Twentynine Palms Tourism Business Improvement District Meeting

TWENTYNINE PALMS TOURISM BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT REGULAR MEETING AGENDA 6136 Adobe Road Twentynine Palms, CA 92277 www.29palms.org / www.Visit29.org Thursday, April 28, 2022 REGULAR SESSION AGENDA 3:30 P. M. CALL TO ORDER Pledge of Allegiance. Roll Call. CHANGES TO AGENDA PRESENTATIONS BUSINESS 1. Approval of the Meeting Minutes for the February 24, 2022, Tourism Business 3-8 Improvement District meeting. Twentynine Palms Tourism Business Improvement District Meeting - 24 Feb 2022 - Minutes - Pdf 2. Visit 29 Palms Marketing Activity Updates 9 - 17 Visit 29 Palms TBID Marketing Updates April 28 2022 PUBLIC COMMENTS DISCUSSION AND POTENTIAL ACTION ITEMS 3. Establishment of a Community Events Subcommittee 19 - 21 Visit 29 Palms TBID Community Events Subcommittee 4. Big Brave Nomad Blogger/Influencer Proposal 23 - 26 Visit 29 Palms TBID Blogger Proposal 5. City of Twentynine Palms Visitor Center Operations 27 - 32 Visit 29 Palms TBID Visitor Center Operations Page 1 of 32 BOARDMEMBER COMMENTS DIRECTOR OF MARKETING COMMENTS FUTURE BOARDMEMBER INITIATED ITEMS ADJOURNMENT It is the intention of the City of Twentynine Palms to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act in all respects. If you are a person with a disability who requires a disability-related modification or accommodation in order to participate in a meeting, including auxiliary aids or services, please request such modification or accommodation from the City Clerk at (760) 367- 4890 (facsimile). Notification at least 48 hours prior to the meeting will enable the City to make reasonable arrangements to assure accessibility to the meeting. Please advise us at the time whether you will require accommodations to participate in meetings on a regular basis. Any person affected by any application on this agenda may submit their concerns in writing prior to the meeting or appear in person and be heard in support or opposition to the proposal at the time the matter is considered on the agenda. The staff reports, applications and environmental documents may be viewed at either the office of Community Development or the office of the City Clerk, 6136 Adobe Road, from 7:00 a.m. until 6:00 p.m. Monday through Thursday, except legal holidays. The Invocation is given per Policy 10-01, and does not reflect the views of the City but rather is an expression of speech by a private citizen making the presentation. Telephone inquiries may be made at (760) 367-6799. If you challenge any agenda issue in court, you may be limited to raising only those issues that you or someone else raised at the public meeting described in this notice, or in written correspondence delivered to the City of Twentynine Palms at, or prior to, the public meeting. This notice of agenda is hereby certified to have been posted on or before 3:30 p.m., April 25, 2022. Cindy Villescas CMC, City Clerk Time/Date Page 2 of 32  TWENTYNINE PALMS TOURISM BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT REGULAR MEETING MINUTES City Hall, 6136 Adobe Road, Twentynine Palms, CA 92277 www.29palms.org / www.Visit29.org February 24, 2022 CALL TO ORDER: Vice Chair Maharaj called the meeting to order at 3:36 P.M. Pledge of Allegiance: Boardmember Quinteros led the Pledge of Allegiance. Roll Call: The following TBID Advisory Boardmembers were present: Knight, Grunt, Quinteros, Maharaj CHANGES TO AGENDA TBID Director Dusastre announced that there would be one addition to the meeting agenda which was to be a discussion and review of the new advertising creative for the upcoming Party at the Plaza event. PRESENTATIONS 1. Presentation and update from the Downtown Business Association regarding Party at the Plaza event planning. The 29 Palms Downtown Business Association's President, Mike Usher, presented the TBID staff and Advisory Board with a status update on how event planning was going for the upcoming Party at the Plaza event that will take place on March 12. Usher shared that 95% of the event planning details were finalized, including the booking of the bands, vendors, and transportation, and that everything will come in within or under budget. Details of the free shuttle bus transportation were discussed, including pick up/drop off locations, schedules and timing, and that a shuttle map will be soon released. Usher shared the DBA's overall enthusiasm and excitement for the upcoming event and that everyone feels confident it will go well. BUSINESS 2. Approval of the Meeting Minutes for the January 20, 2022, Tourism Business Improvement District meeting. ACTION: A motion was made by Boardmember Grunt, seconded by Boardmember Quinteros to approve the TBID meeting minutes from the January 20, 2022 meeting. The above motion was carried by the following: ROLL CALL VOTE YES: Grunt, Quinteros, Knight, Maharaj ROLL CALL VOTE NO: None CARRIED. 