Tourism Update from Visit Santa Cruz County
This afternoon (Tuesday, June 9) Santa Cruz County Health Officer Gail Newel released an updated Health Order regarding COVID-19. The new Health Order removes lodging restrictions for hotels, motels, inns, bed and breakfasts, vacation rentals, RV parks, campgrounds and any other short-term lodging businesses. As of midnight, Friday June 12th lodging businesses may resume operations including hosting visitors traveling to Santa Cruz County. All lodging businesses must follow the industry sector guidance outlined here. Governor Newsom’s health guidance issued Friday also allows counties that have met health benchmarks to reopen zoos, family entertainment centers, museums, galleries, and winery tasting rooms.
Lodging properties across Santa Cruz County have been preparing for full operations for the last few weeks with industry guidance from the state as well as the Clean and Safe program provided by the California Hotel and Lodging Association to ensure the safety of employees and guests.
Let’s Cruz Again! As the local lodging industry prepares to commence full operations this weekend, Visit Santa Cruz County will begin to relaunch tourism promotion efforts to support the recovery our local economy’s top industry. We’re excited to be able to resume marketing and build momentum in time for our hotels, restaurants, retailers and various other tourism-dependent businesses to benefit from the summer season.
The Let’s Cruz Again relaunch campaign will focus on Californians that live within a 3-hour drive radius of Santa Cruz County. The latest industry surveys indicate that road trips within a 500-mile radius are the preferred travel being planned. VSCC staff has been preparing for the opportunity to support the return of tourism for the last few weeks. In the next two days we will finalize updates to the LetsCruzAgain.com website and launch initial social and digital strategies, with sensitivity to safe travel practices and activities that are compatible with social distancing and local requirements such as wearing face masks in public.
Visit Santa Cruz County will also be providing visitors and local businesses with resources for the most up to date travel-related questions regarding restrictions, closures and accessibility later this week.
Let’s Cruz!
Maggie Ivy
CEO/Executive Vice President
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