Subject:
Title
VSPC Chamber Marketing and Visitor Center Funding Agreements with local Chambers of Commerce for support of visitor center promotions and assistance with visitor center staffing during Fiscal Year 2024.
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Recommended Action:
Recommended Action
Approval and execution by the County Administrator of the Visit St. Petersburg/Clearwater (VSPC) Chamber Marketing and Visitor Center Funding Agreements (Chamber Agreements) with 13 local Chambers of Commerce for funding support in Fiscal Year 2024 (FY24).
• A total maximum of “up to” $600,000.00 will support 13 chambers of commerce during FY24:
o $500,000.00 for “base” funding:
§ $313,410.00 - Visitor Center & Chamber Promotions.
§ $186,590.00 - Visitor Center Staffing.
o Total of “up to” $100,000.00 to be disbursed among the chambers for additional brand promotion requests.
• Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB/VSPC) staff analyzed this program for added value and improvements.
• Chamber Agreements are retroactively effective October 1, 2023.
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Strategic Plan:
Foster Continual Economic Growth and Vitality
4.6 Support a vibrant community with recreation, arts, and culture to attract residents and visitors
Deliver First Class Services to the Public and Our Customers
5.1 Maximize partner relationships and public outreach
5.2 Be responsible stewards of the public’s resources
Summary:
The 13 Chamber Agreements will provide a total of “up to” $600,000.00 in support to 13 participating chambers of commerce for visitor center promotions and staffing costs during FY24. The Agreements retroactively commence on October 1, 2023, and expire on September 30, 2024.
Background/Explanation:
The purpose of this program is to support chambers as an extension of the CVB’s sales, marketing and visitor experience departments and programs while coordinating a unified voice for the travel, tourism and hospitality stakeholders throughout the County.
The Chamber Agreements provide funding support to participating chambers for visitor center promotions and includes a 1:1 County match for visitor center staffing costs. Although the “base” funding level for each chamber remained the same in FY24, the CVB is working with chambers to develop a more equitable funding formula beginning in FY25. New this year, the CVB is offering each chamber the opportunity to submit requests of “up to” $10,000.00 for additional VSPC brand promotions. The additional amount awarded to any chamber will be determined by the CVB based on the tourism value of the promotion. Also new this year, the CVB tailored the agreement deliverables to each chamber instead of applying a universal template, as in previous years.
In exchange for this support, the chambers will provide the CVB with bi-annual reports that include tourism/visitor center metrics, an annual credit toward chamber events, a full page ad in chamber’s guide, signage, video and presentation opportunity during chamber’s annual meeting, ability for Creative Pinellas to provide educational workshops and presentations to chamber staff and members, and more as detailed in the agreements.
FY24 Chamber Base Funding Allocations:
$ 30,568.00 Central Pinellas Chamber of Commerce, Inc.
$163,746.00 Greater Clearwater Chamber of Commerce, Inc.
$ 15,512.00 Greater Palm Harbor Area Chamber of Commerce, Inc.
$ 10,496.00 Greater Seminole Area Chamber of Commerce, Inc.
$ 51,569.00 Greater Tarpon Springs Chamber of Commerce, Incorporated
$ 6,845.00 Gulfport Merchants Chamber of Commerce, Inc.
$ 6,845.00 Pinellas Park/Gateway Chamber of Commerce, Inc.
$ 28,743.00 Safety Harbor Chamber of Commerce, Inc.
$ 49,269.00 St. Petersburg Area Chamber of Commerce, Inc.
$ 66,145.00 Tampa Bay Beaches Chamber of Commerce, Inc.
$ 38,784.00 The Greater Dunedin Chamber of Commerce, Inc.
$ 6,845.00 Treasure Island and Madeira Beach Chamber of Commerce, Inc.
$ 24,633.00 Upper Tampa Bay Regional Chamber of Commerce, Inc.
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$500,000.00 Total Base Funding
$100,000.00 Funding available for additional VSPC Brand Promotions
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$600,000.00 Maximum FY24 Chamber Funding
Fiscal Impact:
Total Maximum Expenditure: $600,000.00
Support for Chamber Agreements for the maximum amount of $600,000.00 is provided through the CVB’s Annual Operating Budget. The source of funding is the Tourist Development Tax Fund.
Delegated Authority:
Authority for the County Administrator to sign the Chamber Agreements is granted under Code Section 2-62 (a)(1).
Staff Member Responsible:
Brian Lowack, Director, Convention and Visitors Bureau
Partners:
Tourist Development Council
Attachments:
Chamber Agreements:
Central Pinellas Chamber of Commerce, Inc.
Greater Clearwater Chamber of Commerce, Inc.
Greater Palm Harbor Area Chamber of Commerce, Inc.
Greater Seminole Area Chamber of Commerce, Inc.
Greater Tarpon Springs Chamber of Commerce, Incorporated
Gulfport Merchants Chamber of Commerce, Inc.
Pinellas Park/Gateway Chamber of Commerce, Inc.
Safety Harbor Chamber of Commerce, Inc.
St. Petersburg Area Chamber of Commerce, Inc.
Tampa Bay Beaches Chamber of Commerce, Inc.
The Greater Dunedin Chamber of Commerce, Inc.
Treasure Island & Madeira Beach Chamber of Commerce, Inc.
Upper Tampa Bay Regional Chamber of Commerce, Inc.