Wine and food driving tourists to California
California tourism officials launched the state’s first widespread campaign aimed at food and wine lovers.
The Wine Institute and the state’s travel and tourism commission are spending $12 million over the next three years to tout the state’s food and wine to culinary connoisseurs nationwide.
“This is the first time we’ve done a campaign of this magnitude,” said Gladys Horiuchi, a spokeswoman for the San Francisco-based Wine Institute, which represents 1,000 wineries.
The ad campaign, a partnership between the wine group and the California Travel and Tourism Commission, will focus on a soon-to-be-unveiled LandofWineandFood.com web site and a TV ad campaign featuring Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, California First Lady Maria Shriver, and a variety of Golden State food and wine celebrities.
The spot starring Schwarzenegger and Shriver started running nationally this month on cable networks such as Bravo, the Food Network, the Travel Channel and the Learning Channel.
Tourism Commission Executive Director Caroline Beteta says research shows that wine and food are “becoming a driver to visitors choosing a destination.”
Report by David Wilkening
David
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