GOOD IDEAS FROM THE TOURISM COMMUNITY
During these challenging times, many of our members have become trusted sources of information for their communities. And not only have they been keeping their communities informed, they’ve also been keeping their spirits up. Below we’ve highlighted efforts that our members and others have made to support, uplift, and connect with our state during a time of crisis. We hope these ideas inspire you to spread some positive messaging to your community as well.
If you have a good idea of your own, please share it with talvernaz@caltravel.org.
State Senator Mike McGuire has introduced a new bill to help kickstart the travel and hospitality industry, a sector that has been hit particularly hard by the COVID-19 pandemic. On February 1, 2021, McGuire and Assemblymember Sharon Quirk-Silva introduced SB 285, which would provide $45 million to Visit California to launch a strategic media and jobs recovery campaign to drive in-state travel to the businesses that have been hit so hard—our state’s renowned restaurants, hotels, and local destinations. CalTravel CEO’s Barb Newton issued a statement on the bill.
Meetings Mean Business and Simpleview have teamed up to develop a Meet Safe Platform, which showcases that—with the proper adherence to local gathering limits and health and safety best practices amid COVID-19—in-person and hybrid meetings and events can take place now and into the future. The platform allows event hosts, venue operators, planners, destination marketing professionals, and suppliers to share about their experience hosting safe events during a pandemic. In doing so, they’ll help future meeting hosts and attendees learn best practices, and ultimately showcase how professional meetings and events are organized responsibly with health and safety top-of-mind.
To boost local tourism along the San Diego waterfront, the Port of San Diego has launched a Rediscover Your Wonderfront campaign. Each month, they choose a different category to highlight—outdoor dining, family activities, date ideas—to get locals out to the water’s edge to shop, dine, and play.
In an effort to reopen Oceanside for sports events, Visit Oceanside has partnered with InjureFree, a web-based risk management platform for COVID-19 tracking and response, to hold events while protecting the health and safety of those involved and the surrounding community. The non-invasive COVID-19 monitoring and tracking service requires anyone associated with an event—including participants, players, coaches, organizers, volunteers, and more—to provide real time wellness information through an app. Based on information provided, the system alerts administrators when someone may be at risk for the illness. The technology can also be used as a contact tracing tool.
Alaska Airlines is relaunching its “Ski Free” promotion, giving free lift passes to skiers and snowboarders at resorts across the U.S. and Canada when they show their boarding pass. The ski promotion comes just weeks after Alaska Airlines partnered with global surf forecasting site Surfline for a “Swell Deals,” which relied on dynamic, real-world ocean data to determine the degree of discounts being offered.
Long Beach Convention & Visitors Bureau and Long Beach Convention & Entertainment Center have introduced Long Beach Live, an industry-first, complete turn-key solution to blended in-person and virtual conventions, conferences, meetings, and events. Long Beach Live ushers in the future of meetings and events by seamlessly integrating localized micro-community, in-person gatherings with interactive, fully produced digital broadcasts to distant attendees. The modern approach offers four experiences: live, live stream, interactive, and on-demand.
Socks are the most requested item in homeless shelters and rehabilitation facilities, which is why Santa MoniCARES is celebrating “SOCKtober” by collecting new socks for those who need them most. All the socks collected will be donated to West Coast Cares, who will distribute them to infants, toddlers, children, and adults experiencing homelessness.
Our neighbors over in Colorado created a fun way for the community to support local restaurants—by playing Bingo! Their Colorado Restaurant Summer Bingo encourages the community to dine out at a variety of restaurants and post photos of their experiences on social media for a chance to win gift cards and Colorado getaway packages.
Visit Carlsbad has partnered with Ready Carlsbad Business Alliance, the City of Carlsbad, the Carlsbad Village Association, and Yiftee to launch a gift card program—“Gift Carlsbad”—specifically created to augment the COVID-19 recovery efforts of local restaurants, retailers, and service-based businesses. The value-added shop local program is designed to quickly put money directly into the bank accounts of participating small businesses, at a time when it’s needed most.
