2

2019 ANNUAL REPORT

4701 Admiralty Way, Marina del Rey, California 90292 310-306-9900 visitmarinadelrey.com

3 2

CEO’S MESSAGEDear Partners,

In 2019, the Marina del Rey Convention and Visitors Bureau (MdR CVB) embarked upon exciting new projects aimed at strengthening our position as a world-class travel destination.

Efforts included a brand refresh that showcases Marina del Rey as an urban waterfront playground with a vibrant, sophisticated, casual luxe vibe.

The MdR CVB entered a new partnership with the Los Angeles Tourism and Convention Board (LATCB) that will strategically position Marina del Rey as a premier leisure destination in L.A. Joint marketing efforts will target new markets and include a strong digital marketing presence. In November we joined LATCB on a sales mission to the United Arab Emirates and India to support the opening of their first official tourism office in India and meet with Emirates, Etihad, World Expo 2020 organizers and meeting planners.

In the fall we implemented the Marina Fundays shoulder season promotion resulting in 51,419 clicks to our website, a 70% increase from 2018. Social media engagement increased by 32% year over year.

Additionally, we developed a semi-annual Marina del Rey Ambassadors Program featuring a half-day workshop to educate local tourism and hospitality partners about Marina del Rey.

The MdR CVB commissioned the Coraggio Group consultants to facilitate a stakeholder retreat to determine how to best meet the needs of our tourism and hospitality community. More than 30 community partners attended the all-day workshop to provide input that will guide our strategic planning efforts.

In 2019 the CVB negotiated a new 5-year agreement with the Marina’s six hotels, resulting in increasing hotel self-assessments from 1.5% to 2% starting in 2020. Additional funding will support destination marketing efforts.

I celebrate our success by recognizing the hard work and enthusiasm of my staff. I remain grateful for the support of the CVB’s Board of Directors and our strong partnership with the Department of Beaches and Harbors. I look forward to working with each of you in 2020.

Janet Zaldua, Chief Executive OfficerMarina del Rey Convention and Visitors Bureau

The Marina del Rey Convention and Visitors Bureau is a non-profit corporation formed in 2000 through the joint efforts of the Los Angeles County Department of Beaches and Harbors and the six Marina del Rey hotels located within the unincorporated area of Los Angeles County.

The MdR CVB serves as the official destination marketing organization for Marina del Rey. It was created for the purpose of inviting, attracting and welcoming tourists, business travelers, and visitors to the Marina as a destination

CONVENTION AND VISITORS BUREAUof choice, through advertising, promotion, and other services.

Funding for the MdR CVB comes from an assessment of hotel room revenues from Marina del Rey’s six hotels and the Los Angeles County Department of Beaches and Harbors.

Transient Occupancy Tax (hotel tax) is 12% in Marina del Rey and is allocated to Los Angeles County’s general fund. The Los Angeles County Department of Beaches and Harbors funds approximately 29% of the MdR CVB budget.

MARIN

A DE

L REY

5

A separate 1.5% hotel self-assessment is collected from the Marina’s hotels and distributed to the MdR CVB. Funding from the Marina del Rey’s six hotels represents 71% of the MdR CVB budget.

The Marina del Rey Convention and Visitors Bureau is governed by a 14-member Board of Directors composed of business, community and government leaders.

SALT

OUR MISSIONTo stimulate economic development by marketing Marina del Rey for business and leisure travel.

OUR VISIONMarina del Rey is Los Angeles’ vibrant and unique waterfront playground and resort destination.

In order to maximize Marina del Rey’s visitor economy, we provide:

• Knowledge: We are destination experts for leisure and business travelers.

• Connectivity: We are the only official go-to resource for promoting all of Marina del Rey.

• Action: We advocate for and work to ensure the long-term relevance of Marina del Rey as a destination.

VALUE

OUR

PROPOSITION

6

2,698 (+0.1% YOY)Jobs Supported by Tourism

ECONOMIC IMPACT$398.2 MILLION (+1% YOY) Total Economic Impact of Tourism to Marina del Rey

• $14.6 MILLION (+1% YOY) Total Ground Rent paid by hotels, restaurants, and charter yacht rental companies

• $12.8 MILLION (+2.9% YOY) Total Measurable Tax Revenues paid from hotel tax and sales tax from meals, beverages, and non-food retail sales

VISITORS

TAX AND GROUND RENT REVENUE PAID TO LOS ANGELES COUNTY

440,000 (-10% YOY) Total Overnight Visitors (Hotels and Visiting Friends and Family)

$11.7 MILLION (+3.2% YOY) Total Transient Occupancy Tax (TOT/Hotel Bed Tax)

TOUR

ISM

Source: CBRE, Inc., Note: 2018 numbers were updated by CBRE since the printing of the 2018 annual report.

