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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2001-08-07; City Council; 16307; Carlsbad Convention & Visitor's Bureau Reportwo > is pa -x . . p Y r! 0 f s CITY OF CARLSBAD - AGENDA BILL AB# &,30 7 TITLE: CARLSBAD CONVENTION AND VISITOR’S BUREAU MTG. S-7-01 REPORT FOR THE PERIOD ENDING April 30,200l. DEPT. HD. CITY ATTY. DEPT. ED CITY MGR RECOMMENDED ACTION: Accept the Report ITEM EXPLANATION: On October 17, 2000, the City Council authorized the Mayor to execute a one (1) year agreement with the Carlsbad Convention and Visitor’s Bureau (CCVB) for community promotion purposes. The contract is for the period November 1, 2000 and will run through October 31,2001. The total authorized contract amount for 1999-2000 is $363,000, including $126,000 for operation of the Visitor’s Center. Services CCVB will provide to the City, and that are specified in the contract, are as follows: A. Manage and coordinate a marketing program that positions Carlsbad as a prime destination in Southern California B. Generate awareness of Carlsbad in those geographic regions of the United States which provide the largest number of visitors to Carlsbad each year. C. Operate the Visitor’s Information Center. D. Provide familiarization tours/travel writer program. E. Promote local community events, including the San Diego Marathon, the Carlsbad 5000, the Carlsbad Triathlon, and the La Costa Golf and Tennis events. F. Develop private funding for advertising co-op programs, central reservations fees, and other participatory fees to support a full-time, aggressive tourism marketing program. G. Establish a corporate/group sales incentive program. Previous reports to the City Council were made on a quarterly basis. However, in December of 2000, CCVB hired a new Executive Director, who requested an extension of time in order to re-format the report. CCVB’s goal in modifying the report was to provide greater visibility of their activities and performance to the City Council and City staff on a semi-annual basis. Staff approved their request and the attached report represents their new reporting format for the periods November I,2000 to January 31, 2001 and February I,2001 to April 30,200l (EXHIBIT 1) ~ CCVB Report Highlights: 1. In December CCVB hired Kurt Burkhart as its new Executive Director out of a pool of 90 applicants. 2. CCVB has 3 full-time staff and 52 volunteers on its roster. Volunteers perform a variety of services for the CCVB at no cost to the bureau. In-kind volunteer services totaled over 2800 hours, or more than $28,000 (@$lO/hour) for the six (6) month reporting period. PAGE 2 OF AGENDA BILL NO. ~- 3. The number of visitors to the CCVB Information Center totaled 5265 during the reporting period. This equates to an average of 877 visitors per month. Approximately 60% of visitors reside in California and other parts of the Southwestern U.S. Another 22.4% were visiting from Midwestern States and 9.4% from the Northeastern U.S. Approximately 217 or 47% of Carlsbad’s international visitors were from Canada, and 107 or 19% visited the City from the United Kingdom. 4. CCVB began an affiliation with travelhero.com, a direct online reservation system that books directly with individual properties. Since the relationship began, the CCVB has generated 72 room nights, and $8007 in hotel revenue. 5. CCVB’s recent advertisement in Parade Magazine yielded approximately 3000 requests for information. 6. Approximately 53% of people calling the Visitor’s Center for information cited the internet as the source where they had heard about Carlsbad. FISCAL IMPACT: The City’s Agreement with the Carlsbad Convention and Visitor’s Bureau established $363,000 as the total amount of funding for the twelve (12) month period from November 1, 2000 to October 31, 2001. The contract includes $126,000 for operation of the Visitor’s Center, and $237,000 for programs. Payments from the City for programs through April 30, 2001 totaled $202,758. CCVB also raised an additional $20,194 from other sources that include hotel co-op ($18,836), depot sales ($1113), marketing partnerships ($142), and internet affiliation ($103). Total Income to CCVB for the reporting period was $223,008. Expenditures for the period totaled $201,575. CCVB expenditures included $88,567 for Salary and Benefits and $27,580.06 in Overhead for the Visitor’s Center. Program Expenses totaled $83,362 and included $63,317 in Advertising, $10,045 for CD-Rom /Video, 4950 for Consultant Services, and $6051 for Trade Shows and FAM trips. EXHIBITS: 1. Report from the Carlsbad Convention and Visitor’s Bureau for the period of November I,2000 through April 30,2001, dated May 2001. e l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l a ’ l 0 l l l l l l l Carlsbad Convention & Visitors Bureau Semi-Annual Report to the City of Carlsbad May2001 May 31,200l Ms. Cynthia Haas Economic Development Manager . City of Carlsbad 1635 Faraday Avenue Carlsbad, CA 92008 Hand Delivered Dear Cynthia: It is my pleasure to present to you the Carlsbad Convention and Visitor Bureau’s Semi- Annual Report to the City. This office has put considerable time into preparing this document and it is hoped that you will find this to be a refreshing change to past reports Please know that the CVB considers itself to be an active partner with the City of Carlsbad. Your guidance and support is very much appreciated. If there are questions that you have on any aspect of this report, please call me. Otherwise, I will look forward to receiving notification on when this will be placed on the council agenda. Sineerely, I$.nt Burkhart Executive Director Cc: CVB Board of Directors Enclosure Carlsbad Convention & Visitors Bureau PO.Box 1246*Carlsbad,California 92018-1246 TEL (760) 434.6093.FAX (760)434.6056 www.carlsbadca.org/ Carlsbad Convention & Visitors Bureau Financial Statement For the Periods November 1,200O - January 3 1,200 1 February 1,2001- April 30,200l Carlsbad Convention & Visitors Bureau Accounting of Funds For the Quarter Ended April 30,200l Income CD-Rom Sales City of Cartsbad County of San Diego Depot Sales Hotel Coop Internet Marketing Partnership Regional Partners Total income: For the Quarter Contract to Date $ 54.95 $ 54.95 $ 102,619.69 $ 202,758.48 $ - $ - $ 470.10 $ 1,113.25 $ 14,914x4 $ 18,835.86 $ 103.26 $ 103.26 $ 119.35 $ 141.85 $ - $ - s 118,282 $ 223,988 Personnel: Benefits - Dental $ Benefits - Medical $ Benefits - Pension $ Payroll Taxes $ Salary - Management $ Salary 8 Wages - Staff $ Total Personnel: Overhead: Books CL Subscriptions $ Equipment Rental $ Insurance - WlComp $ Internet $ Items for Resale $ Local Conferences/Mtngs $ Membership Dues $ Mileage $ Misc Items $ Oftice Equip under $1000 $ Dffice Supplies $ Photographic $ Postage 8 Freight 5 Printing 8 Professional Services $ Taxes 8 Telephone $ Utilities 5 Volunteer Programs $ Total Overhead: Equipment Purchases: $ Total Equlpment Purchases: Visitor Center Operations For the Quarter Contract to Date 363.00 $ 806.00 2.244.00 5 5.032.00 360.00 $ 2,561.71 8,541.46 $ 19,331.90 10,795.38 $ 23,709.4$ 16,832.89 $ 37,125.53 $ 39,136.73 $ 88,566.63 200.00 248.38 2,i 16.00 52.00 278.50 1,097.09 225.00 399.55 5.00 29.98 852.55 3,064.50 387.19 976.24 1223.42 3 $ 200.00 5 487.10 5 2,116.OO $ 1,030.40 $ 614.90 $ 4,882.46 $ 1,185.OO $ 679.95 $ 105.45 $ 79.47 $ 2,429.07 $ 188.56 5 6.116.84 $ 1,393.48 5 673.82 $ 269.40 $ 1,971.82 $ 2.261.65 $ 894.69 11.155.40 $ 27,580.06 $ Total Visltor Center Operations: $ 50,292 E:\ConVis\Financial Reports\Quarterty Report\Acctg of Funds Apr 30- 01 2,065&l $ 2,065.64 s 118,212 Carlsbad Convention & Visitors Bureau Accounting of Funds For the Quarter Ended April 30,200l Program Expenditures For the Quarter Contract to Date Advertising/Promoting Events: Management Allocation $ Equipment Allocation $ Ads $ Production Costs $ Sponsorship $ Total Advert/Promo Events: 34,315.71 444.47 2,500.OO $ $ $ $ $ $ 37.260.18 57.560.51 2,256.29 2,500.OO $ 62,316.80 Brochures: Management Allocation $ Equipment Allocation $ Design 8 Printing $ Total Brochures: $ $ $ $ $ CD-RomNldeo: Management Allocation $ Production Costs $ Total CD-RomNideo: 5645.00 $ $ $ 5945.00 10,045.00 $ 10,045.00 Consulting: Management Allocation $ Fees $ Total Consultant: 4,950.oo $ 4,950.oo $ 4,950.oo Marketing Partnershlp: $ Total Mktg Partnership: $ $ $ 4,950.oo $ - $ Trade ShowdFAM Trips: Management Allocation 5 Booth Fees $ FAM Expenses $ Registration $ Supplies $ Travel, Lodging, Meals $ Total Trade ShowslFAM Trips: 900.00 95.93 3,560.63 $ $ $ $ $ $ $ 4,556.56 40.61 1,795.oo 95.93 4,118.97 $ 6,050.51 Total Program Expenditures: t 51,812 t 83,382 Total Quarterly Expenditures: $ 102,104 f 201,575 E:\ConVis\Financial Reports\Quarterly ReportUkctg of Funds Apr 30- 01 Carlsbad Convention 4% Visitors Bureau Accounting of Funds For the Quarter Ended January 31,200l Income For the Quarter Contract to Date CD-Rom Sales $ - $ - City of Carisbad $ 100,138.79 $ 100,138.79 County of San Diego $ - $ - Depot Sales $ 643.15 $ 643.15 Hotel Coop $ 3,921.22 $ 3,921.22 Marketing Partnership $ 22.50 $ 22.50 Regional Partners $ - $ - Total Income: $ 194,728 s 184,726 Visitor Center Operations For the Quarter Contract to Date Personnel: Benefits - Dental $ Benefits - Medical $ Benefits - Pension $ Payroll Taxes $ Salary - Management $ Salary 8 Wages - Staff $ Total Personnel: 443.00 2.788.00 2,201.71 10.790.44 12,914.11 20,292x4 $ 49,429.90 Overhead: Equipment Rental $ Executive Recruiting $ Insurance $ Internet $ Items for Resale $ Local Conferences/Mtngs $ Membership Dues $ Mileage $ Misc Items $ Office Equip under $1000 $ Dffice Supplies $ Photographic $ Postage 8 Freight $ Printing $ Professional Services $ Taxes 5 Telephone $ Utilities 5 Volunteer Programs $ Total Overhead: 238.72 2,912.oo 978.40 336.40 3,785.37 960.00 280.40 95.45 49.49 1,576.52 188.58 3,052.34 1,393.48 286.63 269.40 995.58 1,038.23 894.69 $ 19.331.66 Equipment Purchases: $ 2.06564 Total Equipment Purchases: $ 2,065.64 Total Visitor Center Oparatlons: f 70,827 E:\ConVis\Financial Reports\Quarteriy Reportkctg of Funds Jan 31- 01 8 $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ 5 5 5 5 $ $ 443.00 2,788.OO 2,201.71 IO,79044 12,914.ll 20,292.64 $ 49,429.90 238.72 2,912.oo 978.40 336.40 3,785.37 960.00 280.40 95.45 49.49 1,576.52 188.56 3,052.34 1,393.48 286.63 269.40 995.58 1,038.23 694.89 5 19,331.66 2.06564 $ 2,065.64 t 70,827 Carlsbad Convention & Visitors Bureau Accounting of Funds For the Quarter Ended January 31,200l Program Expenditures For the Quarter Contract to Date AdvertlslnglPromotlng Events: Management Allocation S Equipment Allocation s Ads S Production Costs S Promotion S Total Advert/Promo Events: $ $ 23,244.80 $ 1,811.82 $ - $ $ 25,056.82 23.244.80 1.811.82 $ 25,056.62 Brochures: Management Allocation $ Equipment Allocation s Design 8 Printing $ Total Brochures: $ $ CD-RomNldeo: Management Allocation S Production Costs $ Total CD-RomNldeo: 5,ooo.oo S 5,ooo.oo s - $ 5,ooo.oo S 5,ooo.oo Consultant: Management Allocation s Fees $ Total Consultant: s s $ $ Marketlng Partnership: $ Total Mktg Partnership: S s - $ Trade Shows/FM Trips: Management Allocation $ Booth Fees S FAM Expenses $ Registrations $ Travel, Lodging, Meals S Total Trade Shows/FM Trips: $ $ 40.61 S 895.00 S 558.34 s $ 1,493.95 40.61 895.00 558.34 S 1.493.95 Total Program Expenditures: s 31,551 s 31,551 Total Quarterly Expenditures: s 102,378 S 102,378 E:\ConVis\Financial Reports\Quarterly Reportkctg of Funds Jan 31- 01 Carlsbad Convention & Visitors Bureau Summary of Activity November 1,200O - January 3 1,200l February 1,2001- April 30,200l bntroductionl As the earlsbad Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB) entered the fourth quarter of 2000, a search was underway to recruit a replacement for the retiring Executive Director, Steve Link. Postings, to include the Western Association of Convention and Visitor Bureaus (WACVB) website and mailed announcement, produced submissions by ninety-nine candidates. By the end of October 2000, interviews commenced and an offer was made to the current executive director in early November. Kurt Burkhart became the new executive director on December 22,2000, and is nearing the completion of his fifth month with the CVB. In this transition from a retiring to a new Executive Director, programs of the CVB programs were not interrupted. New advertising opportunities were identified and attendance at industry trade shows continued to keep Carlsbad ‘top of mind’ for prospective visitors. Evolution is the driving force that will determine the Bureau’s structure, programs administered and the nature by which this organization interacts with the industry it serves and the community it represents. Wisitor Information Cented Volunteers are the lifeblood of the Visitor Information Center. Of the 52 volunteers who are on the work roster, hours expended by these individuals in the spirit of volunteerism to the City of Carlsbad continue to augment the services provided by the paid staff of the CVB. Volunteer Hours November 2000 - January 2001: 1625.95 February 2001- April 2001: 1181.00 Average: Average: 387.58imonth 393.67/month Total Hours 2806.95 Average Hrs. 390.63/quarter Note: The total number of weeks from November 2000 - April 2001 is twenty-six. Hours worked by volunteers for this period more than equals, and, in fact exceeds the per annum hours worked based on the current 40 hour week worked by Americans, as reported by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. With benefits provided, the hours worked equal that of what would be paid an administrative assistant for the CVB. At a straight hourly rate of $10 per hour, and without benefits, the hours worked by volunteers for this six-month period would equal $28,069.50. This is an in-kind expense that could not be provided for in the current budget. Therefore, the conclusion is that volunteers provide an extremely valuable service to the overall operation of the Visitor Information Center. Volunteers November 2000 - January 200 1: 340.00 February 200 1 - April 200 1: 343.00 Average: Average: 113.33/month 114.33/month Total 683.00 113.83/quarter . 1 The reporting format has changed to reflect a more accurate count for visitors coming to the Visitor Information Center. In prior reporting, the CVB only provided numbers for those who were California vs. non-California. Although this data is not scientifically generated, it does, however, provide a statistical snapshot of who is visiting Carlsbad and from where. The International Association of Convention and Visitor Bureaus has estimated that a “slippage rate” (visitors fail to sign the log, for whatever the reason) of between lo%- 15% occurs at Visitor Centers, nationwide. Thus, numbers within this section could actually be underreported, according to the IACVB. Compounding the “slippage rate” is the disappearance of the Visitor Information Sign for the Old Train Depot. The sign was stolen in mid-January, and although a replacement sign has been ordered, the expected date of arrival is yet unknown. However, a temporary sign has been placed at the entrance to the Visitor Information Center. Visitor Sign-Ins November 2000 -January 2001: Total: 2140 Average: 716.33/month [California: 1170 Average: 390.00/mo.] Bon-California: 979 Average: 326.33/mo.] February 2001- April 2001: Total: 3 125 Average: 104 1.66/month [California: 1496 Average: 498.66/mo.] [Non-California: 1629 Average: 543.00/mo.] By tracking the origin of visitors, the CVB can better determine future marketing efforts needed to sustain brand awareness in existing mature markets and to increase the branding in strong, emerging markets. Data is provided for the U.S. and the Insular Areas (Guam, Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands, American Samoa, Northern Mariana Islands), California and international markets. Year 2001 February - April 2001 California California Arizona Arizona Minnesota Minnesota Washington Washington Illinois’ Colorado States with less than 1% = 32 States with 1.0% - 1.4% = 5 States with 1.5% - 2.0% = 8 States greater than 2.0% = 5 (listed above) 2 A breakdown for visitation from point of origin reflects the obvious, that California residents, in large numbers, visit Carlsbad. The border state of Arizona leads in the secondary market. Current data does not show whether visitation is a first time or repeat visit to Carlsbad. However, future reports will begin showing that data, beginning in June 200 1. November 2000 -January 2001 California* 1170 Outside California 979 International 536 * New reporting y s stem that began in late January 2001 tracks the information that is shown in the reporting period below. Februarv 2001- April 2001 Cdifomia: Local residents* Los Angeles metro** Palm Springs Sacramento San Francisco metro*** Other 513 182 14 26 61 700 Total: 1496 * Carlsbad, Oceanside, Vista, Encinitas, Escondido, San Marcos ** Los Angeles, Riverside, Anaheim, Santa Monica, Newport Beach, Orange County *** San Francisco, Oakland, San Jose, Walnut Creek, Concord ( Regional Visitation] A regional breakdown by the percentage of visitors to the Depot, strongest to weakest regions within the United States, showing tracking results for January, and then for the reporting quarter, February 2001 - April 2001, with year-to-date totals. Regional Breakdown Nov. 2000 - Jan. 01 Feb.