Rural Marketing Program

The Rural Marketing Program increases awareness and visitation to the eight established rural tourism regions of California: Central Coast, Central Valley, Deserts, Gold Country, High Sierra, Inland Empire, North Coast and Shasta Cascade. The program is a collaborative effort between Visit California and rural regional destination marketing organizations.

Grant funding, a communications strategy and industry collaboration allow rural regions to stretch their tourism dollars by aligning with Visit California’s efforts to promote California’s rural experiences to domestic and international markets. Funded activities include regional marketing campaigns, digital and social media marketing and local business collaborations.

• Economic growth
  Drive tourism to rural areas, increasing visitor spending and supporting local economies.
• Collaborative opportunities
  Work with Visit California and other regional destinations to create higher-visibility, higher-impact marketing programs.

The program has successfully funded numerous initiatives, including participation in the TravelAge West Family Travel Virtual Trade Show and regional promotions on the California Now Network. The program has increased rural region awareness and expanded their marketing reach through grants offering one-to-one matching and dedicated funds to participate in the Leveraged Media Co-op program. Additionally, a Google Ads retargeting program timed with Visit California’s spring marketing efforts increased the reach of rural region digital ads offered to consumers visiting Visit California’s website. These efforts have significantly enhanced the visibility of rural destinations and attracted more visitors to these areas.