Visit Tri-Valley enhances the local economy by marketing the Tri-Valley as a single destination to potential visitors. The organization is funded via assessments on occupied hotel rooms in Pleasanton, Livermore, Dublin, and Danville. Visit Tri-Valley raises awareness of the local region through a variety of marketing programs to California residents, out-of-state Americans, and international tourists.

"We are the only entity marketing the Tri-Valley to visitors," says Barbara Steinfeld, President and CEO of Visit Tri-Valley. "Our customers, the visitors, enjoy an array of social media, advertising, and promotional campaigns as a result."

Visit Tri-Valley has met the challenge of marketing four separate cities as a single destination with creative promotions that emphasize the fun and enjoyment on offer to visitors. Visit Tri-Valley linked all four cities to the wealth of locally produced Livermore Valley wine, for example, by creating and promoting a "wine and dine" card that tells hotel guests which restaurants in the four cities carry local wines. As part of the promotion, restaurants on the card that have a cork by their names wave the corkage fee if visitors want to enjoy wine they have bought from a local winery with their meals.

The Livermore Valley is a well-known destination for its wineries, but Visit Tri-Valley knows it needs to link the four cities together as a travel destination in other areas as well. Thus the Tri-Valley Beer Trail was created. More than 20 microbreweries and brewpubs are included in the Tri-Valley Beer Trail. A printable Tri-Valley Beer Trail Passport lists great places to stop for a brew, along with a map. Visitors who collect at least 10 "stamps" from places on the Beer Trail win a free t-shirt or pint glass from the organization.

Today, Visit Tri-Valley encourages visitors to spend money with local businesses by following Tri-Valley wine, beer, ice cream, and biking trails. They are also encouraged to explore local shopping, arts and culture venues, the Tri-Valley's many golf courses, and other local activities.

Visitors "don't know the Tri-Valley as a tourism destination, so everything they discover here is surprising and interesting from the adorable downtowns to the natural beauty to the outstanding food and best shopping," notes Steinfeld.

While visitors may be surprised by all that the Tri-Valley offers, some local business leaders may be surprised by the importance of the hospitality and related industries to the local economy. According to Steinfeld, in 2017 the local hospitality industry contributed nearly $70 million in taxes to state and local governments and employs 6,000 people in the cities of Pleasanton, Livermore, Dublin, and Danville.

Visitors who stay overnight in one of these cities spends, on average, $240 per person per day, according to Steinfeld. Visitors who do not stay in a local hotel spend $97 per day, so Visit Tri-Valley's goal is to draw overnight visitors. "Tourism is an economic engine for the Tri-Valley, and we are the hub making it happen!" says Steinfeld.

In 2011 Visit Tri-Valley moved to Hacienda from downtown Pleasanton because it was a good value that offered more space than its old office. The organization and its seven employees are involved in supporting local nonprofits in a variety of ways. In winter, the proceeds from the organization's Spread Cheer with Beer campaign benefits nonprofit Sunflower Hill, while in summer the Ice Cream Trail campaign benefits the Humane Society of Pleasanton.

The Hacienda community is invited to Visit Tri-Valley's annual luncheon on Thursday, September 6 at Casa Real in Pleasanton, where the organization will share its annual report. Please register to attend by August 23 at www.Universe.com/camptrivalley.

For more information about Visit Tri-Valley, please visit visittrivalley.com.