-April 01 YTD 2001 Southwest 63.5% 61.4% 60.0% Midwest 2 1 .O% 20.7% 22.4% Northeast 7.6% 9.4% 9.2% Southeast 4.8% 4.1% 4.1% Mid Atlantic 1.5% 1.4% 1.5% Northwest 1.4% 1.4% 1.5% Pacific .15% .05% 0.4% North Central .03% 1.1% 0.9% 3 hternational Markets1 International visitation continues to be a significant factor in the overall number of visitors to Carlsbad. Year-to-date, the international market represents 17.80%, although the percentage could be higher due to the language barrier and culture (aversion to asking questions and signing guest log). With an exchange rate that does not favor Canadian travel, the numbers below show strong visitation by Canadians, especially those traveling from the western provinces. One other observation about Canadian travel is that visitation from the middle provinces is nearly equal to those from the western provinces. From this, we conclude that the Canadian market is generally favorable to Southern California and Carlsbad during the winter months and without regard to the currency imbalance. Visitation from the Europe Union is strong, as evidenced by 36.1% of the visitors indicating that they hail from the United Kingdom and the European Continent. Februarv - April 01 Year to Date 2001 Top International by Countrv Canada* United Kingdom (Ireland, England, Scotland) Germany France Other Number Percent Number Percent 214 43.0% 347 47.2% 107 22.0% 144 19.0% 43 8.6% 55 7.4% 16 3.2% 28 3.8% 219 37.7% 160 21.7% Total 599 734 * Canadian Provinces: Alberta British Columbia Manitoba Nova Scotia Ontario Prince Edward Island Quebec Saskatchewan Vancouver Yukon None listed 17 7.9% 29 8.3% 50 23.3% 93 26.8% 12 5.6% 17 4.8% 11 5.1% 11 3.1% 54 25.2% 72 20.7% 0 0.0% 0 0.0% 12 5.6% 20 5.7% 8 3.7% 8 2.1% 2 .09% 2 .05% 0 0.0% 0 0.0 % 48 22.4% 95 27.3% 4 Percentage breakdown of International Markets for Year 2001 Canada The European Union* Asia Oceania Scandinavia Central America Africa South America Middle East 47.7% 36.1% 6.6% 5.0% 3.9% .08% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% * excludes Scandinavia11 countries [Travel Trade Shows1 The Executive Director told the CVB Board of Directors at its January Board meeting that he would review every travel trade show where the CVB participates. It was stressed that he has no personal interest in what show(s) he attends, rather, a cost-benefit analysis will be done to determine which shows are continued and where changes will be made. Shows the CVB attended, November 2000 - April 2001 Orange County, February 3 - 4 Phoenix Travel Show, February 10 - 11 Los Angeles Travel Show, February 24 - 25 ITB, Berlin, March 2 - 9 Powwow, Orlando, May 5 - 10 konsumer Trade Shows] Orange County, Phoenix and Los Angeles Carlsbad will always be first and foremost, a leisure destination, with visitation coming primarily from families and the individual traveler. Helping to stimulate activity in the retail travel marketplace are travel agents, coupled with the Bureau’s print advertising, Internet website and attendance at consumer trade shows. For the period ending April 30 2001, the CVB attended three consumer travel shows (two, as a member of the North Coast Marketing Group), both within our number one and two domestic markets. Although conversion with consumer or retail shows is very difficult to track, the success of any trade show can depend largely on the show operator. . . . . i’i .i. Y Orange County Register Travel Show This weekend travel show joined the CVB with two marketing partners, the Olympic Resort & Spa and Ramada IM & Suites, was largely viewed as a success. The CVB has scheduled this show for attendance in 2002. Phoenix and Los Angels Travel Shows Both shows, sponsored by California-operator, Worldwide Expo Inc., produced less than the desired results. Consequently, the CVB and its marketing partners have tentatively decided to seek other opportunities within California and Arizona. A final decision will not be made until later this year. nduitry Trade Shows ITB, Berlin, Germany For these last five years the CVB has attended the ITB travel show, which is always held in Berlin, Germany the first week of March. Partnering with the Best Western properties in Carlsbad, the CVB has done its part to promote Carlsbad to travelers from the European Union, and, in particular, Germany. Travel, lodging, booth fees and registration make this the most expensive show that the CVB attends. Europeans represent a strong FIT market, making it somewhat difficult for the CVB to track the effectiveness of promoting Carlsbad at ITB. Individual properties have guest information that can be culled for statistical purposes, and the CVB will be surveying Carlsbad properties for point of origin information to further ascertain its position in this market. However, the CVB will no longer make a physical appearance at this annual show, rather, we will seek to have our interests represented by outsourcing with a German tour operator (American born, UC San Diego graduate). We anticipate a savings of between sixty-to-seventy percent, allowing the CVB to attend one or more shows in our primary international market, Canada. Pow wow The largest domestic industry travel trade show - Pow Wow - is sponsored the Travel Industry Association, a membership organization in which the CVB is a member in good standing. This year, La Costa Resort & Spa (repeat co-op partner) and the Inns of America (first year co-op partner) joined the CVB at the four-day show in Orlando, Florida. According to TIA, the number of suppliers (Carlsbad is a supplier) has increased, supporting the strength of global travel and suppliers competing for market share. Carlsbad will attend Pow Wow next year and will actively encourage cooperative marketing with other local suppliers to offset cost associated with the show and create promotional synergy. 6 California Travel Industry Association (CalTIA) The Carlsbad CVB is a member in good standing with CalTIA, and supports the many programs that help to strengthen California tourism. This year’s annual conference, traditionally held in Sacramento, was hosted by the City of Newport Beach. This years keynote speaker was Terry Jones, President & CEO for Travelocity.com, the Internet powerhouse for online travel. In 2003 and 2005, CalTIA will again leave the capital city, with selections on host cities based on RFP submissions. Already the CVB has engaged in discussions with La Costa Resort & Spa and the Four Seasons Aviara to collaborate on a bid that will hopefully bring more than 500 delegates to the City of Carlsbad for three days of meetings and special activities. Those RFP’s are expected out by mid-June 2001. With the conference’s return to Sacramento next year, the CVB plans to include in its forthcoming budget request additional funds to invite one or more council members to join CVB staff at this extremely worthwhile event. International Association of Convention and Visitor Bureaus (IACVB) In February the CVB joined the IACVB, the largest professional trade association for Convention and Visitor Bureaus. With a membership of more than 450 Convention and Visitor Bureaus throughout the United States and Canada, the Carlsbad CVB is in good company. The Executive Director joined more than fifty of his peers at the annual CEO Forum that was held in Tempe, Arizona from April 26-29. The CEO Forum is one of several extremely valuable opportunities for CVB professionals that the IACVB hosts. San Diego Convention and Visitors Bureau Membership with the SDCVB continues to provide the Carlsbad CVB with cooperative marketing opportunities that would otherwise make it impossible for the Bureau to participate in on its own. To capitalize on the growing group sales market, the CVB placed seven (7) ads in various professional meeting journals featuring the “Princess” ad. (See Addendum for “Princess” ad). In February, the Executive Director and Public Relations Director met with SDCVB management to ‘open doors’ for more cooperative endeavors. Additionally, the Visitor Center Network is an ongoing program that involves the CVB’s Volunteer supervisor, Lee Lees. 7 San Diego North Convention and Visitors Bureau Finding opportunity that makes good business sense is what now drives the Carlsbad CVB in its discussions with the SDNCVB. As of this report, no definitive agreements have been reached between the SDCVB and the Bureau. However, the Executive Director has engaged in preliminary discussions with the SDNCVB on how best to leverage its ability to market and promote Carlsbad. It is anticipated that further discussions will include the CVB Board of Directors. North Coast Marketing Group For the fourth year, the CVB has joined with its counterparts in Oceanside, Encinitas and Solana Beach to market these four coastal communities in consumer publications and trade shows. In support of these promotional activities for FY 00-01, the San Diego Board of Supervisors awarded $12,000 in community enhancement funds. However, this year the NCMG has requested $32,000. As administrator for the NCMG, the Executive Director of the Carlsbad CVB will appear before the County Board on June 5,200 1 to present the group’s funding request. If approved by the County Board, funding will be used for the creative development and production of a Coast Highway 10 1 map that will feature attractions, travel information and trivia. In its funding request, the NCMG stated that: “The coordinated advertising, travel show participation, production/distribution of a regional brochure, featuring Caltfornia ‘s Historic North Coast Highway 101, will enable each of the North Coastal community partners to reach more potential visitors and offer a wider range of attractions and activities than would be possible tf each community promoted itself independently. We believe that the fascination and allure of America’s historic roadways is a major attraction, both domestically and internationally. ” IADVERTISING] The Bureau advertises in local, state and nationwide publications that are primarily oriented toward the travel and leisure markets. Editorial calendars, special inserts and Direct Reader Response, or BRCs, can often be a determining factor in what publications are chosen. However, where a BRC is not included with the advertising, the ‘call to action’ will be the Bureau’s telephone/fax numbers, website and email addresses. Cooperative advertising with local suppliers - hotels, attractions, retailers - is an extremely cost- effective way for the CVB to leverage its marketing dollars. The CVB actively solicits from the local marketplace those suppliers interested in teaming up with the Bureau. Best Western, Inns of America, Beachwalk Villa, Seashore on the Sand, Carlsbad Inn, Tamarack Inn, Ocean Palms and the Olympic Resort joined with the CVB in the April issue of Tucson Lifestyle (See Addendum for April 2001 ad) and the June 2001 issue of Phoenix Magazine. Each has indicated interest to partner in future advertising opportunities. From November 2000 - April 200 1, the CVB advertised in both consumer and trade publications, which are listed below. Those with BRC beside the name of the publication indicate that readers initiated action either by mail or by Internet registry. Consumer Publications With Direct Reader Response * National readership Name of Publication Alaska Airlines BRC Circulation 65,000 with 8.66 readers/copy California readership California Travel Visitors Guide* Circulation Top 5 States: CA, PR, NY, MI,, IL Gourmet Magazine* BRC Circulation 200,330 Top 5 States: CA, NY, MD, PA, OH LA Magazine Circulation 180,467 California readership LA Times Circulation 1.35 million Strong California readership LA Times Magazine Circulation 500,000 Strong California readership Parade Magazine BRC Circulation 2.75 million, 54 newspapers California readership, only Travel America* BRC Circulation 120,000 Top 5 States: GA, CA, AZ, NY, FL Travel 50 and Beyond* BRC Circulation 125,000 Top 5 States: NY, CA, PA, MN, IL Vacations Magazine* BRC Circulation 330,000 Top 5 States: CA, NY, FL, TX, PA Total Leads Generated: Leads Generated 24 287 578 44 93 346 3190 406 194 187 5349 9 Consumer Publications Without Direct Reader Response Tucson Lifestyle N/A Circulation 52,000 Arizona readership Coast Magazine N/A Circulation 46,000 Southern California readership Industry Trade Publications Meetings in the West Circulation 40,000 Top 5 States: CA, IL, AZ, NY, LA Travel Agent Magazine Circulation 50,000 Top 5 States: MN, CA, TX, TN, GA Travel Weekly Circulation 115,000 Total 12 21 5 38 Being an active member within the Carlsbad community is of paramount importance for the CVB and those the bureau interacts with. The CVB has and continues to reach out to community partners and industry specific interests. Carlsbad Chamber of Commerce The Bureau’s relationship with the Carlsbad Chamber of Commerce has significantly improved, as evidenced by the inclusion of the Executive Director as part of the delegation that traveled to Sacramento in April to meet with the Secretary of Technology and Commerce, Senator Bill Morrow, Assemblyman Mark Wyland, and members of Governor Gray Davis’ staff. The CVB is a member in good standing with the Chamber and the Executive Director submits articles of a topical nature to the Chamber for publication in the Carlsbad Business Journal. (See Addendum for articles) 10 IO San Diego North Hospitality Resource Panel Additionally, the CVB has become an active member of the Hospitality Resource Panel, with the goal to, “collaborate with local communities, businesses and schools to educate them about the Hospitality Industry in order to grow and strengthen our present and future workforce.” Carlsbad Village Business Association The CVB continues its active support for the Carlsbad Village Business Association, with either the Executive Director or staff in attendance at the organization’s weekly meetings. These weekly meetings provide the CVB with an excellent opportunity to both share and receive information that benefits both the bureau and the Association. Our attendance further strengthens our commitment to the business owners and managers of Village businesses. Carlsbad CVB Hotel-Motel Committee Once a month, the CVB sponsors the Hotel-Motel Committee meeting, which is usually hosted by a Carlsbad hotel, restaurant or attraction. These monthly meetings allow for hoteliers to update the lodging community about market conditions and trends, and any upgrades or other information that individual properties may care to share with their industry colleagues. Usually, the CVB will invite a guest speaker to give a fifteen-minute presentation to the group. In-kind services such as meals, meeting room and wait staff are provided by the guest property. Host Hotel Date Speaker Hilton Garden IM 1 l-15-00 Ramada IM & Suites 01-17-01 Olympic Resort 02-21-01 Grand Pacific Palisades 03-21-01 Raintree/PAL Shuttle 04- 18-O 1 Lynn Flanagan, In Motion Mark C. Butler, Ph.D. Bill Anderson, ERA Tom Johnson, Hi-Tek Multimedia Barry Nakano, Travelhero.com David Schweiger, Mira Costa College Carlsbad Rotary The Executive Director was recently inducted into the Thursday Night Club and it is anticipated that he will become an active Rotarian, thus furthering the Bureau’s service to the Carlsbad community. bnternetf Affiliate Partners As evidenced by the phenomenal growth of the Internet these last half-dozen years, Carlsbad continues to be a strong player in this electronic medium with a website that has grown in both name recognition 11 and content. (See Addendum for statistics for activity on www.carlsbadca.ore, provided by the CVB’s Internet Service Provider, Znet) Presently, some 85% of travelers now access the Internet prior to making travel arrangements. With an industry that is still in its infancy, the sale of hotel rooms and rental cars is estimated to be over $1 billion, with a steep escalation over the next decade in travel sales over the Internet. Carlsbad is already realizing the power of sales over the Internet as an affiliate associate with www.travelhcro.com, a direct online reservation system that books directly with individual properties. Since our affiliate association with www.travelhero.com, which began in mid-February, the CVB has generated 72 room nights, with $8007 in hotel revenue (room rate only, not check out rate). These online reservations through the CVB website earned $103 for the Bureau, which is based on a pay per click through basis. (See Addendum for revenue income statement from www.travclhcro.colll) Affiliate programs are but one way to generate a revenue stream on the Internet by providing Convention and Visitor Bureaus the opportunity to partner, at no cost. Other affiliate programs are currently being reviewed. Additionally, reciprocal links with other online promoters can provide leveraged opportunities that promote our destination at no cost, but can yield tremendous reach, globally. One such promoter that the Carlsbad CVB has joined with in promoting Carlsbad is wu,w.dcstinntioncoupons.com. This is but one example of how strategic marketing alliances provide mutual and immediate benefit. Traditions Challenged Within the domestic visitor industry, an inverse relationship now exists with respect to the flow of information over the Internet versus traditional walk-in traffic and incoming “800” phone calls at Visitor Centers, according the International Association of Convention and Visitor Bureaus. Anticipating future technological challenges and opportunities, the Carlsbad CVB developed its website, www.carlsbadca.orc some four years ago and it has continued to provide accurate, timely and information-based content. Dynamic websites with reciprocal links that include strategic partners is a key ingredient for success in the new economy. .However, as the industry trend for website makeovers. is from between 2-3 years, the CVB fully anticipates that ~vw\~.carlsbadca.orS will undergo significant changes that will make it both an attractive and useful site for prospective visitors, by incorporating new technologies and branding consistency to match that of the Bureau’s other marketing materials (print collateral, advertisements, CD-ROM). Some of these technological enhancements - web movies, streaming video, real time calendars, signature file updates, banner advertising - will keep the CVB website dynamic, rather than static, thus helping to keep Carlsbad competitive. Meeting Planner One new feature that has been incorporated into the CVB website is the Meeting Planners Guide, ww~~\l.carlsbadlllectin~s.or~. Because cold fusion technology was used to build this site, making it incompatible with ~~ww.carlsbadca.ore, a separate URL had to be created and integrated into the CVB website. With its two internationally renown resort properties - La Costa Resort & Spa and Four Seasons Aviara - together with other properties that provide conference and meeting space, Carlsbad has seen an 12 r increase in interest with meeting planners who represent small-to-medium size groups. Although indicators point to a slowdown in corporate meetings, incentive travel and association meetings are holding their own in the current economy. The City of Carlsbad provided the CVB with the initial start-up funding to build www.carlsbadmeetinrrs.ora, which was completed in mid-February. It is from the creative used with this site that a future makeover of the entire CVB website will bring total site consistency. The Changing Environment Of particular interest is the reference made to the Internet from incoming calls to the CVB. Incoming phone calls are tracked to learn how that person first heard about Carlsbad, and from 2000, the response showed that 39 % of the respondents replied with a specific reference to the Internet. That number has increased by fourteen percent in year-to-date totals for 200 1. Compared to only five years ago when the Internet was still in its infancy (AOL’s subscriber base is nearing 30 million users, up from its first millionth customer in 1996), the opposite is now true, as more than olx-half of all incoming inquiries originate from content on the Intzmet. It is interesting to note that the out of the 3 190 leads that were generated from the recent advertisement in Parade Magazine, 3000 requests were made via Parade Magazine’s Internet site - www.vaclltionpl~nnill~.nct - for the Carlsbad CVB Visitor Guide. Thus far, Parade Magazine appears to be one of the most successful advertisements placed made by the CVB, and certainly the most successful Internet placement. Comparing these numbers to the traditional BRC, it validates the fact that more people are accessing the Internet for travel information. Incoming Calls Referenced Percentage in 2000 Percentage 2001 YTD Internet No Recall Friends Travel Guide Attractions Magazines Travel Agent Other 39% 53% 28% 13% 10% 10% 5% 9% 6% 9% 10% 4% 1% 1% 1% 1% Within three months after winning the HSMAI - Hospitality Sales and Marketing Association International - Bronze Adrian Award for the third best in CD-ROM promotion in 2000, the Bureau released its second edition Vacation Planner CD-ROM in April 2001. The CVB contracted with Hi-Tek Multimedia of San Diego for the creative design, production and delivery of 3000 discs that will eventually be distributed at industry trade shows, to sales professionals, meeting planners and travel writers. With the first edition release, the Bureau hoped to recoup some of the costs associated with its production by marketing the CD-ROM to the consumer. However, consumer sales, both over the 13 Internet and at the Visitor Information Center for the first edition CD-ROM, have been negligible. The CVB is undergoing major changes in the way public relations is handled, and the distribution of the second edition CD-ROM will be a high priority in the Bureau’s public relations strategy. The overall objective for initiating this project was to launch a first-class product that would help to level the playing field against bureaus with larger budgets, thus allowing Carlsbad to seriously compete for its share of the leisure and business traveler. Now into its second year, use of the CD-ROM has become an integral and indispensable component to the mix of electronic and traditional advertising now used by the CVB. Copies of the second edition CD-ROM were presented to council members-in mid-May. Staff The CVB has three full-time employees - Kurt Burkhart, Executive Director; Frankie Laney, Public Relations Director; Lee Lees, the Visitor Center Supervisor. Assisting on a part-time basis is one assistant, Mary Manley, who handles routine data entry, bank deposits, email inquiries, etc. In March, the Bureau accepted the resignation of Ms. T.J. Stroben, a part-time employee who handled group sales for Carlsbad properties. However, due to a lack of funding, the Bureau is not now in a position to offer a competitive, full-time salary to attract a qualified group sales manager. In the interim, a part-time replacement will be made to strengthen the administrative functions for the Bureau. Accomplishments Since January 200 1, the Carlsbad Convention and Visitors Bureau has accomplished the following: Participated as a member of the Chamber delegation to meet with California State elected officials in Sacramento; Developed Handbook for CVB Policies and Procedures; Created ‘Week at a Glance’ and CVB Tip Sheet, a weekly and bi-weekly informational piece to inform front-line staff about weekly events in Carlsbad and a bi-weekly press tip sheet (See Addendum for copies of each); Assisted with development of ERA Tourism/Resident Survey; Participated with Arts Office focus groups to discuss cultural tourism; Provided logistical support for San Diego Marathon, Carlsbad 5K; Launched ~v\vw.c,?rlsbadmeeti~l~s.or(;r, meeting planner website; Joined the International Association of Convention and Visitor Bureaus; Travel industry recognition from HSMAI with CD-ROM; Co-host with LEGOLAND for presentation of San Diego Adventures; Attended two international trade shows and three regional trade shows; Created CVB database for hotels, restaurants, attractions, media (local, regional, state, domestic, international and freelancers), California and Arizona associations, meeting planners and travel agents; Hosted three travel writers. 