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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes - April 24, 2001 SSCITY OF LODI SPECIAL INFORMAL INFORMATIONAL MEETING "SHIRTSLEEVE" SESSION LODI WINE & VISITORS' CENTER — 2545 W. TURNER ROAD TUESDAY, APRIL 24, 2001 The April 24, 2001 Special Informal Informational Meeting ("Shirtsleeve" Session) of the Lodi City Council was called to order at 7:00 a.m. A. ROLL CALL Present: Council Members — Hitchcock, Howard, Land, Pennino and Mayor Nakanishi Absent: Council Members — None Also Present: City Manager Flynn, City Attorney Hays and City Clerk Blackston B. CITY COUNCIL CALENDAR UPDATE Review of the Mayor's and Council Member's Weekly Calendar (filed) was waived. C. TOPIC(S) C-1 "Review of Lodi Conference & Visitors Bureau Annual Report" Sharon Dais, Executive Director of the Lodi Conference & Visitors Bureau (LCVB), provided information (filed) containing travel and tourism statistics, LCVB accomplishments, and marketing examples. She highlighted the following information: • Travel and tourism continues to grow. On average, each California county earns approximately $1.2 billion per year in direct travel expenditures by visitors, 80% of which are from within the state. • The wine and grape industry alone attracts 66,000 visitors a year to San Joaquin County who spend approximately $8.6 million locally. • The "Wine Trail" connects local tasting rooms; fifty-eight Wine Trail signs were posted by the County and 17,000 maps have been distributed. • LCVB is planning to highlight downtown Lodi in its next brochure. • The Wine & Visitors Center's concierge/kiosk directs visitors to local area dining, lodging, attractions, services, activities, and events. • LCVB has appeared in 15 publications during fiscal year 2000/01 and has received 4,769 responses. • Volunteers who are dedicated to responding to reader requests generated by ads have logged in 72 hours during the months of February, March, and April. • 7,900 guests have visited the Wine & Visitor Center from September 2000 to March 2001. Economic Development Coordinator Tony Goehring suggested placing "Wine Trail" signs near freeways to attract travelers on the outskirts of the area. Mark Chandler of the Lodi Woodbridge Winegrape Commission replied that he would look into it. In reference to the Lodi Dining Pocket Guide, Mayor Nakanishi suggested increasing the advertising to include eating establishments that are the favorites of locals in the community. Mayor Pro Tempore Pennino encouraged the development of benchmarks to measure progress. Continued April 24, 2001 Council Member Land commented that the Council can serve as promoters of Lodi's wine industry by handing out brochures and other marketing materials when they attend conferences and other gatherings out of the area. He made suggestions to: 1) break out sales tax revenues for the area west of Turner Road for reporting and comparison purposes; and 2) place signs at the locations of grape vineyards and orchards identifying their variety. Ms. Dais reviewed LCVB's proposed budget for fiscal year 2001/02 (filed). Requested funding from the City totaled $130,000. From this amount, $70,000 will be used for the following special projects: Advertising, Web site/Kiosk, Wine Trail Map, Wine & Visitor Center directional signs, marketing symposium, "Gotcha!" tours, "In Your Backyard" tours, Antique Guide, and Table Top Calendars. D. COMMENTS BY THE PUBLIC ON NON -AGENDA ITEMS None. E. ADJOURNMENT No action was taken by the City Council. The meeting was adjourned at 8:25 a.m. ATTEST: Susan J. Blackston City Clerk 2 Mayor's & Council Member's Weekly Calendar WEEK OF APRIL 24, 2001 Tuesday, April 24, 2001 7:00 a.m. Shirtsleeve Session 1. Review of significant expenditure requests Wednesday, April 25, 2001 , Don't forget... .5er,7 &4LC.ed-- A Noon Woman's Club of Lodi Secretaries Day Luncheon, Woman's Club. 5:30 p.m. Joint City Council dinner meeting with members of the Recreation Commission, Hutchins Street Square — Cottage Room. Thursday, April 26, 2001 7:30 - 9:00 a.m. Nakanishi. SJ County Mayor's Committee for the Employment of People with Disabilities 16th Annual Employer Recognition Breakfast, Stockton Inn, Stockton. Mayor to present certificates. 5:00 P.M. Nakanishi. Loel Senior Center Volunteer Recognition Dinner, Loel Center. 5:30 - 7:30 p.m. Chamber of Commerce Business After House Mixer, Mataga of Lodi. Friday, April 27, 2001 5.00 - 6.00 p.m. Nakanishi. Stockton Asparagus Festival 2nd Annual Mayor's Celebrity Spear Throwing Competition, Oak Grove Park, Stockton. Saturday, April 28, 2001 Sunday, April 29, 2001 Monday, April 30, 2001 2:00 - 3:00 p.m. AARP Town Meeting regarding Energy Conservation, Loel Senior Center. 