#AllDreamsWelcome in California

It may have been the elephant in the room, but representatives from Visit California were unafraid to tackle recent worries about how U.S. travel will be affected by political uncertainty, head-on, at an event in Toronto last week.

A host of destination CEOs and partners were in attendance at the media breakfast which saw representatives provide updates on what’s new in the Golden State this year, as well as giving their take on the unrest swirling around the Trump administration and some of its controversial anti-travel policies.

Unsurprisingly, recent efforts by the current administration to cut funding for destination marketing agency Brand USA, in addition to its continued determination to impose a travel ban on nationals from six Muslim-majority countries, are a cause for concern, given the importance of tourism to the Californian economy.

“Tourism is the number two – and only off by about two per cent – of the income for my city,” Misti Kerns, president & CEO, Santa Monica Travel & Tourism, told PAX. “San Francisco, it’s number one. So, tourism in California is a big deal.

“The concern that we all have is – how we do educate?” she continued. “Rather than fight – how do we educate and get them to understand? We go to the capital every year – we were just there – having those conversations and making sure that Congress and Senate are aware how that trickles up.”

Part of the Californian tourism industry’s response to the recent anti-travel approach of the current administration is the #AllDreamsWelcome marketing theme, intended to illustrate that the state remains a warm, welcoming and multicultural destination in light of current uncertainty.

“It’s really diversity and inclusivity that is part of our DNA,” commented Patti MacJennett, senior vice president, business affairs, Los Angeles Tourism & Convention Board. “In Los Angeles alone, you’ve got 20 to 25 languages spoken, and if you look at the population, it’s about as diverse as you get.”

Patti MacJennett, senior vice president, business affairs, Los Angeles Tourism & Convention Board

Caroline Beteta, president & CEO, Visit California, said that she hoped the state’s marketing initiatives would reflect the openness and diversity of Californian society, as well as expressing confidence that the state would remain unharmed by the Trump administration’s approach. “We hope that the sincerity and welcoming message is able to break through,” she said, “but Californians have always been multicultural [and] inclusive. I think that there’s a connection [with Canadians] there in terms of that warmth factor.

“I do think that we’ll stay on track,” she remarked, “because California is just so unique, different, and very separate – five thousand miles away on the west coast from our policymakers in Washington.”

California still on track

Encouragingly, none of the destination representatives said that they had noticed a negative impact yet on tourism numbers to California as a result of political issues. In fact, the number one issue affecting travel to the state from Canada continues to be the weakness of the loonie.

Luckily, any prospective traveller to California will find strong value for money. “That’s the great news about California,” commented Beteta. “The product is so diversified – not only in terms of landscape, but the pricing and product offerings, where there’s accommodations at all levels.

"We have more national parks than any other states, we have over 300 state parks – the outdoor experiences are fantastic. This scale of value, depending on how you want to experience the state – [there’s] something for everyone in terms of that value proposition.”

Californian destinations such as San Luis Obispo County – described by Visit SLOCAL President & CEO Chuck Davison as the ‘California less travelled’ – allow tourists to experience the state’s scenery and rugged coastline without spending heavily, while Kerns highlighted Santa Monica as a value destination: not only does its pier offer free movies during the summer, but you can navigate the city easily by foot – its pedestrian routes and bike trails, she says, are the ‘heartbeat of the destination.’

Anaheim’s efficient transport network, meanwhile, means that there’s no need for travellers to rent a car or pay parking fees at their hotels, and there are a range of free concerts on offer in San Diego this summer including the 30th International Summer Organ Festival and the Del Mar Foundation Summer Twilight Concerts.

The importance of Canadian travel to California tourism, meanwhile, remains pronounced: around 1.6 million Canadians visit the state yearly, and Beteta says that it retains a strong focus on the market north of the border.

“We’ve been invested in the market a long time,” she commented. “We spend about $4 million a year on this market. We actually consider it a domestic market – and that’s a compliment.”