09-22-21 Tourism Business Improvement District Minutes Board of Directors Meeting
Kalispell Tourism Business Improvement District
Wednesday, September 22, 2021
3:00 – 5:00 pm
Location: Board of Directors in person at Kalispell Chamber
Guests – online access via Zoom
Board Members Present: Bryce Baker, Britta Joy, Zac Ford, Emily Schroeder, Robert Hall
Board Members Via Zoom: none
Board Members Absent: Noelle Bahr, Dawn Hendrickson
Staff Present: Lorraine Clarno, Diane Medler, Dawn Jackson, Vonnie Day
Guests: Tia Troy, Lightning Bug Public Relations; Abbi and Ty Whitaker, The Abbi Agency. Warren Phan and
Trevor Birba with The Abbi Agency attended via Zoom.
MINUTES
The meeting was called to order at 3:07 pm by Chair Bryce Baker.
1. Hear from the Public – none
2. Agency Presentations on FY22 Media Plans
Earned Media and Content for Owned Media: Lightning Bug Public Relations (LBPR) – Tia Troy
• Working on the new joint Venture Boldly brand
• New website and guide content
• Reviewing DK branding with the Abbi Agency (TAA)
• Media coverage generated by Tia recently includes influencers, travel writers, blogs, goodsam.com,
articles in USA Today, Outside Magazine, Lonely Planet and Thrillist.
• Social media – some of the top performing posts were activities outside GNP which enforces our
continued focus to position Kalispell as the destination.
• Focusing on Recreate Responsibly – working with influencers Andy Austin and Allison Schnee
• Ramping up Pinterest, decreasing use of Twitter except for time-sensitive announcements
• Record level of engagement on Facebook in July, engagement on Instagram grows every month
• Creating regular blog posts
• Continued emphasis on Kalispell as a destination in itself
Paid Media: The Abbi Agency (TAA) – Abbi and Ty Whitaker, Warren Phan, Trevor Birba
• TAA was able to hit all four seasons in two photo shoots last October, images are utilized in paid and
owned media. The fall shoot along with the summer shoot with the same photographer this July are
the brand’s hero shots. COPE – create once, post everywhere
• Fall Under the Spell was the onboarding campaign created last fall and used throughout the year.
• Transitioning to Venture Boldly to reflect our new branding.
• Google and Facebook digital ad campaigns remain strong as do visitor guide downloads and mail
requests
• Media Buy strategies and tactics focus on target markets:
o drive markets - Bozeman, Billings, Boise, SLC, Denver, Spokane, Seattle, Portland
o direct flight markets
o audiences – leisure, family, outdoor
o objectives – extend bookings in shoulder seasons
• Designing new M&C creative featuring unique venues, outdoor activities, engagement with Dawn
• TAA is working with Tia to align copy used in paid media to ensure brand consistency.
• Supporting Lightning Bug PR creative needs ongoing. Strong synergy between paid, earned and
owned media for Discover Kalispell.
• Project this year is the development of a series of videos to support M&C campaigns.
• Website redesign
o new site will be visually driven using new images and improved user experience
o optimized for SEO
o want people to spend more time on the page
o completion date for new site is February 2022, wire frames for site design introduced to DK
team in November.
• Ty with TAA has access to flight co-op data and would have information about any new service and
changes airlines are planning if the TBID or Glacier AERO is interested.
3. Board Action Items
a) Approval of minutes from August 25, 2021
Motion was made by Britta Joy to approve the minutes. Motion was seconded by Robert Hall.
Discussion: none. Board approved unanimously.
b) Approval of TBID financial statements for August 2021
Motion was made by Zac Ford to approve the financials for August 2021. Motion was seconded by
Emily Schroeder. Discussion: none. Board approved unanimously.
c) Approval of adjusted FY21 year-end budget versus actual
Motion was made by Robert Hall to approve adjusted FY21 year-end budget versus actual. Motion
was seconded by Zac Ford. Discussion: modification was made in staff expenditures in FY21. Board
approved unanimously.
4. Board Discussion
a) FY21 rollover funds available for allocation
Cash available in both accounts is $403K. The directive has been to maintain 10% of annual budget
in the reserve account. With the deduction of $62,500 for the new website, the reserve balance
available for allocation is $175,393.
