Updated 4/2/2021 ANNUALANNUALANNUALANNUALANNUAL REPORTREPORTREPORTREPORTREPORT 2020 WHY TOURISM MATTERS

WEST RICHLAND CITY COUNCIL MEETING TUESDAY, APRIL 6, 2021 6:00 p.m. Preliminary Agenda Notice to the Public: This meeting will be a remote Zoom meeting per Governor Jay Inslee’s Stay Home – Stay Healthy Directive. We encourage you to provide public comments on agenda items and public hearings in writing. Please indicate on your comment that you’d like them included in the Citizen Comments portion of the meeting and submit to [email protected] by 3:00 p.m. on the day of the meeting and they will be forwarded to the Mayor and City Council and a summary will be read during the meeting. 1. MEETING CALLED TO ORDER 2. ROLL CALL 3. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE 4. APPROVAL OF AGENDA 5. PRESENTATIONS a. Peter King- AWC- Award Advanced Certificate of Municipal Leadership to Mayor Pro Tem Brink b. Michael Novakovich- Visit Tri-Cities- Annual Report 6. CONSENT AGENDA a. Approve Minutes- Regular Meeting March 16, 2021, Special Meeting March 16th, 2021, Special Meeting March 23, 2021 & Workshop March 23, 2021 b. ORD. 10- 21- Amendment to WRMC 9.40 and 9.44 Possession of Marijuana and Drug Paraphernalia c. RES. 13- 21 – Inter-local Agreement with City of Richland – Signal Programming Assistance d. Motion to authorize Mayor to execute professional services contract with Northwest Groundwater Services LLC for Well #2 e. Motion to authorize Mayor to execute amendment #1 to professional services contract with JUB for SR 224 Record of Survey. f. Motion to authorize Mayor to execute amendment #1 to professional services contract for Biosolids Removal Contract – Natural Selection Farms Inc. g. Flat Top Park Deed Restriction 7. ORDINANCES, RESOLUTIONS, MOTIONS AND PUBLIC HEARINGS a. ORD. 11- 21- 2021/2022 Biennial Budget Amendment b. Public Hearing – Interim Development Regulations Finding of Fact: Transmission Lines c. ORD. 12- 21- Interim Development Regulations Finding of Fact: Transmission Lines d. Setting the 2021 Comprehensive Plan Amendment Docket 8. UNFINISHED BUSINESS 9. NEW BUSINESS 10. CITIZENS PUBLIC COMMENT 11. STAFF AND COUNCIL ANNOUNCEMENTS, REPORTS AND COMMENTS a. Staff Reports b. Council Reports 12. EXECUTIVE SESSION 13. ADJOURNMENT Updated 4/2/2021 ANNUALANNUALANNUALANNUALANNUAL REPORTREPORTREPORTREPORTREPORT 2020 WHY TOURISM MATTERS Rob Roxburgh Michael Novakovich Dear Tourism Partners, 2021 Chairman of the Board President & CEO As we have all experienced, the coronavirus pandemic changed so many aspects of all our lives, challenging us personally and professionally. While no business segment was spared, the tourism industry has been adversely affected, and the impacts will be felt for years to come. But with great challenges come great opportunities, and Visit Tri-Cities embraced every opportunity presented during the past year. It is with great appreciation that we report to you the achievements we accomplished together in 2020. The following Annual Report showcases our stewardship of community trust and resources. 2020 began with hope and optimism, with a series of tourism focused campaigns planned. We started the year by inviting visitors to “Get Your Geek On” with a robust science-themed campaign in partnership with Battelle, our Official Champion of STEM Tourism. Unfortunately, just as we began promoting the STEM- related assets unique to the Tri-Cities, travel restrictions were put in place and the STEM campaign was cut short. Knowing that our local tourism-related businesses would need support, staff developed the ”Get Your Order On!” campaign, highlighting curbside service following the Stay Home, Stay Safe order. The video was complemented with a public service announcement featuring General James Mattis encouraging residents to support our local businesses, jobs, economy and quality of life by using curbside pickup, delivery and safe practices. We, like all of you, were hopeful that travel would return by early summer. However, it became obvious that travel to the Tri-Cities was not going to be allowable for some time. Knowing we needed to aggressively battle the pandemic, the team shifted their energies to support public health endeavors that would ultimately allow businesses to reopen and lead to the return of tourism. We partnered with Benton County, utilizing CARES ACT money to provide COVID-19 mitigation marketing communications to the Tri-Cities region. We collaborated with the Benton Franklin Health District to create campaigns in English and Spanish. Most effective was our use of humor to encourage social sharing and adoption of public health behaviors. We created a series of spots called CYA. As in, Cover Your Airholes. Additionally, the team continued to foster strong partnerships with the Tri-Cities Regional Chamber of Commerce and TRIDEC to create the Tri-Cities Open and Safe Coalition; provided leadership on the Municipality Advisory Council (MAC), which is comprised of representatives of nine local jurisdictions, Benton Franklin Health District, the Regional Chamber and TRIDEC; remade