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Home My WebLink About080922M (0002) Tourism Coordinating Council – Jefferson County Minutes of the Meeting of the Coordinating Council August 9, 2022 (DRAFT) The August 9, 2022 meeting of the Tourism Coordinating Council (TCC) for Jefferson County, convening a virtual meeting via Zoom, was called to order at 10:05 AM by TCC Chair Bill Roney. Noting that a quorum was in attendance. The Jefferson Co. two-week COVID-19 case rate is 690/100,000. Lower than the < 200/100K case-rate needed to consider a Hybrid assembly. Council members present: Bill Roney, Diana Smeland, Aaron Terada, Cleone Telling, Aaron Terada, Marsha Massey Amy Neil Excused: Crystie Kisler Valued Partners: Commissioner Greg Brotherton, Arlene Alen, Victoria Kellogg, Bethany Smith TCC Marketing Coordinator: Steve Shively No Public Comments received Consent Agenda Approval of June 14, 2022, (no July meeting) TCC minutes and current TCC budget, JeffCo. and Olympic Peninsula Hotel Room Tax reports were presented. The Consent Agenda was moved and approved by unanimous consent. CALL TO ORDER PUBLIC COMMENTS CONSENT AGENDA Commissioner’s Update – Commissioner Brotherton’s highlights included updates regarding: • BoCC continues to follow CDC COVID-19 case rate related to deciding on which mode(s) to meet. Always fulfilling Open Meeting Act requirements. Continues encouragement of TCC also using current two-week COVID-19 case rate in Jefferson County https://www.co.jefferson.wa.us/1429/COVID-19 as guide. • Plenty of WSDOT work with chip seal on roadways and fish barrier passage culverts at Lake Leland. BoCC is working with WADOT to provide more open communications in interest of smooth flow of traveling public during construction. • Ongoing Chamber mergers with staffing preservations for Hood Canal VIC’s under discussion. • Elkhorn Dispersed Campground outside Brinnon is ongoing area of discussion for public access and sustainable recreation offerings. • Seeking help from Arlene to link past Chamber Café video regarding indoor ventilation and air quality. OPTC Highlights – Marsha shared the following updates: • Hood Canal bridge 2023 closure weekends are planned with early 2023 scoping meetings to be scheduled. OPTC partners created a matrix calendar of prioritized ‘tolerable to terrible’ summer 2023 closure dates for consideration by WSDOT. • Financial concerns are topping COVID concerns for majority of current travelers. • OPTC undergoing a mobile website retooling, with continued emphasis on Book Direct linkages to lodging. • eNews for August features lot of cycling stores. Publication continues strong ~30% open rate with 4+% open rate. • Working with new Port of Seattle marketing rep in the UK. Giving in-person Olympic Peninsula orientation and welcome Marketing Report - Steve Reviewed with TCC the following: • 2Q2022 continues trending just ahead of 2021’s lodging tax revenue figures for N. Olympic Peninsula. Underlining 2021’s value of visitor generated tourism tax receipts ($2.4B, +27.6% COMMISSIONER UPDATE OPTC REPORT TCC MARKETING COORDINATORS REPORT over 2020, = averaging household tax offset of $669.) County specific household tax offsets: $414 Mason, $627 Clallam, $805 Jefferson, $966 Grays Harbor. • Inflation underlines housing costs for essential service level staff. Resulting in operational disruptions for many restaurants and visitor services. • 60-year inflation trends reviewed as “basket of essentials” has changed for: baseball game, movie night, and day at Disneyland. Stats showed that parking and popcorn seen greatest % increase in price since 1960 vs. cumulative – nation-wide - inflation rate. • Tourism France and Vancouver BC both are shifting tourism marketing focus onto sustainability and social impacts of travel. • Reviewed current TCC marketing including MyOlympicPark.com sponsored content campaign and various social media platforms. • TCC was updated on transitions in publishing enterprises and tourism partners across the region. • Kudos to PS Express for hosting whale watching FAM that included area restaurant cooks and servers. Excellent hospitality legacy with Hanke family operation. And outstanding way to instill tourism pride and insights with essential segment of tourism community. Area Updates: Tri-Area - Crystie – Shared, via email, the following mid-summer highlights: • “Several properties are now for sale in the