Visit Tuolumne County has launched Wander Wednesdays, where each week they highlight a local business that is new, adaptive, or inspiring. Whether it’s a community-driven coffee shop with a goal of sharing joy one cup at a time, or an adventure cooperative committed to providing fair wages and protecting the environment, these Tuolumne County businesses have risen to meet challenging times.
SeaWorld San Diego has reopened with Zoo Days: Bayside BBQ & Brews, a ticketed and reservation-required experience that provides guests with the opportunity to roam the park’s outdoor grounds, enjoy animal exhibits and presentations, and savor BBQ and beer-infused menus paired with craft brews—all with enhanced health and safety measures in place.
Alaska Airlines has committed to Next-Level Care, which is comprised of nearly 100 actions and layered safety measures designed to reduce risk and keep their guests and employees healthy and safe while traveling with them. Key elements include enhanced cleaning and sanitation, hospital-grade filtration, face covering requirements, and personal safety measures.
Santa Monica Travel & Tourism has launched the Santa Monica Shines COVID-19 Assurance Program—a new platform geared to help the local business community understand and implement COVID-19 safety requirements. The online program is designed to support businesses with safely reopening and operating during this health emergency. Upon completion, businesses will receive a Santa Monica Shines graphic for use in promotional materials and a window cling to proudly display to their customers and the community.
To encourage future visitors to come to San Francisco and to do so responsibly, San Francisco Travel has launched a Safe Travel Pledge. This pledge is designed to remind people not only of what to expect when they visit the city, but also what is expected of them as well. Upon signing the pledge, visitors receive a thank you email with information to help them plan their trip, up-to-the-minute resources on our recovery, and encouragement to share the pledge with their fellow travelers.
North Lake Tahoe Resort Association I Chamber of Commerce I CVB has teamed up with Placer County, the North Tahoe Business Association, and the Tahoe City Downtown Association to hold Free Personal Protection Equipment (PPE) Days, where they distribute free hand sanitizer, face coverings, and yard signage. The goal is to keep North Lake Tahoe healthy and open.
San Francisco Travel has teamed up with the Golden Gate Restaurant Association and Eat Drink SF to launch a new social media campaign, #ShowUsYourMaskSF, encouraging San Francisco diners to share photos of their safe, masked dining experience. Their goal is to spread the word about San Francisco being open for outdoor dining while raising awareness around the necessary safety measures that need to be taken by both consumers and businesses.
North Lake Tahoe CVB, local community leaders, small business owners, and big mountain enthusiasts are sharing a unified message that’s rooted in adventure and responsible travel: Mask UP Tahoe. The advocacy message highlights locals with global reach to share the importance of traveling responsibly.
Greater Palm Springs CVB has launched gpsREBOOT—A VirtuWELL Series that offers a variety of approaches to health and wellness. They’ve gathered wellness experts from the Coachella Valley and curated several virtual events focused on physical, mental, and emotional well-being. The goal is to stay connected and empowered through a journey of self-care.
Visit Santa Barbara is seeking nominations for its weekly Hospitality Heroes Awards Program, an initiative that recognizes and rewards hospitality workers who are communicating and carrying out standards that protect the health and safety of the community, workforce, and visitors.
Catalina Island Chamber of Commerce & Visitors Bureau is welcoming visitors back with a new name—Love Catalina Island! The rebrand reflects the organization’s mission to promote and share love for the small island located off the coast of southern California. As part of the unveiling, President and CEO Jim Luttjohann shared a personal “Love Letter” as homage to the island, its residents and visitors, while also sharing a hopeful message for the future of travel.
Visit Tri-Valley is encouraging its community to follow safe “social bubble” practices, such as joining only one bubble, sticking to that bubble for 3+ weeks, wearing face coverings, and gathering outdoors only.
In an effort to ensure the safety of visitors, staff, and the local community, the Greater Palm Springs tourism industry is making a pledge to implement the latest safety guidelines developed by the State of California and leading industry associations. Their “Safer Together, Greater Together Pledge” offers a unified, destination-wide commitment among all businesses that promise to institute a core set of safety practices.
