Title
Consider and take action on a resolution authorizing a contract with Bay Area Houston Convention & Visitors Bureau to assist in advertising, marketing, and promotion of tourism and conventions for League City (Director of Communications and Media Relations)
Background:
Bay Area Houston Convention & Visitors Bureau (BAHCVB) is a non-profit destination marketing organization providing marketing and promotion of tourism and conventions for the following Bay Area Houston communities: Kemah, Nassau Bay and Seabrook. The City has been a partner with this organization since before 2003 - when the organization changed its name - until our last agreement expired in September 2019. The last agreement with BAHCVB was for the period of July 1, 2017 through September 30, 2019 at a cost of 15% of the City’s annual Hotel Occupancy Tax revenues.
FY2017 - 94,601.24 (obligations if we had been members for the full year)
FY2018 - 107,805.61 (Hurricane Harvey)
FY2019 - 96,297.10 (estimated)
On January 17, 2017, League City hired an Administrator to oversee the development of the City’s convention and visitor’s bureau. The Administrator identified five markets in which to focus League City’s tourism efforts.
1. Sports Tourism
2. Convention & Meetings
3. Weddings
4. Medical
5. Leisure
The City’s continued participation in the BAHCVB is an important piece in promoting. League City has a leisure market, in that we have activities related to shopping, small museums, restaurants, and birding, but not a major draw. When marketed with surrounding cities it allows us to add major attractions like Space Center Houston, Kemah Boardwalk, and Lone Star Flight Museum to our inventory of reasons to visit.
Prior to the signing the last contract in June of 2017, the BAHCVB underwent organizational changes and restrictions that included:
• BAHCVB Visitor Center moved from Seabrook to Kemah.
• BAHCVB permanent staffing will remain at three individuals. One full-time and two part-time who will work out of the Visitor Center in Kemah.
• BAHCVB has contracted the marketing services out to Austin-based Mindecology (www.mindecology.com <http://www.mindecology.com>) that has experience working with destination marketing organizations such as the City of Fredericksburg (TX) Chamber & CVB, Georgetown (TX) CVB, New Braunfels (TX) CVB, and Washington County (Brenham, TX) CVB. Mindecology continues to move forward in the development and implementation of their social media and advertising campaigns promoting Bay Area Houston.
BAHCVB Success:
• Formed and promote a private Facebook Group - Bay Area Houston Tourism Partners to facilitate communication and collaboration between hoteliers, service providers, and the CVB.
• Provided “Texas Friendly Hospitality”, Social Media and other training that was open to all tourism stakeholders to support brand development and assist in marketing and advertising development for tourism related businesses.
• The Visitor’s Center based in Kemah is on track to welcome more than 3,000 visitors by the end of 2019 including international visitors from as far away as New Zealand, Namibia, Singapore and Argentina.
• Improved website traffic from FY2017 to FY 2019 by 337%.
• Facebook followers has increased by more than 54% since January 1, 2018 from 16,503 followers to more than 25,400.
• The Instagram page curated by Mindecology has currently attracted more than 13,000 followers.
• The BAHCVB has already taken the first step in a rigorous process to gain designation for the Bay Area Region as a “Music Friendly Community” which would make the first regional collaboration to be recognized by the Texas Music Office.
The contract put forth by the BAHCVB, if approved, would authorize League City to enter into an agreement with the following terms:
• A contract length that would be in effect retroactively to October 1, 2019, to run through September 20, 2022, to coincide with the contracts of the other partners.
• Termination of agreement may occur in accordance with Article 4 - TERM in the BAHCVB contract if accountability and marketing measurements are not met or exceeded. Each party has the right to terminate the contract each year of the agreement. Notification of termination must be received in writing by July 1st.
• Coordination of efforts with League City’s tourism representative.
• Creation of a marketing task force to serve as a liaison between the BAHCVB board and selected creative agency.
• Accountability and marketing measures.
At the June 16, 2019 CVB Advisory Board meeting, the Board voted 6-0 to recommend the City enter into the contract with the same terms as the other member cities of the BAHCVB.
The contract, along with other tourism-related activities, will be funded by the Hotel Occupancy Tax.
CONTRACT ORIGINATION: Agreement has been reviewed by the City Attorney’s Office.
Attachments:
1. Data Sheet
2. Proposed Resolution
3. Exhibit A - Agreement with BAHCVB
FUNDING
{X} Funds are available from Account #24101800 54010. - VISITOR CENTER
{ } Requires Budget Amendment to transfer from Account #______ to Account #______
{ } NOT APPLICABLE
STRATEGIC PLANNING
{ } Addresses Strategic Planning Critical Success Factor # ______ and Initiative # ______
{X} NOT APPLICABLE