8d Tourism Marketing grant Program
COMMISSION AGENDA MEMORANDUM Item No. 8d ACTION ITEM Date of Meeting December 11, 2018 DATE: November 16, 2018 TO: Stephen P. Metruck, Executive Director FROM: Dave McFadden, Managing Director, Economic Development Division Ron Peck, Director, Tourism Development Department SUBJECT: 2019 Tourism Marketing Support Program Amount of this request: $200,000 Total annual program cost: $200,000 ACTION REQUEST Request Commission authorization for the 2019 Tourism Marketing grant Program and authority for the Executive Director to approve execution for all related contract agreements for the 2019 selected Tourism Marketing Support Program recipients in an amount not to exceed $200,000. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The 2019 Tourism Marketing Support Program will be in its fourth year. It has been a well received, collaborative, and mutually beneficial program for the Port of Seattle, destination marketing organizations and nonprofit alike. For 2019, $200,000 has been approved for the program. The source of funds is the King County tax levy. Steps will be initiated to improve the program based on lessons learned and experiences from the past three years. Specific strategies include a continued strong outreach to cultural, historical, tribal, eco/sustainable and adventure/nature travel related organizations, initiating a hiatus on organizations that have been recipients of the program for three straight years and releasing the 2019 program earlier allowing the recipients additional time to complete their projects. Marketing, promotion and outreach plans include: Distribution of a press release statewide announcing the program. Announcing of the program on Compass. Communicating to a data base of over 140 different organizations via email. The data base includes a roster of 73 destinations, 24 cultural attractions, 17 outdoor recreational organizations and 42 tribal contacts. Prominent positioning of the grant program on the Tourism Development section of the POS website. All information regarding the program (actual application, instructions for applying, a frequently asked or FAQ information document, application deadline date, details about an information session, and promotion to participate in the Washington Template revised September 22, 2016. COMMISSION AGENDA Action Item No. 8d Page 2 of 8 Meeting Date: December 11, 2018 Tourism Alliance match funding program) will be on the Tourism site. The website also includes video testimonials speaking to the successes of the program by previous recipients. Conduct an "FAQ" session on January 11th. The session is open to all interested parties. Potential applicants may attend in person or via teleconference. Speaking at various organizations meetings, conferences or seminars. Presentations about the grant program have or will occur at the Olympic Peninsula Tourism Summit in Port Angeles, The Woodinville Wine Association annual meeting, Washington Tourism Alliance board meetings, Washington Tourism Marketing Authority board meeting, the Washington Public Port Authority Economic Development round table summit, and Cascade Loop Annual meeting. One on One meetings with the potential applicants' organizations. Meetings that have occurred include Enumclaw Chamber of Commerce, Cities of Kent and Auburn, Highline Botanical Garden, Seattle Southside Regional Tourism Authority, the Suquamish and Makah Tribal organizations. Direct contact via phone. Drawing from past emails and our data base of contacts over the course of the year, calls will continue to be made to potential applicants encouraging their participation. As a result of the passage of SB5251 (the State Tourism Marketing bill) a requirement for visitor industry matching funds exists and Tourism Development is working collaboratively with the Washington Tourism Alliance to engage and encourage 2019 tourism grant recipients to participate. Our grant program can make a significant contribution toward reaching the goal of making the $3M in industry match contribution. Plans are in place during the marketing and outreach efforts to encourage the recipients' participation. Proposed Implementation Timeline December 12- Launch program and announce program via press release, website and email contacts December 12 January 31 o Continue marketing and promotional communication efforts to obtain applicants o January 11 conduct the FAQ information session. Participation may be either in person or via teleconference February 01 - Deadline for application submittals February 11 - Review committee meets and identifies awardees Week of February 11 - Tourism Development notifies 2019 recipients February through March - Work to complete 2019 agreements March 01 December 31 - Recipients initiate and complete Tourism marketing projects Template revised September 22, 2016. COMMISSION AGENDA Action Item No. 8d Page 3 of 8 Meeting Date: December 11, 2018 Tourism Marketing Support Recipients The Port of Seattle is advancing tourism in Washington State by implementing an annual partnership program with local destination marketing organizations. In the first three years of the program 119 applications have been received and 57 projects awarded, netting approximately $700,000 in additional marketing promotion efforts for Washington. The matching funds program promotes use of Port facilities, and tourism growth throughout the state. In 2018, $200,000 was authorized for the program. 