14 26 Print Editorial Pays Off Advertising can be quite expensive, depending on the publication, reach and circulation. That is why, when considering the placement of an ad, the objective is to place when a special travel section is announced. However, not all publications will have these special opportunities. Therefore, ‘pitching’ the story to freelancers and travel editors can provide more benefit than a paid ad. This can be particularly valuable for any CVB when leveraging a limited marketing budget. (See Addendum, “the Village by the Sea,” Winter 2000 Sky West Magazine article) The following publications provided editorial about Carlsbad from November 2000 - April 2001: Publication Paid Advertisiw Equivalency Value South Coast Magazine (Fall 2000) South Coast Magazine (Spring 200 1) La Opinion Newspaper (Spring 200 1) Garden Compass Magazine (Spring 2001) Tucson Liiestyie (Spring 200 1) The Korea Times Newspaper (4-25-01) SkyWest Magazine (Winter 2000) Travel America (March 200 1) $49,555.00 $53,201.00 $13,377.96 $72,000.00 9; 12,00~.~0 $21,168.00 $69,000,00 $15,200.00 Total $305,501.96 Recognition of Community Support In-kind services are important contributions that are provided to the CVB, such as hosting dinner for a FAM (familiarization) tours, room nights for a travel writer, or meals for the monthly Hotel-Motel Committee meeting and Volunteer Appreciation luncheons. Much like the time given by the volunteers who work seven days a week at the Visitor Information Center, these valuable in-kind services help to support the mission and augment the budget of the Carlsbad Convention and Visitors Bureau. From November 2000 - April 2001, the Carlsbad community provided more than $1 l,OOO.OO of direct in-kind services. Transient Occupancy Tax (TOT) For 2000, TOT revenues generated for the City of Carlsbad were approximately $9 million, and for the first quarter of 2001, TOT continues to outpace year-to-date over 2000 by $193,272. Although figures for March 2001 as compared to the same month last year showed a very slight decrease in TOT. Much the same as the credo for running a business, “you ‘ve got to spend money, to make money, ” the CVB believes that a strong advertising schedule for this summer will work to Carlsbad’s advantage. There are many entities that help to generate TOT for the City of Carlsbad - the State of California, the San Diego Convention and Visitors Bureau, San Diego North Convention and Visitors Bureau, the attractions, restaurants and hotels. Although it may have been said that the Carlsbad CVB was singularly responsible for generating TOT, the clarification made in this statement reflects that the CVB is but one of many entities working to provide revenues to the City of Carlsbad that help to sustain the excellent quality of life we all enjoy. (See Addendum, City of Carlsbad TOT Revenues) Closing Commentary The Carlsbad CVB endeavors to be a strong community partner, working to open doors that may have been closed in the past, moving beyond conflict and developing new and mutually beneficial partnerships for the overall benefit of Carlsbad. It should be noted that the Bureau has substantially leveraged its operating budget through the volunteer support, in-kind services and the paid advertising equivalency value (PAE) for print editorial coverage (television coverage has not been included). Service or Item Valuation PAE Volunteer Services Community In-Kind $305,501.96 % 28,069.50 $ 11,ooo.oo Total %344,571.46 Furthermore, support by the mayor and council members is recognized and very much appreciated, for without support from the City of Carlsbad, the CVB could not function. Attached in the Addendum are the minutes for meetings of the Carlsbad CVB Board of Directors from January - April 2001. Many of the areas touched on are covered in these documents, in addition to many that have not been mentioned within the context of this report. Lastly, to better familiarize the reader of this report with industry terminology, a Glossary of Terms has been included as the last item to the Addendum. 16 Items within this Addendum are in order as mentioned in the Semi-Annual City Report. 1. The “Princess” ad, San Diego Cooperative advertising 2. Tucson Lifestyle cooperative marketing ad 3. Carlsbad Business Journal articles, February - April 2001 4. Znet statistical date for www.carlsbadca.org 5. Travelhero.com revenue income statement, 6. Week at a Glance 7. CVB Tip Sheet 8. “the Village by the Sea, ” SkyWest article Winter 2000 9. Transient Occupancy Tax Collections for FY 00-01 10. Minutes of monthly meetings of the CVI3 Board of Directors Meetings, January - April 200 1 11. Travel Trade Industry Glossary of Terms www.sandiego.org m Did you how? - ; :- ; -:, -,7 -: : -.-- .;j.,~-- I- ,. Yi’ -,; t.;s :y i;y S<$‘,, 5 ‘C‘ :- - .?,< ;.; :5: ,,_ ;.-.. ,,,1 . ,*,. 4.d.e: ,,I. .“, h,‘: >,‘aiy : : o- i.,-yc: 2’ _ m 2:. >-,L ,y;:. ; L A. mmem,! it-s: 3 "'lC?,:--i SEA'5 '. -' :I hi\ ‘b CA 6 q D 7 )- ,b nir S;ET; cana x: I by tfit L.2 rLjIE’ d 1 xe center for the arts, La Jolla is l home to numerous galleries, the Museum of t Contemporary Art: and the Tony Award-win- 7 Above: Day sails around rg La Jolla Playhouse on the campus of the 1 the bay make great group University of California at San Diego. Golfers 1 eve&. revere La Jolla for Torrey Pines, one of the nation’s most breathtaking public courses and site of the PGA Tour’s Buick Invitational. Less than 20 minutes north of downtown San Diego, Mission Valley, and Mission Bay, La Jolla is an ideal after-hours or spouse-tour destination, or groups can choose to headquarter in paradise at one of several fine hotels. Sewce ant i: sciljxe: v iii C2K'. \c,:? 3i"iL'X YOi: car $!-:3s~ l-is I,% dtmg ip 4 * -i’ vlevm; I;~L”: E 6 r: .” 4. a.!r, ant 4 t.rr,. tc 7. 3 3 &.rrl. i and a castle for a princess all in one day. M Create the perfect meetings venue in Carlsbad. home IO La Cosra Resort and Spa. Four Seasons Resort Aviara and a wide choice of business hotels and seaside inns. Come early and enjoy a day of golf, UT add a da\ to rake rhe family to > . . . . _ - .- - cIimemhrmdv*BIParuI PO Box I246 Cadsbad CA 92018 800-227-5722 Far (760) 434-6056 wwau.rarI~badra.or~ t-mail: ronr~ir@carlrbadm.org MISSION 841. San Diego’s 4,600-acre aquatic park, minutes from airport and ocean, is everyone’s favorite playground. Miles of bicycle and jogging paths line the shores of the placid bay, a popular desti- nation for watersports enthusiasts. Five full- ;i .i it ,., - c I,.., .*:.= M p ; 4 -3. :. I aft .z-i‘ww : ; ,‘% r, Village Shops & Restaurants Ocean, Pool, Spa, Sauna Fitness Center (760) 434-7020 (800) 2353939 Corpmte and group raws: hotelsales~GrandPacIficResons.cum 3075 Carlsbad Blvd Carlsbad. CA 92008 www.carlsbadinn.com OCEAN FRONT ROOMS In a MEDITERRANEAN setting PANORAMIC SUNSETS l RLw~!r int & i;d.r.ill i~Ul?~~~ l iH 5 IIhul Pm ,111: R.m~cc l i L~~hrsJ T~IUII, G~rr. l L.y 111.1 I;~cre.lrlun.Il r,x~l~ from the private balconies. l ~.u:r:. ~:[C.llll h h11.1 I GREAT I x ’ R.l,iC!I-hlcll E”“qul $-.I Olympic Resort Hotel & Spa 3200 Carlsbad Blvd.. G&bad, CA 92008 6111 El Camino Real. Cartsbad. CA 92009 (800) 334-2199 (760) 438-8330 (800) 522-8330 www.tamarackresort.com www.Olvmpic-Resotcom 1_1 ’ DIRECTLY ON THE BEACH I * SPACIOUS GUEST ROOMS, PRIVATE BALCONIES . ROYAL GARDEN SUITE WITH JET/WHIRLPOOL ’ OCEAN VIEW GUEST LOUNGE i MEETING ROOM CONTINENTAL BREAKFAST TOLLFREE CALIF.8000N BEACH lJSA800-433-5415 www.beachterraceinn.com l Studios, l&2 Bedroom Suites . Nightly, weekly & monthly rates . Beachfront & Across street from beach locations l Heated pool, spa, & sauna l Fullv eauiooed kitchens 2950 Ocean Street Carlsbad, CA .~~~~1~4$$.l~Q &&&,&@g&2~~ ii” &@@gj#& / . !, ‘,/.\‘/,‘r ‘i’( c I/,’ ,‘,/( I(///,/’ :! \\ ‘! $1, \* i: On the Beach in Carlsbad / a 1 1 IY k --- RESORT HOXL ,SPli Resort Hotel a>td Spu just Nuctes fr<~rn the Beuch, LECjOLAND, Flolcer Fields and .4irport I I Minutes to Beautiful Beaches ) 15MinutestoDeiMarRaceTrack b 30 Minutes to SeaWorld Convention and Visitors Bureau 4.x Cxlsl?aLl \~lll‘lLy Pr.. Carlhud. c;? Y!i:? General Information (762) -lSL6?93 ) 30 Minutes to San Diego Zoo ~ b 40 Min. to Wild Animal Park .w ’ F.-\S iT6c’l i3+6S56 Hotel Inf~wnatwn (822) 11;-5721. :z. i,)n\.l\.~~arl-~‘lJc,\.(,T’L 1 g .I. c ‘J ‘2~ $1 ,: ._ g E 5’ i+i z All Rooms Beachfront L Spectacular Decor 3 1 8 2 Bedroom Suites Available 1: Doily, Weekly 8 Monthly Rates 760-434-6679 2805 Ocean St. Carlsbad, CA 92008 - ~ _ . . _-. --,, -r- L.- -.; . . ._ - -..- . ..- “.:,.. I- . . . 99 New Executive Director ioins ConVis urt Budrhart has joined the Cadsbad K the lead Asian sponsor on Xarry King Live.’ Convention and Visitor’s Bureau as This twelve-month campaign increased the zxw executive dkctor. Buxkhartbest out brand awareness in established markets. while 90 other applicants because of his it opened new opportunities in the exemplary record in destination emerging markets of Hong Kong, promotion. Taiwan and Russia. In short, market Burkhart comes to Carlsbad diversification helped to lessen the from Flagstaff, Akona where he near-exclusive reliance on Japanese was the director of the Ragstaff travel. Convention and Visitors Bureau. Burkhart is pleased to join the He spent a year-and-a-haIf devel- Cadsbad community. “I am amazed OP* a CT&p to a.&~~~ the Kurt Bu&haH at the wonderful opportunity I have Flagstaff image. The theme, “Rag- to work with a board of directors staff they don’t make towns like this any- that is committed to bringing tourism in more, ” has not only provided increased tax Cahbad to the next level of success.” he said. Ecvenues to the city through the collection He added that replacing former director Steve of its local BBB (bed, beverage and board) Link would be a challenge, but that he was tax, but it has also instilled a strong sense of looking forward to it. community pride. Burkhart’s plans include not only strength- Prior to his time in Plagstaff, Burkhart ening existing relationships within the com- served as the Public Information Officer and later as the special as- sistant for tourism and trade to the governor of the U.S. Com- monwealth of the Northern Mariana Is- lands on the Western Pacific island of saipan. Through Burkhar<s guidance, the Com- monwealth began tu compete on a global scale for a mobile Asian market by advertis- ing on CNN International and becoming munity, but finding ways to expand strategic partnering where it makes sense to do so. ‘We have a charge at the bureau, and that’s to promote Cadsbad, first and foremost.J’ The bureau’s executive director givei every indication that he Gll be out there aggwssively promoting, as Cadsbad’s advocate fbr tourism. You can contact him at ConVis, 4316093, or drop by the office in old train station in town. Affiliate Payment Details Page 1 of 2 Payments Made to Carlsbad (CA) CVB on 13-Apr-01 Referral Date IIReferrals Amount Due ll-Feb-Ol I 11 .06 12-F&t01 I-- -~ - I I 451 .- 2.701 -.. - 13-Feb-01 I 22 1.32 lCFeb-01 I 14 .84 15-Feb-01 30 1.80 16-F&01 28 1.68 t17-Feb-CJl I 231 1.381 Ii- 19-Feb-01 II 5311 71 3.18 Zl-Feb-01 221 1.32 22-Feb-01 36 2.16 23-Feb-01 41 2.46 24-Feb-01 19 1.14 25Feb-01 20 1.20, 126-F&-01 II 2011 I.201 -. -- . - , 28-Feb-01 35 1 2.10 09-Feb-01 II .081 I fiGi&-01 II 301) I.8011 IS-Mar-01 29 1.741 OZ-Mar-01 17 1.02 PO-Mar-01 40 2.40 Izi-Mar41 _ _. _ 401 2.401 22-Mar-01 29 1.74 23-Mar-01 28 1.68 24-Mar-01 17 1.02 2%Mar-01 23 1.38 26-Mar-01 35 2.10 l27-Mar-01 55 3.30 28-Mar-01 35 2.101 29-Mar-01 38 2.28 03-Mar-01 30 1.80 30-Mar-01 I 23 1.38 31-Mar-01 I 32 1.921 05Mar-01 I 31 1.86 06-Mar-01 I 29 1.74 07-Mar-01 I 32 1.92 July August September October November December January February March April May June FY 00-01 1 ,019,055 1,027,404 747,158 746,231 628,187 528,155 653,044 752,620 838,321 City of Carkbad TOT Revenues Updated as of December 18,200O FY 99-00 FY 98-99 FY 97-98 FY 96-97 FY 95-96 772,025 631,103 411,011 386,741 335,474 813,589 714,991 495,838 425,064 404,870 596,628 515,364 453,940 280,739 274,227 631,389 I 528,983 514,057 299,681 270,708 602,966 452,685 441,275 292,923 225,525 457,910 354,565 305,250 205,306 176,713 509,090 535,445 522,315 283,183 246,419 702,116 605,091 523,470 330,917 286,623 839,507 693,102 571,538 353,224 321944 801,235 664,677 513,900 338,204 293,328 775,584 624,993 544,247 351,556 275,679 785774- 664,844 544,373 332,289 296,371 Total $8,287,813 $6,985,843 $5,841,214 $3,879,827 $3,407,881 Report compiled by: Kurt Burkhart, Executive Director Note: Due to the time allowed to report revenues, the current month’s figures may be incomplete. The Transient Occupancy Tax (TOT) rate is 10%. If TOT revenues for a month are $600,000, it means the hotels reported $6 million in taxable revenue. ExcekFinancial RepoftslTOT/Current TOT PI OGOl Carlsbad Convention 81 Visitors Bureau P.O. Box12460 Carlsbad,California 92018-1246 TEL (760)434.6093*FAX (760)434.6056 www.carlsbadca.org/ 32 INTERNET Activity for \~~~~-.carlsbadca.or~ November 2000 - April 2001 Data and graphs provided by ZNet, the Internet Service Provider for the Carlsbad Convention and Visitors Bureau. Summary by Month MonthlyTotds .’ ml-=mxs I I .41x 2001 .1886413076.885:362/6980 2516852 10887 i 26566 392298 565949 hhr 2001 19025 13271 865 355 7348 ; 2706143 ; 11015.. 26816 411421 : 589797 ~~-- Feb2001 15931 11550 784 311 6216 2237102 8710 I 21954 i 323415 446088 ---- Jan 2001 14430 10505 736 271 ; 5818 2078583 8421 : 22843 325661 447358 / --:- Dee 2rN)O 9069 6904 481 182 4115 j 1394402 5643 14919 -~-- No\ 2000 9570 7420 ; 534 j 213 : 4394 / 1400913 ; 6411 : 16027 222608 287127 i ~-- 1 ) 12333995 151087 1129125 /I889431 12617475 1 Note: In prior reports to the city, the bureau emphasized the number of hits that the CVB website received. Referencing hits can be misleading. According to ‘lntemet Marketing For Your Tourism Business, ” author Susan Sweeney defines a “hit” as, “A single request from a web browser for a single item from a web server; thus, for a web browser to display a page that contains three graphics, four :‘hits” would occur at the server; one for the HTML page, and one for each of the three graphics. Hits are often used as a rough measure of visits on a server.” So, if a person visits 6 pages on a site and each page has 4 graphics, there would be a minimum of 30 hits generated. Instead, the more accurate barometer for website activity is unique visits. Based on a count of unique visits, ww.carlsbadca.org receives an estimated 100,000 unique visits, annually. 33 Daily usage for Decenber 2888 Daih usagre for Wovenber 2688 Daily usage for February 2801 I 1 1 Daily usage for January 2881 35 Daily usage for April 2881 rul I- Daily usage for tiarch 2081 8 .-. E 8 2 _- .- . . .- .- .- .- riiuuate raymenrueraus Payments Made to Carlsbad (CA) CVB on 13-Apr-01 Referral Date I-1. Amount Due 11-Feb-01 I 11 .06 12-Feb-01 I 4511 2.701 II II 2211 Ii - ~~ 14-Feb-01 II 1411 -iI .a4 h5-Feb-01 II 3011 1.6011 (b6-Feb-01 PO-Feb-01 21 1.26 21-Feb-01 22 1.32 22-Feb-01 36 2.16 23-Feb-01 41 2.46 24-Feb-01 19 1.14 Z-Feb-01 20 1.20 26-Feb-01 20 1.20 i27-Feb-01 I 24 1.44 I k -. -. -- -- _. _. -. -. 26-Feb-01 26-Feb-01 35 35 2.10 2.10 09-Feb-01 09-Feb-01 1 1 .06 .06 01-Mar-01 01-Mar-01 34 34 2.04 2.04 lo-Mar-01 lo-Mar-01 16 16 .96 .96 11-Mar-01 11-Mar-01 30 30 1.60 1.60 l12-Mar-n1 l12-Mar-n1 27 27 1.62 1.62 .- .._. _. 13-Mar-01 lCMar-01 r15-Mar-01 I 31 1.86 30 I .a0 25 1.50 I - ---- - 17-Mar-01 ha-kkdi I 2011 1.20 I 2711 1.62) 19-Mar-01 29 ' 1.74' 02-Mar-01 17 1.02 PO-Mar-01 40 2.40 Pi-Mar-01 I 40 2.40 25-Mar-01 25-Mar-01 26.Mar-01 26.Mar-01 27-Mar-01 27-Mar-01 26-Mar-01 26-Mar-01 29-Mar-01 29-Mar-01 03-Mar-01 I I 23 23 35 35 55 55 35 35 38 38 30 1.38 1.38 2.10 2.10 3.30 3.30 2.10 2.10 2.28 2.28 I .a0 04-Mar-01 16 .96 05-Mar-01 31 1 .a6 06-Mar-01 29 1.74 07-Mar-01 32 1.92 Armate rayment uetails IiORU-- n’ II n,ll . CA I tmav I II 43 1.3” I 28 1.68 I 22 1.32 - , lO-Apr-01 36 2.16 ll-Apr-01 28 1.68 12-Apr-01 15 .90 )03+x-01 II 31)) 1.86) 04-Apr-01 Ii 4111 2.46 Page 2 of2 30 Carlsbad Convention & Visitors Bureau (800)227-5722 or (760)434-6093 l 400 Carl&ad Village Drive l Carl&ad. CA 92008~\~l~?~..c‘~~sh,2dc‘a.‘or?: Week at a Glance 0 Carlsbad Events and Activities for May 2I-28,200I This Week’s Schedule Includes Monday, May 28* c Memorial Day 21” - Carlsbad Playreaders present A Playreaders Showcase: Readings by actors from area high schools, at 7:30pm in Schuhnan Auditorium, 1775 Dove Lane. Donation $5, $1 students. For more information call 760/729-3383 23rd - Carlsbad Library’s Fihn Series “WWII-On the Homefront” featuring The More the Mmier (2 nr at the Schulman Auditorium, 1775 Dove Ln., at 6pm. Free, 760/602x2026 24 - Carlsbad Library presents a classical piano concert by pianist Joseph Arthur Valent at 7pm, Schulman Auditorium, 1775 Dove Ln., 760/602-2026 29’ - Carlsbad High School “Video Awards Night” at the Carlsbad Viie Theater, 2822 State St. 7:30pm. This will be the Wodd Premiw of this year’s class projects as well as “Academy Awards” presentations in various categories. Enjoy our future entertainment makers in action! Tickets are $5 at the door. For info contact Wayne Beauvais 760/434-1726, ext 2728 Every Wednesday Carlsbad Farmer’s Market, on Roosevelt between Carlsbad Village Dr. Q Grand Avenue. 