Tourism Committee

Tourism Committee Meeting Agenda Thursday, July 27, 2023 at 10:00 AM Council Chambers Page 1. CALL TO ORDER 2. ROLL CALL 3. ADOPTION OF AGENDA 4. APPROVAL OF MINUTES a. Minutes from: 2-4 Tourism Committee - 16 May 2023 5. CONSENT AGENDA a. Tourism Committee - Recap on Individual Meetings 5 Memo: Recap on Individual Meetings 6. NEW BUSINESS a. Tourism Previous Funding Requests and Expenditures 6-7 Memo: Tourism Previous Funding Requests and Expenditures b. Tourism Committee - Goals 8-9 Memo: Tourism Committee Goals c. Hotel Engagement 10 Memo: Hotel Engagement 7. COMMUNICATION AND MISCELLANEOUS 8. ADJOURNMENT  Tourism Committee Meeting Minutes 7:30 AM - Tuesday, May 16, 2023 Council Chambers The Tourism Committee of the City of New Richmond was called to order on Tuesday, May 16, 2023, at 7:30 AM, in the Council Chambers, with the following members present: PRESENT: Kim Dimick, Pete Vrieze, Dawn Jacobson, Timothy Sass ABSENT: Brian Meyer STAFF Michelle Scanlan, Rae Ann Ailts, Lexi Derrick PRESENT: CALL TO ORDER ROLL CALL ADOPTION OF AGENDA Timothy Sass made a motion to adopt the Agenda. Dawn Jacobson seconded the motion. Carried unanimously. APPROVAL OF MINUTES Dawn Jacobson made a motion to approve the Minutes from February 21, 2023. Timothy Sass seconded the motion. Carried unanimously. ROOM TAX REPORT 1Q23 ROOM TAX COLLECTIONS Lexi Derrick explained that the Tourism Committee had the following funds available to allocate for first quarter 2023: Room Tax Collected $32,855.32 70% of Collections $22,998.72 Carry Forward Funds $14,029.83 Total Funds Available $37,028.55 NEW BUSINESS ELECTION OF OFFICERS Tourism Committee Meeting May 16, 2023 Dawn Jacobson nominated to name Pete Vrieze as Chair of the Tourism Committee. Carried unanimously. Pete Vrieze nominated to name Tim Sass as Vice Chair of the Tourism Committee. Carried unanimously. REVIEW OF FUNDING REQUESTS BOREALIS FAT BIKE WORLDS P/B PURE FUEL TOURISM FUNDING REQUEST Lexi Derrick presented the application for Tourism Funding from the Borealis Fat Bike Worlds p/b Pure Fuel for the Fat Bikes Worlds 2023 event. Discussion took place on how the event compared to last year in regards to attendance, hotel room bookings and business downtown. Further conversation took place on who within the community runs the event and their personal contributions to make sure everything is prepared for the races. The expenses that were considered for reimbursement include: Entertainment (Friday & Saturday), Power and Connectivity, Port-a-Potties/Sanitation/Garbage, Shuttle Service, Marketing Design and Promotion from Stocks Design Co. and Advertising and Marketing. NEW RICHMOND BASEBALL CLUB TOURISM FUNDING REQUEST - 2022 SEASON Lexi Derrick presented the application for Tourism Funding for the New Richmond Baseball Club for their 2022 season expenses. The committee reviewed the budget submitted and discussion took place on what was considered qualified expenses. Brian Schroeder was there to represent the Baseball Club and provided further clarification on their expenses that were submitted. The expenses that were considered for reimbursement include: Porta Potties, Fun Fest Vendor Fee, Gopher State Qualifier Host and Utilities at Hatfield and Citizens' Field. ACTION ON FUNDING REQUESTS Dawn Jacobson made a motion to recommend funding $13,900 to the Borealis Fat Bike Worlds p/b Pure Fuel for their Fat Bike Worlds 2023 event. Kim Dimick seconded the motion. Carried unanimously. Timothy Sass made a motion to recommend funding $11,422.91 to the New Richmond Baseball Club for 2022 expenses. Kim Dimick seconded the motion. Carried unanimously. COMMUNICATION AND MISCELLANEOUS Michelle Scanlan and Lexi Derrick recently met with Drew Nussbaum, the Travel Wisconsin Tourism Representative for the area. Ideas for how to promote tourism were brought up and staff would like to have a strategic planning work session meeting with the Committee in July. Before July, staff will have individual meetings with each member of the committee to address any questions they may have in preparation for the work session. The strategic planning meeting will be open to the public and encourage past and future tourism applicants to join. Pete Vrieze attended the Tourism - Routes to the Future seminar in River Falls on May 11th. He provided an overview of the talking points from the seminar where they placed a strong emphasis that tourism needs to be viewed at from a regional perspective rather than only local. Tourism Committee Meeting May 16, 2023 ADJOURNMENT Dawn Jacobson made a motion to adjourn at 8:05am Timothy Sass seconded the motion. Carried unanimously. Tourism Committee Meeting May 16, 2023  MEMO Prepared for: Tourism Committee Staff Contact: Lexi Derrick, Michelle Scanlan Meeting: Tourism Committee - 27 Jul 2023 Subject: Tourism Committee - Recap on Individual Meetings BACKGROUND INFORMATION: In June and July, City Staff met individually with each Tourism Committee member to talk about priorities and goals for the Tourism Committee. Conversations that came up with each member was the desire to create opportunities for new events, a stronger emphasis on effective marketing and a hope to be a stronger resource for visitors to the area. There was consensus that input from current applicants on obstacles to advertising would be helpful, along with a hope that the committee could find resources to help with marketing plans. Several committee members showed an interest in looking for shared marketing opportunities between events, businesses and surrounding communities. Staff will bring some examples to the work session. The committee also expressed an interest in meeting more frequently than on their current quarterly basis. Lastly, there was a very strong feeling that the committee would like to be a partner in supporting tourism and not just a grant funding entity.  