3. Visit 29 Palms Marketing Activity Updates TBID Director Dusastre began her marketing report updates with sharing the TBID's Q1 October - December tax revenue results, announcing that the City's lodging properties generated $87,655 in TBID revenue, signifying a 43% increase as compared to the previous year results. Dusastre credited the return of the area's signature fall events as a key contributor and commended the Advisory Boardmembers for their support of the return of these events by way of approving TBID dollars going towards event sponsorship. Dusastre also announced that Visit29.org has reached a new milestone recording a record-breaking 10,400 users in the month of January. While paid search campaigns continue to help increase website traffic, Dusastre also highlighted the recent growth in organic traffic and how the Visit 29 Palms social media efforts were also contributing to overall growth Page 1 of 6 Page 3 of 32  Twentynine Palms Tourism Business Improvement District Meeting February 24, 2022 in activity on the site, and more specifically, outbound link clicks to the City's lodging properties. Dusastre discussed the launch of the new Mojave Trails National Monument YouTube video series which have generated over 21 hours of watch time over the last ten days. Lastly, Dusastre discussed Visit 29 Palms' short run on the digital billboard on the I-10 at the Bob Hope exit, sharing the advertising creative that was currently up which would soon be changed over to the Party at the Plaza creative. PUBLIC COMMENTS Local resident and short-term vacation rental operator Susan Peplow addressed the TBID Advisory Board and staff, sharing her excitement of watching things come together in the City and how she is pleased by how the TBID is supporting the Party at the Plaza event. She encouraged more outreach to the local community so that community members better understood what the TBID was about and how it contributes to these positive changes in 29 Palms. DISCUSSION AND POTENTIAL ACTION ITEMS 4. Party at the Plaza advertising creative TBID Director Dusastre presented the TBID Advisory Board with a newly completed animated creative by Box of Kittens which features the music of event headliners Jungle Fire. The animated graphic was developed specifically for event promotion on social media but has also been modified for use on the digital billboard on the I-10. Upon review, the TBID Advisory Board asked to revise "Downtown 29 Palms" to "29 Palms, California" for the billboard creative. Vice Chair Maharaj did not support using the TBID's current I-10 billboard placement to promote this event and also expressed that somewhere in the ad copy there needed to be mention that Freedom Plaza was soon to be the new home of the Joshua Tree National Park Cultural Center. Boardmembers Knight and Quinteros felt that would be too much information to include in the advertising creative and wished to see it used as is. ACTION: A motion was made by Boardmember Knight, seconded by Quinteros, to run this new new creative on the I-10 digital billboard. The above motion was carried by the following: ROLL CALL VOTE YES: Quinteros, Grunt, Knight ROLL CALL VOTE NO: Maharaj CARRIED. Visit 29 Palms Party at the Plaza Event Creative 5. Full Moon Cultural Series at Sky's The Limit Observatory and Nature Center TBID Director Dusastre proposed the return of a full moon cultural event series at Sky's The Limit Observatory and Nature Center during the upcoming summer season with TBID staff leading the development of programming and TBID providing the funding for the event talent and support staff. ACTION: A motion was made by Boardmember Quinteros, seconded by Boardmember Grunt to approve $2,000 in funding to support a summer event series at Sky's The Limit Observatory. The above motion was carried by the following: ROLL CALL VOTE YES: Quinteros, Grunt, Knight, Maharaj ROLL CALL VOTE NO: None CARRIED. Page 2 of 6 Page 4 of 32  Twentynine Palms Tourism Business Improvement District Meeting February 24, 2022 6. Summer billboard campaign opportunities in the Inland Empire TBID Director Dusastre presented the TBID Advisory Board with pricing for digital billboards in the Inland Empire, including placements along the I-10, I-215, SR91, SR60 and at the Ontario International Airport. Dusastre proposed a 3-month summer campaign in the IE to increase brand awareness and interest for travel to the city during the summer. ACTION: A motion was made by Boardmember Quinteros, seconded by Boardmember Knight, to approve $2,100 in funding for a 3-month summer campaign at Ontario International Airport. The above motion was carried by the following: ROLL CALL VOTE YES: Quinteros, Knight, Grunt, Maharaj ROLL CALL VOTE NO: None CARRIED. 