2010–11 - the California Tourism Industry Website

J ULY 1 , 2010 –J UNE 30, 2011 

EAR IN REVIEW 

WHY TRAVEL MATTERS 

Page 4 

ADVERTISING SHOWCASES 

THE CALIFORNIA ATTITUDE 

Page 14 

CONSUMER CONNECTIONS 

Page 24 

CALIFORNIA CLASSICS 

Page 28 

LAUNCHING BRAND 

DOWN UNDER 

Page 36

PRINCIPLES + STRATEGIES 

BY THE NUMBERS: 

$95.1BILLION IN TOTAL DIRECT TRAVEL SPENDING 

MARKETING MISSION: To develop 

and maintain marketing programs— 

in partnership with the state’s travel 

industry—that keep California top-ofmind 

as a premier travel destination. 

MARKETING OBJECTIVE: To maintain 

and increase non-resident leisure travel 

to and spending in California. 

Less than 10% of Visit 

California’s budget is 

spent on operating costs— 

allowing us to get the 

most out of every dollar. 

Funding Contributions 

by Industry Segment 

2% 

1% 

3% 

13% 

81% 

RENTAL CAR AGENCIES 

ACCOMMODATIONS 

RESTAURANTS & RETAIL 

ATTRACTIONS & RECREATION 

TRANSPORTATION 

& TRAVEL SERVICES 

Source: California Division of Tourism, 2010 

$900,000—State of California General Fund 

2 Insights YEAR IN REVIEW | 2010–2011 

873,000JOBS 

$29.9BILLION IN EARNINGS 

GUIDING 

PRINCIPLES 

• Do what the industry 

cannot do for itself. 

• Leverage existing 

assets and alliances; 

focus on international 

and emerging market 

development. 

• Evaluate program 

measures and return 

on investment (ROI) 

for major programs. 

• Focus on out-of-state 

and international 

audiences to build 

and refine the 

California brand. 

• Support assessed 

businesses. 

• Accelerate Web 

leadership. 

• Align with CVBs, 

DMOs and U.S. 

Travel leadership. 

$6.1BILLION IN TAX REVENUE 

OBJECTIVE 1: 

PLATFORM 

Take advantage of Visit 

California’s position at the 

state level to promote all 

of California and create 

a platform that supports 

DMO and industry 

marketing investments. 

Strategies 

• Advertising & Brand 

• Cooperative Marketing 

• Research 

OBJECTIVE 2: 

BRAND 

Expand the California 

travel brand, increasing its 

connection to consumers 

worldwide and inspiring 

the desire to travel to 

California. 

Strategies 

• Media 

• Partnerships 

• Earned Media 

OBJECTIVE 3: 

ENGAGEMENT 

Deepen the relationship 

with consumers in order to 

engage California travelers 

during every stage of the 

travel cycle. 

Strategies 

• Content 

• Distribution 

• Social Media 

OBJECTIVE 4: 

INTERNATIONAL 

Welcome inbound visitors 

from international 

markets, creating an 

awareness of California 

travel products and the 

inspiration to experience 

them. 

Strategies 

• National Marketing 

• Advertising 

• PR/Travel Trade 

• Consumer 

Visit California 

is a not-for-profit 

corporation that 

operates jointly 

with the State 

of California’s 

Divison of Tourism.

The Sunshine State, The Golden 

Dream by the Sea, The Land of 

Milk and Honey, or simply Home. 

California is called many things, 

but all its names invoke the same 

unique spirit—endless possibilities, 

a destination paradise, a lifetime goal. 

We’re beach bums and entrepreneurs, 

mountain climbers and wine makers. 

We’re famous, indulgent, carefree, and 

most importantly—sought after. 

It is this reputation, this unstoppable 

brand power and eccentricity, that has 

caused California Travel and Tourism 

Commission to stop and take a look at 

all of our possibilities. For the past year, 

alongside key industry leadership, we 

have embarked on a journey to rethink 

and renew our business strategy, while 

energizing our brand and marketing 

efforts. After many focus groups and 

much in-depth research, brainstorming 

sessions and a long, hard look at 

nation-wide industry alignment, we are 

proud to announce our new corporate 

identity—Visit California. 

Visit California not only effectively 

communicates the mission of the 

organization, but also has industry 

Economic Analysis 

The global economy showed general improvement in fiscal year 

2010–2011, with GDP growth through the first three quarters 

of the year in the U.S. and California’s largest international 

visitor source markets. U.S. employment figures inched upward 

through May as well, and consumer confidence rose at least 

through February before faltering toward the end of the year. 

As reported by Dr. Suzanne Cook of the U.S. Travel Association 

in the June 2011 Travel Outlook report, several factors have 

impeded a full recovery, causing the economy, and thus the 

travel industry, to seemingly idle in a post-recessionary plateau. 

Despite declining unemployment figures, an increase in 

personal income and relatively stable consumer prices indicated 

at the beginning of the fiscal year, consumers remain very 

cost-conscious given the continued economic uncertainty 

indicated in part by late third and fourth quarter rising oil 

prices, inflationary pressures and soaring travel costs. The term 

momentum, synergy and a clear and 

positive call to action. Over the next few 

months we will begin to migrate our 

corporate communications efforts to 

Visit California and the accompanying 

new logo and business plan. 

Please welcome me in embracing 

and supporting Visit California 

as California’s official marketing 

organization, developing and 

maintaining programs that keep 

California top-of-mind as a premier 

travel destination. As part of this 

effort, we have evolved the consumer 

mark to more closely resemble the 

new corporate identity. The spirit and 

positioning of the consumer brand will 

remain unchanged, however, with all 

of our advertising and marketing efforts 

continuing to support the “California, 

Find Yourself Here” platform. 

Joining Visit California, as always, 

are our incredible industry partners— 

without whom we could never succeed. 

Statewide, our destinations, attractions 

and key stakeholders have worked 

together to bottle California and 

market it to the masses. By working 

together, this industry has become 

PRESIDENT + CEO’S MESSAGE 

80 

60 

40 

20 

0 

J 

much more than the sum of its parts— 

and this is what will continue to propel 

California beyond other destinations. 

The success of every event and program 

featured on the pages of this book 

has been dependent on industry 

commitment and cooperation. 

We look forward to new heights and new 

successes as we all—Visit California. 

J A S O N D J F M A M J 

priority, $4.00 they are now more attuned to what things cost and 

$3.50 

$3.00 

$2.50 

U.S. Consumer Confidence: June 2010–June 2011 

Source: The Conference Board 

Caroline Beteta 

President & CEO 


Vice Chair 

Corporation for Travel Promotion 

and resulting operating environment, the new normal, has 

become a long-term reality that has implications on Visit 

California’s strategic messaging. Though consumers have 

$4.50 

indicated their willingness to maintain travel as a household 

their decisions regarding travel are extremely value-oriented. 

TOURISM.VISITCALIFORNIA.COM 3

PUBLIC AFFAIRS 

WHY TRAVEL 

MATTERS 

National Leadership 

The new Corporation for Travel Promotion (CTP), created 

by the Travel Promotion Act of 2010, gained unprecedented 

attention this year. An 11-member board was appointed 

by U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gary Locke in September, 

including Visit California CEO Caroline Beteta. Following 

her appointment, Beteta was elected by her peers as CTP 

Vice Chair, in which capacity she was interviewed by NPR 

regarding the importance of promoting all aspects of the 

U.S. (the interview reached 14 million listeners). Beteta 

also served as CTP spokesperson at the 2011 International 

Pow Wow. 

As immediate past National Chair of the U.S. Travel 

Association, Beteta continues as a member of the official 

U.S. Travel board, serving on U.S. Travel’s CEO Council 

and International Council and acting as chair of the India 

Working Group. At the CEO Council Roundtable, held at 

the White House in the fall, Beteta met with the previous 

head of President Obama’s National Economic Council, 

Lawrence Summers, and Department of Homeland Security 

(DHS) Secretary Janet Napolitano. 

4 Insights YEAR IN REVIEW | 2010–2011

Legislative Connections 

Once again, Visit California partnered 

with the travel industry on the annual 

Partners in Hospitality & Tourism 

Legislative Reception. From the California 

Tourism Outlook Forum at the Sacramento 

Convention Center, special guest Shamu 

led a 300-strong procession to the Capitol 

Lawn for a reception to promote Why Travel 

Matters. The event was attended by nearly 

600 tourism stakeholders, legislative members 

and California Governor Jerry Brown. 

In addition, CEO Caroline Beteta and 

Visit California Vice Chair Mike Gallagher 

attended the U.S. Travel Association’s 

“Power of Travel” event in Washington, D.C. 

Governor Jerry Brown was a special guest at 

the Partners in Hospitality & Tourism Legislative 

Reception on the Capitol Lawn. 


PUBLIC AFFAIRS 

On The 

STATE SIDE 

Visit California is in regular 

communication with key 

government agencies, including 

the office of Governor Jerry Brown. 

To ensure a smooth transition, 

Visit California released an updated 

White Paper on California Tourism. 

In addition, during the previous 

administration, Visit California Vice 

President Karin Fish accompanied 

former Lieutenant Governor Abel 

Maldonado to Louisiana to visit a 

site strongly affected by the Gulf 

oil spill. Fish met with the area’s 

tourism representatives to discuss 

crisis management and disaster 

recovery. Visit California also held 

the second annual Snow Summit 

this year, bringing together winter 

sports and Caltrans leadership to 

ensure that winter destinations 

remained safe and accessible. 


To coincide with National Travel and Tourism 

Week 2011, Visit California created the Keeping 

California Out of the Red public affairs campaign. 

The campaign was created to champion travel as a 

revenue generator and job creator, and to showcase 

the ways in which the industry is taking a lead in the 

state’s economic recovery. To promote the campaign, 

CEO Caroline Beteta made appearances on TV and 

Visit California is in regular 

communication with key 

government agencies 

that affect travel industry 

businesses. 

$100 Billion In Spending and Nearly a Million Jobs… 

radio, including “Sacramento and Co.” and Capital 

Public Radio’s “Insight,” and participated in 

numerous speaking engagements around the state. 

In addition, as part of Visit California’s 

special promotions with Travelocity, the 

Roaming Gnome spent the week “visiting” 

different California destinations and sharing 

his adventures on Facebook and Twitter.

AMGEN 

TOUR OF CALIFORNIA 

In May 2011, the Amgen Tour of 

California drew millions of spectators 

to destinations and attractions 

around the state. Notably, the tour 

made its first-ever visit to North 

and South Lake Tahoe, Auburn, 

Livermore, Claremont and Mount 

Baldy. During the 2011 festivities, 

Visit California also reintroduced 

the mobile California Welcome 

Center, redesigned to emphasize 

rural California landmarks. 

As an Amgen founding partner, 

Visit California received 

acknowledgement throughout 

the event, including TV spot 

exposure at the Lifestyle Festival, 

online coverage, announcements 

during the race and more—resulting 

in 200 million impressions. 


INDUSTRY RELATIONS 

EDUCATIONAL 

EVENTS 

On behalf of the travel industry, Visit California 

coordinates a variety of events and activities aimed 

at reaching industry stakeholders, elected officials 

and the assessed business community. 

Visit California held the 2010 California 

Sustainable Tourism Summit in October, 

featuring Jim Moriarty of the Surfrider 

Foundation (and Visit California print 

advertising) as keynote speaker, along with 

panels and presentations on transportation, 

research, agritourism, sustainable 

destinations, maximizing marketing 

budgets and more. The event was attended 

by over 200 industry participants. 