commercial district of Chimacum including Farm’s reach Café, The Keg & I and Chimacum Cafe. I’m interested in connecting with investors or entrepreneurs who are interested in exploring how to find new community partners to keep these businesses alive and thriving! • “Finnriver has some big events coming up including the Up up up crane truck circus this Sunday and the Chemakum photo exhibit on Labor Day weekend and the wheat weaving workshop and open house with Spirited kitchen author Carmen Spagnola on farm tour weekend. For that last event, Carmen’s publicist team is looking to have a VIP and media mingler on that weekend (9/17 I think) and is looking for regional folks in the culinary influencer community to attend that. Any names would be appreciated! • “It’s all about making the most of the heat for the farm community this month and trying to run the agricultural marathon that is summer! My husband Keith’s organic Grain operation is expanding with some value added products including locally grown and milled pastas and a small bakery. More to come on that soon!” Marrowstone – Aaron – Shared these Fort Flagler highlights: • Fishing off Marrowstone Island has been great. • Park visitors have – sometimes been less-than-great – with increased parking and graffiti problems • He was involved with a wonderful two-day mini Tribal Paddle event, with the Jamestown S’Klallam tribal members paddling the new Oak Bay/ Kilisut Harbor tidal cut between Indian and Marrowstone Islands • He commented on first had observations of need for EMS services to be an event management part of festivals and conferences that invite large numbers of visitors from outside our area. Tri-Area – Happy to welcome back Bethany to Old Alcohol Plant who shared these items: • Music on the lawn and garden tour with Chef’s dinner is August 20. • Margret Woodcock art gallery reopening is September 4. • Proceeds from both support Bayside Housing Services. TCC MARKETING COORDINATORS REPORT (cont.) AREA UPDATES Gateway VIC – Bill reported: • A spike in last minute seekers looking for lodging accommodations. • Plenty of visitors seeking off-the main trek itineraries and suggestions. • E. Jefferson County is busy with plenty of mid-summer events and festivals. • JCHS will be at JeffCo. County Fair in August. • JCHS is back to regular operations at all interpretive facilities. • Proud of the team of volunteers who help keep the VIC open six-days/week. Port Ludlow – Diana shared these highlights: • Looking forward to Port Ludlow American Volkssport Association Walk August 19-21 • Live webcams have been added to website • Upcoming SpringRain and Red Dog Famers Dinners • Teeing-off a Dove House fundraising golf tourney August 19 • And returning the seasonal largest caught crab derby! • Some retail and office spaces available in Pt. Ludlow Village • Glad to see group business booking returning! Quilcene –- Cleone shared the following: • Worthington House bookings are going great. • Volunteers now working on landscaping • State Heritage grant funding will support secondary egress and ADA visitors in the home. • Quilcene is busy with plenty of hikers on the trails and visitors on the water. • Quilcene Museum is open Friday - Monday 1-5PM. West End – Amy shared these highlights: • Interesting recent weather with lingering fog on the beach many days. • Big support for rebuilding gazabo overlooking the water. • Lots of traffic. Impacted by road work between Forks and Kalaloch. • Closed Ruby Beach visitors have – largely – moved to Beach 4 access. • Friends of Olympic National Park BBQ will be next week in Port Angeles • July numbers in Forks show a 22% Month over month increase of visitors to VIC. Exceeding 10,000 visitors for last month! SWT (State of WA Tourism… formerly WTA/WTMA) – Marsha shared the save the date of October 11-12 for statewide conference in SeaTac. Early bird registration now open. Port Townsend/Chamber – Arlene noted that Congressman Kilmer will be attending upcoming Chamber. Port Townsend is seasonally busy with Concerts on Dock, THING, and Film Festival too! Adjournment – Bill reminded that TCC will skip July meeting. Meeting adjourned at 11:30 AM Next meeting of TCC is Tuesday September 13, 2022 – 10:00 AM location/mode TBD pending current two-week COVID-19 case rate in Jefferson County. IF in-person, Resort at Port Ludlow + Zoom. Respectively Submitted – Steve Shively AREA UPDATES (Cont.) ADJORN