TOURISM INDUSTRY NEWS & RESOURCES |
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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. |
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November is a time of gratitude. We are grateful for the rain that has fallen during the past week, thankful for those who determine they want to throw their hats in the ring for public service, indebted for the bounty of the harvest and delighted for a chance to throw diets to the wind and enjoy a Thanksgiving dinner that we plan for all month.
At SCT we are always grateful for our partners. Your incredible creativity, tenacity and commitment to excellence provides our visitors with transformational experiences that truly do change lives.
SCT’s intent marketing period begins in November and runs through April. The campaign for both the earned and paid media channels will start this month and include several components ideal for partner inclusion. We’ll continue to lean into wellness and share an invitation to experience our amazing community of progressives. We hope you’ll take an opportunity to connect with the SCT team on the program elements most important to your business. Please note the webinar offered by our Marketing/Communications team to ensure you’re taking advantage of opportunities available to amplify your business. The Business Development and Travel Trade teams are out promoting Sonoma County to meeting planners, tour operators and international buyers.
All of us at Sonoma County Tourism raise a glass to the team at the Charles M. Schultz Sonoma County Airport (STS) for the grand opening of the new terminal. We know this has been a huge project and look forward to an elevated welcome for visitors to Sonoma County.
Thank you all, for all you do to create amazing experiences in Sonoma County that appeal to visitors from across the globe and for our own residents.
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Claudia Vecchio
President and CEO
Sonoma County Tourism
707-522-5804
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Suspension of Proposed BIA Revision
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In last month’s Tourism Industry News & Resources, we wrote about Sonoma County Tourism’s proposal for revising the Business Improvement Area (BIA) to include lodging entities with annual revenues under $350,000. Last week, SCT announced it is suspending this effort as it implements strategies for moving forward in a way that best meets the needs of property owners/managers and creates a more collaborative working relationship.
To move this forward, SCT welcomes the vacation rental community to engage with us in several initiatives available today and in the near future, as outlined in this letter.
For those of you who supported this initiative – thank you. We know there are many of you. For those who voiced opposition, please know you were heard. As a not-for-profit organization, Sonoma County Tourism exists only to benefit the hospitality industry, our residents and the visitors you serve. We will continue to work toward creating opportunities that benefit all partners.
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November Hospitality Mixer
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Sonoma County Tourism invites you to join us for a Hospitality Mixer at the Green Music Center on Thursday, November 17 from 5 to 6:30pm. We look forward to connecting with our partners for an afternoon of drinks, bites (catered by Sally Tomatoes), and excellent company.
Our hosts at the Green Music Center are offering a special discount to attendees for 30% off a pair of tickets to any GMC presented show in November or December (excluding the San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus).
Parking is included, and information will be sent to those who register two days prior to the event.
Although you are free to forward this to your direct colleagues, please do not share this invitation outside of your business/organization. The deadline to register is November 14, or until we have reached capacity, whichever comes first.
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Questions regarding this event can be directed to Tracy Koch at tkoch@sonomacounty.com. We hope to see you there! |
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Marcom Award Wins for SCT
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Sonoma County Tourism is pleased to announce it has won three Marcom awards, consisting of two Platinum achievements (the highest classification), and one Gold. The Platinum recognitions went to SCT’s Public Relations Program – “The Unknown Destination for Wellbeing” and its Intentional Itineraries Program. The Gold recognition was for SCT’s Overall/Digital Marketing Program – “Reawakening the Spirit of Travel in Sonoma County.”
The Marcom Awards honor excellence in marketing and communication while recognizing the creativity, hard work and generosity of industry professionals. Since its inception in 2004, MarCom has evolved into one of the largest and most-respected creative competitions in the world. Each year about 6,500 print and digital entries are submitted from dozens of countries and companies across industries including IBM, Adobe, Hilton, 20th Century Studios, Cisco, Johnson & Johnson, Deloitte and many others.
