Tourism officers and labor teams name for pointers for enterprise conferences, occasions and conventions –

SAN DIEGO (KUSI) – Frustrated officials and union leaders representing the California business travel, events, and convention industry urge Governor Gavin Newsom to immediately issue statewide guidelines clarifying the conditions under which business meetings, events, and conventions are held in California can be resumed one day.

In a letter to Governor Newsom, signed by 134 tourism officials and working groups, released today, proponents said California is losing businesses and jobs to other states not only today, but also in 2022 and beyond due to the uncertainty of a lack of guidelines.

They urged Governor Newsom to immediately turn his attention to this sector of the economy, which accounted for $ 66.1 billion in direct spending and 457,000 jobs in 2019. For every month that California business meetings and events are delayed, the state loses $ 4.1 billion in economic activity. These data come from two studies by Oxford Economics published in October 2020.

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, and no guidelines for safe future reopenings have been issued or even discussed by the Newsom administration.

“We are not asking Governor Newsom to open California for business meetings and events tomorrow. We are asking for a plan today so we can safely host events in the future,” said Barb Newton, President & CEO of CalTravel. “These events bring more than just direct income and jobs. They bring people with them who spend money on hotel rooms, restaurants, shops, and services. The ripple effect is enormous and benefits both large and small communities, but we are losing the benefits to other states. ”