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Five sustainable revenue scenarios for
destination marketing on the Kenai Peninsula
Summer 2003
Brief: Tourism is a major component of economic development on the Kenai
Peninsula for the borough and its municipalities. The tourism industry attracts
first-time visitors to the region, many of whom become repeat customers, and
some who then eventually become permanent residents through relocation.
Traditionally, an important component of the tourism industry is the work of
destination marketing organizations (DMO), which assist the industry by
marketing the destination and travel businesses to potential visitors.
The worldwide standard for sustainable revenues for destination marketing
organizations is the bed tax, which accounts for the majority of money spent by
travelers in a destination. With bed tax revenues, DMOs traditionally marketing
the region through print, TV, radio and Internet media, visitor guides, direct mail,
operate visitor centers and provide visitor services, and assist membership
businesses.
The Kenai Peninsula does not have aborough-wide bed tax currently in place to
assist destination marketing organizations in their effort to promote the travel
industry on the peninsula. There are 13 DMOs on the peninsula, each with a
mission to promote the peninsulaand/or its region of the peninsula. The result is
an uncoordinated, under funded effort in attracting visitors to the peninsula.
The following pages examine five scenarios: the current scenario without a bed tax
in place (and the current situation of many DMOs with duplicate services); and
four alternatives, each with a bed. tax in place for sustainable funding and four
different methods for revenue distribution. The goal is to come to a consensus as
destination marketing organizations and bring forth a proposal to the Kenai
Peninsula Borough assembly for discussion and possible placement for vote on the
fall ballot in 2003 or 2004.
Each scenario has a general statement and results, with a list of pro and con's, and
space for participants to add their own pro and con viewpoints. The comments will
be collated and presented to assembly member Betty Glick, who is spearheading
the investigation for the borough.
Scenario One
Status Quo - No Bed Tax
There are 13 non-profit Destination Marketing Organizations on the Kenai Peninsula.
Current Kenai Peninsula DMOs include the following 13 organizations: Kenai Peninsula
Tourism Marketing Council; Anchor Point Chamber of Commerce; Cooper Landing Chamber of
Commerce; Homer Chamber of Commerce; Hope Chamber of Commerce; Kenai Chamber of
Commerce; Kenai Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB); Ninilchik Chamber of Commerce;
North Peninsula Chamber of Commerce; Seldovia Chamber of Commerce; Seward Chamber of
Commerce / CVB; and Soldotna Chamber of Commerce.
The bed tax is the worldwide standard for generating the bulk of funding ffor DMOs.
The bed tax is the accepted industry standard across the state, nation and world to generate
sustainable revenues for destination marketing organizations. Between 60 - 80% of visitor
expenses in Alaska are for accommodations according to the latest economic visitor surveys, and
this corresponds to figures elsewhere. Bed tax rates in the western U.S. range anywhere from
3% in Ogden, Utah to 24% in Reno, Nevada. In Alaska, Anchorage has a rate of 8% and it
generates $11,000,000 in revenue; Fairbanks 16% / $2,050,000; Juneau 7% / $975,000;
Ketchikan 10% / $325,000; Mat-Su 5% / $550,000; Sitka 6% / $250,000; and Valdez 6% /
$275,000. Currently, outside of the city of Seward, the Kenai Peninsula Borough does not have a
bed tax. The city of Kenai bed tax is currently sunsetted.
The Kenai Peninsula Borough does not have a borough wide bed tax.
By not having aborough-wide bed tax, the Kenai Peninsula Borough is at a competitive
disadvantage to other areas of the state -and nation - in promoting the region as a visitor
destination. As the worldwide standard mechanism for collecting revenues from travelers for
visitor services they use, travelers expect to pay a bed tax everywhere else they visit. Without a
borough-wide bed tax, the Kenai Peninsula Borough leaves behind literally millions of dollars
each year that could be used in its destination marketing efforts. Instead, The cost of destination
marketing is placed on local businesses and residents. Local businesses on the peninsula pay the
cost through membership fees, advertising costs and charitable giving requests from a multitude
of destination mazketing organizations across the peninsula, and residents pay in terms of
underwriting generic destination marketing and operation of visitor centers through property and
sales taxes and through charitable gaming, raffles and donations.
