JANUARY 15, 2026
Earlier this month, developers broke ground on the $21 million, 11,000-seat Long Beach Amphitheater, an outdoor venue near the iconic Queen Mary ship in downtown Long Beach. The push to develop the amphitheater has been underway since 2015. The effort aligns with the city’s role in the 2028 Olympics, which will have five venues in Long Beach. Backers say the venue will be the largest waterfront amphitheater on the West Coast.
Read MoreJANUARY 15, 2026
Visit California has announced that longtime President & CEO Caroline Beteta will retire from her role in September 2026, concluding three decades of transformative leadership building California’s tourism economy and global brand. Visit California’s Board of Directors has retained SearchWide Global to conduct a global search for Beteta’s successor. In the meantime, she will remain fully engaged in day-to-day operations.
Read MoreJANUARY 12, 2026
The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) has approved $37.6 million in funding to build an undersea fiber connection between Huntington Beach and Avalon on Catalina Island. The new submarine fiber line will provide reliable, redundant broadband and cellular connectivity for residents, visitors, businesses, and critical services, including emergency response, hospital operations, and basic telephone service.
Read MoreJANUARY 12, 2026
Governor Newsom’s $349 billion budget proposal projects a “modest shortfall” of $2.9 billion, down sharply from the $18 billion deficit projected by the nonpartisan Legislative Analyst’s Office in November. The budget also projects $9 billion more in revenue than originally anticipated, banking on the AI-driven economy to last. But the projected deficit could balloon to $22 billion in fiscal year 2027-28, a problem the governor will address in an updated fiscal forecast in May.
Read MoreJANUARY 8, 2026
According to American Pet Products Association (APPA), 88% of pet owners have traveled with their dogs in the past year. As a result, an increased number of travelers are seeking pet-friendly experiences to share their travels with their dogs, rather than leaving them behind. BARK Air’s 2026 State of Pet Travel Report showed that 94% of travelers are willing to forgo traditional amenities, like a hotel bar, for a stay that properly welcomes their pet.
Read MoreJANUARY 8, 2026
For Santa Clara, Super Bowl LX on February 8 will be a repeat experience after hosting Super Bowl 50 ten years ago. It’s yet another opportunity to take advantage of Levi’s Stadium and the hordes of fans that will flock to the destination for the championship game. And with the FIFA World Cup coming to the same venue this summer, the NFL showcase could be a precursor of the opportunity ahead.
Read MoreJANUARY 8, 2026
Visit California’s marketing renewal has passed with 98.3% approval. This record-setting approval rate is a clear mandate from the industry, underscored by a 76.6% vote turnout—the highest in Visit California’s history. All 12 tourism regions overwhelmingly voted to continue Visit California’s industry-led marketing programs, and that support extended across every major segment of the industry.
Read MoreJANUARY 7, 2026
2026 is not going to be like other years at national parks. Not only will they mark America's 250th anniversary with a year full of commemorative events, but there will also be several major changes for visitors. There will more free entry dates, known as “patriotic fee-free days.” Nonresidents without an annual pass will be charged $100 per person to enter 11 of the most visited national parks. Digital America the Beautiful passes have been rolled out for annual passholders.
Read MoreJANUARY 7, 2026
The wine industry is finally catching a break amid multi-year sales and tourism slumps with a new California law—Assembly Bill 720 (AB 720)—that legalizes tastings and events in vineyards. The law grants California growers who also make wine the ability to host up to 36 annual tasting events at their estate vineyards. Previously, wineries could only pour and sell wines at licensed tasting rooms or bonded wineries, both of which many small wineries can't afford.
Read MoreDECEMBER 21, 2025
Since the California didn’t back its pandemic unemployment debt within two years, federal law requires the state's employers to step in. Next year, each employer—regardless of the number of employees they have and whether they are part- or full-time—will pay an extra $42 dollars per employee on their payroll taxes because of the debt. That number increases to $63 per employee in 2027 and continues to increase another $21 every year until the debt is paid.
