Agenda


NOTICE OF NOVEMBER 15, 2023 REGULAR MEETING OF MEMBERS AND BOARD OF DIRECTORS
To: Board of Directors and Members PURSUANT to the call of a majority of the Board of Directors named in the Certificate of Formation of the Corporation, NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Board of Directors and the Members of The Woodlands Convention and Visitors Bureau, a Texas non-profit corporation (the “Corporation”), will meet at the principal office of the Corporation, at 2801 Technology Forest Boulevard, The Woodlands, Texas 77381, on November 15, 2023, at 8:30 a.m., for the purpose of:


1.					Pledge of Allegiance;

2.					Call to order and adoption of Agenda;

3.					Public Comment;

4.					Consider and approve Minutes from the October 2023 Regular Board Meeting;

5.					Consider and approve Financial Report through September 2023;

6.					Receive, consider and act upon staff initiatives;

7.					Receive, consider and act upon Cvent Supplier Partnership renewal to include two-year agreement;

8.					Recess to Executive Session to discuss matters relating to real property pursuant to §551.072, Texas Government Code; deliberation of economic development negotiations pursuant to §551.087, Texas Government Code; discuss personnel matters pursuant to §551.074, Texas Government Code; and to consult with the Corporation's attorney pursuant to §551.071, Texas Government Code;

9.					Reconvene in public session

10.					Receive, consider and act upon relocation of staff offices;

11.					Receive, consider and act upon the approval of a Service Plan for the potential creation of The Woodlands Tourism Economic Development Zone;

12.					President’s Report;

13.					Board Announcements;

14.					Agenda items for next meeting;

15.					Adjournment.

Dated at The Woodlands, Texas, the 15th day of November, 2023.

______________________________________________________
President of The Woodlands Convention & Visitors Bureau


CVB Special Board Meeting		4.
Meeting Date:	11/15/2023

SUBJECT MATTER:
Consider and approve Minutes from the October 2023 Regular Board Meeting;
BACKGROUND:

RECOMMENDATION

Attachments
DRAFT October Minutes


CVB Special Board Meeting		5.
Meeting Date:	11/15/2023

SUBJECT MATTER:
Consider and approve Financial Report through September 2023;
BACKGROUND:

RECOMMENDATION

Attachments
September 2023 CVB Financial Report


CVB Special Board Meeting		7.
Meeting Date:	11/15/2023

SUBJECT MATTER:
Receive, consider and act upon Cvent Supplier Partnership renewal to include two-year agreement;
BACKGROUND:
The Cvent Supplier Network allows suppliers to directly connect and establish relationships with more than 74,000+ meeting planners to research destinations and distribute RFP’s. Examples of planner user companies that utilize Cvent include: HelmsBriscoe, Conference Direct, Walmart, Toshiba, National Restaurant Association and MetLife. Placing Visit The Woodlands in The Cvent Supplier Network has increased its visibility and prioritization to be seen on a consistent basis by Cvent’s extensive database of planner users. Cvent is used as the primary lead distribution system within the meetings industry. Visit The Woodlands entered into a supplier partnership with Cvent in October of 2016 and has seen increasingly positive results. Visit The Woodlands received a total of 187 RFP’s in 2022 and by November of 2023 Visit The Woodlands has already received 188 RFP’s within the Cvent platform. Staff is proposing the CVENT partnership remain at the same level and partnership package as in the previous agreement. Visit The Woodlands staff has seen great results through the partnership with Cvent and recommends continuing to partner with the Cvent database for 2024 and 2025, which would cost $31,844.00 in 2024 and will be $32,914.44 in 2025.
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends that the Board approve a two-year partnership with Cvent for 2024 and 2025 at the above pricing proposed.

Attachments
CVENT Platform Agreement 2024-2025


CVB Special Board Meeting		11.
Meeting Date:	11/15/2023

SUBJECT MATTER:
Receive, consider and act upon the approval of a Service Plan for the potential creation of The Woodlands Tourism Economic Development Zone;
BACKGROUND:
Members of The Woodlands hotel community requested the formation of a Tourism Public Improvement District in late 2022. Referred to as a TPID, these districts have been created in several cities throughout Texas and function to impose a supplemental assessment on hotel stays to provide marketing and incentive funding to encourage new and retain existing conference, convention and event business in the local area. Because The Woodlands is not incorporated as a city, a TPID cannot be formed locally. However, The Woodlands Township has the ability to create Economic Development Zones (“EDZs”) and was able to secure legislation in 2023 (House Bill 5311) for the ability to create an EDZ over land exclusively comprised of hotels that will function in the same manner as a TPID (i.e., impose a supplemental assessment on hotel stays and use the revenues for marketing and incentives to drive additional hotel business). The Woodlands Township currently collects a 9% hotel occupancy tax. A major portion of this tax is used to retire debt on the Convention Center, which drives thousands of hotel room sales each year. Visit The Woodlands, the Convention and Visitors Bureau, utilized approximately 33% of collected hotel taxes for sales and marketing programs. A Tourism Economic Development Zone is a separate account with new and additional sales and marketing programs for participating hotels. The Woodlands Tourism Economic Development Zone would enhance sales and marketing efforts for The Woodlands hotels. This Tourism Zone would allow The Woodlands to compete effectively with Texas cities and other cities across the country for an increased market share of leisure, event, and group travel. Participating hotels in the Tourism Economic Development Zone would assess a 2% fee on hotel sleeping room rentals, excluding taxes, fees, other assessments, the cost of food served by the hotel, and the cost of personal services performed by the hotel (except for those services related to cleaning and readying the room for use or possession). Similar approaches throughout Texas have been implemented by other cities, giving these destinations a competitive advantage with additional sales and marketing programs. The following cities have implemented Tourism Public Improvement Districts: Dallas, Arlington, Waco, Fort Worth, San Antonio, Corpus Christi, and Frisco. It is important to quantify the success of implementing such a plan. The best unit of measurement will be the collection of hotel tax dollars. Success will also be measured through business booked, occupancy rates, and specific campaigns. Organization structure The Woodlands Township Board of Directors will create The Woodlands Tourism Economic Development Zone. Visit The Woodlands (the Convention and Visitors Bureau) will design and implement the sales and marketing plans, with input from all participating hotels. Staff has developed a proposed Service Plan as a base plan to launch a Tourism Economic Development Zone.
RECOMMENDATION
Approve a proposed Service Plan for a potential Tourism Economic Development Zone.

Attachments
The Woodlands Tourism Zone Service Plan