McGuire hosts economic roundtable with state’s tourism, hospitality leaders
Senator Mike McGuire (DHealdsburg) hosted a digital roundtable conversation with hospitality and tourism industry leaders from across the state on Wednesday. They discussed a strategic road map for a safe reopening and the critical importance of getting 600,000 of California’s hospitality workers safely back to work when the California Department of Public Health declares it is appropriate to resume travel.
Hospitality and tourism is one of the economy sectors that got hurt most with the worldwide pandemic. COVID-19 took a devastating toll on the local industry. More than half of California’s 1.2 million hospitality workers have lost their jobs and the state has lost $85 billion in visitor spending.
“California is the only state in the nation that has a privately funded Tourism Bureau. That’s called Visit California, and it has invested $1.1 billion in advertising the California brand over the last decade,” McGuire said, adding that because they’re privately funded, they are struggling. “Just like so many workers and small businesses, which is why we have now introduced Senate Bill 285, which would provide Visit California with a one-time $45 million to fund a marketing initiative that would deliver $10.3 billion in revenue to California businesses and $865 million in additional state and local taxes.”
The forum included Caroline Beteta, President and CEO, Visit California; John DiFlauro, Disneyland Resort Castmember and Chief Shop Steward, and Rhonda Salisbury, CEO/Film Commissioner, Visit Yosemite, among other participants.
“We are trying to get Californians to take their
trips in California, instead of out of California,” said Beteta. “For the past five years, our domestic program has generated an average of $415 of spending for every dollar invested and a return of $27 in tax revenue for every dollar invested. We’re expecting this campaign to generate about $10.3 billion in travel spending,” she added.
DiFlauro, has been with the Disney family resort for 29 years. He said he received touching stories from dozens of his peers: “I have done my part. I’ve stayed home. I’ve worn my mask. I want to live my life, but the state of California says ‘no’. I love my job. Actually, it’s not a job. It’s a place I can make magic every day. It’s my home away from home and it’s my second family. It’s now becoming difficult to make payments on basic necessities.”
DiFlauro said he had to move his 80-year-old mother to live with him because COVID-19 is not friendly to seniors. “It was extremely difficult watching as many of my coworkers were laid off this past September, due to the continued shutdown in the state. Working in a job that requires continuous social interaction, making magical moments for children — it’s a dream job. It’s my happy place. Being forced to withdraw from society in order to be safe has affected me mentally.”
He added that he lives with two older family members and is afraid to bring the virus home to them. “It’s been like walking on eggshells for 11 months. The political games that are being played in Washington DC were difficult to watch as it affects so many of us in so many ways. If the government shuts down the economy, it is their responsibility to pick up the slack.”
According to DiFlauro, eleven months of uncertainty created anxiety wondering if he would be able to pay his bills. The resort closure forced him to move out of state — from California to Arizona. “Moving forced me to leave not a job, but a career with endless possibilities. The resort closure didn’t just affect my life. It was my wife’s life, my daughter’s life, my mother in law’s life. With the closure of the resort, I felt isolated. I’m experiencing anxiety, not knowing what will happen with my taxes. I didn’t have taxes taken out because I needed every penny to survive. I used to be able to pick up extra shifts and overtime. And now that has stopped.”
Rhonda Salisbury, CEO/ Film Commissioner of Visit Yosemite, said that in the 35 years she has been in the industry, she has never ever seen anything like this. “The businesses are barely surviving. Now, more than ever, we rely on Visit California to help us elevate our marketing strategies. Our restaurant industry has been hit very hard”, she noted.