INTRODUCTION TO VISIT HUNTINGTON BEACH
(
APRIL 2024)
APRIL 2024
VHB is an effective destination leader representing the combined visitor industry and community partnership in the brand development, marketing and sales of the Surf City USA® experience.
Visit Huntington Beach supports and advocates for the economic vitality and quality of life for our Huntington Beach community through inspirational destination marketing and brand management.
Visit Huntington Beach (VHB) is the official Destination Management Organization (DMO) for Huntington Beach, California. A non-profit 501(c)(6) organization, VHB promotes tourism to Huntington Beach to increaseovernight staysin Huntington Beach hotels.
A welcoming, beach-infused community that inspires the stoke of optimism in every visitor and resident.
APRIL 2024
Over 10 years ago, VHB voluntarily agreed to be subject to the California Brown Act, which allows the public to attend and participate in meetings. All regular Board of Directors and committee meeting agendas are noticed at least 72 hours prior to the meeting and all meetings are open to the public, with a public comment period available at the start of each meeting. All agendas and minutes are posted on SurfCityUSA.com.
Monthly financial statements are presented at each VHB Board of Directors meeting. VHB also undergoes an annual financial audit using the same audit firm as the City of Huntington Beach. The final audit report and audited annual financial statements are presented at a Spring Board of Directors meeting and sent to City staff. •VHB is governed by a Board of Directors, which provides strategic direction for the organization and supervises VHB’s President & CEO.•VHB’s Board meets at least quarterly throughout the year. The Executive Committee meets monthly. All meetings are open to the public.•City Council appoints two liaisons each year who attend Board meetings and receive regular updates on VHB programs.
Visit Huntington Beach is fully Accredited with Distinction byDestinationsInternational (DI), indicatingthat the organization exceeded the minimum requirements for accreditation with over 100 mandatory and voluntary standards that span a variety of performance areas. With over 200 destination organizations around the world who have obtained DMAP recognition, fewer than 10% earn “Accreditation with Distinction”.Our organization embodies a community-focused spirit of service that is proactive and strategic. As part of this effort, we are pleased to provide information dedicated to transparency and accountability in our DMO operations and program of work.
APRIL 2024
The Huntington Beach Conference and Visitors Bureau (HBCVB) became incorporated as a 501(c)(6) private, not-for-profit mutual benefit corporation in the State of California. 1989 20232002City Council approved the creation of a Hotel/Motel Business Improvement District (BID) and a self-assessment of 1% on hotel and motel overnight room stays.
City Council approved a5-year agreement to give the HBCVB 10% of the city’s Transient Occupancy Tax (TOT) collections in lieu of a fixed annual grant. For the first time, the HBCVB’s funding consisted of both Hotel/Motel BID assessments and TOT collections.20062010City Council approved a Hotel/Motel BID assessment increase of 1%, increasing the self-assessment to 2%.
City Council approved the creation of a new Tourism Business Improvement District (TBID) with a self-assessment of 3% on hotel and motel overnight room stays.20142018/2019In 2019, the TBID was renewed,and the City Council simultaneously approved an assessment rate increase from three percent (3%) to four percent (4%) to mitigate the loss of TOT funding that the City had previously been providing.
In April 2021, the City of Huntington Beach began collecting TOT and TBID assessments from Short Term Vacation Rentals (STVRs).2021VHB is preparing for a TBID modification, increasing the TBID assessment from 4% to 6% to remain competitive. *Total count subject to change
VHB’s funding does not come from taxes paid by residents, such as local property taxes paid by home and business owners. Funding is derived through a Tourism Business Improvement District (TBID) self-assessment paid by Huntington Beach hotels who collect an assessment from overnight guests choosing to stay in one of Huntington Beach’s 21 hotels (2,368 total available rooms) or 218* short term vacation rentals (STVRs).
