Exhibit A - SRTBIA Annual Report, Budget, and future Work Plan — Santa Rosa City Council, November 4, 2025

SRTBIA
2024 ANNUAL REPORT &
2025 - 2028 WORK PLAN

SANTA ROSA TOURISM BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT AREA
Exhibit A
visitsantarosa.com1
Required Components
Section 36500 et seq. of the California Streets and Highways Code In accordance with the Parking and Business Improvement Area Law of 1989, Section 36500 et seq. of the California Streets and Highways Code, the following information must be included in the Annual Report and Work Plan:

No changes recommended

Outlined herein

Outlined herein
No changes recommended
Outlined herein
Outlined herein
Changes to boundaries
Improvements and activities
to be provided for the
upcoming ﬁscal year
Estimated cost of providing the
improvements and the activities for the
upcoming ﬁscal year
Changes to the method and basis of
levying the assessment
The amount of any surplus or deﬁcit
revenues to be carried forward from a
previous ﬁscal year
The amount of any contributions to be
made from sources other than
assessments levied pursuant to this part
SRTBIA Annual Report + Work Plan
Table of Contents
Fiscal Year 2023-24 / / Calendar Year 2024
15 25
9 7
3 SRTBIA
Santa Rosa Tourism Business Improvement Area
• Overview / / Boundaries / / Scope
• Transient Occupancy Tax / / TOT
• Advisory Board
• 2023 Q3+Q4 - 2024 Events Supported
Revenue & Financial Summaries
• SRTBIA Assessments
• Transient Occupancy Tax
• Budget Summaries
Tourism Industry Indicators
• Hotel Occupancy / / Hotel ADR / / Air Travel
• Travel Impacts 2024
• CoStar Report / / Hotel Trends
Accomplishments / / Visit Santa Rosa
• Marketing Eﬀorts
• Social Media
• Demographics
• Point of Interest Analysis
• Passport Programs
• California Welcome Center
2025 - 2028 Work Plan / / Shared Programs Looking Ahead • Strategic Plan Developent & Implementation
• Visit Santa Rosa
• Engagement
• Business Development & Lodging Industry Support
• 2025 Budget
Starting in 2024, the SRTBIA board aligned annual reports with the calendar year. This report covers 2023 Q3+Q4 - 2024; future reports will cover each full calendar year beginning with 2025.

SRTBIA Annual Report + Work Plan
visitsantarosa.com3
SRTBIA
Overview / / Boundaries / / Scope

SANTA ROSA TOURISM BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT AREA
The SRTBIA was established by Ordinance 3946 on August 3, 2010, creating a public-private partnership between the City of Santa Rosa, the Santa Rosa Metro Chamber, and Santa Rosa lodging establishments.

The SRTBIA is a 3% assessment collected by the City of Santa Rosa on lodging operators within Santa Rosa city limits. On a quarterly basis, the lodging establishments remit these funds to the city. After a 2% city administrative fee is deducted from the total funds remitted, the remaining 98% of the funds are disbursed as follows:

Through targeted marketing and strategic programs, Visit Santa Rosa, in conjunction with the SRTBIA Advisory Board, works to drive overnight stays, beneﬁting the local lodging industry while enhancing the city's reputation as a must-visit location in Northern California. of the funds
collected are allocated
to and managed by
the city’s Economic
Development
Division to support
destination brand
and tourism
infrastructure
programs.
70% goes to the Santa Rosa Metro
Chamber for their Convention & Visitors
Bureau and Welcome Center
operations & services (aka Visit Santa
Rosa). The assessment provides for
eﬃcient and complementary tourism
infrastructure support, destination
marketing, tourism, and group sales
programs that encourage and support
overnight stays.
30%
70%
30%
4visitsantarosa.com
Participating Businesses
Lodging businesses are
those operating within the
Santa Rosa city limits and
include hotels, motels, bed
& breakfast inns, short-term
occupancies, and all similar
lodging businesses.

Transient Occupancy Tax (TOT)
*As of January 1, 2025, a new TOT rate of 11% is eﬀective per the November 2024 election ballot measure.

Transient Occupancy Tax (TOT), also known as a “hotel tax,” is authorized under State Revenue and Taxation Code Section 7280. The City of Santa Rosa has, by code, set the TOT for the City of Santa Rosa at 11 percent for the privilege of occupying a hotel, inn, motel, short-term (vacation) rental, bed & breakfast, or other lodging where accommodations are oﬀered for a period of 30 days or less.

Under the code, lodging operators in the City of Santa Rosa are required to charge this TOT of 11 percent of the rent to “transient” guests. The tax is paid by the occupant and collected by the lodging operator.

The lodging operator then remits the tax to the City of Santa Rosa. Lodging operator payment for TOT must be remitted to the city on or before the last day of the month following the close of each calendar quarter.

A three percent City Tourism Business Improvement Area (BIA) assessment also applies to all lodging establishments, and a two percent Sonoma County Tourism BIA applies to most hotel/motels.

AUTHORIZED USES
(Ordinance 3946, Section 6-56.290)
The purpose of forming the SRTBIA as an assessment area under state law was to provide revenue to defray the costs of services, activities, and programs that promote and encourage tourism within Santa Rosa to the beneﬁt of the assessed lodging establishments. Revenues from assessments may be used for programs, services, and activities inside or outside Santa Rosa if such programs, services, and activities promote and encourage overnight visits to the city. Revenues may also be used to pay or reimburse administrative costs incurred by the chamber or the city in connection with the creation of the SRTBIA and the ongoing administrative costs associated with marketing and event activities.

