Tourism Strong, Honors Handed Out Heading into 2015

Tourism continues to be a powerful economic driver in Santa Barbara County, with a long list of impacts ranging from jobs to valuable tax revenues. An update presented to the Greater Santa Barbara Restaurant and Lodging Association showed a solid return in 2014, with more today.

It’s not just sunshine and scenic ocean views that bring visitors into Santa Barbara.

It’s an entire web of front line workers, tourist related businesses, and political planning that funnels funds into developments, promotions, and events.

Acting Santa Barbara City Administrator, Paul Casey said, “I think we see the international tourism has been great. I think the tourism from Southern California has been a strong point for Santa Barbara so that mixture is really beneficial.”

Casey also said the city has many projects underway including two hotels in the Funk Zone, two new bridges in the waterfront area, a children’s museum and a meeting with Edison to make sure power projects are upgrade. Recently outages have caused serious concerns with downtown business owners. “I think they (Edison) knows but we have a good coalition of council interests, the Chamber of Commerce and the downtown Santa Barbara business interests. We’re all together approaching Edison and saying we have to do a better job to invest in the infrastructure from the circuit standpoint and the electric stand point,” said Casey.

The city says tourism is strong and was a key component during the recession as the area held on until the economy turned around.

Kathy Janega-Dykes with Visit Santa Barbara won the Hospitality Star of the Year. Drew Wakefield of the Ramada Hotel Santa Barbara (Goleta) was honored with the Hospitality Employee of the Year.

Janega-Dykes had her staff stand for their work on the front line of tourism, visitor services and promotions. She also said local residents are on the team. “We are all walking billboards for Santa Barbara. We want to tell people about where the places are to go, where the hidden spots are and encourage them to keep coming back,” she said.

Wakefield says there is a big picture return when tourism is strong. “With everything we have to offer, people come here from all over the world, they want to come here, and they come here in droves. They also come with money, and they buy goods and trinkets and that goes into our tax dollars and right back into our area, into the creeks ( clean up programs) the schools, and right back in our community.”

Tom Patton the Ramada General Manager credit Wakefield for his help with community events, nonprofit groups, sports announcing and guest relations at the hotel. He said Wakefield does “not have an ‘off’ switch!”

Today’s luncheon was held at the Four Seasons Biltmore, Coral Casino.