaborative partnerships, and very hard work, TCC has helped maintain lodging tax revenues within
reach of the record setting past four-year average (2016-2019), and presently within 18.98% of 2019's all-
time historic high. (At the onset of COVID's economic impacts, and with JeffCo LTAC's request, TCC worst -
case forecast was for a 32.5% drop in YoY revenue. We are pleased to report that current YTD 2020
through November is outperforming that revised budget prediction by +13.54%. Just as January -April
2020 started with record growth, October and November have also reported record results. Knowing that
WA-DOR's LTAX reports are representative of the previous 2-months of room -tax activity - we strongly -
believe December 2020 will again be a record setting month, possibly closing out 2020's YoY difference
from 2019's record high to within only single -digit percentages.) What a testament it will be if 2020
finishes as the 2"d or 3`d best year for Lodging Tax ever recorded in Jefferson County?
The current 2021 marketing plan for TCC is to continue to communicate the inspirational good news of
planning to safely enjoy the Olympic Peninsula in Q1 & 2 of 2021. Then, once the COVID vaccine has
sufficiently been introduced to the majority of the population, est. Q2-3 of 2021, special fall and winter
emphasis focusing on the bounty of recreational and leisure available from the county will be primed to
"Welcome Back" celebrations of:
• Venturing out to the Peninsula' wild west -end between Forks and Kalaloch
• Traveling along the Hood Canal through Quilcene and Brinnon's Pleasant Harbor and
• Jefferson's eastern edge of Marrowstone Island, with Fort Flagler State Park as a destination
• Exploring the "hidden gems" of Port Hadlock's Ajax Cafe & Old Alcohol Plant
• Experiencing the "Culinary Valley" of Chimacum Valley and the coastal luxury of Port Ludlow
TCC continued to actively lead the tourism marketing conversations across the Puget Sound region during
2020. TCC leadership has included: Leadership in the Tourism & Economic Development Advisory seat,
on behalf of NOAA's Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary, OPTC and Olympic Culinary Loop outreach
events and working beyond the Olympic Peninsula on behalf of WA State-wide tourism development and
— when safe to do so — again hosting both domestic and international travel partners, tour operators and
media journalists through facilitating FAM (Familiarization and Marketing) tours.
Proposed enhancement and expansion of TCC marketing and tourism coordination efforts for 2021
including examples of how our requested 2021 funding will assist in building tourism to JeffCo.:
I. Advertising sales & marketing collaterals: shifting from broadcast to engagement and from
transactional to strategic.
The "Value Season", (defined as late September — early May), continues to be our primary target for
sustainable travel growth — and COVID recovery - throughout the county. TCC will target the late -summer
through Fall and Winter 2021 with coordinated print, display and digital ad creatives all contributing to a
coordinated look, feel and messaging, creating a unified message — be it displayed on transit buses,
proclaimed over the airwaves, or delivered through demographic targeting to travelers' mobile devices.
TCC will strategically continue engaging visitors along all five stages of travel: dreaming/inspiring,
planning, booking, experiencing and TCC brand -ambassador sharing.
II. Advertising Marketing - Destination management: providing an influencers role in advocacy
and product development.
Should full funding of - our identical 2020 requested amount — be awarded, opportunities presented by
TCC's increased marketing and emerging initiatives with TCC's emerging initiatives under consideration
include:
Jefferson Co. Washington - Tourism Coordinating Council Page 13
• Printed rack card "lure" piece with Certified Folder distribution on ferry and at major 1-5 area VIC's.
• Visitor education — As witnessed early last summer by the forced closure of the Olympic National
Forest's Staircase Wilderness due to irresponsible visitor activities, there will be an explosive release
of pent-up energy by visitors to get out and "Enjoy". Our Call To Action will be to
#RecreateResponsiblity and to #LNT (Leave No Trace) through the journey of their planning and visit.
• TCC, working in collaboration with public and private resource managers, will continue to lead in
campaigns designed to increase public awareness as well as opportunities for preservation and
sustainable recreational usage. This may include partnering on additional beach clean-ups and
heightened marketing regarding public lands days.
• Leveraging improved online booking opportunities to better address our lodgings sales -funnel as
initiated at OPTC's primary DMO (Destination Marketing Organization) web presence.
• Integrated product development to help promote visits during the Value Season include TCC's
intentions to provide expand promotional marketing of our annual Apple and Cider Festival's -
"Celebrate the Season, Taste the Region" and supporting integration of our Hood Canal communities
of Quilcene and Brinnon in partnership with Mason Co. tourism initatives.
III. Olympic Peninsula Tourism Programs & Partnerships - Business model: continued emphasis on
partnerships and collaboration.
The fertile Chimacum Valley remains an international "Culinary Valley" destination for world class cider
making, thanks to Eaglemount, Alpenfire and Finnriver Cideries. These partners are featured - along with
Olympic Culinary Loop partnered restaurants, creameries, and wineries — to offer visitors a one -of -a -kind
celebration of our region's culinary tourism opportunities.
