The Mamas and the Papas were on to something when they penned California Dreamin’ one cold winter day in New York. They knew California’s allure firsthand, and like many people who’d never visited, imagined being in its warm embrace. The song remains to this day their signature hit.
Countless other songs, novels, movies and photographs have been created to depict the Golden State’s offerings, and people have always been drawn to it. Perhaps more than any other state in the nation, California inspires folks to relocate or at least visit. After all, it’s not only a dreamy destination, it’s one where dreams come true.
"California has long been attracting Hollywood hopefuls and people pursuing their dreams," says Caroline Beteta, president and CEO of the California Travel & Tourism Commission (CTTC). "It has been, and remains today, a place of great opportunity and acceptance. California has also been a land of innovation, from Silicon Valley—think Google—to sustainable wine growing."
It’s also the land of innovative and successful meetings, where agendas perfectly mix business with the pleasure of the group’s surroundings. Whether convening at one of California’s convention centers, such as the state capital’s Sacramento Convention Center, an urban hotel like the Parc 55 Wyndham San Francisco-Union Square, a conference retreat such as Santa Cruz’s Chaminade Resort and Spa, a gaming destination like northern San Diego County’s Pala Casino Spa & Resort, or in any of the state’s other meetings-friendly properties, planners will be able to dream up itineraries that thrill delegates.
"California is truly the land of abundance, with a huge diversity of things to do and see," Beteta says. "California not only encompasses some of the world’s most famous icons, like the Golden Gate Bridge, Yosemite and Disneyland, but the entire state ranges from the mountains to the ocean, to the desert, to the redwoods."
With the global economic downturn, California’s bounty has suffered fewer visitors in the recent past. The state’s meetings players have also taken some hits, but according to the CTTC, there are clear signs the business travel industry is on the upswing, and local suppliers and CVBs are optimistic.
"Clearly, expectations for 2010 and 2011 are much higher than they’ve been in the last few years," says Steve Hammond, president and CEO at the Sacramento CVB.
David Andre, spokesperson for the Santa Clara CVB, agrees and notes the hospitality community in Santa Clara is showing positive signs of recovery.
"The eight hotels surrounding the Santa Clara Convention Center ran nearly 77 percent occupancy for the second quarter of 2010 compared to 62 percent for the same period in 2009," he says.
The San Mateo County/Silicon Valley CVB, according to president and CEO Anne LeClair, also has good news to report, as "meeting bookings and interest in meetings are both up dramatically."
And in Irvine, overall rates, occupancy and RevPar are slightly down, but projected to increase slowly on the meeting side in the coming months and return to pre-2008 norms by 2012, according to Michelle Carlen, director of sales at the Irvine Chamber Visitors Bureau.
"It is still a buyer’s market and cost is still the driving factor when booking a meeting," she says. "Value and value-add concessions are still one of the key negotiating factors."
But when it comes right down to it, the bottom line for meetings in California is enthusiastic attendees who’ve always wanted to visit. And this doesn’t exclude native Californians, who welcome gatherings in parts of the state they’ve never explored.
"California has the best of everything—urban elegance meets beach chic," says Izzy Tihanyi, CEO and owner of La Jolla-based Surf Diva. "Our California world is bright, colorful and ambitious but at the same time has a laid-back flair."
Planners have the ability to put groups in touch with this world and to maybe make a few dreams come true along the way.