2-5 PM. Local farmers Q vendors provide certified organic vegetables. Also available are baked goods, cheeses, cut flowers Q lots of other treats. Thru Nov 30 M Carlsbad Arts Office Outdoor Sculpture Garden “Animal Whimsy”. 2955 Elmwood, Mon-Fri, 9AM-5PM. Free. Call (760)434-2920. May 19& - Sept. gth ; Animals as Architects, Exhibit invites visitors to uncover pathways and homes of underground architects. Discover the layers of a model wasp nest; make spider web rubbings; examine microscopic animal structures and more at the Children’s Discovery Museum, 300 Carlsbad Village Dr. in the Village Faire Shopping Center. 760/720-0737 Coming June Znd , Taste of Carlsbad at the Carl&ad Company Stores, 3-7pm. Benefits “Kids are Worth a Million”. 760/438-0063 Ticky-Boo Tea Shoppe announces “expansion is complete!” The tea shop has expanded into the building next door and opened the Victorian Tea Garden behind the tea shop. Look for al fresco dining in the garden soon! 760/720-7800 26& - 28” - Carlsbad Company Stores Pre-Summer Sidewalk Sale kicks off a variety of activities that includes musical entertainment each weekend throughout the summer months. loam-8pm Biplane, Air Combat & Warbird Adventures Offers Special Convention & Visitors Bureau Flights! Summer Special - All summer long, just mention the Carlsbad Convention Q Visitors Bureau and receive $10 off any biplane ride 40 minutes or longer. For more information contact Biplane, Air Combat & Warbird Adventures l-800-759-5667 or www.bamstorming.com ### CVB News Immediate Release Media Contact: Frankie Laney, Public Relations Director Email:flconvisBcatisbadca.org Semi-Weekly Tourism News Volumn 1, Issue 2 - April 20, 2001 WWII Merchant Marine Ship, SS Lane Victory Cruises the Coast off Carlsbad Shores-close aboard at dead slow. On Thursday, May 17th, at 1:30 p.m. with legendary Captain Will Carroll on the bridge, the historic SS Lane Victory will engage in a mock combat with WWII Marine Corp SNJ Warbird owned by Carlsbad’s Biplane Air Combat & Warbird Adventures. The mock combat will take place just off the beach at Oceanside Pier. Delight in watching a flotilla of local boat owners, Harbor Police and Camp Pendleton amphibious vehicles come to her rescue! Who will win the battle? Who will survive? For the first time ever, the Lane Victory will sail close enough to the coastline for everyone to see this history-making voyage. This is an important event, not only to pay tribute to this decorated veteran warship but an opportunity for San Diego’s coastal communities to welcome the Lane Victory as she sails down the coastline on the way to San Diego Harbor for a four day celebration of Armed Forces Day and National Maritime Day. The ship will dock just north of the Star of India, 1306 N. Harbor Dr. in San Diego and will be open for public tours on May 18th & 20th. Call 7601434-9573 for additional information. Gemological Institute of America to Hold Education Open House- April 28 The Gemological Institute of America (GIA), considered the leading educator of professionals in gemology is hosting an Education Open House at the Institute’s World Headquarters and Robert Mouawad Campus at 5345 Armada Drive in Carlsbad . Featured will be campus tours, classroom demonstrations in gemology and jewelry manufacturing. Guests can become . acquainted with GIA’s educational programs and learn more by talking with students, alumni, education instructors and career advisors. Also on hand, will be specialists to provide informa- tion and advice about financial aid and scholarships. Hours will be l-4pm. CarIsbad Events Scene-April 2001 Through April 30th - Carlsbad Company Stores Festival of Flowers . Enjoy live entertain- ment every Friday and Saturday. Call 760/804-9000 for additional information. April 21” -The Children’s Discovery Museum 7th Annual Birthday Party. Festivities include art, entertainment, clowns & more. llam to 5pm, $4 admission. Call 760/720-0737 for infor- mation. LEGOLAND Launches New Show - “Life on Mars” debuts globally at all three LEG-OLAND Parks! The invasion begins April 28,200l &v&bad - C~otnia’s New& Playground Carlsbad Convention & Visitors Bureau 400 Carlsbad Village Dr., Carlsbad. Ca 92008 7601434-6093 or 0001227-5722 www.carlsbadca.orQ AVILLAGE A -1xce SEA ., ,” i .-hN.,,. .- . . -. . --a.- .: .ri _* RICH IN NATURAL BEAUTY AND FULL OF UNIQUE ADVENTURES /‘. /’ AND CHARMING LOCAL HIDEOUTS, z - .’ . I /- / L - 2 * -r ” _ .’ .z ; . IS AN AUTHENTIC COASTAL COMMUNITY FOR PEOPLE WHO LOVE THE SUN! ‘iPR:f.iE: ,‘, .q +M]Sj;3:, :::a: -ii -. ,;;.’ a,q;l;i.,f ,;as.-~q --.:. ~;,:,zc< / / ,.’ i-- I * , L i r- / i’;’ “- m blue. the surfer deftly glides across a glittering wave. .&on g the beach, couples wander hand in hand. leaving footprints in the sand; a child builds sandcastles and sand- pipers move quickly along the line of shore. Sunbathers take a break from their books, tossing on shorts and flip-flops to hit nearby cafes for lunch or an ice-cream cone. Others jog along the tide line or play volleyball at the public nets propped up in the sand. It’s just another balmy, sun-drenched day along the coast of Carlsbad, California. This is a town for people who love the sun. Tucked into the northwest corner of San Diego County, Carlsbad is mild and warm year round-light b reezes, stirring SO-degree days, are standard in the summer and winter. Carlsbad is a place that beckons you to be outdoors. A place to enjoy golf courses and white-sand beaches anv time of year. In Carlsbad, you can mosey around the splendor of two five-star resorts; explore the many nooks and crannies of a spirited and bustling town offering live music and gourmet meals; or enjoy the simple pleasure of sipping chilled wine beside an open horizon, watching the sun plummet into the Pacific. Known as the “Village by the Sea,” Carlsbad combines the charm of an European village with the laid-back manner of a beach town that hasn’t gone commercial. Carlsbad is endearing. Things are a bit more relaxed here in rhis authentic coastal community full or beauty and serenim. Nor just another pretry face. though, Carlsbad offers a wide range of singular and exceptional adventures for those willing to explore. One of the most unusual and most beautiful wavs to see this lovely coast as a whole is b! air. Biplane, Air Combat and Warbird Adventures at the Carlsbad airport of- fers the chance. unique in the state. to take a 30-minure swoop in a restored I 9lOs-era biplane. Their open-cockpit prop-planes, painted bright blue and A LITTLE HISTORY The Luiseno Indians were the first to live along Carlsbad’s turquoise lagoons, where they camped for centuries before Don Gaspar de Portola and Friar Juan Crespi showed up in 1769. Harbingers of the Spanish tide that would soon flood the coast, Portola and Crespi explored the area on behalf of the King of Spain and established the trail now known as El Camino Real, which was used by ever-more soldiers and priests to reinforce Spain’s grip on this remote, tenuous outpost. The Mission San Luis Rey was founded in 1798 and is still the largest working mission in California. Its tranquil gardens are open to the public year round. NOT TO BE MISSED If you are itching to do some shopping, stop by the Carlsbad Company Stores Outlet, an outdoor mall with over 60 outlet stores. Located just off Interstate 5 on Paseo de1 Norte, shops like Polo, Gap, Calvin Klein, and a handful of art galleries offer incredible bargains. Or, head to Carlsbad Village for the farmer’s market every Wednesday (from 2 to 5 p.m.) to sample fresh California fruits and flowers. Kids will want to go inland to the Wave Waterpark in Vista (open from TRAVEL TIPS May through September) to explore the many rides and slides, a delightful rerreat on a warm summer day. And adults will want to explore the wine country of the inland valleys. Don’t miss a trip a few miles north to the Oceanside pier-head to the very tip to the 50s-style Ruby’s Diner, which has big, shiny red booths with incredible views of the ocean and is a great spot for lunch. WHEN TO GO The weather is delightful year round with an average dail! temperature that hovers around 70 degrees. which is comple- mented by perfect blue skies. From December to March there is a slight chance of rain (but a better chance of clear skies). These are also the months to call up Helgren’s Oceanside Trips for their two-hour whale-watching excursions. a chance to ogle these magnificent 40-foot mammals as they migrate south towards Baja, Mexico. Carlsbad has a street faire on the first Sunday in November and again, in May, when over 900 arrs and crafts booths are set up downtown. In February, Del Mar hosts an Ugly Dog Contest at the Fairgrounds, a Fundraiser by the Humane Society with a raucous parade of unusual or strange looking dogs (the ugliest gets a prize). From June through August there are TGIF jazz-in-the-park concerts every Friday at 6 p.m., held ac various Carlsbad parks. And in the fall there is an Oktoberfest at Holiday Park. a lively festival of German food and music. DID YOU KNOW America’s largest stare park is the 600,000-acre Anza-Borrego Desert Scare Park in eastern San Diego county. tucked in a val- ley bordered by mountains climbing nearly 9,000 feet. The Park has geothermal-heated springs offering soothing mineral baths in both indoor and outdoor pools. as well as great trails for hiking and biking. There are also grear golf courses nearby. Did you. know that the flower fields at Carlsbad Ranch (www.theflowerfields.com) represent the only working farm char allows visitors to stroll the paths and experience this rior of color up close? NAME-S AND NUMBERS BlPLANE,AIR COMBAT & WARBIRD ADVENTURES 2160 Palomar Airport Road 800 SKYLOOP i800 759.5667) NWW barnsrc:-lng co- CARLSBAD CHAMBER OF COMMERCE 800.2!7.X’22/i60 931 8430 W. .v (arlzc: srg. CARLSBAD CONVENTION AND VISITORS BUREAU 800 227 K!,‘?C~~ 13 5%: www.car1sbad.u org FLOWER FIELDS AT CARLSBAD RANCH East of I-5 at Palomar Atrporr Road 760 43 1 0352 www rhefiowerhe’as z- SAN OIEGO NORTH COUNTY CONVENTION ANDVISITORS BUREAU 800.848.33361760 745 4741 ‘~v/wsandlegoncrr~.tom SIGHTS OF SAN DIEGO HOTEL RESERVATIONS 600 434 7894 www booksandle;: .!m ABOVL: Waterfalls in ka-Borrego Desert State Park. 0 ‘n. ’ .>-,+--‘,,;,, ,A-: _ - , O‘mbsB l r !%I Diqo. ,---’ ,.’ ,,--I’ //- orange, have bucker seats for two in the front; the pilot sits EkO\ just a few feet behind vou TY l. (think of the movie “The Eng- : . . i 1 lish Patient”). Because biplanes fly no faster than 80mph, it’s a surprisingly smooth ride; no high speed bounces through air turbulence. The owners, Tom and Kate, have taken up 60,000 Unired Express services Car/Sad w~rh I I a&iv tli+ drrecr Fern Lo.c .~ny&; .~rl(l ,j+ . L nrar!y 30 non-stop roundtrip &hs &i(v bctuvr~~ S‘rn Dlero ‘znd Los .-lr~~&?. people over the last 10 years, from five-year-o& to octogenarians celebrating birthdays-they haven’t scratched a plane yet. People keep coming back and it’s easy to see why! Up here, the Pacific Ocean unfolds 1,000 feet beneath you in an endless canvas of blue. The spindly black skeletons of off-shore reefs are visible just beneath the surface, as are dense, undulating forests of orange kelp. Meanwhile, the white beach unwinds like a long, thin ribbon along the coast, clouds drifi by and sailboats, the size of small toys, dot the horizon. If your fantasies tend to be more grounded, create a fanciful afternoon by heading to Legoland Park, just five min- utes from Palomar Airport and a great place to enterrain children and families. This robust and imaginative theme park sprawls over 128 acres and includes 5,000 lego models, puppet shows, acrobatic performances and colorful rides-al1 designed to delight kids aged 3 to 12. Pint-sized pilots can maneuver their own lego helicopters at Sky Patrol, or head to the Royal Joust to ride Lego horses through medieval castles. Builders Guild has tens of thousands of legos for budding architects, while the rainbow-colored boats on Fairy Tale Brook meander through favorite legends brought to life with legos. In the summer, don’t miss Water Works, where kids can frolic in spunky, interactive fountains. Just down the street; visitors will find the Museum of Making Music, which is another Carlsbad original. It chronicles 100 years of American music, celebrating 450 diff erent instruments. and rhe Model Store is stocked with instruments for people of all ages to try to play. One of Carlsbad’s more famous images is the spectacular flower fields at Carlsbad Ranch bursting forth in a vivid rainbow of blossoms that stretch across rhe dry hills every spring. Giant rows of dense rununculus presenr I’ rve music and great margarirllj on rhc 0ti- door patio. or swing bv The AlIe!. for some jazz. Neimans is a 1 I?-year-old \‘icroriJn mansion where vou can dine on fresh fish in a turn-of-the-centun rotunda ballroom, also a great spot for Sunday brunch. For more casual dining. head to the Harbor Fish Cafe, where meals are served on blue- and-white checked rableclochs under a thatched roof, jusr a few feet from the coast. Nearby Kafana Coffee Shop has live music on their patio every night in the summer, every weekend in the winter. Part of Carlsbad’s charm is its prox- imiry to a string of delightful and authen- tic beach towns that line the coast-Leu- cadia, Encinitas, Cardiff-by-the-sea, So- lana Beach, De1 Mar. Consider a scenic drive south along the ocean-hugging Pacific Coast Highway. In Encinitas, stop by the Quail Botanical Gardens co see 30 acres of lush plants and trees from all over the world. Check out the Enciniras Ranch Golf Course. 175-acres of greens with ocean views, or head to nearby Swami’s Beach, especially popular with local surfers. Another 1 j-minutes south is Cardiff Beach -don’r miss the Chart House restaurant, a spectacular spot for sunset. Sertle in beside their fire pits to sip chardonnay and nibble calamari appetizers while the ocean crashes inro huge plexiglass windows just a few feet away. Consider a scenic tour inland, explor- ing the breathtaking desert scenery of Anza-Borrego State Park. Or, stop by the Wild Animal Park, inland at Escondido. to see a 2,000-acre wildlife preserve with :’ their open petals and bobbing heads, blossoming in broad painr strokes of primary colors that last for nearly eight weeks from lace March ro early May. There are 10,000 different hues of rhese showy blooms blanketing 50 acres. rhinos, elephants, z giraffes. and gazelles g grazing in recrea- : 5 = with dirt paths chat invite you to wander among the fragrant kaleidoscope. It’s a beautiful sight and Carlsbad Ranch stands as the only working tlower farm in the world that offers such a delightful privilege. [ions of their natural G : In the evenings, head to the narrow, tree-lined srreets of Carlsbad Village. After exploring the boutiques and small shops, srop by The Coyote to enjoy COUNTERCLOCKWISE FROM LEFT TO RIGHi: Aquazane at Legoland; a South African cheetah at the San Diego Wild Animal Park:Four Seasons Aviara Golf Course. here. Connoisseurs can explore the nearby wineries tucked into inland valleys. The Orfila Vineyards offers wine tastings everv day, as does the Deer Park Winery and Auto museum, which offers 15 acres of orchards, grape arbors, shady oaks, picnic grounds, and the country’s largest auto museum of vin- tage convertibles. There are so many different activities and areas to explore, you could spend weeks in and around Carlsbad. Don’t expect ro spend too much time indoors, though, the temperate, sunshine and light ocean breezes make the outdoors addictive. Pack lots of sunscreen and a wide-brim hat, and leave plenty of room to haul home a suitcase of smiles-Southern California doesn’t get any prettier than this! IF GOLF IS YOUR GAME, Carlsbad has a course for you. Stop by the Torrey Pines course, just south of Carlsbad, to expe- .tience a clifftop course overlooking rhe ocean with breathtaking views from the fairways and greens (call well in advance for tee times). Or, try the 18-hole public course at Carlsbad’s Four Seasons Aviara Resort, named the top southern California resort in Conde Na.rrj “1777 Gold List,” with lovely grounds and an Arnold Palmer-designed par-72 course. You can also sign up for tennis lessons with local professionals to improve your game on hard or clay courts that are lit for nighttime play. Also in Carlsbad, the luxuriant La Costa Resort and Spa hosts the annu- al Acura Tennis Classic every August, in addition to offering ~0 18-hole private courses and a world-class spa. s Grex hch~5. world-class shappr~!