In April 2011, members of the California 

travel and tourism industry came together 

for the California Tourism Outlook Forum 

in Sacramento. The event drew more than 

300 attendees from across the state and 

offered key insights regarding tourism 

marketing on the national level, including 

Visit California’s strategic global marketing 

approach, U.S. competition, consumer 

trends, public policy initiatives and 

the importance of international and 

mobile marketing. The event provided 

ample opportunity for networking with 

Visit California staff and international 

representatives. New activities at the 2011 

forum included the Destination Marketplace. 

Outlook Forum highlights included the 

annual Policymakers Forum, which provided 

an opportunity for tourism industry CEOs to 

share critical issues and advice, and an address 

by nationally recognized Sacramento Mayor 

(and former NBA All-Star) Kevin Johnson. 

The Outlook Forum and California’s tourism 

industry organizations also drew nearly 

600 attendees to the Partners in Hospitality 

& Tourism Reception on the Capitol lawn. 


Nearly 1,000 industry stakeholders attended 

Visit California’s educational and networking 

events throughout 2010–2011. 


INDUSTRY RELATIONS 

Supporting Rural Destinations 

As part of Visit California’s revised Five-Year Strategic Marketing Plan for 

2011–2016, the Rural Tourism Strategic Plan was rolled into the overall Brand 

Enrichment Plan. This product and content integration piece will continue 

to reinforce the value of California’s beyond-the-gateway regions, with the 

objective of further positioning California’s unique rural experiences as key 

components of Visit California’s “abundance” messaging. 

Visit California also worked with the Rural Tourism Task Force to implement 

best practices for the 2011–2012 Rural Regional Cooperative 

funding program. In 2010–11, seven regional rural organizations 

received matching funds, with additional funds distributed to allow 

for a strong rural California presence at International Pow Wow. 

In addition, Visit California partnered with the Shop America 

Alliance, the U.S. Cultural & Heritage Tourism Marketing Council 

and the Cultural & Heritage Tourism Alliance in January 2011 

to host the first ONE Travel Conference in Pasadena. 

Industry Outreach 

Throughout the fiscal year, Visit California staff spoke at over 40 events 

to nearly 5,000 tourism industry stakeholders in California and across the 

country. In addition, three Industry Relations Representatives joined the 

Visit California team to educate California’s assessed businesses about 

cooperative programs, publications, domestic and international trade show 

opportunities, conferences and other marketing and partnership programs. 


TOURISM 

DEVELOPMENT 

The Rural Tourism Strategic 

Plan was integrated into 

the overall 2011–2016 Brand 

Enrichment Plan.

california 

WinE month 

sEptEmbEr 2011 

discovercaliforniawines.com 


GLOBAL 

Three Days 

Isn’t Enough 

To leverage the enormous publicity 

surrounding the official visit of the Duke 

and Duchess of Cambridge to California in 

July 2011, Visit California created a global 

media campaign that was announced at 

International Pow Wow in May. 

Domestically, the campaign was anchored 

by a new 30-second TV spot featuring 

California’s abundance and beyond-thegateways 

product. Visit California also 

rolled out an aggressive public relations 

campaign to capitalize on the earned media 

opportunities and insert the travel story into 

the coverage, including statewide “California 

Royal-Tea” events in 20 locations. 

Visit California worked with the industry 

to create royal-themed packages 

and offers, inviting all California visitors 

to experience a “Royal Summer” in 

California. The program also included 

cross-platform campaigns in the U.K. 

and Australia, and targeted PR outreach 

in key international markets. 

Consumer sweepstakes offered entrants the 

chance to win a seven-day Royal California 

Holiday courtesy of Mauiva AirCruise— 

a huge new player in the travel industry. 

A domestic version of the sweepstakes was 

hosted by Yahoo! Shine. 


THE ROYAL 

SUMMER 

Left: Welcoming Will and Kate 

with a “California Royal-Tea.” 

Below: Filming scenes for 

“The Royal Summer” TV spot. 

Photo courtesy of British Consulate-General


CELEBRITIES 

ADVERTISING SHOWCASES THE CALIFORNIA ATTITUDE 

Betty White 

Hollywood icon 

Kim Kardashian 

“Keeping up with the 

Kardashians” 

Shannon Bahrke 

Olympic skier/medalist 

The Jonas Brothers 

Recording artists/actors 

Michael Chiarello 

Celebrity chef/ 

Emmy-winning 

Food Network host 

Gustavo Dudamel 

Los Angeles Philharmonic 

music director 

Jason Mraz 

Grammy award-winning 

musician 

Randy Lewis 

Race car driver/ 

winemaker 

Giada De Laurentiis 

Emmy-winning 

Food Network host 

Julia Mancuso 

Olympic skier/medalist 

Errol Kerr 

Olympic skier 

BRAND + INTERACTIVE 

NEW TV & 

PRINT TALENT 

Glen Plake 

Pioneer of extreme 

skiing 

Roy Choi 

Pioneer of California’s 

street food movement 

Jack O’Neill 

Inventor of the wetsuit 

Dr. Frank Almeda 

Creator, California 

Academy of Sciences 

Living Roof 


The new, tongue-in-cheek 

“Misconceptions” spot featured 

celebrities like Kim Kardashian, 

Betty White, the Jonas Brothers 

and Jason Mraz—all who embody 

the California attitude.

approval by date 

art director 

copywriter 

creative director 

A A warm warm hello hello from from the the mammoth mammoth peaks peaks and and world-class world-class powder powder of of California’s California’s mountains mountains where where adventurous 

adventurous 

spirits spirits like like Glen Glen Plake, Plake, pioneer pioneer of of extreme extreme skiing, skiing, are are always always taking taking their their “go “go big” big” attitude attitude and and going going even even bigger. bigger. 

Join Join Glen Glen on on the the sunshine-soaked sunshine-soaked slopes slopes of of the the Sierras Sierras and and fi fi nd nd out out why why there’s there’s no no snow snow like like California California snow. snow. 

Elevate your sense of adventure at visitcalifornia.com/snow 

A new commercial—“Misconceptions”— 

premiered on national TV as the 

foundation of Visit California’s brand 

advertising program for 2010–11. The 

spot featured a range of celebrity talent 

and played on California stereotypes 

with a fun, tongue-in-cheek approach. 

“Misconceptions” initially ran September 

through November with an additional 

burst February through April, and 

the TV launch was complemented by 

an interactive online component with 

behind-the-scenes videos and additional 

destination content. An integrated media 

relations campaign resulted in high-profile 

coverage worth $1.1 million in ad value 

(10.1 million impressions), including a 

segment on “Entertainment Tonight.” 

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PRINTS 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 

In addition to this all-new TV spot, Visit 

California shot scenes to refresh the snow 

commercial, “Friends in High Places,” and 

the wine and food spot, “The Good Life.” In 

conjunction with the new scenes, a 15-second 

version of “The Good Life” was produced to 

increase efficiency and extend messaging. 

Print ads reached a total circulation of over 

8.7 million, with the evolution of the “True 

Californians” print advertising campaign 

to better convey the brand in a way that is 

uniquely Californian. The program continues 

to feature pioneers, innovators and icons 

who reflect the California attitude and spirit. 

JULIA MANCUSO 

“Friends in High Places” 

BETTY WHITE 

“Misconceptions” 

Millions in Added Value 

When purchasing media (TV and 

magazine time/space), Visit California 

works to leverage its budget for 

added value opportunities, ranging 

from “brought to you by” messages 

to custom vignettes, bonus magazine 

space and online extensions. In 

2010–11, Visit California received over 

$6.7 million in added value—equal 

to a 43% increase in the advertising 

budget. Examples include an entire 

Golf Now Travel episode featuring 

Los Angeles, Orange County and 

Palm Springs; a USA Character 

Fantasy set at SeaWorld; a 30-second 

vignette during The Daily Show; 

and outdoor activity-focused 

segments on Fuel Network and 

Spike TV. Visit California also 

received magazine added value 

worth 122% of its print advertising 

budget in the form of bonus 1/3-page 

ad space and online exposure. 

GIADA DE LAURENTIIS 

“The Good Life” 


BRAND + INTERACTIVE 

BRINGING THE BRAND 

TO LIFE 

In an effort to secure DVR-proof TV content, 

Visit California embarked on an exclusive content 

partnership with The Ellen DeGeneres Show in 2011. 

In addition to traditional spot placement within the 

show, the California travel message was integrated 

into the show’s content. 

Ellen and her crew showcased California destinations 

as a vehicle for uplifting a family in need and a way to 

generate emotional fuel for the general well-being of 

her viewers. The on-air interactions were entertaining 

and inspiring—and provided spectacular coverage 

of the California travel product. 

The promotion included national TV, local TV, local 

radio, online media and social and promotional 

components—resulting in 28.5 minutes of air time, 

over 68.9 million gross impressions and a value 

of $2.8 million. 


Live Like a Californian 

To complement TV and print 

advertising, Visit California created 

the Live Like a Californian sweepstakes 

as the primary online program for spring 

2011. The eight-week national promotion 

gave consumers the opportunity to 

engage with the California brand in 

digital space. Each week’s prize was 

dedicated to a theme associated with one 

of the California innovators, pioneers 

and icons featured in the TV and print 

Interactive Advertising 

advertising. Many prizes included 

the celebrity’s participation, from 

a meet-and-greet with Betty White 

on the set of her hit show, Hot in 

Cleveland, to a day of skiing with 

Glen Plake. 

The campaign also featured banner 

ads on visitcalifornia.com and in the 

consumer e-newsletter (generating 

a total of nearly 400 million gross 

impressions), along with custom 

integration with the Visit California 

Facebook and Twitter pages. Results 

included over 450,000 visits to the 

campaign landing page and over 

130,000 unique sweepstakes entrants 

(with 21% of entrants opting-in to 

receive future communication). The 

number of fans on the Visit California 

Facebook page also effectively doubled. 

In 2010–11, Visit California 

focused on creating exposure within 

online travel agency (OTA) sites, 

primarily through a campaign with 

Travelocity concentrated in the fall. 

California display ads geo-targeted 

to Visit California’s long-haul 

markets generated 67 million 

impressions (a 28% bonus 

over purchased impressions), 

with a click-through rate of 0.05%. The program also led to a 

12.5% increase in intent to travel (Vizu), and the year-long paid search 

campaign generated more than 87 million impressions and nearly 

278,000 clicks, with a cost-per-click of $1.15 (in line with past efforts). 


PUBLICATIONS + WEB 

CONTENT IS KEY 

TO PROMOTING CALIFORNIA 

Content is key to promoting California as a premier 

leisure travel destination. Visit California uses its owned 

resources to showcase in-depth content about the Golden 

State’s destinations and attractions, including its suite of 

publications and Web assets. The visitcalifornia.com site 

(which is continually updated) remains a central portal for 

engaging content. In 2010–11, the Lifestyle section of the 

Web site was revamped to include more editorial, images 


and video. In January, Visit California introduced a monthly 

e-newsletter designed to deepen engagement for consumers. 

The content provides ideas for California travel, links to Visit 

California travel tools and communication about California 

events and programs—all with links to visitcalifornia.com. 

Over 258,000 consumers receive the newsletter, which has an 

open rate of 14% and a unique click rate of 9.5%, in line 

with the industry average. 

California Visitor’s Guide 

CALIFORNIA 2011 OFFICIAL STATE VISITOR’S GUIDE AND TRAVEL PLANNER 

LOCALLY GROWN 

CALIFORNIA GROWN 

Wine editor Sara 

Schneider relaxes 

in the gardens at 

Sunset Magazine. 

INSIDE Free maps 36 road trips Insiders’ tips Wine & food 

California 

YOUR ULTIMATE VACATION GUIDE 2011 

SNEAK PEEK 

Behind-the-scenes 

at theme parks Jump 

RELAX 

EASY TRAVEL 

PLANNER 

PLUS 

• Perfect S.F./L.A. 

