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Home My WebLink AboutVLMDAC Minutes May 2015_FINAL DRAFT 1 Minutes Vail Local Marketing District Advisory Council Thursday, May 21, 2015 8:30 AM – 11:30 AM The Antlers – Caribou/Pronghorn Room VLMDAC Members Present: Laurie Mullen, (West Vail Liquor Mart) Skip Thurnauer   Jim Kellen (Vail Resorts)) Mark Herron (Four Seasons Resort Vail) Michael Holton (Vail Valley Medical Center)   Jamie Gunion (Vail Recreation District) John Dawsey, Treasurer (Colorado Mountain Express) on phone VLMDAC Members absent: Beth Slifer (Chair) Jenn Bruno (Vail Town Council Alternate) Also Present: Chris Romer (Vail Valley Partnership) Jill Lammers (Vail Valley Partnership) Haley McNeill (Vail Valley Partnership) Kristin Yantis (Malen Yantis Public Relations)   Taylor Prather (Malen Yantis Public Relations) Kendyl Severino Lee (Vail Resorts)  Ben Waymire (Volume 9)   Laura Waniuk (CSE Liaison) Jen Hartwick (Booyah) Meggen Kirkham (Site) Duncan Horner (Vail Valley Foundation) Michelle Tuchfeld (Vail Resorts) Lindsay Heller (Vail Resorts) Ryan Clark (Vail Resorts) Kari Mohr (Vail Resorts) Brian Checksfield Satchele Burns I. April 2015 Monthly Financial Report – Kathleen Halloran – see packet for details Current collections are at $640,000. The lodging tax is currently up by 6.7%. March 2015 is up 8.7% too soon to adjust budget projections but numbers are currently up for the year. 2 II. Approval of February 19, 2015 Meeting Minutes -Thurnauer/Herron-passed unanimously III. Group Update – VVP Chris Romer – See slides for details Updates included in packet information. VVP has sales representative s working with meeting planners and focusing on geographic regions and vertical markets like medical and sports teams. Year-to-date information was presented for 2015 and 2014. It was noted that there is a lot of transparency in the process of working with groups and lodging properties and partners. Revenue can be skewed during the first quarter, as ADR is higher at that point in the year. Some group business takes longer lead-time. A German Soccer team is a current group lead that the VVP is working with to accommodate in Vail. The team would be training and hosting training workshops for kids in Vail. A baseball event is also in the works for Vail to host. No Barriers is a nonprofit organization VVP is also working to host in a large group in Vail. Vail Mountain has also been a partner in bringing this group. Revenue and room nights displayed are YTD for 2015 compared to 2014 and 2013 year end data. A Health and Wellness/medical programs update was presented. The Sunshine Act limitations were presented. It was noted that some pharmacy companies are also enforcing limitations of the Sunshine Act. Opportunities for Health and Wellness groups still exist despite the Sunshine Act. Group sales by geography were presented. Trends in group meetings were presented. Vertical market breakout was presented. SMERF group’s data won’t register till after the group leaves, if it is possible to track. SMERF number should increase. Overall, group sales sees stable numbers. IV. Mexico Update MYPR Kristin Yantis – see slides for details Recapped recent trip to Mexico. Trip took place earlier than past trips. Details of sales and PR trip were presented. Duncan Horner from Vail Valley Foundation joined Jennifer Viditz-Ward and Kristin Yantis on the sales and PR mission. Discussion about camps for kid’s opportunity ensued. Trip details and opportunities were presented. The Vail Verano logo was used throughout events. Lodging community and activity partners were thanked for their donations for giveaways. Results were presented. It was noted a four-page spread on the Go Pro Mountain Games-oriented family/socialite event came out the day before with a heavy picture section in a Mexican publication. It was asked that Jen Viditz Ward provide data and results from wholesaler’s end of summer numbers. It was noted on the domestic side that 5280 ran a feature in May. The PR committee will meet in June. MYPR won four awards on behalf of the VLMDAC for America’s Best Summer Job, the “Perfect Day in Vail” feature in Sunset magazine and “7 Best Hikes in Vail” placed on Yahoo! Travel. V. Digital Update Booyah Jen Hartwick – see slides for details Results were presented for search and display. Mexico banners launching today. 