The board approved funding for new market opportunities recommended by The Abbi Agency
totaling $20,000:
a. Consumer: winter campaign, co-op with MOTBD - $5,000, and winter version of a Hotel
Campaign (incentives to book 3 nights) - $5,000. Total $10,000
b. M&C: ad in Meetings Today for an e-book for planners compiled by Meetings Today and
MPI. DK will get the names of everyone who downloads - $5,000 to $7,000 with creative,
and M&C videos to welcome attendees coming to Kalispell and meeting planners
considering Kalispell, featuring venues, activities and downtown - $5,000.
Revised balance available for allocation = $155,393.
The board discussed the following challenge points as potential new projects:
• Support local workforce programs: e.g. MSU Hospitality Program. Incentive to graduates to
commit to a Kalispell lodging property for determined amount of time.
• Solicit a large national event similar to the Spartan Race model.
• Glacier AERO to encourage more flights. TBID will only provide funding for shoulder season and
winter flights.
• Additional promotion in direct flight markets
• Ground transportation is needed with hotels phasing out shuttles. Options discussed:
o Transportation to Blacktail
o Collaborate with the Mountain Climber to add stops in Kalispell
o Provide financial support to private taxi company to create Kalispell hotels-airport
route.
• Create Kalispell-specific events
• Partner with Foy’s to Blacktail to groom cross country ski trails
• Purchase sports turf (such as for indoor soccer)
• Create a snow heptathlon or biathlon event
• Tourism Advisory Council is now allowing destination management/stewardship initiatives as
part of approved bed tax funding.
• Retargeted ads to attract workforce. Supports tourism economy since hotels don’t have to
repurpose rooms for staff.
• Promote the CTA Certified Tourism Ambassadors – can help with local conflicts.
• Increase the amount of funds for the event grant program.
• The board posed the question of whether DK needs additional staff, perhaps in the area of
convention services.
• Should TBID resources be used to support an event at one hotel? Convention services benefit
the community, build and protect Kalispell’s reputation, conventions create compression.
• It’s important to the larger TBID organization that conference attendees have a good
experience as it is to provide the best possible experience to all kinds of visitors.
• Hotels have needed extra support due to extreme staff shortages during the pandemic.
b) Staff Reports
M & C, Group Updates
Proposal for Northern Rodeo Association Finals rebate system for their October 28 – 30 event:
We were able to track 90 reservations for last year’s event (on aRes). This year, organizer Bo
Wagner requested 30 – 40 comp rooms as a sponsorship in exchange for a benefit package. Dawn
did an RFP, however responding hotels provided only 12 sponsored rooms. Dawn proposed the
following rebate program to provide lodging support for NRA and let them know we appreciate
having their event in Kalispell:
• NRA chooses 5 preferred hotels to work with.
• NRA receives $10 rebate per verified room night at those properties.
• In exchange for being promoted as a preferred property for the event, hotels will provide
some comp rooms and event rate and track room nights.
• The event aRes page will still exist linking to all TBID hotels.
BOARD ACTION: Motion was made by Bryce Baker to pay a rebate to NRA of $10 per verified room
night at hotels on the preferred list. Motion was seconded by Britta Joy. The vote was tied with 2 in
favor and 2 against, one board member did not vote. A second motion was made by Emily
Schroeder to pay a rebate to NRA of $5 per verified room night. It is not certain who seconded the
motion. Discussion: we’d like the event to return in future years so are working with them to let
NRA know we value their business. Hotels may have hesitated to be involved due to property
damage that occurred during the 2019 event. Emily’s motion passed 3 to 2.
Events and Grants Updates
• Bill Metzler of Montana Alpine Race School has applied for an event grant for the
Flathead Valley Tech Series January 13 – 16, 2021. Bill will present his application at the
October 27th board meeting.
• The post-event report on Kalispell PBR has been received from Adam Libby so the balance
of grant funds for that event will be paid.
Marketing and Operational Updates
• STR report has been updated since the dashboard in the board packet was posted. STR
had included numbers for the Fairbridge Inn twice in error. Revised dashboard was
distributed.
• Recreate Responsibly grant funds need to be expended by September 30. Table tents
highlighting that Glacier Park is open year-round along with Recreate Responsibly info
were suggested.
c) Roundtable discussion:
• The MLHA Conference is scheduled to take place in Whitefish in October however may be
cancelled due to lack of vendor participation.
Meeting was adjourned at 5:02 pm.
Respectfully submitted: Diane Medler
For further information, please contact: diane@discoverkalispell.com or 406-758-2808