• Pet-friendly getaways 

• Lake Tahoe 

• Yosemite 

Heirloom tomatoes, just-picked strawberries, 

velvety Pinot Noir. Follow a food and wine expert to 

her favorite culinary corners of the Golden State 

LOCAVORE. Technically, it identifies 

“a person who seeks out locally produced 

food.” In some parts of the world, that 

can lead to some pretty lean times: Being 

a locavore in England can mean terrific 

tomatoes in summer, but not a whole lot 

come December. 

But in California, where conditions 

for growing flavorful produce and making 

artisan foods exist year-round, being a 

locavore is a breeze. According to Sara 

Schneider, the wine editor for Californiabased 

Sunset Magazine, “It just seems to 

happen naturally here. You don’t have to 

search out sources for local foods, local 

wines—they’re everywhere.” Here are some 

of Sara’s favorite locavore haunts. 

SAN DIEGO COUNTY & 

INLAND EMPIRE REGIONS 

Lush gardens like this one in 

Mendocino yield fresh, organic 

ingredients for local chefs. 

visitcalifornia.com 

San Diego & Riverside Counties 

An abundance of sunshine and a mild 

Mediterranean climate give the San Diego 

area a natural advantage for growing a wide 

array of crops, including avocados and 

macadamia nuts (outside Hawaii, the region 

is the biggest grower in the country). Walk 

the docks in San Diego to watch American 

Tuna fishermen unloading their pole-caught 

cargoes of albacore from the only sustainable 

tuna fishery in the world. In Carlsbad, a 

local aquafarm raises over a million pounds 

per year of indigenous shellfish including 

oysters, mussels, and abalone. And to wash 

in! 

AMAZING 

BIG SUR p. 22 

30 visitcalifornia.com 31 

Visit California’s flagship consumer publication, the California Official 

State Visitor’s Guide and Travel Planner, features inspiring articles, 

exclusive photography, statewide coverage of both urban and rural 

destinations and detailed listings on lodging and attractions. The 

guide also serves as the main vehicle of distribution for the full-color 

California Official State Map. This year’s 266-page guide focuses on 

great ideas, quick information, and fun travel options for specific types 

of travelers (families, young couples, empty nesters), with Web drivers 

and social media teasers throughout that encourage readers to find 

more ideas and inspiration through additional Visit California channels. 

The guide is distributed to 500,000 consumers each year through 

direct fulfillment and on newsstands, as well through trade shows, 

local and regional CVBs and California Welcome Centers (CWCs). 

NIRAV PATEL; TOM STORY 

CLOCKWISE: ALEXA MILLER; HELENA HONG; COURTESY OF EARTHBOUND FARM 

it all down? Maybe an aromatic Roussanne 

from South Coast Winery, or one of the 

many other award-winning wineries in the 

Temecula Valley, just an hour’s drive north 

of San Diego in the Inland Empire region. 

SARA’S PICK: The Chino Family Farm in 

Rancho Santa Fe has been a leader in the 

eat-what’s-local-and-seasonal movement for 

decades. Its vegetable shop is just a rustic 

farmstand, but the counter is stacked with 

perfect cabbages, baby carrots, and “oddlooking 

tomatoes in every color and variety.” 

CENTRAL COAST REGION 

Monterey County 

During the summer, you won’t find one 

farmers’ market in or near the Salinas 

CLOCKWISE Cherry season in 

Santa Barbara; wine tasting in 

Mendocino; pint-size gardener at 

Carmel Valley’s Earthbound Farm. 

Valley—you’ll find nearly 20. In this region, 

nicknamed the “Salad Bowl of the World” 

because of its mild climate and rich soils, you 

can buy local (and ultra-flavorful) free-range 

eggs almost as colorful as Easter eggs—some 

shells speckled, others green or even blue 

(not to mention brown and white). Look for 

the “Artichoke Capital of the World” signs 

as you cruise through Castroville. Pezzini 

Farms, which has been growing Green Globe 

artichokes for over 50 years, sells a savory 

marinara sauce made with baby arti chokes 

at its farmstand off Highway 1. Ask for the 

marinara pasta recipe; it’s perfect with the 

Grenache wine from the sustainable 

vineyards of Ventana Estate in Monterey. 

SARA’S PICK: “Earthbound Farm in Carmel 

Valley isn’t just the nation’s largest grower 

of organic produce, it’s also one of the 

most unique. There’s a kids’ garden and 

summer bug walks, a certified organic 

kitchen, and—my favorite—a cut-yourown 

herb garden.” 

CENTRAL COAST REGION 

San Luis Obispo County 

Stroll along Harford Pier, near the little 

town of Avila Beach. While sea lions bark 

nearby, peruse the fish markets for sweet 

Dungeness crab, wild salmon, and littleneck 

clams. From Avila, take the winding 

country road through See Canyon lined 

with vineyards and apple orchards (the 

main season is September to November). 

visitcalifornia.com

California Road Trips 

California Road Trips reflects the active 

California lifestyle while delivering trip ideas 

that appeal to many travelers (including ideas 

for two- to three-day adventures). The 2011 

Road Trips features a new theme: food and 

wine getaways. Trips highlight rural and 

urban experiences, showcasing worthy food 

and wine stops along with a range of other 

activities for every type of traveler. Each 

itinerary contains a special callout with 

a unique URL linking to new food and 

wine content on visitcalifornia.com. Visit 

California produces 1 million Road Trips, 

with 600,000 guides distributed in the 

June 2011 issue of Sunset magazine and 

the remainder dispensed through direct 

fulfillment, events and trade shows. 

Reader Panel Research 

In 2010, Sunset Publishing conducted a reader panel 

research study of the California Visitor’s Guide with 

readers of Sunset and Cooking Light magazines in 

Visit California’s target markets. The Visitor’s Guide 

was found to be a source of inspiration among panelists. 

• 90% said they would use the guide to help them 

plan a trip to California. 

• 89% indicated the guide made them want to travel 

to parts of California they’d never visited before. 

• 85% said the guide increased their desire 

to travel to California. 



101 

ROAD TRIPS 201 1 • NORTH COAST 

Arcata 

Eureka 

10 

HUMBOLDT 

REDWOODS 

SP 

Fort Bragg 

1 

299 

AVENUE OF 

THE GIANTS 

101 

20 

Mendocino 

Little River 

Ukiah 

Boonville 

8 

9 

P a c i f i c O c e 

C o a s t R a n g e s 

1 

128 

1 

a n 

7 

22 

MONTGOMERY 

WOODS SNR 

253 

6 

20 

R u s s i a n R i v e r 

Healdsburg 

116 

Nice 

Santa Rosa 

POINT REYES 

NATIONAL 

SEASHORE 

5 

4 

Clear 

Lake 

29 

N 

0 20 mi 

128 

Petaluma 


1 

3 

29 

12 

53 

128 

116 

12 

29 

101 

20 

2 

1 

Sonoma 

80 

580 

PETALUMA Take a self-guided 

walking tour of Victorian-lined 

streets. Enjoy farmstead cheese and 

fresh-churned ice cream at Petaluma 

Creamery. INFO 707/769-0429 

SPECIAL ADVERTISING FEATURE 

Redwoods & Ultra-Fresh Food 

Wind from towering redwoods to ocean overlooks, sampling a bounty of locally sourced foods 

and organic treats. 

Cyrus 

B O N U S I N S E R T F ROM A P U B LI S H I N G 

FOOD & WINE GETAWAYS 

SONOMA (15mi/23km; 23min). 

Feast on bistro food at Café La 

Haye, right off the town square (try 

the butterscotch pudding). At The 

Olive Press, stock up on artisan olive 

oils, plus sauces and vinegars. 

INFO 707/996-1090 

2 

SANTA ROSA (15mi/35km; 

23min). Take a jeep tour at Safari 

West to see wildlife up close. Head 

into town for sumptuous small plates 

and carefully selected wines at Willi’s 

Wine Bar. INFO 707/577-8674 

3 

HEALDSBURG (15mi/25km; 19min). 

Rent a canoe from River’s Edge to 

paddle the Russian River. Shop at chic 

boutiques. Sip a cappuccino at Flying 

Goat Coffee. Dine at Michelin-starred 

Cyrus. INFO 707/433-6935 

ROAD TRIPS 2011 

4 

5 

6 

at Montgomery Woods State Natural 

Reserve. Kick back with an organic 

pilsner at Ukiah Brewing Company. 

INFO 707/462-7417 

7 

BOONVILLE (22mi/35km; 35min). 

Have a casual lunch and shop at 

Boonville General Store or Mosswood 

Market in this remote hamlet, known 

for its unique dialect (Boontling). 

INFO 707/462-7417 

LITTLE RIVER/MENDOCINO 

(39mi/64km; 57min). Have a 

vegetarian breakfast at Ravens’ (also 

serving A+ dinners). Head north 1 mile 

to enjoy Mendocino’s art galleries and 

walk seaside bluffs. INFO 707/462-7417 

8 

9 

FORT BRAGG (10mi/16km; 

15min). Dine at trend-forward 

Mendo Bistro and North Coast 

Brewing Company. Stroll lovely 

Glass Beach to admire polished glass 

pebbles. INFO 707/462-7417 

NICE (61mi/99km; 1hr 17min). 

Boat, fish, or swim in Clear Lake, 

California’s largest natural freshwater 

lake. Book a visit at lakeside Ceago 

Vinegarden for elegant wine tasting. 

INFO 707/274-5652 

EUREKA (134mi/215km; 2hrs 

50min). Wind along Avenue of 

UKIAH (32mi/51km; 36min). the Giants into Humboldt Redwoods 

Hike through coastal redwoods State Park. Eat locally sourced cuisine 

at Restaurant 301. INFO 707/443-5097 

SPECIAL ADVERTISING FEATURE 

San Diego’s 

Gaslamp Quarter 

10 

Mark your calendar 

NOV 4-13 | MENDOCINO COUNTY 

WINE & MUSHROOM FEST 

Sample local porcinis, chanterelles, 

morels, and more. Take cooking 

classes, and forage for fungi with an 

expert. INFO 707/462-7417 

Local resources 

CALIFORNIA WELCOME CENTERS SM 

SANTA ROSA 

9 Fourth St. 

707/577-8674 

ARCATA 

1635 Heindon Rd. 

707/822-3619 

For more food and wine discoveries, go to visitcalifornia.com/RT11/north-coast 

Humboldt 

Redwoods 

State Park 

AMUSEMENT PARK ARTS & CULTURE BEACH FAMILY NIGHTLIFE OUTDOORS SHOPPING WELCOME CENTER SM WINE & DINE 

TAI POWER SEEF; ANDY KATZ 

SOCIAL MEDIA: 

In the social media 

sphere, Visit California 

continued to concentrate 

primarily on Facebook 

and Twitter, integrating 

messaging with 

campaigns such as the 

“Misconceptions” launch, 

Ellen integration and 

Live Like a Californian 

sweepstakes. In 2010–11 

alone, such promotions 

resulted in the gain of 

nearly 13,000 “fans” on 

Facebook. In addition to 

this impressive boost, 

social media efforts led 

to increased engagement 

rates among fans, with 

a 159% increase in 

post views and a 60% 

increase in post feedback, 

including “liking” or 

commenting on a post. 

