South Valley publicity blitz done through Gilroy Visitor’s
Bureau and Morgan Hill Chamber of Commerce gives hype on region
Gilroy – Wine enthusiasts, golfers and others looking to explore the hidden treasures of South Valley may soon converge on Gilroy and Morgan Hill, thanks to a joint effort by the cities to promote the region.
The Gilroy Visitor’s Bureau and Morgan Hill Chamber of Commerce have been on a publicity blitz in recent months, offering tours of wineries, Bonfante Gardens and other local attractions to writers at glossy, high-end travel magazines and other media outlets.
“Publicity is invaluable,” said Jane Howard, executive director of the Gilroy Visitors Bureau. “When you’re out there putting your name in front of travelers, you have a better chance of getting people to come to the area.”
Those efforts are already starting to pay off. In the beginning of 2007, Valley Magazine, a 45,000 subscription magazine based in San Fernando Valley, plans to publish an article on the area’s wine trail.
The idea emerged after Howard took an editor from the magazine and representatives from the Black Diamond Marketing Agency, in London, on a tour of five vineyards, Goldsmith Seeds, Bonfante Gardens, Eagle Ridge Golf Course, and the Gilroy Premium Outlets.
Carole Stanton, Travel Trade Executive with Black Diamond noted, “This visit has been so invaluable in order that we can educate consumers and trade to send more business to the Central Coast from the UK and Ireland.”
While international visitors are an important piece of the tourism puzzle, for the moment, Gilroy and Morgan Hill are focusing on outreach to Northern California.
At the beginning of October, Howard pitched story ideas about wine, golfing and recreational opportunities in the area to 80 media organizations at a San Francisco promotional event sponsored by the California Travel and Tourism Commission. Media representatives spanned newspapers, magazines, radio and television outlets, and included AAA magazine Via, the San Francisco Chronicle and San Jose Mercury News.
“Its’ an opportunity to be face to face with San Francisco area media and out-of-state media and actually be able to talk about what your area has to offer,” Howard said.
Next year, she hopes to expand outreach efforts to Southern California.
Carlo Fortino, owner of Hecker Pass Winery, recently published a new map detailing the wine trail between the region’s 13 vineyards. A regional marketing approach, he said, is vital in renewing interest in the area.
“If you advertise one or two wineries, people won’t come down for that,” Fortino said. “But if you advertise the whole region – people will know we have the wineries, golf, the hotels. They’ll know this is a destination.”