7

$94.9 MILLION (+0.1% YOY) Total Hotel Rooms Revenue

Marina del Rey’s six hotels continue to thrive and make significant contributions to the local economy. Over the last several years, the Marina’s hotels have undergone extensive capital programs in order to compete with the full-service luxury properties in the surrounding markets. Renovations of guest rooms, conference space, and hotel restaurants have made L.A.’s Marina a more desirable destination for leisure and business travel.

2019 highlights:

HOTE

L

$277Average Daily Rate (+1.7% YOY)

84%Hotel Occupancy (-1.4% YOY)

$235RevPAR (+1% YOY)

The Marina is a popular destination for business travel. The MdR CVB has a dedicated sales effort focused on attracting group business and meetings to the Marina’s hotels and event venues through advertising, trade shows, industry networking and memberships. As a special closing tool, the MdR CVB offers

PERFORMANCE AND BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT

9

meeting planners an incentive of up to $2,000 to bring their business to Marina del Rey, based on the number of room nights booked at Marina hotels.

In 2019, the MdR CVB assisted the Marina’s hotels and event venues with:

$3.2 MILLIONTotal Sales Revenue

$2.1 MILLION Total Rooms Revenue

$39,750 Total Meeting Planner Incentives Paid

$1 MILLION Total Catering Revenue

8,127 Total Hotel Room Nights Booked

59Definite Bookings

333 Total Leads for Group Business

10 11

Through active involvement in tourism and hospitality associations, the MdR CVB stays well informed on the latest marketing and sales trends and establishes collaborative partnerships that strengthen our destination marketing efforts.

INDUS

TRY M

EMBE

RSHIP

SMemberships include:

• American Society of Association Executives

• California Society of Association Executives

• California Travel Association• Destination Marketing

Association International• Destination Marketing

Association West• HelmsBriscoe Preferred

Partner Program• Hospitality Sales and

Marketing Association International

• LAX Coastal Area Chamber of Commerce

• Los Angeles Business Travel Association

• Los Angeles Tourism and Convention Board

• Meeting Professionals International (Northern, Southern and Orange County Chapters)

• Public Relations Society of America

• Society for Incentive Travel Excellence

• Travel and Tourism Marketing Association

• United States Travel Association

• Venice Chamber of Commerce

Marina del Rey is promoted at various industry trade shows throughout the United States that target corporate meeting planners interested in booking event venues for high-end corporate business including associations and technology industries.

2019 tradeshows included:

• California Society of Association Executives Seasonal Spectacular, Sacramento, CA

• Connect Corporate Program, Louisville, KY

• Connect Meetings California, Oakland, CA

• Connect Meetings Incentive, Kona, HI

• HelmsBriscoe Presentation and Training Session, Phoenix, AZ

• HPN Global Presentation and Training Session, Phoenix, AZ

• HelmsBriscoe Annual Business Conference, Houston, TX

• iMEX America, Las Vegas, NV• Los Angeles Tourism Convention

and Convention Board UAE/ India Sales Mission

INDUSTRY TRADE SHOWS

• Meetings Professional International Northern California Chapter, Annual Gala, San Francisco, CA

• Meeting Professionals International Southern California Chapter, WeCon, Palm Springs, CA

• Meeting Professionals International Northern California Chapter, Annual Conference, San Francisco, CA

• Smart Meetings, Mid-Atlantic, Washington, DC

• Smart Meetings Pacific Northwest, Seattle, WA

• Society for Incentive Travel Excellence, San Diego, CA

• Society for Incentive Travel Excellence, Installation, Palm Springs, CA

12 13

We had another successful year working with targeted media outlets as well as social media influencers, resulting in placements in 57 domestic and international publications, including:

EARNED MEDIA

$597,921 Total Publicity Value

• AnnMarie John (blog)• Arielle Ship

(IG Influencer)• Arts and Culture OC• Burbank Mom (blog)• CBSLocal.com• Corporate &

Incentive Travel

• Culver City Observer• Daily News• DiscoverLosAngeles.

com• Elvis Han

(China influencer)• Fernanda Paterlini

(Brazil influencer)• FunWithKidsinLA.com• HoopLA Blog• HoyLosAngeles.com• Jefferson Graham

(IG Influencer)• Jilleen Butler

(IG influencer)• Keke Dixon (blog)• KFI-AM Radio online• LA Parent• LA Post• Laist.com• LalaScoop.com• LAParent.com• LAWeekly.com• Look Who’s Blogging

374 MILLIONTotal Earned Media Impressions

• Los Angeles Times• LosAngeleno.com• Meetings Today• Mommy Poppins• MOMSLA.com• Motors and 4x4

