City’s Cash Investment Helps Santa Barbara Organizations

This week, the Santa Barbara City Council approved more than a million dollars in general funds to go toward organizations that bring tourism dollars into the city.

Organizations like Visit Santa Barbara, Old Spanish Days and the Santa Barbara International Film Festival are recipients of big money. The city calls it an investment and knows the money will come back tenfold.

Visit Santa Barbara works to promote Santa Barbara as a tourist destination. They’re getting over a million dollars to do just that.

Old Spanish Days will get $98,000 this year. The signature city event brings thousands of people into Santa Barbara and tons of money with them.

“Fiesta brings in $34 million to the region compared to the weekends prior and after the Old Spanish Days event,” Erik Davis from Old Spanish Days said.

The International Film Festival is receiving $78,000.

All events boosting tourism and putting money back into Santa Barbara’s economy.