October 15, 2026
IN THIS ISSUE…
- VSCC Accepting Nominations for Board Seat
- Visit Santa Cruz County Powers Trip Planning with New AI Partnership
- Visit Santa Cruz County Welcomes New Board Member Gabriela Trigueiro
VSCC Accepting Nominations for Board Seat
VSCC and its Nominating Task Force are soliciting a lodging nomination for the Board of Directors. VSCC is governed by a 25-member Board of Directors comprised of representatives of various regions of the county, including thirteen lodging seats and a cross-section of representatives of businesses, cultural, governmental, and organizations with affiliation to the travel and tourism industry.
Responsibilities include participation in the governance of the organization, general advocacy for the tourism industry, and active participation at board meetings held six times per year. Board members serve two-year terms.
The VSCC Nominating Task Force will review all nominees for the open lodging seat on the board. For more information about serving as a board member, or to receive a nomination form, please call 831.425.1234. Click here to download an application form. The deadline to apply is Friday, October 30, 2026.
Visit Santa Cruz County Powers Trip Planning with New AI Partnership
To facilitate trip planning, Visit Santa Cruz County is employing MindTrip – an AI platform specializing in destination marketing – to tailor their visit to the region to match their individual interests and preferences. Mindtrip’s AI platform transforms Visit Santa Cruz County’s inspiring content into personalized itineraries.
Through the integration of this latest technology on SantaCruz.org, travelers can use Mindtrip’s conversational AI to generate itineraries complete with curated imagery, interactive maps, distance estimates, and thoughtfully sequenced recommendations, helping visitors make the most of their time while discovering everything Santa Cruz County has to offer.
The partnership allows visitors to the website to discover family-friendly attractions, outdoor adventures in redwood forests or on sunny beaches, music festivals, boutique wineries, new dining concepts, the latest art installations, and only-in-Santa-Cruz-County experiences, all curated to match their individual interests and preferences.
In addition to Visit Santa Cruz County, Mindtrip for Business partners with a wide range of destinations, including national tourism organizations such as Brand USA, The Bahamas and Visit Costa Rica; U.S. territories like Discover Puerto Rico; state tourism offices including Visit California, Travel Wyoming and Travel Nevada; regional Destination Marketing Organizations such as The Outer Banks Visitors Bureau and See Monterey; and city destinations including Visit Orlando, Visit Anaheim, New Orleans & Company and Visit Truckee-Tahoe.
Visit Santa Cruz County Welcomes New Board Member Gabriela Trigueiro
Visit Santa Cruz County (VSCC) announces the appointment of Gabriela Trigueiro to the Board of Directors. Gabriela began her duties in May and will sit on the 25-member board for a two-year term.
Gabriela Trigueiro, City of Santa Cruz City Council Member, District 1
In addition to her role on the Santa Cruz City Council, Gabriela Trigueiro serves on the Board of Directors of Flamenco Vivo Carlota Santana, one of the nation’s leading flamenco organizations. She previously served as Executive Director of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Monterey Bay, where she led the organization’s expansion across Santa Cruz, Monterey, and San Benito counties.
A proud fourth-generation Californian, Gabriela has dedicated her career to strengthening communities through public service, youth development, arts education, and equitable access to opportunity. Her professional experience spans local government, nonprofit leadership, public policy, and community engagement, with a focus on education,
healthcare, transportation, and economic mobility.
Gabriela has worked with local governments, nonprofits, elected officials, and advocacy organizations throughout California, including consulting engagements with the City of Oakland Public Ethics Commission, Canal Alliance, and organizations across Santa Cruz, Monterey, Alameda, and Contra Costa counties.
She holds a Master of Public Policy from Mills College and earned degrees in Spanish Literature and Dance from the University of Wisconsin–Madison and the Universidad de Sevilla. Her background also includes leadership in health and workforce development programs through the University of New Mexico, as well as more than two decades of work in youth programming and education.
A lifelong advocate for arts and culture, Gabriela has been involved in the flamenco community as a performer, educator, grant writer, and arts leader. She has taught for organizations including Ballet Hispánico, ODC Dance Commons, Mission Cultural Center for Latino Arts, Sacramento Ballet, and Santa Cruz’s Tannery Arts Center and International Academy of Dance.
Support for the Arts + Outdoors
Congratulations to the MAH which was awarded a $100,000 grant to fund programming and upgrades to Evergreen Cemetery via the Arts in California Parks Program. The MAH was one of 30 organizations across California who received a grant out of nearly 400 applications. And a $6 million private contribution made through Friends of Santa Cruz State Parks will fully fund a new Redwood Ecology Interpretive Center in the heart of Big Basin Redwoods State Park. The new center will serve as the main orientation hub for visitors, outline the park’s multi-phase rebuilding plan, and highlight how public visitation and future funding will help create a fire-resilient park for the future.
Prepare Your Property for Compression
Stay informed on what the City of San Jose is hosting at the McEnery Convention Center, the San Jose Civic Auditorium, the Center for Performing Arts and other event venues as conference and special event guests may be seeking rooms due to compression. This latest event calendar outlines public and corporate events through the end of November.
Arrivals and Departures
Farewell to Jamie Goldstein who is retiring from his position as City Manager with the City of Capitola in December following nearly 18 years with the city. City of Santa Cruz Police Chief Bernie Escalante has also announced that he will retire beginning Friday, October 30th after a 30-year career in law enforcement. Deputy Chief Jose Garcia will serve as Interim Chief of Police for the Santa Cruz Police Department. And Brand USA announced that Fred Dixon will step down as President and CEO to become President and CEO of New York City Tourism + Conventions, effective November 13. In the interim however, retiring CEO of Visit California Caroline Beteta will serve President and CEO of Brand USA until a permanent replacement can be found.
Partner Kudos!
Congratulations to the Dream Inn Santa Cruz and the La Bahia Hotel & Spa, which have been recognized by the 2026 Sunset Magazine Travel Awards as among the best hotels across the West. And the La Bahia Hotel & Spa earned a Michelin Key in the 2026 Michelin Guide. Introduced in 2024, Michelin Keys are awarded after anonymous inspector visits to evaluate the properties. The property was awarded this distinction for its exceptional architecture and design, quality and consistency of service, distinctive character, value, and connection to their setting.
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