WEB SITE VISITOR STATISTICS 

(July 1, 2010–June 30, 2011) Source: Google Analytics 

VISITS UNIQUE VISITORS PAGE VIEWS AVG. TIME ON SITE 

VISITCALIFORNIA.COM 3,395,983 2,843,702 17,628,471 4:06 

VISITCALIFORNIA.CO.UK 621,827 502,354 3,065,681 3:29 

VISITCALIFORNIA.JP 295,274 212,523 1,047,787 2:56 

VISITCALIFORNIA.CO.KR 57,398 42,280 238,378 3:50 

VISITCALIFORNIA.DE 134,908 113,483 631,631 3:23 

VISITCALIFORNIA.COM.MX 7,592 6,389 39,514 4:46 

VISITCALIFORNIA.COM/AU 48,921 37,197 336,072 5:52 

VISITCALIFORNIA.FR*** 71,647 59,698 214,461 2:30 

CHINA.VISITCALIFORNIA.COM 131,221 124,169 347,609 0:35 

VISITCALIFORNIA.IN 2,093 1,736 7,757 4:18 

* Average time on site for organic search is approx 4:30; campaigns heavily influenced this metric 

** Site launched in Indea, September 2010 



Time Inc. and Sunset 

connect consumers to California 

Consumers want information about California: 

photos, tips, and local favorites. Sunset connects 

Visit California with the consumer. And as part of 

Time Inc., Sunset has access to leading-edge 

resources in digital publishing. Working as a 

partner with Visit California, we commit to 

providing an innovative roadmap that develops 

engaging relationships with fans of California. 

Sunset is pleased to partner with 

Visit California on these projects: 

• California Visitor’s Guide 

• California Road Trips 

• International Visitor’s Guides 

• visitcalifornia.com website 

• Visit California email 

ContaCt 

Cathy Smith, Account Director 

smithc@sunset.com, 650/324-5629 

Melinda Sheehan, Advertising Director 

sheehanm@sunset.com, 650/324-5631

CALIFORNIA WELCOME CENTERS 

CALIFORNIA WELCOME CENTERS 

SPREADING THE 

WELCOME 

Two new California Welcome Centers (CWCs) opened in 

Salinas (Central Coast) and Buena Park (Orange County) in 

the summer of 2011, bringing the CWC family to a total of 20 

centers and strengthening the centers’ collective mission to be 

Visit California’s “feet on the street” when it comes to welcoming 

visitors to California, promoting local travel destinations and 

disseminating statewide travel information. 

The Buena Park CWC is located in the historic Stage Stop Hotel 

and is near major Orange County attractions, while Salinas 

supports travelers on Highway 101. All CWCs offer attraction ticket 

sales, provide Internet access and perform general concierge services. 

Clockwise from top: The Merced 

Welcome Center celebrating its 

10 th anniversary in October 2010; 

the Oxnard CWC at the Amgen 

Tour of California Lifstyle Festival; 

the Salinas CWC grand opening 

ceremony; the Buena Park CWC 

grand opening ceremony. 

Welcome Center Research 

Throughout 2010, Visit California 

conducted CWC visitor surveys with 

the goal of collecting trip details and 

gauging visitors’ perception of services 

offered at the centers. Research showed: 

• The majority of CWC visitors are U.S. 

travelers from out-of-state. 

• The majority of these visitors 

belong in the 45+ age category. 

Arcata 

10,185 

• The primary purpose of travel is 

pleasure/vacation (at 67.3%). 

• 58% reported staying at a hotel/ 

motel on their trip. 

• 82% were searching for information 

or services for a current trip. 

Anderson 

22,640 

Truckee 

74,137 

Auburn 

Santa Rosa 13,403 

54,050 

El Dorado Hills 

13,501 

San Francisco 

268,264 

San Mateo 

11,002 

• A rating of 4 or 5 (out of 5) was given 

by 93% of respondents for maps, staff 

and the California Visitor’s Guide. 

Salinas 

146 

Merced 

119,552 

Tulare 

7,290 

Pismo Beach 

326,219 

Oxnard 

14,658 

NEARLY 

1.4 MILLION 

VISITORS! 

Mammoth 

Lakes 

120,591 

Buena Park 

Opened in July 

Oceanside 

102,119 

Barstow 

128,237 

Yucca Valley 

15,897 

San Bernardino 

22,192 

Alpine 

23,900 

• 17% of visitors reported staying longer 

because of their CWC visit; of those 

who stayed longer, the average 

number of nights added was 2.5. 

• 90.3% attested to having learned 

something new about the specific 

region surrounding the CWC during 

their stop, and 87.2% replied that 

they learned something new about 

California’s offerings in general. 


COMMUNICATIONS 

PROMOTING THE 

CALIFORNA MESSAGE 

To promote California Wine Month 

in September 2010, Visit California 

secured more than 100 hotel 

deals, with PR efforts resulting 

in 5.6 million media impressions 

and nearly $7.4 million in media 

value. In addition, Visit California 

launched the first-ever statewide 

California Restaurant Month in 

January 2011, with 23 destinations 

participating (only six of which had 

previously-established restaurant 

weeks in place). The campaign 

was highly successful, with 

18 million impressions worth 

nearly $1.1 million, including a 

national segment on the Today 

show and two on Canada A.M. 


WINE & RESTAURANT MONTH

COMMUNICATIONS 

Media Relations 

In partnership with DCI, Visit 

California’s communications efforts 

throughout the year produced a 

domestic advertising equivalency 

of $14.93 million with 76.6 million 

impressions, resulting in an ROI 

of $50 to $1. Additionally, Visit 

California’s internal PR team generated 

$1.8 million in advertising equivalency 

with 12.9 million impressions. 

Numerous desk-side visits, press releases, 

pitches, media newsletters, press trips 

and production house meetings resulted 

in placements on NBC’s Today show, 

Entertainment Tonight, Ovation TV’s 

In Search of Food, National Public Radio 

(NPR), Travel + Leisure, The Chicago 

Sun Times, The Dallas Morning News, 

The Boston Globe, USA Today, National 

Geographic Traveler and more. 

Meeting The Media 

Visit California’s sold-out media 

receptions drew nearly 300 high-profile 

media to Los Angeles, San Francisco 

and New York in 2010–11. At each event, 

approximately 40 California delegates 

had the opportunity to showcase their 

destinations and attractions face-toface, 

a critical component to selling the 

California story. The events drew media 

from Sunset, VIA, the Today show, The 

Rachael Ray Show, Frommers, Miami 

Herald, Toronto Star, CNN, New York 

Daily News, New York Post, Conde Nast 

Traveler, The Wall Street Journal, Better 

Homes & Gardens and many more. Visit 

California also held two media receptions 

in Canada, attended by 90 media. 

REACHING 7 MILLION: Visit California partnered 

with L.A.-based motorcycle rental company EagleRider to create 

a five-night international media fam for 18 journalists from nine 

different markets—with a combined circulation of over 12 million. 


RURAL/CO-OP 

Refining Rural 

Visit California undertook extensive research in spring 

2011 to determine how consumers view California’s 

geographical labels, how they describe the areas beyond 

the gateways and what type of content regarding 

lesser-known areas is most compelling. 


CONSUMER 

CONNECTIONS 

Visit California took its successful 

partnership with CMG to a new level in 

2011 by introducing a digital spring co-op 

program (in addition to the traditional fall 

print insert). The multi-page, advertorialdriven 

fall magazine insert, “An Insider’s 

Guide to the Land of Plenty,” reached the 

1.1 million readers of Travel + Leisure, 

Budget Travel, Food & Wine and National 

Geographic Traveler magazines, in addition 

to four major Canadian newspapers. 

In the spring, Visit California unveiled 

a digital complement to the fall insert, 

complete with videos, an event calendar, 

itineraries and more. Program reach 

included 1.5 million targeted e-mails, as 

well as 7 million subscribers from online 

newsstands. During the summer, banner 

ads ran on Travelocity for one month and 

generated 1 million impressions.

FUN SPOTS: The twenty-third year of 

California Fun Spots was a successful 

one, with 35 industry partners in 2010 

and 47 in 2011. Coupon downloads 

increased 25% from 2009 to 2010 

and the average click-through rate 

exceeded that of 2009 by 16.6%. 

Program added value included 

flyer distribution at domestic and 

international trade shows, inclusion 

in the SEM buy, a listing in the Official 

State Map and a new “postcard” 

featured on the home page of 

visitcalifornia.com. Enhancements 

included insertion in Visit California’s 

new consumer e-newsletter, CMG 

co-op insert and social media. 

CULTURAL TRAVELER: As part 

of the Culture California co-op program, 

Visit California purchased a three-page 

editorial advertisement in The Cultural 

Traveler, an annual guide available at nearly 

1,700 museum stores. Based on partner 

feedback, Visit California also purchased 

a two-page Culture California ad in Road 

Trips for the first time; the ad featured editorial 

from six California partners and was anchored by 

a “True Californian” installment. 

temperate climates that can entice just 

about anything to grow in abundance, 

and an irreverent attitude toward 

food that’s launched everything from Asian Fusion to 

the Farm-to-Fork movement, it’s no wonder that 

California has foodies flocking to taste their way 

across the state. While everyone else is shutting down 

for winter, California is just getting started with a 

winter harvest that inspires moments to savor in local 

restaurants, farmers markets and food festivals from 

the sandy shores of Southern California to the chic 

streets of San Francisco and snowy Sierra slopes. 

Californians have never been too shy 

to flaunt their flavors. From the wacky 

to the whimsical, Californians have dreamed up an 

incredible calendar of food festivals and events to 

showcase their favorite ingredients and most talented 

chefs, like the Santa Cruz Fungus Fair (Jan 7-9), Crab 

& Wine Days in Mendocino County (Jan 21-31) 

and the Avocado Festival in Fallbrook (April 17). 

And if you’re looking for a truly cutting-edge culinary 

experience, Chef Ludo Lefebvre’s guerilla-style pop-up 

restaurant events (called LudoBites) are taking the 

L.A. food-scene by storm. 

eating off the beaten path. Many of 

California’s culinary nuggets are found in the most 

unlikely places. Lake County (90 miles north of 

San Francisco) produces some of the state’s top 

single vineyard wines. Dunsmuir in the Cascades 

combines awesome trout fishing with gourmet 

eateries. Cruise Highway 1 along Tomales 

Bay for joints that specialize in barbecued 

oysters served al fresco on picnic tables 

by the bay. 

From wineries to famed five-stars to the simple 

pleasures of farmers markets, there’s a reason 

foodies flock to California. Dig in, the Golden 

State is a virtual buffet of delicious experiences 

just waiting to be discovered. 

California Snow Campaign 


art director 

copywriter 



account mgr 

legal 

client 

traffic 

e-pro 


art director 

copywriter 



account mgr 

legal 

client 

traffic 

e-pro 

into your boots, strap 

on your board and slip 

off your parka; it’s time to 

hit the sun-drenched slopes of the Golden 

State. Californians have a reputation for taking 

sports to the extreme, but you don’t have to 

be homegrown Olympic stars Shaun White 

or Shannon Bahrke to get into California’s 

winter groove. The state’s cold weather resorts 

offer powder-covered playgrounds for everyone 

from the most timid snow bunny to the 

double black diamond daredevil. 

CLIENT CTTC 

ACTUAL SIZE 16" x 10.5" 

DATE 08/30/10 

LIVE 15.375" x 9.875" 

JOB TITLE CMG Insert (Canadian) 

TRIM 16" x 10.5" 


BLEED 16.5" x 10.75" 

COPYWRITER Kerry Krasts FILE OUTPUT SIZE 100% 





NAME OF PUB/DATE CMG/November 

Photoshop CS3 


FONTS Adobe Garamond 

COLOR 4CP 

HTCafe 

CLIENT CTTC 

DATE 08/26/10 

JOB TITLE CMG Insert 


COPYWRITER Kerry Krasts 



NAME OF PUB/DATE CMG/November 


COLOR 4CP 

FILE NAME: 

CTT-069_CMGCanada_Spread.indd 

YOUR GUIDE TO CULTURAL & HERITAGE TRAVEL AND THE LEADING MUSEUM STORES 

LINKS CA Reverse Logo.ai 

Charles_r3.psd 

Special Advertising Section 

It’s no surprise that with running his busy flagship 

restaurant, The Slanted Door in San Francisco, there’s 

only one pace Charles is comfortable with – fast. 

