HomeMy WebLinkAboutHotel Coop Funds JW Marriott HelmsBriscoe 2017CITY OF PALM DESERT
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
INTEROFFICE MEMORANDUM
To : Mark Greenwood , Acting City Manager
From : Thomas Soule , Tourism & Marketing Manager
Date: July 17 , 2017
Subject: HOTEL CO-OP FUNDS: JW MARRIOTT/HELMSBRISCOE
The C it y's marketing budget includes $200 ,000 for cooperative marketing , advertising and
incentive programs with Palm Desert hotels . As part of this program the City has received
a request from the JW Marriott Desert Springs Resort to assist with hosting a group of
meeting planners with HelmsBriscoe in September 2017.
The HelmsBriscoe Western Region Meeting will comprise 130 highly influential meeting
planners. In 2016, Desert Springs Resort received 322 RFPs from HelmsBriscoe and
booked 7,693 room nights, 6 ,508 of which fell into a May-December arrival time frame ,
which is the City's greatest need period.
Since hotels and destinations compete for the exposure this type of meeting brings , the
customer's expectation is that the entire meeting will be complimentary , including highly
memorable food & beverage and elevated theming . The resort is hosting the entire event
at no cost to the customer, including guestrooms , meals, and audio visual costs. Both the
resort and the City will receive a high level of exposure, with extensive branding during the
event highlighting Palm Desert as a desirable group destination.
In order to help meet the high expectations of this group, the resort has requested a
contribution from the City in the amount of $5,000. The ROI in this case would come not
directly from TOT , but indirectly from the number of accounts and conventions that the 130
meeting planners touch and have the ability to recommend.
Staff recommends your approval of a contribution to JW Marriott Desert Springs Resort for
a total amount of $5,000 for the HelmsBriscoe Western Regional Meeting . Funds exist
within account #11 04417-4322201 , Advertising Special Co-op , for such marketing
purposes.
Alvarez , Director of Economic Development