Okaloosa County BOCC — August 11, 2015 — Tourist Development — reading text

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 market share. 3. Increase sales leads and actual bookings by aggressively soliciting and marketing the SMERF (Social, Military, Educational, Religious, and Fraternal), Motor Coach, Family Reunion, Association, International and Government organizations. 4. Promote and market Okaloosa County as a premier location for production and entertainment companies to shoot or film their projects. PERFORMANCE MEASURES: Actual Estimated Adopted Performance Measures FY13/14 FY14/15 FY15/16 Booked Groups 213 298 325 Output Number of Trade Shows Attended by Sales Staff 20 25 26 Number Sales Missions and FAMS 7 8 9 Annual Tourist Development Tax Revenues $14.8M $13.4M $15.0M Effectiveness Social Media Fans/Followers – Facebook* 453,000 443,000 500,000 Social Media Fans/Followers – Twitter 4,900 6,300 7,000 Social Media Fans/Followers – Pinterest 470 1,000 1,100 Social Media Fans/Followers – Instagram 232 1,500 1,650 Operations (target = 35%) N/A 35% 35% Reserves Promotional Activities (target = 25%) N/A 261% 130% *FY14/15 less than FY13/14 because Facebook algorithm changed causing all inactive user accounts to be terminated  BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS OKALOOSA COUNTY, FLORIDA SERVICE AREA: CULTURE/RECREATION DEPARTMENT/PROGRAM: TOURIST DEVELOPMENT - BEACHES & PARKS PROGRAM DESCRIPTION: Maintenance, restoration, and improvements of beaches and beach facilities; maintenance and improvements of waterfront parks within the taxing district; and support for an artificial reef program and ecotourism opportunities. REVENUE: Beaches and parks maintenance and improvements are funded by the Tourist Development Trust Fund, specifically the 1st cent of the Tourist Development Tax on short term rentals, as well as by a special assessment of certain properties. MAJOR ACCOMPLISHMENTS LAST YEAR: Ø Continued environmental permitting for Veterans Park Baywalk project. Ø Staff member elected to the Florida Shore and Beach Preservation Association Executive Board Ø Continued Phase II, upland environmental permitting for Veterans Park. Ø Partnered with Eglin AFB on the “Concrete to Reefs” initiative Ø Continued design and permitting of artificial reefs. Ø Developed construction documents for Beach Freeways 4, 5, & 6. Ø Secured FDEP permits for six, near shore snorkel reef sites. Ø Assisted City of Destin through Federal lobbying efforts for Norriego Pt Ø Began construction of six public dune walkovers on Okaloosa Island. Ø Awarded Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation grant for the construction of artificial reefs. Ø Began permitting for Fishing Buoy Network Ø Submitted application for Restore Act funding for construction of snorkel/dive reefs PROGRAM GOAL: Protect Okaloosa County and City of Destin beaches through regular cleaning and raking, periodic beach restoration, and sea turtle monitoring. Enhance these assets through improvements in the form of waterfront parks, public access, artificial reefs and other tourist related projects. Seek long-term beach restoration and Federal funding through the Federal Shore Protection Program. KEY OBJECTIVES: 1. Provide clean, well-maintained, and quality beaches and waterfront parks that offer facilities, amenities, landscaping, and improvements that enhance the environmental experience for visitors. 2. Protect nesting sea turtles. 3. Secure Congressional/US Army Corp of Engineers funding for Feasibility Study phase of the Federal Hurricane & Storm Damage Reduction Project 4. Expand and enhance artificial reef and ecotourism programs. The following projects are planned for FY 2016: Ø Continue to pursue a regional partnership in the development of a regional, Federal Shore Protection project Ø Continue improvements at beach access points 4, 5, and 6.  Ø Complete construction of six dune walkovers between R-2 and R-10 on Okaloosa Island. Ø Construct multiple artificial reefs to support the fishing and diving industry Ø Continue and complete work on grant-funded turtle friendly lighting retrofit project Ø Develop coastal resource management plan Ø Survey and prepare report for area beaches. Ø Continue permitting efforts towards construction of a Fishing Buoy Network Ø Construct 2 near shore snorkeling reefs. Ø Finalize permitting of Baywalk living shorelines project and upland improvements to Veterans Park. Ø Continue to assist City of Destin in securing long term funding for maintenance dredging of East Pass Federal Navigation Project. Ø Continue and expand the “concrete to reefs” program in partnership with Eglin AFBContinue construction of National Resource Damage Assessment funded artificial reefs PERFORMANCE MEASURES: Actual Estimated Adopted Performance Measures FY13/14 FY14/15 FY15/16 Capital Improvements – Beaches $16K $1.06M $500K Effectiveness Capital Improvements – Parks $340K $777K $115K Capital Improvements – Reefs $21K $225K $152K Grant Funding Obtained for Improvements $109,350 $200,000 $150,000 Operations (target = 35%) N/A 35% 35% Reserves Beach Restoration (target = $14.0M) N/A $2.4M $9.1M East Pass Dredging (target = $2.0M) N/A $2.0M $2.0M  BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS OKALOOSA COUNTY, FLORIDA SERVICE AREA: CULTURE/RECREATION DEPARTMENT/PROGRAM: TOURIST DEVELOPMENT - CONVENTION CENTER PROGRAM DESCRIPTION: The Emerald Coast Convention Center (ECCC) provides economic impact to the tourism and general businesses of Okaloosa County. The convention center’s mission is to provide a professional service team, exquisite food service, and a spotlessly clean and safe environment for meetings, conventions, trade shows, public entertainment and all types of special event activities. REVENUE: The Convention Center is funded by the Tourist Development Trust Fund, specifically the 3rd and 4th cents of the Tourist Development Tax on short term rentals, as well as by revenues generated by functions held at the convention center. MAJOR ACCOMPLISHMENTS LAST YEAR: Ø Conducted and serviced 157 functions at the ECCC, generating an estimated economic impact of $15M to the County. Ø Generated a documented 22,008 and estimated (unreported) 28,000 guest room nights at county hotels and condos Ø Hosted an estimated 78,000 guests for the year Ø The staff has completed