For the FB adversed here are my comments from the group and more
Note- I list with SCT, am a past SCT Ambassador and current Sonoma County Accredited Hospitality Professional.
And memo to self- ask why they have STILL not updated my listing
My personal position on the issue:
The questions for the Board of Supervisors and more importantly the SCT agency :
👉How will SCT take our funding and utilize it to appropriately and vigorously market owners' VRs who are NOT direct booking (e.g. shared housing /hosts via Airbnb)?
👉How will they support the tourists who specifically wish to book a vacation rental without being redirected to other lodging types?
If they want my money they MUST:
- Offer a stand alone, dedicated VR page where inquiring guests don't have to work to find their next lodging type. The booking app for VRs must be at the top of the fold, under the header, and direct them DIRECTLY to the homes without a pitstop..and potential diversion away from the VRs to the l hotel listings.
- VR owners MUST see direct and specialized marketing for our lodging niche.
- Small, individual VR owners must be offered advertising opportunities within our mom/pop budgets/marketing range that affords meaningful ROI
- Team up with an OPERABLE aggregator system that directly, immediately sends the inquiring guest to the lodging type they desire (VR)...without first redirecting to hotel lodging. (FK/TR favors Property Management companies)
- Provide appropriate lodging-type marketing tools and resources that demonstrate increased bookings outcomes (and ultimately increased TOT take for Sonoma County BOS) for the individual homeowner, shared host. This means something more than placards and paper throw aways.
The purpose of BIA is marketing Sonoma County (SCT) as a tourist spot. Hotels, large PM companies, Restaurants,, Wineries, Tour Companies, pay into it and get benefit of marketing, including promotions within the SCT website and social media.
They also provide free marketing cards, tourism magazines, listing catalogues, placards, and will backlink your direct booking website when you participate in their programs and (in theory) promote you directly.
You may list your home with SCT if you have a means of direct booking (sorry ABB). And they will advertise/highlight you at no cost especially if you team up with another local vendor/tourism related company (I have benefited from their advertising, though did not gain any bookings).
SCT as an entity will also provide (at a much higher price) additional marketing- this augments their BIA take.
However, I've yet really seen it as an individual owner.
For instance, I participate and link back to "Leave No Trace," however ONLY hotels are highlighted in SCT website who have paid into their promotions. This despite the required linking of them in my website to participate. I've not gained any direct bookings.
I have however received about 3 inquiries in the last 5 years for free/discounted stays in return for being highlighted in publications/social media geared to highlight Sonoma County..while staying in my place. Unfortunately they were last minute and I was already booked each and every time.
SCT is brought into political discussions in an advisory capacity. Most recently SCT has weighed in /advised on the discussions related to COVID city-exodus to the river and coast; the new TOT and LCP discussions/regs; added prop-tax effort in the Russian River (diverting money to schools/fire departments. They are active in the Municipal Advisory Committees (especially river and coast)
Their response will most likely be they are here to market the entirety of Sonoma County...oh and you too... IF you have a means of booking directly and IF Airbnb pushes to have their Sonoma County listings pop up.
However...
When on their website sidebar (https://www.sonomacounty.com/), lower left side you see a convenient icon : Book Your Stay:
BUT when you click it you'll ONLY find hotel lodging...
First you'll see conveniently placed just below a lovely header photo of an expansive home (or is it a resort?), a book now app - try that and you are taken right back to hotels.
To book a vacation rental you have to know to scroll waaaaaaaaay below the fold all the way to the bottom to ultimately find the vacation rental booking app for homes that list with them (I am one).
There are many other issues regarding their website as an individual looking for bookings and advertising. But you hopefully get the idea.