ASSESSMENT
Boundaries
SRTBIA Annual Report + Work Plan
visitsantarosa.com5
Advisory Board

ROSTER AND REQUIREMENTS
The SRTBIA Advisory Board is comprised of
ﬁve members appointed by the Santa Rosa
City Council and are outlined as followed:
• One Santa Rosa Metro Chamber
employee
• One City of Santa Rosa employee
• Three hotel operators with at least...
▪ One employed by a full-service hotel
▪ One employed by a select-service
hotel
The role of the advisory board is to advise
the city council on the amount of the area’s
assessments and on the services, programs,
and activities to be funded by the
assessments. The advisory board is required
to meet at least quarterly; the meetings are
open to the public with a Zoom option
available .

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SRTBIA Annual Report + Work Plan
6visitsantarosa.com
Events Supported by SRTBIA
2023 - 2024 THE COMMUNITY DOLLARS AT WORK
Staﬀ members from both the city
and the chamber met over the
course of the ﬁscal year and
determined a new streamlined
online process that allows eﬃciency
in the application process and
oﬀers eﬀective data collection.

The renewed goal of the City of
Santa Rosa & Visit Santa Rosa Event
Support Program is to provide a
streamlined application, a
consistent review and award
process for event support, and to
encourage community events in
Santa Rosa that develop community
culture, provide community service,
attract visitors, and contribute to
destination vitality and
placemaking.

The SRTBIA advisory board met
throughout the FY 2023-2024 and
approved funding for the following
destination events through the
Event Support Program.

American Junior Golf Association Wyndham Cup
Santa Rosa Marathon
Snoopy's Senior World Hockey Tournament
Santa Rosa Turkey Trot
$5,000
$7 ,500
$15,000
$10,000
$37,500$107,000 AWARDED
2023 Q3+Q4*2024
* Q1 + Q2 of 2023 funded events are listed in the
22-23 SRTBIA annual report.

Beer City Half Santa Rosa
Santa Rosa Marathon
Country Summer Music Festival
2024 Snoopy's Senior World Hockey Tournament
Beerfest-The Good One
2024 Monster Truck Spring Nationals (Santa Rosa)
Sonoma County Hot Air Balloon Classic
2024 DJFE Triathlon Race Series
The SoCo Market
California Artisan Cheese Festival
Sonoma County Pride
Growlers Hockey Season
$7 ,500
$20,000
$30,000
$20,000
$2,500
$3,000
$5,000
$1,000
$1,000
$5,000
$12,000
$6,000

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SRTBIA Annual Report + Work Plan
7 Revenue Summaries

ASSESSMENT & TRANSIENT OCCUPANCY TAX
2025
2024
2023
2022
2021
2020
2019
2018
2017
2016
2015
2014
2013
2012
2011
TBD
$651,360
$648,141
$673,372
$445,422
$156,254
$541,518
$512,191
$534,354
$532,130
$471,471
$414,046
$388,906
$324,949
$285,884
TBD
$400,821
$422,847
$368,023
$228,704
$313,586
$351,256
$393,065
$366,148
$359,117
$319,047
$278,597
$243,392
$213,069
$192,463
Q2
TBD
$641,372
$721,315
$714,762
$660,718
$334,471
$601,181
$552,694
$652,108
$659,689
$600,755
$538,212
$486,382
$442,635
$405,871
TBD
$439,295
$449,428
$489,747
$464,501
$278,534
$475,984
$437,034
$466,841
$476,713
$432,620
$400,503
$333,570
$305,237
$258,274
TBD
$2,132,848
$2,229,731
$2,240,904
$1,799,345
$1,084,865
$1,969,939
$1,894,984
$2,019,451
$2,027,649
$1,823,893
$1,631,358
$1,452,250
$1,285,890
$1,142,492
TBD
- 4%
- .5%
+ 24%
+ 66%
- 45%
+ 4%
- 7%
- .5%
+ 10%
+ 11%
+ 11%
+ 11%
+ 11%
Q3 Q4 TOTALQ1
SRTBIA

ASSESSMENT ACTUALS BY QUARTER
2025
2024
2023
2022
2021
2020
2019
2018
2017
2016
2015
2014
2013
2012
2011
TBD
$1,954,078
$1,944,426
$2,020,117
$1,336,267
$468,785
$1,624,527
$1,536,583
$1,603,056
$1,595,850
$1,414,356
$1,241,672
$1,166,691
NA
NA
TBD
$1,202,463
$1,256,544
$1,104,071
$686,114
$940,781
$1,053,999
$1,179,143
$1,098,497
$1,077,265
$957,684
$836,436
$730,203
NA
NA
Q2
TBD
$1,924,118
$2,163,947
$1,469,243
$1,393,504
$1,003,241
$1,803,583
$1,658,045
$1,956,283
$ 1,979,736
$ 1,802,200
$ 1,614794
$ 1,459,427
NA
NA
TBD
$1,317,885
$1,498,286
$1,468,243
$1,393,504
$835,645
$1,427,865
$1,311,085
$1,400,538
$1,430,498
$1,296,492
$1,202,053
$1,004,402
NA
NA
TBD
$6,398,544
$6,875,203
$6,737,718
$5,398,040
$3,248,452
$5,909,974
$5,684,856
$6,058,374
$6,083,349
$5,470,732
$4,894,955
$4,360,723
NA
NA
TBD
- 7%
+ 2%
+ 24%
+ 66%
- 45%
+ 4%
- 7%
- .5%
+ 10%
+ 11%
+ 11%
+ 11%
NA
Q3 Q4 TOTALQ1
SR TOT
SANTA ROSA TRANSIENT OCCUPANCY TAX BY QUARTER**
100% of Santa Rosa’s TOT is General Fund Revenue with no special earmarks. **Figures are subject to change if TOT payments are received late. When a new quarter is updated, adjustments may be applied to prior quarters; therefore, reported numbers are subject to revision.

