TOURISM INDUSTRY NEWS & RESOURCES
This partner communication exists to provide timely information on Sonoma County’s tourism and hospitality industry, along with resources to help partners navigate through the COVID-19 crisis and beyond.
September 7, 2021
This week’s newsletter has some important information we hope you’ll take some time to read. First, the upcoming SCT Annual Meeting is slated for Sept. 29. We strive to make this a relevant and informative meeting for you. We’re pleased to have Andrew Leary from Leave No Trace as our guest speaker talking about the exceptionally important topic of responsible travel. We also hope you’ll cast your vote for the best and brightest businesses and employees in our first ever Stars of the Industry awards. 

Tourism continues to be challenged by the evolving COVID situation. We experienced a pretty good Labor Day weekend in the destination, but traveler sentiment indices are showing growing hesitancy among both business and leisure travelers. We’re seeing strong interest in Q2 2022, but some cancellations and slowing between now and then. We are hopeful Sonoma County will be ahead of the curve and will see a healthy return during Q4 2021. Watch for more intel via the Tourism Insights and Performance newsletter.

Our friends and colleagues in Lake Tahoe suffered recently from the Caldor Fire. We’ve included some resources for you should you care to show your support for them – we certainly know what they’re going through!

We continue to vigilantly monitor a variety of potential impacts for our industry. Please do let us know if you have questions regarding industry performance or how SCT is responding.

Thank you for all you do for Sonoma County’s tourism industry.
Claudia Vecchio
President and CEO
Sonoma County Tourism
707-522-5804
2021 Annual Meeting 
Registration is now open for Sonoma County Tourism’s 2021 Annual Meeting! Join us on September 29, 2021 from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m., via Zoom, for an informative afternoon with important updates from SCT, a special presentation on responsible travel from Andrew Leary with the Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics, and a celebration of the best of Sonoma County’s hospitality workforce during the Stars of the Industry awards. 

There is no cost to attend, but advance registration is required. We hope to see you there! 
Cast Your Vote for Sonoma County’s Industry Stars 
Voting remains open for the Stars of the Industry through Friday, September 10. Your nominations were paired down to three finalists in the categories of Customer Engagement, Environmental Stewardship/Sustainable Practices, Front of the House, and Heart of the House. To learn about the finalists, and to cast your vote, click here. 
SCT Strategic Business Plan Now Available
Sonoma County Tourism is delighted to present its updated Strategic Business Plan. The detailed report identifies the priorities for the organization over the next two years and lays the foundation for long-term programming. Through the work of the Board of Directors and with input from stakeholders, the plan outlines key initiatives for 2021-23.

You can download and review the plan here.
Call For Pitches
Our dedicated public relations team continually works to get the word out to media about the new and exciting offerings from our partners. They send a monthly press release to thousands of travel and lifestyle journalists who want to hear "What's New" in Sonoma County. Below are current calls for pitches. If you have an item that fits the bill, please submit it to sonomacounty.com/whats-new/add.

Questions can be directed to [email protected].

Winter/Holiday Season Activities to include in our Winter PR Pitching and News Release Campaign
  • Winter brings mushrooms, citrus, and holiday events. Please pitch any experiences or events you have planned for the winter season.
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Missed Renovations & New Builds
  • Many of our partners have renovated tasting rooms, built out new lodging options, and more during the pandemic. Please pitch us any of these that visitors should visit/check out this fall/winter.

Halloween Events in California - Due Thursday
  • Halloween in California is all about hayrides, pumpkin patches and family friendly festivities, but it’s also about finding the best haunted house or adults-only party. What new or iconic offerings in your destination should visitors be on the lookout for this Halloween season? 

Dine Globally in the Golden State - Due Thursday
  • California’s culinary scene is world-renowned. In advance of World Food Day and International Chefs Day, please submit information about local chefs, restaurants and recipes in your destination that are known for their global flare.

Agritourism in California - Due Thursday
  • National Farmers Day is in October, making fall a great time to celebrate California’s agricultural bounty. Share information about overnight farm stays, unique farm experiences, u-pick opportunities and more. We are especially interested in new sustainability pushes in the agritourism space. 
Caldor Fire Support
The Caldor Fire was devastating for many of our colleagues and friends in the Lake Tahoe region. Should you want to help, following is a list of vetted resources where you can provide support to the those impacted by the fire. 
National/Statewide Resources

To make a difference in the lives of people impacted by the Caldor Fire. The donation enables the Red Cross to prepare for, respond to and help people recover from this and other disasters and will provide people and communities affected by this wildfire with food, shelter, relief supplies, recovery planning support, and other assistance.

The California Fire Foundation's Supplying Aid to Victims of Emergency (SAVE) program brings immediate, short-term relief to victims of fire and other natural disasters throughout California.

The Salvation Army is helping to provide meals and other resources to those impacted by the Caldor Fire.
Local Resources

The Caldor Fire Fund has been established to support the families impacted by this fire, and your entire donation will go to support those families.

The Amador Community Foundation is providing support and valuable resources to impacted communities. As well as providing donations to ACART for large animal care for those impacted by the fire with livestock.

Tahoe Coalition for the Homeless has partnered with South Lake Tahoe Police to support evacuations of the city's unhoused community.

The El Dorado Community Foundation and Hands4Hope - Youth Making A Difference are partnering to connect fire victims with needed services.
Thank you.