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Home My WebLink About01. 8.23.18_VLMDAC Minutes_FINAL Public Notice Vail Local Marketing District Advisory Council Thursday, August 23, 2018 Grand View Room 2:00 – 4:00 PM Packet: https://bit.ly/2ARFsFz VLMDAC Members Present: Phil Metz (Vail Resorts) Laurie Mullen (West Vail Liquor) Jessie Klehfoth (VRD) Skip Thurnauer (EVMC) Beth Slifer (Slifer Designs) John Dawsey (CME) Jenn Bruno (Town of Vail) Amy Moser Harrison (Four Seasons) Esmaree Faesller (Sonnenalp) Also Present: Mia Vlaar (Town of Vail) Ernest Saeger (Town of Vail) Carlie Smith (Town of Vail) Tammy Nagel (Town of Vail) Hannah Eflin (Vail Resorts) Kristin Yantis (MYPR) Hannah Green (Cactus) Mike Lee (Cactus) Katie Harker (Cactus) Yann Bernamin (Vail Mtn) Meggan Kirkham (SITE) SEE AGENDA • Swearing in New VLMDAC Members (5 minutes), Tammy Nagel o Vlaar noted that Slifer, Faesller, and Dawsey are present via conference call and will arrive shortly. o Nagel swore in new members Amy Moser Harrison and Esmaree Faesller • Approval of July 19, 2018 Minutes (5 minutes), Board Motion/Second/Pass (Thurnauer/Metz/Unanimous) • July 2018 Monthly Financial Report (5 minutes), Carlie Smith o Smith said lodging tax collections total $1.9 million through May o Smith noted Town of Vail sales tax were up 18.6% compared to prior year June o Smith added the VLMDAC’s expenses are at 51% of budgeted expenses • Digital and Traditional Media Year over Year Results (20 minutes), Cactus, SITE, Vail Mountain Marketing See presentation for further details o Harker noted that they have already surpassed total number of clicks compared to 2017 with two months remaining in the campaign o Harker noted that CTR improved from 0.19 to 0.34 o Harker said that 82% of 32 million total impressions were delivered by July o Harker added that the overall theme is that they are up on all metrics year over year o Metz asked that total impressions be consolidated and data from all three years to be shown for all metrics o Harker confirmed they can do this o Klehfoth asked if the data can be broken down into personas o Green said they currently aren’t but they can do this • 2019 Proposed Plan and Budget (80 minutes), Cactus/All Partners See presentation for further details o Lee stated that they are at the end of the 5 year goal period originally created by the VLMDAC o Lee noted that all net growth goals have been obtained in sales tax and group occupancy and close on overall occupancy o Lee said the NPS and Consideration methodology changed between 2016 and 2018 to both web and on-site surveys o Kirkham added they changed who they were surveying and started surveying specifically to the personas they were targeting o Kirkham noted that Consideration will probably change in 2019 as well because they are finding they can always research better o Kirkham said it is a discussion whether survey results are more positive on-site or after through the web o Lee said they realize that survey results do change post-vacation o Bruno asked if there are changes in the detractors o Kirkham said she is not sure and will have to look into it o Asked who Inntopia surveys for the group room nights o Kirkham said hotel properties within the Town of Vail boundary o Lee said they are looking to the Board for direction on what the next 5 year goal objectives should be o Vlaar noted the assumption is made that they make it a 3 year objective period o Slifer asked why room rates are not included o Kirkham said ADR is being discussed as an additional metric o Slifer said as ADR increases, occupancy decreases which affects metric results o Kirkham said there is no control over what the properties are charging o Vlaar said ADR went from $243 to $277 over the 5 year time period o Slifer agreed that we don’t control it but we impact it o Kirkham said the suggestion is to add ADR to the indicator list and not the goals o Metz said length of stay has been discussed as a goal and could be influenced by the Board through messaging and targeted campaigns o Metz said they are becoming more sophisticated toward specifically driving occupancy at certain times of the year o Kirkham said the Partners discussed length of stay is directly related to destination and international travelers o Lee said the two main objectives are sales tax and lodging o Bruno noted the desire to increase midweek occupancy numbers o Metz said the partners need to work together to create an ultimate strategy to achieve the goals o Vlaar noted that length of stay data is challenging to obtain o Vlaar said short term rentals will play into the occupancy numbers as well o Vlaar said the presentation is high level and there will need to be follow up before presented to Council o Green noted the 2019 strategies are through brand, storytelling, data, and focus o Green noted the 2019 budget reflects the year over year 10% decrease o Green said they are adding a database program