Need a reason to vote? Check out our video to discover why Cloverdale is cool. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GlTGcot9YgA.

Sonoma County Goes to New York
It was a successful "Sonoma in the City" when Sonoma County barnstormed the Big Apple bringing the food, wine and experience of our home. Part of a larger strategy of the trio of Sonoma County Vintners, Winegrape Commission and Tourism Bureau to promote together, this Sonoma in the City was the most ambitious yet. Featuring multiple vintner dinners, media calls and events and even the guerrilla-marketing stunt of getting on the Today Show, local businesses were able to show what makes Sonoma County "America's premier wine, spa and coastal destination."

A highlight for SCTB was the chance to attend a media lunch at the Beard House, featuring Sonoma County chefs and products. Chef Bruce Reizenman, of Park Avenue Catering (pictured above right), showed off a local seafood chowder, while Duskie Estes (above left) and John Stewart of Zazu made sure all attending tried out their Black Pig bacon-wrapped asparagus. Chef Justin Everett offered his take on rabbit, and Janine Falvo presented a push-up made from sturgeon.

The trio is now in the City of Angels, bringing the wine, food and tourism message of Sonoma County to Los Angeles. Watch this space for updates.

Probation Department Wins Top SCTB Hometown Hero Reward
The Sonoma County Probation Department hosted a regional conference, Probation Business Managers Association (PBMA) 2009 Conference at the Hyatt Vineyard Creek in November. The meeting brought in 240 room-night stays plus meetings, resulting in $102,000 economic impact for Sonoma County.

The Probation Department staffers were rewarded with a pizza party and heartfelt thank yous and awards from Sonoma County Supervisor Shirlee Zane, and SCTB's Paula Higgins and Mark Crabb.

Employees who worked with SCTB to bring the meeting to Sonoma County include Carl Vanden Heuvel, PBMA's northern chairperson; Sarah Debaeke, who was SCTB's main contact in assisting with the leads, site tours, welcome amenities and cash incentive; Ruth Uland, the chief's executive administration assistant, who played an important role in overall coordination; and Linda Lehman, who spent many hours on the PBMA conference and played a role in bringing the conference to Sonoma County.

A Hometown Hero is a person or group of people, who live locally and use SCTB's services to help bring a meeting or conference to Sonoma County. Contact Paula Higgins, phiggins@sonomacounty.com if you'd like to be a Hometown Hero. It's a great time to meet in Sonoma County and take advantage of the $4,000 cash incentive to help offset conference expenses.

Pictured right to left in front are Sonoma County Supervisor Shirlee Zane, Carl Vanden Heuvel, Sarah Debaeke, and Ruth Uland.

National Foursquare Day - We Were There
Foursquare, the online social network, had a promotion with businesses participating by offering incentives to people who checked in at their businesses. Participating in Sonoma County were Cellars of Sonoma, Hyatt Vineyard Creek, Francis Ford Coppola's Winery, McDonald's and others. Participating at Cellars of Sonoma were, from left, Brad Calkins, of the Courtyard Marriott, SCTB's Keri Hanson, and social media consultant Shana Ray.

National Travel and Tourism Week is May 8-16
"Stand Up and Be Counted" as one of more than 10 million American workers whose job depends on travel. Travel rallies will take place across the country on Tuesday, May 11. Visit http://www.ustravel.org for more information.

SCTB is celebrating in a different way, by working with the California Travel and Tourism Commission to stage Spend Tom, a statewide campaign, shows how tourism dollars impacts local economies.

The "Spend Tom" promotion, named after Thomas Jefferson, the president on the $2 bill, demonstrates how tourist dollars move through the economy by distributing $25,000 in two-dollar bills marked with "www.spendtom.com" at various tourism-related businesses in Sonoma County such as restaurants, cafes, hotels and visitors centers.

You can participate by shopping at one of the participating businesses. Receive a $2 bill for change and register at spendtom.com. Tell where you received it and how you spent it. You'll be eligible to win prizes. Visit http://www.sonomacounty.com/spendtom to find the businesses participating.