a popular 90s alternative rock song to promote good COVID practices and a produced a message to the Governor’s Office in support of reopening local businesses that follow local, state and federal health guidelines. These endeavors didn’t divert Visit Tri-Cities from its mission of driving visitor traffic to the community. While it’s true that it was difficult to promote travel during county-specific restrictions, the team developed campaigns to raise awareness of the destination with a key message: visitors are welcome when it is the appropriate time to travel. National Travel & Tourism Week was celebrated virtually, highlighting Tri-Cities amenities and over 150 area businesses. The team promoted the destination to meeting planners with a virtual familiarization tour of area hotels and meeting and convention spaces. Additionally, the staff offered leadership on the Washington Safe Meetings Coalition, which led to the return of safe meetings in an earlier Phase. The same support was provided for festivals and events. Finally, our Annual Report is not only a summary of our activities, but a reminder of the economic impact of the tourism industry for the Tri-Cities. The most recent numbers available are from 2019, a year when the Tri-Cities enjoyed $496.5 million in economic impact due to visitor spending. These dollars support a vibrant business community, attracting more amenities to the Tri-Cities. Sales tax revenue generated by tourism reduces each household’s tax burden in Benton and Franklin counties by an average of $737, supporting schools, teachers, emergency services, roads maintenance, parks and other services provided by our local municipalities. Moreover, 5,600 jobs were supported by tourism. The economic impacts of tourism in our community for 2020 are not yet available and will be a stark contrast to 2019 and the years before, but it is inspiring to see the positive impacts of tourism in the Tri-Cities. While 2020 was a difficult year, through community collaboration and tourism innovation we overcame many challenges, together. We’re looking forward to doing even more with our community partners in 2021. To be an industry leader for destination marketing in the Pacific Northwest; the primary source of visitor information; and the lead OUR VISION advocate for visitor industry development in the Tri-Cities region. IMPERATIVE: DEMONSTRATE VALUE TO OUR PARTNERS, MEMBERS AND COMMUNITY WHY TOURISM MATTERS VISITOR Sales tax revenued generated CREATES by tourism reduces each SPENDING household’s annual tax burden in Benton and Franklin 5,628 Counties by an average of jobs in Benton & Franklin $496.5million Counties $737 SPENDING Transportation Food & Beverage BREAKDOWN Visitor Spending represented in this report reflect the economic $79.8 $108 million impact of tourism in the million 16% 22% Retail Tri-Cities for the year of 2019. The economic impacts of tourism in our $127.4 community for 2020 are million Hotels Recreation 26% not yet available. $99 $82.3 Source: Tourism Economics 2019, million million 16% An Oxford Economics Company 20% IMPERATIVE: ADVOCATE FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF CRITICAL TOURISM INFRASTRUCTURE HOTEL MOTEL TAX DISTRIBUTIONS Kennewick Pasco Richland Totals 2016 $539,578 $274,798 $475,641 $1,290,017 2017 $568,745 $323,445 $536,682 $1,428,872 4,418 2018 $592,249 $343,642 $598,997 $1,534,888 Hotel Guest Rooms Available 2019 $592,210 $324,891 $633,862 $1,550,963 2020 $277,886 $151,941 $270,733 $700,560 IMPERATIVE: DEMONSTRATE VALUE TO OUR STAKEHOLDERS, PARTNERS AND COMMUNITIES VISIT TRI-CITIES AT-A-GLANCE The coronavirus pandemic had a significant impact on the COUNTY/ tourism industry throughout the world, including the Tri- COUNTY MEMBERMEMBER Cities. Travel restrictions coupled with uncertainly related to CARES13.1% ACT 11.1%11.1% the COVID-19 virus, impacted Visit Tri-Cities’s revenue sources. 13.1% GRANTS/ Visit Tri-Cities worked to reduce expenses and seek additional GRANTS & MISC revenue sources to support the organization’s mission to drive ADVERTISING MISC visitation when appropriate, including CARES ACT funding 4% from Benton County and government grants. The following is a ADVERTISING0.9% 4.1% comparison of Visit Tri-Cities’ revenues for 2019 and 2020. 0.9% ADVERTISING MEMBER 5.5% 11.6% MISC 2020 0.4% HOTEL 27.5 TOURISM TPA PROMOTION 43.3% ASSESSMENT HOTEL/MOTEL 43.3% 2020 Revenue TAX Summary 2019 27.5% HOTEL/MOTEL $2,547,498 TAX TOTAL 24.5% REVENUES 2019 Revenue TOURISM Summary 2019 2020 PROMOTION MEMBER $312,289 $283,293 ASSESSMENT GRANTS/MISC $11,580 $102,246 58% $2,684,038 ADVERTISING $147,534 $23,883 HOTEL $656,606 $700,560 TOTAL TPA $1,556,028 $1,103,258 REVENUES COUNTY $334,258 TOTAL $2,684,037 $2,547,498 MARKETING AND PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT Generating additional cash flow in to the region through visitor to bring new visitor dollars to the region. While marketing is spending is important for the local economy. Visitor spending important, product development is a priority as well.

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