45 applications were obtained. Staff reviewed the applications and recommended 26 to receive funding. The overall intent of the program is to provide matching funds support of up to $10,000 each to local communities, destination marketing organizations, ports, chambers of commerce, and attractions to promote their destinations or activities. The funds must be used for advertising, publicizing, promoting or distributing information to attract visitors to the destination. The program requires a two to one match (for every POS dollar invested, the organization must contribute fifty cents). The projects (and the results / benefits) are summarized in the following tourism categories: Trade Shows / Sales Efforts : Travel trade shows and exhibitions in which travel businesses and destination marketing organizations work to obtain additional product sales by promoting to retailers, tour operators, travel writers and social media influencers. Result / Benefit: Additional tour programs and visitor attraction sales in Seattle and the Pacific Northwest by non-residents. Familiarization Tours: Familiarization tours (FAMs) are specific events and activities where travel retailers, tour operators, cruise lines, airlines or travel media are invited to the destination to learn and experience first-hand what a destination or product has to uniquely offer potential travelers. Result / Benefit: Increase in published tour products and programs generating additional air travel and economic spend in Washington. Event Attractions Promotion: Marketing and advertising efforts to increase attendance or participation to an attraction, event or activity. Result / Benefit: Increases in visitation, arrivals and visitor expenditures as a result of additional marketing efforts to non-residents. Digital Marketing: Encompasses a number of online marketing efforts that include establishing a visitor focused travel website, targeted banner website or social media advertising, international language website translations, and online travel marketing research efforts. Result / Benefit : Generating additional awareness, interest and ultimately positively impacting travel to Washington. Travel Articles / Public Relations Specifically geared to generate additional awareness and interest in the destination by impacting travel, food and beverage writers and media influencers (bloggers and online travel website founders) to author stories about Template revised September 22, 2016. COMMISSION AGENDA Action Item No. 8d Page 4 of 8 Meeting Date: December 11, 2018 a destination. The efforts to influence the writers and influencers include one on one meetings, deskside visits, arranged appointments at travel trade shows, and travel FAMs. Result / Benefit: Increases in earned media value coverage, exposure and interest in traveling to Seattle and Washington State. Statewide Participation in 2018 Projects and program are located throughout the state: King County 11 Eastern Washington 6 Olympic Peninsula - 4 Western Washington 5 List of 2018 Awarded Recipients POS Organization Awarded Name Amount Tourism Initiatives Summary of Proposed Project Trade show/sales trip As host to the International Food, Wine, and Whidbey & Familiarization tour Camano Islands $10,000 Event promotion Travel Writers Association conference, the Digital media project will include media familiarization Tourism International marketing Eco/culture/nature tourism tours, including nature/adventure activities Travel Articles/PR Template revised September 22, 2016. COMMISSION AGENDA Action Item No. 8d Page 5 of 8 Meeting Date: December 11, 2018 Cascade Loop Digital media The Great American Adventure Road Trip is a $10,000 International marketing promotion for outdoor adventure thru UK Association Eco/culture/nature tourism travel trade and media professionals Travel Articles/PR New website, digital advertising and social Olympic Peninsula $9,000 Digital media Eco/culture/nature tourism media campaign focusing on out-of-state fly- Visitor Bureau Travel Articles/PR in markets (CA, TX, AZ) Trade show/sales trip Host media tours to highlight San Juan Islands $9,250 Familiarization tour Visitors Bureau International marketing adventure/nature tourism and Eco/culture/nature tourism environmental stewardship Travel Articles/PR George Marketing and production of a promotional Weyerhaeuser Digital media video and special tour for Chinese tour Pacific Rim Bonsai $5,332 International marketing groups of Museum, which is open year- Collection (Pacific Eco/culture/nature tourism round Bonsai Museum) Experience Learning Marketing campaign to target out-of-state Community dba $6,000 Digital media International marketing pre/post cruise visitors Museum of Pop Eco/culture/nature tourism Culture (MoPOP) Shoreline-Lake Event promotion New and expanded webpage marketing Forest Park Arts $6,000 Digital media visual art event to artists and attendees at a Council Eco/culture/nature tourism regional and national level (including CA, AZ) Focused international outreach efforts Greater Seattle Trade show/sales trip (website, printed materials, and attending Business $9,000 Digital media three international and national Association / International marketing conferences) to LGBTQ travelers via GSBA's Travel Out Seattle Eco/culture/nature tourism Travel Out Seattle program Campaign to produce video and online Discover Lewis advertisements targeting out-of-state (San County/Lewis $10,000 Digital media County Eco/culture/nature tourism Francisco Bay area) outdoor/adventure visitors to Lewis County Puget Sound Market Seattle tourism travel to national Attractions Trade show/sales trip and international tour operators at IPW Council (DBA $8,500 Digital media international trade show, as Seattle Premier International marketing vendor/presenter Attractions) Long Beach Create, translate and localize websites (as Peninsula Visitors $7,000 Digital media International marketing marketing tools) in 17 international markets Bureau Eco/culture/nature tourism to increase visitor travel and expenditures Wing Luke New website (device-responsive and able to Memorial handle translation/language needs) and Foundation dba $9,000 Digital media International marketing digital campaign to out-of-state and Wing Luke Eco/culture/nature tourism international Asian market visitors and Museum of the media