The San Diego waterfront overlooking the Convention Center. File photo

Officials and union leaders representing the California business travel, events and convention industry this week urged Governor Gavin Newsom to immediately issue guidelines clarifying the conditions under which events can resume.

In one letter To Governor Newsom, released Thursday and signed by the San Diego Tourism Authority and 133 other advocacy, business and working groups, critics said California is losing to other states as the pandemic progresses.

Without guidelines, business and job losses for the billion dollar industry could extend into 2022.

“We’re not asking Gov. Newsom to open California for business meetings and events tomorrow. We’re asking for a plan today so we can safely host events in the future,” said Barb Newton, President & CEO of CalTravel. She added that “the ripple effect from such events is enormous” and that the economic benefit for other countries is being lost.

In the letter, tourism and labor officials say the governor’s blueprint for a safer economy makes no mention of business meetings, events, and conventions.

Those looking to book events in California see the lack of guidelines or even discussion of future reopenings as a signal that the state is closed indefinitely. Potential customers are already canceling for the end of 2021 and next year, officials said.

And you have other options. Newton noted that almost all other states have allowed business meetings, events, and conventions to resume.

California has banned gatherings of any size since the state’s COVID-19 Stay At Home Ordinance went into effect almost a year ago on March 19, 2020. restrictions however, it will wear off on April 1st for sporting events and amusement parks.

The California travel industry finalized a plan in June 2020 that outlines how to hold meetings safely, while meeting standards set by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the State Department of Health. Officials say the governor did not respond.

“It is imperative that the state issue thoughtful and responsible policies as soon as possible,” said Julie Coker, president and CEO of the San Diego Tourism Authority. “There is too much at stake for California to be the outlier among the unleaded states.”

The travel and events sector of the economy had direct spending of $ 66.1 billion and 457,000 jobs in 2019. According to studies by Oxford Economics, the state loses an estimated $ 4.1 billion in economic activity for every month that business meetings and events are delayed.

“Business meetings and events create hundreds of thousands of jobs,” said Tommy Faavae, IBEW Local 11 in Pasadena. “The direct jobs are in hotels and convention centers, but thousands come from those doing furnishings, sound systems, construction and other ancillary work. The past year was devastating for everyone who worked in this branch of the economy. The governor can help bring this industry back to where it was before the pandemic in 2021 and beyond. “

In addition to the Tourism Bureau, San Diego area companies and groups that signed the letter include the San Diego Convention Center, San Diego Zoo and Safari Park, Visit Oceanside, and Evans Hotels.

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