Magazine (Italy)• NBCLosAngeles.com• Newsweek.com• Nina Anhaia

(Brazil influencer)• Passport Stamps

(UK blog)• Queen Bee Latina

(blog)• RealMomofSFV.com

(blog)• Red Tricycle

Los Angeles• San Diego Union

Tribune• Santa Monica

Daily Press• Scott Eddy

(IG Influencer)

• Sierra Madre Weekly• SoCalPulse.com• Southern California

Life Magazine• Sunday People (UK)• The Argonaut• The Diary of a

Jewellery Lover (UK blog)

• The Log • TheHollywood

Home.com• TheLosAngeles

Beat.com• Thrillist.com

Los Angeles• Time Out

Los Angeles• ToddRickAllen.com• TravelingBoy.com• TravelPulse.com• Venice Paparazzi• WeLikeLA.com• Where Traveler

Multiple strategies were used to promote Marina del Rey as a premier destination for leisure and business travel through the use of print, digital, and radio advertising that targeted local, domestic, and international visitors.

ADVERTISING

• Brand USA• Corporate and

Incentive Meetings• California Meetings

+ Events• Cvent • Discoverlosangeles.com• Facebook• Instagram• LAX Coastal Chamber

Directory• LA Weekly• Los Angeles Times• Los Angeles

Visitor’s Guide

Print and digital ads included:

• Los Angeles Visitor’s Map

• Meetings Today• Pandora• Smart Meetings• Sunset• The Argonaut• The Free Ride shuttle • Visit California

Visitors Guide• SmartMeetings.com• Westways• Where Traveler

Los Angeles• 101 Things to Do

in Los Angeles

14 15

MARINA FUNDAYSThe Marina Fundays promotion was created to raise awareness about summer happenings in Marina del Rey and drive visits to visitmarinadelrey.com. From August through September, the campaign promoted special deals and entertainment through digital advertisements, digital radio (Pandora) and social media, targeting the Venice and Playa Vista area.

Total campaign results:

5.5 MILLION Total Impressions

51,419 Clicks to Website (+67% YOY)

PROM

OTION

2 MILLION Social Media Impressions

3.5 MILLION Pandora Digital Radio Impressions

ARTSE

A MA

RKET

ING

CAMP

AIGN The CVB collaborated with the Los

Angeles County Department of Beaches and Harbors to increase awareness about ARTsea, an annual event held at Marina “Mother’s” Beach. The campaign targeted the L.A. market through print and digital advertising, social media marketing and public relations from March through May.

15 MILLION Total Earned Media Impressions

21,603 Clicks to Dedicated Landing Page (21% of all Website Traffic during Campaign)

1.5 MILLION Digital Impressions

2.9 MILLION Print Ad Impressions

SUMMER EVENTSAND CONCERTSCAMPAIGN

A summer promotion was developed to increase awareness about individual summer events in Marina del Rey and drive visits to visitmarinadelrey.com. The campaign targeted the L.A. market and utilized digital advertisements including native advertising and targeted social media ads.

Campaign highlights:

5.3 MILLION Total Impressions

42,518 Clicks to Website

15

19.4 MILLION Total Impressions

WEB

SITE

visitmarinadelrey.com

233,457(+65% YOY) Mobile Views

809,771 (+14% YOY) Page Views

457,043 (+4% YOY) Site Visits

2019 highlights: Outbound clicks to hotels:

5,744 Cumulative

1,671 Jamaica Bay Inn

1,613 Marina del Rey Hotel

1,373 The Ritz-Carlton, Marina del Rey

479 Marina del Rey Marriott

478 Hilton Garden Inn

130 Foghorn Harbor Inn

17

SOCIAL MEDIA Social media is a vital component of our marketing strategy and provides us with quick access to our followers so that we can update them on activities, promotions, and happenings in the Marina.

9,143 (+18% YOY)Instagram Followers

4,601 (+2%YOY)Twitter Followers

23,898 Minutes of Content Viewed

56,751 (+3% YOY)Facebook Fans

3.9 MILLION Total Social Media Impressions

94,800 (+32% YOY)Total Engagements (Clicks + Interactions)

2019 highlights:

TOP 15 WEBSITE VISITS BY COUNTRY

(excluding U.S.)• United Kingdom• Canada• India• Australia• Germany• France• Japan• Mexico• South Korea• Philippines• Pakistan• United Arab

Emirates• Italy• China• Brazil

18

SERVICESThe Marina del Rey Visitors Center offers travelers and locals valuable resource information to ensure they have an enjoyable experience in L.A.’s Marina. The building is located in a centralized location, making it convenient for visitors to stop by and obtain brochures, maps, and recommendations on activities and events in and around the Marina. The Visitors Center is open 7 days a week.

