NAPA, Calif., Sept. 30, 2024— On September 26, 2024, nearly 200 leaders from Napa Valley’s tourism, hospitality, and winery sectors convened for Visit Napa Valley’s annual Destination Symposium at The CIA at Copia. This key forum provided invaluable insights into current tourism trends and explored how tourism is shaping the region’s economy while also improving the quality of life of Napa Valley residents. Designed to foster collaboration and share strategic information, the symposium served as a hub for those driving Napa Valley’s tourism growth and long-term sustainability.
The event commenced with a welcome address from Ed Costa, General Manager of Carneros Resort & Spa and Chair Elect of the Visit Napa Valley Board of Directors. He highlighted Napa Valley's leadership in tourism recovery, noting the region's swift rebound to pre-pandemic revenue levels while many other California destinations continue to recover. “What has driven our success is not only our commitment to making Napa Valley the world’s premier wine country experience, but our promise to be responsible stewards of this destination,” he proudly stated.
Linsey Gallagher, President & CEO of Visit Napa Valley, followed with a presentation on the “State of Tourism,” drawing from comprehensive data compiled by Future Partners, U.S. Travel, Smith Travel Research, Visit California, and the San Francisco Travel Association. Her report provided an overview of national, regional, and local tourism trends, highlighting potential growth areas for Napa Valley’s hospitality and tourism sectors, with emphasis on bolstering recovery of international business travel in the year ahead.
In the "Tourism Matters" section of the presentation, Gallagher emphasized key insights from Visit Napa Valley's 2023 Economic Impact and Visitor Profile Report, noting, “The economic impact of tourism is undeniable—despite fewer visitors, we saw record spending of $2.5 billion last year, directly benefiting our local businesses and community.” She also stressed the critical need to renew the Tourism Improvement District (TID), asserting, “The TID is vital to ensuring Napa Valley remains a top destination. It directly fuels our marketing efforts, which in turn boost the Transient Occupancy Tax (TOT) revenue that funds essential services in each Napa Valley town. Securing the TID renewal is vital for continued growth and long-term sustainability.”
Next, in a session titled, “The Road Ahead” Gallagher outlined Visit Napa Valley’s three-year strategic plan, emphasizing Destination Stewardship and Sustainable Tourism initiatives aimed at balancing growth with the preservation of Napa Valley’s natural beauty and quality of life for residents. Guest speakers Ahnalise Mosle and Casey Soulis from The Shipyard, Visit Napa Valley’s strategic media agency, provided a glimpse into the Fiscal Year 2025 paid media campaigns, while Megan Torrance from Forbes Travel Guide announced an exciting new partnership that further solidifies the region’s standing as a premier destination for luxury experiences.
Shelley Brown, an award-winning international speaker, pop artist, and mindfulness educator, delivered an inspiring keynote address, encouraging attendees to foster an organizational commitment to creating environments where individuals feel safe and valued for their uniqueness. The informative session concluded with an awards ceremony recognizing the regional winners of the Great Wine Capitals 2025 “Best Of Wine Tourism” Awards.
To wrap up the event, attendees enjoyed a networking session on the Copia Mezzanine, featuring light bites from the CIA at Copia’s culinary team and beverages from Visit Napa Valley partners, including Bella Union Estate Winery, Robert Mondavi Winery (Arch and Tower), and Ohm Coffee Roasters.
Gallagher closed with appreciation for Visit Napa Valley’s community of partners. “As we advance our mission to promote, protect, and enhance Napa Valley while establishing it as the world’s premier wine country experience, our success depends on the unwavering collaboration of all our partners.” She continued, “Together, we are not only securing a vibrant future for Napa Valley’s economy but also for our community. And the future is bright.”
ABOUT VISIT NAPA VALLEY
Visit Napa Valley is the official destination marketing and management organization for Napa County. The organization promotes the region as an attractive travel destination and works to continually enhance its public image as a dynamic place to visit, live, and work. The vision and mission of Visit Napa Valley are to elevate Napa Valley as the world's premier wine country experience and to promote, protect, and enhance the Napa Valley destination. Conveniently located within an hour's drive from the San Francisco Bay Area and the Greater Sacramento Area, Napa County is comprised of five distinct towns, including, from north to south, Calistoga, St. Helena, Yountville, the City of Napa, and American Canyon. In addition to these five towns, the areas of Rutherford, Oakville, and Angwin, along with the outdoor recreation area of Lake Berryessa, are also part of Napa County and add to its diverse and rich history. For additional information about Napa Valley, or to plan your Napa Valley experience, please explore VisitNapaValley.com and follow social feeds @VisitNapaValley.