Matrix of where revenues come from for destination marketing:
LOCATION: VISITORS BUSINESSES RESIDENTS
Elsewhere HIGH% LOW% LOW%
Here LOW% HIGH% HIGH%
Result: High number of DMOs with restricted monetary resources to do effective job; high cost
to businesses; high cost to residents; little cost to visitors.
Pro:
1. No added tax burden on visitors, which may free up more money to be spent otherwise.
2. No additional governmental administration costs for borough or businesses.
Con:
1. Money for marketing the Kenai Peninsula will continue to be severely limited, as will the
current downward trend in visitation.
2. DMOs will have no sustainable funding mechanism for which to promote the peninsula.
3. Local residents and businesses will continue to have to pay for visitor facilities and promotion
of the Kenai Peninsula via taxes, charitable giving and higher membership fees.
4. Several million dollars of revenue will remain untapped. (Lodging accounts for 60-80 percenT
of annual travel-related expenditure on peninsula.)
PRO:
CON:
Scenario Two
1) Implement a Bed Tax, and
2) Form Three Regional DMOs for the Kenai Peninsula.
Establish aborough-wide bed tax on a per room, per night basis for all accommodations on
the Kenai Peninsula. The bed tax will be calculated from the standard, non-packaged, non-
discounted room rate, and will be charged on a per room, per night basis. To be fair and
equitable, all accommodations are taxed at the rate, including hotels, motels, bed and breakfasts,
cabins, lodges, RV parks and campgrounds.
Set the bed tax rate so that visitors pay the majority of destination marketing costs. The
bed tax rate in the western US ranges from 3% to 24%, and in Alaska it ranges from 5% to 16%.
The bed tax rate will be set cover the majority of costs for destination marketing on the Kenai
Peninsula, and includes generic destination marketing through print, radio, TV and Internet
media, and operation /administrative costs for operation of visitor facilities:
Consolidate the current thirteen DMOs into three new regional DMOs. To consolidate the
overlapping efforts and reduce the administrative costs of the current 13 DMOs, establish three
new regional DMOs that collectively market their local regions and cooperatively market the
Kenai Peninsula. The three new regions would be:
Kaehemak Bay DMO: serving the Kachemak Bay, Caribou Hi11s and Lower Cook Inlet region,
including the communities o£ Anchor Point, Clam Gulch, Diamond Ridge, Halibut Cove,
Happy Valley, Homer, Kachemak Selo, Nanwalek, Ninilchik, Port Graham, Seldovia and
Voznisenka.
Kenai Fjords DMO: serving the Kenai Fjords and Kenai Mountains region, including the
communities of: Cooper Landing, Hope, Moose Pass and Seward.
Kenai Rivers DMO: serving the Kenai Rivers and Lakes region and Upper Cook Inlet,
including the communities of: Kasilof, Kenai, Nikiski, Soldotna, Sterling and Tyonek.
Devise a revenue distribution system that:
a) 50 - 70% revenue collected stays in region to pay for administrative cost of
organization and visitor services, such as operating visitor centers, and;
b) 30 - 50% revenue collected goes to collective destination marketing costs, such as
print, radio, TV, Internet media.
Consolidated areas provide local control; cooperative marketing provides cost savings.
The three regions can utilize economies of scale in promotion of each region both jointly and
individually. Businesses in small and unincorporated areas of the borough would have a greater
say in how bed tax funds are spent to promote them, maximizing local control. Both the Kenai
Peninsula Borough and its incorporated municipalities would realize significant savings in their
budgets by allowing the majority of destination marketing efforts to be paid for by the visitors to
the peninsula and lessen the burden on both businesses and taxpayers.
Pro:
1. Local control over spending of all bed tax revenue.
2. Streamlined administrative costs. Group expenses could be minimized through economy of
scale.
