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. | | |
I just returned from a Visit California board meeting at which Caroline Beteta was honored for her 30 years of leading that organization and the industry at large. Visit California, and the legacy Caroline built, is second to none in the current DMO world. Working alongside six governors and scores of elected officials from across the state, partnering with some of the largest private and public tourism and entertainment brands, and guiding the global tourism industry, Caroline and her team have positioned Visit California as the leading statewide DMO.
Through the years, SCT has worked closely with Visit California on a number of projects. We have greatly benefitted from the press visits of journalists from key domestic and international markets, opportunities to connect with international travel trade, the “halo effect” of the overall global brand building and the more recent meeting planner outreach. These all bolster the SCT efforts to promote our region. We will continue to maximize the opportunities with this organization.
We recently added wine tourism to our work with Visit California. Through helping the organization understand the complex and critical nature of the wine industry, we helped form the statewide wine tourism task force and hosted additional meetings with elected officials and statewide industry trade groups to help reframe and elevate the California wine brand.
During the meeting earlier this week, Jennifer Buffo, a SCT board member as well as owner of Pure Luxury Transportation, became a Visit California Commissioner. We are delighted to have such a passionate and dedicated representative from Sonoma County on that board.
For now, we wish Caroline all the very best in her next chapter. We, along with the rest of the California tourism industry, thank her for helping bolster the state and Sonoma County’s tourism industry.
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In This Issue:
- Please Note: Our offices have MOVED
- Publicity Alert: Looking for Great Night Hikes in Sonoma County
- Partner Education Session - June 16
- Seven Secrets to Inclusive Hospitality - June sessions
- Make Sure You're Ready for Wildfire Season
- From Our Partners
| | Please Note: Sonoma County Tourism has Moved! | | |
Sonoma County Tourism's office has moved! We can now be found at:
3558 Round Barn Blvd., Suite 106
Santa Rosa, CA 95403
Our other contact information remains the same. General inquires can be directed to info@sonomacounty.com or via phone at 707-522-5800.
| | Publicity Alert: Great Night Hikes in Sonoma County | | |
We are currently gathering Sonoma County story ideas for a media opportunity focused on the world’s best night hikes and nocturnal outdoor experiences.
The journalist is looking for guided night hikes and after-dark nature experiences that reveal the natural world most travelers rarely see. This may include experiences where guests encounter bats, owls, insects, spiders, snakes, nocturnal wildlife, unique forest or coastal environments, stargazing, moonlit trails, bioluminescence, or other immersive after-dark elements. Ideal submissions should highlight experiences that feel distinctive, sensory, and slightly outside the typical daytime comfort zone while remaining safe, guided, and visitor-ready.
Please send any relevant partner experiences, programs, tours, seasonal offerings, or expert contacts that may fit this request. Helpful details include:
- Name of the experience or tour
- Location
- Seasonality and availability
- Wildlife, habitat, or natural features guests may encounter
- Whether the experience is guided
- Any safety protocols or accessibility considerations
- Website link and media contact
Please send responses to publicrelations@sonomacounty.com by on or before Friday, June 5 so we can evaluate potential Sonoma County submissions for this opportunity.
| | June Partner Education Session | | |
More than 40% of Sonoma County visitors report having some form of accessibility need. When they're deciding where to stay, dine, taste, shop, or explore, are we providing the information they need to confidently choose our business?
Join Common Ground Society's Larkin O'Leary for a practical and engaging conversation about accessibility through the lens of the traveler experience. From researching a destination and booking accommodations to navigating attractions and traveling with family members or companions, every guest has unique needs and expectations.
This session will help you better understand the questions travelers are asking and how your business can be ready with answers.
You'll leave with:
- A deeper understanding of how guests with accessibility needs plan and experience travel.
- Resources to help visitors and their companions navigate Sonoma County with confidence.
- Tips for answering accessibility questions with clarity, empathy, and accuracy.