Visit Tri-Valley is promoting a 6 feet apART HOP— a "social distance"-friendly, guided walking tour of the seven new murals that will be added to Downtown Livermore during Mural Fest (May-June).
In honor of #CATourismMonth, Explore Butte County has launched a "See You Soon….With Love" postcard program. The public can choose from five designs and customize a message for their loved ones. The Explore Butte County team will then hand-write the messages on the postcards and send them off in the mail.
Although Knott’s Berry Farm’s roller coasters and interactive experiences are temporarily closed, guests can still experience the park through their taste buds. They’ve gone back to their roots by reopening their berry market, bakery, and chicken dinner restaurant for pick-up only.
The California State University Hospitality and Tourism Alliance is building a new web page with messages of hope and encouragement for current and future CSU hospitality students. This is the first crisis that many of their students have encountered, and they want to reassure them that it is going to be okay, our industry is resilient, and we will come out of this stronger than ever. All industry friends are invited to participate by sending words of encouragement for CSU hospitality students. Message posts will start rolling out in late May.
In just one week, Team San Jose, prepared and delivered 11,600 meals, serving breakfast, lunch and a hot dinner, providing meals to temporary guests throughout Santa Clara County. They average around 1,500 meals a day to 11 different sites, and their involvement has created employment opportunities for formerly laid staff in the Food & Beverage and Operations departments.
In Santa Monica, a high school student has partnered with other students, parents, and teachers to raise money for Los Angeles County hospitals on the front lines of the coronavirus pandemic.
Many parents are braving the new world of full-time homeschooling, so Visit Yosemite Madera County came up with a creative solution to keep the little ones busy! Their Welcome Committee Activity Kit includes free puzzles, paper doll crafts, coloring pages, and a storybook for some stay at home fun.
Visit Oakland has launched #OaklandFromHome, a new initiative that promotes local businesses and encourages consumers to experience “The Town” from the safety of their own home. The page highlights a variety of ways to support the Oakland community, such as shopping local businesses online, ordering takeout from local restaurants, attending virtual fundraisers, and volunteering services to independent small businesses.
Visit Oceanside has created their very own cooking show! Their new series highlights local restaurants on #CATakeoutTuesday, showing off Oceanside’s chefs and dining establishments. Viewers can tune in to get instructions on how to make signature dishes from home, as well as learn what is being offered for takeout to get a taste of what they've been missing.
San Francisco Travel has partnered with Los Angeles Tourism and NYC & Company to launch the #ThroughMyWindow campaign, a social media movement that encourages residents of the three cities to show off the views of their hometowns as they shelter in place. The participatory, user-driven content is the kind they hope will inspire potential visitors to think about returning in the future.
Although SeaWorld is temporarily closed, their Rescue Team has been busy! In just one day, the team returned five California sea lions, one northern elephant seal and three shorebirds after several weeks of rehabilitation at their Animal Health and Rescue Center. If you’re interested in learning more about these incredible animals, check out SeaWorld’s educational videos, activities, coloring pages, and other resources.
Winchester Mystery House is offering guests unprecedented access to the world’s most bizarre mansion with an all-new tour—The Winchester Mystery House Immersive 360° Tour. This virtual experience allows guests to independently roam each level of the mansion, from the basement to the rarely seen fourth floor, while exploring many rooms previously inaccessible on standard Estate tours.
Visit Napa Valley is inviting wine country fans to bring a taste of Napa Valley into their homes. Whether it’s through a virtual wine tasting with a winemaker, a pizza-making class with a Michelin-star chef, or a live stream happy hour concert at your favorite tasting room, their #WFH (Wine From Home) program is serving up a wine country escape to the comfort of your living room.
LEGOLAND California is bringing LEGO to life at home by challenging families to pick up their blocks and build! Each week, LEGOLAND’s master builders are producing video tutorials on how to build some of their most popular LEGO models. Participants are encouraged to show off their masterpieces and share ideas for future building challenges.
