CITY OF SANTA CLARITA
TOURISM MARKETING DISTRICT
Fiscal Year 2024-25
Annual Report
Fiscal Year 2025-26
Initiatives and Budget
This annual report highlights the continued efforts and achievements of the Tourism Marketing District for Fiscal Year 2024-25, and provides a recap and overall description of the proposed activities to be funded by the assessment, the estimated annual budget of expenses, and estimated revenues for Fiscal Year 2025-26 (July 1, 2025, through June 30, 2026). Through strategic promotions, partnerships, and targeted campaigns, we have strengthened our destination’s visibility and driven measurable growth in visitation and economic impact.
2 Tourism Marketing District Overview
BACKGROUND
The Santa Clarita Tourism Marketing District (TMD) was formed in May 2010 in accordance with the Parking and Business Improvement Area Law of 1989, Part 6 of Division 18 of the California Streets and Highways Code (1989 Law) and the provisions of the California Constitution Article XIII D (Proposition 218).
The TMD allows assessed lodging businesses within the City of Santa Clarita (City) to support efforts to increase tourism in the City, which in turn increases hotel room night stays and, therefore, increases Transient Occupancy Tax (TOT) revenue back to the City.
Lodging businesses are assessed a two-percent fee for each room night. The TMD uses these dollars to fund programs, services, and special events that will deliver incremental new room night sales to its assessed members. The TMD works to create strong, measurable results in bringing more visitors to Santa Clarita.
ADVISORY BOARD
The Advisory Board consists of one specified representative from each of the participating hotels within the Hotel Tourism Marketing Benefit Zone and two City representatives selected by the City Manager.
The following lists the entities currently represented on the Advisory Board:
ORGANIZATION, BOARD MEMBER, & TITLE
Best Western – Terri Blumberg, General Manager
Courtyard by Marriott – Vincent Singletary, General Manager Embassy Suites – Danny Efron, General Manager
Holiday Inn Express - Karina Winkler, General Manager
Homewood Suites | Hampton Inn – Karla Iraheta, General Manager Hotel Lexen – Vimal Desai, Owner
Hyatt Regency – Clifford Monterrosa, General Manager
SpringHill Suites | Residence Inn - Shannon Hillygus, General Manager City of Santa Clarita – Thomas B. Cole, Economic Development Director City of Santa Clarita - Evan Thomason, Economic Development Associate
3 District Boundaries
The boundaries of the TMD include all real property within the City of Santa Clarita. Within the TMD, a Hotel Tourism Marketing Benefit Zone was established by Ordinance No. 10-4 that currently includes the ten (10) hotel properties identified below:
Property Name
(Hotel/Business Name)
Assessor’s Parcel Number
Reference
Property/Business Physical
Address
Best Western Valencia Inn 2861-071-008 27413 Wayne Mills Place Santa Clarita, CA 91355
Courtyard by Marriott 2866-034-080 28523 Westinghouse Place Santa Clarita, CA 91355
Embassy Suites 2866-034-097 28508 Westinghouse Place
Santa Clarita, CA 91355
Hampton Inn 2866-035-007 28700 Newhall Ranch Road
Santa Clarita, CA 91355
Holiday Inn Express 2861-071-008 27513 Wayne Mills Place Santa Clarita, CA 91355
Homewood Suites 2866-035-007 28700 Newhall Ranch Road
Santa Clarita, CA 91355
Hotel Lexen Newhall 2831-018-040 24219 Railroad Avenue
Santa Clarita, CA 91321
Hyatt Regency 2861-062-020 24500 Town Center Drive
Santa Clarita, CA 91355
Residence Inn 2861-071-010 27505 Wayne Mills Place
Santa Clarita, CA 91355
SpringHill Suites 2861-071-010 27505 Wayne Mill Place
Santa Clarita, CA 91355
The properties identified in the grid above are currently all the hotels that are within the Benefit Zone for FY 2025-26. Should new hotel properties open, they would be assessed in accordance with the System of Assessment (Methodology) established by ordinance.
4 District Boundaries (continued)
In accordance with Ordinance No. 10-4 and Chapter 3.36 of Title 3 of the Santa Clarita Municipal Code, only properties designated as hotels and included within the Benefit Zone will be assessed.
“Hotel” shall mean any structure, or any portion of any structure, which is occupied or intended or designed for occupancy by transients, including but not limited to for dwelling, lodging, or sleeping purposes, and includes any hotel, inn, tourist home or house, motel, studio hotel, bachelor hotel, lodging house, rooming house, apartment house, dormitory, public or private club, mobile home or house trailer at a fixed location, or other similar structure or portion thereof, duplex, triplex, single-family dwelling units except any private dwelling house or other individually owned single-family dwelling rented only infrequently and incidental to normal occupancy or any timeshare as set out in Revenue and Taxation Code Section 7280; provided, that the burden of establishing that the facility is not a hotel shall be on the owner or operator thereof.
