NAPA VALLEY, Calif. (October 3, 2025) – Visit Napa Valley, the official destination marketing organization for Napa County, hosted its annual Destination Symposium on September 25, 2025, convening leaders from across the tourism, hospitality, and wine industries to review the state of the visitor economy, share new research and data, and preview strategic initiatives for the year ahead.
The event featured presentations from Visit Napa Valley leadership, industry experts, and partners, underscoring tourism’s continued role as a vital driver of Napa Valley’s economy and community well-being.
“Tourism continues to be the lifeblood of Napa Valley’s economy—supporting more than 16,000 jobs, generating significant local tax revenue, and sustaining the businesses and workforce that make our community thrive,” said Linsey Gallagher, President & CEO of Visit Napa Valley. “The Destination Symposium is an opportunity to come together as an industry, share data and insights, and chart a collective path forward to ensure Napa Valley remains the world’s premier wine country experience.”
“Napa Valley continues to resonate deeply with travelers, and our marketing performance proves it,” said Amanda Moul, Vice President of Account Management at The Shipyard. “The upcoming brand campaign builds on that momentum, capturing both the timeless appeal of Napa Valley and the fresh experiences that keep visitors coming back year after year.”
Key updates of the Visit Napa Valley Destination Symposium included:
Tourism Improvement District Renewal: The Napa Valley Tourism Improvement District (NVTID), originally established in 2010, has been renewed through 2035, ensuring dedicated funding from overnight lodging guests to support destination marketing programs for the next decade.
State of Tourism: Despite headwinds across the U.S. travel sector, Napa Valley lodging demand and visitor spending remained resilient in FY2025. The region generated $525 million in lodging revenue and contributed $65.7 million in Transient Occupancy Tax (TOT) collections to local jurisdictions, representing critical general fund support for community services and infrastructure.
Visitor Profile Update: Napa Valley continues to attract a younger, diverse, and highly educated visitor base, with a mean household income of $170,000 and strong interest in wine, food, and scenic beauty. A full Visitor Profile and Economic Impact Report update will be released in 2026.
Keynote Presentation: Lynn Carpenter, Senior Vice President of Marketing at Visit California, delivered the keynote address, providing insights into statewide tourism performance and global marketing trends. Visit California is the state’s official tourism marketing organization, driving demand for travel to California through domestic and international campaigns. At the regional level, Visit Napa Valley leverages this momentum by tailoring messaging to highlight Napa Valley’s distinct wine, culinary, and lifestyle experiences, ensuring the destination remains top-of-mind for travelers inspired by the broader California brand.
Marketing Performance & Brand Campaign: Amanda Moul, Vice President of Account Management at The Shipyard, presented FY2025 paid media results and offered a first look at Visit Napa Valley’s upcoming brand campaign. Last year’s Cheers to the Good Life campaign influenced nearly $800 million in visitor spending, delivering a remarkable Return on Ad Spend (ROAS) of $620 for every $1 invested in paid media.
Strategic Priorities: Visit Napa Valley shared updates to its 2024–2026 Long Range Plan and presented the FY2026 Annual Plan, focusing on brand evolution, destination stewardship, corporate group business growth, and new initiatives, including partnerships with the Bay Area Host Committee, the Napa Valley Standard wine and food festival, and a destination-wide wellness program.
Industry Recognition: The Symposium concluded with the Great Wine Capitals “Best of Wine Tourism” Regional Awards, recognizing local businesses for excellence in accommodations, culinary experiences, architecture, arts & culture, sustainability, and innovative experiences.
The Symposium concluded with a networking reception celebrating the resilience and collaboration of Napa Valley’s tourism and hospitality partners.
For more information about Visit Napa Valley’s programs, research, and strategic initiatives, visit www.visitnapavalley.com/industry
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. Primary funding for our activities and programs comes from a Tourism Improvement District (TID) special assessment on lodging guests. Napa Valley, conveniently located within an hour's drive from the San Francisco Bay Area and the Greater Sacramento Area, comprises 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. The fully staffed Napa Valley Welcome Center in the City of Napa is a high-tech facility, complemented by personalized and complimentary concierge service from highly qualified brand ambassadors offering recommendations throughout Napa Valley. For additional information about Napa Valley, or to plan your Napa Valley experience, please explore VisitNapaValley.com and follow social feeds @VisitNapaValley.
