Tourism By Region

Welcome to Siskiyou County, northern California, USA Home of majestic Mount Shasta, the Klamath Wildlife Refuges, the Marble Mountains Wilderness, and a rich expanse of mountains, valleys and friendly small towns with a warm welcome for visitors through the seasons. Top Ten Places for Spring Treasure Hunting in Siskiyou County Come visit us and refresh your spirits... the friendly communities of Siskiyou County welcome travelers and wish to provide you with the very best accommodations, restaurants and tourism attractions, shopping and services. Come ski the snowy mountains, fish and raft our sparkling rivers, camp and swim in crystal lakes, hike and climb in our spectacular wilderness areas. From golf to photography, skiing to hunting, the travel information services here at the Siskiyou County Visitors' Bureau web site will make your visit the best vacation ever The following list includes just a few of the Siskiyou County festivals through the year...you are welcome at all of them! Please visit us and share the fun. The Holidays in Siskiyou County invite visitors to share in Christmas festivities every year! Click to read about the many Holiday activities in Siskiyou County with our news archives story: Find a Hometown Christmas in the Mount Shasta Country. More holiday highlights can be found at The Top Ten Reasons to Plan a Holiday Shopping Experience in Siskiyou County. The Siskiyou Golden Fair is a wonderful event every year! This annual celebration takes place in early August each year at the beautiful County Fairgrounds in Yreka. The Fair features a Saturday Night Rodeo, concerts, as well as days and days of livestock exhibitions, judging and auction, concerts, horse shows and gymkhana, and old fashioned Western fun! Events take place throughout the year at the Fairgrounds...from Barrel Races at the Collier Pavilion, to concerts, events and clinics. Check the Siskiyou Golden Fair events calendar for updates. Carnevale is the annual celebration for the town of Weed, taking place in July each year. Don't miss the great Bocce ball tournament, a unique event reflecting the Italian American heritage of this friendly mountain town. Also softball tournaments, soccer jamboree, carnival, parade, Top of the State foot race, Carnelvale King & Queen, music & entertainment, food, craft & vendor booths. Phone the Weed Chamber for details...(877) 938-4624 or (530) 938-4624. Migratory Bird Festival Each spring, Tulelake presents a festival dedicated to the abundant wildlife of the surrounding Tule Lake Basin, with wildlife tours, photography, art and activities for all ages. For details contact Tulelake Chamber of Commerce, c/o Tulelake-Butte Valley Fairgrounds, 800 S. Main Street, Tulelake, Ca 96134 (530) 667-5312. The Etna Rodeo and Parade in early spring is followed by the Etna Old Timers Rodeo later each summer. Beautiful Scott Valley is the location for these traditional events, where Siskiyou County residents participate in rodeo; children's calf-riding, and more!. For information call: 530-468-5442. For more cowboy-oriented attractions and events, check out our Wild West features page. Find family fun at the Tulelake Butte Valley Fair. Wednesday through Sunday following Labor Day each September. Five action packed days feature a free gate, free parking, free entertainment. Also available are truck pulls, bull riding, carnival, greased pig contest, parade, great food and much more. Information on the annual Tulelake Butte Valley Fair can be found at www.tbvfair.com. Join the community of Dunsmuir for three days of family fun as they celebrate the heritage of Railroad, River, and Family with Dunsmuir Railroad Days early each summer. Delightful small town parade, music and entertainment, craft booths, vendors, Children's Carnival, rail equipment display, and a Battle of the Bands on Sunday. Join locals at the Annual Rotary Club Pancake Breakfast on Saturday and Barbecue in the park Sunday. The event often features a 2 and 5 Mile River Run and the Annual Softball Tournament that starts on Friday. Enjoy old time country music from world-class performers at the annual Scott Valley Bluegrass Festival in mid-July. The two day event is held in Etna City Park, with full days of music, morning open mic scramble, special programs for the kids, and country crafts booths. The Montague Rotary Balloon Faire is scheduled each year in mid-September. This annual fair is a spectacular event for balloonists and fans, with forty balloons, balloons with special shapes, morning mass ascensions, parade, and steak dinner. A great opportunity for photographers, families, and balloon enthusiasts! Click to read about the Montague Rotary Balloon Faire at