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Home My WebLink About2023-03-29 Minutes NEW HANOVER COUNTY TOURISM DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY BOARD OF DIRECTORS March 29, 2023 PRESENT: Craig Bloszinsky, Mayor – Town of Kure Beach Kim Hufham, President/CEO – NHC TDA Eric Credle, NHC Chief Financial Officer Jim Kitts, NHC Vacation Rentals Natalie English, Wilmington Chamber of Commerce Zach Brigman, Wilmington Hotel Manager (150+) LeAnn Pierce, Commissioner – New Hanover County Lynn Barbee, Mayor – Carolina Beach Angela Rhodes-NHC restaurants Zeke Partin- Wrightsville Beach Board of Alderman Tom Ullring, Carolina Beach Hotel EXCUSED: Hap Fatzinger, NHC Attractions Ross Pitman, NHC Bed & Breakfast Bill Saffo, Mayor- City of Wilmington STAFF: Kim Little, Administrative Services Manager/Recording Secretary Linda Brothers, Senior Financial Analyst, NHC Connie Nelson, Communications/PR Director Karla Thompson, Technology/Systems Manager Shawn Braden, VP Marketing John Sneed, VP Sales GUESTS: Vice- Chairman Angela Rhodes called the meeting of the New Hanover County Tourism Development Authority Board of Directors to order at 5:00pm. The meeting was held in the River Room at the offices of the CVB. ITEM #1 – EXCUSED – Hap Fatzinger, Ross Pitman, Bill Saffo 1 ITEM #2 – APPROVAL OF BOARD MINUTES FOR JANUARY 31, 2023 – Angela Rhodes \[Motion made by Tom Ullring, seconded by Natalie English and unanimously accepted to approve the January 31, 2023, TDA Board minutes as read.\] ITEM #3- FINANCIALS/ROT REPORT – ERIC CREDLE Eric Credle presented financial graphs through February 2023. Eric presents a Lease and Software Based Information Technology Arrangement Policy. This is required by GASB Statement No.87 (leases) and GASB Statement No. 96 (SBITAs- software based information technology arrangements.) \[Motion made by Natalie English, seconded by Zeke Partin and unanimously accepted to approve the NHC TDA’s Lease and Software based Information Technology Arrangement Policy.\] Linda Brothers ask all board members to return Kim Hufham’s yearly review by April 6, 2023) \[Complete financial graph presentation and the Lease and Software Based Information Technology Arrangement polity report can be found in Exhibit Book XIII.\] ITEM #4- ARRIVALIST PROPOSAL- Kim Hufham Kim Hufham presented the Arrivalist proposal for the additional tracking at Wilmington International Airport. The report would provide the following information. • Address the question of where people are going upon arrival at ILM • One time Report – Calendar Year 2022 (Banner year ROT and airport) • Include New Hanover, Brunswick and Pender Counties • Deliverables: • Number of visits • Origin Markets • Snapshot of year • Maximum of $10K – approach ILM about participating in expense 2 ITEM #5 – RESOLUTION HB524- Kim Hufham • Asked by New Hanover County to support H.R. 524 and adopt Resolution to that effect. • Resolutions of support from: • New Hanover County • Beach towns Chamber of Commerce \[Motion made by Craig Bloszinsky, seconded by Lynn Barbee and unanimously adopted the Resolution HB524 as read. The adopted resolution will be forwarded to NHC for inclusion in their package to Congressman Rouzer.\] ITEM #6- RIVERWALK ASSESSMENT- Kim Hufham • RFP – 2 proposals received • Working with City of Wilmington – Destination Development Association was chosen • May 2023 – Assessment conducted to include: • On-site Assessment • Workshop • Destination Assessment Findings & Suggestions Report ITEM #7- CVB/ STRATEGIC PLAN UPDATE- Kim Hufham STRATEGIC PLAN • Updates from January TDA Board meeting discussion • New one-pager • Updated Challenges/Opportunities to be basis for 23/24 Program of Work Kim gave an update of the CVB departments: ADMINISTRATION: • NC Travel & Tourism Coalition Meeting 3 • NCTIA Board