November 13, 2009
  
   
Deadlines and Opportunities

Media Opportunity: Sherman’s Travel to Feature Culinary Activities back to top

Sherman’s Travel regularly publishes a “Featured Pick,” which is the lead deal (typically a round-up of several travel deals) for their weekly deals e-newsletter.

The topic for the next pitch is Foodie Retreats/Cooking School Specials. If you have an activity that fits the bill, please e-mail Tina Luster, tluster@sonomacounty.com, by Wednesday, Nov. 18.

Media Opportunity: AOL Building New Site; iPhone App back to top

Michele Bigley is the Bay Area hotels and attractions expert for a new AOL site that will launch in mid-November. She is looking for background press releases from local businesses. Also if you have a unique experience at your business, Michele wants to hear about it.

Michele is also working on a new iPhone guidebook for family-friendly Bay Area attractions and is looking for detailed information about family-friendly activities, playgrounds, museums, restaurants and wineries. In your e-mail please include what makes you family friendly. No lodging will be included in the app.

Please send your reponses directly to Michele Bigley, mishmell@sbcglobal.net. Also, include Tina Luster, tluster@sonomacounty.com, on the e-mail. We want to hear about you, too.

HD B-roll Video Needed back to top

Partners: Do you have high-definition b-roll video of your property? We are collecting HD videos from throughout Sonoma County to include in various video projects, including a destination video that we use at trade shows. Contact Keri Hanson, khanson@sonomacounty.com, for more information.

PR Roundtable: Donations Needed for Holiday Scholarship Auction back to top

San Francisco Bay Area’s PR Roundtable is seeking donations for its annual scholarship silent auction. The organization awards scholarships to full- and part-time university students studying public relations. The Public Relations and Marketing team are members of the organization.

In the past, partners have donated certificates for dinners for two, bottles of wine, maybe even for a night’s stay in Sonoma County. For more information about the auction, please e-mail Tina Luster at tluster@sonomacounty.com.

Wineries Update Website Information back to top

Winery Partners: Thank you for taking the time to fill out our recent survey. We have updated the wineries web page to reflect your changes. Please visit the site, http://www.sonomacounty.com/what-to-do/wineries, and make sure your information is correct. If you have any changes, please contact Beth Snow, bsnow@sonomacounty.com.

Looking for the Next Travel Trend back to top

OK, folks, you’re out and about talking with visitors. What are they saying about travel that’s new? Or maybe, there’s a topic that you just started hearing and now you’ve talked it over with several visitors.

For the last few years, culinary experiences, including food and wine pairings, became the popular thing. We want to capture what’s next on the horizon, before it hits us full force. Send your trends to Tina Luster, tluster@sonomacounty.com.

SCTB Was There

Zintopia Makes a Splash in First Event back to top

Zintopia, held at Lake Sonoma, had a successful first-year showing. This open-air fest highlighted more than 50 small-production wines from Dry Creek Valley. While Zinfandel was the featured variety, other boutique, uncommon reds and whites took center stage.

Wines paired perfectly with creative culinary tastes from Park Avenue Caterers. And what’s a festival without music? Festival goers enjoyed the sounds of the SoulSHine BLues Band. Educational events, a marketplace with jams, olive oils crafts, flowers, and produce, as well as a grape stomp, rounded out the event.

SCTB’s Keri Hanson was a one-woman film crew, interviewing Adam Sbragia, winemaker at Sbragia.

Speaking of video, did you know that you can upload a video and pictures to your listing on sonomacounty.com? Contact Keri Hanson, khanson@sonomacounty.com, for more information.


Fore! MILI Tees Off in Sonoma County back to top

SCTB worked with Meeting Industry Ladies Organization (MILO) to bring its annual golf tournament to Sonoma County. This is a destiny account that can influence business booked in Sonoma County for years.

"The 2009 Meeting Industry Ladies Invitational is an event that allows us to share the camaraderie of the women of our industry by being together in a magnificent setting for a couple rounds of golf at the spectacular destination of Sonoma County," said JoAnne Hoffman, MILI/MILO founder.

Tournaments and events are scheduled in different areas of the country so that cities, hotels and resorts can showcase their venues. MILO schedules three annual womens' golf events: Meeting Industry Ladies Open (MILO), Meeting Industry Ladies Invitational (MILI) and MILO Institute, a golf school.

Pictured from left to right are JoAnne Hoffman, Diane Griffin, Cheryl Stotts, and Sally Livingston.



MILI Participants Tour Area back to top

MILI attendees also had a chance to tour around Sonoma County. This familiarization tour gave showed what our destination can offer to groups holding their meetings or incentive trips here. The meeting professionals can have an impact of business booked in the destination for years to come. Pictured, the Hyatt Vineyard Creek Hotel & Spa served Arnold Palmers (iced tea and lemonade).



Wine and Food Affair Welcomed Visitors back to top

Just what does it take to put on a top-notch wine country event? Dedication and a hard working team. Look no further than Wine Road’s Beth Costa and Tracy Logan-Immordino. Again they produced a successful Wine and Food Affair, which showcased wineries in Russian River, Alexander, and Dry Creek valleys. The event was Nov. 7-8.

The Wall Street Journal even gave them a nod in last Friday’s edition as a featured wine festival. The event didn’t really need the Journal’s help to be successful; more than 4,600 tickets were sold in advance (more than 5,000 tickets total), compared to last year’s 3,600-plus advance sales.

