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VLMDAC Minutes March16 2017VLMDAC Vail Local Marketing District Advisory Council Thursday, March 16, 2017, 8:30am – 11:30am Antlers at Vail VLMDAC Members Present: Beth Slifer (Chair) Phil Metz (Vail Resorts) Laurie Mullen (Vice Chair) via phone Skip Thurnauer Jenn Bruno (Vail Town Council) Jessie Klehfoth (Vail Recreation District) John Dawsey (Colorado Mountain Express) (Treasurer) Michael Holton (Vail Valley Medical Center) Scott Gubrud (Four Seasons Resort Vail) Also Present: Kelli McDonald (Town of Vail) Kristin Yantis (MYPR) Melissa Delekta (MYPR) Gabe Shalley (Vail Resorts) Erin Smith (Cactus) Chris Romer (Vail Valley Partnership) Josh Ruark (Sonnenalp) Kendyl Lee (Vail Resorts) Sarah Berkheimer (Cactus) Jennifer Viditz-Ward (Vail Resorts) Chris Creamer (Bridge Street Ski Haus) Lorena Melott (VBCR) Carly West (Bravo Vail) Alan Cardenes (Wyndham) Sid Bonser Satchel Burns Scott Robinson (Walking Mountains) February 2017 Monthly Financial Report (Carlie Smith, TOV) Finances and sales tax collections update – January is down. Budgeted numbers for 2017 are below 2016 numbers; does that indicate a decline? No – system takes averages of past five years, and while there is some softening of the market. Discussion on market & impact of Vail Cascade closure for the season. Approval of February 16, 2017 Meeting Minutes Motion/Second/Passed (Thurnaur/Metz/unanimous) Eco Transit Update (Chris Lubbers, Eco Transit) – see slides for details Lubbers provided an overview of ECO-Transit, including financial overview (funding via .5% sales tax raising $9.2m), fleet details, and Transportation Development Plan (TDP) currently in place. TDP is a 12-14 month program with outside consultant consisting of stakeholder interviews, passenger studies, service analysis and review. See slides for complete details on TDP effort and study deliverables and complete financial overview. Discussion ensued re: seasonal service levels (summer/winter); study audience (key players/stakeholders – towns, Vail Resorts) will lead to creation of advisory group; how to increase ridership by leveraging other transit partners in the valley; last mile connections; communications of scheduling and routes; ridership details & fare structure. Creative Executions (Cactus) – see slides for details McDonald updated group on process and subcommittee meetings re: creative executions. Metz previewed alignment with strategy of guest segmentation and how creative is aligned to VLMDAC profiles. Berkheimer reviewed overarching goals for creative (see slides for detailed goals ). “For Those Who” is the preferred platform and helps achieve our goals. Various headlines and options explored and reviewed; platform is designed to make a statement rather than ask a question. Each audience profile (dynamic families, active professionals, super boomers) was reviewed with executions including television, pre-roll storyboard, print, and banners (note: no banner for active professionals because data showed this audience didn’t respond to banners). Out of home (OOH) executions reviewed as well with question from Cactus regarding use of overlay on OOH; Cactus to send out link to VLMDAC in advance of next meeting to ensure timing of campaign meets deadlines. Several options presented. Discussion regarding lack of signature village photography in the horizontal execution. Zip line, family biking, and hikers were preferred executions, and group prefers “Like Nothing on Earth”. Discussion from VLMDAC board related to use of pavers on creative ads and how to best utilize the design element of the logo – challenge is to get the right images to resonate with the audiences; Cactus reinforced that it is designed to be abstract. Group tends to like the flowers more than the pavers; Metz and Cactus reinforced that the bug can be adapted and the focus should remain on the images and the messages to each profile. Consensus is that the use of the bug does help differentiate our ads relative to the competition (others are typically using full bleed) – and the campaign does not utilize a lot of print, so we have options on which to use. Summer Lodging Offers (Meggen Kirkham, SITE) – see slides for details Kirkham reviewed summer lodging offers by persona with 30% off book by deals and messaging aligned with mid-week/Epic Discovery/Fall and timing of each execution. Offers valid through VBCR and promoted via television/digital/print as appropriate to each au dience. Lodging offers created in partnership with Vail Marketing. Best available rate shows for each search and is a more accurate message to guests. Exact details on incorporation of Epic Discovery into offers TBD in near future. Discussion ensued on rates and ability to provide more dynamic rate plans, more accurate to visitors when shopping (“rates as low as….”, “rates starting at….”) and how to best utilize new platform. Ability to launch the offer but not promote in order to leverage potential PR opportunities and messaging. This platform now matches industry standards for lodging industry and helps ensure rate parity. See slides for timing and channel for each offer. CVENT Deep Dive (Chris Romer, VVP) – see slides for details Romer reviewed CVENT (web platform used by meeting planners to source business to properties and destinations), including current placements on site to promote Vail as a group & meeting destination. Current placements include: CVB profile; button ads on Vail and Park City pages; ability for meeting planners to request a destination quote; and ability for planners to copy VVP on destination leads. July 2015-June 2016 destination results (year-over-year growth) included awarded RFP growth of 17% and lodging revenue growth of 26%. VVP generated growth from CVENT was even higher (see slides). Total investment: $10,641. 