TA seeking additional money

Requests for vacation planners are up

The Gunnison-Crested Butte Tourism Association is seeking more than $40,000 in additional funds from the Local Marketing District this year. According to executive director Jane Chaney, the TA is halfway through the budget year and has already expended most of its budget reserved for fulfilling requests for vacation planners.

Chaney said the TA has spent 92 percent of its fulfillment budget (used to bulk mail requested vacation planners), 92 percent of its postage budget (used to mail brochures first class to visitors arriving within 15 days of the request), and 98 percent of its travel and tradeshow budget.
Chaney asked the LMD board, comprised of the county commissioners, for an additional $5,234 for travel, $36,000 more for fulfillment and an additional $500 for postage, for a total of $41,734. Chaney explained that the increases in fulfillment and postage expenditures are a result of more people asking for printed vacation planners.
“I think it’s critical to understand that it’s not [a question of] how come we’re not doing more electronic packets. We make opportunities available for potential visitors and address their requests. We’re not driving one over the other—it’s what they choose,” said Chaney.
The LMD board was reluctant, however, to act too quickly. Commissioner Hap Channell pointed out that the Tourism Association is not in a cash flow bind; there are still funds to juggle between line items in the TA budget.
“Are we right to assume that this is not an absolute necessity to make this decision right now? Your budget cash flow available today is sound enough that we could take a closer look at this in the future?” he asked.
Chaney confirmed that there is enough cash flow available to cover fulfillment but pointed out that among other reserves, spending existing funds would mean dipping into the $41,000 of supplemental advertising dollars approved by the LMD this spring. That money has been earmarked for additional advertising for the winter of 2012-2013 through a partnership with Crested Butte Mountain Resort.
“I want to be clear it’s taking that $40,000 from supplemental advertising and now approving to use those funds for this use,” Chaney said.
“And then backfill it,” Swenson said.
Swenson, who also sits on the TA advisory board, argued that it made the most sense to wait for more information. At the end of the summer, more data will be available and a more accurate request can be made of the LMD.
“I would hate in two more months to come back and say we need even more… I’m assuming it’s better to go back and have further conversations at the TA board level about where we are right now and monitor for a month or two to see where we really are and see what supplemental appropriations might be, instead of rushing it,” said Swenson.
The TA and the LMD will meet again on September 4 to revisit the request for more funding.