Pirate's Cove

Because that’s really the problem with California

California tourism industry tackles climate change

Perhaps more than any sector of the North Bay and state’s economy, the tourism and hospitality industry and its ability to lure visitors is being severely tested by climate change.

“As an industry, we must acknowledge the climate threat to tourism and live up to California’s well-deserved reputation as the best steward of the environment by encouraging responsible travel and adopting green practices,” Caroline Beteta, CEO of Visit California, said in a Nov. 4 statement. “The opportunity to act has never been greater.”

Beteta’s message is not hyperbole. In 2019, before the pandemic, the state’s tourism industry contributed $145 billion to California’s economy, capping a decade of annual revenue growth. But that growth stalled in 2020, dropping by 55%.

The state’s tourism officials are examining how evidence of climate change – such as season after season of wildfires and drought – colors the way potential visitors see wine country.

Right, right, because that’s what the problem is. Couldn’t have anything to do with the Chinese coronavirus and the state’s restrictions, could it? Since this is a bay area publication, all the poop, urine, used drug needles, and homeless has no bearing, right? Or the high rate of theft, including autos? The smash and grabs? It’s rather doubtful that wildfires, which are almost always caused by people (intentionally and unintentionally), is having any bearing on this. Maybe the high costs of everything? Visitors do not care about drought.

Napa Green’s certification program is on the cusp of being extended to the hospitality sector, said Gallagher, who sits on the organization’s board of directors.

It will start with hotels.

“We intend to move forward with that this spring with a pilot program, where we will look at different sizes and classes of lodging properties all throughout the valley,” Gallagher said. “We’ll have one pilot participant (each) in Calistoga, St. Helena, Yountville, in the city of Napa and in American Canyon, as well as the unincorporated county.”

In other words, the cost of a hotel room and the food will go up up up.

The work involves shifting Sonoma County Tourism’s focus from promoting the wine country destination as an ideal getaway, to emphasizing the need to preserve the region’s natural resources. It’s a messaging effort targeted toward visitors with the same mindset, Vecchio said.

“It was no longer going to be a numbers game, no longer about just touting the number of people who came into Sonoma County,” she said.

That’s good, because this will limit people coming. It’s like a beach touting it’s “green” cred, rather than the beach and all the stuff you can do there. People come for the wines, not the lectures. Anyhow, good luck with this.