Whether hiking Black Butte at Mt. Shasta with friends, 

kayaking in Monterey with his kids, or catching rockfish 

at the Farallon Islands with his brother, Charles is always 

looking for the next California adventure – and naturally, 

the perfect meal to accompany it. 

Now in its sixth year, the California Snow campaign continues to be a core 

element of Visit California’s messaging platform. The program supports Visit 

California’s year-round campaign initiative to showcase the state as a four-season 

destination and influence incremental travel. The 2010–11 program included TV 

advertising (“Friends in High Places”), print advertising, earned media and online and 

international exposure. The campaign included the Winter Deals online promotion, 

featuring over 40 specials from partners throughout the state, and was featured in 

Visit California’s consumer e-newsletter, winter press release and social media postings. 

Museum-Store.travel 

TheCulturalTraveler.com 

PRINTS 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 

The mighty mountain 

range resorts of Big Bear 

Mountain and Snow Summit are only 

a short drive from the Southern California 

coast, but they offer awesome cross-country 

runs, dog-sled adventures, guided snowshoe 

treks, snowmobile trails, winter geo-caching 

treasure hunts and breathtaking frozen landscapes 

that will make you feel like you’ve 

stepped into a postcard. 

Born of volcanic fire and brimstone, 

Mammoth Lakes is where the global 

snowboard craze kicked off, and stars of 

the sport still gather to train, race and 

swap tales of big air. With 300 sunny 

days a year and over 400 inches of snow, 

the aptly named Mammoth Mountain 

features 28 lifts to whisk skiers to 150 

different runs on 3,500 skiable acres. Believe it or not, 

runs stay open as late as July 4th weekend. 

Some of the most scenic skiing can be found in Lake 

Tahoe, where Heavenly, Northstar-at-Tahoe and Squaw 

Valley offer spectacular views of the sparkling blue lake, 

as well as top-notch après ski activities, multiple five-star 

restaurants, spas, shopping and famous nightlife. 

Winter also brushes the coast in quintessential California 

ways – a beachfront ice rink in San Diego, lunar new year 

parades in San Francisco, and Sleeping Beauty’s Castle 

shimmering beneath faux snow and 50,000 holiday lights 

at Disneyland. Whether you're on or off the slopes, one 

thing is for sure; California is open for winter. 

ACTUAL SIZE 16" x 10.5" 

LIVE 14.75" x 9.875" 

TRIM 16" x 10.5" 

BLEED 16.5" x 10.75" 

FILE OUTPUT SIZE 100% 



Photoshop CS3 

FONTS Adobe Garamond 

Gotham 

$9.95 

FILE NAME: 

CTT-037_CMG_Spread.indd 

LINKS CA Reverse Logo.ai 

snow_r3.psd 

PRINTS 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 

Special Advertising Section 

Known for her pink hair, glittery eyelids and 

huge smile, Shannon Bahrke was always one of 

the most colorful members of the U.S. Ski Team. 

Athletic, unruly and a little bit crazy – just what it 

takes to be a great freestyle skier – this California 

girl is always up for a big adventure on or off the 

slopes. But if you go with her, hang on tight, 

because it’s bound to be a bumpy ride. 


TRAVEL TRADE 

POW WOW CALIFORNIA 

San Francisco 

The 2011 International Pow Wow in 

San Francisco provided the perfect chance 

for Visit California to showcase the Golden 

State to thousands of travel trade from 

around the world. With 20 staff members 

and representatives from its international 

offices, Visit California conducted over 

350 appointments with tour operators, 

travel media, airline officials and Visit USA 

Committee members. Visit California also 

co-sponsored the closing evening event, 

with over 4,000 in attendance, and 

worked with the industry to create nine 

fam tours covering predominantly rural 

destinations in Northern California and 

Los Angeles. The fams were attended by 

184 travel trade and media representing 

37 countries. 

In 2010, Visit California attended 

the National Tour Association 

(NTA) Annual Convention, where 

staff joined a large contingent of 

130 California tourism companies 

and made appointments with 

35 domestic and international tour 

operators. The California booth 

featured the CWCs and poured 

California wine samples in 

cooperation with the Wine Institute. 

Since its worldwide launch, 

over 6,000 travel agents and 

operators have registered for 

the “California Expert” online 

training program, now available 

in 21 countries and 10 languages. 


Over 225 California companies 

were represented at International 

Pow Wow in 2011! 

Travel Trade Portal Visit California was pleased to introduce 

the new California Travel Trade Portal—traveltrade.visitcalifornia.com— 

at 2011 International Pow Wow. The portal is an excellent resource tool 

for the travel trade, consisting of access to online training programs, 

industry contacts, sample itineraries, maps, the California 

digital assets library and much more, with all content 

developed based on research conducted with the tour 

operator in mind. The portal’s launch consisted of 

2,000 flyers in buyer registration bags, launch video 

available on iPads and distribution of materials promoting 

the site. The portal was also discussed in each of the 

350 prescheduled meetings and received an extremely 

positive response from the international travel trade.

CANADA 

$2.4 MILLION 

U.S. 

$25 MILLION 

MEXICO 

$700,000 

INCREMENTAL 

TRIP 

INCREMENTAL 

SPENDING 

INCREMENTAL 

TAX REVENUE 

MARKETING CALIFORNIA 

AROUND THE WORLD 

BRAZIL 

US CANADA UK 

3.5 million 66,000 67,000 

4.7 million $101 million $203 million 

$289 

million 

DENMARK 

U.K. 

$6.5 MILLION 

FRANCE 

$6.5 million 

SWEDEN 

NORWAY 

FINLAND 

ITALY 

$12.9 

million 

ROI $289 $73 $61 

GERMANY 

$1 MILLION 

INTERNATIONAL 

INDIA 

CHINA 

$1 MILLION 

DOMESTIC 

PRIMARY INTERNATIONAL 

SECONDARY INTERNATIONAL 

($600,000 TOTAL) 

Other international marketing = $1 million 

Sources: Strategic Marketing & Research, Inc.; 

Rakuten Research; MeringCarson; Times Media 

Group 

All results from 2010. Australia brand advertising 

results available fall 2011. 

JAPAN 

$1.2 MILLION 

SOUTH KOREA 

$800,000 

AUSTRALIA 

$2.3 MILLION 


INTERNATIONAL 

United Kingdom 

CALIFORNIA CLASSICS 

In 2011, Visit California created the “California 

Classics” campaign, an innovative program utilizing 

television, cinema, press and online and social media 

channels to showcase the Golden State through the 

lens of popular film. As U.K. consumers are strongly 

motivated by the fact that California is the home 

of the movie industry—Hollywood in particular— 

the campaign was a perfect complement to the high 

awareness of Visit California’s brand advertising. 

The campaign was based on 12 classic movies, each a 

well-known and much-loved film in which the California 

landscape plays an integral part. Eight of the classics 

(Vertigo, Terminator 2, Chinatown, Milk, East of Eden, 

Escape from Alcatraz, Bullitt and Rebel Without a Cause) 

were shown on the popular Sky TV channel and were 

preceded by a three-minute introduction shot on location 

with U.K. television host Alex Zane. The remaining four 

movies (Top Gun, Point Break, Pretty Woman and Sideways) 

screened in high-end movie theaters around the country. 

The California Classics campaign was advertised in Sky Movies, 

the world’s largest movie magazine (5 million circulation), 

and in The Guardian, the U.K.’s leading 

newspaper for arts and music coverage 

(circulation 356,000). To drive activity in 

the social media sphere, Visit California 

created a californiaclassics.co.uk microsite 

housing Zane’s movie content, an 

interactive map of California showing 

filming locations across the state, and 

itineraries from travel trade partner Black 

Tomato. The microsite was also an entry 

point for a user-generated competition 

offering visitors a chance to win a trip 

to California by recreating or spoofing 

a scene from a California movie. 

REACHING 

10.5 MILLION! 


advertisement feature 

pRoMotion 

www.californiaclassics.co.uk 



Classics 

Alex Zane presents... 

Running throughout January and February 

on SM Modern Greats / HD, California 

Classics celebrates the home of cinema 

with a season of movies set in the Golden 

State, including… 

Bullitt (1968) 

the greatest car chase... 

The streets of San Francisco never 

looked cooler than when they hosted 

one of cinema’s most magnificent car 

chases – all nine minutes and 42 

seconds of it! Steve McQueen races 

down Lombard Street (among others) 

in this tense political thriller. 

Showing this February 

ChinAtoWn (1974) 

the mysterious town... 

“Forget it, Jake. It’s Chinatown.” We 

never get to find out exactly what it is 

about Chinatown that has JJ Gittes 

(Jack Nicholson) so rattled, but the fact 

we don’t just makes this all the more 

alluring. Gittes is the PI who uncovers 

a huge conspiracy in this brilliant noir. 

Showing Sun 23 Jan at 8pm 

eSCApe FRoM 

AlCAtRAZ (1979) 

the lock-up... 

The real-life escape of a group of 

inmates from one of the world’s most 

notorious prisons is documented 

in this Clint Eastwood thriller, filmed 

in the real Alcatraz – now a popular 

San Francisco tourist attraction. 


California Tourist Board 

ad campaign 

Milk (2008) 

the melting pot... 

San Francisco’s vibrant and colourful 

Castro District was the setting for some 

of American politics’ most audacious 

happenings in the ’70s – as seen in Milk. 

Sean Penn won an Oscar ® as Harvey 

Milk, the first openly gay man to be 

elected to office in California. 


California Dreamin’ 

For more great movies set in cinema’s 

backyard, don’t miss MGM HD’s California 

season. Showing every Tuesday at 9pm 

during January and February, films include 

The Killer Elite and The Long Goodbye. 

Santa Catalina island (left) and the view of the Santa Monica mountains from Mulholland Highway (above) 

The greaTesT rescue! 

Roman Polanski’s Chinatown is 

a fictional story about real events: a 

bitter dispute between city residents 

go on locaTion 

To califoRnia 

Islands (San Francisco’s from the beautiful cliff-top Golden promenade. Gate Bridge as seen in Vertigo) 

Vertigo is showing One on of sun these 2 Jan at islands 8pm on sM Modern also features greats / hD as in part of the california classics season 

the film. Santa Catalina Island (usually 

and farmers over local water rights in 

If you fancy yourself as a 

shortened to Catalina) is where Gittes 

early 20th-century Los Angeles. The 

atmospheric neo-noir thriller features 

Jack Nicholson as private detective 

JJ Gittes who finds himself investigating 

both a murder and a shady land-grab by 

the powerful oligarchs who control the 

drought-stricken city’s water supply. 

More than just a stylish period piece, 

the film is also a virtual catalogue 

of locations in which to revel in LA’s 

cultural heritage and natural beauty. 

A good starting point is the film’s 

namesake – Chinatown. Even though 

little of the film’s action takes place 

film critic, review a movie 

that relates to California and 

you could experience the 

Golden State for yourself. 

To enter, just submit an 

entertaining review of 

your chosen film in 140 

characters or less, which 

will then be uploaded to 

the Guardian’s dedicated 

California movie Twitter site. 

An independent judge will 

select the top 10 reviews, 

which will appear online, 

and pick the winner, 

visits water magnate Noah Cross on 

his ranch. The ranch, called El Rancho 

Escondido, not only exists but is still 

in operation; The take greaTesT a tour to learn all escape! 

