VenturaCountyWest Tops List of Regional Business Improvement Districts
purchase arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;”>In January, the San Fernando Valley Business Journal noted the region’s top 20 largest business improvement districts (BIDs) ranked by budget. Topping the list of 20 BIDs was the Ventura County West Tourism Business Improvement District (VCWTBID). The VCWTBID provides funding for the Ventura County Lodging Association (VCLA) to promote tourism for the participating cities of Camarillo, Oxnard, Ventura, and Port Hueneme.
The VCLA was formed in 2011 to increase tourism and hotel stays in the cities of Camarillo, Oxnard, and Ventura. Last year, the VCLA expanded to include Port Hueneme. In addition, the term of the VCWTBID was extended through 2025.
Funding for the VCWTBID is generated by an assessment on the cost of a room at each hotel in the four cities. Initially, the assessment was 1.5% of the bill for each guest; this was increased to 2% when the VCLA expanded in 2015. This allows the VCLA to fund the website and various forms of marketing, including advertisements on TV, radio, social media, magazines, freeway billboards, and bus shelters at Burbank Airport.
As a result of these outreach efforts, Ventura County is one of the highest growth areas in California in terms of hotel occupancy. Since the inception of the VCLA, occupancy in Camarillo’s hotels has increased by 17%.
In addition to the general marketing for the VCLA, 20% of the funds are available for city-specific projects, including two new 24-hour access touchscreen systems in Camarillo. The touchscreens will be installed later this year at a new visitor’s kiosk adjacent to Starbucks at the Premium Outlets; another touchscreen will be available at the Camarillo Visitors Center, which is located at the Chamber of Commerce on Ventura Blvd.
In June the VCLA will have a new name: Ventura County Coast. For more information about the organization, please contact Executive Director Rebekah Evans at 380-6883, or [email protected]. For more details about the VCWTBID, please visit www.VenturaCountyWest.com.
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