Okaloosa County BOCC — August 11, 2015 — Tourist Development

BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS OKALOOSA COUNTY, FLORIDA SERVICE AREA: CULTURE/RECREATION DEPARTMENT/PROGRAM: TOURIST DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM DESCRIPTION: Okaloosa Tourist Development is responsible for a unified marketing strategy and visitor service program that promotes awareness of the Emerald Coast as a tourist destination to increase overall visitation and lodging facility occupancy in the southern Okaloosa County areas of Destin, Fort Walton Beach, Okaloosa Island, Mary Esther, and Cinco Bayou. REVENUE: Tourist Development is funded by the Tourist Development Trust Fund, specifically the 2nd and 5th cents of the Tourist Development Tax on short term rentals. MAJOR ACCOMPLISHMENTS LAST YEAR: Ø Hosted Familiarization Tour with a focus on destination fishing. Ø Reintroduced the Annual Tourism Summit with nearly 150 community stakeholders in attendance. Ø Updated the Emerald Coast leisure website (www.emeraldcoastfl.com) with a new global navigation header and full screen layout Ø Produced a new destination sales profile collateral piece. Ø Produced the 2014 Annual Report Ø Generated a community buy-in piece; #emeraldcoasting window cling. Ø Launched a destination road show to Birmingham and Montgomery, Alabama. Two cities; three days; six events. Ø Hosted Mom Blogger Familiarization Tour Ø Revamped the Emerald Coast Convention Center social media platforms with monthly content production. Ø Produced quarterly consumer e-newsletter Ø Building visitor retention through community partnerships – Florida Public Relations Association, Destin Chamber of Commerce, Greater FWB Chamber of Commerce, Emerald Coast Chapter of the America Advertising Federation Ø Received several advertising awards: • Reader’s Choice Award for Best Meeting Place in the South, Emerald Coast Convention Center • Trip Advisor named the Emerald Coast one of the “Top Ten Destinations on the Rise" • Shorty Award entrant for Tourism Ø Attended 21 trade shows across the Southeast as well as emerging markets including New York and Memphis. These efforts reached meeting planners, tour group operators, travel industry professionals and consumer attendees through direct contact, collateral distribution, one-on-one appointments, direct mail and media marketing. Ø Secured Florida Harley Davidson (HOG) Rally for the 4th time to the Emerald Coast. The event garnered 2,745 room nights and brought in over 1,350 out of town attendees. Ø Hosted Your Military Reunion Connection (YMRC) Marketplace with over 30 Military Reunion Planners and more than 10 Exhibitors. This event brought 4 Military Reunions to the Emerald Coast which will take place over the next two years. Ø Hosted DeNure Tours out of Canada for a grand total of 1,740 room nights which generated $72,500.00 in sales for the Resort during the winter months. This is the fourth year in a row that DeNure Tours has brought tours to the Emerald Coast. Ø Secured more than 250 RFPs for meetings and reunions and more than 300 RFP’s from Wedding coordinators/planners for Okaloosa County bed taxing district.  Ø Hosted a 2015 Meeting Planner FAM tour for Collinson Media representing Athletic, SMERF, Corporate, Association and Religious Markets. Ø Offered and secured 17 co-op opportunities with lodging partners in an effort to promote, market and sell the Leisure, Wedding and Meetings markets. PROGRAM GOAL: Conduct proactive and productive sales, marketing, advertising, public relations, communications, and social networking initiatives to enhance economic growth for the area through increased visitation and tourism. KEY OBJECTIVES: 1. Increase the monthly bed tax collections revenue and monthly lodging occupancy percentages each month over previous years. 2. Regain ma