CH-OCVB minutes 022013 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Approved March 20, 2013 2 | Page CHOCVB BOD Meeting Feb. 20, 201 3 Since the late 1980s, Wilmington, N.C. and the beaches of New Hanover County were marketed under the umbrella moniker "Cape Fear Coast." However "Cape Fear Coast" had limited name recognition and no location value outside the immediate area. Thus began a marketing journey to capture the uniqueness of four distinct entities (Wilmington and three beaches) under an umbrella brand that represents the area as a single destination. In August, 2011, the TDA Board of Directors voted to adopt "Wilmington, N.C. Historic River District & Island Beaches" as its new brand positioning with Wilmington as the lead "portal" through which visitors identify. Hufham emphasized the challenges and strengths of managing Wilmington, separate but parallel to Kure, Carolina and Wrightsville beaches. Positives of having one Visitors Bureau manage all marketing campaigns: 1. Gives each beach town the ability to market their individual assets and showcase the diversity of the entire destination while having one Bureau provide guidance, media purchases, share one ad agency and execute cost savings. 2. Ability to more seamlessly and directly market each beach town to more individualized demographics best suited for that beach. Challenges being: 1. Having four destinations within the same county often has the feeling of direct competition between each beach town and Wilmington; instead of capitalizing on the assets of one another and bringing in new audiences. 2. Additional staff workload to manage and implement separate plans and budgets for the destination as a whole and the individual beach towns. Reports Executive Director’s Report Paolicelli discussed changes, expansions and renovations in the local hotel community, of which there are currently 1600 rooms with Atma Development being the next property to open; the first for Carrboro. She is immersed in meetings with hotel general managers as part of her annual outreach effort to track trends and best determine how the Bureau can be a stronger ally to Orange County properties. Her most recent meeting was with Manish Atma, The Atma Group (Hampton Inn, Carrboro) who is opening the Carrboro Hotel in July, full service, with a $169 rack rate. The two discussed positioning and bringing in external leads. Jack Schmidt, Carolina Inn, reported that their construction completion is 8 weeks out; they are currently running with 71 rooms (114 rooms off-line) by mid-April they will have a total of 185 rooms completed. He also report that the steam tunnel is completed. The renovation will conclude before commencement May 12, 2013.