Visitors guide wins award from state tourism commission
By ALICE OLLSTEIN Special to the Daily Press
DOWNTOWN During a ceremony under the scorching Palm Desert sun, the California Travel and Tourism Commission (CTTC) recently presented the Santa Monica Convention and Visitors Bureau (SMCVB) with the award for the best visitors guide of 2008. The judges officiating at the California Conference on Tourism wrote that Santa Monica’s Visitors Guide was “engaging,”with “great reflection of brand and lifestyle.” Santa Monica tied with Mammoth for the award. More than 300 California Travel Industry professionals and marketing experts voted.
Back in March, CTTC invited cities in California to “strut their stuff” by submit-ting entries for one of nine categories ranging from best overall marketing campaign to best Web site and best visitor’s guide to best TV advertisement.
Kim Baker, SMCVB director of marketing, submitted SMCVB’s visitors guide. She noted that the original goal behind the guide was to attract international long haul travelers.
“Our recent economic impact studies showed that Santa Monica visitors were actually both domestic and international,”
Baker said. “With this knowledge, we took both audiences into account when developing the 2008 guide.”
The cover of the new guide depicts a couple and their daughter at sunset, dressed in all-white California casual, walking along the sandy beach. Inside are new items, including “Only in Santa Monica” information and a introduction to Santa Monica that touches upon issues such as the environment, health and smoking, human dignity and homeless, safety and crime. The new color photos illustrate Santa Monica’s beach views, public art, walking streets, world-renowned restaurants, beautiful sunsets and a bustling nightlife.
One new feature of the guide, “Green Facts,” reflects Santa Monica’s growing environmental consciousness.
“Our strategy was to show that if you are an eco-conscious traveler, the green theme is woven throughout the experience of Santa Monica,” Baker said.
Another feature, “Did You Know?” peppers the guide with Santa Monica historical facts, such as, “The original Muscle Beach was located in Santa Monica.” The guide also includes traveler-friendly lists, such as “best place to watch the sunset” and “best family dining.”
“It’s an honor to win the award for Best Visitors Guide in 2008. We are very proud of Santa Monica CVB’s entire publishing program and work hard to enhance their brand with each product we publish for them,” said Lyndell Gooch, publisher of Striker Media Group, which publishes the Santa Monica guide. “To that end, unlike other publications in the market, the Santa Monica Visitors Guide is printed on recycled paper, and through its ad sales remains self-sufficient.”
The SMCVB publishes about 100,000 copies of the visitor’s guide each year. The goal, Baker said, is to “spread the word about what Santa Monica offers as a brand”
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on July 23, 2008. Read the original PDF.