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Budgets Vs. Actual
FISCAL YEAR 2023-24 / / CALENDAR YEAR 2024
Admin / Operations
CWC Operations
Sales / Marketing
Event Support
Assessments
CWC Funding
Other*
$687,967
$281,148
$385,000
$130,000
Budgeted
$693,128
$259,684
$489,074
$150,030
Actual
$1,389,723
$30,164
$116,459
Revenue
TOTAL
The Santa Rosa Metro Chamber maintains a reserve balance of $500,000 in the VSR budget which is not used for annual expenses.
* This income is a combined total from adverising, grants, interest income, and merchandise sales.
$1,536,346 $1,484,115 $1,591,916

CY 2024
Admin / Operations
CWC Operations
Sales / Marketing
Event Support
Assessments
CWC Funding
Other
$664,656
$289,947
$385,000
$130,000
Budgeted
$622,085
$265,877
$408,398
$105,000
Actual
$1,585,327
$51,957
$51,587
Revenue
TOTAL $1,688,871 $1,469,603 $1,401,360
VSR Budget
CY 2023
*Administration
**Professional Services
Marketing / Promotions
Event Support & Attraction
Council Approved Budget
FY 22-23 Carry Forward+
Available Reserves
$304,702
$150,000
$225,591
$150,000
Budgeted
$186,800
$157,595
$10,473
$22,635
Actual
$500,000
$293,132
$389,693

$293,132

Revenue
TOTAL
* Approximately 40% of 4 FTEs is covered by SRTBIA funding ** Contracts related to Out There Santa Rosa, cultural arts and events, in addition to other related program needs.
+ Budget Contingency
++ This variance represents salary, administrative and program savings as a result of staﬃng shortages and organizational changes.
$1,182,825 $1,123,425 $377,503++
CITY Budget
FY 2023-2024
* In compliance with State Code and per
Santa Rosa Ordinance No. 3946, the Tax
Collector (City) may charge an amount
equal to its actual costs of collection and
administration, not to exceed 2% of the
assessments collected to defray incurred
administrative costs. The 2% administrative
fee is deducted from the total funds
remitted and the remaining 98% of the
funds are disbursed as indicated above.
** Figures are subject to change if TOT
payments are received late. When a new
quarter is updated, adjustments may be
applied to prior quarters; therefore,
reported numbers are subject to revision.
+ THESE NUMBERS ARE APPROXIMATIONS

AND MAY NOT REFLECT ALL FINAL FEES

AND ADJUSTMENTS
SRTBIA
Revenue
FY 2023 - 2024**
$2,132,848
City Administrative Fee*
City of Santa Rosa
Visit Santa Rosa
2%
30%
70%
$42,862
$632,993
$1,470,166
TBIA

BREAKDOWN
+
The TBIA revenue
represents an additional
assessment that lodging
properties pay on individual
room night stays.

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Air Travel Hotel ADRHotel Occupancy
Tourism Indicators

REPORTING TRENDS ACROSS SONOMA COUNTY
Passenger traﬃc at STS has more than quadrupled since
the pandemic low in 2020, showing consistent and
strong growth—culminating in record-high activity in
November 2024.
• In November 2019, STS handled 38,882 passengers.
• Traﬃc dropped sharply to 17,733 in November 2020,
due to COVID-19.
• A strong recovery followed:
◦ 50,377 in 2021
◦ 52,360 in 2022
◦ 59,535 in 2023
◦ 77,122 in 2024, the highest in the 6-year span.
2018–2019 - Healthy levels around 62%.
2020 - Plummeted to 36.7%, reﬂecting pandemic
disruptions.
2021 - Recovery to 57.7%, though below
pre-pandemic highs.
2022–2023 - Declined to 46–48%, with a low of

46.8% in 2023.
2024 - Small rebound to 48.9%.

Trend - Occupancy has struggled to regain
pre-pandemic strength, with recovery slower than
ADR.
2018–2019 - Stable, around $153–$154.
2020 - Dropped sharply to $123.39 during the
pandemic.
2021 - Surged to $190.15, the highest in the period.
2022 - Slight decline to $184.45.
2023 - Fell further to $168.69.
2024 - Partial recovery to $174.14.

Trend - ADR has remained above pre-pandemic
levels since 2021, showing resilience in pricing
despite ﬂuctuations in demand.

ADR = Room Revenue
Rooms Sold
Occupancy
Rate % = X 100Rooms Sold
Rooms Available
ADR (Average Daily Rate):

The average revenue earned per occupied room in a
given time period.

Hotel Occupancy: Measures the percentage of available
rooms that are sold.

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10 Data courtesy of sonomacounty.com/partners/research
From 2018 to 2024, Sonoma County’s hotel performance showed diverging trends between pricing and demand.

