HomeMy WebLinkAbout2025-01-15 CHOCVB Advisory Board Minutes Chapel Hill/Orange County Visitors Bureau
Advisory Board Meeting
North Carolina High School Athletics Association
January 15, 2025
8:00—9:30 AM
Board Members Present: Paris Miller-Foushee, Donald"D.R."Bryan—Vice Chair, Craig Lloyd, Allison
Reid, Karen DeHart—Chair, Wendy Smith, David Putnam, Jon Hartman-Brown, Jeri Lynn Schulke,Meredith
Saybe, Sally Greene
Not Present: Matt Hughes, Steve Peck, Randee Haven O'Donnell, Heidi Werner-Dawson
Staff Attendance: Laurie Paolicelli, Hannah Hemphill, Marlene Barbera, Katie Murray
Guests: Lisa Kaylie-prospective board member, Jason Boyer—Media Two, Jessica Herschaft- Clean,
Maylon Andrews—UNC Student, Commissioner Que Tucker-NCHSAA
Call to Order
Karen DeHart called the meeting to order at 8:05 AM.
Round Table Introductions
Welcome to NCHSAA from Commissioner Que Tucker
Approval of Minutes
Karen DeHart requested a motion to approve the minutes from the November 20, 2024 board meeting. Paris
Miller-Foushee made a motion to approve the minutes for both meetings and Meredith Saybe seconded the
motion. With all members in favor,the minutes were approved as submitted.
Executive Director's Report
• Following up on the November board meeting, it was decided to keep the meetings.
• Presentation updating board on the growth of tourism in Orange County over the last twenty years,
including increased inventory and occupancy in the county.
o David Putnam asked about how we are generating leads. Marlene answered speaking to our
CVENT software that distributes leads and sales travel. Corporate and association brings leads
o Town and Gown Conference—UNC bid for conference in June 2026 and was shortlisted.
Ultimately the bid was awarded elsewhere.
Are the ads making a difference? Jason Boyer from Media Two
• Media Two takes our assets (creative) and looks at how best to distribute the content.
• Leisure Campaign: Media Strategy, FB &IG, Seach and Display, but also digital video, publisher
direct,placement strategies (display, CTV (connected tv, such as firestick, roku, etc), direct buys)
o Media Strategy based on seasonality and has reassessed based on trends and analytics,with
spring leading into summer being higher.
For Approval March 19, 2025
o Performance highlights (July-Dec): 1.5 million video views, 73 literature requests and 11
newsletter subscriptions, search activity has a 8.95% click through rate, media drove 32% of
new users to visitchapelhill.org
o Sneak Piques—In-state optimize toward video views to showcase Sneak Piques video creative.
So far they have highlighted 8 different Sneak Piques.
o Learnings: Steel String Brewery was the top performing social creative, women more likely to
engage with the ad with men more likely to CTR to website, Charlotte had highest in state
engagement,non-brand search traffic is places to visit in NC "NC Getaways" "what to do in
North Carolina?" "What to do near Duke University"
■ Paris Miller-Foushee asked how many hotels offer spa treatments. Marlene answered
that there is no designated resort for spa treatments
• Business & Conferences: Campaign extension seeks to grow corporate business meetings in area
hotels and included Florida, Georgia, and NC
o FY25 Trends— 19 RFP requests, 89% search conversions, airports ad, 6.8% CTR(71%year of
year improvement)
■ David asked about the average RFP flow? Jason clarified there was not a good metric
for comparison
■ Meredith asked if are we back to pre-COVID numbers? Marlene answered that
corporate meetings have not reached pre-COVID but increasing. Jason highlighted that
quarterly gatherings are an increasing trend post-COVID due to more remote working.
■ Matt Hughes had an observation about conferences that might have missing potential
due to budget constraints.
■ Meredith asked how does the Visitors Bureau feature other meeting spaces that do not
have a hotel component. Marlene discussed how typically planners want everything
under one roof, but the Visitors Bureau can direct other types of business to different
meeting spaces.
■ Paris Mill-Foushee brought up that some venues won't look at long term bookings,
which Marlene confirmed can be an issue with meeting spaces in Orange County.
Logo exploration
• Laurie followed up with an update on the request to reevaluate our logo design. We are currently
looking at biding for our advertising agency in 2026 and would want to wait until then for a redesign.
• Laurie gave the board a handout with logo design options and asked them to review it to revisit at a
later board meeting.
o David asked when was the last brand update? 2011.
o DR asked if has the group made a decision to actually change the logo?No, but next month's
board meeting will further discuss
Partner Updates
• Craig Lloyd— Seafood Festival in Hillsborough, Antique Festival coming up in April 2025
2CHOCVB BOD Meeting January 15 , 2025
For Approval March 19, 2025
• Katie Murray—End of year fundraising netted—$30k, current exhibit 3rd annual poet/visual artist,
2024 BIPOC artist in resident on 1St Friday
• Allison Reid—no major updates, week of celebration keynote address of Sheryl Brown Henderson
January 22nd at 6:30pm.
• Jon Hartman-Brown—Library ribbon cutting at the Drakeford Center Feb 21 st
Parking Lot:
• Logo update discussion
• Budget overview
Next meeting: February 19, 2025 at the Carolina Inn
Matt Hughes made a motion for the meeting to adjourn, which was seconded by Paris Miller-Foushee. The
meeting was adjourned at 9:27 AM.
31 Page CHOCVB BOD Meeting January 15 , 2025