April 16, 2026
IN THIS ISSUE…
- Save the Date: VSCC to Host Inaugural Tourism Awards
- Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park Featured in Visit California Video Series
- VSCC Participates in Community Leadership Visit
Save the Date: VSCC to Host Inaugural Tourism Awards
Visit Santa Cruz County announced the first annual Santa Cruz County Tourism Awards. This event is a way to celebrate the accomplishments of the local tourism industry during California Tourism Month in May. A community luncheon is planned for Thursday, May 7th at 11:30 a.m. at The Hotel Paradox, 611 Ocean Street in Santa Cruz. Special guest speaker Caroline Beteta, CEO of Visit California, will update the local industry about the state of tourism in 2026 ahead of her retirement in the fall. More information on how to register for the event is forthcoming, although nominations are currently being accepted. Please submit your nomination form to Denise Harris by EOD Friday, April 17th.
The tourism awards event will provide space for hoteliers, small business owners, restaurateurs, parks and outdoor recreation staff, winery and brewery owners, and arts organizations to network and share success stories, while industry leaders will be given awards in one of four categories:
Lodging Property of the Year: Nominees in this category represent all lodging properties within the Santa Cruz County Tourism Marketing District (SCCTMD): hotels, motels, inns, bed & breakfast properties, and professionally managed vacation rentals. The nominee must be in good standing with the SCCTMD. The nominee should provide guests with consistent, quality experience, be an innovative employer in Santa Cruz County, and a community supporter.
Lodging Leader of the Year: Nominees in this category include lodging upper management and owners of SCCTMD properties in good standing. The nominee is someone who leads their organization with professionalism and expertise, supports their team through sharing knowledge, cultivates an environment that encourages staff to continue striving for greater guest service at their property, and is involved in the community.
Lodging Team Member of the Year: Nominees in this category include any non-management staff that interfaces with the guests, from housekeeping and maintenance, to front desk and sales, to banquet and restaurant staff. The nominee should provide outstanding guest service, be consistently looking for opportunities to improve the guest experience, provide professional/courteous service to the guest and other team members.
Hospitality Professional of the Year: Nominees in this category work for businesses that contribute to the local tourism industry, such as retail, restaurants, amusement parks, and outdoor recreational locations, such as parks, museums, and so on. The nominee should be knowledgeable about their company/organization, provide professional and courteous service to their guests/customers, be creative when curating experiences for guests, and be willing to go the extra mile for the guest/client/customer.
To purchase your tickets for the awards celebration, please click here.
Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park Featured in Visit California Video Series
Visit California has launched a creative way to promote the state’s eight rural regions – areas of California that are more rustic, off-the-beaten-path, and which are often overlooked in favor of gateway cities and more well-tread destinations. Hailed as its most comprehensive visual portrait of California’s rural landscape and filmed over a 12-month period across all four seasons, the project captured 38 destinations statewide – including Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park and Roaring Camp Railroads.
The series, Where Every Stop Becomes a Story which began on February 18 and continued through April 15th, features towns, regions, and open spaces from eight rural regions, which include: Deserts, North Coast, Shasta-Cascade, Central Valley, Gold Country, Central Coast, High Sierra, and Inland Empire. Santa Cruz County is identified as the Bay Area – one of the 12 regions in California for marketing and promotional purposes – as well as a rural destination on the Central Coast for its mountains and rustic, ag-forward roots.
The series consists of nine cinematic films, including one statewide overview and eight regional features. These films were intended to be invitations to explore, not instructions, so each film is 60 seconds long and presented without narration or voice-over. Instead, the films rely on music-driven storytelling and landscape cinematography to highlight the character of each region.
YouTube serves as the primary hub for the series, with social media-friendly formats and additional assets available for destinations to utilize.
VSCC Participates in Community Leadership Visit
Visit Santa Cruz County’s Director of Communications, Christina Glynn, joined a delegation from the region on the Santa Cruz Area Chamber of Commerce’s Community Leadership Visit to Napa and Sonoma Counties last month. The group represented a cross section of the local economy, including elected officials and representatives from the lodging, banking, education, nonprofit, and attraction industries. Napa and Santa Rosa were identified as cities that mirror similar demographics and challenges as Santa Cruz, and the goal of the two-day trip was an effort to address shared issues and celebrate shared success stories.
During the two-day visit, the delegation heard a presentation about the economic contributions of tourism from Visit Napa Valley, learned about riverfront development and challenges from the Napa Economic Development Department, stopped by the California Welcome Center and Visit Santa Rosa Visitor Center in Sonoma County, learned about the implementation of the Sonoma-Marin Area Rail Transit (SMART), and visited with the Santa Rosa Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce, which oversees and advocates for workforce housing and development, Santa Rosa tourism, the small business development center and other programs and initiatives critical to the local economy.
These valuable Community Leadership Visits are a hands-on way to learn best practices to improve the economic vitality and environmental sustainability of the Santa Cruz region and similar-sized communities.
VSCC Plans Lodging Meet-and-Greets
Visit Santa Cruz County staff will personally visit each lodging property throughout the county on Tuesday, May 5th, in recognition of National Tourism Week. Hotels, motels, vacation rentals, and bed and breakfast inns will receive a goodie bag containing samples of VSCC-produced collateral and a gift ahead of Memorial Day Weekend, the official start of the summer season. See you soon!
Arrivals and Departures
There will be a change in leadership at the Dream Inn Santa Cruz when Vice President & General Manager Darren Pound transitions from the property and steps into the role of Vice President & General Manager at Menlo Park’s Hotel Nia. Darren served as VSCC Board President and, throughout his ten years at Dream Inn, has been instrumental in shaping the hotel’s culture and driving its success, leaving a lasting impact across the organization and the Santa Cruz community. The hotel will welcome back Dan Smart as General Manager; Dan previously held the position of Director of Sales and Marketing before serving as Hotel Manager for the La Bahia Resort and Spa. La Bahia’s current General Manager, Markus Krebs, is assuming the role of Area General Manager, overseeing both properties.
From Stadium to Sea: World-Class Soccer Viewing Locations
Is your business planning to show World Cup matches this season? Click here to share your details so that promotional efforts can continue for this year of world-class soccer! Need logos? Email VSCC to inquire about obtaining Santa Cruz area logos for your restaurant, pub, or local organization’s website or any merchandise you plan to develop!
Partner Kudos!
Congratulations to Dan Haifley, former VSCC Board Member, who was named Person of the Year by the Santa Cruz Area Chamber of Commerce. His environmental stewardship, public service, and collaborative leadership led to the development of the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary, ocean conservation and education as former executive director of the O’Neill Sea Odyssey, and inclusive playgrounds, among other contributions. Dan will be honored tonight at the 2026 Santa Cruz Area Chamber of Commerce Awards at The Grove. And VSCC board member Consuelo Alba, Executive Director of the Watsonville Film Festival, was one of four honorees at Annieglass’ Exceptional Women’s Brunch on March 28th. Her contributions to honoring her cultural heritage as a journalist, translator, business owner, award-winning documentary filmmaker , and community leader were celebrated during International Women’s Month.
Did you know…
Despite the fact that Transportation Security Administration officers have started receiving back pay for working during the government shutdown, some workers have reported receiving incorrect amounts, and many are still dealing with financial issues. The shutdown continues as lawmakers remain at an impasse over immigration policies and funding for the Department of Homeland Security. However, wait times at San Jose-Mineta International Airport remain normal as spring break comes to a close and the summer season ramps up.