~. restJurJnfs ud, charmer and the home of LEGOLASD’ cdrtornra. m&Ike Cwlsiud the compiere vac.atv~n desrmarrotr. For more m,ormmor, on vow ne.rt (amri~ uacarlon rn C.lrlst?J,. call i07 your free vrs~tor’s gutde. Carlrbrd Convantion and Visitors Bureau PO Box 1246 Car&bad, CA 91018 800-227-5722 Fax(760)434-6056 Web Page: -.carlsbadca.org e-mall: convls@carlsbadca.org For the price of one, two titst-time visitors ro the Spa can enjoy this remarkable journey through steam, sauna and Eucalyptus therapy, Mowed by the famed “Taking of the Waters” in individual private whirlpool tubs. Then slowly cool down in the peace and harmony of due Ttanquiiity Room. Relax your body, clear your mind. The world-acclaimed Spa has been voted “Best in the Valley” for sii years running, ask about our full range of Spa services and treatments. Just mention or bring in this ad to receive this special introducxion to a truly unique and rejuvenatig experience. Monday through Thursday. Holidays adudcd, not rvaiiablc IO grwpa or wldl otbcr discounts. OITCI expwcs March 31.2001 PALM SPRINGS 100 N. Indian Gnyon Drive, Palm Springs, CA 92262 (800) 851-1179 or (760) 325-1461 wwyuhorclandcasmo.com ‘. ,_ 9 -u i 5 z -d * h ; z 7 ? : , 4 -- e l l l l l l l l l l l l l e l e l l e l l l l l l a l . l . l l . l l l l l l l a l l l l Board of Directors Meeting Carlsbad Convention and Visitors Bureau May 23,200l 4:00 P.M. Old Train Depot Conference Room CALL TO ORDER Vice Chairman, Michael Flickinger, called the April 2001 meeting to order at 4:05 P.M. ROLL CALL Present: Debbie Brassey, Carol DuDeck, Michael Flickinger, Beverly Jenks, Bob Moore, Diane Scheer, Nancy Nayudu, Shari West Absent: Anita Boeker, Eddie Maldonado, Bob Seddelmeyer, Norine Sigafoose, Nancy Trevithick, Al Wanamaker CVB Staff: Kurt B&hart APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES A motion was made and seconded to approve the minutes for the March 30,200l Board meeting. The motion passed. APPROVAL OF THE FEBRUARY FINANCIAL REPORT A motion was made and seconded to approve the March 2001 Financial Report. The motion passed. CVB EMPLOYEE HANDBOOK A motion was made and seconded to approve the draft copy of the Carlsbad Convention and Visitors Bureau Employee Handbook of Policies and Procedures. The motion passed. EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR’S REPORT The Vice Chairman asked the Executive Director to give his report to the Board. Sacramento Trip, April 23: The Carlsbad CVB Executive Director was part of a Chamber delegation (Chamber Chairman, Eddie Moldanado, Chamber Chairman-elect, 1 46 Gary Hill, LEGOLAND President, Mark Germyn, Co-President for Grand Pacific Resorts, Tim Stripe, Chamber President, Jan Sobel, and others) that flew to Sacramento to meet with Senator Bill MoITOW, Assemblyman Alan Wyland, Technology, Trade, and Commerce Agency Secretary, Lon Hatamiya and Deputy Secretary, Joe Raguso, Deputy Legislative Secretary for Governor Davis, Val Dolcini, and the Chief-of-Staff for Assemblywoman Pat Bates. Issues relative to tourism, especially the energy crisis, were discussed. CVB Board-Staff Retreat: Board members responded to the Executive Director’s request for subjects to be considered at the May 19* retreat. In all, sixteen topics were received. The Executive Director said that he has already forwarded those topics to the retreat’s facilitator, Mesa, Arizona CVB Executive Director Robert Brinton, .and that they have spent several hours discussing the upcoming retreat. He also indicated that he plans to meet with Robert at the IACVB CEO Forum in Tempe, Arizona this week. Pow Wow, Orlando, Florida, May. 5 - 10: The Carlsbad CVB will attend this annual Travel Industry Association industry trade show, with La Costa and Inns of America joining as co-op partners. This will be the first time for Inns of America. IACVB CEO Forum, April 26 - 29: The Executive Director will attend the annual CEO Forum, sponsored by the International Association of Convention and Visitor Bureaus in Tempe. Public Relations: The Executive Director said that Frankie Laney has a presentation that she will make to the Board at its May meeting to update the Board on current activities and provide an outline for the CVB’s public relations action plan. COMMENTS FROM THE CHAIRMAN Michael Flickinger, Vice Chairman, chaired this month’s meeting due to the absence of Chairman Sigafoose. Nominating Committee: The Vice Chairman appointed the following Board members to serve on the nominating committee: Bev Jenks, Diane Scheer, Carol DuDeck, Shari West, Norine Sigafoose. They were asked to meet as soon as possible to present a slate of candidates to the Board for election at the next scheduled meeting. Group Sales Manager: The Vice Chairman summarized a recent meeting with Cynthia Haas, in which he, Norine Sigafoose and the Executive Director met to discuss additional funding to support a full time group sales manager. It was further disclosed by the Vice Chairman that Cami Matson, President of the San Diego North County CVB, has stated her intent to seek funding from the city this year to support their group sales efforts. Board members expressed their support to have funding that would make it possible to have a full time sales manager on board with the CVB who is working ex<:usively for Carlsbad to bring corporate, incentive and association group business to Carlsbad properties. 2 D B D D D D m l l B l l 8 8 8 l l l l l l e l e l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l e l Ir The meeting also provided discussion about how to possibly leverage funding the CVB receives by looking at opportunities with San Diego North CVB, such as membership in that organization. Taking the lead fiorn that meeting, the Vice Chairman said that it would bode well for us to at least look at what the membership requirements/benefits are and asked for a motion that would allow the Executive Director to meet with San Diego North County CVB to learn what he can about membership and report back to the Board. A motion was made and approved to ask the Executive Director to meet with San Diego North County CVB to inquire about membership. The Executive Director said that he would move forward to arrange that meeting. He indicated that he would attempt to meet with Cami Matson at the CEO Forum this weekend. Board Vacancy: The Vice Chairman said that in his discussions with Norine Sigafoose, it was disclosed that the By-Laws allow for a Uti member of the Board. The name of Michellie Jones, a Carlsbad resident and Olympic silver medal winner, was proposed to fill the 15” seat. Her world-class status would help to support the many sporting and athletic events that occur in Carlsbad. A motion was made and passed to table any action on this appointment due to the upcoming meeting of the nominating committee. Shari West said that she had some helpful information that she would make available to the Board on what nonprofits ought to look for in selecting board members. The Executive Director asked to have that information and that he would send it to members. NEW BUSINESS There was none. OLD BUSINESS There was none. ADJOURNMENT : The Vice Chairman asked for and received a motion, along with a second, to adjourn. Members present voted to adjourn at 5:20 P.M. 3 4% 0 0 l 8 0 8 a a a l a l l l l l l l l l e- l l l l l l l l l l l l ie l l l l l e l e l Board of Directors Meeting Carlsbad Convention and Visitors Bureau March 30,200l 4:00 P.M. Old Train Depot Conference Room CALL TO ORDER The Chairman called the March 2001 meeting to order at 4: 10 P.M. ROLL CALL Present: Debbie Brassey, Carol DuDeck, Michael Flickinger, Beverly Jenks, Eddie Maldonado, Bob Moore, Diane Scheer, Bob Seddelmeyer, Nancy Nayudu, Norine Sigafoose, Nancy Trevithick, Shari West Absent: Anita Boeker, Al Wanamaker CVB Staff: Kurt Burkhart APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES A motion was made and seconded to approve the minutes. APPROVAL OF THE FEBRUARY FINANCIAL REPORT A motion was made and seconded to approve the February 2001 Financial Report. EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR’S REPORT The Chairman asked the Executive Director to give his report to the Board. California Conference on Tourism: This is an annual conference, jointly sponsored by California Tourism and the California Travel Industry Association (CalTIA), and was held at the Hyatt Newporter in Newport Beach. It was the first time in ten years that the conference has met outside of Sacramento. Technology was the theme, addressing issues of marketing and how to maintain a competitive edge in a field that is rapidly growing. The founder and CEO of Travelocitycom, Terry Jones, addressed a plenary session on the subject of on-line travel and the growing competition in’this industry to grow market share in all aspects of the travel industry, including Destination Marketing. Legislative issues before the state legislature were also discussed, as was CalTIA’s political action 1 . . co&ttee. The nsmg cost of energy, and the out-of-state perception of California as a ‘state in chaos,’ and the upcoming vote to assess for funding to the state office of tourism were issues on the forefront for this year’s conference. Next year the conference will return to Sacramento, but the Executive Director indicated that he would contact Carolyn Beteta, Executive Director for the California Travel and Tourism Commission, to ask hat a UP for years 2003 and 2005 be sent to the Carlsbad CVB SO that our city can compete in those years as the venue for the California Conference on Tourism. The Executive Director said that, “there are two properties in Carlsbad that couId accommodate the size and neea!s of this conference, and there ‘s no reason why we shouldn ‘r go after this business. ” Sales Coordinator Position: It was disclosed that T.J. Stroben, the Bureau’s part-time sales coordinator, resigned her position to accept a full-time opportunity in real estate. Her departure, according to the Executive Director, presents a tremendous opportunity for the CVB to hire a full-time, ‘seasoned professional in the area of group sales. Anticipating the need to fill this important staff position, the Executive Director has advertised the position on the Western-Association of Convention and Visitor Bureaus website, with a deadline for submitting resumes, etc. by April 6*. He said that the current budget does not allow for the Bureau to make an offer to hire someone at this time, although he indicated that salary and benefits is the key issue. The Board expressed great concern that this position was vacant and, with a motion that was seconded and unanimously approved, asked the Executive Director to meet with Cynthia Haas to ask for supplemental tiding to support Carlsbad’s group sales effort. It was pointed out by several Board members that the Bureau has done its part by bringing online the Meeting Planner website and placing ads in trade journals that are read by meeting planner professionals. The Executive Director said that 4000 direct response postcards are on hold because we do not have the staff to support this our group sales efforts. The Board was optimistic that supplemental funding could be found to fund this position. All agreed that the position is needed and serves a critical need. The Executive Director said that he would send a letter to Ms. Haas requesting a meeting, to include the current and incoming Chairs. RFP for Website Makeover: The Executive Director said that he will soon issue an RFP for a website makeover for the Bureau’s site. “‘It was built more than four years ago, and it S time to reassess the site, with an eye toward content, functionality and greater ease on the part of the user to navigate. ” He said that the state tourism office would soon undergo a makeover after two years with its present site. “Furthermore, with , our current creative in the print materials, advertising and CD-ROM, our website fails to incorporate a like image that conveys continuity of branding. ” The Executive Director said that over the years, our website grew in piecemeal fashion and that with the inclusion of the Meeting Planner, .we now have two totally different images. “This is inconsistent with the standards of electronic branding, ” said the Executive Director. He also pointed out that the Bureau has not gone out for bids on these types of projects in the past, and that he felt a responsibility to elevate our business relationships to a more professional level by selecting vendors, where it makes sense to do so, through the RFP process. The Bureau hopes to have the RFP ready to issue within 45 days. -4 4 4 4 a 4 a a a a a a a a a l a a a a a a 0 a a a 0 a a 0 a a 0 0 0 0 a 0 0 0 0 a 63 l i a’ l l l a l l a l a a l a l a l a l l l l a a l a l a l l a a i 0 a a l 0 l a a a l l ITB, Berlin: The Bureau attended the 35* annual ITB (International Travel Bureau) Show in Berlin, Germany, joining the Best Western Terrace Inn/Beach View properties in what is recognized as the world’s largest industry trade show. Overall, the Executive Director was impressed with the quality of the show - consumer traffic and trade industry representatives. He said that it is his desire to outsource our attendance at ITB in 2002 by having a German-speaking travel industry professional represent Carlsbad “BY outsourcing, we gain in several areas. First, we can save 60% or more on what we would expect to spend by my going to Germany, and, secondly, by having someone who is an industry professional who not only speaks the language but has lived in San Diego County and knows our market, it adds tremendous credibility by strengthening our presence. ” The Executive Director said that he outsourced the ITB show with his German intern who had previousiy worked in his office in Flagstaff, and that the arrangement worked extremely well. As he told the Board “this may have been our last ITB in which we send someonefiom the Bureau. ” ITB is extremely important, as the show draws a heavy German presence-and others throughout Europe. “Our attendance strongly reinforces our destination in the minds of traveling Europeans. ” Carlsbad, First: Board members were reminded that the Carlsbad CVB has spent, “hundreds of thousands of dollars and has traveled tens of thousands of miles to promote our community, Carlsbad. ” The Executive Director said that, “we all need to do ourpart to support the home team, making sure that Carlsbad remains ‘top of mind’ as a preferred year-round travel destination. ” The Chairman said that she would comment on this when it is her time to share the Chair’s remarks with the Board. CD-ROM, 2”d Issue: April 19* is the scheduled delivery date for the second issue of the CD-ROM. This year the Bureau had 16 new businesses join as sponsors. “we are excited with the added content, the streaming video, and the increase of community partners in this award-winning project, ” said the Executive Director. He shared with Board members a copy of the new cover design which evokes more activities throughout Carlsbad, “including The Flower Fields;, the Carlsbad 5K, LEGOLAND, golfing, strolling on the beach, ” while the back cover includes, for the first time, the Warbirds, an aviation attraction that flies out of Polamar Airport. The Executive Director said that our distribution channels have improved since the release of the first CD-ROM, and that travel writers would be identified who fit the profile that supports the kind of coverage that Carlsbad could enjoy in future publications. Advertising Schedule for 2001: Advertising wilI continue up through June, so as not to take the summer for granted. The Executive Director said that the Bureau ‘has bases covered’ leading up to the summer, with 14 ad placements in re B ional and national publications. Of most interest is the placement in the April 22” issue of Parade Magazine, where Carisbad will be featured in the magazine’s largest ever travel section, with Parade inserts into 54 California state newspapers and a combined circulation of 2.75 million. Tracking through reader response/business reply cards helps the Bureau to track the effectiveness of each ad placed and to make future ad buy determinations. Also, the Executive Director said that his request to Association Management to have a Bureau ad m at no cost to the CVB WAS granted, a~ the publishers of Association Management agreed that an error had been made on their part. The CVB will have a replacement ad at no cost in their companion magazine, Meetings West in May. Travel Writers: Admitting that not enough has been done over the last two years to develop the overall public relations efforts, the Executive Director said that he has purchased the membership director fkom the Society of American Travel Writers, a key tool for contacting travel writers. He said that, “this is something that should have been a long time ago, and now that we ‘11 soon have a roadmap for travel writers that identifies specific areas of interest and contact information, I am hopeful that this will greatly strengthen our PR from this oflce. ” Stories on Carlsbad have recently appeared Spring Gardens (a six page article with photos provided by the Bureau) and the Spanish language newspaper, La Opinion (full page, featuring The Flower Fields), with a combined valuation of $85,000. Assistance Tom this office was provided for story research and site access throughout Carlsbad while the writers for these publications were on assignment. The Executive Director pointed out that he would take a full page of editorial on Carlsbad over a print ad, &d, “that s preciseZy what we should be striving to achieve through our travel writer program. ” Letter to L.A. Travel Trade Show Operator: As he indicated at the February Board meeting, the Executive Director shared with members a copy of the letter he sent to Mr. Dennis Freeman, the operator of the L.A. and Phoenix Travel Shows. Although the letter asked for a reimbursement for the L.A. show, the Executive Director voiced his doubt about receiving such. Either way, ‘the Bureau is carefiIly reviewing each and every show that we attend to determine whether it’s a goodjit for our overall marketing strategy. ” Update on Visitors to the Depot: Volunteers continue to be the lifeblood for operating the Visitor Center. The Executive Director said that in the month of February, 38 1 volunteer hours were expended by 35 volunteers to welcome 919 visitors who signed the guest book. “The combined time by our volunteers in February equates to having 2jU time stafi working 40 hours a weekfor more 4 weeks and 4 days, which is time that the Bureau could not afford to pay for. ” He pointed out that for Bureaus operating a Visitor Center, the accepted ‘slippage’ is 10 - 15 percent, meaning that, of those who visit, it’s that percentage that will fail to sign a guest register (distracted, someone already singing, forget to sign, etc.). “Without our volunteers, it would be very difficult for the Bureau to operate a Visitor Center, ” said the Executive Director. He also pointed out that the CVB . recognizes its volunteers by hosting, together with a host restaurant/hotel, a monthly Volunteer Appreciation Luncheon. In March 32 volunteers were treated to a tour of The Flower Fields by Joni Miringoff, and lunch was provided at Sammy’s. The combined in- kind services provided by The Flower Fields and Sammy’s was $645. CVB Employee Handbook: The final draft of the CVB Employee Handbook on Policies and Procedures will be sent out by the end of this week to all Board members. The Board will consider the approval of the Handbook at its April meeting. The - l .