Aloha Airlines is shutting down passenger operations today after 61 years of service to Hawaii. Flights from Hawaii to the West Coast and flights from Orange County to Reno and Sacramento, and Oakland to Las Vegas have been discontinued. Code-share partner United Airlines 1-800-UNITED1 or united.com, will accommodate flight schedules, or you can contact Aloha Airlines for a refund of your flight. Effective immediately, Aloha will stop selling tickets for travel beyond March 31, 2008. The shutdown of Alohas passenger operations will affect about 1,900 employees as proceedings in U.S. Bankruptcy Court will handle claims and settlements. David A. Banmiller, Alohas president and chief executive officer said the company simply ran out of time to find a qualified buyer or secure continued financing for Aloha’s passenger business. “Unfair competition has succeeded in driving us out of business, bringing to an end a 61-year-old company with a proud legacy of serving millions of travelers in the true spirit of Aloha,” he said.
There are approx. 100 destination management organizations (DMO) in California helping to provide information to tourists, and boost revenues for cities and regions. While chambers of commerce are usually designed to promote a healthy business environment, they may additionally take on the duties of serving the tourist community. In fact, a typical chamber office receives as many calls as a vistors bureau from local residents and tourists seeking information, or voicing complaints. Supported by memberships that range from $50 to several thousand dollars for corporations, chambers of commerce are rarely supplied grant money to promote hotels and regional assets. On the other hand, DMOs are occasionally solely funded by direct memberships, but are more commonly funded by city grants and special assessments in the form of business improvement districts (BID). DMOs sometimes form PACs (political action committees) and hire lobbyists to promote issues affecting tourism such as government funding of destination marketing, as well.
In California, the state government formerly had a California tourism and commerce department staffed with specialists in public relations and marketing. This sort of structure still exists in many states, including Arkansas. But the California tourism department was closed some years ago and the travel industry restructured its promotions through a commission funded by a state grant, but to a larger degree by memberships. Tourism-related partners have included Disneyland, Universal Studios Hollywood, SeaWorld, and the DMO’s throughout the state that all pay the commission a fee to become members. The largest funding sources for the current $50 million budget come from assessments of BIDs such as the California car rental business, theme parks, hotels, etc. With decreases in government spending the trend, these forms of funding are becoming increasingly popular.
While this form of funding seems to make sense, the newly-formed car rental BID of the California Travel and Tourism Commission (CTTC) was questioned by a nonprofit watchdog group in San Diego, as it instituted its program to charge additional fees to everyone who rents a car in California. When you rent a car, pay your hotel bill, buy theme park tickets, and a variety of tour-related products, a percentage of your purchase goes to CTTC to promote California as a destination.
In a study performed several years ago by an independent firm, a reduction of funding to California tourism suggested that a drop in tourism was tied directly to the lack of spending on advertising, trade show presence and other efforts. We previously compiled a chart of reported tourism budgets in the 50 U.S. states. The numbers have changed quite a bit in just a year or two.
And we previously reported on our blog that Florida’s tourism arm believes it is getting some difficult competition from California that could impact its bottom line. Both states have Disney theme parks, both states have Universal Studios attractions, both have Pirates Dinner Adventures, and both offer beaches as well. The similarities are astounding.
In part two we provided an example of a non-profit California watchdog group, California Aware, voicing concerns over secrecy and how tax dollars are spent by destination management organizations such as Huntington Beach Conference and Visitors Bureau. Should the public have a right to determine how government funded organizations spend their grants, or at least be able to find out what the terms of these entities’ lawsuits, settlements and commerce procedures are?
In 2000 it was a question that Long Beach examined and dealt with. Long Beach Convention and Visitors Bureau Convention president Linda Howell-DiMario and sales vice president Tom Dorsett were paid $23,500 in sales bonuses, a significant portion of which was attributable to erroneously reported numbers, according to City Auditor Gary Burroughs, who worked with independent auditor Ernst & Young. The audit alleged that the CVB staff reported 50,000 more bookings than actually occurred from Oct 1, 1998 through June 2000. Both employees left their jobs, though no conclusion was made as to whether the mistake was accidental or not.
Generally things seem to run smoothly in these destination management organizations–until glaring problems or red flags appear. Often, there have been complaints filed, but without oversight committees, a watchdog group or individual must bring forward a lawsuit to open the books and practices of these quasi-government agencies.
