Agenda - 03-19-2013 - 5a - Laserfiche WebLink

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3 1 2 Chapel Hill/Orange County Visitor's Bureau-Dave Gephart, Chair and Laurie Paolicelli, 3 Executive Director 4 5 Dave Gephart introduced himself. He said that the Bureau has thirteen board members 6 from across the county and is part of the economic development section of Orange County 7 Government. Two years ago the Visitor's Bureau also acquired the Arts Commission. 8 He noted that with the work, advertising and effort of the Visitor's Bureau, there are 9 about 1,700 jobs in Orange County that bring in and generate tax dollars. That is 157 million 10 dollars spent annually in Orange County, 3 million in taxes, half a million dollars in state tax 11 revenue, and over a million in occupancy tax. With that money, the Bureau strives to increase 12 the tourism and travel and generate more dollars for the county. This year there is a change in 13 direction and advertising agencies. There is a focus on small groups, events and mid-week 14 business travelers as well as the local college basketball and football season crowds. Efforts 15 are to increase occupancy and revenue dollars. 16 Laurie Paolicelli, Director of the Visitor's Bureau, said she has been the director for eight 17 years and that the Visitor's Bureau is an added boost to Orange County from a clean 18 infrastructure standpoint. It attracts people who make money elsewhere, come here to visit, 19 and leave their money before going home. She said tourism has grown over the last twenty 20 years and the Bureau has changed its model over the years — some positive some negative. 21 When started, the Visitor's Bureau was for Orange County and the branding was for an Orange 22 County sell. The Bureau was put in Chapel Hill because it is the largest point of entry by 23 tourists. She noted that the early architects and former commissioners of the project realized 24 the name Orange County in tourism was not polling as strongly. There are sixteen Orange 25 Counties across the nation and this caused confusion and wasted time and money. When the 26 occupancy rate increased to 2%, Chapel Hill was added to the name. The name became 27 Chapel Hill Orange County in the late 90's and a walk-in visitor's center was acquired on 28 Franklin Street. She said that the Bureau was then spending two thirds of its time working to 29 bring in visitors and one third servicing visitors here. Several years later, a research study was 30 done to determine travel destination perceptions. This revealed that Chapel Hill, Hillsborough 31 and Carrboro, in that order, were strongly identified as great places to visit. The logo was then 32 changed to Chapel Hill Orange County Visitor's Bureau with Carrboro and Hillsborough. There 33 were some people not happy with the Chapel Hill large print. Leaders have looked at this and 34 handled it strategically. The Chapel Hill name is put out in major publications such as New 35 Yorker, Golf Digest, Wire and others. However, $60,000 is spent to promote events in 36 Hillsborough and Carrboro. This is a balancing act. Last year it was noted that the agricultural 37 community was attracting tourism. This year there will be a grander emphasis on agri-tourism. 38 County Manager Frank Clifton noted, for benefit of the new board members, that Chapel 39 Hill and Orange County have similar ordinances for levying the occupying tax. He said they 40 require a certain amount of money raised be dedicated toward promotion of tourism. 41 He said Chapel Hill has historically has been putting in funding of about 15% and 42 Orange County has dedicated the most part of the funding. The other two communities, 43 Hillsborough, and Carrboro, have recently gotten legislation to authorize them to have 44 occupancy tax. Once the Carrboro Hotel is completed, they will have hotel rooms and start 45 paying the tax. He said that over the next year or so there will be discussion as to what those 46 dollars are used for. The money is not now pledged to tourism efforts but it will be discussed in 47 future. Frank Clifton said the county created this county-wide advisory board and Chapel Hill 48 does not have an advisory board for this part of the general fund and relies on a contract basis 49 with the county operation. Under the new legislation, an independent board must be