3 Event creative is also launching today. Paid search results were presented. Campaigns were launched in the middle of April. Ad copy was presented. It was noted that another month will go by before optimization will happen, to better collect and understand conversion data. Next month, insights to ROI will be available. VI. Traditional Update SITE Meggen Kirkham– see slides for details Destination TV plan was presented. Houston and Dallas OOH were presented. Digital weatherboard will launch in late June. Houston United data was presented. Houston and Dallas pacing was presented. Gabe Shalley (Vail Resorts) is hosting an event in Houston with meeting planners and media next week. Denver TV recap was presented. Offer updates were presented for creative. It was asked what property is offering a $140 rate and it was answered that central reservations pulls summer rates and found 3-4 properties offering that rate. It is a lead entry rate. User enters dates after clicking on $140 rate and searches dates and rates available. Discussion ensued about getting away from discount messaging. It was asked if hotels are participating more in summer offerings, and it was answered that some progress has happened but due to some systems issues, it is not exactly where is needs to be yet as a central location for booking lodging. Most guests book a la carte, at a higher rate than advertised. It was noted by VVF that there is some overlap and it was suggested that we pull resources and consolidate the media spend that is overlapping. VII. Spend by month update – Meggen Kirkham SITE & Booyah – see slides for details Media spend by month was presented. Discussion ensued bout spend and conversion rate. It was noted it is align with efforts and goals. VIII. Research Plans VR Brian Checksfield, Michelle Tuchfield, Ryan Clark – see slides for details Team was introduced – Brian and Michelle work out of Broomfield and Ryan works with local team. Previous summer research overview was presented. This summer, they are aiming to remain mindful of the guest experience with shorter or more engaging surveys focused on guest insights. In years past, summer research and some winter was focused on the data around mountain satisfaction, new this year that type of rating information will move to online surveys. It was noted, though, that we will still collect NPS in resort to benchmark and gauge different methodologies. Discussion ensued about post trip evaluations vs. in the moment results. Some open-ended questions will be used to help evaluate data deeper. 2015 survey plan was presented, aimed to understand if Vail vacation met guest expectations. “Nimble surveys” labeled as “???” is not looking for volume, or statistical heavy analysis, but rather to answer a question or hypotheses in order to take action.. For example, they will evaluate something specific like ticket window experience and then adjust 4 immediately following results and keep surveying. The VR team is currently working with Town of Vail and Vail Valley Partnership to make data more robust. It was noted that the Burke Brand Study takes place this summer to help with planning process in 2016. It was noted that Burke Study happens every other year and RCC offered to help look at in-depth at Millennials and will present findings at June 18 VLMDAC meeting. IX. CRM VR Kendal Severino & Lindsay Heller– See slides for details There is a list of about 7000 TOV email addresses and larger list from VR for winter. The idea is to combine lists and make it more valuable. The goal is to reach a larger audience. CRM was introduced and how VR conducts this research. Background on team was given. Customer Relations Marketing started in 2011 and now a team of 10, doubled in size and do about 600 campaigns per year, 3000 -3500 unique segments are being studied as a result. It was asked if more summer or winter studies are happening and it was answered that currently it is winter. It was noted that summer messaging has been incorporated monthly. CRM goals were presented. Types of data were presented. CRM team has identified 3500 known Vail summer guests, looked at email preference settings. They know they are interested in summer because the user has selected an option to receive specific information or selected that the user selected that they are interested in summer activities. It was noted that pre- arrival /confirmations emails are going to those who book via vail.com. Suggestions on effective email marketing were presented. Discussion ensued about ways to look at current email list of visitors. It was noted that IContact is something that VLMD currently uses to do email segmentation.  Motion to proceed CRM strategy and execution as presented with Vail Resorts Thurner/Gunion. Passed unanimously. X. Five year strategic plan metrics – Jim Kellen VR Plan intentions were presented. Goals were presented, as they will play an important role in understanding and creating five-year plan. Metrics were presented. It was asked if this is included in goodness mfg scope of work for 2015 and it is. Three years from now is when there will be an understanding of whether the goals are achievable. Discussion ensued. Next steps are to build out deliverables from metrics.  Motion to allocate $2000 to conduct millennial research with RRC Kellen/Thurner. Pass unanimously. XI. Other Business   Reminder to attend CSE meeting in June 3. RFP details for events for 2016 input will be collected at meeting. XII. Adjournment  Gunion/Kellen. 5