Tourism Industry News & Resources | | This partner communication exists to provide updates on Sonoma County Tourism’s programs and offerings, along with additional news and resources to support Sonoma County’s tourism and hospitality industry. | | |
The past several days have reminded us that we live in a fragile and volatile environment. With the Woodside Fire erupting on the coast, a 3.8 earthquake outside of Cloverdale and the Feliz Fire in southern Mendocino County, many in our industry had to deal with some level of crisis.
We thank our lodging properties who provided rooms and reduced rates for fire evacuees. Finding a safe haven for our visitors and impacted residents is often our first call when a crisis occurs.
We are incredibly grateful for the emergency management teams, fire fighters and vigilant neighbors who bravely sprang into action to help mitigate and contain each situation.
If your business has yet to develop a crisis plan, we encourage you to download the customizable crisis plan available on SonomaCounty.com within the Be Prepared section. We also encourage everyone to download the Watch Duty app and check the SoCoEmergency website to monitor crisis situations.
SCT is committed to ensuring both the organization and our partners are prepared for a crisis. Thinking ahead, ensuring teams are trained and retaining timely communication are all critical to managing a crisis. Be safe. Be smart. Be prepared.
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In This Issue:
- Meet SCT's Newest Team Member
- Next Partner Education Session - August 18
- Rapid Connections Networking Event - September 3
- SCT's Annual Meeting - Save the Date October 1
- All Things Meetings Recap
- Hosts & Home Teams - Vacation Rental Discussion Recap
- Born to Explore: Destinations & More Trade Show Experience
- From Our Partners
| | Meet SCT's Newest Team Member! | | |
Please join us in welcoming Andressa Gomes to Sonoma County Tourism as our new Manager of Destination Sales.
Andressa brings six years of experience in sales and business development, including three years in destination sales. She is passionate about building meaningful partnerships and connecting meeting planners with exceptional destinations and memorable experiences.
She is thrilled to represent Sonoma County, combining her love for travel and hospitality with one of the world's most celebrated wine regions, whose beauty spans from coastline to mountains. Having explored 46 countries (and counting), she is inspired by authentic places, local culture, and the stories that make each destination unique.
We're excited to have Andressa on the team and look forward to the expertise and enthusiasm she'll bring to Sonoma County Tourism.
| | Partner Education Session | Tuesday, August 18 | | |
Join us this August for an insightful session with the teams from Sonoma County Farm Trails and the Gravenstein Apple Fair as they share how they achieve their zero-waste event goals. Last week on KRON4's Live in the Bay, the segment showcased the unique commitment to zero waste and sustainable event production. Gravenstein Apple Fair celebrates local agriculture, community, and Sonoma County's farming legacy.
Discover practical tools, strategies, and resources you can apply to your own events and day-to-day operations to support more sustainable business practices.
- Topic: Sustainable Event Practices & Resources
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Date: Tuesday, August 18, 2026
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Time: 9:00-10:30am
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Location: Sonoma County Tourism,
3558 Round Barn Blvd., Suite 112, Santa Rosa
Coffee, light bites, and meaningful conversation with fellow partners will be part of the morning.
Spaces are limited. In-person only. Register today.
| | Rapid Connections | Thursday, September 3 | | |
Some of the best ideas don’t start with a pitch. They start with the right conversation.
Rapid Connections brings together visitor-facing businesses for short, structured, intentionally paired conversations that lead to real collaborations, from co-branded experiences and seasonal packages to referrals and long-term partnerships that drive visitation and increase length of stay.
This is networking with purpose, designed for business owners and decision-makers ready to build what’s next.
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Date: Thursday, September 3, 2026
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Time: 9:30-11:30am (doors open at 9:00am)
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Location: Sonoma County Tourism,
3558 Round Barn Blvd., Suite 112, Santa Rosa
Coffee, light bites, and meaningful conversation with fellow partners will be part of the morning.
Space is limited by design to ensure meaningful connections, and interest is consistently high. RSVP early to secure your seat.
Questions about the session? Contact us by email.
| | Save the Date: SCT's Annual Meeting - October 1 | |
Join us for Sonoma County Tourism's Annual Meeting. Looking at the year in review but highlighting upcoming program and opportunities you won't want to miss.
A day full of opportunities to connect with SCT and other industry partners, attend the general meeting with key topic presenters, and several breakout sessions with take aways and implementation for your business.
Registration will open soon.
Any questions or interested in sponsoring? CommunityEngagement@sonomacounty.com
| | All Things Meetings Recap | | |
SCT’s Destination Sales team hosted the annual All Things Meetings - Wine Country event on July 16, 2026, at Paradise Ridge Winery. The event welcomed 65 exhibitors from in and around Sonoma County and 75 Bay Area meeting planners for a day of networking and learning more about Sonoma County's hotels, restaurants, wineries, unique venues, attractions, and experiences.
The morning began with a two-hour tradeshow, followed by an afternoon panel discussion moderated by Norma Kropelnicki, owner of All Things Meetings. Panelists included Jennifer Buffo, CEO of Pure Luxury Transportation; Dan Barwick, winemaker at Paradise Ridge Winery; and Jonny Westom, Vice President of Sales for Sonoma County Tourism. The discussion focused on what sets Sonoma County apart as a meetings destination, from its welcoming hospitality and unique venues to the partnerships that help create memorable experiences for groups. The program concluded with a keynote presentation by Lamar Engel of Wine Militia.
The event provided another opportunity to showcase Sonoma County to Bay Area meeting planners and reinforce the destination's appeal for corporate meetings and events.
Click here to view the online photo gallery.
| | Hosts & Homes Discussion Recap | | |
On July 24, Claudia Vecchio, SCT's CEO, attended "Hosts & Home Teams" in Portland, Oregon. Joined by Donna Martinez, who has a home in Sea Ranch, and Lindsay Darrimon, whose company, Beaux Maison, manages a number of homes.
This "lab" as it was called, was designed to bring together representatives from destination organizations, such as SCT with partners from the Short Term Rental (STR) community.
During the day-long Hosts & Home Teams discussion, best practices from destinations as diverse as Greater Palm Springs and North Alabama were presented and issues were discussed regarding key pillar areas: Know Your Destination - for STRs to better understand Destination Organizations and how we can better partner on a number of issues and opportunities, Building Brand Identity, Data - how to share and integrate, and Community - how STRs can integrate into their communities and help generate solutions. Suppliers within the sector also spoke regarding renting responsibility, accessibility and issues management.
SCT also became a member of the Vacation Rental Management Association (VRMA) with the hopes that we can become more aware of this industry sector and better partners for our hosts and property managers. Several ideas were taken away for implementation within a few months.
SCT has always and will continue to be supported largely by our hotel partners. Ensuring the sales and marketing programs benefit these partners is the core of everything we do. But, ensuring that SCT is equipped to better support our short-term rental community has been a goal for the past three years. To help achieve this goal, we instituted a Vacation Rental Committee, a newsletter specifically designed for this community and, in partnership with the County of Sonoma, developed emergency management materials that can be placed in homes to prepare for a potential crisis.
The Hosts & Home Teams session was a wonderful reminder of how important this sector is to the overall tourism ecosystem, and a thought starter for ideas to ensure these partners have the resources to be successful. If you're interested in joining the Vacation Rental Committee, we would love to hear from you. Please contact us for more information.
| | Born to Explore: Destinations & More Trade Show Experience | |
The San Francisco Bay Area ASTA Chapter is seeking sponsors and exhibitors for the 3rd Annual Born to Explore: Destinations & More Trade Show Experience, taking place November 12–13, 2026, at the Flamingo Resort & Spa.
Connect with travel advisors from across Northern California, showcase your business, and build valuable industry relationships through sponsorship and exhibitor opportunities.
Interested in participating? Email sfbaasta@gmail.com to learn more about sponsorship and exhibitor opportunities.
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The Sonoma County Transportation and Climate Authorities (SCTCA) are seeking community feedback to help prioritize transportation projects for future federal, state, and local funding throughout Sonoma County.
The survey features proposed projects submitted by Sonoma County jurisdictions and transit agencies. Participants can review project descriptions, learn more about individual proposals, and provide feedback on as many or as few projects as they'd like. Community input will help inform future funding decisions and ensure local transportation priorities are reflected.
Complete the SCTCA Community Survey to share your feedback and help shape the future of transportation in Sonoma County.
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CTE Foundation of Sonoma County is recruiting employers for Path to Purpose, the countywide high school internship program. Path to Purpose prepares Sonoma County students for high-demand careers through structured, supported internships that benefit both students and employers. Hosting an intern is an opportunity to invest in local youth while developing your future workforce. Our recently completed Spring 2026 cohort demonstrates the program's impact: 42 employers hosted 105 interns, with 84% rating interns highly workplace-ready and 91% of students feeling more prepared for their futures.
Interested? You can join upcoming Employer Information Sessions & Internship Design Workshops on August 14 or September 11, 2026, to learn how to build a successful internship program.
RSVP: https://ctefoundation.eventbrite.com/
Learn more: www.ctesonomacounty.org/pathtopurpose
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