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Ventura Visitor & Convention Bureau Activity Report

Ventura Visitor & Convention Bureau Activity Report. VVCB Report to Board of Directors October 2013. Visitor Center. Income Sources. Visitor Services. Ventura Traffic The total number of visitors to the Visitors Center for 2013/14 Fiscal YTD is 8,080

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Ventura Visitor & Convention Bureau Activity Report

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  1. Ventura Visitor & Convention Bureau Activity Report VVCB Report to Board of Directors October 2013

  2. Visitor Center Income Sources Visitor Services Ventura Traffic The total number of visitors to the Visitors Center for 2013/14 Fiscal YTD is 8,080 Total number of visitors in September is 2,116 Top Visitors YTD Geographic Origins: (IN CENTER) International: Canada, Germany, Australia & England California by County Los Angeles, Ventura, San Diego & Orange Out of State Arizona, Texas, Nevada & Oregon Amended sign-in log at Center to add email addresses. Through September we have obtained 237 addresses. Completed “Ventura Intercepts Survey” to assist with branding and marketing efforts. Collected 41 November Board Meeting will end with Volunteer appreciation Visitors Center will again be participating in Winter Wine Walk and be a tasting location Volunteers & Staff rode the trolley to become more familiar with trolley operations. A tour of Ventura Harbor Village was also a part of the excursion. Retail Sales/Income September • $1,138.81 • Best Sellers – Wine Tours, Postcards, Beer Festival Tickets, Ventura Tote Bags, Ventura City Maps, Ventura Stickers, Ventura Magnets Ticket Sales/Income September • Wine Tours - $2,805 ($396 to VVCB-13%) • Beer Festival - $3,640 ($234 to VVCB -7%) Consignment Agreements/Income September • $455.74 • Up to (17) vendors and promoting more items from local residents • Newest Consignment vendor – Harbor Wind & Kite • Sunny Oberto, a current consignment vendor is designing a “Ventura” 2014 calendar to be sold at the Visitors Center Leases/Income • Posted Ventura stickers on Social Media, sold 77!

  3. Volunteer Base/Efforts The volunteer base has more than doubled in the past 20 months. Volunteers participated in Intercept surveys for Branding/Identity effort Consumer / Group Trade Shows & Conferences • LA Travel & Adventure ShowFebruary 8-9, 2014 10’ X 10’VVCB & our Partners Long Beach, CA • MA attending Visit CA Outlook Forum in Pasadena Feb 5-7, 2014 • Annie will be attending the TEAMS Tradeshow in Salt Lake City with VCLA on November 4-7. Ventura Partners include Parks and Rec Department and Community Development as well as the Crowne Plaza Ventura Beach Hotel. Focus selling and promoting Ventura as a great destination for group sports and teams events.

  4. “app vs web” question??? Advantages of a Mobile Website vs. Native Apps goals are primarily related to marketing or public communications, a mobile website This is because a mobile website has a number of inherent advantages over apps, including broader accessibility, compatibility and cost-effectiveness. Immediacy – Mobile Websites Are Instantly Available A mobile website is instantly accessible to users via a browser across a range of devices (iPhone, Android, BlackBerry, etc).  Apps on the other hand require the user to first download and install the app from an app marketplace before the content can be viewed Compatibility – Mobile Websites are Compatible Across DevicesA single mobile website can reach users across many different types of mobile devices Upgradability – Mobile Websites Can Be Updated InstantlyA mobile website is much more dynamic than an app in terms of pure flexibility to update content. If you want to change the design or content of a mobile website you simply publish the edit once and the changes are immediately visible; updating an app on the other hand requires the updates to be pushed to users, which then must be downloaded in order to update the app on each type of device. Findability – Mobile Websites Can be Found EasilyMobile websites are much easier for users to find because their pages can be displayed in search results and listed in industry-specific directories Shareability– Mobile Websites Can be Shared Easily by Publishers, and Between UsersMobile website URLs are easily shared between users via a simple link (e.g. within an email or text message, Facebook or Twitter post). Publishers can easily direct users to a mobile website from a blog or website, or even in print. An app simply cannot be shared in this fashion. Reach – Mobile Websites Have Broader ReachLifeCycle– Mobile Websites Can’t be DeletedThe average shelf-life of an app is pretty short, less than 30 days according to some research A Mobile Website Can be an App!Just like a standard website, mobile websites can be developed as database-driven web applications that act very much like native apps. Time and Cost - Mobile Websites are Easier and Less Expensivemobile website development is considerably more time and cost-effective than development of a native app

