What is Visit Napa Valley? What is its mission?
Visit Napa Valley is the official destination marketing organization for Napa County.
Our mission is to promote, protect, and enhance the
Napa Valley destination.
Visit Napa Valley develops programs that target
consumers, encouraging overnight stays with
emphasis during off-peak time periods including
November – March (Cabernet Season) and mid-week
(Sunday – Thursday nights).
Our region encompasses the entire Napa County
and we work closely with each of the six local
jurisdictions (Calistoga, St. Helena, Yountville, City
of Napa, American Canyon, and Unincorporated
Napa County).
How is Visit Napa Valley funded?
Visit Napa Valley is funded through the Napa Valley
Tourism Improvement District (TID) assessment, a
2% self-assessment by lodging properties, paid by
overnight visitors on lodging room nights.
Additionally, a portion of funding is derived
through memberships paid by visitor-serving
businesses and other partner organizations, as
well as revenue generated in the Napa Valley
Welcome Center Mercantile.
Visit Napa Valley is a 501(c) (6) not-forprofit organization.
What is the difference between the Transient
Occupancy Tax (TOT) and the Napa Valley
Tourism Improvement District (TID)?
Each jurisdiction in Napa County levies a 12%
Transient Occupancy Tax (TOT) on visitor stays
at lodging properties. This visitor-paid tax
revenue goes into the jurisdiction’s respective
General Fund budget. These funds, used at
the discretion of local elected governments,
pay for important municipal services such as
police, fire, parks and recreation programs,
roads, sidewalks, and other infrastructure.
Since 2019, an additional 1% TOT has been collected
from visitors on overnight hotel stays to support
local affordable housing solutions. This additional
tax is collected in all the jurisdictions with the
exception of American Canyon.
Each jurisdiction collects an additional 2%
Tourism Improvement District (TID) assessment
on visitor stays at lodging properties within the
jurisdiction. With oversight by the Napa Valley
Tourism Corporation and the Visit Napa Valley
Board of Directors, 75% of this assessment funds
the efforts of Visit Napa Valley in promoting the
entire Napa Valley as the world’s premier wine
country experience. The local jurisdictions retain
the remaining 25% of this TID revenue for local
marketing efforts (events, social media, etc.) with
oversight by local TID advisory committees.
In 2023, $69 million in TOT revenue was generated
for the general funds of local jurisdictions and nearly $8 million in TID funds were collected through
the Napa Valley Tourism Improvement District
and earmarked for Visit Napa Valley destination
marketing programs.
Wouldn’t the money from the NVTID be better
used to fund other local government priorities?
The NVTID funds are self-assessed, private funds
restricted to be used specifically for tourism
marketing and enhancement. The NVTID funds
cannot be leveraged by local government for
initiatives or projects.
There is a symbiotic relationship between the
two funding sources (TOT and TID), creating
an economic ecosystem. Visit Napa Valley
invests the TID funds in strategically managed
programs. Investment in destination marketing
and promotion by Visit Napa Valley ensures that
jurisdiction TOT funds continue growing to fund
local community improvements and services.
48 VISIT NAPA VALLEY
What is the Visit Napa Valley budget?
For FY24, the total operating budget for Visit Napa
Valley is $9 million, including TID revenue, as well
as partnership, mercantile, and other revenue
sources. This is less funding than many other
world-class destinations. These funds are used
to maintain Napa Valley’s globally competitive
position, which in turn generates significant
economic benefits for each jurisdiction, supporting
businesses and our workforce in addition to local
municipal services.
Napa Valley is known around the world;
why do we need to invest more money into
marketing our region?
Ongoing investment in Napa Valley destination
promotion is critical to ensure that Napa Valley
and its residents continue to reap the benefits of a
strong, vibrant, and strategically managed tourism
economy and the enhanced quality of life for
residents that results from the robust economy.
Isn’t the tourism industry responsible for all of
the traffic and crowding in the area?
Visit Napa Valley deploys strategic promotion of the
destination, aiming to attract visitors during the
off- peak season and shift trips from peak season to
low-occupancy periods.
Visit Napa Valley works closely with agencies to
support traffic reduction through shuttle buses,
public transit solutions for employees, and
alternative transportation modes to reduce traffic
impacts. Visit Napa Valley and lodging partners
continue to invest in building the Napa Valley Vine
Trail, a pedestrian and bike path spanning the entire
length of Napa Valley.
Visitors to Napa Valley generate tax revenues that
allow local governments to mitigate traffic pressures
with investments in community infrastructure and
public safety. A low unemployment rate, coupled
with a tight housing market, adds to traffic during
worker commute times. Some workers from
surrounding regions make their way to Napa Valley
jobs in various employment sectors.
You say tourism creates and supports a lot
of jobs, but aren’t all tourism industry jobs low
paying, entry-level positions?