\ ( ( I 4 ( ( ( 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 d 4 .4 d 4 d 4 4 4 d 4 a a 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 B.oard of Directors Meeting Carlsbad Convention and Visitors Bureau February t&2001 490 P.M. Old Train Depot Conference Room CALL TO ORDER The Chairman called the February 2001 meeting to order at 4:05 P.M. ROLL CALL Present: Anita Boeker, Debbie Brassey, Michaei Flickinger, Beverly Jenks, Eddie Maldonado, Bob Moore, Diane Scheer Bob Seddelmeyer, Nancy Nayudu, Norine Sigafoose, Nancy Trevithick, Al Wanamaker Absent: Shari West (excused) CVB staffz Kurt Burkhart APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES A motion was made and seconded to approve the minutes. APPROVAL OF THE JANUARY FINANCIAL, REPORT The Chairman recognized Bob Seddelmeyer and he gave an overview of the new format for the financial report. A subsequent motion was made and seconded by the Board to approve the new format. EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR’S REPORT The Chairman asked the Executive Director to give his report to the Board. PenonneI Committee: Work is proceeding toward the completion of the CVB Handbook of Policies and Procedures. The Executive Director would like to have the finalized copy before the Board at its March meeting for approval. He indicated that two meetings of the personnel committee had occurred since the January meeting. Additionally, all position underwent a review and new position descriptions were written for each. Meeting Planner Website: A soft launch has already been done for the meeting planner website. This is a new initiative that was funded by city council to ‘go after the small-to- medium’ meetings and conference business. Within the first thirty-minutes of going on-line, the CVB received its first inquiry from Bethlehem, PA The Executive Director said that the group sales business is a natural progression for the CVB, and that the Bureau appreciates the fimding it received from the city to develop this additional line of business. This is an excellent demonstration of city funds being reinvested to support Carlsbad for Carlsbad. He also pointed out that, for the Year 2000, the CVB’s part-time sales coordinator had a group sales closure rate of 43%, resulting in an estimated % 1.3 million in combined food & beverage sales and TOT for Carlsbad. Community Enhancement Program.Funds Application: The CVB has requested in its FY 200142 application, 380,000 for funding to support future Internet development, advertising, trade shows, and membership into the National Tour Association @TA). The Executive Director said that last years program funds request for $25,000 yielded $13,000 for the CVB from the San Diego Board of Supervisors. Strategic Planning Retreat: Since the CVB does not have funding in the budget for a professional facilitator (prices range upward to $2000), the Board learned of some options that could be covered through creative in-kind services. A five-hour session was proposed, with early April as the first of several possibilities. The Executive Director will have more to share with the Board at its March meeting. Tourism Resident Survey: A discussion about Phase II of the ERA Study on Tourism provided the Executive Director the opportunity to meet with city staff, ERA and others and to provide input for the survey to be conducted. Accent-w-a Match Play Golf Championship: It was stressed that this premier international event is coming back to La Costa in 2001, having just been played in Melbourne, Australia in 2000. This event had a $5 million purse, with a one million dollar grand prize. The Executive Director met with Michael Gertner, Championship Director, and Jan Sobel, Chamber president, to strategize on ways to promote the tournament and increase local support for the event. Eddie Moldanado echoed his strong support, and suggested that a partnership with the city is the best way to build community support for this top-flight PGA event. He also said that the tournament is looking for a permanent home for this event, and that Carlsbad may need to compete to keep this event in our city. Database of Contacts: Development has be,- to create a viable database of local suppliers (hotels, restaurants, attractions), media (local, San Diego, Regional, Los Angeles metro, statewide, domestic, international, freelance and travel writers), trade and professional associations (California and Arizona), meeting planners (comprehensive state and national), and travel agents (from all shows attended). The Executive Director indicated that, although the process will be ongoing, he believes the bulk of entries can be accomplished within the ne,xt si.xty days. 2 a a a a 0 0 0 a l l a a a l l l a 0 l 0 l a l l l l a l l l l l l l l l l a a e l l s+ l i’ 8 l l l l D m B D D B B B B D B B D D D B D D D I) l I) D D l ’ . . l l l l 0 0 l l l l a Economic Downturn: TOO much talk about a recession may actually lead to a softening of the economy, and that could impact tourism in Carlsbad. Additionally, the perception of an energy crisis in California is already having negative implications. The Executive Director said that more funding might be required to continue with marketing and advertising to keep Carlsbad ‘top of mind’ for leisure travelers. Bob Seddelmeyer said that one local property was ‘sweating, . . . not upbeat with the economy . . . looking at a 56% drop in business.” He reiterated what the Executive Director said on the possibility of an economic slowdown and the California energy crisis. CD-ROM, Second Edition: Work is nearing completion on the second edition of the HSMAI Award Winning CD-ROM. A net increase in the number of local sponsors will yield additional content. Mid-April is the target date for release, with improved distribution to the media market and trade representatives at future trade shows. On-line Reservations: The CVB has joined as an associate with Travelhero.com, an international on-line reservation system, This relationship will generate a small but steady income stream for the CVB, which, in turn, will help to support the Bureau’s Internet website. Barry Nakano, a representative for Travelhero.com, will be the featured speaker at the monthly Hotel-Motel Committee meeting on March 20, to be held at the conference facility, Pacific Palasades; Board members are invited to attend ‘Week at a Glance’: For the first-time, the CVB has begun &ring to local restaurants, hotels and retail establishments, a f& of weekly events for line staff to reference when interacting with customers. These faxes are sent every Monday evening after 1l:OO P.M. Initial response has been very good Corn those who have received the fax. Replacement Sign for the CVB: Work is underway to design a sign for the CVB to replace the one that was stolen in mid-January. No date has been given for the completion of the sign The new sign will feature the CVB logo, street address, phone number and website address, along with the international symbol - i- for information. Incoming Telephone Inquiries: A graph was presented to the Board that tracked all incoming calls for the Year 2000. The results showed that 39% of all inquiries to the CVB mentioned the Internet as the primary source for information about C&bad. This supports the increasing reliance and importance of the Internet for obtaining. destination and other travel-related information Other areas mentioned were newspapers, travel -guides, television, local attractions, and other. Full time administrative assistant: The recent resignation of Geri Vitale, part-time administrative assistant, has created a vacancy that the Executive Director would Iike to fill on a full-time basis. He also indicated that the part-time sales coordinator position should be a full- time position, to support the group sales efforts by the CVB to solicit business in the small-to- medium meetings market. Copyright infringement of CVB Logo: Unauthorized use of the CVB logo by a local business resulted in the Executive Director cahing that business to request that it be removed Due to 3 , . inclement weather, the sign could not be changed but a change was promised, along with an apology to the CVB. l,os Angeles Travel Show: It was reported that the LA Travel Show was not up to the expectations of not only the CVB, but it also failed to meet the expectations of other exhibitors. The Executive Director said that he would request a refund from show organizers, although he did not believe such a refund would be forthcoming. Consequently, this show and the companion travel show in Phoenix will not be repeated next year. Instead, other opportunities will be explored to increase brand awareness and to sustain key market support Advertising: Meetings were held with sales representatives of Phoenix Magazine, Via Magazine &AA) and Association Management (AWE) to explore future ad buys. International Association of Convention and Visitor Bureaus: The Carlsbad CVB’s application for membership into IACVB has been accepted and the Bureau is now a member of the professional trade association that represents the visitor services industry. COMMENTS FROM THE CHAIRMAN The Chairman said that she would like to appoint a budget committee to work with the CVB Executive Director. Appointed to this committee were incoming chairman Michael Flickinger, Bob Moore, and Norine Sigafoose. The Executive Director was asked to convene a meeting in the near future. Board members were also reminded by the Chairman to attend the Strategic Planning Retreat when a date and place has been decided. N-EW BUSINESS There was none. OLD BUSINESS There was none. ADJOURNMENT . . The Chairman asked for and received a motion, along with a second, to adjourn. Members present voted to adjourn at 5:00 P.M. 4 4 a 4 4 4 4 a a a a a a a a a a a 4 a a 4 a a 4 4 a 4 a 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 a 4 4 a a a 529 a i 6- l a a a l 0 l 0 a l l l a l l l l a a l l l l a 0 l l a a 0 l l a l l l l l l a 0 Executive Director said that he would like to have all suggestions and/or possible changes sent back to him before the April 25* Board meeting. Various Meetings: The Executive Director continues to attend various meetings throughout the c~mmmity, such as the Carlsbad Village Business Association, Rotary International, the Hospitality Roundtable, and the monthly meeting of the Hotel-Motel Committee. COMMENTS FROM THE CHAIRMAN Carlsbad, First: The Chairman encouraged Board members to use Carlsbad’s tagline, Carlsbad, California’s Newest Playground, in print and other promotions, where possible. Agreeing with the Executive Director, the Chairman stressed the need for everyone to, “support the home team, by supporting the Carlsbad CVB, first. ” She continued, saying that, “we all work hard to attract business to Carlsbad and we collect TOTfor the City of Carlsbad. ” Echoing what some on council have said in the past, “Carlsbad is the jewel of San Diego County!” Protocol for Board and Staff in dealing with elected offkials: The Chairman revisited an issue that was before the Board at its December 1996 meeting, in which protocol was set for how Board members and CVB staff are to deal with each other and with elected officials. The Executive Director was asked to assist the Chairman by articulating to staff the protocol that is being re-established. Budget Committee: Anticipating a thorough review by city council on the Bureau’s budget submission for FY 01-02, the Chairman appointed a budget committee to consist of, the Chairman, Bob SeddIemeyer, Bob Moore and Michael Fhckinger and the CVB’s Executive Director. The Chairman agreed with the Executive Director in that the CVB budget needs to be complete and accurate, taking into account new programs, staffing needs and the possibility of administrative office space separate from the Visitor Center. The Executive Director was asked to contact board members on this committee and to convene a meeting as soon as possible. NEW BUSINESS There was none. OLD BUSINESS There was none. ADJOURNMENT The Chairman asked for and received a motion, along with a second, to adjourn. Members present voted to adjourn at 5:05 P.M. a o- l l l l l l l l l l l 0 l a l l l a a l l l l l a a a a a l ** a l a l a l l l l a l I Board of Directors Meeting Carlsbad Convention and Visitors Bureau January 24,200 1 4:00 P.M. Old Train Depot Conference Room CALL TO ORDER The Chairman called the January 2001 meeting to order at 4:05 p.m. : ROLL CALL Present: Michael Flickinger, Anita Boeker, Debbie Brassey, Carol DuDeck, Beverly Jenks, Eddie Maldonado, Bob Moore, Nancy Nayudu, Bob Seddelmeyer, Nance Trevithick, Al Wanamaker, Shari West, Norine Sigafoose Absent: Diane Scheer (excused) CVB Staff: Kurt Burkhart, Frankie Lanq, T.J. Stroben INTRODUCTION BY CHAIRMAN The Chair introduced Kurt Burkhart, the new Executive Director, to the Board of Directors. APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES & FINANCIAL REPORT Following the brief introduction, a motion was made and seconded to approve the minutes and the attached financial report for the’Bureau. By a voice vote the motion carried. Discussion followed on the financial report, and suggestions were made as to what would make the report easier to read. The executive director took note of said suggestions and would work toward making such changes. EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR’S REPORT The Chair asked the Executive Director to give his report to the board. Kurt Burl&art introduced Frankie Laney, who provided an update on the travel writers program by saying that it is currently being restructured to be more applicable to the needs of the I I CVB. Specifically, membership into the Society of American Travel Writers (SATE) is being considered by the CVB as one way to build a database of writers to be contacted for future familiarization tours (FAMs) and writing assignments. Additionally, the Executive Director asked T.J. Stroben to comment on the progress of the meeting plqer website, currently being developed in cooperation with the Flowers Group. Local suppliers have been asked to provide information that will be used on the new addition to the current. website, together with a future mailing of postcards to some 4000 professional meeting planners in the United States who have stated a preference for Southern California as a meeting venue. The launch of the meeting planner website is now slated for sometime in late February or early March 200 1. The Executive Director said that the Bureau would soon be joining the International Association of Convention and Visitor Bureaus (IACVB) and shared with board members the benefits of membership. Some board members were familiar with IACVB and indicated that it would be a good move for the CVB to join this professional trade association. Board members discussed the current agenda for upcoming travel trade shows, and the Executive Director said that after the current schedule is met, that all future shows would be on the table for review. He indicated that prior commitments had been made to attend the ITB show in Berlin, Germany, and that he would determine whether this would be a show the Bureau would continue with in subsequent years. The Bureau was reminded by one board member to sell the fact that ‘Carlsbad is not L.A., that Southern California has electricity!’ The board also discussed the possibility of expanding its focus to include motor coach tours, which the Executive Director said that membership into the National Tour Association would be one way to tap into the lucrative market of packaged tour and travel business. According to the Executive Director, ‘this segment travel is no longer a seniors-only market. ’ Additionally, interest amongst board members was sufficient to ‘float’ some ideas on how the Bureau could build support from within the community and strengthen its support from the city. Ideas included a cost/benefit analysis for shows and advertising, together with information about the in-kind services provided by local suppliers. The Executive Director said that the Bureau would be able to show more statistical data on visitation, telephone inquiries and website activity within the next several months. NEW BUSINESS The Chair asked the Executive Director to report on the current health care plan that covers employees at the CVB. He said that, according to the underwriter of the health policy, there would not be an increase in the premiums, and recommended staying with this plan for another year. The Chair asked for a motion to approve two resolutions for the annual grant-funding request for both the Carlsbad Convention and Visitors Bureau and the North County Marketing Group (Carlsbad, Oceanside, Encinitas, Solana Beach). The Executive Director said these were needed to complete the application to request grant funding from the San Diego County Board of Supervisors. Motions were received and approved by the board. The Chair expressed concern that the CVB apparently did not have an employee handbook that spelled out the CVB policies and procedures. The Chair asked several questions of the Executive Director. Those questions and answers are as follows: Q. What are the hours of operation for Visitors Center? A. The public hours of operation, which includes hours of administration for the Visitors Center, are 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Q. Does the staffwork a fill eight hours a day? A. The staff works from 9:OO a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Q. How much time is allotted each employee for lunch? A. Bureau employees take anywhere between thirty minutes and one hour for lunch, each day. Q. Does the CVB have procedures for sick leave? A. No. Q. Does the Executive Director have plans for a procedures and policies manual? A. Yes, I do. It is my intention to have before the Board for its approval, an employee handbook that will detail policies and procedures. So far, no handbook has existed with the Bureau. Q. Does the Executive Director plan a review of all full time and part time positions in the bureau? A. Yes, I plan to review all positions, part-time and full-time, especially with a written performance appraisal. I don’t see how this Board can make an informed decision about future increases in pay without some written documentation. Q. Has the Executive Director assessed the current schedule of trade shows and, if so, does he have any recommendations about what shows the bureau should continue with and those that may possibly be eliminated? A. No, I’ve not had the opportunity to assess any of the travel shows. I’ve been on the job for three weeks, and have yet to attend any industry shows. However, as for travel trade shows, let me say that everything is on the table. The Board needs to know that I do not have any personal interests with what shows I attend. I simply want to do whatever accomplishes the mission of this Bureau. 3 After the brief Q & A session, a board member suggested that some type of system must be developed for accumulating leave and using it, when needed. It was also mentioned that the issue of exempt and non-exempt employees must be addressed, along with a three-month review for new hires. The Chair appointed a Personnel Committee to work with the Executive Director and report back to the Board with a draft of the CVB Handbook of Personnel Policies and Procedures. Selected were: Bob Moore, Nancy Nayudu, Michael Flickinger, Al Wanamaker, Norine Sigafoose. The executive director was asked to schedule and convene a meeting at the earliest possible date. The Executive Director passed out to Board members a calendar for 2001 that shows all work in progress for the Bureau from January through December. He said that this would change as new projects, meetings, advertising and trade shows calendared. Board members were pleased to see this. OLD BUSINESS Going into Old Business, the Chair deferred to the Executive Director regarding the Marketing Plan for 200 1. He said that it would be helpful to revisit the mission statement of the Bureau, along with the entire plan itself, before implementing the document. Board members were in agreement and the Chair appointed a Marketing Committee to meet with the Executive Director. On that committee: Anita Boeker, Carol DuDeck, Bob Seddlemeyer, Nancy Nayudu, Norine Sigafoose. Again, the Chair asked that the Executive Director convene a meeting of the Marketing Committee at a time that is convenient for all to attend. ADJOURNMENT 4 4 4 4 4 a 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 a 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 ‘4 4 d ( d 4 t l ( i 4 i The Chair asked if there was any more Old Business to consider. Hearing none, the Chair asked and received a motion to adjourn. Members present voted to adjourn at 5: 10 p.m. l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l b l l l l l l l l l ,a ;e Accommodations. See lodging. Ad hoc group: See preformed group. Addons: See optionals Adjoining rooms: TWO rOOmS located next to each other, usually with no door connecting them. Adventure tour: A tour designed around an adventurous activity such as rafting, hiking, or mountain climbing. Affinity group: A group Of people that share a common hobby, interest, or activity, or that are united through regular participation in shared outings. Also see preformed group. After-departure charge: Charges that do not appear on the guest’s bill at check out such as telephone or dining charges. Agent: One who has the power to act as the representative of another. Most frequently in travel, a specific kind of agent such as a travel agent. AI0 variables: Activities, interests, and opinions-used to measure and categorize customer lifestyles. Air sea: A cruise or travel package in which one or more transportation elements are provided by air and one or more by sea. The package is usually combined with local lodging. Airline fare: Price charged for an airline