our news archives story: Enjoy family fun at balloon faire in the shadow of Mount Shasta. You'll love the fun and festivity at Happy Camp's annual Bigfoot Jamboree each year on Labor Day weekend. Events include a salmon barbecue, dances, races for the kids, pancake breakfast, a parade, and so much more. Also in Happy Camp, Memorial Day Weekend, is the time for the Bigfoot Summer Games, held all along the new Bigfoot Scenic Byway from Happy Camp to Hoopa. For more information, call the Happy Camp Chamber at 530-493-2900. Join in old fashioned fun in the sun every summer at the Annual Lumberjack Fiesta in McCloud. Main Street parade, vendors' booths, baseball tournament, children's events including Little Miss Fiesta/Little Logger Contest, horseshoe tournament, Amateur & Business persons logging show, daily entertainment, nightly dance, food, family games and more! Don't miss the Mt. Shasta Fourth of July Celebration and Fun Run each year over the 4th of July weekend. Celebrate Independence day in Mt. Shasta for old-fashioned small town fun. There will be a parade at noon, train rides through the town, sidewalk sale, and fireworks at disk over Lake Siskiyou. The Mount Shasta 4th of July Mountain Runners Two-Mile FUN Walk, Two-Mile Youth Race, Five-Mile Run, & a Wheelchair Race are celebrated as the biggest small town race event in the nation! For more information call 1-800-926-4865 or 530-926-4865.

Welcome to Santa Monica! Golden beaches and a sultry Pacific Ocean coastline, urban walkways and sandy terrain, gourmet cuisine and world-class dining, and first-rate couture and upscale boutiques. Santa Monica has all of the corporate amenities your clients require, from spacious meeting rooms to European-style nooks, Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) access, city transporters, and state-of-the-art technology with first-class accommodations. What makes Santa Monica unique? It’s the quintessential urban beach community. Where else can your conference attendees be on the cutting edge of corporate trends while sinking their toes into the warm shoreline sand and soaking in our local culture? It’s easy to see why Santa Monica is considered the first choice for a Southern California beach vacation. This seaside city blends the charm and appeal of a coastal getaway with an unforgettable beach and the sophistication of an urban center—a magnetic combination. Known for its healthy lifestyle, Santa Monica is situated in a compact, walkable 8.3 square miles. This environment- and pedestrian-friendly city also boasts one of the most respected public transportation systems in the nation, making the entire city easily accessible and convenient, even without a vehicle. Additionally, the city's world-famous beach and bike trail offer a vast assortment of outdoor recreation and activities. Santa Monica is the perfect base for vacationers and business travelers seeking easy access to metropolitan Los Angeles and the rest of this destination-rich region. Located only eight miles north of Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), the city is a short drive from downtown Los Angeles and less than an hour from virtually every major visitor destination in Southern California. After a day of sightseeing, Santa Monica is a tranquil, easygoing haven where you can get to everything good in the city without even getting back in the car. The beach setting is the number-one reason many people visit Santa Monica and the city's world-class restaurants and first-rate shops also draw thousands of families, couples, celebrities, international travelers and first-time vacationers each year. Nearly 400 dining options and hundreds of retail shops contribute to an immensely satisfying destination for travelers. Santa Monica's stunning beach is the city’s greatest natural asset. Blessed with 3.5 miles of broad sandy coastline and more than 340 days of sunshine per year, Santa Monica serves as the perfect backdrop for the sun-kissed, fit California beach lifestyle. Cleaned and raked daily, Santa Monica State Beach offers a picturesque, panoramic view of the Pacific Ocean at its best. Dolphins, who often choose this stretch of shore for a playful morning swim, add to the atmosphere of health and leisure, as do the dedicated joggers enjoying the moderate climate and fresh sea air. With manned lifeguard stations, casual eateries, equipment rental spots, public fitness and activity facilities, a fabulous bike trail, wooden pathways for beachgoers with disabilities and warm days (daytime temperatures average mid-60s to low 70s F in winter and 80s F in the summer), it's not hard to see why Santa Monica State Beach is a favorite destination for people of all ages.