Read MoreDECEMBER 21, 2025
AAA estimates 122.4 million Americans will travel away from home this holiday period—a 2.2% increase from last year. If the forecast holds, it would mark yet another record-breaking year for holiday travel. An estimated 8 million travelers will fly this season while another 109.5 million people will drive to their destinations. Domestic round-trip airfare is averaging about $900—about a 7% increase from last year.
Read MoreDECEMBER 18, 2025
A U.S. House of Representatives committee voted unanimously to approve legislation aiming to prevent aviation disruptions during government shutdowns by ensuring air traffic controllers and other key workers are paid. Major airlines strongly backed the air traffic control pay legislation, noting that the 43-day U.S. government shutdown and government-imposed flight cuts disrupted 6 million passengers and 50,000 flights due to rising air traffic controller absences.
Read MoreDECEMBER 18, 2025
U.S. hotels in and around host cities for the 2026 FIFA World Cup are experiencing a strong YOY rise in booking volumes and ADR. Data through Dec. 12—a week after the World Cup draw—shows forward hotel booking volumes more than doubling around several high-profile fixtures, when compared to bookings for the same period last year. This is accompanied by increases in ADR, particularly for the week of the World Cup final.
Read MoreDECEMBER 16, 2025
FAA head Bryan Bedford said the agency is committing $6 billion by year-end on air traffic control telecom infrastructure and radar surveillance systems that will be deployed by the end of 2028. The FAA is compressing radar and telecom modernization into a three-year timeline. Congress approved funding after decades of complaints over airport congestion, technology failures, and flight delays.
Read MoreDECEMBER 15, 2025
The concept of “sleep tourism”—a wellness trend where the primary reason for an overnight stay is to get a good night’s sleep—has emerged in hotels throughout California. Hotels and resorts are now curating experiences that not only promote achieving the pinnacle of seven hours of sleep, but also encourage better sleep hygiene through specialty amenities such as pillow menus, spa treatments, sleep-regulating mattresses, and more.
Read MoreDECEMBER 15, 2025
For Los Angeles, 2025 began with two devastating wildfires that ignited on January 7. Now, 11 months later, recovery is still underway. Most major attractions across Los Angeles are now back in business. That includes the city’s leading museums; beaches like Santa Monica, Venice, and Malibu; and vibrant neighborhoods including Downtown L.A., Silver Lake, Chinatown, Koreatown, and the Valley.
Read MoreDECEMBER 12, 2025
European travelers are popping up in smaller—and often more affordable—U.S. states like Tennessee, Montana, and Idaho. But the trend varies by destination. The nation's capital of Washington D.C., New York, and California are seeing fewer visitors, while Tennessee, home to Elvis Presley's Graceland estate, has welcomed 24% more visitors from Western Europe. Part of the equation is cost, as European travelers tend to be more cost-sensitive than Americans.
Read MoreDECEMBER 8, 2025
A new poll by the Public Policy Institute of California (PPIC) found that three in four Californians expect mostly periods of higher unemployment or economic weakness in the country during the next five years. When asked about the most pressing issue facing California, residents pointed to the cost of living, the economy and inflation, followed by housing costs and availability. Californians are also showing dissatisfaction with federal leaders and their policies.
Read MoreDECEMBER 8, 2025
More students are heading to a California State University this year. CSU reports more than 471,000 students enrolled for fall 2025—a 2% jump and the biggest year-over-year increase in a decade. It also marks the second consecutive year of enrollment gains after two years of post-pandemic declines. CSU said most campuses, 19 of 22, saw gains as they continue efforts to improve access and streamline admissions.
Read MoreDECEMBER 6, 2025
Between the Bay Area and Los Angeles, California will play host to 14 total World Cup matches—six at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara and eight at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles. Each site will host five matches in the group stage and at least one match in round 32. The Golden State is set to welcome teams from Algeria, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Iran, Jordan, New Zealand, Paraguay, Qatar, Switzerland, and the United States, among other playoff qualifiers.
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