3. No duplication of efforts.
4. Three sister organizations work together and share expenses of borough wide destination
marketing.
5. Each region could better cross promote other two regions in borough.
6. Common visitor guide, web site and advertising templates would reduce production costs and
send cohesive message.
7. A cohesive marketing plan can be developed and implemented promoting entire Kenai
Peninsula.
8. Increased visitation to Kenai Peninsula.
9. 100% of bed tax would go regionalized DMOs.
10. Cities in the borough would save money by not having to subsidize DMOs or services
received by visitors
11. Borough residents would no longer have to fund borough wide destination marketing.
12. No new borough government infrastructure would be required.
Con:
1. Reorganization and consolidation of existing DMO structure.
2. Requires on-going cooperation between three separate DMOs over time.
PRO:
CON:
Scenario Three:
a) Implement a Bed Tax, and
b) Form One Borough-wide DMO and Three District DMOs
This option would see a DMO structure much like the one in place for scenario two, with three
district level DMOs and one borough-wide DMO. In this scenario, there would be four DMOs
on the peninsula:
Kenai Peninsula DMO: responsible for all destination marketing on a borough-wide basis.
The organization serves as the contract firm responsible for print, TV, radio, Internet media. Not
membership based; works with the three DMO districts to create and distribute all peninsula
destination marketing materials.
Kachemak Bay DMO: responsible for membership and visitor centers in district.
Kenai Fjords DMO: responsible for membership and visitor centers in district.
Kenai Rivers DMO: responsible for membership and visitor centers in district.
While this option would allow for local control of bed taxes raised in specific regions, it may
represent redundant duplication of services that absorb additional bed tax revenue raised in order
to have aborough-wide organization. The Kenai Peninsula DMO board of directors would be
comprised of board members from the three district boards and their directors.
RESULT:
Kenai Peninsula DMO
Kachemak Bay DMO
Kenai River DMO
Kenai Fjords DMO
Funding and Distribution: 100% of bed tax, minus administrative expenses
Kachemak Bay DMO: 50 - 70% of revenue from district, responsible for visitor centers
Kenai River DMO: 50 - 70% of revenue from district, responsible for visitor centers
Kenai Fjords DMO: 50 - 70% of revenue from district, responsible for visitor centers
Kenai Peninsula DMO: 35 - 50% of borough wide revenues, responsible for destination
marketing.
One to four travel planning guide book(s) for independent travelers, in-state /out-of--state
One to four meeting guide(s) for conventions
One to four group travel guide book(s) for group travelers
Five municipal visitor centers: Homer, Kenai, Seldovia, Seward, Soldotna
Five borough visitor centers: Anchor Point, Ninilehik, Cooper Landing, Hope, Moose Pass
Pro:
L Local control of how portions of local bed tax revenues are spent.
2. Borough-wide DMO could manage cooperative marketing for peninsula as a whole.
3. Very little reorganization has to take place and established promotion programs can continue
unchanged.
Con:
1. Higher administration costs, reducing the funds for regionalized DMOs.
2. Duplication of efforts between areas and borough wide DMO.
3. Lack of local control will remain in unincorporated areas of the borough and spur the
continued creation of more DMOs, further duplicating efforts.
PRO:
CON:
Scenario Four•
a) Implement a Bed Tax, and
b) Form One Borough-wide DMO
This option would see the consolidation of all 13 DMO organizations into one new Kenai
Peninsula DMO, which would be responsible for all destination marketing efforts on the Kenai
Peninsula and for operations of all visitor centers and services on the peninsula. The Kenai
Peninsula has tried this approach in the past with the initial creation of the Kenai Peninsula
Tourism Marketing Council, but with the mission to help build up local control of marketing
efforts of the local chambers. In many respects, the initial mission of the KPTMC has succeeded
in that 12 other DMOs have flourished and developed on the Kenai Peninsula. In a variety of
levels, be it government, business ornon-profit, borough-wide organizations have met with
mixed success. Some of the drawbacks have been the feeling of lack of local control and high
transportation costs.