7. Video Content Planning TBID Director Dusastre presented the Advisory Board with an updated outline of proposed video projects, recommending that the next two full length video features focus on signature events. Upon discussion, the TBID Advisory Boardmembers agreed that a video feature should be done for the Party at the Plaza event on March 12 and the Joshua Tree 55 cycling event on April 30. Vice Chair Maharaj directed Dusastre to add 49 Palms Oasis and Indian Cove to the video production schedule as she would like to see these two unique parts of Joshua Tree National Park covered this fiscal year. 8. Continued discussion of future operations of the 29 Palms Visitor Center. TBID Director Dusastre and City Manager Luckino shared updates with the TBID Advisory Board regarding the Grand Opening of Freedom Plaza, including the New Community Center and National Park Service Cultural Center. Upon discussion, the TBID Advisory Board did not provide any new direction with regards to continued operations of the City Visitor Center. This topic will be revisited again at the next TBID meeting, following the official unveiling and grand opening of Freedom Plaza. BOARDMEMBER COMMENTS Boardmember Quinteros expressed her excitement for the upcoming grand opening of Freedom Plaza and all the new opportunities this space will create for tourism. DIRECTOR OF MARKETING COMMENTS TBID Director Dusastre explained to the TBID Advisory Board that the iHeart Radio campaign would be on track to launch by early March and was excited to see how it would go. FUTURE BOARDMEMBER INITIATED ITEMS - None ADJOURNMENT: Vice Chair Maharaj adjourned the meeting at 5:07 P.M. Respectfully Submitted, Breanne Dusastre TBID Director f Marketing Page 3 of 6 Page 5 of 32 Page 4 of 6 Page 6 of 32  Party at the Plaza Creative Created by Box of Kittens, and featuring the music of event headliners Jungle Fire, this animated graphic has been created specifically for event promotion across social media channels. This creative has also been expanded and modified for the I-10 digital billboard Animated graphic for paid placement. social media campaigns on Facebook and Instagram Page 5 of 6 Page 7 of 32 Visit 29 Palms Tourism Business Improvement District Meeting: February 24, 2022.  Party at the Plaza Creative Facebook event graphic Website pop-up Digital Billboard Page 6 of 6 Page 8 of 32 Visit 29 Palms Tourism Business Improvement District Meeting: February 24, 2022.  Tourism Business Improvement District Advisory Board Meeting April 28, 2022 Page 9 of 32  MARKETING ACTIVITY UPDATES Page 10 of 32  4/25/2022 VISIT 29 PALMS SOCIAL MEDIA Q2 January – March Results % change as compared to previous quarter (October – December 2021) Instagram & Facebook Reach Likes/Comments/Shares New Followers 260,543 3,887 583 +34% -15% +20% Paid Reach Paid Impressions 226,143 412,866 +69% +100% Link Clicks Click Through Rate 8,304 3.1% +486% +6% Page 11 of 32  4/25/2022 VISIT29.ORG Q2 January – March Results % change as compared to previous quarter (October – December 2021) Total Users Pageviews Pages / Session Bounce Rate 28,686 62,357 1.85 70% +44% +49% +2% -1% Avg. Session Duration Outbound Lodging Link Clicks 0:01:21 1,242 ±0% +46% Page 12 of 32  4/25/2022 IHEART RADIO CAMPAIGN March 3 – April 11, 2022 AUDIO SCRIPT Calling all stargazers, solitude seekers, and trailblazers. Just a stone's throw from Los Angeles and San Diego, a wilder side of California awaits in Twentynine Palms, headquarters of Joshua Tree National Park and gateway to the Great Mojave Wilderness. Plan your desert adventure in Twentynine Palms today by tapping your screen, or by going to www.Visit29.org BANNER AD Total Ad California Arizona Nevada Impressions: Impressions: Impressions: Impressions: 442,252 265,351 88,493 88,408 Page 13 of 32  4/25/2022 PARTY AT THE PLAZA Saturday, March 12, 2022 | Freedom Plaza Website Event Views 6,819 Facebook Event Reach 14,677 Video Views 1,537 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=25jF1Hc-RwQ&t=3s Page 14 of 32  4/25/2022 AIRPORT ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS Palm Springs International Airport Ontario International Airport • Ongoing through to Sept 30, 2022 • Campaign May 23 – August 14 Current creative running at Palm Springs Airport Page 15 of 32  4/25/2022 UPCOMING SPONSORED EVENTS Joshua Tree 55 Saturday, April 30 • Visit 29 Palms is a proud sponsor of the 2022 Joshua Tree 55 community cycling event, offered in partnership between the City of Twentynine Palms, Joshua Tree National Park and the 29 