One of the most important weeks on the calendar for Catalina Island is the week dedicated to the promotion of travel and tourism, given the islands dependence on sustainable tourism.
According to Jim Luttjohann, CEO of the Catalina Island Chamber of Commerce and Visitor’s Bureau, Catalina will celebrate “National Travel and Tourism Week” from May 6-12.
This year’s theme invites the celebration of “Travel Then and Now.”
Catalina’s rich heritage as a travel destination makes it a prime subject for this conversation, he said.
“With over 1 million visitors per year, spending $166.7 million dollars and supporting 1,254 jobs, visitors to Avalon are our life’s blood,” Luttjohann said in a statement.
While the spending of visitors has always provided a lifeline for Catalina, today’s travel and tourism industry is a “far cry from the early days of camps and steam ships.”
According to the Chamber, here are some of the ways residents can help celebrate the week;
• On Sunday May 6, take a moment to appreciate the fact that tourism supports our local infrastructure, provides jobs and keeps our taxes lower by $4,997 per household.
• On Monday, May 7, honor an island colleague or staff member that has gone above and beyond in service to a visitor.
Gather your team to congratulate them and appreciate the efforts they have made in bettering the visitor experience.
• On Tuesday, May 8, participate in the Travel Rally Day by posting on social media, facts and figures about your tourism serving place or business using the hashtag #TravelsWelcome.
Send your front-line team members to the Catalina Island Visitor Center for a cupcake and coffee where we will let them know how much we appreciate their work in enhancing the visitor experience!
Be sure they bring a business card to enter-to-win gift certificates for use in member businesses too!
• On Wednesday, May 9, Participate in a Wandering Wednesday.
Walk around Avalon, doing your best to see things through the Visitors’ eyes.
Take note of the ways our community could better communicate or enhance the visitor experience.
Be sure to let us know what you discover!
• On Thursday, May 10, make a TBT post or two that shows Catalina Island Then and Now.
• On Friday, May 11, Talk Travel.
Call up an old friend, grab a coworker for coffee or have some wine with your significant other, and talk about the best trip you ever took, or the one you never took, but should!
• On Saturday, May 12, pledge to travel in the coming year!
For more information on National Travel and Tourism Week, visit USTravel.org.
For detailed information on the impacts and benefits of tourism to Catalina Island check out the Visitor Statistics page on CatalinaChamber.com.