The quaint town of Aptos combines the redwoods and the sea in one idyllic setting. Begin your Saturday at the farmer's market, and then enjoy an afternoon stroll at the beach or though the park. The historic Aptos Village boasts boutiques, restaurants, and an 1878 hotel. The Forest of Nisene Marks State Park offers 30 miles of trails. For a seaside stroll, Seacliff State Beach is the perfect spot, where the U.S.S. Palo Alto, "the cement ship", an experimental concrete vessel, is docked at the end of the fishing pier. From the seaside vistas of Capitola to the small-town appeal of nearby Soquel, this cozy region just minutes south of Santa Cruz is reminiscent of another time in history. Founded in 1869, Capitola is California's oldest seaside resort town and still exudes its quintessential beach charm, with salt water taffy, sandcastles and colorful beach bungalows. The 150-year-old town of Soquel lies just inland from Capitola. Within just a few blocks of this tranquil town, you'll find antique dealers, scenic two-lane roads and family-operated wineries. North of Santa Cruz, the town of Davenport is a thriving artisans' enclave, home to art galleries and charming cafes. Sweeping vistas of rugged coastline, strawberry fields, and the magnificent Pacific Ocean can be seen from Highway One during the picturesque drive. This windswept, unpolished terrain is a diamond-in-the-rough for the many visitors, where sea glass-translucent waves crash against the California ledge. In the winter months, locals and visitors alike stand atop the bluffs to watch migrating whales as they pass just off shore. Featuring 29 miles of coastline, Santa Cruz County is an exquisite place, for sea creatures and landlubbers alike. The vibrant Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary is one of only 13 federally protected national marine sanctuaries in the country and there are many ways you can enjoy the bay. Dive lush kelp forests or watch sea lions at play off the Santa Cruz Wharf. Kayak through waterways shared with dolphins and sea otters. Sail indigo-colored waters. See grey whales as they migrate through the sanctuary during winter and spring. View a plethora of coastal birds where the Sanctuary meets land in Pajaro Valley. Or visit the Seymour Marine Discovery Center and pet a sea star. As evening nears, watch the last orange streak of sunset fade into the resting waters.

For 80 centuries, San Luis Obispo County was the heart of the Chumash Indian country. They must have lived a pleasant life - mild Mediterranean climate, abundant seafood, with natural hot springs to soak in. We must imagine they enjoyed experiencing the SLO life, too, much as we do today. Living within a bountiful natural environment for recreation and pleasure, enjoying a culture brimming with art and social activity, and slowing down to enjoy the good life is the essence of San Luis Obispo County - it is the SLO life. You can experience the SLO life in San Luis Obispo County today by making the easy trip to visit. You’ll begin to feel it right away. Use our Online Callifornia Travel Guide to begin your exploration. San Luis Obispo County Today Located midway between San Francisco and LA on the California Central Coast, San Luis Obispo County is an easy to reach destination by car, train, or air. Just 2 or 3 hours by car away from most of California’s 35 million people, San Luis Obispo is California’s Natural Escape. The centrally located local San Luis Obispo airport offers excellent connections to Los Angeles and San Francisco. Visiting by rail is so popular that Amtrack recently added a third daily train to the county. About 250,000 people call San Luis Obispo County home. Over a dozen delightful towns and cities, including the city of San Luis Obispo, plus Arroyo Grande, Atascadero, Avila Beach, Cambria, Cayucos, Grover Beach, Los Osos - Baywood Park, Morro Bay, Nipomo, Paso Robles, Pismo Beach, San Miguel, San Simeon near Hearst Castle, Templeton and others create a single extended community. Spread across the beaches, mountains, and valleys of this special part of the California Central Coast, these distinctive cities and the unincorporated areas between them provide an incredible variety of recreational and cultural opportunities. All of these places can be reached by an easy 30 minute drive or less