ticket. Several types of fares exist and can change with market conditions. Airlines Reporting Corporation (ARC): An organization that provides a method of approving authorized agency locations for the sale of transportation and cost-effective procedures for processing records and funds of such sales to carrier customers. All-inclusive package: A tour package in which most travel elements are purchased for a set price. Also called an all-expense package. Alumni tour: A tour created for customers who have previously traveled with a tour operator. Also called a reunion tour. Amenity package: A cluster of special features, such as complimentary shore excursions, bar or boutique credit, or wine at dinner offered to clients on a given tour or cruise, usually as a bonus or extra feature. Usually used to induce clients to book through a particular travel agency or organization. Attraction: An item of specific interest to travelers, such as natural wonders, manmade facilities and structures, entertainment, and activities. Average room rate: The total guest room revenue for a given period divided by the number of rooms occupied for the same period. Back to back: A term used to describe tours operating’on a consistent, continuing basis. For instance, a motorcoach arriving in a city from a cross-country tour may conclude the first tour upon arrival, then transport a second group back along the same route to the origination city of the first tour. Baggage handler: See porter. Baggage master: The person who controls baggage handling on a ship, Bed and breakfast (B&B): Overnight accommodations usually in a private home or boarding house, often with a full American-style or Continental breakfast included in one rate. Bell captain: The person in charge of luggage at a hotel. Block: A number of rooms, seats, or space reserved in advance, usually by wholesalers, tour operators, or receptive operators who intend to sell them as components of tour packages. Boarding pass: The document that allows a traveler to pass through the gate area and onto a plane or ship. Booking form: A document which purchasers of tours must complete to give the operator full particulars about who is buying the tour. It states exactly what is being purchased (including options) and must be signed as acknowledgment that the liability clause has been read and understood. Breakage: Expenses budgeted for a tour but not used or expended, thus resulting in additional profit to the tour operator. Examples include meals budgeted but not consumed, currency fluctuations in favor of the tour operator, or the tour selling to much larger numbers of passengers than expected. Break-even point (BEP): The point at which revenues and expenses are the same. For example, the BEP is the number of products (or seats, cabins, tickets, etc.) that must be sold for a company to break even. The BEP is calculate as fixed costs divided by the selling price less variable costs. See reasonable number. Break-even pricing: Pricing a product based on a forecast of the break-even point and the cost of achieving the break-even point. Budgeted balance sheet: A budget that -measures total assets and liabilities. Budgeted income statement: A budget that tracks revenues and expenses. Also called the profit and loss statement. Cabin: A sleeping room on a ship. Carrier: A company that provides transportation services, such as motorcoach companies, airlines, cruise lines, and rental car agencies. Cash flow: Monies available to meet a company’s daily operating expenses, as opposed to equity, accounts receivable, or other credits not immediately accessible. Cash budget: A budget that monitors cash flow and funds available to meet current expenses. Causal research: A form of marketing research that’s used to test cause-and-effect relationships between a marketing program and customers. Certified Tour Professional (CTP): A designation conferred upon tour professionals who have completed a prescribed course of academic study, professional service, tour employment, and evaluation requirements. The CTP program is administered by the National Tour Association (Lexington, KY) and is open to individuals employed in any segment of the tour industry. Certified Travel Counselor (CTC): A designation attesting to professional competence as a travel agent. It is conferred upon travel professionals with five or more years of industry experience who complete a two-year graduate-level travel management program administered by the Institute of Certified Travel Agents (Wellesley, MA). Chain-ratio method: A method for forecasting market demand by multiplying a base market figure by a series of consumption constraints. Chamber of commerce: A OMO that operates at the local level and is comprised of businesses that aren’t necessarily associated with the tourism industry. Charter: To hire the exclusive use of any aircraft, motorwach, or other vehicle. Charter service: The transportation of preformed groups (organized by someone other than the carrier), which have the exclusive use of the vehicle. Circle itinerary: A travel routing design that overnights in different locations and returns to the point of departure without retracing the travel route. City guide: A tour guide who points out and comments on the highlights of a city, usually from a motorcoach or van. ‘a 4 4 4 4 4 4 a a a 4 q a 4 4 4 4 a 4 a 4 a 4 a 4 4 4 a 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 d d d d d d d d3 4 l l l 0 l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l ’ l l l l l l l l l l l of Terms City tour: A sightseeing trip through a city, usually lasting a half day or a full day, during which a guide points out the city’s highlights. Client list: A printout of the names of all tour participants. Client mix: Objectives set by companies to achieve percentages of customers from different market segments. Closedend question: A question for which the answers are provided for the respondent, who chooses only from those answers. Closeout: Finalization of a tour, cruise, or similar group travel project after which time no further clients are accepted. Any unsold air or hotel space is released, and final lists and payments are sent to all suppliers. Commission: A percentage of a travel product’s price that’s returned to the distributor when the product is sold. Commissionable tour: A tour available through retail and wholesale travel agencies; which provides for a payment of an agreed-upon sales commission to the retailer or wholesale seller. Common carrier: Any person or organization that offer transportation for a fee. Comp policy: Arrangements for free tici<ets, room, meals, etc. Complimentaries (camps): Items provided free of iharge, such as rooms, meals, tickets, airfare, gifts, souvenirs, etc. Computerired reservation system (CRS): An automated system used by travel agents that contains pricing, availability and product descriptions for hotels, car rental, cruises, and air transportation. Concessionaire: A firm that, under special contract rights, operates for another party (in many cases, a government agency) food and beverage services, lodging facilities, and other services on-site at an attraction. Conditions: The section or clause of a transportation or tour contract that specifies what is not offered and that may spell out the circumstances under which the contract may be invalidated (in whole or in part). Configuration: The interior arrangement of a vehicle, particularly an airplane. The same airplane, for example, may be configured for 190 coach-class passengers, or it may hold 12 first-class passengers and 170 coach passengers, or any other combination within its capacity. Confirmed reservation: An oral or written statement by a supplier that he has received and will honor a reservation. Oral confirmations have virtually no legal weight. Even written or faxed confirmations have specified or implied limitations. For example, a hotel is usually not obligated to honor a reservation if a guest arrives after 6 p.m., unless late arrival has been guaranteed. Connecting flight: A flight that requires a passengef to change planes as part of the itinerary. Connecting room: Two rooms that are connected to each other by a door. Consolidator: A person or company that forms groups to travel on air charters at group rates on scheduled flights to increase sales, earn override commissions, or reduce the possibility of tour cancellations. Consolidation: Cancellation by a charter tour operator of one or more flights associated with a specific charter departure or departure period, with the transfer of passengers to another charter flight or flights to depart on or near the same day. Also, selling the same tour with identical departure dates through a number of wholesalers, cooperatives, or other outlets in order to increase sales and reduce the possibility of tour cancellations. Consortium: A collection of organizations made up of independently owned and managed agencies who band together to increase their buying power. 3 Consumer protection plan: A plan offered by a company and/or association that protects he customer’s deposits and payments from loss in the event of company bankruptcy. Consumer: The actual user of a product or service. See also customer. Consumption constraints: Issues that limit the number of people in a market who will purchase a product. Continental breakfast: At a minimum, a beverage (coffee, tea, or milk) and rolls and toast, with fruit juice sometimes included. Contract: A legally enforceable agreement between two or more parties. Convenience sample: A collection of research subjects who are the easiest for the researcher to select. Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB):A nonprofit OMO that operates at the county and city level. A CVB typically encourages groups to hold meetings, conventions, and trade shows in its city. Cooperative (co-op) advertising: An agreement between two parties to share the cost of placing an advertisement. Coop tour: Selling a tour through a number of wholesalers, cooperatives, or other outlets in order to increase sales and reduce the possibility of tour cancellations. Costing: The process of itemizing and calculating all the cost the tour operator will pay on a given tour. Cost-plus pricing: See markup pricing. Coupon. See voucher. Custom tour: A travel package created specifically for a preformed group or niche market. Customer: The buyer of a product or service. See consumer. Customs: The common term for U.S. Customs Service, the federal agency charged with collecting duty on specified items imported into the country. The agency also restricts the entry of forbidden items. Database: A computerized, organized collection of individual customer information Day rate: Also called a day room. A reduced rate granted for the use of a guest room during the daytime, not overnight occupancy. Usually provided on a tour when a very late-night departure is scheduled. Day tour: An escorted or unescorted tour that lasts less than 24 hours and usually departs and returns on the same day. See sightseeing tour. Deadheading: Making a trip or a segment of a trip without passengers, such as driving an empty motorcoach somewhere. . Demand generators: Strategies and programs developed by DMOs and suppliers to generate destination demand. Examples include, festivals, events, cultural tours, and consumer promotion. Demands: A consumer’s wants backed by the ability to purchase. Demographics: Population measures, such as are, gender, income, education, race/ethnicity, religion, marital status, household size, and occupation. Departure point: The location or destination from which a tour officially begins. Departure tax: Fee collected from a traveler by the host country at the time of departure. Deposit: An advance payment required to obtain and confirm space. 4 l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l Deposit policy: A S@fled amount or a percentage of tfte total bill due on a specified date prior to arrival. Descriptive research: A form Of marketing research that’s used to provide detailed answers about customer markets. Destination: The geographic place to which a traveler is going. Destination alliance: A OMO that operates as a for-profit association of select suppliers who form a paid-membership network to promote their services to travelers. Destination management company (DMC): A for-profit company that operates similar to a CVB by providing planning and execution services for the convention and meettng market. Destination marketing organization (DMO): An organization that promotes a location (city, region, state, province, country) as a travel destination. Direct flight: A flight that stops one or more times on the way to a destination, but .does not require travelers to change planes. Direct marketing: Sales and marketing communication that feature direct interaction between a company and its customers without any distribution intermediaries. Double double: A room with two double beds. Double-occupancy rate: The price per person for a room to be shared with another person; the rate most frequently quoted in tour brochures. Double-room rate: The full price of a room for two people (twice the double-occupancy rate). Docent: A tour guide who works free of charge at a museum. Downgrade: To move to a lesser level of accommodations or a lower class of service. Driver-guide: A tour guide who does double duty by driving a vehicle while narrating. Duty-free imports: Item amounts and categories specified by a government that are free of tax or duty charges when brought into the country. Economic impact study: Research into the dollars generated by an industry and how these dollars impact the economy through direct spending and the indirect impact of additional job creation and the generation of income and tax revenue. Ecotour: A tour designed to focus on preserving the environment, or to environmentally sensitive areas. Educational tour: A tour designed around an educational activity, such as studying art. Environmental scanning: The process of monitoring important forces in the business environment for trends and changes that may impact a company. Errors and omissions insurance. Insurance coverage equivalent to malpractice insurance, protecting an agent’s or operator’s staff if an act of negligence, an error, or an omission occurs that causes a client great hardship or expense. Escort. See tour director. Escorted group tour. A group tour that features a tour director who travels with the group throughout the trip to provide sightseeing commentary and coordinate all group movement and activities. Escrow accounts: Funds placed in the custody of licensed financial institutions for safekeeping. Many contracts in travel require that agents and tour operators maintain customers’ deposits and prepayments in escrow accounts. Exchange order. See voucher. 5 of Terms Exploratory research: A form of marketing research that’s used to obtain preliminary information and clues. It’s most Often used when the marketing problem is ambiguous. Extension: A fully arranged sub-tour offered optionally at extre cost to buyers of a tour or cruise. Extensions may occur before, during, or after the basic travel program. FAM (familiarization) tour: A free or reduced-rate trip offered to travel professionals to acquaint them with what a destination, attraction, or supplier has to offer. Fixed costs: Costs that don’t change with sales or production levels. Fly/drive tour: An FIT package that always includes air travel and a rental car and sometimes other travel COmpOnenk Folio: An itemized record of a guest’s charges and credits, which is maintained in the front office until departure. Also referred to as a guest bill or guest statement. Frequent independent travel (FlT): A custom-designed, prepaid travel package with many individualized arrangements. FITS are unescorted and usually have no formal itinerary. Full house: A hotel with all guest rooms occupied. Function room: A special room that is used primarily for private parties, banquets, and meetings. Also called banquet rooms. Gateway: City, airport, or area from which a flight or tour departs. Gateway city: City with an international airport. Ground operator: See receptive operator. Group leader: An individual who has been given the responsibility of coordinating tour and travel arrangements for a group. The group leader may act as a liaison to a tour operator or may develop a tour independently (and sometimes serve as the tour director). Group rate: A special discounted rate charged by suppliers to groups. Also called tour rate. Group tour: A travel package for an assembly of travelers that has a common itinerary, travel date, and transportation. Group tours are usually prearranged, prepaid, and include transportation, lodging, dining, and attraction admissions. See also escorted group tour. Guaranteed tour: A tour guaranteed to operate unless canceled before an established cut-off date (usually 60 days prior to departure). Guest account: see folio. Guide or guide service: A person or company qualified to conduct tours of specific localities or attractions. Guided tour: A local sightseeing trip conducted by a guide. Head tax: Fee charged for arriving and departing passengers in some foreign countries. High season: See peak season. Hosted group tour. A group tour that features a representative (the host) of the tour operator, destination, or other tour provider, who interacts with the group only for a few hours a day to provide information and arrange for transportation. The host usually does not accompany the group as it travels. House: A synonym used for hotel. Hub-and-spoke itinerary: A travel routing design that uses a central destination as the departure and return point for day trips to outlying destinations and attractions. Inbound operator. A receptive operator that usually serves groups arriving from another country. 6 a l l l l l 0 l l l l l l l l l 0 l l l l l l l l l l l a’ 0 l l ’ l l l 0 l 0 l e a l l Inbound tour. A tour for groups of travelers whose trip originates in another location, usually another country. Incentive or incentive commission: See override. Incentive tour: A trip offered as a prize, particularly to stimulate the productivity of employees or sales agents. Incidentals: Charges incurred by the participants of a tour, but which are not included in the tour price. Inclusive tour: See all-inclusive package. Independent tour: A travel package in which a tour operator is involved only with the planning, marketing, and selling of the package, but is not involved with the passengers while the tour is in progress. See also frequent independent travel (FIT). Intermodal tour: A tour that uses several forms of transportation, such as a plane, motorcoach, cruise ship, and train. Involvement device: An element of direct mail that gets the reader involved in the process of evaluating and/or responding to the solicitation. Itinerary: A list of a tour’s schedule and major travel elements. Judgment sample: A sample based on the researcher’s choice of subjects for a study. Land operator: See receptive operator. Leg: Portion on a journey between two scheduled stops. Letter of agreement: A letter from the buyer to the supplier accepting the tens of the proposal. This may also be the supplier’s first proposal that has been initialed by the buyer. List broker: A seller of mail lists for direct marketing. Load factor: The number of passengers traveling on a vehicle, vessel, or aircraft compared to the number of available seats or cabins. Locater map: A map of an area or a city, showing locations of attractions and hotels. Lodging: Any establishment that provides shelter and overnight accommodations to travelers. Logistics: Management of the details of an operation. Low season: See off peak. Macroevnironment: The broad forces in society and the business world that impact most companies. Management company: A firm that owns several lodging properties. Manifest: Final official listing of all passengers and/or cargo aboard a transportation vehicle or vessel. Market demand: The amount of a specific product or service that may be purchased during a certain period of time in a particular geographic area. Market forecast: The realistic demand within a given time period for the products produced by all companies within a certain industry or product category. Market segmentation: The process of dividing a broad market into smaller, specific markets based on customer characteristics, buying power, and other variables. Market share: The measure of company sales versus total sales for a specific product category or industry. Market: All existing and potential customers for a product or service. 