Coastal voices: Support Visitors Bureau

Next week Crescent City and Del Norte County will be considering  two things that have a significant impact on our economic priorities.

Tuesday’s ballot initiatives impacting the budget for the state of California ask us to make difficult choices on what should be funded and as a consequence, what will not be funded. Our community has a similar decision to make about the future of the Visitors Bureau and the major economic returns possible if it receives permanent and sustainable funding.

An actual vote will not be held at the Flynn Center on Monday night at the City Council meeting.  The Visitors Bureau is having Chris Howard make a brief statement during public comment, present the council with a six-page summary of facts, and then ask those in the audience to please stand if they want the council to prioritize permanent and sustainable funding of the Visitors Bureau from the Transient Occupancy Tax (TOT).

The Visitors Bureau believes a majority of the council understands the financial return on dollars invested in tourism. In 2006 alone, $43.1 million of travel earnings were generated throughout the county, which is 10.7 percent of its total earnings.  What is not clear is how this council will prioritize funding the promotion of tourism.

A few facts on TOT and the economics of promoting tourism: TOT was implemented by the 1965 Crescent City Council. Three of the original council members responsible for implementing TOT have written letters of support for our funding request. The city has collected over $6,878,000 in the last 10 years, $963,000 in 2008 alone, and it has it has had an average increase of 7.79 percent each year for the last 10 years.

The Humboldt Convention and Visitors Bureau has a $700,000 budget this year and its representatives say it generates $2,100,000 in bed tax revenue alone. The California Department of Tourism measures $17 returned in spending for every $1 spent promoting tourism. Increased tourism equals increased jobs.

There is no question we are going through unstable financial times and many California cities are facing layoffs and service reductions.  An article in the Triplicate this week quoted a “possible deficit for Crescent City of $500,000, worse case.”  The budget for the city has not yet been finalized for the next fiscal year beginning July 1 and the Visitors Bureau wants the City Council to take a bold step and invest in full-time tourism promotion.

The Visitors Bureau received $62,000 from the Del Norte County and no money from the City this fiscal year.  The economic impact on the city and the county this year was a loss of the revenue generated last year estimated by Rural Human Services at $200,000 from the first annual Tall Masted Ships event.

The event was not promoted this year due to lack of funds. The Aleutian Goose Festival was not promoted this year and ultimately canceled, taking another $60,000 out of our economy and $24,000 from sponsors and events sales.  These events could be continued with permanent financing for tourism.

Looking to the future, National Geographic Magazine is committed to doing a 40-page spread on the Humboldt and Del Norte redwoods for its October edition.  With funding, this can have economic returns for the next 10 years.

Mary Cruse from the Humboldt Film Commission said she will generate $2 million in commercial filming revenue this year. She would like to contract with the Visitors Bureau to provide Del Norte a Film Commission revenue source.  As one of five members in the North Coast Tourism Council, our $5,000 per year membership matched by the California Department of Tourism lets us promote Del Norte County in several parts of the world, including Japan and Europe.

Consisting of 10 community members, the Visitors Bureau’s all-volunteer team was given funding that began with a three-year commitment from the Del Norte County Board of Supervisors at $62,000 per year and an initial payment from the Crescent City Council of $100,000.

Additionally, $15,000 was received from the Smith River Alliance for Web site development, $15,000 from the Elk Valley Rancheria for tourism development, and $7,500 from the Smith River Rancheria for general tourism development.  In addition to the cash funding totaling $199,500, BiCoastal Media contributed $250,000 in radio and creative production services. The Daily Triplicate also contributed hours of staff time, hundred of photographs, and direction in the development of the contents in the web site.

The county Board of Supervisors is now in its third and final year at the $62,000 level. Without the TOT on a permanent basis, missed opportunities will continue the decline of revenues in Crescent City and Del Norte County. 

Please vote with your feet this Monday evening!

Jim Strong is chairman of the Del Norte County/Crescent City Visitors Bureau.