Pasco County Offi ce of Tourism Development Visit Pasco TOURIST DEVELOPMENT PLAN 2017 - 2020 PASCO County Florida it’s only natural. West Pasco Government Center 8731 Citizens Drive, Suite 135 New Port Richey, FL 34654 727-847-8129 800-842-1873 www.VisitPasco.net Welcome, Our distinctive blend of open spaces, in close proximity to the modern conveniences of our many vibrant communities is a quality that helps us standout from the other destinations in the Tampa Bay area. Our diversity off ers a unique array of things to do and places to go, in both rural and urban settings, where people can live, visit and play. The following Tourist Development Plan (TDP) supports these beliefs and encourages further development of the destination through various programs and campaigns. ““OpenOpen SSpaces,paces, VVibrantibrant PPlaces”laces” TTableable ooff CContentsontents II.. IINVESTIGATIONNVESTIGATION & AANALYSISNALYSIS This symbol denotes policy change. EExecutivexecutive SSummaryummary The objectives of the 2017 - 2020 TDP are to create a vision for the I. INVESTIGATION & ANALYSIS future and to guide Pasco County’s long-term tourism strategy. Pasco supports numerous initiatives to strengthen shared community PAGE 1................................................................Executive Summary support by driving the economic and social importance of this industry. PAGE 2.............................................Tourism History & Background Through the eff orts set forth in this TDP, Visit Pasco seeks to increase PAGE 3................................................................Economic Snapshot visitor spending to over $500,000,000.00 (according to the U.S. Travel Association Report). This TDP clarifi es and prioritizes the main areas of PAGE 4 - 6......................................................................Visitor Profi le focus, while identifying opportunities for growth. PAGE 7..............................Plan Development & Stakeholder Input AAreasreas ooff FFocusocus iinn OOrderrder ooff PPriorityriority II. STRATEGIC GOALS & AREAS OF FOCUS Developing Tourism Projects PAGE 8 - 9...........................................Developing Tourism Projects 1 Construct a Sports Complex PAGE 10 - 11..........................................Proposed Tourism Projects Create Gateway Welcome Signage PAGE 12 - 13 ..........................Developing Marketing & Promotions Develop a Nature Center on Trails Develop a Cycling Friendly Visitor PAGE 14.....................................................Marketing & Promotions 2 Developing Marketing & Promotions PAGE 15............................Improving Organizational Performance Expand Marketing & Promotions PAGE 16 - 17...................................................Building Partnerships Improve Organizational Performance PAGE 18 - 19................................................Event Funding Programs Build Partnerships Develop Event Funding Programs III. USES OF REVENUE 3 Tourism Expansion PAGE 20 - 21..................................................Allocation by Category PAGE 22 - 23.......................................................Funding Allocations TrademarkT IV. PROPOSED FUNDING PLAN The Offi ce of Tourism Development (OTD) will soon begin initiating the process of trademarking Visit Pasco, to operate as a business under PAGE 24 - 25....................Tourism Expansion to Match the Market that name. PAGE 26 - 27..........................................Projected Uses of Revenue V. NEW INITIATIVES MMissionission PAGE 28 - 29.........................................Tourism Assets & Amenities Visit Pasco serves as an industry leader to develop and market the entire area regionally, nationally and internationally as a travel VI. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS & RESEARCH destination. PAGE 30 - 31.........................................................Acknowledgments VVisionision Our vision is to establish Pasco County as the preferred Florida nature and outdoor adventure destination, because Florida is more than just theme parks. 1 BBACKGROUNDACKGROUND TTourismourism HHistoryistory & EEconomicconomic SSnapshotnapshot Visit Pasco manages and operates through a self-supporting fund. Visit Florida tracks four economic indicators to measure the impact The funds are collected via the state as a 2% Tourist Development of Tourism in all Florida counties. These indicators include: tourism/ Tax (TDT). This tax is levied in all short-term rental accommodations recreation taxable sales, tourism related employment, car rental in Pasco County. surcharges, and local TDTs. Those numbers are then used to estimate the impact of travel activity. Below is the 2013 Pasco County summary of those fi ndings according to the U.S. Travel Association Report: Travel Spendingp g $465,890,000.00, , On