  5. VVCB SALES Sales/ RFP FAMs, Sales Missions, Tradeshows Press FAMS: 2 ladies who work directly with DEVELOPMENT COUNSELLORS INTERNATIONAL through Visit California as member of their national public relations team. focused mainly on the Ventura Harbor Village, Channel Islands National Park and Downtown Ventura. Press FAM Oct. 12-14, focusing on a Channel Islands dive trip, the Ventura Harbor & accommodations at the Four Points Sheraton. Kidabra KAX West Coast Entertainers Convention: Collaborated work between us key local figures has resulted in Ventura booking this business. Annie, Marlyss and Deputy Mayor Heitmann were invited by Steve Axtell to tour the Axtell Expressions Studios here in Ventura on Tuesday, September 24th. A lot of work and team effort / partnership went into going through the bid process (we were competing with Embassy Suites in Oxnard) and this will hopefully be a progressive group with a yearly return. • September Sales Leads Sent: 2 Leads, with an average of 3 hotel nights and 179 Rooms. • Year to date Sales Leads: 9 Leads Economic Impact YTD Leads Generated: $6,891,785 • September YTD Sales Leads Confirmed Bookings: (2) of (9) sent or 22.2% Economic Impact YTD Leads Converted: $6,468,311 • September (1,508) Attendees assisted with welcome packets of brochures and maps. • YTD (2,784) • September YTD Service Requests with group dining, offsite event space, group activity booking: (485) • A Client with Northrop Grumman Corp. used her Ventura Getaway package that she won at HSMAI Tradeshow. Stayed at our Marriott, a site tour of the meeting and event space & also a trip out to the Channel Islands. She was very pleased with her stay and was surprised by the meeting & event space the Marriott has.The goal of the FAM was to promote Ventura’s meeting space in hopes of bringing groups.

  6. MARKETING Public Relations Print and Editorials Find your Perfect Getaway in the Channel Islands- Palm Springs Newspaper http://www.mydesert.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/201309211815/LIFESTYLES0801/309210004&nclick_check=1 Trip Advisor Marketing to Phoenix & Dallas – one month in~0.16% average click through rate (that is double the industry average of 0.08%). Now is TOP 3 referrers for Website Bakersfield campaign still getting a lot of traction/ 214 url links LA Times campaign started 10.1.13 Latimes.com, newsletters and one print ad Circulating some samples • VCB Currently managing all PR requests and FAM trips • RFP would like to put out on streets Nov 1st- target start Jan 2014 • LET’S MAKE A DEAL air date 10.8.13 • Visit CA Newsletter submission of Winter Wine Walk • 48 HOURS day one~ blog posting • http://passionforfreshideas.com/interviews/lifestyle/48-hours-ventura-day-1/ • Scenic Hwy 1 Press Release/ collaboration with Harbor • Offer hotel Seasonal Hwy 1 rates

  7. TECHNOLOGY WEBSITE SOCIAL MEDIA Streamlined all social media platforms for VisitVentura and to maximize our SEO We are getting (5) stars on YELP! Take a peak! http://www.yelp.com/biz/ventura-visitors-center-ventura FB Tabs have been added- for hotels, meetings and events- direct links to webpages Facebook 18,340 Fans (391 new) Pinterest 380 followers Instagram 292 followers Twitter 351 followers ( 59 new and 53% are male and 47% female) • Visits increased 22% over Sept 2012 • Page views for all hotels pages were 3,918 in Sept 2013 ( up 15% Year over Year) • Domestic: • CA • AZ • TX • International: • UK • Canada • Germany • Extranet- will launch how-to videos • Newsletter template will complete by 10.16.13! • Added Value for Jack Rabbit $5000 adding mobile into existing contract

  8. STAKEHOLDER & COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT City Contract/Research Update: Staff site inspection at Paradise Pantry & Ventura Harbor Volunteer Outing on trolley to Ventura Harbor November 6th doing an interview with Nancy Pedersen for CAPS on Best Day Foundation September Sales & Marketing Meetings: Ventura Branding Mtg (in partnership with DVP): Thursday, September 12th. Sales lunch at the Crowne Plaza: Friday, September 13th. Ventura Sports Committee Mtg: Monday, September 16th. VCLA Tradeshow Team Meeting: Friday, September 20th. • Tentative date for Agenda item 12.9.13 • Meeting with City Staff on Oct 15th to discuss outcome of research • We will share the City Research results and ask the task force to review and contribute for recommendations • MA meeting With Mayor Tracy • MA meeting With Mark Watkins • MA meeting with Neal Andrews

  9. BRANDING/IDENTITY UPDATES Notes from 1st meeting Meetings- we are making progress! Goal- "wow, this is the best way we have ever said what we are".  Visitors Center collected 41 intercepts • Ventura Branding Platform • Kick Off Meeting Notes: 9.12.13 • On Branding • A brand is not the logo. It is the culmination of experiences and perceptions people have with Ventura. • A logo is a trigger mechanism for the underlying things that matter about the brand. • We are not trying to invent a new identity. This is not “we didn’t know we were that” but “wow, this is the best way we have ever said what we are before.” • Branding Ventura • There is a dichotomy between the historic space and an attempt to modernize. • Ventura has been so many things over the years (Rising Star, Ventucky, The Art City, The Real California) and now we need a singular vision. • We know we don’t want to be Santa Barbara, but what do we want to be? • We need glue- something everyone can buy into. All entities have to send the same message. • We need to prove to other entities that this mobilized effort has a real affect. • There is a concern about not having everyone at the table: how will we get the shared vision without everyone involved? How can we help sell this idea to other groups? • “DuPuis is experts that chose to be here in Ventura... they are more sophisticated then other firms that might otherwise be on this project.” • We will use the survey to get more input. Over 100 received!