Napa Valley’s tourism industry is a leading employer
and offers flexible, diverse, and rewarding job
opportunities for all skill levels and backgrounds. In
fact, 1 in 5 adults in Napa Valley is employed in the
hospitality sector. In a normal year, tourism jobs in
the region support nearly 16,000 people with an
estimated payroll of $492 million (data from 2018
economic impact study).
The majority of lodging jobs in Napa Valley offer
benefit packages and retirement plans, remaining
competitive to retain top talent. The tourism
industry offers career ladders for entry level
employees similar to other industries.
The local tourism industry partners with the
community college to provide hospitality training for
employment advancement in the industry.
Why should I support tourism?
How does tourism directly benefit me?
Tourism provides economic, cultural, and civic
benefits that improve the quality of life for all
residents in Napa Valley.
Visitors to Napa County spent $2.2 billion in 2018,
which supported 16,000 local jobs and generated
$85 million in tax revenue for local governments in
Napa County.
Tourism revenues allow local government to invest
in services and programs that benefit all residents,
including infrastructure improvements, civic
amenities, and public safety.
Napa Valley’s reputation as a premier tourist
destination creates demand for a diverse range
of goods, services, and cultural programs that are
available for residents and visitors to enjoy.
Lodging property owners make significant investments
in their properties to ensure they are in line with Napa Valley’s world-class reputation. These investments
result in increased property tax and TOT revenues for
local projects that directly benefit residents.
Napa Valley’s strong brand identity makes it an
attractive place for an array of companies to locate
including technology and manufacturing, resulting
in quality employment opportunities for residents.
FAQs CONTINUED
ANNUAL PLAN FY24 49
FAQs CONTINUED
Why isn’t the tourism industry contributing
to solving the affordable housing crisis in
Napa Valley?
The tourism industry generates more than $85
million in tax revenue to fund essential services and
programs throughout Napa County. Local elected
leaders decide how much of those funds are used
for affordable housing and other critical services.
Working closely with local government, the lodging
industry supported the passage of an additional 1%
to the TOT, specifically designated for workforce and
affordable housing. Since 2019, approximately $5
million has been collected for this fund annually to
support housing solutions in Napa County.
What is the tourism industry doing to give
back to our community, aside from the revenue
it generates?
The tourism industry pledged $2.5 million to
support the Napa Valley Vine Trail, a 47-mile-long
walking and biking trail system that will benefit both
residents and visitors. To date, more than $2 million
has been contributed.
Industry-wide volunteer opportunities have been
encouraged through National Travel & Tourism
Week with the Tourism Gives Back initiative. Tourism
workers throughout the county support a local
service project in an organized work party for
maximum impact.
Lodging businesses regularly support more than
80 local non-profit organizations through direct
contributions, room night donations, and volunteer
service time.
Why are we trying to attract more tourists
when Napa Valley is already so crowded?
The objective for Visit Napa Valley is to
increase tourism-related revenue through
increased visitor spending and overnight stays
in low-occupancy periods.
From 2016 to 2018, the number of visitors to Napa
Valley increased 8.9%, from 3.5 million to 3.85 million, while visitor spending increased almost twice that
amount, up 15.9%, from $1.9 billion to $2.2 billion
during that same period. (Source: Destination
Analysts Economic Impact Study) In calendar year
2023, Visit Napa Valley commissioned a new Visitor
Profile and Economic Impact Study. These results will
be released in early 2024 and will continue to inform
tourism-related decisions.
Why should we support tourism development
projects? Don’t those projects destroy our
region’s beauty and charm?
Responsible and sustainable growth and expansion
are vital to the ongoing success of our community in
Napa Valley. Lodging can only be developed where
zoning allows it and will not encroach into open
spaces and protected areas.
Lodging properties generated more than $69
million in TOT revenue in 2023. TOT Special Projects
Funds are allocated by Napa County to preserve
and protect natural landscapes through parks and
open spaces, as well as cultural arts programs and
affordable housing.
How do I keep up-to-date on what Visit Napa
Valley is doing?
Visit Napa Valley is governed by two boards of
directors – the Napa Valley Tourism Corporation
Board and the Visit Napa Valley Board. With
oversight from both boards, as well as best-inclass business audits year after year, Visit Napa Valley continues to offer transparency and visibility
into activities and operations. Bookmark www.
visitnapavalley.com/industry to find information
on the Visit Napa Valley vision, mission, and
objectives; the hospitality industry’s economic
impact; Visit Napa Valley metrics; reports, including
Monthly Activity Reports, STR Monthly Reports,
Annual Recaps, and Marketing Campaign Recaps;
toolkits to aid the local industry during crisis; and
other resources such as our brand guidelines.
Additionally, follow Visit Napa Valley on Facebook,
Instagram, Twitter(X), Pinterest, LinkedIn, and Tiktok
via @VisitNapaValley.
50 VISIT NAPA VALLEY