DATE: March 2, 2026
TO: Council Economic Development Committee
FROM: Community and Media Relations Officer
SUBJECT Hayward Visitor Promotion Campaign
RECOMMENDATION
The City Council Economic Development Committee receives a report and provides feedback on a new City of Hayward visitor promotion campaign to support our local hospitality industry.
SUMMARY
The Community and Media Relations Division of the City Manager’s Office developed and is implementing a visitor and promotion campaign to support the Hayward hospitality industry. The campaign seeks to communicate Hayward’s comparative advantages as home base for exploring the Bay Area.
BACKGROUND
Hayward is home to 21 hotels and motels, including several properties affiliated with national chains. Hayward hotel guests patronize local restaurants, bars, cafes and other businesses. The Transient Occupancy Tax revenue (TOT) paid by the Hayward hospitality industry supports City General Fund services, primarily police protection, 911 dispatch, firefighting and emergency medical response.
As part of the discussion at the Dec. 16, 2025, City Council meeting regarding an increase of the Hayward TOT, City Manager’s Office staff identified an opportunity to support our local hotel industry by promoting Hayward as a smart place to stay for people traveling to the Bay Area for the Super Bowl, World Cup and other events and destinations.
DISCUSSION
In consultation with the Economic Development Division, the Community and Media Relations Division developed and is implementing a social media-based promotional campaign that accentuates Hayward’s comparative advantages of location, centrality, connectedness and price.
Starting with sporting events scheduled to take place at Levi’s Stadium in the City of Santa Clara—the Super Bowl and World Cup matches in June—we produced four short videos highlighting how to access the venue by rail using Amtrak, BART and Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority or by car. Travel time to the stadium is half the time it takes from San Francisco.
The videos were produced in-house, are maintained on YouTube and are reachable on our main communications platform, www.hayward-ca.gov. We are distributing the videos primarily through the City’s main social media accounts, which have 30,545 followers. We announced the campaign with a news release and The Stack e-newsletter article on Jan. 27.
Staff foresee producing additional videos highlighting how to visit other parts of the Bay Area from Hayward and layering in repurposed video assets covering Hayward eating and drinking establishments and other attractions. Staff also see potential for replicating the approach to highlight interesting locations and things to do in Hayward. The Visit Hayward, Heart of the Bay, promotional campaign home page is www.hayward-ca.gov/discover/visit-hayward.
ECONOMIC IMPACT
The tourism promotion campaign on social media is a pilot project. The economic impact would have to be measured at a later date and would be based on any increase in visitors attributable to the effort. In the meantime, are able to track the campaign’s reach.
FISCAL IMPACT
The campaign is being conceived and produced entirely in-house and distributed via City social media accounts without an advertising budget.
Prepared by: Chuck Finnie, Communications and Marketing Officer Recommended by: Mary Thomas, Assistant City Manager
Approved by:
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Jennifer Ott, City Manager