The proposed system of assessment for the District is designed to generate revenue from hotels in the City to provide a method of funding public programs and activities that will promote the City and hotels as a tourist destination. Hotels within the City limits comprise the Benefit Zone and are the only businesses proposed to be assessed. The FY 2025-26 annual assessments to be levied against hotels within the Benefit Zone are based on the benefits they derive from the program of activities. Businesses located outside the Benefit Zone (i.e., all non- hotel businesses) will not be assessed as they derive only, at most, an indirect benefit from the program of activities.
In accordance with Ordinance No. 10-4, in addition to any assessments, fees, charges, or taxes imposed otherwise in the City, the City Council proposes to levy assessments for fiscal year 2025-26 against businesses in the Benefit Zone for the purpose of funding the programs, activities, and services that will promote the City and hotels as a tourist destination. Each business in the Benefit Zone shall pay an assessment of 2% of total room rents charged and received from transient hotel guests who do not make the hotel their principal place of residence.
These assessments shall be due and payable and shall be paid at the same time and in the same manner that the TOT is due and payable, and shall be subject to the same penalties and interest for nonpayment.
The terms of the TMD apply to any newly established hotels immediately upon the first day of operation and following the public hearing conducted for inclusion into the TMD.
5 DISTRICT BOUNDARY DIAGRAM
Summary of Services & Activities
TMD funds are specifically allocated to attract visitors and generate room nights by supporting services and activities that provide direct benefits to TMD hotels. These services include, but are not limited to:
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6 Summary of Services & Activities
TMD funds are specifically allocated to attract visitors and generate room nights by supporting services and activities that provide direct benefits to TMD hotels. These services include, but are not limited to:
• Financial support for key regional and national events that drive tourism and promote the City
• Creation and execution of destination marketing strategies to boost visitor interest in Santa Clarita
• Advertising and public relations campaigns targeting both business and leisure travelers
• Funding and support for the Summer Visitor Trolley program to enhance the visitor experience
• Participation in strategic meetings and trade shows to connect with event producers and industry partners
Programs and Services for Fiscal Year (FY) 2024-25 included:
• Tourism advertising campaigns using digital media to reach leisure travelers within a 400-mile drive radius
• Summer Visitor Trolley program
• Two 60 x 60” diorama displays featured at Hollywood Burbank Airport
• California Plaza at U.S. Travel’s International Pow Wow (IPW) – Visit Santa Clarita joined Visit California’s high-profile activation and featured Six Flags character photo ops and Lucky Luke beer tastings, drawing strong interest from international attendees • Hosted U.S. Quadball’s QuadballFest at Central Park, attracting players and fans from across the region
• Coordinated familiarization tours for media representatives from Canada and Amsterdam, offering immersive experiences of Santa Clarita’s attractions and hospitality to inspire future travel coverage • Attended business development meetings, tradeshows, and market forums including:
o California Society of Association Executives Seasonal Spectacular
o Religious Conference Management Association Emerge
Conference
o U.S. Travel Association IPW International Meeting &
Incentive Buyers
o Visit California Outlook Forum
o TEAMS Sports Conference
o Los Angeles Market Outlook Forum
o Crowdriff SEE Conference
o CalTravel Summit and Board Meetings
7 Transient Occupancy Tax
In the City of Santa Clarita, the Transient Occupancy Tax (TOT) is 10% of the total room rate, paid by each hotel room occupant (transient) to the operator of the lodging establishment. The revenue from the TOT goes to the City’s General Fund. The goal of TMD is to increase room nights thereby increasing revenue in TOT funds. In the calendar year 2024, $5,406,750.15 was generated.
SANTA CLARITA LODGING PERFORMANCE FROM 12/2024 STR REPORT (City of Santa Clarita+) 2024 CALENDAR YEAR 2023 2024
Average Occupancy 79.8% 80.9%
Average Daily Rate (ADR) $161.67 $163.19
Average Revenue Per Available Room (RevPAR) $129.06 $131.98
In February 2025, the newly constructed Hampton Inn expanded the local room inventory by 78 rooms, bringing the total room count to 1,176. This dual-branded property is connected to the existing Homewood Suites. While occupancy levels may initially dip with the introduction of the new rooms, they are expected to stabilize and grow over time.
8 Advertising
TMD funds effectively supported the launch of comprehensive multimedia advertising campaigns, including print, digital ad networks, and social media platforms, to attract visitors to Santa Clarita.
Marketing efforts targeted key feeder markets within a 400-mile radius. These funds enable simultaneous outreach to multiple audiences—leisure travelers, corporate meeting and conference planners, and sports tourism event organizers. Campaigns have delivered strong results, including enhanced brand recognition, measurable hotel room bookings, increased year-over-year traffic to the Tourism website, and growth in corporate meetings and events. The continued use of TMD dollars to promote Santa Clarita as a destination has consistently demonstrated positive returns.