Thanks to past collaborative marketing with the Dungeness Crab & Seafood Festival in Port Angeles, we
plan to again promote 'One Weekend — Two Delicious Festivals' for October 8-10, 2021. Resulting again
in Port Ludlow, Hadlock and Discovery Bay lodging being promoted as "base camp" accommodations for
visitors to both CrabFest and Apple & Cider Festivals. TCC further supports authentic growth in our local
food scene through continued support of the "Eat Local First — Olympic Peninsula" initiative and ongoing
Farm -to -Table industry education and programs. Leveraging the existing, and enormous, crowdsourcing
of CrabFest has helped Apple & Cider.
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• Coordinated digital media campaigns have proven very successful for TCC. Facebook remains the top
social media platform with Instagram increasing in influence and importance.
• Investment in TV commercials — such as our popular fall & winter activities "You Can't Get Any More
Northwest!" — engage and inspire Jefferson County visitor for increased Chimacum valley and West -
end tourism visits beyond peak summer season.
• "From Canal to Coast and from Sea to Summit'; there are unique Olympic Peninsula adventures and
activities awaiting every traveler. TCC works year-round to help tell these compelling stories to our
enjoyment ready travelers!
Jefferson Co. Washington - Tourism Coordinating Council Page 14
Jefferson County TCC's sole operational mission is the development and maintenance of operating the
County's singularly dedicated tourist related promotional entity. TCC alone facilities the fulfillment of
fulfilling County Ordinance 02-0622-98 by utilizes Lodging Tax revenues to strategically target regional
and global tourism promotions throughout Jefferson County.
We strongly urge LTAC to fully fund the requested 2021 tourism promotion and marketing allocation
request of TCC.
Thank you for your continued support! Jefferson Co. Washington - Tourism Coordinating Council
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TCC Co-opt sponsored SEA Airport Concourse-D 5 x3.5' display ad 4Q2020
Jefferson Co. Washington - Tourism Coordinating Council Page 15
NOTE: The application calls for "Your organization's most recent financial statement", attached 2020 TCC Financial
Report represents our most recent — complete — financial statement. The current as of December 5, 2020.
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Summary of just some of the many examples of TCC marketing and performance indicators
Social media afforded us nimble and real-time messaging capabilities
Engagement I Posts Published (D i M
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The Hood Canal at the mouth of in, Ouckabush River is looking especially inui ing today' Thanks to John Gussman with OCproductions for these beautiful aerial images_ Need any more reasons to plan and Enjoy Olympic Peril yEnjoyOlympicPeninsula, ® • ¢5e
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If you're aTen of waterfalls, The Olympic Peninsula Waterfall Trail is gaining momentum with each falling raintlmphserves as oneot the best outlines for adventure in the Northwest. Fora complete guide to the hikes onthe Olympic Peninsula Waterfall Trail, r zee
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From 9-to-Rummit, and Canal -fin oast, you Cant Get Anymore NW Enjay the Olympic Peninsula soon' #RecmafeResponsibly#Enjay0ympicPeniri NTheMostNW • 1.
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COVID-19 disrupted the traditional tourism content calendar throughout most of 2020. This past fall's general
elections were expected to dominate promoted all social media — which it did. What has been most surprising is
the desire to 'escape' from all the rancor and negative sentiment as soon as the Electoral College vote tally was in.
Jefferson Co. Washington - Tourism Coordinating Council Page 17
TCC's print ads where most effective with partnered social amplification
^ olympic
Olympic Peninsula Loop Road Trip From
Seattle
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Featured Vacation Partner
Jefferson County - Expansive
beaches, abundant bird life,
outdoor recreation, artisan
foods and family -run organic
farms come together here,
between the jutting peaks of
the Olympic Mountains and
the salty inland waters of the
Strait of Juan de Fuca.
• Jefferson County Online custom content
o 2,277 pageviews / 3:50 avg. time on page
• Integration into Online Itinerary
o 16,675 pageviews / 4:38 avg. time on page
• 60,000+ Banner Ad Impressions
o Campaign still running
From waters teeming with wRdhfe, to snort -capped peaks, to rainforests, to tide
pools, the Olympic Peninsula truly has it all. On rids 445-m2e road trip, yoTEl
experience the best the peninsula has to offer from bismry, to food to wdidlife
encounters. What are you waiting for?
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Some additional print & digital platforms TCC advertised with
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Jefferson Co. Washington - Tourism Coordinating Council Page 18
Co-operative Fall/Winter "You Can't Get Any More Northwest" campaign with OPTC partners
provided great engagement across various platforms, and well instilled inspiration for future visits.
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1889 Magazine e-newsletter ads for September (static ads)
CTA - PLAN NOW I URL - Olymplcpeninsulaorg/destinations
Outdoors NW digital ad for September
CTA - PLAN NOW I URL - OlympicPeninsula.org/destinations
NW Travel digital ad for September Outdoors NW digital ad for August
CTA - PLAN NOW CTA - PLAN NOW
URL - OlympicPeninsula.org/destinations URL - OlympicPeninsula.org/destinations
Various print & social media + regional transit displays + extensive TV commercials on KOMO (local)
and ABC (National) broadcasts all add up to = enormous Olympic Peninsula brand awareness!
14
Jefferson Co. Washington - Tourism Coordinating Council Page 19