September 5, the Pasco County Board of Travel Generated Payrolly $106,020,000.00 11990990 County Commissioners (BCC) adopted Ordinance No. 90-10, levying the TDT. Travel Generated Employmentpy 5,980 , Travel Generated State Tax Receiptsp,, $23,500,000.00 Travel Generated Local Tax Receipts $14,940,000.00 On April 25, the BCC appointed itself as the Pasco 22007007 County Sports Commission. In 2014, the TDC began obtaining Destination Reports through Smith On May 12, the BCC directed that excess TDT Travel Research (STR) for multi- 22009009 revenue and unspent budgetary funds be segment reports over a 12 month reallocated to create reserves for special projects span. This research tracks supply and that will enhance the County as a sports and travel Visit Florida (2014): demand data for the hotel industry destination. Tourism/recreation taxable sales and provides valuable market share along with total statewide analysis for all major hotel brands and 22013013 On August 27, the BCC amended Ordinance No. taxable sales observed chains. The chart below is a summary 90-10 to reallocate funding to: Administration continued growth, ending the year with an overall growth of of the STR reports from May 2013 to 26%, Promotions 64% and Capital 10%. 7.7% and 7.8%, respectively. May 2016: AVERAGE ANNUAL AVERAGE Visit Pasco received Gulf Tourism and Seafood YEAR HOTELS ROOMS 22013013 Promotional Grant Funding (BP Oil Spill Funds) in OCCUPANCY RATE DAILY RATE the amount of $250,000.00. The grant was used 2013 31 3,462 63.40% $77.31 in an aggressive marketing campaign that gained Pasco global exposure for the fi rst time. 2014 31 3,462 66.40% $81.46 2015 32 3,558 72.40% $89.73 Visit Pasco was restructured and new hires 22014014 were brought on creating a team of four (4): 2016 33 3,646 72.30% $95.00 Tourism Manager, Sports Marketing Coordinator, Public Communications Specialist/Marketing Theh 2013 Urban UbLdIb Land Institutetit t (UL(ULI)LI) report t predicts di t 707 new rooms, or Coordinator and a Senior Secretary. one new hotel, will go into development yearly through 2023. However, according to the Pasco County Planning & Development Department, 22016016 Visit Pasco was restructured according to Industry there are currently fi ve new hotels in developmental review that intend Standards and now has a Tourism Director, with to be fully operational by the end of 2018. remaining staff title changes to follow. 2 3 Length of Stay Seasonality VVisitorisitor PProrofi lle-e- RRegionalegional 8+ 33% 9% 26% 23% nights 17% Pasco County, Florida is part of the Central West Vacation Region, 4-7 along with Citrus, Hernando, Hillsborough and Pinellas, and is part of nights 40% Tampa Bay. 1-3 Winter Spring Summer Fall (Sep- (Dec-Feb) (Mar- May) (Jun-Aug) Nov) nights 51% According to the 2015 Profi le of Domestic Visitors to Florida by Vacation Region, prepared by Visit Florida, most travelers who visited our region Average Nights: 4.2 were couples (43%), followed by people traveling alone (38%). Median Nights: 3.0 This profi le also concludes our region had the largest percentage of Household Income visitors traveling for business purposes (12%), tied with the Southeast Region for the largest percentage of visitors on a business trip. Under $50,000 AApproximatelypproximately 21% 27% $50,000-$74.999 With regard to seasonality, the profi le states that visitors to our region 225%5% ooff aallll PPascoasco $75,000-$99,999 preferred to visit during the winter (33%). The most popular activities CCountyounty TouristTourist 18% among visitors to our region were going to a beach or waterfront or 19% $100,000-$149,999 15% visiting friends and relatives. DDevelopmentevelopment TTaxax Over $150,000 ccollectionsollections ccomeome Average HH Income: $97,700.00 Age of Adult Traveler Travel Party Composition ffromrom oourur nnaturistaturist Median HH Income: $80,200.00 20% 18-34 Years Other 9% ccommunitiesommunities, Accommodations Old Families 10% 46% 35-54 Years mmakingaking cclothing-lothing- 3% 34% Old Alone 38% Hotel Paid 55+ Years ooptionalptional a Home/Apt/CondoHome/Apt/Condo PaidPaid Old Couples 43% mmajorajor economiceconomic 45%45% 40%% OtOtherheer PaPaidid ccontributor.ontributor. FrFriend/Relativesiend/Rele ata ives 99%% OtOthertheh r Non-paNon-paidid 3%% Purpose of Trip Top 5 Domestic Origin States 12% Business Indiana & South Carolina 5% Other Leisure 16% North Carolina 7% 36% Vacation/Get away weekend Virginia 7% Visit Friends/Relatives 36% Georgia 8% 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% New York 12% 4 5 VVisitorisitor PProrofi llee PPlanlan DDevelopmentevelopment & SSTAKEHOLDERTAKEHOLDER IINPUTNPUT TTargetarget MMarketarket This TDP was developed through best management practices, tourism industry research & data collection, attending tourism industry Information in