Ventura, California
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Starting in May, the city of Ventura has begun to proudly light up in purple, a nighttime display designed to honor the hospitality industry -- and also bring a glow of hope in these challenging times.
The lights, and the purple gel that colors them, will hang from some of Ventura’s iconic (and most visible) buildings; among them Ventura City Hall. and the Crowne Plaza Ventura Beach.
The message is simple. Purple is the color of the hospitality industry, and tourism will be a major driver in the economic recovery from the damage done by COVID-19. In Ventura alone, tourism generates close to $300 million in annual visitor spending, and, equally important, creates roughly 2,600 hometown jobs, from hotel workers, to the smiling faces behind the counter at the brewery, the museum, the restaurant and the car rental company.
You see, the purple lights are about more than money. They are a beacon of community, positivity, and collective will. It started in April, with San Francisco City Hall shining purple courtesy of 220 LED lights (as word of that display spread, dozens of other buildings in San Francisco followed suit).
"These are unprecedented and challenging times for so many,” said Marlyss Auster, Visit Ventura President and CEO. “We know that the concerns of tourism pale in the face of so many real human losses, but tourism is what will help so many people recover; and not just those directly involved in our industry, but thousands more who, plain and simple, are going to need some happy memories when this is done. These lights, they are a reminder of the light that’s coming.”