5:30 p.m. Lodi Boys and Girls Club Awards Dinner, honoring youth, volunteers and staff. Disclaimer: This calendar contains only information that was provided to the City Clerk's office counci I`•mi>clmcalndr.doc Principles of Operation ■ We will be inclusive and collaborative in our efforts. Partnerships are essential for our success. ■ We will strive to be proactive rather than reactive. ■ We will continuously look for quality improvement opportunities. ■ Our work and efforts will reflect a standard of excellence. Travel & tourism will explode! National and International Impact Statewide Impact San Joaquin County Impact Fast Facts • Travel & tourism is one of the world's largest industries and is expected to generate $9 trillion in economic activity by 2010. • 3.5% of the world's population currently engages in international tourism & that will grow to 7% by 2020. This is an industry still in its infancy. • Travel & tourism continues to have a major influence on the U.S. economy. It currently generates $92.5 billion in federal, state and local taxes. ■ Travel & tourism spending results in an infusion of $71 billion annually into the State's economy. ■ On average, each California County earns approximately $1.2 billion per year in direct travel expenditures by visitors. ■ 80% of CA travel is from in-state. ■ San Joaquin County generates approximately $400 million in travel and tourism receipts, jobs and revenues. • The wine and grape industry alone attracts 66,000 visitors a year to San Joaquin County who spend approximately $8.6 million locally. IN Tourism helps diversify and stabilize rural economies. Facts have been provided by: • Nucifora Consulting • 'The Economics of Travel & Tourism" • 'Rural Tourism: Small Towns &Villages appeal to U.S. Travelers" • Western Association of Conference and Visitors Bureau's "News Notes" • California Travel and Tourism Commission's "Year in Review 2000" • California Division of Tourism 8& California Travel Industry Association Current Projects & Accomplishments Wine Trail Community Concierge Ads &- Editorials ■ Image enhancement tool ■ Connects local tasting rooms • Highlights additional Lodi assets (other agriculture and attractions of Lodi) ■ 58 signs posted by the County by December 2000 ■ 20,000 Wine Trail Maps delivered in March for distribution ■ over 16,000 distributed; another 1,000 reserved for upcoming out- of-town events ■ Asparagus Festival • Youth Fast Pitch Western World Series ■ Special conferences ■ California Division of Tourism • Sacramento Conference & Visitors Bureau • Stockton San Joaquin Conference & Visitors Bureau • California Travel Commission (for international tour planners) ■ Travel writers & publications • Group tour planners • Lodi Street Faire • Wineries • Hotels, businesses, am/pm markets • Limousine Services • Sponsored by City of Lodi, Lodi Woodbridge Winegrape Commission, Lodi News -Sentinel, Lodi Chamber of Commerce ■ Directs visitors to wide variety of dining, lodging, attractions, services, activities, events • Printable information • Provides informational foundation for future website • Appearing in 15 publications during Fiscal Year 2000/01 • Stimulating state, national and international interest • 4,769 information requests from readers of VIA, California Visitor's Guide, Sunset since July 2000 • California Visitor's Guide —485,000 distribution; reaches over 1.9 million inbound travelers ■ Sunset — circulation of 1,326,274 in the Western U.S. and of that 759,000 are California subscribers • VIA — circulation is 2.6 million with an estimated readership of 5 million Ads & Editorials Continued LCVB Volunteer Program Wine & Visitor Center Community Corner Other publications include: ■ California's Central Valley ■ California Visitor review • Lodi News -Sentinel Visitors Guide • Sacramento Jazz Jubilee Program ■ Sacramento Magazine ■ Sacramento Magazine Visitors Guide ■ Sacramento Magazine SCVB Plan Guide 2001 ■ Sierra Escape ■ Stockton San Joaquin County Visitor Guide . • What's New in California (publication of California Division of Tourism) • Wine X ■ Yellow Pages (National) ■ Participants include representatives from: ■ The Vintage ■ American Association of Retired People • Friends of Lodi Lake ■ Lodi Community ■ Future resident • 15 volunteers have logged in 72 hours for Feb/Mar/Apr • Currently dedicated to responding to reader requests generated by ads • WVC provides compelling attraction that positions Lodi as a desirable destination ■ 7,900 guests have visited the Center from September 2000 — March 2001 • Attracts approximately 250 visitors per weekend with considerable traffic during the week • Community Corner Serves as a referral to rest of community ■ Greeting Counter ■ Community Reference Guide ■ 2 community attractions/events display areas for brochures, guides, posters, and more ■ Community Concierge/Kiosk Annual Festivals & Events