TOURISM INDUSTRY NEWS & RESOURCES
April 15, 2021
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.
Stella Award Nomination 
Sonoma County Tourism is excited to share news of its nomination for Northstar Meetings Group’s Stella Award for Best DMO (far west). Now more than ever, as the industry returns to the business of face-to-face events, planners will look for destinations, venues, and partners that they can trust to provide a best-in-class experience. The Stella Awards honor those hotels and suppliers that have provided exemplary service and demonstrated unwavering support through difficult circumstances.

We invite you to vote for Sonoma County Tourism today to help us let event professionals know we are among the best. As an added bonus, everyone who helps Sonoma County win the Stella Award by voting is also entered to win one of 15 Amazon gift cards from Northstar Meetings Group, which will be awarded to individuals after the voting period ends.

Thank you again for your support on the road to recovery by voting!
Updated Gathering Guidance
As of today, April 15, private events and meetings can occur indoors and outdoors with modifications. Sonoma County is in the orange tier and those allowances are as follows:

  • Private events or meetings such as receptions or conferences, with pre-purchased tickets or a defined guest list and assigned seating:

  • Outdoor:
  • Attendance must be limited to a maximum of 100.
  • If attendees show proof of negative test or full vaccination, then a maximum of 300 people.
  • Attendance limits include all staff and volunteers working at the event.
  • Indoors:
  • Attendance must be limited to a maximum of 150 people. All attendees must show proof of negative test or full vaccination.
 
The CDPH has released guidance outlining additional detail regarding what is allowed/restricted, and that newly released guidance is available for you to access here.
 
Based on the initial review, we find there to be many unanswered questions and unclarified activities. Some of those main questions include:

  • Who is responsible for test results/vaccination verification?
  • Who is responsible for mask requirement/removal of guests not adhering to requirements?
  • Are receptions/cocktail hours allowed?
  • Is dancing allowed?
  • If there is tenting, does that fall under outdoor or indoor restrictions?
  • What considerations are there as an employer within the event allowances?

Samantha Paull, our Group Business Development Manager, has created a helpful breakdown of the key points of the COVID-19 industry guidance, and insights learned with regards to the above listed questions, which you can access here
Spring/Summer 2021 Inspiration Guide
Sonoma County Tourism unveiled this week its new Spring/Summer 2021 Inspiration Guide. Created as a twice-annual digital guide (spring/summer and fall/winter), the Inspiration Guide replaces the printed Visitors Guide, allowing for a more interactive, timely, and environmentally-friendly resource for prospective visitors. 

The Inspiration Guide has been designed to help visitors learn more about the destination, and serve up season-specific content in an engaging and visually-immersive format. From unique experiences, to made in Sonoma County products, to interviews with Sonoma County’s makers and artisans, the Inspiration Guide helps bring elements of the visitor experience to life for its readers. 

You can check out the new guide here.
Outreach Program to Lessen Vaccine Hesitancy
Latino Service Providers, in cooperation with several community-based organizations, has established the Coordinated Outreach Collaborative (COC) to educate those within the community experiencing vaccine hesitancy.

The COC has developed a system to deploy Vaccine Hesitancy Teams consisting of healthcare providers to share medical information, outreach leads to facilitate the conversation, and trusted messengers to share their experience with vaccine hesitancy.

The purpose of the team is to educate and address any questions employees may have surrounding the vaccine so that they can make an informed decision regarding their health. 

If you are interested in having a Vaccine Hesitancy Team come to your site or provide a virtual informative session with your employees, please fill out the Vaccine Hesitancy Inquiry Form here.

Questions regarding this service can be directed to the Community Engagement Specialist at Latino Service Providers, Aaron Solorio, at asolorio@latinoserviceproviders.org
SCV/SCW Earth Day Sustainability Panel
Sonoma County Vintners and Sonoma County Winegrowers will be co-hosting a virtual panel discussion via Zoom on Wednesday, April 22 at 11 a.m. to celebrate our wine region’s dedication to sustainability.

Join Sonoma County’s sustainable leaders for an hour-long discussion to learn why sustainability is important, the ins and outs of what it takes to run a sustainable vineyard, and how Sonoma County is changing the global wine landscape. Sonoma County has a record-breaking 99 percent of its local vineyards certified sustainable, making it the most sustainable wine region in the world. The panel will be moderated by Wine Enthusiast’s Virginie Boone.

The webinar is free and open to all. Learn more and register here
Our Congratulations to Karissa Kruse 
Sonoma County Tourism extends its congratulations to Karissa Kruse, who was recently named Congressman Mike Thompson’s 2020 Woman of the Year in Sonoma County. Each year, Thompson honors women from the Fifth Congressional District who make exceptional contributions to our community. Representative Thompson released the following statement regarding Kruse:

“Karissa Kruse has helped to put our Sonoma wine community on the international stage. As President of the Sonoma County Winegrowers, she set and met ambitious sustainability goals and landed the county the distinction of Wine Region of 2019 by Wine Enthusiast. She’s also worked to ensure the community gives back, relaunching the Sonoma County Grape Growers Foundation that has provided more than $1 million in support to local farmworkers. I’m honored to call her a friend and recognize her as Sonoma County’s 2020 Woman of the Year.”
Sonoma County Tourism has a Coronavirus Partner Toolkit regularly updated here.

The Sonoma County Economic Development Board has compiled a comprehensive list of local, state, and government resources (including financing options) for businesses at their SoCo Launch website here.
Get tested and help Sonoma County eliminate the coronavirus. Broad COVID-19 viral testing is now available. Learn more here.

The County of Sonoma’s SoCo Emergency webpage offers COVID-19 resources, support, and information.