Industry News

Industry Meetings Educates Policymakers back to top

According to U.S. Travel Association, eariler this year a dozen CEOs from leading travel companies to gathered in Washington D.C., to discuss common issues and meet with President Obama to encourage his support for business travel during these tough economic times. It was a pivotal moment in the travel industry’s successful effort to stop the demonization of corporate meetings and incentive travel.

There was another gathering last week of more than two dozen CEOs from major travel companies who recognized the value in jointly working to address issues critical to our industry. These industry representative met with top government and congressional officials in order to explain the industry and how it can impact the U.S. economy.

The group discussed continued support of legitimate travel for business meetings, events and incentive travel, including those companies that received bailout money. Securing the final passage of the Travel Promotion Act, which creates the first-ever U.S. promotion and communications program aimed at international travlers, among other relevant topics.

These meetings in Washington continue the tremendous momentum we've achieved in helping policymakers better understand why travel matters and the important role it plays in our overall economy.

U.S. Travel Industry to Add 90,000 American Jobs in 2010 back to top

The U.S. Travel Association announced that projected modest 2010 increases in leisure, business and international inbound travel will enable the industry to add nearly 90,000 American jobs.

Leisure travel is expected to rise 2 percent, business travel is projected to increase by 2.5 percent and international inbound travel will increase by nearly 3 percent. These job gains come on the heels of 400,000 combined travel industry job losses in 2008 and 2009.

For more information, visit www.tia.org/pressmedia/.

International Travel to U.S. Sees Decline in 2009 back to top

The U.S. Department of Commerce projects international travel to the United States to regain its footing by 2010 following its first forecasted year of decline (2009) since 2003. Because of the global economic environment, international travel is forecasted to decline by 8 percent in 2009. A 3 percent rebound is projected for the U.S. by the end of 2010, followed by 5 percent annual increases through 2013.

These declines come after the United States hosted a record 58 million international visitors in 2008. The arrivals forecast for 2009-2013 predicts that the 2008 record will be broken in 2012 and in 2013. International arrivals will reach almost 64 million, an increase of 9 percent between 2008 and 2013.

SCTB is working to counteract the decline by working with the California Travel and Tourism Commission to host journalists for tours and visits. By the end of 2009, SCTB sales and public relations representatives will have attended three travel shows in international markets, as well as numerous shows in the U.S. that target international travelers.

Find out more at www.travmedia.com/north-america/pressrelease.

Kudos

We Made the List! back to top

Even in a down economy, Sonoma County made the top 25 LGBT Travel Destination list, compiled by Community Marketing, Inc. This is the first time our destination has been featured on the list. We are ranked at No. 20.

LGBT travelers have long embraced Sonoma County as a travel destination. SCTB reaches this market through advertising, public relations, and sales. For more information about the 14th annual tourism study, visit communitymarketinginc.com/media_press.

Cooking on the Coast Airs Saturday back to top
A Sonoma Coast Thanksgiving dinner is on the menu for viewers of Bringing It Home this Saturday, Nov. 14 at 9:30 a.m. on KTVU-TV (Channel 2).

Bringing It Home Host Laura McIntosh teams up with Executive Chef Jon Mortimer, Sous Chef Riley Huddleston and Pastry Chef Christina Rowland of Alexander's at Timber Cove Inn in Jenner to prepare Florentine Turkey Roulade, Almond and Fennel Stuffing and Pumpkin Custard Tart with Pomegranate Caramel Sauce.

Bringing it Home is the award-winning cooking series that travels to different orchards, vineyards and farms throughout the western United States to capture the essence of the season.

Sonoma County Cooks with Emeril back to top

Lee James and Evie Truxaw, of Tierra Vegetables, were featured on Emeril Green, Chef Emeril Lagasse’s new show on Planet Green channel (Comcast 201). The show was a part of the chef’s wine country visit to the Culinary Institute of America.

The three made a tomatillo salsa to go with fish tacos. Lee and Evie kept pushing Emeril to “turn up the heat” and add more chilies.

Also featured were Bellwether Farm’s Cindy Callahan and her son, Liam. Liam also cooked with Emeril and featured Bellwether Farm cheeses and yogurt. In fact, Emeril said the Crescenza cheese was, “one of the best things I’ve ever put in my mouth.”

Can’t wait until Planet Green replays the episode? What video clips from the show at planetgreen.discovery.com/videos/.

The program also filmed segments with McEvoy Olive Oil, John Stewart and Duskie Estes from Zazu and Bovolo, and iconic chef John Ash. Their videos aren't on the site yet. Check local listings for replays of the episodes.

Artisan Wine Tours Drives to a Big Finish back to top

Congratulations to Artisan Wine Tours, voted “Best Sonoma Wine Country Tour in Wine Country” by SF Gate’s Bay List. “Artisan Wine Tours is an extraordinary composite of talent from the food & wine industry, entertainment, travel, transportation, and event planning,” stated the Bay List. Find out more at baylist.sfgate.com/artisan-wine-tours/biz/489478.

Glenelly Inn Hosts Journalist back to top

In October, Glenelly Inn hosted a journalist from Scotland. He took a moment to write proprietor Kristi Hallamore Jeppesen and her staff. The Glenelly will be featured in his upcoming travel story about Sonoma County.

In part, he said, “Hard to express how at home and comfy I was for two days, the wine, the food (those delicious breakfasts), the easy atmosphere and facilities, the staff with their bright-eyed smiles. ... Finally, a word about the property - a really exceptional inn with all the comfort and attention to personal service you rarely get in a five-star hotel ...”

If you’re interested in helping host journalists, please e-mail Tina Luster, tluster@sonomacounty.com.