Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Tourism Marketing topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Board backs countywide tourism strategy; staff to seek a destination stewardship partner
Summary
Supervisors approved staff recommendations to adopt a countywide destination‑stewardship approach to tourism, direct an advisory board be formed, and move toward an RFP for a contracted Destination Stewardship Organization. The plan reallocates lodging tax funding toward regional marketing and stewardship.
Humboldt County supervisors voted to move forward with a countywide tourism marketing and stewardship strategy that recommends a contracted Destination Stewardship Organization (DSO), six tourism planning regions and a new funding framework for transient occupancy tax (TOT) revenue.
Peggy Murphy, the county’s economic development director, and consultants from J Ray/Gray presented the strategy, saying Humboldt’s tourism assets and patterns are fragmented and would benefit from a coordinated stewardship model. Consultant Bridgette told the board the plan would shift from “fragmentation to stewardship” and focus not only on marketing but on readiness assessments, data and visitor distribution.
Under the recommended funding approach, 45–50% of allocated TOT funding would support core DSO operations; 20–25% would fund regional tourism projects; 10–15% would support strategic initiatives; 10–15% would remain for county oversight and administration; and 5–10% be set aside for contingency. Bridgette said a DSO budget of $1–2 million typically supports five to eight full‑time staff in comparable destinations.
Supervisors pressed consultants about representation for remote areas and the integration of chambers and local DMOs. Murphy said the tourism advisory board would include representation from each proposed region and that the plan recommends a transition year to protect existing gateway funding while developing regional readiness criteria.
Supervisor Bushnell moved to adopt staff recommendations for creating a tourism advisory board and issuing a DSO RFP; the motion passed by unanimous consent. County staff will return with details for the tourism advisory board composition and the DSO request for proposals for board approval and FY27 budget timing.
What’s next: staff will convene the tourism advisory committee members to flesh out region representation and draft an RFP; the consultants suggested onboarding a DSO by FY27–28, subject to board approval and budget decisions.
