Town of Provincetown

Visitor Services Board

Meeting Minutes of

Tuesday, October 17, 2006

Judge Welsh Meeting Room


Chairman Lynne Davies convened the meeting at 10:04 AM noting the following attendees:

 

Members Present: Lynne Davies, Chairman; Peter Bez, Vice Chairman; Kathleen Fitzgerald; Laurel Guadazno; Michael Peregon and Hersh Schwartz.

 

Excused Absence:  Mick Rudd.

 

Other attendees:  Bill Schneider, Administrative Director of Tourism; David Gardner, Administrative Assistant II, and Candice Collins-Boden, Executive Director, Chamber of Commerce

FIVE-YEAR FINANCIAL PLAN – TOURISM SUMMIT

Lynne Davies presented the Five Year Plan and announced a flat funded budget for the through FY2010.  

 

Ms. Collins-Boden suggested a statement should be included to support the proposed expansion of the Local Room Occupancy Tax to privately owned condos.

 

MOTION:  Move to accept the Draft Five Year Financial Plan for Tourism Fund Expenditures FY2008-FY2012 with discussed changes to be presented to the BOS.

MOTION:  Peter Bez; Seconded:  Michael Peregon;  Yea: 6; Nay: 0; Abstain:  0

 

MOTION:  Move to approve the Marketing Budget of $206,016 in FY2008 as outlined in the Five Year Plan.

MOTION:  Peter Bez; Seconded:  Laurel Guadazno;  Yea: 6; Nay: 0; Abstain:  0

 

MOTION:  Move to approve the Grants Budget of $100,000 in FY2008 as outlined in the Five Year Plan.

MOTION:  Peter Bez; Seconded:  Laurel Guadazno;  Yea: 6; Nay: 0; Abstain:  0

 

MOTION:  Move to approve the Coordination/Support of $76,250 in FY2008 as outlined in the Five Year Plan.

MOTION:  Peter Bez; Seconded:  Laurel Guadazno;  Yea: 6; Nay: 0; Abstain:  0

 

MOTION:  Move to approve the Municipal Budget of $22,453 in FY2008 as outlined in the Five Year Plan.

MOTION:  Peter Bez; Seconded:  Laurel Guadazno;  Yea: 6; Nay: 0; Abstain:  0

 

MOTION:  Move to approve the Beautification Budget of $16,961 in FY2008 as outlined in the Five Year Plan.

MOTION:  Peter Bez; Seconded:  Laurel Guadazno;  Yea: 6; Nay: 0; Abstain:  0

 

TOURISM OFFICE BROCHURE UPDATE

Bill Schneider presented the final draft of the Tourism Office Brochure.  30,000 copies will be printed.  The yearly calendar of events will be added as a collateral piece as well as a listing of cultural institutions and attractions with contact information.

 

The final proof for the Provincetown Tourism Office brochure was sent to the printer yesterday.  This exquisite 20-page marketing tool will debut at the Travel and Leisure consumer show in Toronto on November 2-5.

 

The final version of the 2007 Calendar of Events will go to the printer this week.  Intended to be a stand-alone marketing piece, the Calendar of Events will also be included as a collateral element at upcoming consumer trade shows and industry travel expos.

 

MOTION:  Move to approve the design and production of a first printing of 4,500 copies of the 2007 Calendar of Events to be paid from the FY07 marketing budget.

MOTION: Peter Bez; Seconded: Laurel Guadazno; Yea: 6 ; Nay: 0; Abstain: 0

 

FY08 GRANT APPLICATION

Bill Schneider provided a copy of the final draft application. 

 

MOTION:  Move to approve the FY2008 Tourism Grant Packet, which includes the grant application, guidelines and the grant agreements for Grants $5,000 and over, and Grants $5,000 and under.

MOTION: Lynne Davies; Seconded: Peter Bez; Yea: 6 ; Nay: 0; Abstain: 0

 

APPROVAL OF MINUTES – OCTOBER 3, 2006

MOTION:  Move to approve the minutes of the October 3, 2006 VSB meeting as submitted.

MOTION:  Laurel Guadazno; Seconded: Hersch Schwartz;  Yea:5 ; Nay: 0; Abstain:  1 (PB)

 

TOURISM DIRECTOR’S REPORT

 

Steve Eliopoulos and Joyce Juskalian from Gravity, Inc. (producers of the VNR), spent the day here yesterday shooting footage for a VNR featuring Provincetown’s heritage.  They will return on November 22nd to complete this assignment (including the lighting of the Pilgrim Monument). 

 

As a result of the ongoing efforts of FOCUS Communications, national syndicated travel writer Paul Kandrian will visit Provincetown tomorrow.  Paul Pence from The Rhode Island Roads will be on assignment in Provincetown from October 20-22, 2006.  The Rhode Island Roads is a monthly consumer lifestyle magazine with a circulation of 95,000 which features travel, life, dining and entertainment for Rhode Island residents and visitors.  Chris Ciompi was on assignment with Genre Magazine from September 29 – October 1, 2006.

 

In the absence of the ADT (who will be attending the Travel and Leisure Show in Toronto), Mick Rudd will present the VNR “An Art Colony Called Provincetown” at the Chamber’s “After Hours” event on November 2, 2006.

 

Cape Air will be partnering with the PTO at the Toronto Travel and Leisure Show (November 2-5, 2006) as well as the GLBT Expo in New York (March 24-25, 2007).  Bay State Cruise Company has also committed to partner with the PTO at the Travel Industry Association’s annual International Pow Wow in Anaheim, California (April 21-25, 2007).

 

The contract with Curve Magazine expires in December 2006.  The ADT has negotiated the contract renewal for two one-half page four-color ads at the rate of $2,963 per insertion.   (March 2007 - Travel Issue and May 2007 - Wedding Issue). This negotiated rate is a significant discount from the regular rate of $3,704 per insertion.  With a circulation of 243,000 published 10 times per year, this publication is the best-selling magazine for lesbians in the United States.

 

MOTION:  Move to approve the purchase of two one-half page four-color ads in Curve Magazine during 2007 at the rate of $2,963 per insertion to be paid from the FY07 marketing budget.

MOTION: Peter Bez; Seconded: Kathleen Fitzgerald; Yea: 6; Nay: 0; Abstain: 0

 

The ADT also recommends including the year-at-a-glance event information be included on the PTO website and including the brochure in a mailing to all second homeowners.

 

Plans are being developed for the holiday lighting of Town Hall, scheduled for Tuesday, November 21, 2006 at 12:30 PM.

 

The 8th Annual Tour Guide Appreciation day is scheduled for Friday, October 27th.  The itinerary includes a tour of the Provincetown Theater, a stop at the Compact’s “Quaking Bog II” artist installation at Shank Painter Pond.  Following lunch at the Lobster Pot, an afternoon at the Pilgrim Monument will feature a tribute to Ruth Rusher.  The PTO has also placed an ad in The Banner acknowledging the tour guides, and complimentary copies of the October 26th edition will be on board the bus.  Finally, the Chamber of Commerce will present gift bags to each of the tour guides attending this year’s appreciation day event.

 

The ADT will participate on a teleconference this afternoon regarding the upcoming release of the 2005 Motorcoach Census and 2006 Motorcoach Update.  This is the first census for the United States and Canadian motor coach industry since 1999.

 

CONVENTION AND MEETING BUSINESS

Michael Peregon suggested that the VSB should do more to reach out to the convention and meeting business.  Would like th

 

MOTION:  Move to request that the ADT take an inventory of assets during the off season (lodging, meeting spaces, restaurants, catering, business services, attractions, etc.) that likely would be available for use by meetings, conferences, and conventions and report back in a couple of months.

MOTION: Michael Peregon; Seconded: Kathleen Fitzgerald; Yea: 6; Nay:0; Abstain: 0

 

CRUISE SHIPS

 

Together with the Chamber of Commerce and Provincetown Public Pier Corporation, the ADT is drafting a multi-tiered proposal to be presented to the American Canadian Caribbean Cruise Line to add Provincetown as a destination.  This cruise line operates 100-passenger cruises along the eastern seaboard, and incentives are being developed for both one-day and overnight stops in Provincetown.

 

The meeting was adjourned at 12:17 PM.