Greater Portsmouth Chamber of Commerce

Greater Portsmouth Chamber of Commerce

Tourism Committee Meeting

Wednesday, May 5, 2004

Attending: Lisa Grella, Ocean Properties; Carlos Quinonis, Sheraton Harborside; Steve Weiler, Sheraton Harborside; Kevin Powell, Radici; Kevin Quigley, Cocheco Tours; Kim Strondak, Fairfield Inn; Anne Morin (Chamber intern); Heather Harris, Strawbery Banke Museum; Kathleen Soldati, Soldati Public Relations; Chip Noon, CS Noon Marketing and Communications; Jane Dodge, Best Western Wynwood Hotel; Laura Sinard, New England Center; Marge Hubbard, Tourism Manager

Steve Weiler called the meeting to order promptly at 8:00 am.

Chair Report

Chamber Works

Steve deferred to Marge to update everyone on Chamber Works’ progress. They did a presentation to the chamber staff members on May 4, 2004 and the staff will be working with the software in the next two (2) weeks to help work out the bugs and the kinks before it’s released to the membership. It is hopeful that the software will be available before Memorial Day weekend. The software will enable members to have their own web page on the Chamber’s site for $100, which includes a web link to the member’s site. A handout of the software’s features and benefits is available from Marge.

Governor’s Conference

The Governor’s Conference was held last week at the Center of New Hampshire in Manchester. Steve indicated there was not a huge turnout…perhaps only 70 to 80 people, due to that it was school vacation week. It was rather disappointing. Wednesday Governor Benson gave a speech as to the strength of the state; Sean O’Kane, newly appointed head of DRED was present as was Lauri Kleflos, director of the DTTD. Steve mentioned that she raved about our Tourism Summit.

Steve reminded everyone about the upcoming Travel and Tourism Day which will be at the Three Chimneys Inn in Durham on Thursday, May 13, 2004 from 8:30 to 1:30 and urged everyone to attend. It is a good way to demonstrate our strength and prominence for the tourism industry of the seacoast.

Chamber’s Annual Dinner

Steve reminded everyone that the Chamber’s annual dinner is set for Monday, June 7, 2004 at the Wentworth Hotel. He encouraged everyone to consider nominating their choices for business of the year, volunteer of the year, citizen of the year.

Tourism’s Manager Report

Marge showed the group the ad placements that we made this spring including:

·  The Official New Hampshire Planner, an annual publication that is distributed to meeting planners and tour operators. This year’s publication featured the seacoast on the front and our ad on the inside back cover.

·  Yankee Travel Guide, which will be included in more than 6,000 packages being sent to participants coming to the Democratic National Convention.

·  New Hampshire Insert-State DTTD piece for summer, which features the seacoast on the cover! It’s a beautiful piece and will be distributed in the Philadelphia Inquirer, Hartford Courant, Boston Globe, New York Times, the Providence Journal and several Canadian papers. Chamber’s ad is on the back of the piece.

Guides to the Seacoast will be sent to all that respond to these ads. Estimated response is 5,000 – 6,000

Advertising Opportunity: Map of Portsmouth

Newburyport Bank joined the chamber and wanted to produce an “official map” of Portsmouth (they did one for Newburyport, which was well received). They have agreed to give the Chamber 10 to 15 percent of advertising sales for the map. Please see Marge if you are interested in an advertising spot on the map…business card sized ads are $495 while service line ads are $175.

Downtown Kiosk Opening

On May 21, 2004 the Kiosk will be open from Thursday to Monday for three weeks, then it will be open 7 days per week from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm. Chamber of Commerce building will also start its extended hours as well.

Harbour Trail 5 K Road Race, July 10, 2004

Marge made a plea to get volunteers and prizes for the road race. We need 40 to 50 volunteers to effectively staff the various areas. Gift certificates and other gifts suitable for prizes are also being sought.

2004/2005 Strategic Marketing

Steve Weiler reminded everyone about the Tourism Committee’s desire to be ahead of the curve this year to apply for JPP funding so that we can do advertising for the holiday season and winter months. A committee of seven people have been meeting every Monday at the Sheraton to develop ideas for marketing initiatives so that Marge can put a proposal together for JPP. The deadline to submit the proposal is June 2nd. The presentation to the JPP board will be in July.

The sessions have resulted in three ideas for fall and winter promotions in print and radio. T.V. will not be considered this year due to the cost factor. The group has found little offered from other northeast coastal destinations in printed off-season materials. The group is considering radio-advertising options. Proposals from three (3) FM stations and one AM station have been requested. The demographic area selected was for those stations with an audience of woman, age 25 to 55. In addition to a radio ad campaign, they are considering pairing it with a simultaneous print campaign in the Boston Globe. Ads in both media would run the latter part of January/beginning of February for two weeks.

The proposal for JPP is shaping up to four (4) new components:

1.  Radio Ad

2.  Print campaign

3.  Streamlined Video (perhaps to be available on chamber website, suitable to be shown to groups, tours, etc.) perhaps 3 to 4 minutes in length.

4.  Rack card to promote holiday events in Portsmouth, e.g. Snowflake Festival, Candlelight Stroll, etc.

Some questioned taking TV off the table. Both Kathleen Soldati and Kevin Quigley had some positive and economically feasible experiences with cable TV advertising. Kathleen mentioned a “crawl” line through Comcast, which appears as a written, scrolling advertisement at the bottom of the screen that may appear on selected stations during specific time frames. Kathleen also mentioned Public Radio….GBH, etc. Kevin has some good runs with WLVI television, which is out of Derry, New Hampshire but whose demographics is the Boston market. Kevin Powell commented that in addition to the cost factor, our choice in advertising method should also include looking at that method’s rate of return.

Portsmouth Peace Treaty

Chip Noon told the group about a painting of the arrival of the Japanese and the Russians to the Naval Ship Yard to negotiate the Treaty 100 years ago. Prints of the painting will be sold to raise money for a permanent memorial of the treaty. An unveiling of the painting will be held at the Wentworth by the Sea Hotel.

Downtown Business Committee Update

Kevin Powell reported on the minutes from the last DBA meeting. The group received a rather firm letter from Mayor Sirrell regarding the DBA’s position on the public library. They decided the committee would respond respectfully and ultimately making no further commentary to the Mayor with regard to the Library, but would thank her for her letter.

Kevin passed around the “SWOT” report the committee performed, which is a self-analysis of Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats. Several felt that the Tourism Committee should go through the same exercise.

There will be street closures on weekends this summer. Kevin also mentioned that the Farmer’s Market might be moved from its present location on “hospital hill” to a spot located downtown.

The meeting adjourned at 9:15 am.