ADR rebounded strongly after the 2020 pandemic low and has remained above pre-2019 levels, reﬂecting solid pricing power. In contrast, occupancy has recovered more slowly and remains well below pre-pandemic highs, signaling ongoing challenges in fully restoring demand.

Executive Summary

48.9%

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visitsantarosa.com11

JOBS CREATED / EARNINGS
Impacts by City
Travel Impacts 2024

SANTA ROSA TOURISM BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT AREA
Source: The Economic Impact of Travel in Sonoma County 2023/Prepared by Dean Runyan Associates Cloverdale
Healdsburg
Petaluma
Rohnert Park

SANTA ROSA
Sebastopol
Sonoma
Windsor
Unincorp. / Other
Spending
$ in Millions StateLocal TOTAL
Employment
# of Jobs
Earnings
$ in Millions
Tax Receipts* $ in Millions

COUNTY TOTALS

10.1 234.6
147.1
144.1
358.1

18.7 165.7

83.5 1,116.5
2,278.3

0.5 12.5

7.9 7.7

19.1 1.0

8.9 4.5

59.6 121.7

1.1 22.3

14.0 13.7

34.0 1.8

15.7 7.9
106.1
216.5

0.4 9.8

6.1 6.0

14.9 0.8

6.9 3.5

46.5 94.8
97 2,262
1,418
1,389
3,452
180
1597
805
10,764
21,965

4.5 106

66.4 65.1
161.7

8.4 74.8

37.7 504.2
1,028.9
Post-pandemic growth in travel to Sonoma County ﬂattened in 2023. The county welcomed fewer overnight and day visitors compared to 2022, and spending associated with these travelers decreased just 0.9%. Despite the slowdown in visitation, employment in the travel industry grew by 3.7% in 2023. As employment responds with a lag to spending, this increase in jobs is attributable to the rapid spending growth of 2021 and 2022.

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SRTBIA Annual Report + Work Plan
12visitsantarosa.com
Parallel Growth Patterns

TRAFFIC / / OCCUPANCY / / ADR
• Passenger traﬃc rebounded strongly from 2020 to 2024, with a 335% increase from the pandemic low.
• Similarly, hotel occupancy rose from 36.7% (Dec 2020) to

48.9% (Dec 2024).
• ADR jumped from $123.39 (Dec 2020) to $174.14 (Dec 2024) — a 41% increase.

These trends show that as air travel to Sonoma County increased, hotel demand recovered and pricing power improved, reﬂecting a healthy tourism and travel market.

Travel to Sonoma County rebounded strongly in 2024 after a slower 2023.

The county welcomed more overnight and day visitors, supported by a sharp increase in air travel. Passenger traﬃc at Charles M. Schulz–Sonoma County Airport (STS) reached 772,758 in 2024, a 20.5% increase over 2023 and the highest annual total on record.

Avelo Airlines expanded its presence at STS in early 2024, establishing a crew base and launching new nonstop routes to Salt Lake City and Ontario, California, in October.

Alaska Airlines and American Airlines maintained consistent service throughout 2024, providing nonstop ﬂights to key destinations including Seattle, Los Angeles, San Diego, Phoenix, and Dallas.

Source: Charles M. Schulz Sonoma County Airport
Hotel performance mirrored the uptick in travel, with December 2024 occupancy rising to 48.9% and the average daily rate (ADR) increasing to $174.14. Visitor spending grew modestly, and employment in the travel industry expanded by 3.7%, reﬂecting the sustained recovery and growing demand in the region.

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visitsantarosa.com13
Hotel Preformance Trends
YEARLY REPORTING TRENDS FROM 2018 - 2025
Santa Rosa hotels are facing a softer revenue environment (RevPAR decline) at a time when supply growth has moderated, pointing to demand-side challenges rather than oversupply.

The data shows that while hotel revenues recovered more quickly than supply stabilized, recent RevPAR softening suggests that future growth will rely more on stimulating demand than adding capacity.

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SRTBIA Annual Report + Work Plan
14visitsantarosa.com
Data courtesy of the CoStar Report
RevPAR

REVENUE PER AVAILABLE ROOM
Deﬁnition - RevPAR measures the revenue a hotel earns per available room, regardless of whether it is occupied.

Santa Rosa hotels saw steady RevPAR growth through 2019, peaking at over $120 before the sharp downturn in 2020 during the pandemic. RevPAR rebounded strongly in 2021–2022, climbing back above $110, but has gradually softened since, ending 2024 at about $97. This trend highlights lingering demand challenges even as pricing power remains relatively strong compared to pre-2015 levels. • Rose steadily from 2015 through 2019, peaking at just over $125. • Dropped sharply in 2020 to around $65, reﬂecting pandemic impacts. • Rebounded quickly in 2021–2022, climbing back above $110. • Since 2023, has softened again, trending downward toward $90 by 2025.

Key Takeaway - RevPAR shows strong recovery after the pandemic dip, but recent declines suggest weaker demand or pricing pressure despite stabilized supply.

RevPAR = Room Revenue
Rooms Available (or) ADR X Occupancy
Rate

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Visit Santa Rosa
2024 Marketing Eﬀorts
And still counting!
2,971,041

SOCIAL IMPRESSIONS
185,563

AD CLICKS
1,833,180

VIDEO VIEWS
11,907

CWC HANDOUTS
7,067,254

AD IMPRESSIONS
1,639
RADIO

BROADCAST
ADS

5.75B

MEDIA REACH
776,499

WEBSITE VIEWS
NEW
Measured in unique
monthly visitors across
multiple online outlets
NEW 2024 Website
New website launched in 2024 Q1.

