HomeMy WebLinkAboutTDA Executive Board Meeting April 26 2023
NEW HANOVER COUNTY TOURISM DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEETING
Wednesday, April 26, 2023
PRESENT: Nicole Jones – Chairman
Kim Hufham – President/CEO
Angela Rhodes -Vice- Chairman
Tom Ullring – Secretary
Eric Credle- Treasurer/NHC CFO
STAFF: Kim Little - Admin. Services Manager/Recording Secretary
Linda Brothers – Senior Financial Analyst, NHC
NHC TDA Board Chairman Nicole Jones called the Executive Committee Meeting
to order at 10 o’clock. The virtual WebEx meeting was initiated at the offices of the
CVB.
ITEM 1: APPROVAL OF EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MINUTES- March 23,
2023
\[Motion made by Tom Ullring, seconded by Angela Rhodes and
unanimously accepted to approve the January 18, 2023, Executive
Committee minutes.\]
ITEM 2: Airport Incentive/Guidelines Discussion- Kim Hufham
Kim Hufham attended a meeting with City of Wilmington leaders, New
Hanover County leaders, members of the board of New Hanover County TDA and New
Hanover County Airport Authority to discuss new air service funding requests.
Kim Hufham reached out to Chris Cavanaugh from Magellan Strategies
to conduct research of 16 destination marketing organization in support for air service
compared to support requested by the New Hanover Airport Authority.
Key Observation
• 16 destination marketing organizations surveyed about their level of
financial commitment to air service development and their policies around
any incentives provided.
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• Most DMOs lack guidelines or guardrails around the use of money for air
service development and handle on a case-by-case basis. (This is
independent of other types of regular grant programs to community partners
• Most of the successful relationships between DMO and an airport represent
ongoing collaboration, rather than just one-time requests for dollars.
• The DMO is usually not the only community partner providing funding
support.
ILM 2022 | Distribution of Travelers into Pender, Brunswick, and New Hanover
37.6% of all visitors flying through ILM in 2022 spent at least 20 hours in New
Hanover County
After discussion by the Executive Committee on the information presented the
recommendation to be presented the New Hanover County Tourism Development
Authority Board will be:
FY 2022/2023 Budget Amendment in the amount of $125,000 to cover new air
service from Avelo Airlines
FY 2023/2024 – Budget Line item for air service marketing - $125,000
• Funds will come from Fund Balance
• Guidelines will be established for use of funds and required
results reporting.
• Future annual incentives will be based on availability during budget cycle
($125,000 maximum)
udget cycle ($125,000 maximum)
\[The PowerPoint presentation of the study conducted by Magellan
strategies of the 16 marketing organizations in how they support their
local airports can be found in the NHC TDA Exhibit Book XIII.\]
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ITEM 3: OLD/NEW BUSINESS- Kim Hufham
A budget amendment, BA#2023-05 will be presented to appropriate funds
for marketing of Wilmington and Beaches in the Wilmington, DE region
based on a new air service from ILM by Avelo Airlines.
ITEM 4: ADJOURNMENT- Nicole Jones
There being no further items, adjournment at approximately 10:30 a.m.
_____________________________ ___________________________
Kim Hufham, President/CEO Tom Ullring, Secretary
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