Minutes 01-29-2013 - Laserfiche WebLink

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animal mobile equipment trailers, which serve to carry resources required to outfit a section of a school or other building for pet co-location with their owners. Animal and emergency services have worked closely together, including a large scale co-location exercise at a local school in 2012. This was a successful event. Chapel Hill/Orange County Visitor's Bureau-Dave Gephart, Chair and Laurie Paolicelli, Executive Director Dave Gephart introduced himself. He said that the Bureau has thirteen board members from across the county and is part of the economic development section of Orange County Government. Two years ago the Visitor's Bureau also acquired the Arts Commission. He noted that with the work, advertising and effort of the Visitor's Bureau, there are about 1,700 jobs in Orange County that bring in and generate tax dollars. That is 157 million dollars spent annually in Orange County, 3 million in taxes, half a million dollars in state tax revenue, and over a million in occupancy tax. With that money, the Bureau strives to increase the tourism and travel and generate more dollars for the county. This year there is a change in direction and advertising agencies. There is a focus on small groups, events and mid-week business travelers as well as the local college basketball and football season crowds. Efforts are to increase occupancy and revenue dollars. Laurie Paolicelli, Director of the Visitor's Bureau, said she has been the director for eight years and that the Visitor's Bureau is an added boost to Orange County from a clean infrastructure standpoint. It attracts people who make money elsewhere, come here to visit, and leave their money before going home. She said tourism has grown over the last twenty years and the Bureau has changed its model over the years — some positive some negative. When started, the Visitor's Bureau was for Orange County and the branding was for an Orange County sell. The Bureau was put in Chapel Hill because it is the largest point of entry by tourists. She noted that the early architects and former commissioners of the project realized the name Orange County in tourism was not polling as strongly. There are sixteen Orange Counties across the nation and this caused confusion and wasted time and money. When the occupancy rate increased to 2%, Chapel Hill was added to the name. The name became Chapel Hill Orange County in the late 90's and a walk-in visitor's center was acquired on Franklin Street. She said that the Bureau was then spending two thirds of its time working to bring in visitors and one third servicing visitors here. Several years later, a research study was done to determine travel destination perceptions. This revealed that Chapel Hill, Hillsborough and Carrboro, in that order, were strongly identified as great places to visit. The logo was then changed to Chapel Hill Orange County Visitor's Bureau with Carrboro and Hillsborough. There were some people not happy with the Chapel Hill large print. Leaders have looked at this and handled it strategically. The Chapel Hill name is put out in major publications such as New Yorker, Golf Digest, Wire and others. However, $60,000 is spent to promote events in Hillsborough and Carrboro. This is a balancing act. Last year it was noted that the agricultural community was attracting tourism. This year there will be a grander emphasis on agri-tourism. County Manager Frank Clifton noted, for benefit of the new board members, that Chapel Hill and Orange County have similar ordinances for levying the occupying tax. He said they require a certain amount of money raised be dedicated toward promotion of tourism. He said Chapel Hill has historically has been putting in funding of about 15% and Orange County has dedicated the most part of the funding. The other two communities, Hillsborough, and Carrboro, have recently gotten legislation to authorize them to have occupancy tax. Once the Carrboro Hotel is completed, they will have hotel rooms and start