Kenai Peninsula DMO: responsible for all destination marketing and operation of visitor
centers /services on a borough-wide basis. The organization serves as the contract firm
responsible for print, TV, radio, Internet media. Membership based, it also services all visitor
centers /services on a borough-wide basis. All bed tax revenues would move through this one
organization. This model would not allow local control of how bed tax funds collected in a
specific area are spent in that area. This could lead to animosity in areas that felt they were being
underserved.
RESULT:
Kenai Peninsula DMO
Funding and Distribution: 100% of bed tax goes to Kenai Peninsula DMO. Responsible for all
destination marketing, operation of visitor centers
One board ofdirectors /executive director /staff.
One travel planning guide book for independent travelers, in-state /out-of--state
One meeting guide for conventions
One group travel guide book for group travelers
Five municipal visitor centers: Homer, Kenai, Seldovia, Seward, Soldotna
Five borough visitor centers: Anchor Point, Ninilchik, Cooper Landing, Hope, Moose Pass
PTO:
1. Simplified administrative structure.
Con:
1. Lack of local control. Local DMOs were, and continue to be, developed even after a
centralized DMO was created 10 years ago.
2. Difficult for one organization to promote and serve the travel industry and the three major
areas on the peninsula.
3. Difficult for one organization to manage local visitor facilities across peninsula.
4. Historicallg it's been difficult to maintain board of director and general membership on a
borough wide basis.
PRO:
CON:
Scenario Five:
a) Implement a Bed Tax, and
b) Distribute money in same manner as sales tax.
In this option, all money collected would go to the municipality in which it was collected. All
monies collected in cities would go to cities, and all monies collected outside of cities would go
to the borough. Each municipality would then channel that money onto its representative DMO,
with the result being that there would be six DMOs on the peninsula: Kenai Peninsula Tourism
Marketing Council, Homer Chamber of Commerce, Kenai Convention and Visitors Bureau,
Seldovia Chamber of Commerce, Seward Chamber ofCommerce / CVB and Soldotna Chamber
of Commerce. Non-incorporated areas, such as Anchor Point, Cooper Landing, Hope, Moose
Pass, Nikiski, Ninilchik and Tyonek, would either have to form special areas for service of
visitor centers through KPTMC or lobby to have a portion of revenues generated in their area
funneled to them.
This is basically the current situation, and the bed tax revenues would be replacing tax money
spent by government on contracts with each DMO. By collecting a bed tax and not having a
dedicated pipeline for the funds to go to destination marketing organizations, funds could be
appropriated by government and spent on non-visitor related services, defeating the purpose of a
bed tax altogether, which is to promote the Kenai Peninsula as a visitor destination. Even if the
funds were not re-tasked, there would be continued duplication of administration and other
services, creating more work for less value. DMOs would still be competing against each other
for memberships and through earned income streams such as visitor guides.
RESULT:
One to 13 travel planning guide book(s) for independent in-state /out-of--state travelers
One to 13 meeting guide(s) for conventions
One to 13 group travel guide book(s) for group travelers
Five municipal visitor centers: Homer, Kenai, Seldovia, Seward, Soldotna
Five borough visitor centers: Anchor Point, Ninilchik, Cooper Landing, Hope, Moose Pass
One to 13 memberships in DMO are required by local businesses
Pro:
1. Follows an established method of distribution.
Con:
1. Municipalities will receive funds directly and then will decide whether and at what level funds
will be distributed to DMOs.
Z. No certainty that bed tax funds would be passed through to DMOs for promotion and visitor
facilities.
3. Businesses will have to lobby borough and cities on a yearly basis for bed tax money
distribution for promotion of their area.
4. Continued duplication of the six destination marketing efforts, including memberships, visitor
guides, web sites and services.
5. Higher administrative costs for each government entity due to duplication.
6. Uncertain representation in outlying borough areas currently being served by KPTMC.
PRO:
CON: