The ambitious proposed plan and $547,843 budget focuses on events, advertising, and enhancing the Twentynine Palms brand, but with little insight into what's effective.
I found this very interesting. I think Twentynine Palms has a lot of potential as a tourist destination but..........
Firstly, a lot of people visit Joshua Tree National Park. What is there for them to do in the evenings. Nothing. There is zero entertainment. That is a whole other story on it's own.
Secondly, I say this as a vegan myself. People who visit the park are probly going to be people with a healthier lifestyle. Most groups of people include a vegan or two. The vegan options at restaurants are not great. Having an Impossible burger on the menu is not a vegan option if you don't have vegan cheese and mayo.
Thirdly, advertising. If events are organized we never get to hear about them. Whoever organizes events in Twentynine Palms is failing miserably at advertising them to the residents so it must be even worse for visitors.. And we can only have so many art shows.
Next. We need a live music venue. Right now everyone goes to Pappy & Harrietts.
Another. Twentynine Palms needs to be more business friendly. I have watched a friend struggle with the city to get a small business started. It is ridiculous. We need more small businesses to support tourists which will bring ore tourists in.
Yes, there is more. I got the information about what is required to organize an event in Twentynine Palms. It is way over the top. It is harder to run an event in Twentynine palms than in Vegas. This needs to be simplified.
Finally, Twentynine Palms needs to decide as a city whether it wants to grow, shrink or stay the same. What we have now seems to be failing. Businesses closing with loads of empty business presmises along Highway 62 falling into disrepair. This is what visitors see when they first come into Twentynine Palms. First impressions last a long time.
Three miles out from downtown 29🌴traveling eastward on Hiway 62 there’s a tiny road sign that reads “Welcome to 29🌴a desert oasis.” If you’re a visitor to the area that means zero. IF you happened to even notice the small sign. Prob’ly not.
Whereas as you enter the downtown 29🌴 region there is fabulous large signage that states: “Twentynine Palms…” THAT signage should be replicated at the area that is three miles out from downtown on Hiway 62.
Five years ago when I first lived around here, behind the big electrical substation, I had no idea there was anything beyond the Indian Cove liquor store. I presumed to go to Yucca for groceries, etc. There’s no reference, advertising, or indications of life or any business activity.
I travelled to West Yellowstone where they have a TBID and a TOT lodging tax. Small town but they see over 400K visitors monthly in the summer. There, all hotels and lodges that also operate restaurants on-site have to charge restaurant patrons the 4% lodging tax on their meals. The TOT theoretically applies to all hotel and lodge “guests”, not just those staying overnight. I wonder if the Oasis Inn and 29 Palms Inn have been doing this for their restaurant customers or is this something our TBID should be enforcing?
Speaking of SWOT, did our marketing director see that the recent Minneapolis school shooter had the name of the 29 Palms bomber written on his AR-style rifle, along with many other racially charged and anti-Semitic epitaphs? This is what people think of when they hear “29 Palms.”
Utah trail, the town’s main artery to the National Park, still hasn’t seen a street sweeper since last Monday’s storm. Tourists are driving that road now and making comments. Our City has a major PR issue and this money is going up in smoke.
Our particular TBID and '89 law is lodging tax only, no other business or resturant contributes (Like Mammoth by example).
For 29, that translates to bed Tax, cleaning fee, resort fee (Reset has one), pet fees. Things like food, special services such as a massage or sound bath, event packages, add on stuff like pool heating or firewood bundles are exempt from ToT.
Beside that ToT auditing is done by the finance department of the City as they have a 9% take on any revenue.
The simplist, most economical evaluation of the TBID efforts would be for the members to post year to year numbers of visitors paying that 1.5% tax. Did their numbers (and revenue) increase from year to year? Even this simple barometric doesn't seem to be published or examined.
the Freedom Plaza venue seems SO underused. even neighboring towns provide free music to entice visitors although they would not be staying overnight. The Casino draws a good crowd to their free Friday night concerts.
The simple fact that 29 palms has no MAIN, advertisable attraction that would lure overnight attendance is the reason for the lack of a draw. a drive-in movie, miniature golf range, a glass toilet ?
It’s not enough to just promote a brand. You have to build the brand and have it ready to meet the expectations of the promotion. 29 Palms is not there yet. The city has come a long way in the last few years with the addition of some excellent restaurants, the farmers market, the starting of the Phoenix project, etc. These are an excellent start for the local population but none of this screams international destination.
The new park entrance may help but 29 is nowhere near ready, and will never have the draw that nearby Joshua Tree has(yes the name of the town helps)
Building the brand takes many many years and I think that this advertising budget will fall on deaf ears. Or at a minimum the hype will outshine the reality.