from the city of San Luis Obispo, through some of the most beautiful country you will ever see. The strong local economy is dominated by Cal Poly San Luis Obispo with its 18,000 students, viticulture and agriculture, fishing, tourism and a growing sector of information and technology businesses. The world-renowned California wine country of the Paso Robles wine country in north county and San Luis Obispo wine country in the south county provide a California wine country tour experience that may remind you of Tuscany. The local food and wine producers are just two reasons for the many excellent restaurants in the county. The large student base, many visitors and supportive local population has also allowed many nightclubs and restaurants to offer first class local and visiting live entertainment. Outdoor options also abound, including wonderful hiking and biking. Whalewatching, sport fishing and charter fishing out of Morro Bay or Port San Luis are rewarding ways to spend a day. Eco tours supply pleasure and education about some of America’s most distinctive ecological niches such as the Morro Bay National Estuary and the Carrizo Plain. The arts flourish throughout the county at an exceptional level of quality. Layers of history, including the Spanish mission of Mission San Luis Obispo de Tolosa and Mission San Miguel Arcangel, are at hand everywhere you go. All of these attractions and more are listed in our easy to use Online California Travel Guide. Just browse through this site, or search for exactly what you want. You'll find it here. San Luis Obispo County is California’s Natural Escape because it is the SLO alternative to hyperactive urban congestion and ‘hurry up and wait’ frustrations. SLO is a magical and precious piece of old California you can visit again and again, with new experiences every time. Visitors to San Luis Obispo County can enjoy almost 100 miles of spectacular and very accessible coastline for the perfect California beach vacation. Our beaches range from rugged cliffs as Highway 1 opens to Big Sur Country in the north, to miles and miles of white, sandy beaches in the south. Look for these communities found along the California Central Coast. Avila Beach Cambria Cayucos Grover Beach Los Osos-Baywood Park Morro Bay Pismo Beach San Simeon California Beach Vacations in the Heart of the Central Coast California has over 1,000 miles of coastline. In all this distance, the ocean meets the land in every way imaginable. Every one of these variations is found in San Luis Obispo County, except one - there is no big city congestion or pollution anywhere. Experience the SLO Life walking smooth sandy strands to feel the salt air and how the sand forms to fit to your feet. Or if you prefer a little more wildness, hike a rocky promontory where you can experience the majesty of the huge ocean swells crashing against the land. However you dream your California beach vacation, you can make it come true in the heart of the California Central Coast. The beaches are part of the magic of San Luis Obispo County-California’s Natural Escape. All of our beaches and coastline are close to one of our charming beach towns, with California beach hotels and motels, bed and breakfasts, terrific restaurants, and all the services you need to enjoy your own escape to nature. Combining this first class service with some of the most pristine California coastline and a Mediterranean climate creates the perfect beach vacation. You can find all the variations of California beaches in the hundred miles of coastline of San Luis Obispo County. From Ragged Point south to San Simeon and Cambria, the shoreline is rugged with sandy breaks. Rocks in and near the water make perfect habitat for sea lions and seals, and birds are abundant. Whether you stay in a Cambria CA hotel or motel across from Moonstone Beach or in San Simeon close to your Hearst Castle destination, you will hear the surf pounding the rocks in the peaceful nights. At Cayucos and south through Morro Bay and the Morro Bay sandspit, you will find more sandy beaches where people walk, sunbathe, fly kites, fish, paddle sea kayaks through the surf, and sail board. Here your California beach vacation will definitely include the sound of the surf and the draw of outdoor ocean side activity whether you spend three nights in a beach