MEMO Prepared for: Tourism Committee Staff Contact: Lexi Derrick, Michelle Scanlan Meeting: Tourism Committee - 27 Jul 2023 Subject: Tourism Previous Funding Requests and Expenditures BACKGROUND INFORMATION: Over the past few months City staff have met with each Tourism Committee member to talk about priorities and goals for the Tourism Committee. Attached to the memo are the different funding requests since 2021 with multiple breakdowns on how funding has been distributed. These breakdowns show an overall representation of how many different groups and businesses the committee has impacted, what the operational versus marketing reimbursements have been and the breakdown of non-profit versus profit reimbursements. ATTACHMENTS: Tourism Funding Charts  Tourism Funding Data 2021 – *2023 *2023 only includes data from first quarter Marketing versus Operational Expenses Page 2 of 2 17% 83% Marketing Exp Operational Exp Non-Profit vs Profit Funding 12% 88% Non-Profit Profit  MEMO Prepared for: Tourism Committee Staff Contact: Lexi Derrick, Michelle Scanlan Meeting: Tourism Committee - 27 Jul 2023 Subject: Tourism Committee - Goals BACKGROUND INFORMATION: At the July Work Session, City Staff will walk the Tourism Committee through some changes to the committee's scope of purpose, specifically deciding which ideas could be implemented during 2023. The list will include ways to: • Adjust reimbursement application to be more condensed and require invoices to be submitted when the application is submitted • Start utilizing Travel Wisconsin and other sites o Moving forward any application must have their event posted to Travel Wisconsin, prior to the event occurring, to be considered for reimbursement • Require samples of all marketing materials with dates of distribution with Funding requests • Consider all funds dispersed to work off percentages, with the majority of each grant weighted toward marketing. For example, a $4000 grant would breakdown to 50% marketing, 50% operating/entertainment. • Split the bucket of money available into General Tourism/New Events/Sporting. As determined by the committee, a certain percentage of the room tax collection will be set aside for sports at which during the 4Q meeting all sports will be able to submit an application (no sports reimbursements will be reviewed until 4Q) • Consider pre-payment of funds to new events with a two year limit for applying. • Start promoting visitor ideas on the City Facebook, linked to City website In addition to the short term implementations listed above, City Staff will also discuss some changes that could be implemented in the long term. This list will include ways to: • Consider creating a brand for Tourism in our community (graphic design funded by committee) • Require Tourism logo/branding be on all marketing materials • Implement a Tourism page of the City website to promote tourism, keep grant info, share event guidelines, etc. (design funded by committee) • Make “weekend away” flyers for each month (themed for golf, fall colors, kayaking, etc.) Committee members are encouraged to bring additional ideas to the meeting for discussion with the group.  FINANCIAL IMPACT: The Tourism Committee should keep in mind that per WI sec. 66.0615, Wis. Stats. Room Tax Revenue must be spent on tourism promotion and tourism development. Page 2 of 2  MEMO Prepared for: Tourism Committee Staff Contact: Lexi Derrick, Michelle Scanlan Meeting: Tourism Committee - 27 Jul 2023 Subject: Hotel Engagement BACKGROUND INFORMATION: Based on conversations from previous tourism meetings and individual meetings, the committee would like to engage more with local hotels to determine what events in the area are driving overnight stays at their hotel. During this meeting discussion will take place in regards to the frequency and type of questions the committee would like to direct staff to have with the local hotels. Potential questions may include, but are not limited to: 1. Were there any specific events that help drive stays at the hotel over the last (specific time period)? a. Out of all guests staying at your hotel approximately what percentage of guests were staying for the specific event(s) listed above? 2. Were the guests satisfied with the different attractions and amenities offered in the City of New Richmond? 3. What was the average length of stay for occupants? 4. Were there any complaints about the City of New Richmond from your guests? 5. Were there any specific events, attractions or locations guests were asking about that the City currently does not have?