In 2024, Visit Santa Rosa made strides in showcasing the city as a premier destination. With nearly three million social media impressions, over 776,000 website views (since rebranding and launching in March '24) and 1.83 million video views, the marketing eﬀorts reached a broad audience across multiple platforms.

Press coverage reached 5.75 billion pickups (measured in UMV Unique Monthly Visitors), while 1,639 radio ads ampliﬁed our region's stories. The team also launched two new digital passports—the Santa Rosa Cannapass and Santa Rosa Festivities on 4th—highlighting unique local experiences.

Milestones
• First ever Visit Santa Rosa Visitor Inspiration Guide • NEW Podcast, Visit Santa Rosa partner and consumer newsletters • Named the 10th Best Beer City in the nation by USA Today Readers' Choice Awards
Total Visits / Traﬃc Acquisition
Users / Unique Visitors
New users / User Acquisition
Pageviews
Pages per Visit
Avg Engagement Time
/uni00A0311,449
266,771
262,798
530,0222

1.65 1:01
2023
312,980
256,025
250,676
776,499
3 .1 1
1:00
2024Website Statistics (Totals)

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Signature
Marketing
Eﬀorts
In 2024, Visit Santa Rosa continued
to raise a glass - both literally and
ﬁguratively - to the spirit of our
destination through two signature
marketing eﬀorts: Cheers to Being
Here and Cheers to Meeting Here.

Cheers to
Being Here
Celebrating Santa Rosa’s ﬂavors,
scenery, and spirit — from wineries and
breweries to outdoor adventures and
local culture. An invitation to savor the
moment and experience the best of
our city.

Unifying brand voice for leisure &
business travelers strengthened Santa
Rosa’s reputation as a must-visit
destination elevated awareness across
regional, national, and
meeting-industry markets.

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Signature
Marketing
Eﬀorts
Visit Santa Rosa continued to raise a
glass - both literally and ﬁguratively -
to the spirit of our destination
through two signature marketing
eﬀorts: Cheers to Being Here and
Cheers to Meeting Here.

SRTBIA Annual Report + Work Plan

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18 Cheers Analytic Overview
2024 “CHEERS TO BEING HERE” + “CHEERS TO MEETING HERE” CAMPAIGNS SRTBIA Annual Report + Work Plan
Demographics
53% male / 47% female
36% 25-44 / 37% 55+
44% $100k+ HHI
51% college/post degree
51% married
63% no children under 18
Channels
LinkedIn
X (Twitter)
Reddit
Instagram
Connected TV: Apple TV+, Showtime,
Amazon Prime Video
Content
Healthy & nutritious foods
International travel
Living an exciting life
Values
Authority: commanding & conﬁdent
Inﬂuence: prestige & importance
Pleasure: amusement & indulgence
51% male/ 49% female
49% 25-44
44% $100k+ HHI
51% college/post degree
42% married
66% no children under 18
Nextdoor
Reddit
LinkedIn
Instagram
Connected TV: Apple TV+, Showtime,
iTunes/Apple TV
High class social events
Health & ﬁtness
Acquiring wealth and inﬂuence
Stimulation: excitement & variety in life
Achievement: successful & admired
Inﬂuence: admired, appreciated & successful
Fl y market
DMAs: Seattle, NYC, Chicago
Addressable Audience: 43.9M
DMAs: Los Angeles, San Francisco-San Jose-Oakland
Addressable Audience: 25M
drive Market
Search
Social
72,793
16,321
Total Users
61,026
4,562
Engaged Sessions

68.51%

17.42%
Engagement RatePaid Anal ytics

DRAFT DRAFT DRAFT DRAFT DRAFT DRAFT

DRAFT DRAFT DRAFT DRAFT DRAFT DRAFT
19 SRTBIA Annual Report + Work Plan
United States
Canada
Poland
India
Mexico
Not Set
Philippines
United Kingdom
China
Germany
229,929
7,075
1,686
1,103
1,073
1,074
1,021
949
774
464
(91.6%)
(2.82%)
(0.67%)
(0.47%)
(0.44%)
(0.43%)
(0.41 %)
(0.39%)
(0.34%)
(0.21 %)
229,576
7,063
1,687
1,185
1,092
1,075
1,028
979
843
536
New
Users
172,705
1,852
21 948
437
232
676
697
127
333

59.32%

23.43%

1.24%

60.73%

33.03%

21.58%

55.59%

59.67%

14.77%

52.52%
1M 05S
20S
0S
35S
19S
1S
48S
57S
6S
1M 3S
Engaged
Sessions
Engagement
Rate
Engagement
Time
Active
Users
Website & Social Media
Demographics
WOMEN
MEN
30%
70%
WOMEN
MEN
36%
64%
Top Cities Top Countries
Top Cities Top Countries
Website
Social Media
20 CONTENT INTERACTIONS REACH

VISITS FOLLOWS
SRTBIA Annual Report + Work Plan
Social Media Analytics
2023 Q3-Q4
*2024
4,533
5,743
2,236,873
3,853,209
FollowsReach
Totals include FB, IG, LinkedIn & TikTok
*All of 2024 except IG stats for Q4
Social Statistics
Organic & Paid Reach Overview
Reach & interaction
Visits & new follows
In 2024, Visit Santa Rosa’s social
media eﬀorts on Facebook and
Instagram alone reached over

1.7 million people and generated

1.8 million video views. Paid
campaigns accounted for the
majority of reach, while organic
content continued to foster
engagement and visibility.