hotel or motel close to the water or take a Central Coast vacation rental for three months. The sea is always present. Surf shops, kayak rentals, boat tours, and sport fishing are available in the towns of Cayucos, Morro Bay, and Los Osos. In Cayucos, the large pier is steps from the main street, both of them mementos of ‘old California’ beach town life. In Morro Bay, walk along the Embarcadero, stopping to watch the harbor seals or the sailboats, and eat local seafood in a dining room out over the water. Both Morro Bay and Cayucos have an abundance of Central Coast vacation rentals. Along many of our beaches, the sea bed rises quickly to land, creating perfect conditions for good surfing waves. Some of these great California surfing beaches are easy to access from nearby parking; others can be reached by well-defined trails across the bluffs made by years of surfers heading for the good waves. Ask a local, or stop by one of the surf shops in town. Out on the ocean side of Morro Bay sandspit, which you reach through Los Osos-Baywood Park, you will find four miles of unspoiled, undeveloped beach. You may meet a solitary fisherman, or a small group horseback riding on the beach. You may meet no one at all except for the curlews, willets, sanderlings, and a slew of other shorebirds living on the margin of the sea. When you get back to your car from your sandspit reverie, you will be within a couple miles of Montana de Oro State Park, a must-see stop on the California Central Coast, just south of Los Osos-Baywood Park. If you feel like a little easy hiking, get started with a 45 minute walk out on the point with the sea breaking on the rocks on all sides. All of Estero Bay is visible to the north, including Morro Rock, Morro Bay and the Morro Bay National Estuary, and Cayucos, California. Primitive camps and equestrian camps are available in the 8,000 acre park. Horses for horseback riding or a guided horseback tour are available in and near Los Osos. What could be better than horseback riding on the beach? For family vacation adventure, you can take in Montana de Oro by car. Drive to Spooner’s Cove across from the campground and explore the tide pools; visit the sandspit overlook with access to the beach and picnic there; or take in the interpretive center to get your insight on the ocean, land and wildlife. Whether you are hiking, driving or mountain bike touring, be sure to take the time to walk down to the water in one of the secluded sandy coves—maybe have a picnic there. South of San Luis Obispo, the beaches are warmer, and near Pismo Beach and Grover Beach California, they stretch for miles in unbroken white sand against the blue water. The warmest of all, in sheltered Avila Beach, is a small gem of a beach curving along the water of San Luis Bay. This is a perfect family spot with picnic tables and a small playground for children—if you can get them away from the beach and the inviting pier, of course. Famous Pismo Beach, CA marks the beginning of an enormous stretch of beautiful beach reaching miles to the south. Pismo Beach has a huge pier busy with visitors from all over, and all of the amenities visitors need to enjoy their California beach vacation. You can drive and park in the middle of town to take part in the jovial crowd near the pier, or you can reach a beautiful section of the beach from the Pismo Beach State Park. Every kind of ocean fun is going on in Pismo Beach, probably right at this moment! Grover Beach is the gateway to the Oceano offroad vehicular park maintained by California state. This is one of the few places you can drive right on the beach, or in the amazing Dunes. For a unique and special treat, don’t miss Oso Flaco Lake in the Guadalupe-Nipomo Dunes Preserve. The Dunes interpretive center is just north of the town of Guadalupe, about 5 miles southeast of Oso Flaco Lake. The lake is surrounded by the dunes and just a stone’s throw from the ocean, creating an incredibly rich little piece of nature. There are many walks and tours to introduce you to these Guadalupe-Nipomo Dunes, including an easy-to-walk boardwalk. You can enjoy your California beach vacation the way you want. Explore our California beach towns in this Online Travel Guide. And don’t hesitate to call any of our friendly beach vacation service providers if you want to know more!

