(Blogmaster Note: Oro Valley contributes $75,000 annually to the Metropolitan Tucson Convention & Visitors Bureau (MTCVB). It is our contention that this expenditure is not justified. It is the contention of many others that MTCVB, itself, is a poorly functioning, poorly performing organization. Click here to view other postings we have made on MTCVB.)
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Item A on the consent portion on the Town Council Agenda on February 15, 2012 is for approving (“rubber-stamping”) the Metropolitan Tucson Convention & Visitors Bureau (MTCVB) second quarter report of performance in relation to the Town of Oro Valley. This report is incomplete and warrants the full attention of the members of the Oro Valley town council. Council should not "rubber stamp" it.
Let me provide a few examples of why this agenda item should be discussed by Council in more detail.
The first page of the first quarter report shows 85 sales leads and 6 site inspections. The report does not provide any examples of the purported 85 sales leads. Nor does it provide information on the six sales leade. Shouldn't the town ask for a couple of examples of the 6 site inspections for Oro Valley Properties? Who asked for the site inspections? Where and when did the inspections take place?
The report includes supporting exhibits to illustrate MTCVB performance. The exhibits are suspect.
- The first exhibit was an article titled “Tourists Pay Wages for 21,000 Tucsonans” published as a guest column for “Inside Tucson Business”. The author, Lynn Ericksen, General Manager, Hilton Tucson El Conquistador and also the Chair of the MTCVB Board of Directors wrote a glowing report on how Destination Marketing Organizations (DMO) such as MTCVB were key to Tucson (No bias from Lynn of course, just “fair and balanced reporting). Oro Valley is not mentioned in the article so why is it in the MTCVB Oro Valley Report?
- The next exhibit “Kansas City On The Cheap” is a web site that offers vacation deals. It talks about Tucson, Arizona. There is no mention of Oro Valley.
- The next exhibit announces that MTCVB has won the 2011 Gold Service Award from Meetings & Conventions Magazine and won it 23 times. What does this have to do directly with representing Oro Valley?
- The next exhibit is from Japan Tours. It has an article that discusses “Why Rent a Luxurious Holiday Rental Property As Opposed to a Resort”? The article gushes on how Ultimate Luxurious Rentals will save vacationers time, income, privacy, etc., especially in Tucson, Arizona. The article touts going to Tucson and expounds on the culture in Tucson. It does mention Oro Valley as an expanding growth area of Tucson (I didn’t think Oro Valley was part of Tucson) and then disparages Oro Valley as a difficult place to travel to (45 minutes).
- The next exhibit is from the Arizona Daily Star Newspaper titled “Tourism Plan Puts Spotlight on Science”. It discusses how biodiversity in Southern Arizona is growing and Tucson should be a Science City destination not just a “fun and sun” destination. There is no mention of Oro Valley.
- The next exhibit is from a web site “Get Me One”. The Article is titled “Visit the Catalina State Park and Other Arizona Attractions”. It mentions Tucson but not Oro Valley.
- The next exhibit is from a web site “I Blog Robot Dot Com”. The Article is titled “Tour the Catalina State Park and Arizona State Park”. It mentions Tucson but not Oro Valley.
- The next exhibit is from a web site “xaminer.com”. The Article is titled “Astounding Nature – Arizona holds the hummingbird capital of the United States”. It does not mention Tucson or Oro Valley.
- The last exhibit is from a web site “bali-catering.com”. The Article is a revised copy of the Japan Tours Article.
Why does the Town of Oro Valley continue to donate $75,000 to MTCVB for incomplete or questionable performance?
Where is due diligence by the Town Council?
John Musolf
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