Title
Request permission to use $2,500 of allocated advertising funds to participate in a regional tourism website
Summary
Description of Topic: (who, what, where, when, why and how much)
The marketing department requests council permission to use existing advertising funds from account 01-625-5210 to fund the city of Foley's portion of a regional tourism website that will promote venues in Mobile and Baldwin Counties.
BACKGROUND: Foley participates in a Regional Tourism Council (RTC) formed in 2013 in an effort to work together to promote tourism regionally. The council is comprised of eight destination marketing organizations in Mobile and Baldwin counties. The founding entities of the RTC are Gulf Shores and Orange Beach Tourism, Mobile Bay Convention and Visitors Bureau, Coastal Alabama Business Chamber, South Baldwin County Chamber of Commerce, South Mobile County Tourism Authority, City of Foley, North Baldwin Chamber of Commerce, and the Eastern Shore Chamber of Commerce. This is the first time the eight tourism entities have agreed to formally work together for the good of the region.
The group was organized by the Coastal Alabama Partnership, a non-profit organization that promotes regional strategic efforts in Mobile and Baldwin counties. Two objectives of the group are to promote the entire region as a travel destination and to create a regional brand that identifies diverse attractions along the Gulf Coast.
The regional tourism council is a CAP subcommittee that works together to address tourism issues in Mobile and Baldwin Counties. The tourism council identified an opportunity to create a single website to provide information about venues in both counties.
A website has been designed to 1) link to each of the tourism groups websites, 2) include a regional map to show places of interest and 3) include an itinerary for a day trip within each area. The cost of the website will be partly funded by contributions from each of the eight tourism council members, as well as grant monies.
Budgetary Impact:
Non-Capital Item:
__x Request to use existing advertising funds to from account 01-625-5210 to fund this request.
____ Not budgeted, requesting transfer of $__________ from Account #______________ to Account #_____________.
____ Not budgeted requiring increase to account #___________ in the amount of $____________.
Capital - Departmental
____ Budgeted under account #______________ for $___________ and described in budget as __________________________________.
Additional amount needed, if any: Increase in budget of $_____________ OR, transfer of $___________ from Account #____________ to Account #_______________
____ Not Budgeted - account #____________ requires budget increase of $_____________.
Capital Project
In current year Capital Projects Plan:
_____ Yes, planned amount $___________, requesting $_________ as total project estimate, including contingencies, under account #_________________
_____ No, requesting $___________ as total project estimate, including contingencies, under account #____________________
Body
WHEREAS, participating in a regional website with other tourism entities in Baldwin and Mobile Counties is an efficient way to publicize Foley's tourism venues,
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the City Council of the City of Foley, Alabama, as follows:
SECTION 1: Allows the Marketing Department to use $2,500 of the existing advertising budget to participate in this regional tourism endeavor.
SECTION 2: This Resolution shall become effective immediately upon its adoption as required by law.