We’ve shopped the coast from San Diego to Arcata. No place compares with Seal Beach, an Orange County beach city that ranks among our favorites for its friendly parking policies, home-spun busineses and world class offerings. I try to take a day each week or two to stop in Seal Beach, California. I stop and park along Main Street and enjoy a Javatini, buy a gift card for a family member or friend, and say hello to nice people like Todd Caviola, who’s always getting new artwork in the Old Town Gallery.
Breaking the mold of the nearby cities where one quarter (25 cents) buys 10 minutes parking, Seal Beach let’s you pull into town, look around, buy a cinammon roll, a latte, pizza slice or guitar pick, and not worry that your car will be fined with a $30 - 60 parking ticket.
Southern California weather is predicable. It’s either sunny or overcast. It is usually warm. But on Easter 2008, the weather was crazy! Driving from Orange County beaches to Carson, the temperature at noon started out at 74 and by the time I hit Carson, it was 82. Driving along the city streets over to the Southbay Pavilion, then Home Depot Center, and next Victoria Park with golf, ball fields and a swim pool, the temperature climed a degree every few minutes. It was just crazy. “I’m getting out of here and heading for the beach,” (approx 10 miles away), I told my travel mate. We got on the 110 Harbor Freeway and thought we’d see a project our local councilman was building in San Pedro. It’s a beautiful condo complex in downtown San Pedro in what appears to be a redevelopment zone. But as we drove along toward Cabrillo Beach after seeing the building, the temps kept climbing, minute by minute. Within an hour from leaving my beach home, I watched the temperatue rise 20 degrees! Growing up in the Midwest, this was not unusual for that region. But for California, it looked like a Santa Ana condition (heat inversion pushes hot air from the desert toward the ocean and beach to the west). Cabrillo Beach in San Pedro was by far the busiest of the beaches I drove past (including Long Beach, Seal Beach, Sunset Beach, Huntington Beach and Newport Beach). I’ve yet to discover if the temperature was specific to that pocket. where it topped out at 94 degrees. On the road and back home, the temps dropped back into the 70’s. When you live in a region where the weather is the same day in and day out, sometimes a trip in the car to the beach can take you to the hottest point, and it can also be the highlight of your day as you watch the traffic from your driver’s seat, and watch the temperature rise, a real surprise at Southern California beaches.
PART I: What’s Wrong (or Right) With Tourism
Having worked in the tourism industry for a few years now (about ten), I have noticed a common theme in the industry that we journalists observe and often joke about. (I have worn the other hat as a destination marketer, so I speak from both sides of my mouth.) What we notice is that destination marketing professionals are quite a mixed bag. It’s as if Felix the Cat, a cartoon character, pulled odd things out of his black bag, and you never know what will come out. How does this affect you, the traveler? It can result in your not accessing the best or right information about your chosen vacation spot, not having a place to voice your comments, complaints and feedback (such as a Better Business Bureau for Travelers), and placing yourself in danger because destinations’ secrets are buried in the fine print. At California beaches, the dangers can be polluted water with high bacteria counts to make you sick, rip currents to sweep you to sea, or other similar ills often not on the traveler’s radar screen.
Unlike many other industries, the tourism field is considered one those “fun” occupational endeavors where your perks include travel, meals, and other amenities in lieu of cash and salary. But from what many of us journalists have observed, our counterparts in the travel sector often aren’t versed in journalism, and when they try to pitch stories, they are missing the mark well over 50% of the time. The problem, it seems, is rooted deep within the system.
Upcoming: What’s Wrong or Right With Tourism
How are these destination management organizations funded, and does city and government funding serve the needs of a community? We’ll discuss this topic, and take a look at some examples of this mechanism in action. We’ll also examine the role a DMO traditionally plays in a community or destination, and what can be done to improve its functionality.
