As some Californians choose to venture cautiously outside amid closures and restrictions due to COVID-19, travel patterns have shifted and highlight the need for visitors to show respect toward local communities.
Visit California offers the Responsible Travel Code as a quick resource on how to explore the Golden State responsibly and safely at www.VisitCalifornia.com/respect.
A new video on Visit California’s Travel Matters website describes the code with stunning California images.
The code speaks to both preserving California and to the safety of our communities as cities and counties continue toward recovery. It is part of Visit California’s new Responsible Travel Hub, which provides clear, fact-based information and resources on visiting California beaches, restaurants, hotels and parks, in addition to information about California airports and renting a vehicle.
Content on the Responsible Travel Hub also offers tips and strategies for those ready to travel, emphasizing safety and respect for fellow travelers.
Tourism Impact
Tourism is a huge economic driver across California, responsible in 2019 for $144.9 billion in visitor spending, 1.2 million jobs and $12.2 billion in state and local tax revenue.
Continued reinforcement of safe and responsible behavior principles will help revive California’s tourism industry and the state, which is estimated to have lost more than $72.1 billion in visitor spending, 613,000 tourism jobs and more than $6 billion in state and local tax revenue this year alone, according to Visit California
During these challenging times, Visit California continues to work on initiatives to inspire community support and begin safe and responsible travel when the time is right. Travel matters to California and will help propel economic recovery once businesses and destinations start reopening.
Industry Comments
The efforts of California’s tourism businesses were summed up in an opinion piece by Gene Zanger, partner in Casa de Fruta and a board member of Visit California, where he serves as vice chairman of marketing.
Read more on the tourism industry’s response to the COVID-19 crisis and the benefits of travel and tourism to California’s economy at travelmattersca.com.