(The notorious about its Alcatraz history Island of in breeding San Francisco champion as seen in Escape From Alcatraz) 

Escape From Alcatraz is showing on sun 16 Jan at 8pm on sM Modern greats / hD as part of the california classics season 

Arabian horses. Afterwards spend an 

This picturesque afternoon exploring historic Avalon, the 

island’s main settlement. 

spot offers tree- 

Urban Los Angeles has no shortage 

shaded lawns and of appealing spots either. The charming 

neighbourhood of Echo Park was once 

breathtaking views home to the nascent film industry 

before it moved to Hollywood. 

to the public, there’s a scenic lookout at Today it’s known for its eclectic 

here, it looms large in Gittes’ psyche as who will receive 

Stone Canyon Overlook on Mulholland mix of cultures and architecture, as 

the complex and corrupt place where he a pair of return 

Drive, as well as a network of hiking well as the palm-fringed lake at its 

once worked the beat as a cop. Explore flights to California. 

trails for those tempted to explore. heart on which Gittes surreptitiously 

the vibrant, 70-year-old neighbourhood For full competition 

The place where Gittes notices photographs Hollis Mulwray with his 

by wandering down Spring Street, site of details and to enter, 

the reservoir’s water being illegally “girlfriend”. Like them, you can rent a 

the film’s dramatic conclusion. 

visit guardian.co.uk/ 

dumped into the ocean – and Hollis boat and paddle around, and if you’re 

Much more of the film plays out at 

californiaclassics 

Mulwray descending the cliffs to the impressed by the lake’s quality you 

the scenic Oak Pass reservoir, the body 

beach – is another of the city’s jewels, can thank the extensive rehabilitation 

of water at the centre of the intrigue. 

Point Fermin park and lighthouse in project currently underway – evidence 

In reality this is the Stone Canyon 

San Pedro. At the very southern tip of that water continues to be a vitally 

reservoir, set amid the stunning Santa 

the city, this picturesque spot offers important topic in Los Angeles. 

Monica mountains just north of Bel Air. 

tree-shaded lawns, colourful gardens Watch Chinatown on Sky Movies 

Although the reservoir itself is closed 

and breathtaking views of the Channel Modern Greats tomorrow night at 8pm 

WArner Bros/THe KoBAL CoLLeCTion 

Take the plunge 

There’s so much more to Los Angeles than just Hollywood, so take a tour of 

locations from classic thriller Chinatown and discover the real city of angels 

to find out more about exploring iconic film locations in California, visit californiaclassics.co.uk 

ReBel Without 

A CAuSe (1955) 

the all-star hang-out... 

At LA’s Griffith Observatory, troubled 

teen Jim Stark (James Dean) takes in 

a film about the death of the universe 

before becoming embroiled in a knife 

fight. Pivotal moments in a film that was 

the poster child for a generation. 


teRMinAtoR 2: 

JudgMent dAy (1991) 

the best road trip... 

In his pre-Governor of California 

days, Arnie spent a lot of time driving 

up and down LA’s freeways firing a big 

gun, looking cool in sunglasses and 

helping to save the life of a young 

lad with a big future... 


VeRtigo (1958) 

the iconic location... 

James Stewart is the acrophobic ’tec 

trailing the suicidal wife of a friend in 

this Alfred Hitchcock classic. But there’s 

more going on than meets the eye in 

a thriller of double-crosses, romantic 

trysts and, oh yes, a dramatic rescue 

under the Golden Gate Bridge! 


MGM HD is on 

channel 345 

Subscription required 

Jan/Feb 2011 | 13 

The 

greaTesT 

car chase! 

(San Francisco’s 

world-famous 

city streets as 

seen in Bullitt) 

Bullitt is showing this 

February on sM Modern 

greats / hD as part of the 

california classics season 


The 

greaTesT 

FighT! 

(LA’s stunning 

Griffith Observatory 

as seen in Rebel 

Without A Cause) 

Rebel Without A Cause 

is showing this February 

onsM Modern greats / hD 

as part of the 

california classics season 


As U.K. consumers are strongly 

motivated by the fact that 

California is the home of the 

movie industry—Hollywood 

in particular—the campaign 

was a perfect complement to 

the high awareness of Visit 

California’s brand advertising. 

www.californi 

www.californi

Reaching Deeper 

In 2010–11, a brand advertising 

campaign was executed in the 

U.K. for the fourth year in a row. 

The domestic “Misconceptions” 

TV spot was featured in December 

and January, along with locally adapted 

“True Californian” print executions (featuring a call-to-action 

provided by British Airways) placed in national newspaper 

supplements and on large-scale billboards in the London 

Underground. Print advertising alone—including a Glen Plake 

ad with a separate Ski Independence call-to-action—reached 

over 33 million consumers. 

Placing print creative in the London Underground (used 

as a supplement to the primary advertising campaign) was 

a new endeavor on the part of Visit California. These ads 

were founds to have the longest dwell time and highest 

retention rate of any media due to the captive audience, 

reaching over 4 million adults, or over 80% of all London 

Underground users. The billboards also received an 

exceptionally high opportunity to see (OTS) rate, with 

free extra media exposure worth over $800,000. 


INTERNATIONAL 

Trade & Media Events 

California delegates met with U.K. 

travel trade and media at numerous Visit 

California events throughout the year: 

• As part of the European Sales Mission 

in July 2010, delegates visited London 

and Dublin to network with hundreds 

of travel trade and approximately 

20 top media. 

• After an incentive campaign that 

resulted in over 500 California bookings 

with British Airways, the annual U.K. 

SuperFam took place in the fall of 2010, 

with 56 agents traveling around California 

on four separate itineraries. 

• During the U.K. Sales & Media Day 

in March 2011, thirteen California 

delegates received training and had 

the chance to spend one-on-one time 

with over 50 VIP trade contacts and 

25 journalists. 

• World Travel Market (WTM) and 

the accompanying VIP film premiere 

are enormously popular events. In 2011, 

over 130 key trade and media attended 

the California Classics-themed VIP 

event, while the California booth drew 

hundreds of travel agents, providing 

ample opportunity to showcase the 

“California Expert” program. 


Beyond Travel 

A partnership with premium 

brand TW Steel meshed the 

unique styling of the line’s 

oversized watches with 

the California lust for life, 

sunshine and the great 

outdoors. The limited edition 

California collection included 

one men’s watch and one 

women’s watch, each 

designed to reflect the 

heart of the California 

landscape. The watches 

were advertised in high-end 

lifestyle magazines and 

on a microsite, reaching over 

7.5 million consumers. 

In July 2010, delegates visited London and 

Dublin as part of the European Sales Mission.

Korea 

CALIFORNIA’S TOURISM 

AMBASSADOR 

Visit California organized a series of tourism-focused marketing and PR events to 

capitalize on publicity during former Governor Schwarzenegger’s Trade & Tourism 

Mission to Asia in 2010. Popular Korean celebrity Byung-Hun Lee (best known in the 

U.S. for his role in G.I. Joe) was appointed California Tourism Ambassador, resulting 

in “Byunghun Lee” being ranked as the third most searched term on naver.com, Korea’s 

largest portal site, on the day of the event. 

Over 400 high-profile individuals from many different business sectors attended the 

Asia mission, including 70 media from TV broadcasts and online and offline outlets. 

Coverage from over 820 Korean media resulted in over $6.1 million in total media value. 

To leverage the popularity of Korean 

celebrities, Visit California created an 

integrated media project centering around 

Seven and Hanybul Park, a Korean celebrity 

couple. A California fashion shoot was 

featured across 20 pages in Singles 

magazine (worth $160,000) and Hanybul 

Park also filmed scenes for Hotel California. 

Top: To grow buzz via TV, 

Visit California partnered with 

American Airlines, Alamo 

Rent-a-Car and Korean travel 

agency Hana Tour to produce 

a travel program on Dong-A, 

a top fashion and lifestyle 

channel. The TV program 

targeted a young audience 

by featuring Hyo-Jin Kim, a 

famous fashion model. Two 

episodes were shot for a total of eight hours of air time, 

reaching 2 million viewers (worth $100,000). 

Hotel California 

Returns 

Following the successful first season 

of Hotel California, Visit California 

crafted the second season to focus on 

seven core travel themes: wine & food, 

theme parks, national parks, shopping, 

nightlife, driving and art & culture— 

all of which were identified through 

research tailored specifically to the 

Korean market. Visit California also 

conducted online consumer promotions 

and co-op programs with consumer 

brand partners. 

Once again, Hotel California 

won “Most Outstanding Website” 

at the 2010 Korean Web Awards. 

The site boasted interactive features 

involving celebrities and opinion 

leaders, showcased travel themes 

of particular interest to the Korean 

target audience and received over 

191,000 unique visitors, with 

over 202,000 page views. 

Bottom: Visit California worked with Visa Card to create the 

“Go California” campaign, publicized by Allure magazine and 

worth over $800,000 in PR value. The program included online 

exposure as well as a culinary media fam covering Northern California. 


INTERNATIONAL 


Japan 

CALIFORNIA DREAMING 

As an extension of Visit California’s 

2008–2010 “Nandemo Ali-fornia” 

(California Has it All) brand advertising 

campaign, Visit California launched a 

multi-dimensional online program in 

2011—the California Dream Campaign. 

This unique program was created to 

promote the California lifestyle and 

position the state as “a place where 

dreams come true.” 

Japanese consumers shared the dreams 

they wished to fulfill in California via 

a microsite (reaching over 50,000) 

and on Twitter (600 million monthly 

impressions). To launch the campaign, 

Visit California advertised in print and 

online media, including a full-page 

ad in Yomiuri newspaper (the leading 

Japanese daily with a 6.6 million 

circulation), which ran during former 

Governor Schwarzenegger’s 2010 Asia 

Trade Mission. 

Visit California also created an 

85-minute network TV program 

featuring three Japanese celebrities 

who visited Japanese “dream achievers” 

making their lives in the Golden State, 

with discourse centering around how 

the individuals made their dreams 

come true in California (worth 

$5.4 million). Visit California also 

created a California Dream Quiz on 

MIXI, Japan’s top social networking 

site (with 20 million members), 

inviting Japanese consumers to 

answer California trivia questions 

(nearly 40 million impressions). 

In February, the California Dream 

Campaign winner received her 

“dream tour,” featured in detail in 

Japan’s leading fashion and lifestyle 

magazine, Elle Japon—reaching 

over 1.5 million in print and online 

(a near $100,000 value).

Partnership With Visa 

Visit California partnered with Visa Worldwide, 

which has 277 million cards in Asia, to develop a 

custom-made “Visa California Guide” Web site. 

The site allowed 50 million Japanese cardholders 

to download coupons for discount services from 

68 California partners, and the Japanese online 

guide included travel information and sample 

itineraries. The site received over 35,000 page 

views, with merchants reporting redemption 

rates as high as 42%. 

The California Dream Campaign winner’s “dream tour” was 

featured in detail in Japan’s leading fashion and lifestyle magazine, 

Elle Japon—reaching over 1.5 million in print and online (near 

$100,000 in value). 

Top: Visit California participated in 

Governor Schwarzenegger’s Trade 

& Tourism Mission to Asia in 2010, 

including a reception at the residence 

of the U.S. ambassador to Japan. 

Bottom: Visit California and the 

San Francisco Travel Association 

participated in the 2010 Japan 

Association of Travel Agents 

(JATA) World Travel Fair, the 

largest consumer/trade travel show in Japan. 

Visit California’s booth was located in the Discover America 

Pavilion and proved to be a key attraction for JATA’s 39,000 trade 

and 72,000 consumer visitors. 