Calendar Western World Series National Softball Asso. The Compass Conference and Tour Group Assistance Dining Guide Card ■ Highlights 30 different events • Provides contact information • Illustrates rich variety of celebrations: nature, cultural, agriculture, sports, arts and music ■ Marketing tool for travel writers and calendar editorial in publications ■ Cooperative effort between Manteca, Lodi, Stockton and Modesto • First ever Youth Fast Pitch Western World Series will be located in Central San Joaquin Valley • Over 6,000 players and coaches and over 15,000 spectators expected to participate ■ Economic impact to this area will be in excess of $10 million • Cooperative regional marketing program • Encourages visitation to lesser known regional destinations & attractions • Visitors extend stays in communities • Agricultural/rural/historical tourism ■ Lodi sites provide extra incentives to travelers and excursionists ■ Local sponsor— Bank of Lodi • Serve as local contact for visiting groups • Resource for tour sites, programs and services such as transportation, entertainment • Attracting state, national, international interest • Coordinating with Sacramento CVB to position Lodi as a pre- conference and spouse/guest tour site for major Sacramento conferences/groups • Day trips lead to return trips later • Convenient fold -out business card size • Contains address and restaurant hours and a map • Distributed through wineries, hotels, restaurants, local attractions (e.g. Hutchins Street Square, San Joaquin Historical Museum, Lodi Lake, Wine & Visitor Center, Grape Festival Grounds) Lodi Facility Guide Industry Memberships Industry Involvement Community Awareness Community Support ■ Reference for meeting, conference and event planners ■ List of area meeting and conference facilities: locations, amenities, capacity and contact information ■ List will be included in revised website/kiosk • Western Association of Conference & Visitors Bureaus • California Travel Industry Association • Central Valley Tourism Association ■ Sacramento Conference & Visitors Bureau ■ Stockton San Joaquin Conference & Visitors Bureau • Delta Chambers • Western Association of Conference & Visitors Bureau Annual Meeting (March 2001) • Presentations include: ■ 49t�' Annual Lodi Grape Day ■ Lodi Tokay Rotary ■ Lodi Women's Center • Lodi Women's Club • Donation for reception for new Fire Chief and Director of Parks and Recreation ■ Donation for Sunrise Century Bike Tour ■ Donation for Lodi Area Crime Stoppers Golf Tournament Future Accomplishments Future Accomplishments Advertising Lodi Website/Kiosk Fast Facts • Aggressive marketing is key! • Key to bring in visitors within a 300 mile radius. ■ Successful markets will stake their claim to the international visitor. ■ 60+ million international visitors to the U.S. projected for 2001 • California Tourism publications program generated $67 million in new traveler spending in 2000 with every $1 spent in creating a return of .$100. ■ California Visitors Review • Annual readership in excess of 4.5 million; approximately 70,000 per issue Majority of readership from Bay Area and Sacramento • 950 distribution points in Northern California ■ Placed in key locations throughout Southern California & Oregon ■ Complimentary weekly publication ■ Sacramento Magazine • Monthly readership of 255,000 ■ Affluent and active readership ■ 94.8% are more than 25 years of age • 62.3% earn more than $50,000 in annual income ■ 33% earn more than $75,000 in annual income • Sacramento Magazine Visitors Guide • Primary planning tool for visitors to Sacramento • 230,000 copies are circulated annually Distributed from various trade shows, tour/travel agencies, the Sac. Convention Center, Old Sacramento Visitors Center, accommodations, rental care agencies, included in convention delegate packets ■ Sac. Conference & Visitors Bdreau Meeting Planner • Only publication to reach thousands of company and association decision makes holding their conventions and meetings in the Sacramento area. ■ California Visitors Guide ■ Sunset Fast Facts ■ 64% of frequent travelers use the Internet to plan a portion of their trip. Internet will deliver on its potential. ■ Technology will fundamentally change the complexion of the industry. ■ All travel environments will have electronic marketing plans to complement their conventional market plan. This is key! ■ Lesser known destinations are able to compete with the most popular. Lodi Website/Kiosk continued Destination Marketing Wine Trail Map Wine & Visitor Center Directional Signs Marketing Symposium Lodi Website will: ■ Serve as both an invitation to visit Lodi and provide travel planning assistance. ■ Serve as an online visitors guide and the foundation for the Community Concierge. ■ Expand to include "Taste of Lodi" component that