For those of who watch the U.S. Open of Surfing last year in Huntington Beach, it was hard to miss Colin McPhillips, 3-time world longboard champ. He decided after winning that he was available to go on board with a sponsor in the pro circuit, so he set out feelers to find a perfect company to pay for his skills and use his name to their advantage. And in return, he could collect money from the contract they’d create in the perfect partnership. A European firm was at the U.S. Open event and they connected. McPhillips had gone an entire year without sponsorship (not a good thing) in the competitive environment that exists and monies are needed to compete and travel the globe in what some see as a high-stakes, high flying lifestyle. As a 12-year member of OP (Ocean Pacific) team that disbanded a year earlier, McPhillips was eager to climb aboard and secure sponsorship after reaching the pinnacle in the surfing world. The 32-year-old San Clemente pro surfer and graduate of San Clemente High, also surfs for three San Clemente companies – Rainbow Sandals, Soleo Organics and Stewart Surfboards. His long list of surfing awards has made him a hot property with ample star power in the surfing world’s star rating system. Three competitions he’s signed up for in 2008 include several $50,000 Oxbow Pro events – May 5-11 in France; October 5-11 at San Onofre and a non-sponsored U.S. Open event July 18-27 at Huntington Beach.
Word to the wise: US Open of Surfing sells out the hotel rooms near the beaches of Huntington Beach. If you think you’re going to attend, you can park your car and walk on over to the event, but as of this March posting , some hotels are already sold out. Here’s what our booking system is putting out right now for the big weekend culmination (July 26 - Saturday overnight stay):
- Best Western Regency Inn Huntington Beach - from $103.50 per night (on Beach Blvd., few miles from event)
- Comfort Suites Huntington Beach - from $109.99 per night (on Beach Blvd., few miles from event)
- Hilton Waterfront Beach Resort - from $322.00 per night at beach, walk to event
- Hotel Huntington Beach - from $109.00 per night (several miles from event, just off freeway)
- Howard Johnson Express Inn & Suites Huntington Beach - from $98.10 per night (on Beach Blvd., few miles from event)
In a freak accident that killed a boat rider in Florida last week, a stingray that flew through the air killed the woman who was a passenger in her father’s boat. Stuff happens that you really can’t plan for. But it does show us that the ocean has its own set of rules and we are visitors in this not-always-friendly place. Here are a few recent examples from Southern California beaches, courtesy of a shark reporting center.
Huntington Beach was the spot where Thomas Larkin surfed with several friends around 7:10 a.m. at Huntington City Beach’s Dog Beach near Golden West Street. Waiting for a set of waves for about 5 minutes, he felt a jolt on the tail of his board, immediately followed by violent bubble cascade, which sunk the board down about another 8 inches. He headed back for the beach, not sure what had happened, till he found a bite mark. The diameter of the bite suggests an adult White Shark in excess of 15 feet in length.
Santa Monica Beach was the spot where a guy named Dan Burks surfed on March 14, 2008 near Bay Street. Getting his morning surfing in, the time was around 7:45 a.m. An 8 to 9-foot shark’s dorsal fin came within 70 yards of him. He was fine and there was no confrontation, merely a sighting.
San Onofre State Beach near San Clemente was the scene of a shark sighting on March 5, 2008. Kelly Lewis saw it at San Onofre State Park at approx. 1:45 p.m. It thrashed violently until a set of waves came in to float it. It spent several minutes in shallow water, eventually swimming into deeper water and disappearing.
So what to do? At a minimum, maintain the buddy system for entering the ocean. Friends can (and have) saved lives of friends in the ocean. Report your attack to sharkresearchcommittee.com.
Palm Springs and Spring Break — Where did all the college student go? Do any of you remember when Palm Springs used to be the “in” spot for college students on spring break? As a friend and I did a day (and overnighter) to Palm Springs, the stores were fairly empty, and even the best value hotels had rooms for Easter weekend! The weather hovers around a very dry, mellow 82 and the nights are cool. But there’s something going on. Is the economy in the much of a nose dive? It’s hard to say, but the once “most popular” place in Southern California looks eerily uncrowded this week. As I check the hotels, however, in the last hour it appears things may be booking now. It is certainly a great time to go and you really shouldn’t miss Joshua Tree National Park!
As I head for the beach along Edwards Street, passing a $5 million home that I doubt will sell for that price (even though it has two homes on the lot–one with over 4,000 square feet,) I marvel that the sunshine has been so consistent, so prominent and so enduring during the Southern California spring.
