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, October 17, 2024 REGULAR SESSION AGENDA 3:30 P. M. CALL TO ORDER Pledge of Allegiance. Roll Call. CHANGES TO AGENDA PRESENTATIONS BUSINESS 1. Approval of Minutes for the August 8, 2024 Tourism Business Improvement District 3-5 Meeting. Twentynine Palms Tourism Business Improvement District Meeting - 08 Aug 2024 - Minutes - Pdf 2. Visit 29 Palms Marketing Updates 7 - 12 Visit 29 Palms TBID Marketing Updates Oct 17 2024 PUBLIC COMMENTS DISCUSSION AND POTENTIAL ACTION ITEMS 3. Discussion on City Entertainment Permits with Community Development Director Keith Gardner. 4. Discussion on Timeline and Review Process for Sponsorship and Event Grants. 13 - 14 Visit 29 Palms TBID Events Discussion Item Oct 17 2024 Page 1 of 19  5. Discussion on Subcommittees and Supporting Strategic Initiatives for Fiscal Year 2024- 15 - 16 25. Visit 29 Palms TBID Subcommittee Discussion Item Oct 17 2024 6. Marketing Proposal by Joshua Tree Gateway Communities Alliance. 17 - 19 29 Palms JTGCA TBID proposal BOARDMEMBER COMMENTS DIRECTOR OF MARKETING COMMENTS CITY MANAGER 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., October 14, 2024. Cindy Villescas CMC, City Clerk Time/Date Page 2 of 19  TWENTYNINE PALMS TOURISM BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT REGULAR MEETING MINUTES City Hall, 6136 Adobe Road, Twentynine Palms, CA 92277 www.29palms.org / www.Visit29.org August 8, 2024 CALL TO ORDER: Vice Chair Grunt called the meeting to order at 3:30 p.m. Pledge of Allegiance: Led by Boardmember Ramsey. Roll Call: The following TBID Advisory Boardmembers were in attendance: Grunt, Quinteros, Ramsey. Chair Mehta had an excused absence. Swearing in of new TBID Advisory Boardmember: Ben Uyeda of Reset Hotel was officially sworn in by City Clerk Cindy Villescas. CHANGES TO AGENDA: None PRESENTATIONS 1. Presentation by Eric Menendez on Regional Tourism Collaboration. Eric Menedez presented his interest in developing new regional tourism partnerships and collaborations, and specific interest in organizing weekly participation at the Palm Springs Village Fest events. Menedez also shared a short video by the West Virgina based Mon Forest Towns organization, as an example of communities working together to leverage shared assets through regional partnerships. BUSINESS 2. Approval of Minutes for the June 20, 2024 Tourism Business Improvement District Meeting. A motion was made by Boardmember Quinteros, seconded by Boardmember Ramsey to approve the minutes for the June 20, 2024 Tourism Business Improvement District meeting. The above motion was carried by the following roll call vote: YES: Grunt, Ramsey, Quinteros, Uyeda. NO: None ABSENT: Mehta CARRIED. Page 1 of 3 Page 3 of 19  Twentynine Palms Tourism Business Improvement District Meeting August 8, 2024 3. Visit 29 Palms TBID Marketing Updates TBID Director Dusastre’s marketing updates began with discussion of two very significant upcoming partnership opportunities she has secured, starting with participation in a Brand USA MegaFAM itinerary that will bring Brand USA representatives and leading UK & Ireland travel agents and tour operators to 29 Palms on September 27. Dusastre also discussed upcoming participation at a Visit California media reception in Los Angeles in October, which will offer a great opportunity to network and pitch story ideas to top-tier travel and lifestyle media professionals. Dusastre shared new earned media highlights which exemplify the growing recognition and appeal of the city and position 29 Palms as an exciting alternative to Palm Springs and Joshua Tree. Upcoming events being supported by Visit 29 Palms’ Sponsorship and Event Grant program were discussed, and Dusastre outlined the upcoming timeline for the TBID’s annual reauthorization process. PUBLIC COMMENTS Susan Peplow, Joshua Tree, submitted written public comment to express concerns about a lack of event promotion, and a recommendation to hire a dedicated event producer. DISCUSSION AND POTENTIAL ACTION ITEMS 4. Discussion and Review of Visit 29 Palms Tourism Business Improvement District's Drafted Marketing Plan and Budget for 2024-25 Fiscal Year. TBID Director Dusastre presented an overview of the proposed marketing plan and budget for fiscal year 2024- 25, as developed in partnership with the TBID Advisory Board subcommittee, made up by Chair Mehta and Boardmember Ramsey. Mary Jane Binge, 29 Palms, spoke in public comment asking for more detail on the proposed budget, and specifically in the digital marketing and out of home advertising categories, to which TBID Director Dusastre provided. Eric Menendez, 29 Palms, spoke in public comment about TBID staffing, and his recommendation of hiring a second full-time employee. Cindy Bernard, 29 Palms, spoke in public comment, sharing comments about her view of the TBID's role in event marketing. Boardmember Ramsey shared comments about the budget development process, and the vision of keeping budget allocations focused as much as possible on supporting marketing programs and events rather than additional staff, and