2017 plan is to add banner advertisements on Aspen & Breckenridge pages, as well as video retargeting (12,000 video views of Vail group sales video) and investment to increase to $20,729. Discussion ensued regarding other channels to reach meeting planners and best way to leverage CVENT to promote Vail as a meeting destination. Group was supportive of results from CVENT and wanted to ensure it was not competitive with properties (Romer reiterated goal was to drive increased volume and CVENT focus is on increasing awareness of Vail through retargeting & targeting planners on other comp set destination pages). Research Proposal (Chris Romer, VVP) – see slides for details Romer reviewed summer research proposal from RRC Associates (full proposal included in meeting packets provided in advance of meeting). Summer VLMD research includes intercept study (short in-person study) and follow up (post-stay) survey. Surveys to take place in both Vail Village & Lionshead, to match historic locations and methodology. RRC to provide written updates of key findings, as well as in-person presentation at end of summer. Optional lodging follow up study presented as well. This digital survey would be a new effort designed to leverage VLMDAC data collection by using lodging property outreach to increase the reach and number of respondents. Total budgeted in 2017 for intercept is $18,000; proposal from RRC is $21,000 to add the mid - season written report & end of season presentation. Post -visit lodging survey would be an additional $4,000-$5,000. Discussion ensued; consensus is to not pursue lodging post-trip study and to inquire with RRC regarding bi-lingual surveyors and ensure consistency and data collection across all surveys (CSE, Welcome Centers, etc), but desire exists to reach out to lodging community to try to identify opportunities for increased reach and collaboration. Chicago Trip Update (Kristin Yantis, MYPR) – see slides for details Delekta & Yantis reviewed Chicago media mission & Chicago Blackhawks game in partnership with Vail Resorts as well as key placements and social feedback from influencers. In-market travel update (SATW, Bay Area, Denver) and summer press trip preview. In-depth review of Macaroni Kids press trip and other opportunities to spotlight new properties (Hotel Talisa) and activities (“glamping” at Piney River Ranch). VRD & Walking Mountains Programming (Jessie Klehfoth, Vail Recreation District / Scott Robinson, Walking Mountains) – see slides for details Klehfoth gave brief overview of VRD summer programming (day camps, sports camps, trail running series, tournaments, leagues) and summer facilities and programs (golf, tennis, Dobson, Gymnastics Center, Imagination Station, fields, Nature Center, etc). Approximately 4k kids go through VRD programming (many of them out of town and international visitors, estimated 30% out of state – of which 10% is international – and 14% in state overnight). VRD has marketing platform and plan for digital outreach to out of state visitors as camps do sell out. Competitive sports camps (with professional coaches) do attract out of state visitors, who tend to stay longer (8+ night average). Programs, camps, and facilities are promoted on Vail.com. Robinson reviewed Walking Mountains summer programming including hiking programs, Epic Discovery, Vail Nature Center. Walking Mountains programs have grown with 31k people reached during summer in Vail (90k throughout valley). Partnerships and sustainability programs reviewed as well. Summer camps continue to grow in popularity with day camps and overnight camps available. Suggestion to create a stay & play package for hiking on Vail Mountain through already created WMSC programs. Walking Mountains is helping lead Vail effort to be the first destination to receive a “Sustainable Destination” certification; brief discussion re: how can VLMD leverage this in future messaging? Partners (VRD & MYPR) reinforced that WMSC is a great partner and communicates programs and opportunities with plenty of lead time. International Plan (Jennifer Viditz-Ward, Vail Resorts) – see slides for details Metz provided overview of international market trends related to Whistler acquisition; informed group that changes are likely due to political climate, currency exchange rates, visa requirements (lack of) for Canada. It is unlikely that any changes are due to acquisition of Whistler to Vail Resorts portfolio, but rather due to macro-economic issues. Discussion ensued re: is summer visitation driven by second homeowner versus visitors? Layers of market in winter – Vail “owns” Mexico City market, but other markets likely exploring other resort destinations. Future discussion should focus on how to best target Mexico market moving forward, and how to maximize our market share. How to we best track summer visitation from summer international efforts (express desk? Lodging study?). Should VLMDAC be conducting peer city visits to better understand competitive markets? General support exists to try to schedule peer visits. McDonald tasked with next steps to schedule time/visits. Viditz-Ward reviewed international efforts including Panama Sales Mission (January), Mexico sales mission (April-May), and FAM tours (June/July: Mexico, Brazil : September). Also utilizing movie theatre spots in Cancun to promote Vail summer. Safety message remains key talking point. Panama is a key growth opportunity and Viditz-Ward shared publication with strong Vail Resorts presence in Uruguay. “Vail Loves Mexico” message is resonating with Mexico City audience. Other Business No other business Upcoming Meetings: VLMDAC Thursday, April 20, 2017 8:30am-11:30am, Grand View Room Event Promoter Brand Summit, April 20, 2017 12:30pm-1:30pm Note different locations for April meetings!