Template revised September 22, 2016. COMMISSION AGENDA Action Item No. 8d Page 6 of 8 Meeting Date: December 11, 2018 Asian Pacific American Experience Target two specific flight markets in the Ballard Chamber Event promotion implementation of a culturally-focused of Commerce dba $9,000 Digital media Eco/culture/nature tourism marketing campaign to attract out-of-state Ballard Alliance visitors Digital and print advertising geotargeted Historical Society (including Alaska, Arizona, California, of Seattle & King $7,000 Digital media Colorado, Alaska Beyond Magazine and County (dba Eco/culture/nature tourism Delta Sky Magazine) to attract potential MOHAI) visitors Produce two national audience focused Greater Grays Digital media podcasts highlighting sports fishing, local $3,350 Harbor Eco/culture/nature tourism seafood and recreational coastal outdoor Travel Articles/PR activities Leavenworth Trade show/sales trip Extend national reach by networking with Chamber of $6,606 International marketing Eco/culture/nature tourism media and travel influencers at a North Commerce Travel Articles/PR America travel trade conference Visit Walla Walla Targeted digital advertising campaign in key and Port of Walla $9,000 Digital media markets of Sacramento, Phoenix and Denver Walla Host travel industry influencers (media & Trade show/sales trip Fam tour tour operators) on a fam tour after Yakima Valley $7,500 International marketing attending major tourism travel trade Tourism Eco/culture/nature tourism conference to promote pre and post cruise Travel Articles/PR itineraries for out-of-state visitors Fam tour Event Promotion Refresh website to include multilingual and Forks Chamber of $6,856 Digital media Commerce International marketing mobile-friendly elements. Host Fam Tour for Eco/culture/nature tourism media and travel influencers Travel Articles/PR Trade show/sales trip Participate in travel media show and sponsor Visit Tri-Cities $8,000 Fam tour Travel Articles/PR post conference media tour Expand national PR efforts and media ad Cascade Bicycle $7,606 Digital media Club Travel Articles/PR buys to reach a broader audience for ride events Fort Worden Conduct marketing research to define profile Public Digital media (marketing of key national geographic markets from $5,000 research study) Development Eco/culture/nature tourism which to develop a strategic out-of-state Authority (PDA) tourism marketing plan Develop a website dedicated solely to Digital media tourism (including national and international Visit Tri-Cities $9,000 International marketing Eco/culture/nature tourism reach) and the promotion of the Manhattan Travel Articles/PR Project National Historical Park at Hanford Template revised September 22, 2016. COMMISSION AGENDA Action Item No. 8d Page 7 of 8 Meeting Date: December 11, 2018 Chinatown- International Video-based, social media campaign, District Business $10,000 Digital media Eco/culture/nature tourism targeting millennials on the west coast Improvement (including Los Angeles and San Francisco) Area Event advertising campaign targeting Trade show/sales trip California, Hawaii and Alaska youth soccer Starfire Sports $6,000 Event promotion teams and Exhibitor at national soccer Digital media coaches convention targeting out-of-state teams Port of Friday Event promotion Targeted website and social media $6,000 Digital media marketing of destination attractions and Harbor Eco/culture/nature tourism events to out-of-state visitors TOTALS $200,000 For 2019 tourism development is requesting $200,000 for the program. Tourism development recognizes the value to tourism in our state of our history culture, lands, waters and the environment. Tourism has developed a data base of 40 tribal, 24 cultural and 17 outdoor recreation oriented organizations. We will work diligently to effectively communicate the program and its benefits to these entities with the express goal of increasing involvement. The following strategies or actions are planned and requested with the objectives of continuing improving the process, ensure the program is available to a diverse group of tourism related organizations and allow for a more timely implementation of projects, thereby maximizing effectiveness of the programs. Specifically: Organizations that have been awarded funds for three years running will be placed on a two year respite. The rationale is to allow other tourism organizations an opportunity to participate and to reinforce that the funds should be perceived as seed or new project dollars and not considered as permanent funds to be obtained every year. Participating organizations have expressed their sincere appreciation and gratitude for the program. We have repeatedly heard that without this program they could not have initiated the marketing effort to increase out of state visitors and travel throughout Washington. The one constructive comment made repeatedly by a number of participants has been to consider allowing for the initiation of agreements sooner. Doing so will allow the projects to be implemented in a more timely fashion. ATTACHMENTS TO THIS BRIEFING Presentation slides Template revised September 22, 2016. COMMISSION AGENDA Action Item No. 8d Page 8 of 8 Meeting Date: December 11, 2018 PREVIOUS COMMISSION ACTIONS OR BRIEFINGS October 12, 2018 Update on the 2018 program, results and recommendations for improving the program in 2019. April 10, 2018 Marketing support program awardees were announced. January 30, 2018 The Commission was briefed on the results of the 2017 program. April 11, 2017 2017 Marketing support program awardees were announced. January 17, 2017 The Commission was briefed on the results of the 2016 program. November 22, 2016 The Commission approved the final 2017 budget, including $150,000 for the Tourism Marketing Support program. Template revised September 22, 2016.
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