TOP FIVE STATES(Not including California)

• New York• Texas• Massachusetts• Illinois• New Jersey

VISITOR

TOP FIVE COUNTRIES• Canada• England• Germany• France• Australia

2019 Visitors Center Statistics:

3,967 Local Visitors

3,901PhoneInquiries

9,086Total Walk-Ins

1,653Out of StateTravelers

19

STAKEHOLDER RETREAT

1,813 InternationalTravelers

The MdR CVB held an all-day retreat in October 2019. Marina del Rey tourism and hospitality stakeholders were invited to participate in an effort to guide the MdR CVB’s strategic marketing initiatives over the next five years. Facilitated by the Coraggio Group, the session resulted in creative ideas and feedback from representatives.

• The destination is on the right path, especially with revitalization in the region (Pier 44, two new hotels in the Marina, SoFi Stadium).

• There is a need to enhance the visitor experience in several ways such as improving infrastructure (i.e., wayfinding signage, regional shuttle service, pedestrian accessibility,

Key input included:

traffic control), creating strategic partnerships (reach new and emerging markets), highlighting the destination’s prime location and proximity to LAX and Silicon Beach, address homeless issues, and revitalize Fisherman’s Village.

• The CVB has been effective at increasing awareness of and elevating a consistent brand image for Marina del Rey.

21

PUBLICATIONSA variety of informational collateral is produced each year by the MdR CVB to ensure that tourists are well informed about the Marina’s activities, events, attractions, and services. The materials are available at Marina del Rey’s Visitors Center and are delivered upon request to local businesses throughout the Marina.

• Activities in the Marina• Hotels in Marina del Rey• International Luxury Guide• Los Angeles Regional Map• Marina Yacht Charters• Marina del Rey Anchorage

and Marina Guide• Marina del Rey Meetings

and Events Guide• Marina Discount Pass• Marina Restaurant

Map and Guide• Marvin Braude Coastal

Bike Trail Map• Official Marina del Rey

Destination Guide• The FREE Ride Shuttle• Weddings and Celebrations

in Marina del Rey

DEVELOPMENTAND COMMUNITY RELATIONS

DEST

INATIO

N

The MdR CVB is an active member of the community and places a high priority on community outreach and destination development efforts. Supporting our tourism, hospitality, and business partners within the community through active participation in meetings, committees, and sponsorship support continues to be an important part of our values.

In 2019 we developed a bi-annual Marina del Rey Ambassador Workshop to better familiarize local hospitality staff on Marina del Rey’s history, government structure, key tourist attractions and destination marketing efforts. Over 50 ambassadors completed the program.

The MdR CVB remains active in the community and is represented on the LAX Coastal Chamber board of directors. In addition, staff provide regular updates at the Marina del Rey Lessees Association, Small Craft Harbor Commission, and Marina Managers meetings.

22 23 22

Tony Mira, PresidentThe Ritz-Carlton, Marina del Rey

Daniel Ginzburg, Vice PresidentFantaSea Yachts

Kim Hart, TreasurerMarina del Rey Marriott

Carol BakerLos Angeles County Department of Beaches and Harbors

Lissa DyePacifica Hotels

Oliver KahfMarina del Rey Hotel

Kelly KingVilla del Mar Apartment Homes and Marina

The MdR CVB offers a variety of opportunities for local businesses to promote themselves to visitors.

Some of these opportunities include:

• Hosting travel writers, travel agents, and meeting planners

• Advertising in Marina del Rey’s Official Destination Guide (produced annually)

WITH MdR CVB

HOW

TO W

ORK

• Participating in trade shows and sales missions

• Participating in bi-annual Marina del Rey Ambassadors Program

• Distributing travel-related brochures at the Marina del Rey Visitors Center

• Attending quarterly Marina del Rey hospitality mixers

• Submitting content or promotional offers for our monthly e-newsletter and social media platforms

2019 BOARD OF DIRECTORS

23

Richard MontgomerySmall Craft Harbor Commission

David LevineMarina del Rey Lessees Association

Kevin LortonHornblower Cruises and Events

Chuck McGuireFoghorn Harbor Inn

Casey GravesJamaica Bay Inn

Tony PalermoTony P’s Dockside Grill

Aaron RhodesHilton Garden Inn

Janet Zaldua Chief Executive Officer

Lawrence Stafford Business Development Manager

Kat Jacob Communications Manager

Barbara Littlejohn Visitor and Client Services Specialist

Mary Wheeler Senior Administrative Assistant

Olivia Klasila Visitor Services Assistant

Mary Jane Pinkos Travel CounselorMA

RINA

DEL R

EY C

ONVE

NTION

AN

D VI

SITOR

S BU

REAU

STA

FF

2019

FINA

NCIAL

S 2019 CVB REVENUE

LA County (DBH) $600,595

Hotel Voluntary Self-Assessment

Tax $1,449,070

Interest $594

71%

29%

0%

2019 CVB EXPENDITURES

Wages and Benefits $401,155

Marketing and Promotions $1,351,583

General/Administrative $303,897

19%

66%

15%