1996-1001_CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, SJC_G1a_Agenda Report AGENDA ITEM October 1, 1996
TO: George Scarborough, City Manager
FROM: Mechelle Lawrence, Economic Development Administrator
SUBJECT: Establishment of goals and objectives for a Visitor's Bureau and consideration of a
Memorandum of Understanding between the City and Chamber of Commerce for providing
Visitor Related Services.
RECOMMENDATION:
By motion: 1) consider and endorse the proposed goals for a Visitor's Bureau and 2) approve the
Memorandum of Understanding between the City and Chamber of Commerce for carrying out visitor
services.
SITUATION:
A. Summary:
During the review of the City's budget for Fiscal Year 96-97, the Council allocated $25,000 to be used
toward providing a response to visitor/tourism inquiries. Subsequent to the budget's adoption, it was
determined that staff and the Chamber of Commerce would work together to develop goals and objectives
for a Visitor's Bureau, with the Chamber of Commerce assuming the lead role in providing these services.
Since that time, staff and the Chamber of Commerce have met regularly to both develop a mutual approach
to responding to visitor inquiries and foster visitations to the community.
Summarized in this report (and attached to the draft memorandum of understanding) are a series of goals
and objectives for a Visitor's Bureau to work toward implementing in this fiscal year. The City Council is
asked to consider and endorse these goals.
In addition, a draft Memorandum of Understanding (between the City and Chamber of Commerce)
articulates the conditions, or performance standards, for the Chamber of Commerce to meet in providing
the City visitor related services. Conditions regarding periodic reporting and other items have been
included in the memorandum(MOU)to allow for on-going communication regarding the Chamber's efforts.
Therefore, the City Council is requested to: 1) consider and endorse the proposed goals for a Visitor's
Bureau and 2) approve the memorandum of understanding between the City and Chamber of Commerce
for carrying out visitor services.
FOR CITY COUNCIL AGE *'f...
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Agenda Item -2- October 1, 1996
C. Background
The Chamber of Commerce currently carries out its own visitor response to inquiries raised by individual
travellers and group tours. During Fiscal Years 94 -95 and 95- 96 the City allocated funds to support the
Chamber's response to requests for visitor information. It is estimated that since that time over 24,000 calls
and hundreds of hours have been devoted toward providing a response to visitor inquiries. At the same
time Mission San Juan Capistrano also has its own Visitor's Information Center which takes special effort
to let its visitors know of the numerous fine dining and shopping available within the City of San Juan
Capistrano.
In developing a list of goals and activities to be undertaken by the Chamber of Commerce, representatives
from the Mission(Gaynell Wald), Chamber of Commerce(Tom Facon), and city staff (Mechelle Lawrence)
met several times to share information about the activities each performed in response to visitor and tourism
related demands. In addition,the team developed a series of additional goals with recommended activities
to help improve the City's response to visitor/tourism. As a result, the following project description
summarizes the goals and activities to providing an improved response to visitor related demands and needs.
D. Project Description:
Visitor Bureau Goals/Activities:
Because the Chamber of Commerce and Mission San Juan Capistrano currently work together informally
through the Chamber of Commerce's Hospitality and Tourism Committee, establishing a Visitor's Bureau
(which includes city representation) ensures that the same message, materials, and customer service are
provided in a team oriented fashion instead as singular entities. A Visitor's Bureau, or team, made up of
the three entities (Chamber, Mission, and City) ensures that communication is on-going, and that the City
can provide specialized assistance as needed in the areas of trouble shooting, permitting, etc. Therefore,
the representatives request that the Council consider and endorse the following five goals with activities
summarized as follows:
Goal#1: Enhance San Juan Capistrano's response to demands for visitor related information.
This goal calls out five different activities including responding to phone inquiries, providing written
information as needed,ensuring that the same information/materials are being provided by the Chamber and
Mission, coordinating the construction of a visitors information kiosk, and developing a unified community
calendar to be distributed to target groups, individuals and organizations.
Agenda Item -3- October 1, 1996
Goal#2: Enhance San Juan Capistrano's identity as a local, one-day destination to southern
California and primarily, Orange County/San Diego travellers.
This goal calls for the Chamber to coordinate with Amtrack, and other rail lines, to develop San Juan
Capistrano's recognition as a great one day destination, providing Saturday morning visitor information,
market the City to convention groups,work with travel writers and coordinate articles with Orange County
and San Diego travel publications, and assist tour buses with information on lunching and shopping
locations near the Mission.
Goal#3: Extend the average stay of Mission visitors to include visits to other destinations in
downtown area.
This goal has three separate activities with the Chamber assuming lead role in two areas: 1) working with
merchants to stock information racks about city amenities and retail information, and 2) involving the
merchants in the stockpiling of a future visitors information kiosk with coupons etc. The third goal relies
on the City to work with the Chamber of Commerce to encourage downtown merchants to extend their
hours of operation (especially during the summer months) into the evening.
Goal#4: Extend San Juan Capistrano's identity as a place to visit throughout California
This goal relies on implementing four activities (with the Chamber and Mission working together) to gain
media coverage in larger, state wide publications,working with air line publications, coordinating on-going
exhibits at the O.C. Airport, and working with City merchants to identify locations that can accommodate
large meeting groups.
Goal#5: Extend San Juan Capistrano's overnight (hotel) market by increasing occupancy levels
from 50% to 60%.
This goal is perhaps the most difficult to achieve due to the fact that there are other "market" factors that
influence hotel occupancy levels. However, as much as can be done at a local, direct level, the three
representatives believe that seven specific activities can help improve the recognition that there are hotels
in the community available for overnight travellers. Essentially this goal relies on the Team promoting the
hotels and working directly with tour groups, restaurants, and property owners to make sure that
continuous correct information is made available.
All of these goals identify that the Chamber of Commerce is to assume the lead role in carrying out the
activities toward its implementation. However, because the issues at hand involve City permits or support,
or utilizing Mission resources, the goals mention the involvement of all three entities where appropriate.
At this time, the Council is asked to consider and endorse the goals as summarized above.
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Agenda Item -4- October 1, 1996
Memorandum of Understanding
The Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) involves an agreement between the City and the San Juan
Capistrano Chamber of Commerce. Under this agreement, the Chamber of Commerce agrees to provide
visitor related services in accordance with the City Council's goals and objectives stated for a Visitor's
Bureau. While the Chamber of Commerce will receive the funding, it will be the organizations responsibility
to carry out activities that work toward achieving the stated goals. In numerous areas, the Chamber will
be required to work closely with other organizations (ie. the Mission, City, or other non-profit
organizations). However, even though there are other groups that will be required to be involved, the City
will rely upon the Chamber of Commerce to work with these organizations to provide an effective response
to visitor demand for services.
The Memorandum of Understanding will be in effect for this fiscal year only. In addition, as a condition
for funding the Chamber's services, the MOU requires the Chamber of Commerce to submit a detailed
report outlining the following information:
1. Number of visitor related phone calls handled for the entire time period with an estimated
breakdown on monthly basis.
2. Number of special events involved in for the time period to attract visitors to the community.
3. Number of tour groups assisted.
4. Summary of tourism activities and general services provided during the stated time period.
The Chamber's report is required to be provided to City staff by April 30, 1997 for preparation of a brief
progress report to the City Council. In addition, the Chamber of Commerce's report may include
information about any additional unforeseen events or activities taken by the organization toward meeting
the goals and objectives for the Visitor's Bureau objectives.
E. Issues
The only issue identified includes: 1) How will the success of the Chamber's Services be measured? Will
the Chamber of Commerce be funded annually as City expenditure instead of competing with community
organizations for grant funding?
F. Staff Analysis
1) How will the success of the Chamber's Services be measured?
Because this is a first time partnership (involving the City, Mission, and Chamber of Commerce) it is
important to note that the combined efforts should result in many favorable accomplishments for the
community. Already,the team has worked together to make sure that large visiting groups are made to feel
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Agenda Item -5- October 1, 1996
welcome by the community through "Welcome packages, wine and cheeses, free tours, and receptions."
The proposed formalized effort should reduce current redundancies with regard to supplying visitor
information. To ensure that efforts remain on target the Chamber is requested to provide the City with a
formal report on the status of the Chamber's efforts six months into the contract.
2) Will the Chamber of Commerce receive annual funds for Visitor Services?
Since the Chamber of Commerce will carry out visitor related activities that could conceivably be provided
by the City, or through a more formal effort with another organization, the allocation of funding for this
project was removed from the community organization grant process and budgeted separately in order to
allow monies to be shared by the social service oriented non-profit organizations. Removing the Chamber
of Commerce from the community funding process at this time allows other non-profit organizations an
opportunity to be awarded grant funds. Therefore, should the Council concur, this matter can be considered
separately as an economic development budgetary item in the future.
COMMISSIONBOARD REVIEW AND RECOMMENDATIONS:
None.
FINANCIAL CONSIDERATIONS:
The allocation of$25,000 for Visitor Related Services was included in the 1996-1997 fiscal year budget.
PUBLIC NOTIFICATION:
This item does not require a public hearing notice; however, copies of this report were sent to the Chamber
of Commerce, Mission San Juan Capistrano, and hotel operators.
ALTERNATE ACTIONS:
1. By motion, 1) consider and endorse the proposed goals for a Visitor's Bureau and 2) approve the
Memorandum of Understanding between the City and Chamber of Commerce for carrying out
visitor services.; or,
2. By motion, do not consider and endorse the proposed goals for a Visitor's Bureau and 2) deny the
Memorandum of Understanding between the City and Chamber of Commerce for carrying out
visitor services.; or,
3. Continue the item and direct staff to return with further information on specified issues.
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Agenda Item -6- October 1, 1996
RECOMMENDATION:
By motion: 1) consider and endorse the proposed goals for a Visitor's Bureau and 2) approve the
Memorandum of Understanding between the City and Chamber of Commerce for carrying out visitor
services.
Respectfully submitted,
C1-1
Mechelle Lawrence
Economic Development Administrator
ML
Attachments:
1. Memorandum of Understanding with Attachment "A"-Visitor's Bureau Objectives& Goals FY 96-
97
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