Notable highlights include a
400% increase in long-form
video views and key growth
during seasonal campaigns.

Overall, social media marketing
eﬀorts generated 10,000
content interactions and nearly
20,000 page visits, reinforcing a
strong connection between
campaigns and audience
engagement.

While total interactions and
visits declined slightly
compared to the previous year,
consistent spikes during major
campaigns highlight the
eﬀectiveness of targeted
promotions in driving interest
and action. Visit Santa Rosa
remains focused on deepening
engagement, strengthening
organic reach, and expanding
awareness of Santa Rosa as a
premier destination.
visitsantarosa.com21
Point of Interest Analysis
FEB 2023 - JUNE 2025 COURTESY OF SONOMA COUNTY TOURISM
Top origin
Market By STATE
Top Cross-Visited
Points of Interest
Unique Visitors, Excluding
San Francisco-Oakland-San Jose, CA
SMART Train Route
Rohnert Park
Petaluma
Windsor
Cotati
Healdsburg
Sonoma
Sebastopol
Penngrove
Boyes Hot Springs
Gurneville
Charles M Schulz Airport
Bodega Bay/ Bodega
Graton Resort and Casino
California
Texas
Florida
New York
Nevada
Washington
Oregon
Illinois
Arizona
Ohio
North Carolina

18.4%

14.1%

13.1%

8.9%

6.1%

5.2%

4.0%

3.1%

2.3%

1.7%

41.3%

5.1%

3.6%

3.2%

3.1%

2.9%

2.5%

2.4%

2.3%

2.2%

2.1%
Total VisitsUnique Visitors
Visits BreakdownVisitor Breakdown
International
Domestic
San Francisco
- Oakland
- San Jose
Domestic0.5%

32.2%

68.9%
100%

OVERNIGHT

VISITORS
NEW

VISITORS

45.5%

37.3%

22 In 2024, Visit Santa Rosa expanded its portfolio of free digital passports, oﬀering engaging and interactive ways for visitors and residents to experience the community. These programs highlight local businesses, promote extended stays, and encourage repeat visitation. Each passport leverages incentives and unique experiences to strengthen Santa Rosa’s position as a dynamic destination.

Passport Programs
CannaPass
Launched as part of Sonoma
County’s broader agricultural
identity, the CannaPass
introduces visitors to Santa
Rosa’s award-winning cannabis
industry. The program guides
participants through top
dispensaries and curated
experiences, rewarding
check-ins with points and
prizes while positioning the city
as a leader in cannabis tourism.

Discover
Downtown
This free passport promotes
exploration across Downtown
Santa Rosa, Railroad Square,
and Santa Rosa Plaza.

Through dining specials,
retail promotions, and
seasonal activations, the
program fosters increased
foot traﬃc and supports
small businesses, particularly
during the holiday season.

Festivities
On 4th
Created in partnership with
local business districts, this
holiday-focused passport
ampliﬁes downtown
activations and extends the
visitor experience through
the season.

Beer Passport
A cornerstone of Visit Santa
Rosa’s eﬀorts to market the
city as a premier craft beer
destination, the Beer Passport
provides year-round access to
participating breweries.

Building on the momentum of
“FeBREWary,” the program
extends engagement across
the calendar year, connecting
visitors with local breweries
and encouraging overnight
stays.

Pass Sign-ups
Total Check-ins
Medals Collected
# of Locations
1917
10424
616
11 2023
2010
13135
495
16 2024
2013
13881
678
27 2025Beer Passport Stats

visitsantarosa.com23
In partnership with 360 View PR, Visit Santa Rosa
established the collaborative PR plan in four separate areas of focus for the year, see pitches table to right.

PIECES OF

COVERAGE

AUDIENCE

REACHED
9 2B

PIECES OF

COVERAGE

AUDIENCE

REACHED
7 8.5B

PIECES OF

COVERAGE

AUDIENCE

REACHED
5 3.6B

PIECES OF

COVERAGE

AUDIENCE

REACHED
9 6.7B
2024 - Q1
The Ultimate Guide To Weekend Getaways For Bay Area Families Fun Things To-Do In Santa Rosa And More Of Sonoma County Find More Than Just Wine In Santa Rosa, The Gateway To California, Wine Country Skip-Gen Travel
510 Families / / MSN / / Visit California / / Johnny Jet / / Trekaroo:Kids.Trips.Tips. 2024 - Q2
A First-Timers Guide To Sonoma California: Wine Tasting Hiking And More A Day In Santa Rosa With Kids: Children’s Museum Of Sonoma County 2024 LBGTQIA Pride Guide
The Perfect Weekend In Santa Rosa, CA (On A Budget!)
Work for your Beer / / Pride Journeys / / LA Parent / / Lonely Planet 2024 - q3
10 Best Family Vacation Ideas For Fall 2024, According To Travelers And Experts A Wino’s Guide To The 20 Best Wineries In California
20 Best Glamping Spots Near Los Angeles For Unforgettable Family Adventures Family Vacationist / / Fodor’s Travel / / USA Today / / Yahoo! / / Aol. 2024 - q4
Napa/Sonoma: Hints Of Wine Country Chic
15 Underrated Vineyards To Visit In California
This Norcal Wine Country Hotel Is A Groovy And Glamorous Retro Getaway Smart Meetings / / Islands / / Matador Network
Public Relations

