HomeMy WebLinkAboutItem 11 - 2025 Travel Santa Ana Annual Report Community Development Agency
www.santa-ana.org/cd
Item # 11
City of Santa Ana
20 Civic Center Plaza, Santa Ana, CA 92701
Staff Report
May 5, 2026
TOPIC: 2025 Travel Santa Ana Annual Report
AGENDA TITLE
2025 Travel Santa Ana Annual Report
RECOMMENDED ACTION
Receive and file.
GOVERNMENT CODE §84308 APPLIES: No
DISCUSSION
On November 17, 2020, the City Council approved the formation of the Santa Ana
Tourism Marketing District (SATMD), which is a benefit assessment district created to
help fund marketing and sales promotion efforts for all lodging businesses with seventy
(70) rooms or more located within the boundaries of the City of Santa Ana (City). The
established SATMD currently includes 17 hotels in the City. The annual assessment
rate is two percent (2%) of gross short-term room rental revenue and the original
SATMD designation had a five (5) year term, which began January 1, 2021 and ended
on December 31, 2025.
On July 1, 2025, the City Council approved a renewal of the SATMD for an additional
ten (10) years per the Property and Business Improvement District Law of 1994. Travel
Santa Ana, the non-profit tourism marketing association, was formed to manage the
SATMD assessment funds and implement marketing programs aimed at increasing
tourism in the City. Through innovative strategies and a deep understanding of the city's
unique appeal, Travel Santa Ana has elevated the city's profile, drawing visitors from far
and wide. Their multifaceted approach, combining digital marketing campaigns,
community engagement, and strategic partnerships, has fostered a vibrant tourism
ecosystem, boosting local businesses and showcasing the City's rich cultural
heritage. Travel Santa Ana has created a narrative that resonates with travelers of all
backgrounds by highlighting the diverse tapestry of experiences the City has to offer,
from its bustling arts scene to its culinary delights and historical landmarks.
Each year, Travel Santa Ana is required to submit a report to City Council. The Annual
Report (Exhibit 1) confirms that there are no proposed changes to the district
boundaries, provides a budget of costs associates with the activities, and highlights the
2025 Travel Santa Ana Annual Report
May 5, 2026
Page 2
successful marketing and promotional activities accomplished in 2025.
Some key highlights from the report include:
• Tourism Growth: Santa Ana welcomed 906,700 visitors in 2024, a 3.6%
increase year-over-year, generating $394.2 million in direct travel spending.
• Economic Impact: Visitor activity supported 3,110 local jobs, $148 million in
wages, and generated $27.5 million in tax revenue that supports City services
such as public safety, parks, and infrastructure.
• Hotel Performance: Santa Ana's 17 hotels (2,770 rooms) produced over $77
million in annual revenue, with an average occupancy of 70.8% and average
daily rate of$121.37.
• Sales and Marketing Results: Travel Santa Ana participated in 26 trade shows
and 1,080 industry appointments, generating 95 qualified leads and $6.6 million
in potential hotel revenue.
• Destination Marketing Reach: Digital and advertising campaigns generated
millions of impressions and more than 86,000 hotel room nights, producing over
$11 million in hotel revenue.
• Community and Visitor Programs: New initiatives such as the Visitor Loyalty
Program and Santa Ana Enthusiast Program promote local businesses and
strengthen community engagement in the tourism industry.
FISCAL IMPACT
There is no fiscal impact associated with this action.
EXHIBIT(S)
1. 2025 Annual Report
Submitted By: Michael L. Garcia, Executive Director, Community Development Agency
Approved By: Alvaro Nunez, City Manager
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2025 RflNUflL REPORT
Travel Santa Ana is the official Destination Marketing Organization(DMO)for Santa Ana.
Travel Santa Ana is dedicated to promoting the city as a desirable Orange County destination
for business,leisure,meetings,sports,and group travel.
Travel Santa Ana is a nonprofit 501(c)(6), funded by a 2%assessment implemented by the
Santa Ana Tourism Marketing District(SATMD).The SATMD is comprised of 17 hotels and motels
with(70)rooms or more within the boundaries of the City of Santa Ana.The assessment is paid for
— by visitors who stay at those hotels and motels.