Anaheim Resort Transportation is repurposing their shuttle buses to collect essential item donations from local hotels and businesses and transport them to the city’s emergency operations center. They’ve also partnered with YMCA to deliver free meals to children in neighborhoods that lack access to transportation.
Visit Ventura is teaming up with their town’s wineries and breweries to offer “Thirsty Thursdays”—live virtual tastings on their Facebook channel. It’s an opportunity to sip, learn, and have a little fun, all while supporting local businesses.
Each Monday, a number of buildings in San Francisco—including City Hall, The Moscone Center, Coit Tower, Chase Center, Oracle Park and SFO—will be lit up purple, the official color of hospitality. This is San Francisco Travel’s way of recognizing the importance of its hospitality industry and everyone who makes the San Francisco visitor experience so special.
Santa Monica Travel and Tourism has encouraged residents to take one minute, every night at 6:00pm, to step out onto their balconies, driveways, or front yards to applaud the real heroes of the COVID-19 crisis—the people in healthcare, restaurants, grocery stores, pharmacies, civil services, and other essential jobs on the front line.
Visit Concord and their local partners have teamed up to show their love and appreciation for essential workers by placing banners around town.
There have been countless selfless acts of courage, support, and inspiration throughout these challenging times. Visit Tri-Valley is spreading positivity by highlighting these acts of kindness, and by encouraging the community to share their stories as well.
Invite the community to experience your destination’s many attractions and activities from home, like Greater Palms Springs CVB did with their “Wander List” and “Chill Chaser” video series.
Travel Costa Mesa—also known as “The City of the Arts®”—is inviting their community to take a virtual stroll through the Costa Mesa Art Walk, a collection of public art installations located between city landmarks such as South Coast Plaza, Segerstrom Center for the Arts, and South Coast Repertory.
Although the San Diego Zoo and San Diego Zoo Safari Park are currently closed to the public, they’re still thinking of their community of friends and fans around the world. They’ve put together a variety of live cams, websites, and activities, and combined them into a central “We’re Here Together” resource—an effort to provide connection, comfort, distraction, and the joy of animals and discovery through online experiences.
Countless California destinations—such as Laguna Beach—have been the backdrops for successful movies and TV shows. That’s why Visit Laguna Beach put together a list of movies and shows filmed right in their backyard, and provided links to stream them from the comfort of your home. They also created a Spotify playlist with over 50 Laguna Beach-inspired songs to boost your mood.
Vintners are teaming up to send care packages—in liquid form—to hospitals in Central and Southern California. They’re being generous with their wine so that doctors, nurses, and other first responders can enjoy it after their shifts have ended.
As needs for personal protective equipment continue to be a focus across the nation, professors at Santa Monica College are working to make a difference by 3-D printing reusable N95 masks and face shields.
Six Flags Northern California Parks donated over 400 rain ponchos to John Muir Health in support of heroic medical professionals on the front line of the coronavirus pandemic.
Greater Palm Springs CVB has simplified learning from home by compiling a list of online classes offered by local businesses. Learn a recipe from a local restaurant; take a yoga class from a local studio; explore a local museum exhibit; or even get private lessons from a local music school. There’s plenty of remote learning options to keep adults and kids busy while also keeping them safe.
Greater Palm Springs CVB created a list of local grocery stores who have set aside specific hours for at-risk customers as well as shoppers ages 65 and over. The site includes the store addresses, special store hours, delivery services, and pickup options.
Visit Laguna Beach created printable coloring pages featuring iconic imagery found around town, and encouraged the community to get out their colored pencils and share their artwork via social media!
Many members are promoting local restaurants offering takeout, curbside pickup, delivery, and deals on to-go orders during the shelter in place. It’s the perfect way to support local businesses and get your comfort food fix!
The news can be overwhelming at times, but Visit Huntington Beach is hoping to relieve some of that anxiety by sharing virtual “Moments of Zen.” It’s a great way to bring a sense of calm to community and remind them that the beauty of your destination still lives on.
Volunteers are coming together at the Anaheim Hotel to assemble face shields for hospitals, nursing homes, and first responders on the front line of the coronavirus pandemic.