PUBLIC RELATIONS (PR) QUARTERLY REPORTING
Q1 - Family
Family-friendly activities and
multigenerational destinations
Q2 - Meetings
Bleisure travel, corporate
meetings and retreats, and Santa
Rosa as a meeting destination
Q3 - Arts and Culture
Festivals, History, and Museums
Q4 - Beer
FeBREWary, Beer Passport,
Craft Beer Scene

PITCHES
Coverage
24visitsantarosa.com
SRTBIA Annual Report + Work Plan
California Welcome Center

DIRECTING VISITORS INTO THE LOCAL COMMUNITY
11,907 TOTAL pieces of collateral
handed directly to visitors in 2024
4,313 TOTAL custom curated gift
totes for conferences, weddings & more
Milestones
Hired new Visitor Services and Membership
Manager to run the California Welcome Center.

Art Gallery hanging system was installed
resulting in two unique gallery shows and a
meet the artist event.

California Welcome Center team and
volunteers continued to be of service at Santa
Rosa Metro Chamber large scale events on Old
Courthouse Square and at SRMC networking
mixers.

Created a Community Corner so community
members and hospitality partners can post
their events.
2024 International / / 892
2023 International / / 757
+ 17.8% from 2023
2024 / / 29,237
2023 / / 17,490
+ 67% from 2023
2024 / / $16,159 vs. 2023 / / $13,251
Up 22% from 2023
TOTAL Visitors Welcomed
Gross Merch Sales
SRTBIA Annual Report + Work Plan
visitsantarosa.com25
SRTBIA 2025 - 2028
Work Plan

INTRODUCTION
The Santa Rosa Tourism Business Improvement Area (SRTBIA) 2025–2028 Workplan represents a formal recommendation from the SRTBIA Board — an advisory body to the Santa Rosa City Council — developed in close partnership with City staﬀ, Visit Santa Rosa, and the Santa Rosa Metro Chamber of Commerce. The workplan establishes clear goals and action items for a three-year period, guiding the use of SRTBIA funds and resources to drive tourism in Santa Rosa while directly beneﬁting the hoteliers and lodging establishments who contribute through the SRTBIA assessment.

The assessment area itself is established and deﬁned by Chapters 6.56.260–6.56.420 of the Santa Rosa City Code, which sets forth the purpose of its creation: to “…provide revenue to defray the costs of services, activities, and programs that promote and encourage tourism within the area…”.

Once adopted by the city council, this workplan will take eﬀect and be reviewed annually by the SRTBIA Board. Updates or modiﬁcations deemed necessary through this review process will be forwarded to Council for consideration and adoption, ensuring the plan remains responsive to changing market conditions and community needs.

The workplan is designed to uphold council policy regarding the role and responsibilities of the SRTBIA Board and the use of assessment revenues to support activities directly tied to travel and tourism. It also aligns with the city council’s broader goals of driving prosperity across the region, including advancing the objectives set forth in the city’s adopted Economic Development Strategic Plan.

In addition, the workplan is framed to comply with the California Streets and Highways Code, which provides the statutory framework for establishing and operating Parking and Business Improvement Areas (PBIAs) and Tourism Business Improvement Districts (TBIDs). By aligning with this legal framework, as well as city policy and regional economic development strategies, the SRTBIA Workplan provides a clear, accountable, and forward-looking roadmap for investing in tourism promotion and strengthening Santa Rosa’s role as a destination city.

26visitsantarosa.com
Strategic Plan
Development &
Implementation
SRTBIA 2025 - 2028 WORK PLAN
• Support the adopted City of Santa Rosa Economic Development Strategy and Implementation Plan, ensuring alignment with tourism-related economic impacts.
• Conduct an analysis and provide recommendations for
improvement of SRTBIA processes and procedures for programs, with a focus on operational eﬃciency and strategic alignment. • Defer administrative and clerical roles and responsibilities not explicitly assigned to the SRTBIA Board (as outlined in the CA Constitution and City Ordinance) to staﬀ, ensuring streamlined governance and operational eﬃciency.
• Work with the City Clerk’s Oﬃce to modify the number of SRTBIA Board meetings and convenings to those strictly
necessary to fulﬁll duties under the Streets and Highways Code and Article XIII.D of the California Constitution.
• Evaluate and recommend improvements for board composition, roles, and responsibilities to ensure compliance with the purpose of special districts and business improvement areas, per Section 36622 of the Streets and Highways Code and Article XIII.D of the California Constitution.

visitsantarosa.com27
Marketing
• Continue advancing web, online and social media assets to enhance Santa Rosa’s tourism brand.
• Identify new marketing and advertising opportunities, including partnerships that leverage local, regional, and state-level tourism initiatives. • Work collaboratively with the Santa Rosa Metro Chamber, Sonoma County Tourism, Visit California, The Railroad Square Association, The Downtown Action Organization, hoteliers, and other industry partners to amplify Santa Rosa’s destination appeal.