The SATMD was renewed for a 10-year term beginning]anuary 1,2026-December 31,2035.
2024-2026 TRAVEb SANTA ANA BOARD Of DIRECTORS
Chair:Aaron Saliba,General Manager,Hotel Zessa a DoubleTree by Hilton
Vice Chair:Vacant
Treasurer:Ryan Chase,Owner,4th Street Market
Secretary:Erin Warady,Marketing Chair/CMO,Cannabis Chamber of Commerce
At-Large:
Frank Atayde,General Manager,Holiday Inn Orange County Airport
De'andre Gipson,General Manager,Courtyard Costa Mesa South Coast Metro
Marc Morley,Economic Development Manager,City of Santa Ana
r Cory Sams,General Manager,MainPlace Mall
i Quinn Su,General Manager,Orange County Hotel
MARHETING ADVISORY GROUP
Logan Crow,Executive Director&Founder, Frida Cinema/DTSA Artwalk
Paul Eakins,Public Affairs information Officer,City of Santa Ana
Cori Lantz,Recreation b Community Services Supervisor,City of Santa Ana Parks 5 Recreation
Scott Melvin,Vice President of School Relations,Mater Dei High School
I(elly Radomske,Vice President of External Affairs,Bowers Museum
jT AnnaSophia Servin,Public Information Officer,John Wayne Airport
Maribel Silva,Operations Coordinator,Santa Ana Zoo
Daniela Valencia,Marketing Director,MainPlace Mall
]ason(]-Bird)Venable,Co-Founder,Suavecito
Erin Warady,Marketing Chair/CMO,Cannabis Chamber of Commerce
- Cherie Whyte,Vice President,Marketing,Discovery Cube
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WENDY HAASE-ROBERTS, CDME
President Er CEO
ANALAURA BECERRA, CDME, CMP, CTA
Director of Sales
MARIA GONZALEZ, PDM, CTA
Content£r Community Engagement Manager
EXHIBIT 1
B OF A& 1 W"ff N D h,ANN R` 1 1 E SO
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The Santa Ana Tourism Marketing District (TMD) includes lodging businesses, existing and in
the future, available for public occupancy within the boundaries of the City of Santa Ana.The
boundary, as shown in the map below, currently includes seventeen (17) lodging businesses
that have seventy (70) rooms or more.There are no proposed changes to the TMD boundary.
3
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SANTA ANA HOTEb INVENTORY
Location all
MMeeting Space
Best Western Plus Orange County Airport North 2700 Hotel Terrace Drive 148 1 Room,750 sq.ft.
California Lodge Suites 2909 S.Bristol St. 181 Guestrooms only
City Express by Marriott Santa Ana/ 2720 Hotel Terrace Drive 121 1 Room,400 sq.ft.
Orange County Airport
Comfort Inn&Suites Orange County lohn Wayne Airport 2620 Hotel Terrace Drive 127 Guestrooms only
Courtyard Costa Mesa South Coast Metro 3002 S.Harbor Blvd. 145 3 Rooms,Largest 676 sq.ft.1,553 sq.ft.total
Courtyard Marriott Santa Ana 8 MacArthur Place 155 4 Rooms,Largest 3,953 sq.ft.,5,059 sq.ft.total
Embassy Suites-Santa Ana Orange County Airport 1325 E.Dyer Road 301 9 Rooms,Largest 4,407 sq.ft.,7,629 sq.ft.total
Holiday Inn Express&Suites Santa Ana Orange County 1600 E.1st St. 161 8 Rooms(1 per floor),Each 600 sq.ft.