7 Marketing mix: The 4 Ps Of marketing: product, price, promotion, place (distribution). Marketing plan: A written report that details marketing objectives for a product or service, and recommends strategies for achieving these objectives. Marketing research: The function that links the consumer, customer, and public to the marketer through the systematic gathering and analyzing of information. Markup pricing: Pricing a product by adding a standard markup to costs. Also called cost-plus pricing. Markup: A percentage added to the cost of a product to achieve a selling price. Master account: The guest account for a particular group or function that will be paid by the sponsoring organization. See folio. Media: Communications channels such as broadcast (radio, TV), print (newspapers, magazines, direct mail), outdoor (billboards), and multimedia (Internet). Meet-andgreet service: A prepurchased sewice for meeting and greeting clients upon arrival in a city, usually at the airport, pier, or rail station, and assisting clients with entrance formalities, collecting baggage, and obtaining transportation. Meeting/conference tour: A tour designed around a specific meeting or conference for the participants. Microenvironment: Those forces close to a company that impact operations and marketing programs. Mission statement: The concise description of what an organization is, its purpose, and what it intends to accomplish. Motorcoach tour: A tour that features the motorcoach as the form of transportation to and from destinations. Motorcoach tour operators: Tour operators that own their own motorcoaches. Motorcoach: A large, comfortable bus that can transport travelers and their luggage over long distances. Multi-day tour: A travel package of two or more days. Most multi-day tours are escorted, all- inclusive packages. Murder-mystery tour. A tour that features a staged “murder” and involves travelers in solving the crime. Mystery tour: A journey to unpublicized destinations in which tour takers aren’t told where they will be going until en route or upon arrival. National tourism organization (NTO): A federal-government-level DMO that promotes a country as a travel destination. Needs: Those aspects of the life a person can’t do without. Net wholesale rate: A rate usually slightly lower than the wholesale rate, applicable to groups of individuals when a hotel is specifically mentioned in a tour brochure. The rate is marked up by wholesale sellers of tours to cover distribution and promotion costs. Niche market: A highly specialized segment of the travel market, such as an affinity group with a unique special interest. No show: A guest with confirmed reservations who does not arrive and whose reservation was not canceled. ‘4 a -4 a a a a 4 a a a a a a a a a a a a a 4 a 4 4 4 a 4 4 4 a 4 4 4 4 a 4 4 a 4 a 4 69 ’ l e l l l l l a l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l of Terms Objective and task method: A process for creating a promotion budget that sets objectives first, then defines the tasks needed to achieve those objectives, and then commits funds necessary to perform the tasks. Occupancy: The percentage of available rooms occupied for a given period. It is computed dividing the number of rooms occupied for a period by the number of rooms available for the by same period. Off peak: Slow booking periods for suppliers. Also called the low season. On-site guide: A tour guide who conducts tours of one or several hours’ duration at a specific building, attraction, or site. Open-end question: A question that allows the respondent to provide a free-response answer. Open-jaw itinerary: A travel routing design that departs from one location and returns to another. For example, travelers may fly into one city and depart from another one. Or a traveler may purchase round-trip transportation from the point of origin to one destination, at which. another form of transportation is used to reach a second destination, where the traveler resumes the initial form of transportation to return to the point of origin. Operations: Performing the practical work of operating a tour or travel program. Operator: See Tour Operator. Optionals: Optional tour features that are not included in the base tour price, such as sightseeing excursions or special activities. Outbound operator: A company that takes groups from a given city or country to another city or country. Outbound tour: A tour that takes travelers out of the area, usually from a domestic city to another country. Overbook: Accepting reservations for more space than is available. Overhead: Those cost fixed costs involved in regular operations, such as rent, insurance, management salaries, and utilities. Override: A commission over and above the normal base commission percentage. Packaged travel: A package in combination of two or more types of tour components into a product which is produced, assembled, promoted and sold as a package by a tour operator for an all-inclusive price. Passenger vessel: Ships, yachts, ferries, boats, etc. Patronage program: A program that rewards the customer for loyalty and repeat purchase, such as frequent-flyer programs. Peak season: A destination’s high season when demand is strong. Also called the high season. Per-capita costs: Per-person costs. Per-capita tour: See scheduled tour. Perceived value: The ratio of perceived benefits to perceived price. Port of entry: Destination providing customs and immigration services. Porter: A person who handles luggage at an airport, train station, etc.; also called skycap or baggage handler. Positioning strategy: The development of a clear, unique, and’attractive image for a company and/or product in the minds of target customers. 9 of Term Prededuct commission: When a distributor such as a travel agent takes up front the commission on a sale and sends the supplier the balance of the sales price. preferred supplier: The selection of specific supplier(s) for priority promotion to customers and/or integration in travel packages in exchange for reduced rates and/or higher commissions, Preformed group: A preexisting collection of travelers, such as affinity groups and travel clubs, whose members share a common interest or organizational affiliation. Pre- and post-trip tour: An optional extension or side trip package before and or after a meeting, gathering, or convention. Primary research: The collection of data specifically to solve the marketing problem at hand. Profit margin: A dollar value that represents the markup of a product’s price over its costs. Promotion mix: Promotion tools including advertising, direct marketing, sales promotion, and public relations. Promotional group tour: A travel package composed of tour elements that match the specific needs and wants of niche customers who aren’t part of an organized or preformed group. Promotional partnership: The combinatjon of two or more companies to offer special incentives to customers. Property: A specific lodging structure, such as a hotel, and the ground on which it’s built. Protection overbooking: The practice of blocking space that will likely be in excess of what will actually be needed. Psychographics: Measures of a person’s lifestyle. See also Al0 variables. Public relations (PR): A management function that determines the attitudes and opinions of an organization’s publics, identifies its policies with the interests of its publics, and formulates and executes a program of action to earn public understanding and goodwill. Public tour: See scheduled tour. Pull strategy: A marketing approach that creates demand at the customer level by generating awareness, interest, and desire so customers pull a product through a distribution channel by demanding it. Push strategy: A marketing approach that creates demand at the distributor level by providing resellers with an incentive to push (sell) a product to end consumers. Query: The process of sorting and retrieving information from a database. Quota sample: A research sample that involves forming groups based on certain characteristics. A random sample can then be selected from the quota segments. Rack rate: The published (brochure) rate for a travel component. Reach: The measure of how many people in a market will be exposed to a certain advertisement via a specific medium. Reasonable number: A forecast of the break-even point for a tour. Receptive operator: A local tour company that specializes in services for incoming visitors, often for tour operator groups. Relationship marketing: Fe process of building and nurturing ongoing, solid relationships with customers. Research constraints: Those issues, such as cost and timing, that will limit the scope of marketing research. Reseller: See retailer and wholesaler. 10 l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l e ie I@ l l l l l l l l l l a of Terms Reservation fee: A Customer payment for a certain percentage of the travel package price mat’s made immediately after booking. Retail price: The actual price a CUStOfIIer pays for a travel element or tour. Retail tour: See schedule tour. Retailer: A middleman, such as a travel agent, who sells directly to the customer. Room rates: The various rates used by lodging properties to price rooms. These include: day rate (usually one half the regular rate for a room used by a guest during the day up to 5 p.m.- sometimes called a use rate), flat rate (a specific room rate for a group agreed upon by the hotel and group in advance), group rate (same as flat rate), net group rate (a wholesale rate for group business to which an operator may add a markup if desired), net wholesale rate (a rate usually lower than the group rate and applicable to groups or individuals when a hotel is specifically mentioned in a tour folder), and published rate (a full rate available to or advertised to the public-also called the rack rate). Rooming list: A printout of the names of all tour participants that also lists special lodging requests and provides a spot for the hotel or cruise ship to fill in the passengers’ room number. Run-of-the-house rate: A flat rate for which a lodging property agrees to offer any of its available rooms to a group. Final assignment of the rooms is at the discretion of lodging management. Sales margin: A term used by resellers to describe profit as a percentage of sales revenue. Sample: The portion of a population chosen to represent the population being studied for research. Scandals tour: A light-hearted history tour that shows locations where interesting scandals took place. Scheduled flights: Air flights that are publicly scheduled and promoted by major airlines. Scheduled tour: A tour that’s set in a tour operator’s regular schedule of tour departures and that’s often sold to the general public. Also called public tour or retail tour. Secondary information: Research data that was collected by another company or person and usually for a purpose that’s different than the research objectives and tasks at hand. Shells: Preprinted brochures with photos, illustrations, and graphics but no text; also called slicks. Shore excursion: A land tour, usually available at ports of call, sold by cruise lines or tour operators to cruise passengers. Shoulder season: Those periods between the peak and off season when destination demand is moderate. Sightseeing companies: Organizations that provide local guided tours. Sightseeing guide: See driver/guide. Sightseeing tour. Short excursions of usually a few hours that focus on sightseeing and/or attraction visits. Simple random sample: A sample that draws a group of respondents randomly from all members of the population. Special event tour: A travel package that features major happenings, such as concerts or sporting events, as the reason for the journey. Split itinerary: An itinerary in which part of the group does one thing while the other part does something else. 11 of Terms Step-on guide: A tour guide who boards a motorcoach to give detailed, expert commentary about the city or area being visited. Strategic plan: A report that describes a COmpeny’S miSSiOn statement, goals, objectives and strategic actions. Subcontractor: A local operator who provides services for a wholesaler. Supplier: The actual producer and seller of travel components. SWOT analysis: A summary of a company’s strengths and weaknesses, and the environmental opportunities and threats that will most influence it. Target market: The group of customers who will be the focus of a company’s marketing efforts. Tariff: (1) Fare or rate from a supplier, (2) Class or type of a fare or rate; (3) Published list of fares or rates from a supplier; (4) Official publication compiling rates or fares and conditions of service. Telemarketing: Direct marketing via the telephone. Terminal: A building where clients report for trips via train, plane, etc.; also called a depot or a station. Theme tour: A tour that’s designed around a concept of specific interest to the tour takers, such as history or sports. Tickler system: A method for monitoring reservations and payments that’s arranged by date and points out late payments so customers can be contacted. Tiered pricing: When suppliers offer different prices to receptive operators, tour operators, and group leaders, so each party can earn a profit by marking up the suppliers’ price, while still offering a fair price to customers. Tiered.override plan: When commissions rise proportionately with a corresponding increase in sales. Tour: A prearranged, prepaid journey to one or more destinations that generally returns to the point of origin, is usually arranged with an itinerary of leisure activities, and includes at least two travel elements. Tour broker. See tour operator. Tour catalog: A publication by tour wholesalers listing their tour offerings. Catalogs are distributed to retail agents who make them available to their customers. Bookings by retail agents are commissionable. Tour conductor: See tour director. Tour departure: The date of the start by any individual or group of a tour program or, by extension, the entire operation of that single tour. Tour director: Also called tour manager, tour conductor, and tour escort. The person who is responsible for a group on tour and for most aspects of a tour’s execution. Tour escort: See tour director. Tour guide: A person qualified (and often certified) to conduct ours of specific locations or attractions. See also step-on guide, city guide, on-site guide, and docent. Tour manager: See tour director. Tour manual: A compendium of facts about a destination, tour procedures, forms, and other information that a tour operator gives to its tour directors. Tour menu: A menu that limits group clients to two or three choices. 12 l 9 -a l l a l l a l a l a a a a l a a 0 l l 0 a l a l l a l l l l l l ;e ie l a l l l l of Terms Tour operator: A person Or company that WtlbdS With SUppka t0 Create and/or market a tour and/or subcontract their performance. Tour planner: A person who researches destinations and suppliers, negotiates contracts, and creates itineraries for travel packages. Tour order: A voucher given to the purchaser of a tour package that identifies the tour, the seller, and the fact that the tour is prepaid. The purchaser then uses this form as proof of payment and receives vouchers for meals, porterage, transfers, entrance fees, and other expenses. See also voucher. Tour rate: See group rate. Tour series: Multiple departures to the same destination throughout the year. Tourism: The business of providing marketing services and facilities for leisure travelers. Tracking study: A survey of customers before and after implementing a promotion campaign to assess changes in consumer behavior. Transfer: Local transportation and porterage from one carrier terminal to another, from a terminal to a hotel, or from a hotel to an attraction. Transit visa: A visa allowing the holder’to stop over in a country to make a travel connection or a brief visit. Transportation: Any method of moving travelers from one point in a journey to another, such as air, ship, rail, and motorwach travel. Travel agent: A person or firm qualified to arrange for lodging, meals, transportation, cruises, tours, and other travel elements. Travel component. Transportation, lodging, dining, attractions, entertainment, guide services, and other travel elements offered as part of a travel package. Trip director: An escort for an incentive company. Larger companies reserve this title for the person who directs all personnel and activities for a particular incentive trip. Turnaway: A potential reservation that couldn’t be satisfied because the tour (or hotel, ship, etc.) was fully booked. Upgrade: To move to a better accommodation or class of service. Value season: See off season. Value: The relationship between the benefits associated with a product or service and the costs of obtaining the product or service. See also perceived value. Value-added tax (VAT): A type of tax system which adds a fixed percentage of taxation on products and services at each step of production or service delivery. Value-based pricing: Pricing a product based on buyer perceptions of value rather then actual product costs. Variable costs: Costs that change with sales or production levels. Variance report: A summary of how much a company has gone above or below budget. Visa: Stamp of approval recorded in a traveler’s passport to enter a country for a specific purpose. Volume incentive: See override. Volume purchase: The purchase of large quantities of a product or service. Voucher: Documents that are exchanged for goods and services to substantiate payment that will be or already has been made. 13 1~ of Terms Waitlist: A list of clients awaiting tiNtSpOMiOn Or accommodations at times when they are not available. Waitlisted clients are confined as a result Of subsequent cancellations. Wants: Ways in which a person satisfies a basic need. Wholesale: Sale of travel products through intermediary in exchange for a commission or fee generally at reduced tarriffs. Wor&o&mouth promotion: Personal communication about a product or service from one customer to another. Yield management: Calculating and analyzing the profits earned per customer. 14 ‘4 4 ‘4 a 4 4 4 a 4 a . a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a 4 4 4 a 4 4 4 a 4 4 4 4 4 4 a 4 & ’