the intent for better targeting the city’s drive markets next year to drive repeat visits throughout the year. Boardmember Uyeda shared comments about content development and opportunities for grantees to invest more resources towards capturing great event content, and ways to consolidate efforts to develop more meaningful and impactful content. Uyeda also spoke about opportunities through these grants to identify local talent who can develop great digital content creation. Boardmember Quinteros shared comments about destination development, and how improving night life and entertainment offerings could better attract gen z travelers. Quinteros expressed her excitement for the next year ahead, and that she feels TBID Director Dusastre is doing a great job. Page 2 of 3 Page 4 of 19  Twentynine Palms Tourism Business Improvement District Meeting August 8, 2024 A motion was made by Boardmember Quinteros, seconded by Vice Chair Grunt to approve Visit 29 Palms TBID's Marketing Plan and Budget for fiscal year 2024-25. The above motion was carried by the following roll call vote: YES: Ramsey, Uyeda, Quinteros, Grunt NO: None ABSENT: Mehta CARRIED. BOARDMEMBER COMMENTS: None DIRECTOR OF MARKETING COMMENTS: None CITY MANAGER COMMENTS: City Manager James thanked and acknowledged the TBID Advisory Boardmembers for the knowledge and expertise they bring to their roles, and how their feedback and ideas are welcomed and very much encouraged. James shared comments about how the city is welcoming, accommodating, and helping to facilitate new businesses, and that the better the current businesses are doing, the more it will attract. FUTURE BOARDMEMBER INITIATED ITEMS: None ADJOURNMENT: Vice Chair Grunt adjourned the meeting at 4:58 p.m. 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., August 5, 2024. Cindy Villescas CMC, City Clerk Time/Date Page 3 of 3 Page 5 of 19 Page 6 of 19  Tourism Business Improvement District Advisory Board Meeting October 17, 2024 Page 7 of 19  10/14/2024 DESTINATION DEVELOPMENT Brand USA MegaFAM | September 27-28 Made possible through partnership with Visit California Through an incredible opportunity through Visit California, in September we had the pleasure of hosting Brand USA representatives and leading UK & Ireland travel agents and tour operators in 29 Palms for the first time, as part a multiday “Sun, Surf, and Deserts” itinerary. This FAM tour provided an excellent opportunity to showcase 29 Palms to international travel professionals, introducing them to the city’s unique offerings and solidifying our position as a key destination in the high desert. • Strengthened relationships with leading travel agents and tour operators, enhancing destination exposure and building future collaboration opportunities for international marketing. • Developed new connections with Brand USA and Visit California, increasing 29 Palms' visibility in the global travel market and boosting potential bookings through these partnerships. Page 8 of 19  10/14/2024 MEDIA & PR Visit California LA Media Reception | October 10 Co-op partnership, selected through competitive application Visit California’s media reception offered a great opportunity to strengthened connections with key travel and lifestyle journalists through face-to-face interactions and gain insights into the types of stories and angles media are looking for, allowing Visit 29 Palms to better align future content with editorial needs. • Built on existing relationships with media who have previously covered local businesses, discussing new story angles and opportunities and established personal connections, ensuring media can directly contact Visit 29 Palms for support on future stories about the area. • Developed relationships with other destinations, discussing potential partnerships for media FAM trips and collaboration through Visit California’s Gold Pass program. Page 9 of 19  10/14/2024 PRINT MEDIA Palm Springs Life Magazine Out Now ~ The Guide, Annual Edition 2024-2025 View Online | Pages 302-303 Print feature also supported online as sponsored content Page 10 of 19 4  10/14/2024 EVENTS Supported by Visit 29 Palms Sponsorship & Event Grant Program October 2024 Oct 19-20: Hwy 62 Open Studio Art Tours Oct 19-20: Art Tours After Dark November 2024 Nov 2: Joshua Tree National Park Art Expo Nov 2: Vacation Races Joshua Tree Half Marathon 29 Palms Queer Film Festival Nov 8-9: 29 Palms Book Festival September 20-22 | Theatre 29 Over three days, the festival attracted 254 December 2024 attendees, with 39% coming from outside Dec 6-8: Climb Smart the high desert, and fostered strong community involvement through local Dec 13-14: 29 Palm Rock Rumble Royale sponsors and artistic participation, inspiring plans for further growth next year. Add your upcoming events to our calendar! visit29.org/events/submit-event Page 11 of 19 5  10/14/2024 29 PALMS VISITOR CENTER From There To Here: Veterans and Military Families Expressions On display at the 29 Palms Visitor Center October - December 2024 Mil-Tree presents the visual art of veterans and their family members, accompanied by the