HomeMy WebLinkAbout120824 email - Public Comment for BoCC Meeting_ December 9 re LTAC Funding 2025ALERT: BE CAUTIOUS This email originated outside the organization. Do not open attachments or click on links if you are not expecting them.
Dear Commissioners Eisenhour, Dean and Brotherton,
I am submitting written public comment as I am unable to participate in the December 9, 2024, 9:00 AM - 4:30 PM Jefferson County Board of County Commissioners (BoCC) Meeting with agenda
proposal to not affirm the 2025 funding recommendations submitted by the Jefferson County LTAC (Lodging Tax Advisory Committee) https://www.co.jefferson.wa.us/calendar.aspx?view=list&year=2024&month
=12&day=9 <https://www.co.jefferson.wa.us/calendar.aspx?view=list&year=2024&month=12&day=9>
Throughout 2024 the Jefferson County LTAC (Lodging Tax Advisory Committee) met over a dozen times, researching, debating, and preparing for the process of receiving, reviewing and recommending
the 2025 Tourism Marketing and Promotions funding allocations. Their hard work and ultimate majority recommendation should be followed.
My specific remarks concern the counterproposal that Jefferson County “…cancel all destination marketing funding…” and the suggestion that this will not negatively impact the tourism
– dependent businesses in Jefferson County. That bears an implication that marketing is somehow ineffective. Let me share with you briefly the results of the 2023 and 2024 (in process)
Fall Co-Op Marketing Campaigns undertaken by the Olympic Peninsula Tourism Commission on behalf of its funding partners, including Jefferson County:
Fall 2023: Mid-October 2023 – January, 2024
* Objective: Increase brand awareness and “quiet season” awareness. Convert website traffic to visitor leads for ongoing communications
* Target markets: Drive and direct flight markets to SEA
* $127,000 in media buys (including co-op partners like Jefferson Co). Included:
o Broadcast and Connect tv (CTV) / OTT
o Print publications (including co-op ads)
o Digital marketing
o Direct to consumer e-blasts
o Google and Meta Ads
* Results: 16.9 M Campaign impressions; 346K website pageviews (contest landing page); 12,688 contest entries / leads collected
Fall 2024 (in process): Mid-September – Mid-December 2024
* Same objective as above. Target markets similar, but slightly expanded
* $104,000 in media buys (including co-op partners like Jefferson Co and Port Townsend). Similar media mix as above, without broadcast TV
* Results as of November:
o Website sessions UP 79% Y-O-Y
o Website pageviews UP 126% Y-O-Y
o New users to website UP 85% Y-O-Y
o Contest entries: 9,649 and growing
Marketing is a building process. These co-op campaigns are not only effective for the destination, including Jefferson County, but they are way more cost effective than any one partner
trying to undertake a similar campaign alone. These branded campaigns not only feature the broad destination of the Olympic Peninsula, but also help the potential visitor understand
all the various areas that make up the Olympic Peninsula, something they may not be aware of.
Further, OPTC is the glue that holds the regional destination marketing together. Through its website (OlympicPeninsula.org), it’s collateral materials, both print and digital, it’s
monthly consumer communications, it is constantly messaging how the various municipalities of the OP fit together, how the visitor can learn about and explore further, deeper, more
often, creating reasons to stay longer or to return. These marketing tools are intended to support the funding partners. Without that funding, a municipality might not be covered in
these tools.
On a different but related note, I would just point out that cancelling funding for OPTC would also cancel out Jefferson County’s support for and engagement with the recently completed
five year Olympic Peninsula Tourism Master Plan. That seems completely counter-productive to the time invested in developing this plan, and the implementation now underway. One specific
project that would be jeopardized is the “monument sign” being planned for the roundabout currently being installed on the west end of the Hood Canal Bridge on Hwy 104. OPVB applied
for and has been advised that it will receive a State of WA Tourism Regeneration Grant in the amount of $50,000 towards that project. But the grant application was based on providing
matching funds, some of which are outlined in the OPTC grant application currently before the LTAC. Those grant funds must be fully spent before year-end 2025, so any delays in funding
could jeopardize the entire project, not only for Jefferson County but for the OP as a whole.
I urge the Jefferson Co BoCC to carefully consider the well-thought recommendations of their Lodging Tax Advisory Committee, to not delay the funding process with a misguided belief
that doing so would be inconsequential.
Thank you for your consideration of these comments.
Respectfully submitted,
Marsha Massey
Marsha Massey
Executive Director
Olympic Peninsula Visitor Bureau
E: director@olympicpeninsula.org <mailto:director@olympicpeninsula.org>
O: 360.452.8552