and long format organic social video asset capture and production o Kirkham said even though the budget is decreasing they want to commit to the organic social video o Green noted the $200,000 Colorado Classic funding as an added expense o Green noted a 6% increase in year over year occupancy in June o Yantis noted she plans to cut media visits from 3 to 2 to save money o Benjamin said back end efficiencies have increased their abilities and will result in savings o Dawsey asked where the $200,000 for the Colorado Classic is allocated to o Vlaar said it is more than likely in the other but will clarify o Benjamin said Council asked for clarification of Other so it’d be good to understand further o Mullen asked if there was contingency o Kirkham said there is a possibility for $100,000 of additional funding if the numbers are coming in strong o Slifer asked what the reserve percentage limit is o Smith said it will be 27% o Mullen asked about Council General Fund reserve amount of 30% and whether the VLMDAC has to match it o Smith said they’re decision does not affect VLMDAC’s reserves o Vlaar said the reserve fund can still be requested through a supplemental for a crisis situation o Metz asked if they will receive the line item budget o Kirkham said not at this level but will be available in October/November o Slifer asked if strategies from each partner will be presented at next meeting o Kirkham said they want confirmation of the goals before digging into the details o Dawsey noted the $75,000 change in Groups and is curious what is different for 2019 o Slifer said they want to know how the group strategy is changing and it is important that VVP presents those on 9/20 • Vail Brand Update (15 minutes), Vail Mountain Marketing See presentation for further details o Metz said Vail Resorts has been asked to educate where they are headed in winter o Metz noted they went through a brand assessment and found they needed new alignments o Metz said the brand vision is still “Like Nothing on Earth” o Metz said they didn’t have a brand position or strategic imperative which is to be “The World’s’ Premier Mountain Resort” o Mullen asked if the acquisition of other resorts was the cause to re-address their brand vs. competition o Metz said as they grew they realized they don’t want to compete within their portfolio but rather position all together o Mullen asked what is Park City’s position o Metz said it is to be the biggest ski resort by adding a connection to Canyons o Mullen asked what Whistler’s position is o Metz said Whistler is an International Resort but for a certain echelon of affluence it is not Vail and is not as premium o Harrison asked if they performed this enterprise wide o Metz said it was from economy to exotic and had a debate between luxury and premium o Metz noted the new brand pillars are Legacy, Leader, and Limitless o Metz said the brand pillars are much more emotional vs. physical o Metz noted there is a story behind each pillar and can be read in the presentation o Metz said the brand voice is the tone they use and how we bring our brand to life o Metz said the new version of primary target audience is “The Trailblazer” which resonates across all age and demographic groups o Thurnauer said it is a good step forward and they do embrace emotions and are differentiating o Thurnauer asked when it is rolling out o Metz said the advertising campaign will launch in October • Other Business o Bruno said overnight stays were promised as part of the Colorado Classic o Bruno suggested the Board ask VVF to present a recap to them o Slifer said the Front Range marketing was to be done by RPM and there was zero marketing o Slifer said the messaging of getting in and out of Vail was a deterrent o Bruno said the money spent needs to be clarified how it was used to drive overnight visitors o Bruno said the Board needs to understand if the money from VLMDAC was spent on marketing o Slifer noted that feedback was Denver was not well attended either o Bruno said she attended the Denver stages last year and they were not well attended either o Mullen noted that the VLMDAC didn’t spend any money on messaging o Kirkham agreed and noted that they tried but RPM wanted creative control o Vlaar noted that feedback includes plans to keep the Lionshead parking structure open next year o Vlaar said marketing will be a major focus next year and specific target demographics o Metz suggested that the $200,000 for marketing is controlled by the VLMDAC o Vlaar said it did increase occupancy on Thursday by 10% compared to 2017 o Bruno said Council asked for a three year commitment from RPM to hold two stages in Vail o Vlaar said 9/18 will be VLMDAC budget report to Council • Adjournment Motion/Second/Pass (Slifer/Dawsey/Unanimous) Upcoming Meetings: • VLMDAC Town Council Budget Presentation: September 18, 2018, Time TBD • VLMDAC Monthly Meeting: September 20, 2018, 8:30 – 10:00am, Grand View Room