INTERNATIONAL 

Germany 

CROSS-MEDIA IPAD CAMPAIGN 

In the German market, Visit 

California crafted an integrated 

media partnership with 

Frankfurter Rundschau (FR), 

one of the leading national daily 

newspapers. The centerpiece of 

the campaign included several 

advertorial pages within FR’s 

popular iPad app, as well as 

online advertorial at fr-online.de 

and a print bundle of advertorial, 

advertising and response card 

elements. 

Visit California received four full 

pages of advertorial within the 

FR iPad app for six months, with 

content based on all 12 regions. 

The destinations revolved on a 

daily basis, introducing general 

information, videos, insider tips 

and interactive hot spots with 

an image gallery. The campaign 

resulted in over 20 million 

impressions. 


GROSSES ONLINEGAME & GEWINNSPIEL 

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für 2 Personen 

nach Kalifornien! 

Gehen Sie einfach auf 

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und spielen Sie sich durch die 

Highlights Kaliforniens – dem 

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Wir wünschen Ihnen viel Glück! 

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Buchungsinfo: 

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www.explorer.de 

Ein herzliches „Hi“ aus dem Abenteuerland Kalifornien, das unverunvergessliche Erlebnisse bietet, aber vor allen Dingen eines ist: einzigartig. Von 

den riesigen Redwoods, den fruchtbaren Weingebieten und beeindruckenden 

Berglandschaften im Norden bis hin zum hippen Strandleben, den pulsierenden 

Städten und der Filmkultur im Süden. Kommen 

Sie zu uns und machen Sie sich selbst ein Bild – 

in Ihrem ganz eigenen Format.

Mission Abroad 

In 2010, Visit California 

organized a trip to Germany 

for 32 delegates from 24 

different California companies. 

Participants experienced a 

German market overview, media 

appointments and sales calls with 

tour operators, and spoke with 

over 30 key staff from Thomas 

Cook and Dertour/Meier’s 

Weltreisen. The event concluded 

with a reception where delegates 

had an opportunity to meet 

additional key media and tour 

operators from DERTOUR, 

TUI, Thomas Cook, HR, 

America Journal and Berliner 

Morgenpost. 

In March 2011, Visit California 

and 22 delegates also participated 

in ITB Berlin, the world’s leading 

travel trade show. The group 

completed more than 200 

appointments and met with 

over 100 media at a Visit USA 

networking event. 

At ITB 2011, Commissioner 

and Visit California Vice Chair 

Mike Gallagher of CityPASS, 

Inc. was presented with a 

Hall of Fame Lifetime 

Contribution in Tourism 

award by the Pacific Area 

Travel Writers Association 

International. In an interview 

conducted for sports TV 

channel Eurosport, Gallagher 

emphasized the fact that 

California is a first-class 

destination for international 

sports events and other 

outdoor adventures. 

Fit for California 

Visit California created a fully integrated co-op 

campaign with Fitness First, the largest privately-owned 

health club group in the world. In Germany, Fitness 

First operates more than 100 facilities with over 

280,000 members and receives an average of 

1.12 million visits per month. The program included 

in-gym and outdoor advertising, e-newsletters, social 

media and coverage in Fit for Fun, the largest German 

fitness magazine—resulting in 15 million impressions. 


INTERNATIONAL 

Australia 

LAUNCHING BRAND DOWN UNDER 


In 2010–11, Visit California introduced 

brand advertising into the Australian 

market for the first time. To leverage 

the global celebrity of former Governor 

Schwarzenegger while he was in 

office, Visit California aired “Serious 

Business” during the fall TV burst, 

with “Misconceptions” launching in 

the second burst. 

To leverage the brand advertising 

campaign and ensure that all publicity 

opportunities were maximized, a range 

of supporting activities were staged in 

Sydney to coincide with the official TV 

launch date: 

• The Australian Advertising Launch, 

attended by California delegates and 

100 top-tier trade and media contacts. 

• The Trans-Pacific Forum, a roundtable 

discussion hosted by CEO Caroline 

Beteta for travel industry leaders from 

California and Australia. 

• Media interviews with top-tier print, 

online and radio outlets, resulting in a 

PR value of over $610,000 and a reach 

of nearly 120 million. 

Research on the first wave showed 

awareness at 35.2% and jumped to 47.3% 

following the second advertising flight.

Timed to take advantage of the broad awareness generated by Visit California’s first TV 

brand campaign Down Under, Visit California created a “California Dream Experience” 

promotion with Today FM, Australia’s top radio station. Through on-air coverage and 

online promotion (including an online search strategy with Google), the campaign made 

over 1.5 million impressions. 

Find Yourself Here 

Roadshow 

In October, Visit California conducted 

its second large-scale Australian travel 

agent roadshow with the purpose 

of educating travel agents, industry 

partners and suppliers on the breadth 

of product California has to offer the 

Australian market. 

Held in Melbourne, Brisbane and 

Sydney, the event included a destination 

marketplace with themed sets, as well 

as a quiz show hosted by an Australian 

comedian. Throughout the week, 

Visit California and 23 California 

delegates reached nearly 700 agents 

across Australia, training and educating 

them on California’s diverse product. 

Travel agents, industry 

partners and suppliers 

were educated on the 

breadth of product 

California has to offer 

the Australian market. 


INTERNATIONAL 


Mexico 

CALIFORNIA SUPER STAR 

Visit California carried out two campaigns as part 

of its “Be a California Super Star” series, which 

showcased California themes to Mexican consumers, 

media and travel trade. The first campaign, “Be the 

Super Star of Your Family in California,” was aimed 

at reaching travelers with children in order to 

promote California as a destination for the whole 

family. The program involved branded entertainment 

exhibits at Kidzania and Granja las Americas, two 

Mexican theme parks, a feature on the campaign 

Web site (SuperEstrelladeCalifornia.com) and a 

specific microsite (CaliforniaKidsdeMexico.com). 

Visit California also held a launch event for trade 

and media at Kidzania, with over 200 participants. 

The program generated $175,000 in media value. 

The second campaign, “Be a California Fashion 

Super Star,” was launched in February to highlight 

California’s shopping and wellness offerings. 

Visit California hosted an accessories fashion show 

event, drawing nearly 100 travel agents and media. 

Partnering with Palacio de Hierro department 

store and its travel agency, Viajes Palacio, ensured 

greater exposure to high-end consumers. Shopping 

itineraries, destination features and a consumer 

contest were included on the campaign microsite. 

The campaign received a total media value of 

nearly $200,000.

Print Advertising Launch 

In 2010–11, for the first time in California’s recent 

history in the Mexico market, Visit California carried 

out consumer print advertising. Visit California’s 

audience of high-end consumers were targeted in ads in 

leading Mexican newspapers and magazines, including 

Travel + Leisure, National Geographic Traveler and Quien. 

Ads focused on California destinations and attractions 

and featured co-ops with top tour operators, reaching 

nearly 109 million consumers. 

Ads focused on California 

attractions and destinations, 

reaching nearly 109 million 

consumers. 

Mexico Sales Day 

Visit California held its inaugural Mexico 

Sales Day in December with five California 

delegates, reaching 120 key members 

of the Mexican travel trade and media. 

Events included one-on-one meetings, 

media receptions and training events. 


INTERNATIONAL 

China 

MAJOR TV COVERAGE 

In November 2010, the popular Chinese reality show Rose Wedding filmed on location 

in the Golden State. The 80-minute program, seen by 160 million people, features 

Chinese couples getting married in a foreign destination. For the California episode, 

ten Chinese couples filmed for 11 days on one of Visit California’s California Travel 

Meals itineraries. Footage was taken of the group wedding and following honeymoon, 

showcasing a celebration that spanned the entire state. 

Prior to the program’s air time, five road shows were organized in Shanghai allowing 

the couples to promote the episode. Rose Wedding was also a hit at CITM (China’s 

largest trade show), where a media event was organized featuring two of the couples— 

drawing 57 media. In total, the Rose Wedding promotion, including a Visit California 

commercial airing during the TV program, generated over $8.5 million in media 

value, Web promotions, newspaper advertising and radio programming. In addition, 

the program resulted in the development of a special California honeymoon product 

modeled after the Rose Wedding itinerary. 


China Sales Mission 

In November, Visit California brought 

California delegates on a sales mission to 

Guangzhou, China, that included the launch 

of the “California Expert” online training 

program (for over 200 agents), a networking 

reception (with 140 trade attendees) and a 

press conference. Immediately following the 

mission, the delegates traveled to Shanghai 

for CITM, the largest travel trade show in 

China, to participate in two days of industry 

interaction and two days of consumer 

promotions. 

Chinese New Year in California Visit California supported two major Chinese New Year 

promotions in February 2011, the first of which was executed through a partnership with Disneyland and United 

Airlines Beijing. A group of 600 passengers traveled on four separate U.S. itineraries (each of which included four days 

in California), then met at Disneyland to celebrate the Chinese New Year. Festivities included a traditional dumpling 

dinner and a private showing of Disney’s World of Color, complete with a “Happy New Year” 

message spelled out in Chinese characters during the show. 

As part of the second promotion, an additional 150 Chinese visitors traveled on a 

California-only itinerary for 12 days, meeting afterwards at Disneyland to celebrate the 

Chinese New Year. Of this group, 85% traveled with children and were able to take 

advantage of the California Happy Meals “Family” theme present throughout the park. 

Visit California worked with Disneyland to arrange a group media fam to cover the Chinese 

New Year festivities, with nine top-tier journalists attending.

SECONDARY/EMERGING MARKETS 

India 

Engaging 

THE EMERGING MARKET 

As an official sponsor of the after-party 

for the WOW Awards (which recognizes 

extraordinary events in India), Visit 

California received coverage on Zoom 

TV—seen in 35 million homes. 

After opening offices in India last year, Visit California 

embarked on a number of programs in line with its strategy 

to educate the travel trade, maximize press coverage and align 

with partners to showcase California to consumers. In addition 

to participation at the U.S. Travel Association’s annual India 

Sales Mission (reaching over 500 top tour operators, media, 

airlines and online travel agencies), Visit California also held 

California-only training events, drawing 200 tour operators. 

Co-op advertising with select travel trade partners 

reached nearly 10 million consumers across India. Visit 

California partnered with upscale Indian brands such 

as Millionaire Asia, a premier publication for luxury 

travelers, to sponsor a golf tournament and networking 

event. A similar partnership with the Jaguar Asia 

Pacific Boating Regatta also reached this luxury traveler 

target audience. Both programs included strong brand 

placement, media coverage and distribution of California 

collateral. Additional media efforts resulted in fam trips 

by Lonely Planet and Conde Nast Traveler. 

France 

This year, Visit California’s European Sales Mission began 

in Paris, where delegates from eight California destinations 

and attractions had the opportunity to network with and 

present their California product to a large cross-section 

of key tour operators and media. Visit California and 

three California delegates also participated at Top Resa, 

France’s premier travel trade show, reaching more than 350 

travel agents, journalists and suppliers. In addition, Visit 

California hosted a popular wine reception for invited trade 

and media guests at the trade show. 

Also in France, Visit California partnered with Auchan, an 

upscale supermarket chain with its own in-store travel agency 

and online travel service, voyagesauchan.com. The co-op 

program focused on increasing awareness through point-ofsale 

spots, Web site presence and trade exposure. Targeted 

consumers received information before their visit through 

the Web and newsletters and while shopping at the popular 

market (1 million customers daily) through the distribution 

of California guides and the presence of video and computer 

screen displays. As part of the 

campaign, Auchan also created 

a new California self-drive 

product for inclusion in 

their program. 


INTERNATIONAL 

Italy 

Visit California participated in two 

events critical to showcasing California 

to Italian travel trade and media. 

