Heading into summer, tourism leaders lay out a plan to meet, greet and compete on the Central Coast
GOLETA, Calif. - The Memorial Day weekend kicks off the big travel months of the year, and local tourism leaders are expecting a return of many visitors in the last month of Spring and throughout the summer season. They say, however, so are many other areas, and that will increase the choices.
A Visit Santa Barbara general meeting at the Ritz-Carlton Bacara Wednesday highlighted the contributions tourism makes to the local community and give a forecast of the months ahead.
Kathy Janega Dykes, president/CEO of Visit Santa Barbara said, "during the past two years, this gathering has taken on renewed meaning for hospitality employees. Our industry was hit hard by COVID-19, but our community has proven its resilience once again and made great strides toward recovery, recently breaking records for average daily rates at hotels across the region. We’re looking forward to coming together to celebrate the South Coast’s achievements.”
The Annual General Meeting also coincides with California Tourism Month, which spotlights tourism’s role as a key driver in the economy.
Janega-Dykes provided organization highlights from the past year, relay tourism contributions to the South Coast’s economy.
"Every single Santa Barbara county resident benefits from tourism," she said. The workers on the front line of tourism and hospitality are a key part of the economic vitality for our area. "Whether they know it or not it supports tax savings, community services and certainly the quality of life upgrades."
Those attending said everyone from a reservation employee to a tour guide is an ambassador. Janega-Dykes said, "people who live here, who work here really are passionate about their community and about sharing the Santa Barbara message to our guests as well."
With some visitors, still cautious about the COVID crisis, are looking for spacious locations and not be too over crowded with travelers
The Ritz-Carlton Bacara General Manager Steve Janicek said, "coastal resorts have done very well since travel has returned. This property with great weather and kind of a campus environment . We sit on 87 acres of the Calfornia coast. It's given people a feeling of safety."
Visit Santa Ynez Valley President Shelby Sim said the area has many choices for the visitors who wanted to stroll quaint streets or visit spacious wineries. "People don't want big things. They want the small boutiques, wide open spaces, elbow room and happiness."
Memorial Day weekend will be a measurement of whether or not travelers are coming back as strong as they were before the pandemic.
The tourism industry is seeing positive signs. "Everybody's advertising, everybody's open. Making the customer feel well. Word of mouth is huge."
There is also an effort to encourage the public to extend their length of stay, to explore areas that may not have been on their original agendas.
Santa Barbara County's popularity comes with its unique combination of coastal and valley tourism sites. It is popular with residents in Los Angeles and San Francisco who drive rather than fly to the area. That traveler also considers sites including Palm Springs and Monterey making these locations very competitive with each other.
One of the biggest challenges in the industry is the shortage of workers.
Countywide, recently there were 1900 open hospitality jobs a month ago with many job fairs and hiring incentives underway.
At the luncheon, prizes were gifted to attendees. They ranged from hotel stays, wine tastings, and restaurant gift certificates, to spa experiences and visits to museums and attractions.
New this year, attendees received “Hospitality Hero” tokens, which they can either keep or pay forward and give to other hospitality workers in recognition of their exemplary service.
“While COVID-19 created many challenges, countless hospitality employees rose to the occasion and continue to do so,” Janega-Dykes said. “They’ve taken on extra shifts, introduced safety measures and enhanced cleaning, and much more. Anyone, from housekeeping crews to front desk staff, can be a hospitality hero when they help make Santa Barbara shine for our visitors and community.”
ABOUT VISIT SANTA BARBARA
Visit Santa Barbara is a nonprofit 501(c)(6) organization jointly funded by the City of Santa Barbara, the County of Santa Barbara, the South Coast Tourism Business Improvement District and by a membership of hospitality-related businesses. The mission of Visit Santa Barbara is to inspire overnight travel to the Santa Barbara South Coast in order to enhance the community’s economy and quality of life. VSB’s primary vehicles are tourism marketing, PR and sales channels that lead to overnight bookings, increase business and tax revenue and support jobs. Annual spending by travelers to the South Coast totals more than $1.9 billion, supporting more than 13,000 jobs and generating more than $56 million in yearly tax revenues, according to Destination Analysts, a tourism market research firm.