History Founded in 1777, oldest civil settlement in California Site of the first State capital Originally an agricultural area Northern California's Largest City Population 2005: 945,000 3rd largest city in California 10th largest city in United States Safest Big City in America (500,000+) for five consecutive years Location The Gateway to the Bays, San Jose is only 45 minutes south of San Francisco and 70 minutes northeast of Monterey and Santa Cruz 177 square miles at the southern tip of San Francisco Bay Weather 300 sunny days per year with an average daily temperature of 50 degrees in January and 70 degrees in July "California casual" is always in style, day or night Getting Around The Norman Y. Mineta San Jose International Airport is only three miles from downtown and the Convention Center. Over 12 major airlines provide an average of 384 commercial departures and arrivals from both national and international locations. You can get anywhere from here. San Jose is easily accessible via four major freeways, Caltrans, bus, light rail, and airport shuttle services. It's All Right Here Hear the applause. The hottest traveling Broadway shows, opera, symphony, ballet, and ethnic artists perform nightly. Stay and play at four star brand hotels or quaint boutiques. Expand your palette at innovative and multi-ethnic restaurants. From local haunts to trendy scenes, a diverse after hours scene awaits you. Shop till you drop. Premium shopping centers with a European flair and 300 store discount shopping malls are in our backyard. Multiple sporting events are closer than your remote. Get on the green with over 15 local and championship Golf courses. Thrilling theme parks and fun family activities can fill more than a day. Stop and smell the roses at one of our 150 beautiful parks and gardens. It's time for wine with over 20 local wineries providing wine tasting, touring and special events. A Diverse Community San Jose is proud of the cultural and ethnic diversity of its population, and the rich cultural identity of its many neighborhoods. The population in San Jose is 27% Asian and 30% Hispanic. Japantown and the Japanese Friendship Garden are popular tourist stops. Biblioteca Latinoamericana holds one of the largest collections of Spanish language materials in Northern California. The Martin Luther King, Jr. Library is the largest public library west of the Mississippi and displays art work on every floor. Home to the largest Vietnamese community outside of Vietnam, San Jose is constructing the nation's first Vietnamese Heritage Garden and Historical Museum. Year-round, San Jose sponsors many cultural festivals and numerous ethnic chambers of commerce are active in our community. Silicon Valley's Best and Brightest San Jose boasts the highest disposable household income of anywhere in the country. With the largest concentration of technology expertise in the world, it is not surprising that over half of the adult population holds a college degree. Innovation and creativity aren't just words-San Jose also leads the nation in patent generation. The city has 25 companies with 1,000 employees or more, including the headquarters of Adobe Systems, BEA Systems, Cisco, Xilinx, Novellus Systems, and eBay, as well as major facilities for Flextronics, Hewlett-Packard, IBM, Hitachi, Agilent Technologies, and Lockheed Martin. San Jose has a rich history filled with ethnic diversity much like the people that live here today. From Indians to Early Spanish Pueblo - 1700's For thousands of years before the arrival of European settlers, the area now known as San Jose was inhabited by several groups of Ohlone Native Americans. San Jose was founded in 1777 by colonists led to California by Juan Bautista de Anza. De Anza returned to Mexico City before any of the settlements were actually founded, but his name lives on in many buildings and street names. San Jose was originally a farming community developed to provide food for the presidios of San Francisco and Monterey. The pueblo was located in what is now known as the Plaza de Cesar Chávez. Gold Rush Impacts City - 1800's During the California Gold Rush period, the New Almaden Mines just south of the city were the largest mercury mines in North America. Since mercury was used to help separate gold from ore, this was a significant discovery. Mining operations began in 1847. The importance of the mercury industry at the time explains why the local newspaper is named the Mercury News. On March 27, 1850, San Jose became the first incorporated city in the state of California. 