I found this very interesting. I think Twentynine Palms has a lot of potential as a tourist destination but..........
Firstly, a lot of people visit Joshua Tree National Park. What is there for them to do in the evenings. Nothing. There is zero entertainment. That is a whole other story on it's own.
Secondly, I say this as a vegan myself. People who visit the park are probly going to be people with a healthier lifestyle. Most groups of people include a vegan or two. The vegan options at restaurants are not great. Having an Impossible burger on the menu is not a vegan option if you don't have vegan cheese and mayo.
Thirdly, advertising. If events are organized we never get to hear about them. Whoever organizes events in Twentynine Palms is failing miserably at advertising them to the residents so it must be even worse for visitors.. And we can only have so many art shows.
Next. We need a live music venue. Right now everyone goes to Pappy & Harrietts.
Another. Twentynine Palms needs to be more business friendly. I have watched a friend struggle with the city to get a small business started. It is ridiculous. We need more small businesses to support tourists which will bring ore tourists in.
Yes, there is more. I got the information about what is required to organize an event in Twentynine Palms. It is way over the top. It is harder to run an event in Twentynine palms than in Vegas. This needs to be simplified.
Finally, Twentynine Palms needs to decide as a city whether it wants to grow, shrink or stay the same. What we have now seems to be failing. Businesses closing with loads of empty business presmises along Highway 62 falling into disrepair. This is what visitors see when they first come into Twentynine Palms. First impressions last a long time.
Big Duh.
Three miles out from downtown 29🌴traveling eastward on Hiway 62 there’s a tiny road sign that reads “Welcome to 29🌴a desert oasis.” If you’re a visitor to the area that means zero. IF you happened to even notice the small sign. Prob’ly not.
Whereas as you enter the downtown 29🌴 region there is fabulous large signage that states: “Twentynine Palms…” THAT signage should be replicated at the area that is three miles out from downtown on Hiway 62.
Five years ago when I first lived around here, behind the big electrical substation, I had no idea there was anything beyond the Indian Cove liquor store. I presumed to go to Yucca for groceries, etc. There’s no reference, advertising, or indications of life or any business activity.
Guess what? If you don’t know - you won’t go.
It’s not that complicated.
I travelled to West Yellowstone where they have a TBID and a TOT lodging tax. Small town but they see over 400K visitors monthly in the summer. There, all hotels and lodges that also operate restaurants on-site have to charge restaurant patrons the 4% lodging tax on their meals. The TOT theoretically applies to all hotel and lodge “guests”, not just those staying overnight. I wonder if the Oasis Inn and 29 Palms Inn have been doing this for their restaurant customers or is this something our TBID should be enforcing?
Speaking of SWOT, did our marketing director see that the recent Minneapolis school shooter had the name of the 29 Palms bomber written on his AR-style rifle, along with many other racially charged and anti-Semitic epitaphs? This is what people think of when they hear “29 Palms.”
Utah trail, the town’s main artery to the National Park, still hasn’t seen a street sweeper since last Monday’s storm. Tourists are driving that road now and making comments. Our City has a major PR issue and this money is going up in smoke.
Our particular TBID and '89 law is lodging tax only, no other business or resturant contributes (Like Mammoth by example).
For 29, that translates to bed Tax, cleaning fee, resort fee (Reset has one), pet fees. Things like food, special services such as a massage or sound bath, event packages, add on stuff like pool heating or firewood bundles are exempt from ToT.
Beside that ToT auditing is done by the finance department of the City as they have a 9% take on any revenue.
The simplist, most economical evaluation of the TBID efforts would be for the members to post year to year numbers of visitors paying that 1.5% tax. Did their numbers (and revenue) increase from year to year? Even this simple barometric doesn't seem to be published or examined.
the Freedom Plaza venue seems SO underused. even neighboring towns provide free music to entice visitors although they would not be staying overnight. The Casino draws a good crowd to their free Friday night concerts.
The simple fact that 29 palms has no MAIN, advertisable attraction that would lure overnight attendance is the reason for the lack of a draw. a drive-in movie, miniature golf range, a glass toilet ?
It’s not enough to just promote a brand. You have to build the brand and have it ready to meet the expectations of the promotion. 29 Palms is not there yet. The city has come a long way in the last few years with the addition of some excellent restaurants, the farmers market, the starting of the Phoenix project, etc. These are an excellent start for the local population but none of this screams international destination.
The new park entrance may help but 29 is nowhere near ready, and will never have the draw that nearby Joshua Tree has(yes the name of the town helps)
Building the brand takes many many years and I think that this advertising budget will fall on deaf ears. Or at a minimum the hype will outshine the reality.