By Richard Gaines
Mayor Carolyn Kirk yesterday painted an upbeat picture of the city's place in the world tourism market and committed the city to be a dues-paying charter member of a newly organized nonprofit, membership-based, destination marketing organization.
"I think the world is going to be ours," the mayor yesterday told the first public meeting of Seaport Gloucester since Linn Parisi secured the copyright, dot-com and dot-org rights to the name, began recruiting members and networking into the layers of promotional activity
"I'd like the city to be a member and put some funds in to help get it going," Kirk added.
Representatives of more than three dozen businesses, services and hospitality products were at the Gloucester House for the "this is who we're trying to be" meeting, hosted by Parisi, who operates a reception services company.
Also at the meeting were Julie McConchie, executive director of the North Of Boston Convention and Visitors Bureau; Kate Fox, executive director of Destination Salem; Susan Silveira, the city's tourism coordinator; and Tobin Dominick Arsenault from the Chamber of Commerce's tourism committee.
McConchie's government agency is responsible for promoting tourism in Essex County, working with the state Office of Travel and Tourism and the local Destination Marketing Organizations such as Destination Salem and Seaport Gloucester.
"We are the ground crew for (the state)," she explained.
Parisi thanked Fox for allowing Seaport Gloucester, which was created only last month, to tap into the experience of Destination Salem, which has been around since 1998.
"Imitation is the highest form of flattery," said Parisi, who nonetheless reaffirmed the original plan to make Seaport Gloucester a membership-based organization. Destination Salem, Fox explained, has replaced that approach, which was used initially.
Instead, Destination Salem collects revenue from advertising in its visitors' guide. Fox said it allowed for greater flexibility in fees, ranging from $15,000 from the Peabody Essex Museum to as little as $250.
Parisi said the decision to start the same way that Destination Salem did, with membership fees, was made to produce quicker, more certain operating revenue.
Fox said that the city of Salem appropriates 25 percent of its hotel-motel tax revenue to Destination Salem, about $65,000 a year, which is about one quarter of Destination Salem's annual budget.
Kirk did not indicate the size of the city's contribution, which would need City Council to approve any appropriation.
Parisi said it was premature to say how memberships will be priced. She said she was still organizing Seaport Gloucester, which has yet to form its board of directors.
With the higher and lower level tourism-oriented organizations and agencies, Parisi said Seaport Gloucester's goal will be "specifically to connect Gloucester to decision-makers in the bigger arena."
Even before it is completely organized, she said she has been active, sending information to the Travel Industry Association's International Pow Wow in Las Vegas last month, one of the world's largest travel and tourism conventions.
Susan Middleton Campbell of the North of Boston Convention and Visitors Bureau sent back some leads providing Seaport Gloucester with "ROI" — return on investment — even before the board is elected.
As founder of Seaport Gloucester, Parisi said she would be going to a convention of cruise companies in Portland, Maine, next week. McConchie said her organization has been granted $50,000 by the state Seaport Advisory Council to help promote the ports of Salem and Gloucester.
The council has also embarked on a Historic Ports of Massachusetts initiative.
Richard Gaines can be reached at rgaines@gloucestertimes.com.
