Title
Tourism Strategic Plan Draft Discussion
Body
RECOMMENDED ACTION (Motion):
Staff recommends that the City Commission consider the Oregon City Tourism Strategic Plan Draft as presented and direct staff to bring the Plan to a future regularly scheduled City Commission meeting for final approval.
BACKGROUND:
On August 13, 2015, the City Commission passed Resolution 16-21 finding the tourism is a priority for Oregon City and an important economic development tool. Resolution 16-21 also resolved to support development of promotional strategies for tourism in Oregon City with accelerated timing conditioned upon receipt of a State tourism grant. On June 21, 2017, the City Commission authorized the City Manager to execute the Personal Services Agreement (PSA) with Coraggio Group (consultant) to provide consulting services for the Oregon City Tourism Strategic Plan. The purpose of the project is to create a concerted effort toward tourism, building upon the tourism plan put forth for consideration by the Downtown Oregon City Association that was approved, in concept, by the Commission in January, 2016.
The Plan will provide guidance for directing future efforts, operational structure and funding strategies associated with increasing tourism activity within Oregon City. Ultimately, the Plan will bring the City closer to meeting the overall tourism objectives of increasing awareness of Oregon City, increasing tourism-related revenues and employment opportunities. The process of creating the Plan began in June, 2017 with a consultant-led discussion to refine the approach and identify key stakeholders. Immediately following, stakeholders were brought together in various forms, which included an initial visioning session (half-day workshop), a community survey, several stakeholder planning sessions and a marketing planning group. Caraggio Group led these efforts successfully throughout the process while working carefully to ensure group consensus prior to moving forward and that the results of each session were aligned with project goals and objectives.
This work session is intended to share the Strategic Plan document and process with the City Commission, share the perspective on the ingredients of success for tourism promotion, and elicit a discussion about strategic imperatives and the management/governance recommendations. Based on the feedback given at this meeting, staff will then further refine the document in preparation for a future final approval by the City Commission. To begin the discussion, Coraggio Group will give a brief presentation that will cover the following:
* A Plan and process overview
* Review of Strategic Imperatives
* Implementation of Case Studies
* Oregon City Plan Management Recommendations
Please see the draft Tourism Strategic Plan attached. In addition, an update on how we are proceeding with the experiential marketing effort in coordination with Downtown Oregon City Association will be discussed.