The Marcom Awards program is administered by the Association of Marketing and Communication Professionals (AMCP). The international organization, founded in 1995, consists of several thousand marketing, communication, advertising, public relations, digital, and web professionals. AMCP administers recognition programs, provides judges, and rewards outstanding achievement and service to the community.
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Partner Education Session
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Sonoma County Tourism’s Marketing and Communications team invites you to attend a partner education session on November 16th from 1-2pm (offered in-person and virtually) focusing on SCT’s consumer marketing opportunities. During the session, SCT and its agency partners will:
- Provide updates on SCT’s consumer marketing campaign
- Discuss advertising opportunities on SCT’s website, inspiration guide, consumer enewsletter, weddings guide, and map
- Go over SCT’s no-cost promotional opportunities including its Extended Stay Promotion, Deals/Offers, public relations story ideas, and more
Attendance is free, but advance registration in required. For those attending in-person, the session will take place at Sonoma County Tourism, located at 400 Aviation Blvd, STE 500, Santa Rosa, CA 95403.
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Annual Extended Stay Promotion
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As a tactic to increase length of stays and midweek business during our November-April campaign period, Sonoma County Tourism is asking our accommodations partners to participate in its annual extended stay promotion. Properties can construct its own terms and conditions, including blackout dates, restrictions, and deal structure. SCT will link over to your preferred booking site to drive direct, non-commission bookings.
Sonoma County Tourism has created a special landing page on sonomacounty.com to feature each participating property with a picture, brief copy, and link to your preferred booking site. To promote this, SCT will also leverage social media, public relations, and paid media (advertising) to drive traffic back to the landing page.
Click here for instructions on how to submit your promotion information.
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Sonoma County Tourism is holding a roadside cleanup of a 1.1-mile section of Arnold Drive in beautiful Glen Ellen on Friday, November 18 from 9am-11:30am, and we invite you to join us! We’ll be enjoying a morning of sunshine and exercise while we do our part to help keep Sonoma County pristine for visitors and residents.
Volunteers who join us on November 18 will be entered to win a $100 dining certificate to a local restaurant! Cleanup supplies will be provided by Sonoma County Tourism and Sonoma County Transportation and Public Works. Registration is required for participation. We hope to see you there!
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Introducing our New Communications Manager
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Sonoma County Tourism is delighted to introduce you to our new Communication Manager, Delayna Fitzgerald. With a background in nonprofit corporate communications and experience in the tourism industry, Delayna is perfectly positioned to take over SCT’s partner facing communications, including this very newsletter.
Note that future editions of our partner communications, including Tourism Industry News & Resources, Tourism Industry Performance & Insights, and Partner Alerts will now be sent from Delayna Fitzgerald. Please consider adding dfitzgerald@sonomacounty.com and dfitzgerald+sonomacounty.com@ccsend.com to your address book to ensure you continue to receive these communications without issue.
And please also join us in welcoming Delayna to Sonoma County! You can learn more about Delayna, and the entire Sonoma County Tourism staff, here. |
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Emergency Management Posters
The County of Sonoma Department of Emergency Management has provided SCT with new Alert & Warning Information posters. The 8.5x14in posters, printed in English on one side and Spanish on the other, list helpful resources and contact information in the event of a crisis.
The posters can be ordered at no cost through our partner portal, the Hospitality Hub, here. |
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November Drought Town Hall
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The County of Sonoma and Sonoma Water invite you to attend a Nov. 10 virtual town hall at 4pm updating the public on the ongoing drought emergency. Hosted by Sonoma County Supervisor David Rabbitt, the town hall will feature speakers Jeanine Jones, drought manager for the California Department of Water Resources, and Julie Kalansky, a climate scientist from the Scripps Institution of Oceanography and an expert on atmospheric rivers.
Attendees will receive updates on the impact of the drought on California and the state’s response; the ramifications of our ongoing transition to a warmer and drier climate; and the outlook for atmospheric rivers, along with the role they play in flooding, drought and our water supply.
The briefing will also be streamed live on the County of Sonoma’s Facebook page. Live translation in Spanish can be viewed on the County of Sonoma’s YouTube channel. |
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