Meeting • VisitNC Tourism Conference • NC T&T Occupancy Tax Sub-Committee • General Manager’s Roundtable • Leadership Wilmington Presentation • Appalachian State Presentation • NC T&T Executive Committee • Wilmington Chamber of Commerce Annual Meeting • WAHA Meeting Wit Tuttell – VisitNC • ASM (WCC) Regional Manager • ILM/CVB Meeting • Chamber Public Policy Meeting • Sister City Commission Meeting • NHCTDA Executive Committee Meeting • Bijou Park Ribbon Cutting MARKETING: • FY23-24 Marketing Plan Recommendations with MACs • FY23-24 Media vendor RFPs and interviews • FY23-24 Marketing Budgets • Development of 34 short form videos for mobile, web and YouTube Development of sports marketing video and launched SkyNav Sports Marketing Virtual Tour • Development and April launch of Mobile Trip Guide Completion of spring ad campaign Development of summer seasonal pages Sun Country media plan review • Development of Direct Mail piece for 500 top meeting planners COMMUNICATIONS: • Spring press trips are going strong. In February and March we hosted food bloggers from Charlotte and Raleigh, as well as writers on assignment with Food + Wine, Small Market Meetings, and Local Palate magazines. Several more on the books for April and May, including Southern Living, QC Exclusive, and Spectacular magazine. • Communications/PR Director Connie Nelson met with travel media during the Visit NC Tourism Conference in March 6-8 and is participating in Visit NC’s Atlanta Media Mission, April 2-4. • Workforce Development: The PR Department and 3 travel partners participated in Isaac Bear Early College’s Career Day in early March. They will also participate in the NHC School’s C3 job fair event on March 31. 4 • Ambassador Training Program: The CVB is working with The Tourism Academy to develop a certificate-based tourism ambassador training program that will make its debut during the Travel Rally Breakfast. The online training modules are designed to familiarize visitor-facing industry employees with visitor information resources and all our destination has to offer. • Recent interviews include: WRAL (spring travel), Family Travel Radio Network, Star News (hotel inventory), Greater Wilmington Business Journal SALES & SERVICES • Sales Staff hosted a FAM with seven 3rd Party meeting planners that represent more than 20 potential groups. We have already received one RFP and have another one on the way, with more to come. • In an effort to engage our IPs more, we invited all IPs to attend the 3 networking functions during the FAM. More than 40 industry partners from 14 different properties attended. • Sales staff hosted a luncheon in Raleigh with 15 Raleigh area planners and three IPs. Luncheons are also planned for the Charlotte are and Greensboro area later this year. • Destination Bookings up 31% • Convention District Bookings up 85% • Lost Business up 27% • Lack of available room blocks • Lack of available dates • Room rates too high \[Copies of all the presentations can be found in the Exhibit Book XIII\] ITEM #8- PRESIDENT’S COMMENTS – KIM HUFHAM Mark your calendars: CVB’S Annual Travel Rally Breakfast on May 10 at the Wilmington Convention Center to celebrate National Travel & Tourism Week. ITEM #9– CHAIRMAN’S COMMENTS- NICOLE JONES ITEM #10- OLD BUSINESS/ NEW BUSINESS - 5 ITEM #11– ELECTIONS OF 2023 OFFICERS Chairman- Nicole Jones Vice- Chairman – Tom Ullring Treasurer- Eric Credle Secretary- Angela Rhodes \[Motion made by Natalie English, seconded by Zeke Partin unanimously accepted to approve the slate of officers presented.\] As there was no further business the meeting was adjourned at 6:45 p.m. Next NHC TDA Work Session April 26, 2023 ______________________________ __________________________ Kim Hufham, President/CEO Tom Ullring, Secretary Minutes located in TDA Board Minutes Book XIIII 6