  10. Couple of highlights: Online VG 199,062 visits in 3 months National Geographic 528 Requests for VG in Sept Average time spent on site is 2 minutes 45 seconds/ we are integrating FB and twitter into to increase this Calendar of events TOP page views of 12,766

  11. PARTNERSHIPS Regional Local Met with Gull Wings Children’s Museum about the possibility of coming to Ventura Planning meeting with Chamber to engage members regarding BMX event Meeting with Golf Courses to discuss cross promotion, drive green fees therefore helping city Participation in City’s Economic Development Meeting Full page ad for Seaside Highland games that Annie worked on Doing social media contest promoting • VCLA- working on tradeshows for upcoming Season, CalSAE and TEAMS are next up • Oxnard Airport grant 1st step awarded 2 more steps to go • Visit CA- 1 NTA pre or post Trade Show FAM. • Visit CA ad/ 2012/13 NEW 2013/14

  12. Staff Engagement /updates TRAVEL TRENDS • The Millennial generation is now larger than the Baby Boomers and find travel a necessary part of life. They look for a more meaningful, local feel when traveling. Things like an authentic, local experience and also social responsibility are very important in their travels. Of course the way they research travel destinations and make bookings is also very different than before. http://www.hospitalitynet.org/file/152005087.pdf • Transactions generated via mobile online bookings — or booking a vacation via a phone or tablet — was expected to reach $26 billion in the U.S., said Neha Parikh, U.S. and Canada president and general manager with Expedia’s Hotels.com. • For comparison, online travel vacations booked via mobile platforms in 2011 was only $2.6 billion and reached $8 billion in 2012. • That means experts believe tourists who use their iPhones, iPads, Android devices will increase by a staggering 225 percent next year. • 93% of travelers say on line reviews & opinions influenced their plans 56% of travelers accessed the internet through mobile 2014 Inspiration Guide We are on the 4th round of drafts and getting closer to final approval Office Space & Visitor Center: VCLA has moved out Plumbing issues resolved in restrooms- masonic dealing wit male restroom leak in wall Ventura Harbor to ½ space ROI Research: Getting feedback~ not work the investment of 57K Look at measurement tools on sales tax for City and TOT Conferences/Training Programs: Annie attending Azuza Pacific Pastor's Conference

  13. Staff Board & Advisory Board Executive  Committee Oscar Pena - Chairman (General  Manager, Ventura Port District)   James D.  Ludwig - Past Chairman (Principal,  KL Associates) Pat Seminario - Treasurer (General Manager, Marriott  Ventura Beach) Victor Dollar - Secretary (Citizen at Large - General Manager Four Points by Sheraton Ventura Beach Resort)  Directors Michael Wagner - Restaurant/Owner/Operator  Marcia  Rhodes - Citizen at Large (Road Scholar) Barbara Quaid - Ventura County Fairgrounds (Chief  Executive Officer, Ventura County Fairgrounds) Nancy Pedersen - Citizen at Large (Sunflowers on the Square) Marie Lakin - Cultural  Affairs Commission Liaison Cheryl  Heitmann - Downtown Ventura Organization Liaison Carlos Cruz-Ampudia - Small Hotel/Motel/Operator (General  Manager, Best Western Plus, Inn of Ventura) Myron Freedman - Citizen at Large (Executive Director Museum of Ventura County) Ed Wehan - Parks & Recreation Commission Liaison Advisory Board Doug Wood, General Manager Crowne Plaza  Ventura Beach Seana Sesma, Owner AceAna Promotions  Norbert Tan, MBA, Executive Director, Ventura College Foundation Chipper Bro Bell, Patagonia Danny Saldana, Owner & General Manager, Anacapa Brewing Co. Sureh Patel, General Manager, Country Inn & Suites by Carlson  Douglas A. Halter Ed Warren,  Busy Bee Café • Marlyss Auster, Executive Director • Hilda Kilpatrick, Office Manager • Michele Gilmour, Visitor Services Manager • Annie Campbell, Group Sales Manager • Donna Francis, Visitor Services • Suzanne Baird, Visitor Services • Diane Sweet, Visitor Services  New Volunteers added to team since last month • Daniella Accardi Stroh, Volunteer

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