Resolution 2024-042, authorizing the City Administrator to execute Amendment No.1 to the Agreement with Visit Carmel, a nonprofit corporation, for marketing services extending the term through June 30, 2027

Recognizing the City of Carmel-by-the-Sea’s status as a lauded travel destination and potential for further growth as a regional, national, and international travel destination, the City has historically worked with outside agencies to develop a destination marketing plan and to allocate funding for marketing efforts with attention to tourism being a leading driver of the City’s economic vitality and fiscal health, and a major contributor to the sales and use taxes and the transient occupancy taxes the City receives.

Visit Carmel has served as the City’s marketing administrator for the last six years and has promoted responsible travel by visitors in its messaging. It has served the City by encouraging sustainability by recycling, no littering, environmentally responsible use of the beach, and designing a marketing campaign encouraging visitors to, “Love Carmel Like A Local”. Campaigns by Visit Carmel have included producing marketing collateral such as median islands banners, custom Love Carmel Like A Local wooden signs that blend into the City character, and placards for restaurants, shops, and hotels.

Based on Visit Carmel’s expertise in marketing; knowledge and familiarity with Carmel-by-the-Sea’s values, its marketing objectives for responsible and sustainable travel and to ensure continuity and consistency of brand messaging, staff recommends amending the existing Agreement with Visit Carmel, extending the term through June 30, 2027, with fiscal year compensation amounts subject to appropriations as determined by City Council as part of the annual budget adoption process.

The Fiscal Year 2024-2025 Recommended Budget allocates One Hundred and Twenty Thousand Dollars ($120,000.00) to Visit Carmel to serve as a marketing administrator to promote the City as a destination for sustainable and responsible tourism and encourage visitors to stay overnight, dine, and shop in the City. The amount for Fiscal Year 2024-2025 will be One Hundred and Twenty Thousand Dollars ($120,000.00) contingent on Council approval and adoption of the Fiscal Year 2024-2025 budget. The amount of the agreement for the next two fiscal years is subject to appropriations as determined by Council as part of the annual budget adoption process.

Council adopted a resolution to execute an agreement with Visit Carmel for marketing services on January 9, 2018.

Council adopted a resolution to execute an agreement with Visit Carmel for marketing services on June 1, 2021.