- Strategies for building internal knowledge so, "I'm not sure," becomes, "Let me help you find out."
Small improvements in information, communication, and preparedness can make a lasting impact on a guest's experience and their decision to visit in the first place.
Date: Tuesday, June 16
Time: 9:00-10:30am
Location: Sonoma County Tourism, 3558 Round Barn Blvd. Suite 112 (please note our new office location-plenty of free parking available)
Through discussion and relatable scenarios, we’ll create space to ask questions, share experiences, and strengthen our approach to welcoming visitors throughout Sonoma County.
As an added bonus, attendees will be entered for a chance to win one of 10 sensory backpacks for their business.
| | Be Prepared This Wildfire Season | | |
As we enter the heart of wildfire season, make sure that you and your guests are prepared. Sonoma County Tourism offers a comprehensive Be Prepared resource hub featuring crisis planning tools, visitor communication talking points, emergency preparedness resources, and a customizable Crisis Management Blueprint designed specifically for tourism and hospitality businesses. Take time now to review your plans and ensure your team is ready before an emergency occurs. Learn more at Sonoma County Tourism's Be Prepared page.
We ask that all partners please log into the Hospitality Hub and confirm or update your Fire Evacuation Zone. Keeping this information current helps ensure we can communicate important updates effectively if needed.
Log in here: https://www.sonomacounty.com/partners/portal/
How to update your evacuation zone:
- Log into the Hospitality Hub
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From the left-hand dashboard, select Profile
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Click Business Accounts
- Select your account (If you manage multiple accounts, please update each one.)
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Under Account, click Edit
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Select the General tab
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Scroll to the Evacuation Zone section and choose your zone from the dropdown
How to find your evacuation zone:
Visit: https://socoemergency.org/get-ready/evacuation-map/
Search for your address, then select the corresponding zone in the Hospitality Hub. If you’re unable to locate your evacuation zone, please reach out to hospitalityhub@sonomacounty.com, and we’ll be happy to assist. Thank you for helping us keep our records accurate and our community prepared.
| | Take the Next Step in Creating Welcoming Experiences for Every Visitor | | |
Sonoma County Tourism invites you to register for the next sessions of Seven Secrets of Inclusive Hospitality: a new complimentary training now available to Sonoma County partners and a key next step in our Wine Country for All of Us initiative. Whether you are a winery, lodging property, attraction, visitor center or any business, this is a unique and guaranteed opportunity to learn things you may not be thinking of in your guest service experience.
Discover how you can learn how to truly meet each visitor where they are?
Karin Demarest, Principal of Demarest Strategy Group, will present the secrets based on research across 17 traveler identities. Offering practical tools and perspectives to help your team create more welcoming guest experiences, it’s an approach to hospitality that creates a meaningful, kind, sensitive, empathetic, and joy-filled experience for your guests.
Select ONE complimentary session to attend. Class offerings will be added each month and you can find July dates soon and registration links here.
June Sessions
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Thursday, June 25 | 9:00am-1:00pm: Register here
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Tuesday, June 30 | 1:00-5:00pm: Register here
Location: Sonoma County Tourism, 3558 Round Barn Blvd. Suite 112, Santa Rosa (please note our new office location - plenty of free parking available)
Beverages and bites served throughout the session.
We encourage you to reserve your spot soon for this transformational session. Capacity is intentionally limited to ensure a high-quality experience.
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Family-Friendly Summer Events at the Robert Ferguson Observatory
Looking for a unique experience to recommend to guests this summer? The Robert Ferguson Observatory at Sugarloaf Ridge State Park is offering a variety of family-friendly astronomy programs, including Family Days, Cosmos & Cocoa evenings, a Summer Solstice celebration, monthly Public Star Parties, Spanish-language stargazing events, and free solar observing sessions. These engaging programs provide visitors with unforgettable opportunities to explore Sonoma County's dark skies and connect with the wonders of the universe.
Learn more and view the event calendar at the Robert Ferguson Observatory website.
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