PASO ROBLES — Visit California has named Travel Paso a 2024 Poppy Awards finalist for “Best Strategic Partnership: Destination” with the Paso Robles Wine Country Alliance (PRWCA). The state-wide awards category celebrates this specific destination marketing initiative started in 2022 when the two organizations came together to support the rebound of tourism after the COVID pandemic.
“This nomination recognizes the importance of collaboration in our region and represents the values both Travel Paso and the Wine Country Alliance hold in promoting our winemakers, restaurant owners and the entire travel and tourism economy in the Paso Robles area,” said Stacie Jacob, president & CEO of Travel Paso.
“We’re thrilled to receive the acknowledgement for our work in creating a joint initiative that helped bring back tourism and travelers to our destination while in turn highlighting the world class wine region,” said Joel Peterson, executive director of the Paso Robles Wine Country Alliance.
Travel Paso is the destination marketing organization stewarding the region to benefit its lodging partners, and the PRWCA is a cooperative marketing alliance made up of wineries, vineyards and related business.
Joining forces, the two groups organized four separate events, each a different touchpoint across core markets for the region.
In partnership with Wine Enthusiast magazine, the organizations led a group of nearly 50 participants through an incredible three-day retreat called “Blaze Your Own Trail,” highlighting the Paso Robles area. The marketing alignment with the nationally renown magazine generated four full-page ads, an online digital campaign, coverage of the event in the magazine as well as inclusion in the Wine Enthusiast podcast. Not to mention many Paso brands being recognized in the publications annual Wine Star Awards.
Teaming up, the Travel Paso – PRWCA marketing duo also organized and executed a wine tasting “roadshow” visiting key out-of-state markets including Denver, Dallas, and Scottsdale in addition to San Diego to promote the region as a state of the art wine, food and travel destination. The roadshow featured media dinners, trade and media tastings as well as on-air media appearances promoting Paso as a region and featuring highlights including the newly lauded Michelin star restaurants, phenomenal wine region and the incredible location, which is second to none in the state of California.
The marquee partnership Savor Paso, a consumer-facing event at PayPal Park in San Jose in June 2023, reached more than 700 wine fans and the return in 2024 is now set for June 13. The duo co-sponsored the San Diego Bay Wine & Food Festival last November creating the largest destination presence in this key market now serviced with a direct daily flight.
The 2024 Poppy Award winners will be announced at the upcoming Visit California Outlook Forum in Palm Springs in March. For more, visit TravelPaso.com, PasoWine.com or for the awards: industry.visitcalifornia.com/more/newsroom/2024-poppy-awards-finalists