How do you know it’s spring in Southern California? At night the heavy smell of blossoms from the orange and lemon trees stagnates in the air, almost overwhelming. It was nice at first scent, but thickens in concentration along with the dew and mist from the ocean. I always figure it is spring when I smell those blossoms, usually beginning in February.
So the good news is that even though gas prices are rising and the economy has embarked on “the worst recession I’ve ever seen since I was born in 1960,” according to a good friend, Joe, who seldom speaks in such extremes, the sun is out and there’s plenty of sand to enjoy at no cost on the California coast. Hoteliers are always seeking to fill rooms and by the way, there are several deals the good marketers alerted us to. One is right here on Los Angeles coast in Venice. A hotel at the beach, The Cadillac Hotel, has renovated to the tune of over $2 million. We’ll write a review soon. Another on the Orange County coast is Vacation Village in Laguna Beach. It also has enjoyed recent renovation and conference facilities.
While the economic woes are very real, people are still traveling and having fun. There are more foreign visitors enjoying our weakened dollar, and we local travelers have tightened our belts, shortening our trips, or hotel expense and restaurant dining (many restaurants are complaining about business.) It’s probably the best time to sink your feet into the sand and relax. When times get tough, I as a new arrival to California had a great set of friends with their heads on straight. When the times get tough, they would tell me, get to the beach and relax!
We like to check out the prices for the theme parks to see what’s up for spring and summer 2008. As of today, here are some of the current data, news and links:
One of Beachcalifornia’s favorites in the bay area is Six Flags Discovery Kingdom in Vallejo. With a ticket price of just $29, it’s a good deal. You get not only the rides such as the new Tony Hawk’s Big Spin, but there’ is an entire aquatic zone with animals and shows. I love the penguins, especially. If you’re looking for tickets, the price today is $29.
Knott’s Berry Farm is located in Buena Park just a short drive from Disneyland. The price of a ticket today is $47.99. A new ride, Pony Express, is supposed to be opening soon. Summer heats up and the Soak City park opens May 24 (2008). We love Knott’s because it is less crowded, laid back, and offers great climate, plus a really fun dinner experience down the street at Pirate’s Dinner Adventure. Teens abound, as do kids. But us adults are also taken in by theatrics and interaction of this fun dinner night. Great place for a first date to just have fun! The price of $56 is all inclusive and for adults can include beer or wine. There’s a cocktail bar as you enter the lobby before the show.
I had attended Legoland California in Carlsbad twice on corporate events. The rides were closed and it was dark each time I went. So last year I got off my duff and attended what I assumed was a kiddy theme park. I can now say that having built Lego toy structures myself, this is a really cool place and it offers more than just kiddie rides (did you notice how I spelled kiddie twice–and two different ways?) Legoland is offering a $40 entry for adults now through March 31. That’s about a $19 savings.
Disneyland is going through some renovations and changes. In fact, every time I’ve visited in the past two years, one of my favorite rides is shut down. It doesn’t seem to hurt the attendance much. The place is always packed with crowds. Getting ready to revamp California Adventure because the attendance never reached expectations, we’ve heard they’re getting rid of the Golden Gate Bridge as you enter the park, for starters. Now through April 24 Disneyland is offer park hopper passes at discounts.The best deal is the 6 or 7 day passes for $179 - 189.
We’ve not mentioned all the parks in California. But these are some of our favorites that have saving now. The deal is, you have to buy your tickets within the time frames mentioned in their terms of conditions. For updates and current list of all the theme parks, you’ll find a pretty good line up on this page.
When you see one of the fun postcards with the words of the place spelled out with photos or pictures of that destination’s highlight filling in the the block letters, it usually makes you smile. Beyond the curious interest of execution of this fun concept, what are the images used to represent California? In California Greetings cards, the landmarks vary but there seem to be several that hold universal appeal, showing up most often. What are they? Here are a few that we’ve noticed.
In the search of the perfect California weekend getaway, we’ve found there are many types of one and two day vacation getaways to please not only all ages, but tastes. From mountains to lakes (and our beloved beaches, of course) travelers will find the California events offer food tasting, wine tasting, agricultural celebrations of harvest crops such as almonds, tomatoes, artichokes and wine, and activities available all the time. Go to the beach for a weekend, go to the mountains, visit California’s lakes, or even take a drive down PCH. The cruising is fine all the time in California.