includes the Wine and Visitor Center, a printable wine trail map, ability to update wine trail map on an as -needed basis, links to Lodi Appellation Wine Association and wineries. ■ Provide map quest services. ■ Include tour of Lodi video. ■ Full year map distribution service from the Certified Folder Display Service, Inc. ■ Distribution areas will include Sacramento Area, Lodi to Fresno US 99, Napa Valley. ■ 109,000 maps will be displayed in racks located in hotels, resorts, airports, car rental offices, RV parks/campgrounds, attractions, museums, chambers and other visitor centers. ■ Display racks are serviced personally by Certified staff up to twice a week in heavy traffic locations. • An additional 15,000 maps will be printed to meet the demand from wineries, attractions and other businesses in the Lodi area and for distribution through the LCVB and the Mine and Visitor Center. ■ Provide the functional purpose of directing visitors to the Center • Serve as marketing tool for visitors who were not aware of the Center • Will be a component of an integrated marketing plan for the Center • Will also serve as a reminder to the community of the Center • Events and activities are primary marketing tools for attracting tourists • Symposium, designed for event planners, non -profits, community volunteers, will include: • Event marketing • Event operations & logistics • Graphic design ■ Event sponsorship • Evaluation "Gotcha!" Tours Community Relations "In Your Backyard" Tours Table Top Calendars Antique Guide • Introduce media representatives to Lodi attractions, events, wine country, culture and more • Provide tours during which visitors will "experience" Lodi a Provide exceptional memorable experiences with the "personal touch" Fast Facts • Rural tourism appeals to many Americans, with 62% of all U.S. adults taking a trip to a small town in the U.S. within the past three years. This translates to 86.8 million U.S. adults. ■ A majority of these trips were for leisure purposes (86%) and, by far, the most popular reason overall for traveling to a small town or rural area is to visit friends or relatives (44%). IN In general, rural travelers most often stay at a hotel or motel (42%). "In Your Backyard" Tours will: ■ Inform hospitality employees of Lodi's tourist sites and attractions. • Assist employees in providing excellent customer service to tourists. • Convey to our community the importance of the tourism industry. ■ Provide opportunity to convey appreciation to hospitality employees. as well as their importance to the community • Prepare employees by providing an orientation, tours of key attractions and informational packets. ■ "Graduates" receive an "Ask me about Lodi!" button ■ Inform business representatives and community leaders of benefits of tourism • Placed in hotels, restaurants, winery tasting rooms ■ Display annual festivals & events that are designed to attract visitors ■ Inform local residents and visitors of the numerous events happening in Lodi ■ Encourage local residents to invite friends and family to "their backyard" ■ Local participation/support • Complete listing of antique & collectible establishments in Lodi • Map of the area • Distributed through local businesses, wineries, Wine & Visitor Center ■ Local participation/support The Word Is Out! Proposed Budget Proposed Projects Budget Fiscal Year 200 7/02 City of Lodi Community Total Advertising S38,000 $38,000 CA Visitor Guide 316,930 CA Visitors Review 2,996 Sacramento magazine 4,500 Sac. Mag. Visitors Guide 4,000 Sac. Meeting Planner Guide 935 Sunset 7,218 Ad design 1.421 S38,000 .Website/Kiosk - 10,000 10,000 Includes: Structural change, homepage, icon lists, mid-level pages, map quest, Tour of Lodi video, hosting, maintenance, forward/backward buttons, homepage templates Wine Trail Map 15,246 7,837 23,083 Printing 3 8,283 Distribution 5,317 Artwork U46 315,246 Wine & Visitor Center Directional Signs 2,934 1,350 4,284 Includes printing and design Marketing Symposium 795 1,550 2,345 Includes materials, printing, speaker fees, room rental, refreshments "Gotcha!"Tours 970 450 1,420 Includes transportation, materials, room rental, refreshments "In Your Backyard" Tours 330 300 630 Includes transportation, materials, buttons Antique Guide 975 1,000 1,975 Includes printing and design Table Top Calendar 750 1,250 2,000 Includes dye -cut, printing and design Total S70,000 S13,737 583,737 LCVB Proposed Budget Fiscal Year 2001102 City of Lodi $ 130,000 Lodi Woodbridge Winegrape Commission 84,142 Community Partners 15.552 Total $ 229,694 LCVB Revenue Sources 56% 37°!e Special Projects City of Lodi $70,000 Community Partners 13,737 Total $83,737 Special Project Revenue 84% D, City of Lodi f 'ECommunity 16°% Partners O City of Lodi ®Lodi Woodbridge Winegrape Commission O Community Partners