Local Engagement
• Expand merchandise initiatives to enhance visitor experience and brand recognition. • Continue supporting placemaking and public art collaborations aligned with the Economic Development Strategic Plan.
• Enhance event support and promotion to increase overnight stays and economic impact.
• Strengthen partnerships with local business districts to integrate tourism initiatives with small business growth.

Engagement
SRTBIA 2025-2028 WORK PLAN
SRTBIA Annual Report + Work Plan
28visitsantarosa.com
Tourism Strategic Planning &
Collaboration
• Work collaboratively with the Santa Rosa Metro Chamber, Visit Santa Rosa, and other partners to facilitate the solicitation, procurement, and completion of a Santa Rosa-speciﬁc Tourism Strategic Plan.
• Ensure the Tourism Strategic Plan aligns with the Economic Development Strategic Plan and integrates with regional and statewide tourism strategies.
• Evaluate the eﬀectiveness and strategies of Visit Santa Rosa in conjunction with the new Tourism Strategic Plan.

Events
• Expand support for community events in public spaces that foster economic activity, visitor engagement, and overnight stays in Santa Rosa.
• Enhance the City of Santa Rosa Event Support Program, prioritizing events that:
◦ Align with tourism goals and generate room nights.
◦ Contribute to Santa Rosa’s cultural and economic vibrancy. ◦ Take place during oﬀ-peak times to extend the tourism season. ◦ Showcase Santa Rosa’s unique identity, history, and local businesses.

Art
• Support both temporary and permanent public art installations that enhance Santa Rosa’s appeal as a cultural tourism destination. • Prioritize art projects that encourage visitors to explore Santa Rosa, including murals, interactive art, and installations in high-traﬃc areas.
• Collaborate with local artists, cultural organizations, and community partners to fund and implement creative placemaking initiatives. • Facilitate public-private partnerships to leverage funding for large-scale, tourism-attracting art projects.
• Align public art initiatives with marketing and tourism eﬀorts, ensuring broad visibility and engagement from visitors.

SRTBIA Annual Report + Work Plan
visitsantarosa.com29
Visit Santa Rosa
SRTBIA 2025 - 2028 WORK PLAN
• Assess Visit Santa Rosa’s current strategic approaches to determine areas for improvement and realignment with the new Tourism Strategic Plan.
• Continue targeted marketing and sales eﬀorts to position Santa Rosa as a premier destination. • Enhance data-driven visitor and market insights to reﬁne marketing and outreach strategies. • Strengthen relationships with industry partners, including but not limited to, Visit California, Sonoma County Tourism, Santa Rosa Metro Chamber, and local business associations, to maximize Santa Rosa’s visibility.
• Enhance the SRTBIA Event Support Program to attract, retain, and grow tourism-generating events. • Continue engagement in professional tourism and economic development associations to stay informed on industry trends and best practices.
• Explore and identify strategies to increase hotel occupancy beyond events and traditional marketing initiatives.
• Develop targeted business attraction eﬀorts aimed at industries and organizations that generate consistent business travel, conferences, and corporate retreats in Santa Rosa. • Partner with local lodging operators to understand their needs and provide support in attracting new market segments, including group travel, corporate bookings, and midweek stays. • Work with hospitality partners to develop packages and promotions that enhance visitor experiences and incentivize longer stays.
• Assess opportunities to support infrastructure and amenities that make Santa Rosa a more attractive year-round destination for overnight visitors. • Facilitate connections between lodging operators and regional/national travel networks to increase visibility and booking potential.
• Research and implement best practices from comparable destinations to drive year-round tourism demand, including business travel, educational tourism, and sports tourism.

Business Development &
Lodging Industry Support
SRTBIA 2025 - 2028 WORK PLAN
30visitsantarosa.com
Administration* + Operations
Professional Services
Event Support & Attraction
Business/Workforce, OTSR,
Placemaking Programs
Council Approved Budget
Carry Forward
Unappropriated Reserve Funds
$364,171
$150,000
$182,187
$200,000

EXPENSE

REVENUE
$500,000
$396,358
$0
TOTAL $896,358
TOTAL $896,358
City of Santa Rosa Budget 2025
*Staﬀ – 40% of 4 City FTE (Includes salaries & beneﬁts) Admin / Operations
CWC Operations
Sales / Marketing
Event Support
Assessments
CWC Funding
Other
$852,697
$316,724
$315,000
$140,000
Budgeted
$1,500,000
$30,000
$47,500
Revenue
TOTAL $1,577,500 $1,624,421
The Santa Rosa Metro Chamber adopts its annual budget in January of each calendar year. The VSR budget presented in the table above is approximate, subject to change pending the chamber’s normal budgeting process. No use of reserves or carry forward balance is anticipated.

VSR Work Plan / Budget 2025
Report Prepared by
City Of Santa Rosa
Scott Adair
Chief Economic Development Oﬃcer
(707) 543-4242
[email protected]
Rafael Rivero
Economic Development Specialist
(707) 543-3460
[email protected]
Meredith Knudsen
Arts and Culture Coordinator
(707) 543-4674
[email protected]
Santa Rosa Metro Chamber
Ananda Sweet
CEO
(707) 636-3662
[email protected]
Janelle Meyers
VP, Marketing & Communications
(707) 636-3663
[email protected]
Denise Aver-Phillips
Visitor Services & Membership Manager
(707) 636-2841
[email protected]

Santa Rosa City CouncilNovember 4, 2025

Santa Rosa City Council
November 4, 2025