Okaloosa County BOCC — May 17, 2016 — Allegiant Air Contract — agenda request — reading text

BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS AGENDA REQUEST DATE: May 17, 2016 TO: Honorable Chairman and Members of the Board FROM: Ed Schroeder SUBJECT: Allegiant Air Contract DEPARTMENT: Tourist Development Department BCC DISTRICT: 2,4,5 STATEMENT OF ISSUE: Request approval to enter into a contract with Allegiant Air for the provision of paid media services to promote the Sub-County Taxing District. BACKGROUND: In October 2015 the Interim Airports Director presented a request to the TDC for funding to bring new airline service and points of origin to the Destin-Fort Walton Beach airport. The airline recruitment package included the airport waiving all fees for the first two years, a VisitFlorida incentive package, and TDC marketing funding. As a result of the three- pronged incentive package offered, Destin-Fort Walton Beach airport was successful in securing Allegiant Air. On January 12, 2016 non-stop service twice per week to St. Louis and Cincinnati during late May - early September was announced. The high demand for those routes led to an additional day of service and the season being extended through mid-October. In March, non-stop service to Memphis, Oklahoma City, Knoxville, and Fort Lauderdale was announced for late May through mid-August. Demand and advance bookings may result in an extended season, as occurred with the first two routes. Allegiant has verbally committed to starting the 2017 season in March and has already demonstrated that seasons will be extended as demand warrants. At its April 19 meeting, the BCC approved the Airline Operating Agreement for Allegiant Air, LLC. A second agreement has been drafted to memorialize the County’s commitment of $3M in tourist development tax dollars for paid media services to market Destin-Fort Walton Beach airline service in the aforementioned markets. BUSINESS/ADVERTISING PLAN: Allegiant’s call-to-action for advertising is to drive customers to www.allegiantair.com only.  Allegiant’s advertising must comply with FAA regulations for fare-based advertising. Therefore, Allegiant will develop all creative at no cost to the County, and the County will reimburse the actual cost of paid media placements.  On a quarterly basis in advance, Allegiant will provide a Media Plan identifying the media type, market, unit, impressions, and cost.  The Media Plan will be presented to the TDC and BCC for approval, similar to the process for the County’s Strategic Marketing Plan.  For each specific media placement, Allegiant will email the TDD Director the media buy sheet and associated creative. The media buy sheet will be approved in accordance with the County’s procurement approval thresholds and the creative will be approved by the TDD Director.  The TDD Director may waive the Emerald Coast logo requirement on a case-by-case basis when approving creative.  Quarterly reporting of advertising and marketing services and relevant performance metrics (e.g. incremental web traffic, conversions, flights in/out by point of origin, percentage of deplaning passengers who booked lodging in Okaloosa County) will be provided to the County within 30 days of quarter-end. FUNDING:  A $1.5 million ad spend from May - December 2016 (launch year, with strong peak months and lighter off-peak months )  A $1.5 million ad spend from January - December 2017 (maintenance year, with media presence in peak months only, except Cincinnati also has radio in off-peak months).  The media mix is TV, radio, and out-of-home. TV only in peak months and excluding very expensive markets (St. Louis and Miami-Ft Lauderdale).  Preliminary media plan attached. LODGING OFFERINGS ON WWW.ALLEGIANTAIR.COM: The hotel search option will be deactivated for Destin-Fort Walton Beach (VPS) until programming is in place to ensure that Okaloosa County lodging properties (hotels and rental management companies) appear prominently (i.e. before those of neighboring counties) on the Hotel section of the website. The TDC voted to recommend approval of this contract at its April 28 meeting. OPTIONS: Approve or Deny RECOMMENDATION TO BCC: Approve a two-year contract (May 2016 - May 2018) with Allegiant Air for the provision of paid media services to promote the Okaloosa Sub-County Taxing District. RECOMMENDED BY: APPROVED BY: John Hofstad, County Administrator