KEEPING YOU UPDATED ON TOURISM TRENDS
A Message from CEO Laurie Baker
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We are taking a little different approach this month; we want to share some tourism industry information rather than just an update on tourism projects for Redding.
From February 18–19 (just three weeks away) is Visit California's Outlook Forum and it's going virtual this year. This is a fantastic conference that is held annually some place in California and it is a valuable learning tool for local tourism businesses and their staff. I attend every year as one of my resources for keeping up on tourism trends which I use to help formulate the following year’s marketing plan.
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This year I am on the steering committee to plan the event, and for the first time ever, the forum is FREE. No cost for the conference, no cost for travel. Talk about a win-win.
This is normally a three-day event however we understand the need to balance virtual overload with information dissemination. So, the event is only scheduled for two half-days (10a-1p). You can pick and choose what you attend.
I highly recommend registering; the speakers are engaging and informative, and we found a state-of-the-art platform that will accommodate the 600+ people expected to attend. Please read more below in the newsletter to get all the necessary information.
Laurie Baker
CEO, Redding Visitors Bureau
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SIGN UP FOR VIRTUAL OUTLOOK FORUM
Local tourism businesses to benefit from Visit California's FREE Outlook Forum
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Visit California's annual Outlook Forum is *virtual* this year and it's FREE. From Feb. 18-19, you can take part in two mornings packed of with meaningful insights, future trends and best practices that will accelerate the industry’s recovery in 2021 and beyond.
The best part is, sessions are relevant for ANY and ALL tourism businesses, from restaurants to attractions and accommodations to local retail shops. We encourage you to sign up!
Four themed pillars of Innovate, Disrupt, Rebuild, and Future Forward shape this year's conference topics where you can learn industry tips and trends from experts and leaders for your organization or business. See the schedule below for session topics:
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INNOVATE - Drop in to explore how to tap into our resilience, find opportunity in today’s crisis and create a forward-thinking travel industry.
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DISRUPT- The world has changed. To succeed in the new reality, rethink everything you think you know about connecting with travelers.
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REBUILD - Time to do the work. Economists and consumer experts share insights into how the travel industry will bounce back.
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FUTURE FORWARD - Let’s put 2020 behind us. Travel leaders reveal lessons learned and what’s ahead for their businesses.
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TOURISM TRENDS SHOW POSITIVE SENTIMENT
Industry experts weigh in on latest tourism trends, rural regions still have spotlight
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The California Department of Public Health ended all regional stay at home orders statewide on Monday. Despite the positive shift to opening the economy, 54 of the state's 58 counties are still in the most restrictive "widespread" purple tier, meaning non-essential travel is still discouraged.
Below are the latest tourism trends from industry experts:
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As Americans look out over their travel year in January, they cautiously see an average of 3.0 leisure trips in 2021.
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26.1% of American travelers say they already have plans to travel in July.
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In the last week alone, 38.7% day-dreamt about leisure travel, 30.3% talked about travel with friends or relatives and 27.0% researched travel ideas online.
- Americans interested in travel experiences in 2021 are predominantly seeking scenic beauty, outdoor activities in warm weather, beach destinations and resorts, National Parks and road trips. Big city and food experiences do not weigh as heavy as they did in pre-pandemic times.
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In a measurement of “pent up demand,” out of the two-thirds of people whose typical travel patterns were altered by the pandemic, 22.2% of them say they are going to travel more in 2021 to make up for lost time. Meanwhile, 50.9% confirm they will return to their pre-pandemic levels of traveling.
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DASH IS AVAILABLE FOR ALL
Take advantage of the free shuttle service in Downtown Redding
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The Redding Tourism Team is encouraging everyone to utilize DASH - Redding's FREE Downtown Area Shuttle Service. It's fast, free, reliable and a convenient way to transport anyone who works, lives or plays downtown and connects outlying parking lots with shops, restaurants and attractions.
The shuttles run on two distinct loops, which circle every 8-10 minutes and designated stops (see the blue icons in the map above).
Shuttle Times (Monday-Friday)
- 6:45 am - 9:30 am
- 10:30 am - 1 pm
- 3:30 pm - 5:30 pm
So, remember next time you want to grab lunch downtown or do a little shopping, don't waste time searching for a parking spot; just park and DASH your way there!
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REDDING IN THE NEWS
Redding gaining exposure through media outreach
Media outreach is one of the many marketing initiatives of the Redding CVB. When a positive article about Redding appears, it's very likely our team assisted in the publication of the story -- whether it's providing photos, hosting a travel writer or connecting the author to local contacts and experts to source the information.
The result of the published work is called "earned media," which is part of our public relations strategy and it appears to the general consumer in a native and organic way of advertising. Below are a few of the recent published earned media articles.
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You can visit 2 volcanos, 6 waterfalls, the largest man-made lake in the state, and some caverns. You might assume that this place is a typical tourist destination, but unless you’re from California, you may have never even heard of Redding. |
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When the snow falls on Lassen Volcanic National Park, many of the beautiful destinations deep in the park are nearly impossible to see. For those willing to brave the winter conditions in the areas of the park far away from any plowed road... |
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If I told you that I just got back from a three-day trip that included 2 volcanoes, 5 waterfalls, and a cave, you might think I had been someplace exotic like an island in the South Pacific. But instead, I visited Northern California, one of the lesser-known national parks, and the region around Redding. |
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Follow the Redding Visitors Bureau on Social Media! |
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