Media Strategy
• Emphasize Santa Clarita’s key advantages for leisure travelers—location, value, and region- specific experiences.
• Engage drive-market audiences with ads that lead to content on VisitSantaClarita.com, highlighting thrills, outdoor fun, family activities, and entertainment. • Prioritize digital media channels (display, mobile, video, email, social) to drive conversions. • Geo-target top-performing California markets to enhance impact. • Place ads in content categories aligned with audience interests: family fun, outdoor adventure, entertainment, and thrills.
• Reach travelers actively researching trips to the Los Angeles area. • Boost social engagement through sweepstakes promotions.
FY 2024-25 Leisure Campaign Results
The TMD organized multiple advertising campaigns in FY 2024-25. These are the results of the Phase 1 campaign that ran from October 1 – December 31, 2024.
YOUTUBE PERFORMANCE MARKETING SOCIAL MEDIA
228,828 views 18,684 emails collected 1,606,767 impressions 159,491 video completions 10,803 link clicks
249,783 engagements
9 Earned Media – FY 2024-25
Visit Santa Clarita continues to strengthen its presence in key markets through ongoing collaboration with Visit California, leveraging statewide initiatives and shared storytelling, and by strategically hosting familiarization tours for international journalists to showcase our scenic beauty, rich history, and welcoming community. In the wake of recent Southern California wildfires, including those in Castaic, Visit California launched a campaign to help drive tourism back to affected areas. Thanks to the strong, ongoing partnership and trust built with Visit California, Santa Clarita was chosen as a lead story in their California Now blog series and featured in their e-newsletters - campaigns backed by multimillion-dollar investments and paid media that reached millions of national and international travelers. Together, these efforts generate meaningful earned media coverage, broaden our global visibility, and position Santa Clarita as a must-visit destination.
Visit CA e-newsletter “5 Towns that Make Savvy Vacation Hubs” International Media – Instagram Reels and posts, travel blog Visit CA’s digital media campaign reaching millions of travelers worldwide Visit CA – travel trade newsletter deployed to domestic travel advisors Today in Santa Clarita – Visit CA blog series
10 DRAFT FY 2025-26 BUDGET
Division/Program: Economic Development – Tourism
Marketing District
Fund Name: Tourism Marketing District
Account Number: 3603504
Personnel
500201 Part-Time Staff $48,060
Operations & Maintenance
510102 Membership & Dues $6,765
510104 Printing $24,000
511101 Special Supplies $1,000
513103 Telephone Utility $1,250
516101 Contractual Services $141,500
516102 Professional Services $234,000
516104 Advertising $294,505
516105 Promotion & Publicity $20,000
516108 Graphic Design Services $5,300
519101 Travel & Training $16,000
519104 Auto Allowance & Mileage $600
DRAFT Total Operations & Maintenance FY 25-
26 $744,920
Beginning Fund Balance 7/1/2024 $1,095,072
2024-25 Revenue $1,045,208
2024-25 Expenditures $909,762
Estimated Ending Fund Balance 6/30/2025 $1,230,518
11 FY 2025-26 Initiatives
The TMD’s objective remains to increase demand for overnight visitation, including leisure, group, and meeting business, during the shoulder season (September through March) with a focus on the following:
Business-Driven Sales and Advertising
• Prioritize marketing efforts targeting drive and feeder markets to expand reach • Enhance conversion strategies through digital channels, including display, mobile, video, email, and social media, with an emphasis on geo-targeting • Develop and maintain engaging, informative online content to attract and convert new customers
• Offer targeted incentives to attract meeting professionals and drive increased bookings • Participate in trade shows that offer the greatest potential for convention and meeting lead generation
• Leverage data and analytics to refine marketing strategies • Strengthen partnerships with key industry organizations to expand brand visibility and attract new business
• Explore new advertising opportunities in underrepresented markets to diversify customer acquisition
Destination & Partnership Development
• Strengthen cooperative marketing efforts and partnership opportunities with Visit California, Discover Los Angeles, and key media contacts through IPW • Enhance public relations initiatives to drive visitation and stimulate economic growth • Attract and secure high-profile events to boost Santa Clarita’s visibility and visitor engagement
• Foster relationships with key travel influencers and bloggers to amplify Santa Clarita’s exposure
• Explore opportunities for cross-promotions with regional partners to increase event participation and tourism
The TMD continues to support large-scale sporting events and other impactful gatherings, including Activated Event’s Boots in the Park, as well as other events and meetings. These events not only generate significant economic benefits for the City but also reinforce Santa Clarita’s reputation as a premier destination for high-quality regional events, made possible through strategic partnerships.
Looking ahead, the TMD will focus on retaining successful annual events while actively pursuing new tournaments and experiences, including opportunities that make use of local venues such as the Santa Clarita Skate Park and, The Rink—the City’s new roller rink project that will further diversify the types of events the City can host.