Tourism Business Improvement District (TBID):Huntington Beach’s overnight hotel guests pay an additional 4% assessment for each occupied hotel room per night during their stay. The TBID assessment is not a tax, but a self-assessment, which the 21 local hoteliers and 218* STVRs place upon themselves for occupied rooms and is paid by overnight visitors. TBID assessment revenues provide a more dependable, long-term, sustainable revenue source to market Surf City USA® globally without any tax impact to local residents. Transient Occupancy Tax (TOT):Visit Huntington Beach receives no TOT funding. Huntington Beach hotels have contributed more than $200 million dollars in TOT for the City since 1996.
APRIL 2024
4 GROUP SALESVISITOR & PARTNER SERVICESRESEARCHDIGITAL / WEBSITESOCIAL MEDIAPUBLIC RELATIONSADVERTISINGTRAVEL TRADEFILM COMMISSIONE-NEWSLETTERSSURF CITY USA BLOG
TOURISM ENHANCEMENTS
MARKETINGMEETINGS / EVENTSCONVENTIONSBOOKINGS & RFP RESPONSES FOR HB COLLECTION‘ONE STOP SHOP’ FOR MEETING PLANNERSSPORTS COMMISSION
PARTNER EDUCATION SERIESEVENT INFO BOOTHSVISITOR INFO KIOSKPARTNER PORTALCRM MAINTENANCEPARTNER LISTINGSPUBLICATION DISTRIBUTIONEVENT CALENDARAMBASSADOR PROGRAM
WAYFINDING SIGNAGEWALKING TOURSCOMMUNITY EVENT SPONSORSHIPSSUMMER BEACH RESTROOMSBIG BOARD
ADVOCACY TASK FORCECOMMUNITY OUTREACHDOWNTOWN BID, HB CHAMBER, CITY OF HB ENGAGEMENTPARTICIPATION ON INDUSTRY/LOCAL BOARDS & COMMITTEES
ADVOCACY
APRIL 2024
VHB’s comprehensive sales & marketing initiatives are designed todrive a steady flow of leisureand group businessthroughout the year with a focus on the hotels’ “soft season” non-peak period (typically November – February). Throughout the entire run of it various programs, Visit Huntington Beach uses several data sources as well as a blend of over 50 Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) to monitor and determine the Return on Investment (ROI) performance of its Paid, Owned, Earned, and Shared channels.
DAILY•Social Media Engagement•Website Performance•Sentiment Monitoring•Visitor EngagementWEEKLY•STR Report (Hotel Performance)•Travel Trade Updates•VHB Leisure NewsletterMONTHLY•Hotel TBID Collections•PR Media Coverage•SEO/SEM Performance•Social Media Performance•STR Report (Hotel Performance)•STVR Report (Short Term Vacation Rental Performance)•Travel Agent Training•VHB CEO Newsletter•VHB Financials•Group Sales Newsletter•VHB Partner Newsletter MONTHLY (cont.)•VHB Media Buy Campaign•Website Performance•Visitor Profile (Geolocation Data)QUARTERLY•Custom Industry Insight Report per Hotel•Expedia OC Coop Campaign•Group Sales•Hotel Directors of Sales & Marketing Meeting•STVR TBID Collections•Visit CA Coop Campaign•STVR TBID Collections•VHB Staff Check-Ins•Web & Digital Check-InMID-YEAR•All Hands Agency MeetingANNUAL•VHB Annual Report (City submission)•VHB Annual Economic Impact ReportoVisitor Intercept Survey (every 3 years) VHB monitors and/or reports on these KPIs in the following cycles. * VHB voluntarily agreed to be subject to the California Brown Act, which allows the public to attend and make public comments. All agendas and minutes are posted on SurfCityUSA.com OTHER•Campaign Wrap-Up Reports•Special Research Projects MONTHLY•VHB Executive Committee Meeting*QUARTERLY•VHB Board Meeting*MID-YEAR•VHB Mid-Year Recap Board Report*ANNUAL•HB Chamber State of the City Update•VHB Annual Recap Board Report*•VHB Fiscal Year Budget Board Presentation*•Annual Financial Audit Presentation*•HB Tourism Summit (every other year)
MEETINGS WHERE VHB REPORTS ON RETURN ON INVESTMENT (ROI) APRIL 2024