words of the artists, gives form to thoughts and emotions that are often hard to articulate. Often art can be a catalyst for communication and understanding, and this exhibit allows an opportunity for each artist to externalize their feelings of going “From There To Here” This exhibit is supported by the Public Arts Advisory Committee (PAAC) and sponsorship funding from the City of 29 Palms. Following a successful opening reception on October 4, Mil-Tree has additional programming lined up, including: • From Here to There Artist Panel | October 19 • Mojave Noir | November 9 • Writing Workshop | November 17 • Sheepdogs Film Screening | December 14 Page 12 of 19  Tourism Business Improvement District Advisory Board Meeting October 17, 2024 Discussion & Action Items Page 13 of 19  SPONSORSHIP & EVENT GRANT PROGRAM 10/14/2024 Supporting Community Events and Tourism Growth for Fiscal Year 2024-25 The Visit 29 Palms Sponsorship & Event Grant Program continues to support local events that attract visitors and enhance the city’s tourism goals. For the 2024-25 fiscal year, the program offers two rounds of funding. The first application deadline is October 25, 2024, providing event organizers with opportunities to apply for support in this budget cycle. Application Deadline: October 25, 2024 The open call for event sponsorship and grant proposals for events scheduled to take place during the January 1 – June 30, 2025, period will close on Friday, October 25. Application Review Period: October 28 – November 1, 2024 Grant applications will be scored by five-member Review Committee, made up of two TBID Advisory Boardmembers and three community members, and sponsorship applications will be reviewed by the TBID Events Subcommittee. Awarding Round One Funding: November 7, 2024 TBID Events Subcommittee will present round one funding recommendations to the TBID Advisory Board at the next meeting, scheduled for Thursday, November 7, whereby round one funding will be awarded. Page 14 of 19  Tourism Business Improvement District Advisory Board Meeting October 17, 2024 Discussion & Action Items Page 15 of 19  VISIT 29 PALMS SUBCOMMITTEES 10/14/2024 Supporting Strategic Initiatives for Fiscal Year 2024-25 As Visit 29 Palms looks forward to the coming year, the organization will maintain three key subcommittees to help guide its efforts in promoting the destination. These subcommittees will focus on advising in critical areas such as event development, marketing, and partnership building. Each will play an integral role in ensuring our programs and initiatives align with our broader tourism goals, fostering collaboration, driving economic growth, and positioning 29 Palms as the high desert's premier destination. 1. Events Subcommittee Advise on the Sponsorship and Event Grant Program, ensuring that events receiving grants align with tourism goals, attract visitors, and engage the community. 2. Marketing Subcommittee Advise primarily on enhancing Visit 29 Palms' social media presence and content creation and increasing visibility through dynamic digital marketing strategies. 3. Partnerships & Partnership Development Subcommittee Advise on identifying and nurturing strategic partnerships, both locally and regionally. Page 16 of 19 Morongo Basin Storefront Our mission is to provide economic growth and 73475 Twentynine Palms Hwy development via collective impact in an Twentynine Palms, CA 92277 emerging recreation/rural economy. Coachella Valley Office 201 N. Palm Canyon Drive, Ste 220 ADVOCATE. Palm Springs, CA. 92264 INNOVATE. COLLABORATE. www.jtgca.org EDUCATE info@jtgca.org Marketing Proposal for City of 29 Palms / Tourism Board Improvement District Visit 29 Brand October 13, 2024 **Prepared for:** City of Twentynine Palms / Visit 29! 6136 Adobe Road Twentynine Palms, CA. 92277 **Prepared by:** Eric Menendez Joshua Tree Gateway Communities Alliance 73475 Twentynine Palms Hwy Twentynine Palms, CA. 92277 Valued TBID Board Members and Staff, Thank you for allowing us to present the following proposal to enhance the existing Visit 29 marketing efforts by engaging potential visitors at our Palm Springs Village Fest booth. 1. Marketing Summary This proposal outlines a comprehensive marketing strategy for Visit 29 Palms aimed at increasing tourist visitation, enhancing brand awareness within the Coachella Valley Drive Market, and promoting 29 Palms TBID-sponsored events. In March of 2023, under the umbrella of the Twentynine Palms Downtown Business Association / Rediscover29, we went before the Palm Springs Village Fest Board to receive authorization to become a nonprofit exhibitor to promote tourism and the TBID-sponsored Pride Event which was held in April of 2023. We were only able to attend three weekly Village Fest events, however the response was overwhelmingly positive. On September 19, 2024, JTGCA has reestablished a weekly presence as we attempt to bridge the gap between our high-desert tourism boards and the overlooked drive market of the Coachella Valley. Our goal is to position our community as a premier drive-market destination for those who reside in and those who are visiting the Coachella Valley, including families, adventure seekers, cultural tourists and actively traveling groups. 