The Central Coast Tourism Council, one of the 12 tourist regions designated by the California State Tourism Coalition, held their monthly board meeting at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and Museum on Friday, Oct. 19th. Representatives from tourism-related businesses from Santa Cruz to Simi Valley attended the function. Local attendees, as pictured were also joined by Carol Cohea, Director of Marketing Ronald Reagan Library and Museum. President of the CCTC, Tracy Farhad, Executive Director of the Solvang Visitor and Convention Bureau, presided over the meeting and introduced Duke Blackwood, Executive Director of the Ronald Reagan President Library and Museum. He shared stories of how the library came into existence and the journey of Air Force one and mentioned that they have over 400,000 visitors per year, a huge draw for tourists right here in Ventura County.

The Heritage Valley Tourism Bureau has been a member of the CCTC for 2 years, and its board members find great value in partnering with many of the world-famous entities that are also members, such as The Monterey Bay Aquarium, Hearst Castle, the cities of Solvang, Santa Barbara, Santa Cruz, Monterey, Carmel, Gilroy, just to name a few. CCTC is a member based organization with over 200 members, one of them being the State of California Tourism Coalition. Their motto is "The original road trip", meaning State Highway 1, from Oxnard to Santa Cruz, and all other freeways, highways and byways that connect to it.

A few of the Heritage Valley Tourism Bureau board members attended the Fillmore City Council meeting Tuesday night to address and thank the sitting council for supporting the tourism bureau by including a monetary contribution in the 2012-1013 city budget and also for waiving the rental fee for the tourism office. The monies designated to the bureau from the city will help offset the marketing, advertising and outreach expenses that the bureau incurs on behalf of the city to attract tourists and their dollars. The Heritage Valley Tourism bureau office, located at the east end of downtown Central Park, is an all-volunteer organization. The board members also told the council that it is a very difficult task to quantify or measure the effectiveness of tourism bureau efforts and see if they "pay off", but did inform the council that the TOT or bed tax collected at every hotel, for every room, which in Fillmore is 10% of the room rental increased in 2011 more than 161% over the previous year. The festivals and various events, the train and the quaintness, the uniqueness of its businesses all attract visitors, many stay at the only hotel in town, but when that is full, they take their tourist dollars elsewhere.

The representatives presented each council member with "Travel Guides" from the State of California, the Central Coast Travel Guide, the Santa Clarita Travel Guide and The Ventura Travel Guide. Each of these publications has an advertisement placed by the Heritage Valley and each has a different degree of promotion for each city in the valley. They stated that it is important that the citizens along with the council recognize the efforts and dedication put forth by the members and board of the tourism bureau.

Heritage Valley Tourism Bureau represents the communities of Fillmore, Santa Paula and Piru at travel industry trade shows such as the LA Times Travel Show and the Los Angeles Travel and Adventure Show, the two combined have attendance in excess of 40,000 people, all paying to get into these expo's and seek weekend and vacation travel opportunities. The board members are passionate about bringing visitors to the area and promote each others' venues, museums, attractions, restaurants and businesses. When tourists come to town, it affects everyone's bottom line and generates tax revenue for the city. The tourist wins, the businesses win and the city wins. Membership is affordable and open to any business that seeks to promote itself to visitors, with help from the tourism bureau.