Holiday Inn Santa Ana Orange County Airport 2726 S.Grand Ave. 176 5 Rooms,Largest 1,866 sq.ft.,5,000 sq.ft.total
Hotel Zessa a DoubleTree by Hilton 201 E.MacArthur Blvd. 253 5 rooms,Largest 7,308 sq.ft.,8,638 sq.ft.total
La Quinta by Wyndham Orange County Airport 2721 Hotel Terrace Drive 181 Guestrooms only
Mainstay Suites Orange County lohn Wayne Airport 2701 Hotel Terrace Drive 176 Guestrooms only
Motel 6 Santa Ana/Irvine Orange County Airport 1717 E.Dyer Road 150 Guestrooms only
Motel 6 Santa Ana 1623 E.1st St. 80 Guestrooms only
Orange County Hotel 7 Hutton Center Drive 168 3 rooms,Largest 1,848 sq.ft.,3,976 sq.ft.total
Red Roof Inn Santa Ana 2600 N.Main St. 125 Guestrooms only
Sonesta Simply Suites Orange County Airport 2600 S.Red Hill Ave. 122 Guestrooms only
TOTAL GUESTROOMS
. � r
EXHIBIT 1
HOTEL OUERUIEN
Santa Ana Hotel Inventory: 2,770 rooms at 27 hotels
*Hampton Inn&Suites Santa Ana Orange County Airport rebranded to City Express by Marriott Santa Ana/Orange County Airport
Hotel Annual Revenue: Over $77 Million*
Hotel Visitor Tax: $9.5 Million
Tourism Marketing District Revenue: $2.5 Million
Hotel Average Daily Rate: $222.37*
Hotel Occupancy: 70.8%*
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EXHIBIT 1
THE WORK Of R
DESTInflTION ORGHnIZRTIOn
LVISIT 2. bIVE
If you built a place where And if you built a place
people want to visit,then where people want to live,
you have built a place then you have built a place
where people want to live. where people want to work.
It Starts With A Visit
That is the THE ,
m Visit,
. COMMU111TY ,
Destination UITflLITY '
Organization To Invest
WNEEL
You Need To Keep
The Wheet Turning and
Manage Its Spee
'RAND MANAGEMENT
PAND INV STMENT P
4. INVEST 3. WORK
And if you built place where PROMOTION AND Sp►.ES And if you built place
business and residents will invest, where people want to
then you have built a place where work,then you have built
people will want to visit. a place where business and
residents will invest.
EXHIBIT 1
TOURISM MATTERS
2024
DIRECT
TRRUEL
IMPRCTS
TO
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t Y $394.2 MILLION -
$27.5 MILLION �o
DIRECT TRRUEL SPENDING IN TAXES BY DIRECT
R TRAVEL SPENDING
YOY INCREASE OF 4.8%
9069700 UISITORS YOYINCREASEOF3.6%
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JL 1
3,220 SANTA ANA LOBS ARE SUPPORTED
BY VISITORS EQUALING $248 MILLION
IN WAGES TO SANTA ANA'S ECONOMY!
EXHIBIT 1
TOURISM MATTERS
.117 MILLIU11
Retail sales Food stores
Ora Ulf I
Local.,Ion $109 MILLION
trans&portation Dining
gas
$18 MILLION
Arts, entertainment,
& recreation
Accommodations
Santa Ana households would pay $170 more a year in local taxes
without visitor-generated taxes received by local government.
These numbers are estimates from the Economic impact of Travel report,Calendar Year 2024,a tourism economic impact study conducted by Dean Runyan Associates for Santa Ana.
TOURISM REUBUE
HELPS TO SUPPORT:
NEIGHBORHOOD
SERVICES A I
ARTS& A ME&
CULTURE a dill AWk
IDT
saHraaua
POLICE
PARKS&RECREATIONPUBLIC SAFETY PUBLIC
INFRASTRUCTURE
EXHIBIT 1
1VISITOR PROFIbjmft_-'�' __
TOP ORIGIN MARKETS
SAN RANCI 0 YORK
AS VEGAS
PHOENIX DALLAS
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Q HOUSTON
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AVERAGE DAILY VISITOR SPEND: $57 CALL MARKETS)
TOP 20 VISITOR MARKETS DAILY SPEND*
San Diego,CA 16% 5% $49
Los Angeles,CA 15% 3% $40
San Francisco-Oaldand-San lose,CA 9% 10% $46
Phoenix-Prescott,AZ 5% 5% $52
Las Vegas,NV 3% 3% $56
Sacramento-Stockton-Modesto,CA 3% 4% $45
Santa Barbara-Santa Maria-San Luis Obispo,CA 3% 1% $56
Bakersfield,CA 2% 1% $49
New York,NY 2% 3% $51
Fresno-Visalia,CA 2% 2% $64
*Does not include accommodation spend.
