JANUARY 24, 2019
IN THIS ISSUE…
- 2019 Santa Cruz County Traveler’s Guide Now Available
- Business Community Weights in on Special Homeless Funding
- VSCC Accepting Board Nominations
PAST TRAVEL FORECASTS…
- January
2019 SANTA CRUZ COUNTY TRAVELER’S GUIDE NOW AVAILABLE
VSCC is launching its newest visitor guide for 2019 created for both visitors and residents. The 74-page Official Santa Cruz County Traveler’s Guide features stories presented in a “Meet the Makers” section, focusing on local artisans and small business owners. Farmer’s markets, arts and culture, wildlife, beaches, state parks, and other visitor draws are also included.The annual publication features enhanced area maps, and dining and lodging listings highlighting the amenities offered by various restaurants, hotels, bed and breakfast inns, motels, vacation rentals, and campgrounds.
The cover photo features local artist September Wren’s June Days – a depiction of a robin’s-egg blue lifeguard tower, an iconic sight on California beaches.The contents of the guide are complemented by a responsive website design at www.visitsantacruz.org, providing expanded information and search options for where to stay, sleep, and play.
VSCC worked in producing the guide with design group Paper Moon Creative.Supported by over 100 advertisers throughout Santa Cruz County, the Official Visit Santa Cruz County Traveler’s Guide is distributed at hundreds of locations in and around Santa Cruz County, including throughout the San Francisco Bay Area, Pier 39, the Moscone Center, the East Bay and the San Jose International Airport, in addition to other locations in throughout Silicon Valley and Sacramento. The guide is also distributed at key locations throughout Santa Cruz and Monterey Counties which include attractions, hotels, restaurants, shopping areas, and tourist hotspots. Additionally, the guide is utilized at international travel trade, industry, and media events, and is sent to over 25,000 potential visitors upon request.
Using NXTbook’s interactive technology, Web site visitors who log on to www.visitsantacruz.org can view and download the full guide or select pages. Completely interactive, the electronic guide enables potential visitors to click through to advertisers’ Web sites, and view fun videos as well.
Visitors can order free copy of the guide at www.visitsantacruz.org, by calling 800.833.3494 or by stopping by the year-around visitor center at 303 Water Street in Santa Cruz. VSCC will be distributing guides to local businesses and visitor hotspots countywide.If you would like to consider having your business featured in the 2020 guide, contact Gary Green!
BUSINESS COMMUNITY WEIGHS IN ON SPECIAL HOMELESS FUNDING
Santa Cruz County will receive over $10 million in much needed special funds to address homelessness this year.The new funding is provided through the California Emergency Solutions and Housing Program and the Homeless Emergency Assistance Program.These new dollars will provide much needed resources to address the serious problem of homelessness in our community. Industry leaders from the business and tourism community submitted input for the use of the funding this week in this correspondence that urges CoC members and elected officials to focus resources on expanding availability of shelter beds, including treatment beds for addiction and mental health rehabilitation.The letter also urges community leaders to consider not only traditional “brick and mortar” shelter locations, but to think about unconventional transitional housing similar to efforts being carried out in San Jose, San Diego and Sacramento utilizing Sprung or customized Tiny Homesleeping units.
Click here to review the correspondence and list of supporters.
VSCC ACCEPTING BOARD NOMINATIONS FOR NEXT YEAR
VSCC has officially begun the nominating process for next year. A 24-member Board of Directors governs VSCC. Board terms are two years in length and begin with the new fiscal year on July 1, 2019.
The board is comprised of representatives of various regions and of the county and a cross section of lodging representatives as well as other businesses and organizations affiliated with the travel and tourism industry.Responsibilities include active participation at board meetings and general advocacy for the tourism industry.The VSCC Nominating Task Force will review all nominees for board seats.For more information about serving as a board member, or to receive a nomination form, please call 831.425.1234.Nomination forms may also be requested via email orpicked up in person at the VSCC offices and year-around visitor center, 303 Water Street, Suite 100, Santa Cruz. The deadline to submit nomination forms is Tuesday, February 12, 2019.
PARTNER KUDOS!
Congratulations to our wineries for their success at the just concluded San Francisco Chronicle wine competition!
Sones Cellars: 2015 SC Mt. Petite Sirah (Gold
Silver Mountain Vineyard: 2012 SC Mt. Syarh (Silver) and 2012 Oscar Wilde Red (Gold)
Storrs Winery: 2017 SC Mt. Christie Vineyards Chardonnay (Best of Class), the 2017 Wildcat Ridge Chardonnay (Gold) and the Rusty Ridge Petite Sirah (Silver) You make us proud!
ARRIVALS AND DEPARTURES
Welcome Tim McGregor, General Manager of the Seascape Beach Resort, and VSCC’s newest board member!And the Hotel Paradox announces that Flavia Oliveira has joined their team as the new Director of Sales and Marketing. Welcome Flavia!!
LEADERSHIP SCC NEWS
Leadership Santa Cruz County is seeking a new Executive Director. This part time position works to enhance the civic participation of emerging community leaders. Over 1,400 individuals have graduated from the program since it began in 1985. If interested please submit your resume with a minimum of three references.
RESOLVE TO FOLLOW VISIT SANTA CRUZ COUNTY
Are you active on social media channels and have not made a New Year’s resolution yet? Remember to follow Visit Santa Cruz County on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram!
DID YOU KNOW…
…that it’s been exactly 20 years since California’s travel and tourism industry passed its first landmark referendum that gave the California Travel & Tourism Commission (now dba Visit California) legal standing, creating a first-of-its-kind tourism industry assessment program for tourism funding modeled after California’s highly effective agricultural commodity boards? VSCC works closely with this stellar organization to leverage resources for the benefit of local partners. Happy Birthday Visit California!