1862 San Jose State University was founded. Transition from Agriculture to Technology - 1900's The rise of Silicon Valley from the 1930s to the 1990s was shaped by successive waves of innovation and entrepreneurship, the emergence of new forms of financing such as venture capital, and the evolving military and commercial demand for electronic and biomedical products. The predominate industry in the valley at the end of World War II was small scale food processing and distribution. The 1950's saw the birth of the semiconductor industry. Fairchild Semiconductor Corporation became the first firm to manufacture exclusively in silicon. It is estimated that that more than 70 high-tech companies are direct or indirect descendants of the Fairchild Corporation. 1971 Don Hoefler first used the phrase "Silicon Valley." Apple Computer went public, solidifying the future of the PC. The www explosion began in 1995 with Netscape having the biggest IPO in history. Globally recognized companies who got their birth in Silicon Valley include Hewlett-Packard, Intel, Apple, Cisco, Adobe, eBay and Sun Microsystems. These companies have developed and commercialized some of the most important technological advancements used today. In so doing, they transformed a predominantly agricultural region into the world's technology hotspot. Today's San Jose Today, technology remains the city's largest employer, employing more than 300,000 people in over 6,000 technology companies. Though this contrasts sharply with the valley's humble beginnings, it has also contributed to the rich diversity and culture of innovation that is now home to almost 1 million people.

Mission -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The San Francisco Convention & Visitors Bureau's mission is to strengthen the San Francisco economy by marketing the City as a destination for meetings, conventions, trade shows and leisure visitors through sales, advertising and promotion, and to provide the visitor and convention services that enhance the Bureau's effort and the visibility of its members. Bureau History -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- For nearly 100 years the San Francisco Convention & Visitors Bureau has worked on behalf of its members to promote San Francisco as the destination of choice for conventions and leisure travel. The Bureau is an outgrowth of the San Francisco Convention and Tourist League, a non-profit, local business association founded in 1909 to reclaim the City's position as a world-class destination in the wake of the devastating 1906 earthquake and fire. The Bureau continues that mission today, aggressively marketing and selling San Francisco to attract visitors. The Bureau is a private, not-for-profit, 501(c)6 membership organization, headed by a Board of Directors made up of 54 business leaders from various companies, elected by the membership. Additionally, the Bureau recently established a 501(c)3 foundation to produce educational programs and research. Although it holds a contract with the City to market San Francisco, the Bureau is not a government agency. Working closely with the City and organizations such as the Chamber of Commerce and the San Francisco Hotel Council, and using the leveraged strength of our membership base, the Bureau produces a positive economic impact on the San Francisco and greater Bay Area economy. In 2005, San Francisco hosted 15.7 million visitors who spent $7.3 billion during their stay - that's $20.2 million a day. That makes tourism one of our most important industries. Here's why: Visitor dollars spent here generated over $418 million in taxes and fees that support The City's general budget, health and safety, arts and cultural organizations, recreational facilities and low-income housing. Visitor dollars supported about 66,300 jobs in the hospitality and tourism industries. That's about $1.8 billion in local payroll (excluding tips). If the visitor industry were to disappear tomorrow, each San Francisco resident would need to spend more than $25 a day (or $9,224 a year) to replace the loss in revenue. Largest Bureau Worldwide -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Some 1,700 Bay Area businesses are Bureau members making our membership base one of the largest of any convention and visitors bureau worldwide. Members also make the Bureau one of the largest and strongest business associations in San Francisco. Member companies partner with the Bureau in selling San Francisco as a destination for domestic and international association and corporate meetings planners and group and individual travelers - efforts that help make San Francisco a vibrant place to do business. Bureau Membership -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Nearly every San Francisco business, large and small, benefits from the traffic and spending of tourists and convention-goers. Hotels, restaurants, retail shops, tour and transportation companies, attractions, and other companies that have a large stake in the visitor market leverage the strength of their Bureau membership to reach these customers. Members are provided exclusive programs and services for maximizing their marketing, networking, relationship and educational development enabling them to capture a larger share of the visitor market.