UISITOR SPEIIDIIIG BY HOUSEHOLD 111COME UISITOR SPEnDIHO BY ROE % OF UISITORS BY
CHILDREII In HOUSEHOLD
$1511(+ 35-44 CHILDREN IN HOUSEHOLD
YES P NO
$101K-1501(
45-54
$81K-1001(
25-34
$611(-801(
$411(-601( 65+ 40%
$211(-401( 55-64
LESS THAN 201( 18-24
Visitor data tracked by Zartico.International data no longer available.
EXHIBIT 1
Mission
To share Santa Ana with the world.
U1310H
Santa Ana is the authentic&welcoming Orange County experience.
URI INVE
PASSION INCLUSIVENESS COLLABORATION RELEVANCE AWARENESS
We are passionate in We are diverse We value and respect We are valued in our We are aware of our
our efforts to strengthen and inclusive. each other,and recognize community for our community's cultural
our community's All are welcome. we are stronger when we leadership,expertise, heritage and history and
economic vitality. work together. and integrity. continue to ask questions
and learn.
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EXHIBIT 1
1
2025-2027
1
Refine and Amplify Messaging Leverage Events and Festivals to Reinforce Partnerships to Foster Community Pride to
to Target Markets Drive Overnight Stays Extend Effectiveness Boost Santa Ana's Reputation
INDICATORS INDICATORS INDICATORS INDICATORS
•Year-over-year growth of total •Year-over-year increase in room •Year-over-year growth of local •Growth in Tourism Academy
economic impact nights attributable to events businesses participating in participation
•Year-over-year growth in room &festivals incentive program •Increase resident sentiment on
nights •Year-over-year growth in count •Year-over-year growth in room City by2026
•Increase in City-issued film of established event promoter nights attributable to City- •Grow Health&Safety score on
permits partnerships supported organizations,events, stakeholder survey from current
•Annual use of at least 90%of and sports lowest score of 2.25
Opportunity Funds
•Growth in earned media value
on Santa Ana food/beverage
coverage
STRATEGIES STRATEGIES STRATEGIES STRATEGIES
•Conduct a visitor study to build •Further develop relationships with •Work with tourism partners •Create an awareness campaign
a data-informed basis for market event organizers who have the including restaurants,retail,and for residents promoting Santa
targeting capacity and desire to grow events attractions to develop an incentive Ana and highlighting the work of
•Amplify our message to Mexico •Explore the creation of a mural program for hotel guests Travel Santa Ana
and Canada festival in Santa Ana •Execute a MOU with the City to •Work with Economic Development
•Identify and focus on meeting •Explore the creation of multi-day assign stays within Santa Ana for and the City to help promote and
market targets that work for our events that are aligned with City-supported organizations, build local pride
hotels and destination the diversity and creativity of events,and sports •Continue to promote Santa Ana as
•Explore partnerships to leverage the community and our a safe and clean destination
non-City owned sports facilities to destination brand
expand sports tourism •Partner with the City and Parks&
•Position Santa Ana as a vibrant Recreation to develop a Santa Ana-
film destination focused World Cup fan fest in 2026
•Adopt a readiness stance for the •Continue efforts to promote
expansion of cannabis tourism Santa Ana as a food and beverage
destination
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EXHIBIT 1
i
•Build awareness of Santa Ana's assets and the destination through storytelling via video,imagery,and content.
•Position Santa Ana as a desirable Southern California meeting destination for appropriate domestic and
international groups.
•Drive measurable web traffic through a mix of earned,paid,and owned media.
• Support hotels'efforts to increase bookings by prospecting select drive-centric geographic markets,high
inbound air-traffic locations,and small-market states.
•Amplify audience exposure to the brand across all touchpoints of the travel planning journey.
•Cultivate third-party meeting planner relationships that amplify and magnify the city's sales impact in the
marketplace,including through attendance at sales missions and tradeshows.
•Develop creative marketing campaigns that drive awareness and bookings.
•Implement a strategic marketing mix that drives conversions among target demographics.
•Test and track each marketing initiative to optimize performance.
•Adjust campaigns on an ongoing basis to achieve key performance metrics and maximize ROI.
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