2. Marketing Objectives - Increase overall visitor numbers by 15% within a 120-day period. - Enhance online engagement and social media following by targeted campaigns which can be correlated with in-person engagement during weekly presence at Palm Springs Village Fest (i.e. photo booth social media shares, ticket/event sales, JTGCA Digital Passport). - Promote specific attractions/events in Twentynine Palms in addition Joshua Tree Gateway Community Events which are sponsored/partnered with TBID. - Strengthen partnerships with local businesses and stakeholders throughout the Joshua Tree Gateway Communities and enhance such partnership arrangements through established JTGCA partnerships throughout the hi-desert and Greater Coachella Valley region. Page 17 of 19 3. Target Audience Our primary target audience includes those actively traveling/visiting the Coachella Valley, as well as Coachella Valley residents who frequent the Palm Springs Village Fest. Village Fest is a weekly street festival held on Thursday nights from 6pm – 10pm (Oct-May) and 7pm-10pm (June-Sept). There are over 200 vendors, and the event draws 6-10k visitors each week depending on season. 3.1. Coachella Valley Visitor Demographics: Age Groups 55+: A significant portion of visitors are retirees or older adults, particularly those seeking relaxation and warm weather. 35-54: This group includes professionals and families looking for vacation options, wellness retreats, and outdoor activities. 18-34: Younger visitors, including millennials and Gen Z, often visit for events, nightlife, and outdoor adventures. Income Levels Affluent Visitors: Many travelers have higher income levels, often drawn by luxury accommodations, fine dining, and upscale experiences. Middle-Income Families: There is also a demographic of families and younger professionals looking for affordable getaway options. Geographic Origin Domestic Visitors: A large percentage come from nearby states, especially California (Los Angeles, San Diego, and San Francisco). International Visitors: There is a smaller but notable percentage from Canada and Europe, particularly during the winter months. Travel Purposes Leisure Travel: Most visitors come for leisure, including relaxation, outdoor activities, and cultural events. Events and Festivals: Coachella Valley hosts various events, such as Coachella and Palm Springs International Film Festival, attracting a younger demographic. Gender Visitor demographics are relatively balanced between male and female, with some events (like Coachella) drawing a more diverse and younger crowd. Interests Outdoor Activities: Hiking, golfing, and wellness retreats are popular among visitors. Arts and Culture: Many tourists are interested in local art, architecture, and history. Nightlife: A growing number of younger visitors are drawn to the nightlife and entertainment scene. Page 18 of 19 4. Marketing Strategies 4.1. Hybrid Digital Marketing via In-Person Engagement - Website Correlation: Utilize JTGCA Digital Passport and Photobooth Social Media Campaigns to drive traffic to Visit 29 website and social media - Content Marketing: Develop a blog featuring local stories, attractions, and travel tips. - Social Media Campaigns Create targeted campaigns on platforms like Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok showcasing Visit 29 with stunning visuals and user-generated content. 4.2. Advertising - PPC Campaigns: Utilize Google Ads and social media advertising to reach targeted demographics. - Print Advertising: Collaborate with travel magazines and local publications. 4.3. Leveraging Partnerships - Local Businesses: Collaborate with hotels, STVHRs, restaurants, and attractions for joint promotions utilizing JTGCA Digital Passport App. - Coachella Valley Business Associations/Groups: Utilize JTGCA networking opportunities, mixers and events to build Visit 29 Brand Awareness. 4.4. Events and Promotions - Priority Opportunity to partner with JTGCA to attract visitors and encourage repeat visits throughout the year at JTGCA-sponsored regional events. 5. Scope of Services / Costs Activity Description Monthly Cost Option Comments Term Partnership Agreement $2500/month n/a Six months Digital Marketing $500/month Optional to Increase Six months based on response desired Advertising Promos $1,000/month Negotiable Negotiable Event Promotions n/a TBD and optional Negotiable TOTAL $4,000/month 6. Evaluation Metrics Success will be measured through: - Visitor statistics - Social media engagement rates - Website traffic and SEO rankings - Feedback from local businesses and stakeholders 7. Conclusion We believe that with a focused marketing strategy, Visit 29 Palms can significantly enhance its visibility and attract a larger audience of tourists. We look forward to the opportunity to collaborate and bring this vision to life. Thank you for the opportunity to present this proposal. Eric Menendez Joshua Tree Gateway Communities Alliance Page 19 of 19