Council reviews Visitors Bureau contract to balance destination marketing

||| FROM SAN JUAN COUNTY COMMUNICATIONS |||

During the September 10 meeting, Councilmembers discussed how the County should proceed with its destination marketing efforts – particularly as it pertains to a contract with the San Juan Islands Visitors Bureau (SJIVB). After recapping past conversations and evaluating data and strategies from other municipalities, the Council decided to pursue contracting with the SJIVB for three years with proposed adjustments to the funding formula and scope of work that seek to balance tourism promotion and resident quality of life.  

San Juan County and the Visitors Bureau

The County’s contract with the SJIVB has been discussed during numerous Council meetings in 2024 including on March 12, June 11, and July 8.  During these meetings, Council considered several options for proceeding with destination marketing and management including amending the contract with the SJIVB, opening a new contract to public bids, delegating increased duties and funding to island chambers of commerce, and managing the work internally.  

In advance of today’s meeting, San Juan County staff contacted several Destination Marketing Organizations (DMOs) as well as municipalities that run their own marketing efforts to compare funding levels, staffing needs, and other operational functions to draw comparisons to San Juan County.  

Changes to Destination Marketing  

The SJIVB is a non-profit, economic development agency that has served as San Juan County’s destination marketing organization since 2003. Previous contracts between the County and SJIVB have included a base allocation of $350,000 lodging tax (LTAC) funds plus a supplemental sum based on a percentage correlated with how much lodging tax is collected during the year. 

Council discussed adjusting the funding mechanism in favor of a flat fee and removing supplemental funding based on lodging tax performance. Council also elected to reevaluate the scope of work outlined in the contract to align responsibilities and expectations with LTAC funding requirements and focus on supporting the island economy during the shoulder and off-seasons. These recommendations will be reviewed by the Prosecuting Attorney’s Office and presented to the LTAC committee for incorporation into a final draft contract which will come back before Council for final discussions and approval. 

Applications are now open for the LTAC annual grant program and due by October 4, 2024. The County expects to complete the contracting process with the SJIVB by the end of 2024.