CH&LA Lodging News July/August 2018

www.calodging.com July/August 2018 7 IN A STATE WITH SO MUCH to offer, it comes as no surprise that California welcomes more international travelers than anywhere in the country. But in an increasingly connected world where the competition grows stronger every year, it takes more than great product to retain our share of the market. At its core, Visit California’s guiding principle is to do what the industry cannot do for itself. Fueled by partnerships with some of the most influential brands, airlines and travel organizations, the Visit California program is a truly global force working on behalf of the businesses, destinations and leaders who make up the Golden State’s tourism community. The organization operates a $126 million global marketing program in 14 countries to promote the Golden State as a desirable travel destination. Over the next five years, Visit California will invest more than $500 million to not only drive top-of-mind awareness for the California experience, but also to support key economic development initiatives shaping the future of our state. These efforts are working, and today tourism is booming: 2017 was the eighth straight year of growth for California tourism, with new highs in travel spending ($132.4 billion), tax revenue ($10.9 billion) and jobs (1.1 million). Within this ecosystem, California accommodations continue to drive growth: RevPAR reached a record $121; ADR continued its four-year rise to reach $161; and yearly hotel occupancy sustained leveled growth at 75.3 percent. Amid these record successes, high-value international travelers are playing bigger roles than ever, staying longer and spending more to the tune of 17.6 million in-person trips and $26.5 billion in spending in 2017. To put that in perspective, international travel was worth 30 percent more than the state’s next largest export, agriculture. Understanding Begets Engagement International travel has always been a priority for Visit California since the beginning. The organization opened its first international offices in 1998 and hasn’t looked back since, now with 17 offices in 14 countries: Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, Germany, France, India, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Scandinavia, South Korea, the United Kingdom and the United States. Visit California classifies these markets by a three-tiered system based on each country’s propensity for outbound travel, informing which efforts are deployed in each country. continues  