The first, a partnership with Alitalia, 

brought more than 60 trade and 

media to the Golden State for a 

five-day fam—the result of which was 

over $600,000 in media coverage. 

Visit California also attended 

Showcase USA—Italy, the only 

marketing exhibition exclusively 

dedicated to promoting U.S. 

destinations to Italian travelers. 

At this unique event, Visit California 

and five California delegates had 

the opportunity to netowrk with 

individuals from high-quality Italian 

companies and organizations focused 

on the promotion of tourism to the 

United States. 

Brazil 

Over 500 agents visited Visit 

California’s booth at ABAV, the largest 

trade exhibition in South America. 

Recognized as the leading trade 

networking and brand awareness 

opportunity for the market, 

ABAV provided an opportunity 

for Visit California to educate agents 

and operators about California through 

an interactive quiz. 

Scandinavia 

Accompanied by five California 

delegates, Visit California hosted 350 

travel agents and eight travel industry 

partners at the annual Thanksgiving 

event in Copenhagen, Denmark. The 

following day, Visit California hosted 

a full-day meeting at the U.S. Embassy 

in Copenhagen, where key tour 

operators, airline executives and airport 

executives participated in a roundtable 

discussion concerning the best way 

to grow marketshare for California 

as a destination. The roundtable was 

followed by a travel trade and media 

wine tasting. 


Focusing on travel trade and PR 

has always been an important strategy 

for extending brand messaging in Visit 

California’s emerging and secondary 

markets. Another primary goal is to 

continue monitoring these markets 

for program expansion.

FILMING IN 

COACHELLA 

Digital Strategy: 

Providing Inspiration 

From Web enhancements to video 

integration and social media engagement, 

Visit California will continue to inspire 

consumers across the travel cycle in 

2011–2012 by focusing on the power 

of digital. 

Music, video and photo strategies will 

complement existing campaigns such 

as “Misconceptions,” which features 

musician Jason Mraz. Further examples 

include a variety of talented artists 

captured at the Coachella music festival. 

Mobile platforms are the perfect 

vehicle for making rich content about 

California widely accessible. The launch 

of a mobile version of visitcalifornia.com 

is on the horizon, with the goal of reaching 

consumers across a range of mobile devices. 

JASON MRAZ 

LOOKING AHEAD 

CALIFORNIA 

DREAMLAND 

On November 19, 2010, film crews spread out across 

the state to follow a remarkable group of 12 California 

visionaries, including athletes, entertainers, entrepreneurs, 

environmentalists and more. Their stories are the basis 

of Dreamland—an inspirational documentary series 

that will form the basis of Visit California’s main consumer 

campaign in 2011–2012. 

Rural TV Spot 

While filming the Royal Summer 

TV spot, Visit California captured 

additional scenes—all of which showcase 

rural California—for use in a new 

commercial to be added to the creative 

rotation in 2011–12. Scenes were shot 

in all eight rural regions, highlighting 

the abundance the Golden State 

through the bounty and beauty of 

its beyond-the-gateway destinations. 

Visit California is gearing up for a large 

presence at the 2012 International Pow Wow 

in Los Angeles, including a number of amazing 

fams showcasing the California experience. 


COMMISSIONERS 

Jim Burba 

Orange County 

Burba Hotel NetworK 

Bob Warren 

Shasta Cascade 

Redding Convention 

& Visitors Bureau 

(Retired) 

VISIT CALIFORNIA 

COMMISSIONERS 

Visit California is comprised of 

37 Commissioners from California’s 

12 tourism regions. Members represent 

five industry sectors: Accommodations, 

Restaurants and Retail, Attractions and 

Recreation, Transportation and Travel 

Services and Passenger Car Rental. 

Twenty-four of the Commissioners are 

elected by assessed California businesses, 

while 12 are governor-appointed; the 

37th Commissioner is the California 

Business, Transportation and Housing 

Agency Secretary, who also serves as 

the Visit California chair. 

GOVERNOR APPOINTED BY REGION 

Joe D’Alessandro 

San Francisco Bay Area 

San Francisco 

Travel Association 

Gillian Zucker 

Inland Empire 

Auto Club Speedway 


Lina Fat 

Gold Country 

Frank Fat, Inc. 

Vacant 

Central Valley 

Tom Klein 

North Coast 

Rodney Strong 

Wine Estates 

Vacant 

Deserts 

OFFICERS 

Caroline Beteta Mike Gallagher 

President & CEO Vice Chair 

Deputy Secretary CityPASS, Inc. 

for Tourism, California 

Business, Transportation 

& Housing Agency 

Kathy Turner 

CFO 

Enterprise 

Holdings 

Mark Liberman 

Los Angeles County 

LA INC. 

The Convention 


Vacant 

High Sierra 

Andy Fichthorn 

Visit California CFO 

SeaWorld of California 

(Retired) 

Douglas Manchester 

San Diego County 

Manchester Financial 

Group, Inc. 

Vacant 

Shasta Cascade 

Rusty Gregory 

Vice Chair 

Mammoth Mountain 

Ski Area 

Robert “Cody” Plott 

Central Coast 

Pebble Beach 

Company

ACCOMMODATIONS 

Rick Anderson 

Casa Tropicana, 

A Boutique 

Beachfront Inn 

Julie Maurer 

Squaw Valley 

Ski Corporation 

Ian Carter 

Hilton Worldwide 

Lynn Mohrfeld 

California Hotel and 

Lodging Association 

Bob Muhs 

AVIS/Budget 

Group, Inc. 

Ed Fuller 

Marriott Lodging 

International 

Sima Patel 

Balaji Hotels 

Larry Kurzweil 

Universal Studios 

Roy Ritenour 

The Hertz Corporation 

Jon Handlery 

The Handlery Union 

Square Hotel 

Jeff Senior 

Fairmont Hotels 

& Resorts 

RESTAURANTS & RETAIL ATTRACTIONS & RECREATION 

Jeff King 

King’s Seafood 

Company 

Jot Condie 

California Restaurant 

Association 

PASSENGER CAR RENTAL 

Charlie Coniglio 

Dollar Thrifty 

Automotive Group, Inc. 

Jonna Sabroff 

Integrated 

Transportation 

Services, Inc. 

VISIT CALIFORNIA COMMITTEE & SYMPOSIUM CHAIRS 

Executive 

Rusty Gregory 


Ski Area 

Marketing Advisory 

Mike Gallagher 

Citypass, Inc. 

Advertising Co-op 

Julie Maurer 

Booth Creek 

Ski Holdings 

Jeff Senior 

Fairmont Hotels & 

Resorts 

Nominating 

Gillian Zucker 

Auto Club Speedway 

Assessment 

Rusty Gregory 


Ski Area 

Jay Jamison 

Pismo Coast 

Village Inc. 

John Wagnon 

Heavenly Valley 

Limited Partnership 

Audit 

Jay Jamison 

Pismo Coast 

Village Inc. 

International Advisory 

Ed Fuller 

Marriott Business 

Services 

George Kalogridis 

Walt Disney Parks 

& Resorts 

Terry Westrope 

Ocean Park Hotels 

Communications 

Brian Wright 

DNC Parks & Resorts 

at Yosemite, Inc. 

Welcome Centers 

Karen Baker 

CWC Merced 

Leslee Gaul 

CWC Oceanside 

Rural Tourism 

Bob Brown 

Ontario Convention 


Scott Schneider 

Visit Mendocino County 


STAFF 

Pictured on this page are Visit California staff contacts for key programs. All contacts’ 

e-mail addresses are comprised of his or her first initial + last name@visitcalifornia.com. 

For example, Kathryn Burnside’s e-mail address is: kburnside@visitcalifornia.com. 

VISIT CALIFORNIA EXECUTIVE TEAM 


President & CEO/ 

Deputy Secretary 

Leona Reed 

Senior Director of 

International Marketing 

Traci Ward 

Director of 

Domestic Marketing 

Gwynne Spann 

Content Manager 

Matthew Sabbatini 

Senior Director, 

Finance, and Human 

Resources & IT 

Lynn Carpenter 

Vice President of 

Marketing 

Karin Fish 

Vice President of 

Operations & Industry 

Relations 

MARKETING & COMMMUNICATIONS TEAM 

Daniel Mishell 

Director of Research 

Amanda Font 

Rural/Co-op Marketing 

Manager 

Jennifer Sweeney 

Public Relations 

Manager 

OPERATIONS & INDUSTRY OUTREACH 

Jonelle Tannahill 

Director Of Industry 

Relations 


Antonette Eckert 

Director of Asia 

Marketing 

Brian Carey 

Marketing Manager, 

Asia 

Shannon Brooks 

International Public 

Relations Manager 

Cris McLucas 

Tourism Assessment 

Manager 

Kathryn Burnside 

Director of 

Communications 

Jennifer Jasper 

Montero 

Director of Americas/ 

Pacific Marketing 

Lilly Kimmelshue 

Marketing Manager, 

Europe & India 

Rachel Veu 

Media Relations 

Coordinator 

Amber Luiz 

Executive Manager and 

Commission Liaison 

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555 Capitol Mall 

Suite 1100 

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COMING SOON 

2011 

OCT 17–21 CHINA SALES MISSION BEIJING, SHANGHAI 

OCT 19–21 ABAV & CALIFORNIA SALES DAY RIO DE JANEIRO, SAO PAULO 

OCT 26–27 US TRAVEL MARKETING OUTLOOK FORUM FORT WORTH, TX 

NOV 7–10 WTM TRADE SHOW & VIP EVENT LONDON 

NOV 9 TIER 2 DREAMLAND LAUNCH LONDON 

NOV 11 SHOWCASE USA-ITALY MILAN 

NOV 5–9 NATIONAL TOUR ASSOCIATION (NTA) LAS VEGAS 

DEC 8 CALIFORNIA HALL OF FAME SACRAMENTO 

2012 

FEB 6–9 GO WEST SUMMIT LAS VEGAS 

FEB 13–20 DISCOVER AMERICA EXPO 

zsfwdfewf 


MELBOURNE, SYDNEY, 

BRISBANE, ADELAIDE 

FEB 15–16 EXPO VACACIONES MEXICO CITY 

FEB TBD CTTC COMMISSION MEETING SACRAMENTO 

FEB 21 TOURISM AWARDS/INSTALLATION DINNER SACRAMENTO 

FEB 22 LEGISLATIVE RECEPTION SACRAMENTO 

MAR 6 LOS ANGELES MEDIA EVENT LOS ANGELES 

MAR 7–11 ITB BERLIN BERLIN 

MAR 27 NEW YORK MEDIA EVENT NEW YORK 

APR 21–25 POW WOW LOS ANGELES 

MAY 12–20 NATIONAL TRAVEL & TOURISM WEEK NATIONWIDE 

MAY 13–20 AMGEN TOUR OF CALIFORNIA STATEWIDE 

MAY TBD ARLAG GUADALAJARA 

JUN TBD EUROPEAN SALES MISSION GERMANY, IRELAND, U.K. 

GO TO TOURISM.VISITCALIFORNIA.COM FOR AN UP-TO-DATE CALENDAR AND INFORMATION 

Insights Year In Review 

TOURISM.VISITCALIFORNIA.COM/YEARINREVIEW 

STATE OF CALIFORNIA 

Edmund G. Brown, Jr. 

Governor 

CALIFORNIA TOURISM 


President & CEO 

Kathryn Burnside 

Director of Communications 

Insights Year In Review is an annual 

publication of the Visit California. Articles 

contained in Insights Year In Review 

may be reproduced without permission 

(though acknowledgement is appreciated). 

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VISIT CALIFORNIA 

REGIONAL MARKETING REPRESENTATIVES 

NORTHERN CALIFORNIA 

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2010–11 - the California Tourism Industry Website

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