Visit California launched a Responsible Travel Code that asks visitors to travel with RESPECT by committing to seven main points when exploring the Golden State:
- Roam Responsibly
- Educate Myself
- Safety First
- Preserve California
- Embrace Community
- Celebrate Culture
- Teach Others
The code marries the imperative to travel safely amid the coronavirus pandemic with California’s ongoing effort to encourage visitors, tourism industry partners and Californians to create a sustainable and respectful environment for all. As the code’s preamble pinpoints, “respect is the key to keeping each other safe and all of California’s precious and fragile beauty protected, today and tomorrow.”
“The tenets of our Responsible Travel Code speak to both preserving California and to the safety of our communities and visitors as the state begins to reopen for leisure travel,” said Caroline Beteta, president and CEO of Visit California. “We hope this code can serve as a quick resource for travelers on how to stay safe and be respectful of others and of the environment when visiting the state.”
The code is published on the newly launched VisitCalifornia.com as part of a Responsible Travel Hub. The Hub is a resource for travelers, demonstrating ways they can travel safely and responsibly, while also sharing what businesses and communities across the state are doing to ensure the safety of their employees and guests. Content on the hub includes tips and strategies for those ready to travel, and covers what travelers need to know about visiting California beaches, hotels, wineries, breweries, shops, restaurants and parks and trails.
The coronavirus crisis has devastated California’s tourism industry, bringing leisure travel to a halt for three months. However, new state public health guidance, which went into effect June 12, allows counties to open for leisure travel, provided health benchmarks are met and social distancing and sanitizing protocols are adopted.
California is a large, diverse state, and what’s right for some areas may not be right for others. Counties are able to open at their own pace as they meet guidelines and are ready to welcome visitors.
“Visitors should plan ahead by checking with the destinations they intend to visit to learn what activities are allowed, prohibited or limited, and prepare accordingly,” Beteta said. “They should plan to take several new precautions, but they should also be excited to experience travel again – creating new memories and enjoying the communities and great experiences that California has to offer.”
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ABOUT VISIT CALIFORNIA
Visit California is a nonprofit organization with a mission to develop and maintain marketing programs – in partnership with the state’s travel industry – that keep California top-of-mind as a premier travel destination. For more information about Visit California and for a free California Official State Visitor's Guide, go to www.visitcalifornia.com. For story ideas, media information, downloadable images, video and more, go to media.visitcalifornia.com.