APRIL 16, 2009

California News Brief

WORKSHOP PLANNED TO ENHANCE TOURISM OPPORTUNITIES

Placer County will host a Regional Cultural and Heritage Tourism Workshop on April 29 and 30. The workshop will focus on connecting heritage, arts and culture, agriculture, recreation and tourism to harness the potential for collaborative projects that span communities throughout the region. (The Loomis News)
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EXPLORE LAND, WINE OF SONOMA COUNTY

Today if you travel to Sonoma County in California, you will see many vineyards and wineries. The history of the county tells us that this was not always the case. (thenewsstar.com)
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CALIFORNIA 'IDEAL' FOR ECO-FRIENDLY HOLIDAYS

California is the ideal destination for sustainable tourism, according to the state tourist board, with a range of innovations and initiatives making it "easy" for travelers to take eco-friendly trips. (Just The Flight)
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SUSTAINABLE TRIPS ‘EASY’ IN CALIFORNIA

Sustainable holidays are an easy option in California, according to the tourist board that represents the North American state. (Opodo)
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SAN DIEGO DESTINATION GUIDE

Slightly overshadowed by its Californian neighbours Los Angeles and San Francisco, San Diego has quietly reinvented itself from edgy Navy town to a relaxed, sophisticated family resort. (Mail Online)
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BEST MEMORIAL DAY GETAWAYS IN CALIFORNIA

There's no better time to go on your first unofficial summer trip than on the Memorial Day three-day weekend. At this time, we can feel the sweltering approach of summer and fully appreciate the beach and all the outdoor sightseeing. So, pack your flip-flops and tank tops and visit these Memorial Day getaway spots in sunny California. (AC Associated Content)
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PLANNING A VACATION AT YOSEMITE PARK

With its beautiful waterfalls and stunning rock formations, the Yosemite National Park is an ideal destination for anyone who is planning a vacation in California. Yosemite, one of the oldest national parks in America, is widely known for its valleys, meadows, mountain cliffs and many other captivating sights. The park also boasts of an exclusive collection of flora and fauna. At Yosemite you will find different species of native trees, wildflowers and animals. The huge trees in the Mariposa Grove called ‘Giants of the North West’ also add to the beauty of this place. (Article Codex)
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US PARKS AN ALTERNATIVE TO BEHOLD

Greatness -- even grandness -- still exists. The notion is easy to forget when teetering banks, faltering housing and disappearing jobs dominate the news. (The Columbus Dispatch)
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GOVERNOR RETURNS HOLOCAUST-ERA ARTWORK TO HEIRS OF JEWISH FAMILY

Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger joined California State Parks and Recreation Director Ruth Coleman at the Leland Stanford Mansion in Sacramento to return three paintings, confiscated by the Nazis during the time of the Holocaust, to the heirs of Jakob and Rosa Oppenheimer. (Office of the Governor)
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STAY THE NIGHT: MONTAGE BEVERLY HILLS, LOS ANGELES

The first hotel to be built from the ground up in Beverly Hills for almost 20 years, the Montage, which opened in November, is already positioning itself as a Hollywood grand dame. (The Independent)
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$33,500 IN TOURISM GRANTS WON BY MOUNTAIN GROUPS

Grants totaling $33,500 were presented to four Mountain Communities groups on Tuesday, April 7. Penny Maines of Lebec, president of the Kern County Board of Trade for 2009, did the honors. (The Mountain Enterprise)
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DAVIS WILL BE NEW HOME OF BICYCLING HALL OF FAME

The City of Davis broke away from a pack of cities to be named Friday as the new home of the U.S. Bicycling Hall of Fame. (The Sacramento Bee)
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CALIFORNIA TRAVEL INDUSTRY TAKES CASE FOR TOURISM TO CONGRESS

The people who make their living in the travel industry are getting vocal about the drubbing they’re getting by lawmakers angry about corporate excess. (Sacramento Business Journal)
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U.S. Travel News

NEW YORK CITY WOOING GAY AND LESBIAN TOURISTS

New York City officials are turning to gays and lesbians to help reduce a projected $4 billion budget deficit. (MSNBC)
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TRAVEL CRUNCH: TOUGH TIMES FOR HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY

Corporate travel takes center stage: “Less business travel means less business for the hospitality industry, and potential job loss for millions.” (The Today Show)
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MORE HOTELS FACING AN UNCERTAIN FUTURE

Hotels have been struggling for months as businesses and individuals cut back on travel. But what was a bad situation is likely to turn worse as a rapidly growing number of hotels — including many high-end and luxury properties — are forced into bankruptcy or foreclosure in coming months. (The New York Times)
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LOOKS LIKE ANOTHER YEAR OF STAYCATIONS FOR MANY

Phones inside Grace's Travel and Tours once rang off the hook with callers eager to arrange far-flung family vacations to places like Cancun and Egypt or relaxing 10-day cruises to the Hawaiian Islands. (Los Angeles Daily News)
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WINGING IT: FACING THE ‘NEW NORMAL’

The brutal recession we're in has spawned some remarkable bargains in air fares and hotel costs this year as travel companies struggle against a sharp downturn, especially among business travelers. But some of those who manage multimillion-dollar corporate-travel budgets are worried that many companies have made such drastic reductions that they're losing sight of why businesspeople travel in the first place. (The Philadelphia Inquirer)
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CITIES GREET MEETING PLANNERS WITH OPEN ARMS

It's a buyer's market for meeting planners as hotels and cities of all sizes compete for an ever-shrinking pie of conventions and business meetings. Having them at five-star resorts during recessionary times has garnered headlines, but times are rough even for workaday conventions, as sluggish attendance is triggering cancellations. (USA Today)
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MORE COMPANIES MEET VIRTUALLY AS CONVENTIONS CANCELED

Recessionary times have forced a wave of cancellations of conventions and business meetings around the country, costing local economies billions in lost visitor dollars since fall. Instead of traveling, many associations and companies have turned to "virtual" conventions or "Webinars," in which attendees meet via Internet hookup without leaving their offices or homes. (USA Today)
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VISITCALIFORNIA.COM

The California Travel & Tourism Commission (CTTC) works to advocate on behalf of the California tourism industry for public policy initiatives that benefit the industry as a whole. As California is the number one travel destination in the nation, policy and programming that benefits the U.S. will ultimately benefit the California tourism industry. With CTTC President and CEO Caroline Beteta participating as the National Chair of U.S. Travel, California is perfectly poised to plan, develop and implement the policies and programs that help the entire travel and tourism industry.

CTTC strives to promote the California product through leveraging and extending CTTC programming to media and industry, ultimately increasing consumer interest and visitation to California. In particular, CTTC practices both proactive and reactive media relations based on California’s core attributes, including press releases and pitching. In the realm of government relations and public affairs, CTTC is positioned as an industry leader for travel expertise to media, industry and government.

Regards,

Susan Wilcox
Vice President of Communications

Amanda Moreland
Media Relations Manager