Palms MCAGCC • Visit 29 Palms will be on-site as a SAG stop sponsor and will have a booth at Knott’s Sky Park for the Earth Day Expo • Box of Kittens will also be on-site capturing event footage and interviews and will produce a feature video for promotional uses in future years Page 16 of 32  4/25/2022 UPCOMING SPONSORED EVENTS Joshua Tree Music Festival May 12 – 15 • Visit 29 Palms is a proud sponsor of the 2022 spring Joshua Tree Music Festival and as part of our sponsorship has maintained key backlinks on the festival’s website which promote lodging in the city and help event attendees quickly discover the great hotels, motels, RV resort and vacation rentals options in 29 Palms https://joshuatreemusicfestival.com Page 17 of 32 Page 18 of 32  Tourism Business Improvement District Advisory Board Meeting April 28, 2022 Page 19 of 32  DISCUSSION ITEMS Page 20 of 32  4/25/2022 COMMUNITY EVENTS SUBCOMMITTEE To increase city-wide, cross-organizational event coordination, TBID staff would like to recommend forming a community events subcommittee. The goal of forming this subcommittee is to help improve communications between organizations planning special events at Freedom Plaza. Subcommittee members would participate in quarterly or bi-monthly planning discussions for community events Suggested organizations to invite: • TBID Advisory Board Members (up to 2) • City of Twentynine Palms Events Coordinator • Joshua Tree National Park Association • Downtown Business Association • 29 Palms Farmers Market Page 21 of 32 Page 22 of 32  Tourism Business Improvement District Advisory Board Meeting April 28, 2022 Page 23 of 32  DISCUSSION ITEMS Page 24 of 32  4/25/2022 BLOGGERS & INFLUENCERS Instagram: 18K Followers +50K Month Reach Facebook: 1.2K Followers on Big Brave Nomad Page 11.2K Members in Solo Mom Travel Group Website Blog: 35K Unique Monthly Visitors 44K Monthly Views www.bigbravenomad.com/work-with-us Page 25 of 32  4/25/2022 BLOGGERS & INFLUENCERS Deliverables: • 29 Palms dedicated travel and tourism blog, published with shares across Big Brave Nomad social channels • 29 Palms travel and tourism spotlights incorporated into current Joshua Tree National Park feature • Sponsored social media posts (1x Instagram post, 1x Facebook post, 20 frame IG story) Travel Dates: Budget: • May 30 – June 2, 2022 • $1,500 (with sponsored lodging to be provided by a city lodging partner) Page 26 of 32  Tourism Business Improvement District Advisory Board Meeting April 28, 2022 Page 27 of 32  DISCUSSION ITEMS Page 28 of 32  4/25/2022 29 PALMS VISITOR CENTER TRACKING 2021-22 Fiscal Year-To-Date October November December January February March April (MTD) YTD Total 471 438 420 240 360 456 360 2,745 Visitation numbers and where people are visiting from shift significantly by season throughout the year, however California, Washington, Oregon and Arizona do remain consistent drivers. International highlights include visitors from: Australia • Canada • China • England • France Germany • Greece • India • Ireland • Israel • Italy Japan • Mexico • Netherlands • New Zealand Singapore • Switzerland • Ukraine • Venezuela Page 29 of 32  4/25/2022 JOSHUA TREE NATIONAL PARK CULTURAL CENTER Timeline of opening: Monday, May 2 Joshua Tree National Park Oasis Visitor Center will close permanently Friday, May 6 Soft opening of new Joshua Tree National Park Visitor & Cultural Center at Freedom Plaza Saturday, May 7 Official grand opening of new Joshua Tree National Park Cultural & Visitor Center Page 30 of 32  4/25/2022 29 PALMS VISITOR CENTER OPERATIONS Discussion topics: • Once the new Joshua Tree National Park Cultural Center opens is there a need to continue operations of the City of 29 Palms Visitor Center? • What resources and information can Visit 29 Palms offer visitors that NPS/JTNPA staff cannot? • Time/resource allocation required of TBID staff to manage and operate current City Visitor Center Staff recommendations: • Maintain operations of the City Visitor Center for a three-month time period to gain an understanding of how the new NPS Cultural Center will impact tourism to the city, visitor flow in the downtown area, and foot traffic to the City’s Visitor Center. • TBID staff to use this time to continue research on a branded touring van and potential commercial sponsorship opportunities, with a final proposal ready for the TBID Advisory Board by the middle/end of the summer season. • Phase out the traditional brick and mortar City Visitor Center and transition into a mobile, “meet the visitors where they are” model. Page 31 of 32  • Boardmember comments • City Manager comments • Director of Marketing comments • Future Boardmember initiated items • Scheduling of next meeting • Adjournment Page 32 of 32