Industry Trends Show Improvement
According to U.S. Travel Association, economic recovery is under way, though improvements are uneven across the travel/hospitality industry's sectors. Air travel demand is gaining momentum and passenger revenues are increasing, hotel indicators are showing encouraging signs following a year of declines (including a record-low occupancy rate), and international travel is recuperating after visitor arrivals and spending contracted in 2009.

Business and meeting travel is not out of the woods yet, as many organizations are sticking with their tightened travel policies and ramping up investment in technology that provides an alternative to travel. Overall, U.S. Travel's forecast calls for increases of about 2 percent in domestic travel and 3 percent in international arrivals in 2010. Find out more at http://bit.ly/ckuMsN.

The Travel Dashboard in April gives an overview of major industry indicators such as employment and consumer confidence, hotel RevPAR, traveler sentiment and transportation. More at http://bit.ly/dC9UQo.

Sonoma County Tourism Bureau is working to lessen the impact of the economy by continuing to sell Sonoma County as a meetings and leisure destination. To that end, said Mark Crabb, director of sales, “the sales team is working hard in developing contacts in new markets, primarily the Southwest, and strengthen the relationships in markets we currently serve. Staying in front of meeting professionals now will be beneficial when the economy recovers. Those planners will remember we were there for them when times were difficult.”

California April Research Bulletin Released
There continues to be some good news to report. Occupancy rates in California are up year over year by more than 5 percent in March, marking the third consecutive month of growth. Passenger traffic at California’s largest 10 airports also grew for the fourth consecutive month in February, led by an 8 percent increase in international traffic - a positive sign of life in a sector that really struggled last year.

The outlook for tourism continues to improve although at a still moderate pace. In March, 16 percent of US travelers said they will take fewer trips in the next 12 months compared to the past 12 months, but this is an improvement from the 21 percent who said the same a year ago.

And from our just updated California Travel Forecast, total visits to the state are expected to be up 2.7 percent in 2010 with spending up 5.0 percent. Detailed tables and analysis are available by visiting http://bit.ly/cyzUBi.

Park, Dine in Sonoma County: Airport Offers Extra Miles
Sonoma County Airport (STS), Republic Parking System, and THANKS AGAIN have joined forces to offer airport travelers valuable rewards. The STS Traveler Rewards Program (www.thanksagain.com/STS) enables airport passengers and residents of the region to earn frequent flyer miles in programs like Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan when they park and dine at the Sonoma County Airport.

Consumer enrollment in the program is free, quick and secure. Simply register up to five credit or debit cards at www.thanksagain.com/STS. Thanks Again members will earn one airline mile for every $1 spent on parking at the airport. To qualify to earn miles, a consumer must use a registered card to pay for parking of at least $24 per visit.

Airline miles earned via Thanks Again are above and beyond any miles that consumers may already earn on affinity credit or debit reward cards that they register in the STS Traveler Rewards Program. As an additional incentive, when consumers sign up and make a qualifying purchase, they will receive an additional 250 miles.

STS will also encourage local businesses in the Sonoma County region to participate in the THANKS AGAIN program. This will enable Northern California residents and wine country visitors to not only earn attractive bonus airline miles at STS, but also at a number of off-airport businesses including attractions, wineries, restaurants, spas, salons, and golf courses.

Sonoma County Shines for DMAI
“Hats off to you and the team in Sonoma! Not only do you have a great destination, but a great team promoting it,” was the prevailing comment after the Destination Marketing Association International Board of Directors and Presidents/CEO Forum, in April.

DMAI members, all of whom are executives of destination marketing organizations throughout North America, met in Sonoma County and were able to explore beyond the borders of their host hotel, Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn.

“We now have 97 destination executives and their spouses from across North America who are sales people for Sonoma County,” said SCTB’s Ken Fischang, who serves on the DMAI board.

Destination partners that helped put a good face on Sonoma County include Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn, Gaige House, Sonoma Creek Inn, Pure Luxury Transportation, Epicurean Connection, and wineries: Hanzell, Landmark, B.R. Cohn, Kunde, Benziger, Silver Oak, Ferrari-Carano, Twomey, and Rodney Strong.

Pictured at the reception are, from left, SCTB's Paula Higgins; Percy Brandon, Vintners Inn; Michael Gehrisch, DMAI; Kelley Cosgrove, Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn; Ken Fischang and Marta Hayden, SCTB; and David Burke, Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn.