INdustry news
MARCH 25, 2025
After President Trump said he would impose tariffs on Canada, then-Prime Minister Justin Trudeau encouraged Canadians to change their vacation plans to focus on exploring destinations within the country—and it worked. A boycott by Canadians—the top international visitor—threatens to upend local economies across the U.S. Canadians made about 20.2 million visits to the U.S. in 2024.
MARCH 24, 2025
On Monday, CalFire released its final round of color-coded hazard maps, which show how much of the state is prone to wildfires—and how much the danger zone has grown since the last round of hazard maps were released over a decade ago. While the maps have been in the works for years, their release coincides with renewed public anxiety over wildfire risk, the state’s fragile home insurance market, and the management of development in places most prone to burning.
MARCH 22, 2025
Millions of visitors are drawn to California each year to experience its picturesque landscapes and pristine shoreline. The threats are alarming environmentalists, who consider protecting the shoreline a fundamental part of California’s culture.
MARCH 21, 2025
Germany, the United Kingdom, Denmark, and Finland are among a growing number of countries warning their citizens about potential problems they could face if they travel to the U.S. The advisory updates appear to highlight recent federal policy changes that have made it harder to cross the border and revoked policies that benefit people who are transgender.
MARCH 20, 2025
When it comes to the future of travel, experiences are taking center stage and driving destination selection. This evolution of travel planning has created new intersections between live events and destination choices.
MARCH 20, 2025
The Athletics’ temporary stay in Sacramento has the potential to bring almost a million additional visitors to the region on a seasonal basis. The team's stay provides an opportunity to showcase the region on the national stage of Major League Baseball.
MARCH 19, 2025
Last week, Tesla received permission from state regulators to begin a charter service that will use Tesla-employed drivers to ferry its employees in company-owned vehicles for prearranged rides. Deploying driverless taxis to the public is a long regulatory road.
MARCH 13, 2025
Many of California’s restaurants require a reservation for dinner, and for the state’s harder-to-get tables, black market reservation websites have only made things more difficult—and more expensive—for diners. In December, New York became the first state to ban third-party websites from profiting off gamifying reservation platforms. California
MARCH 11, 2025
Visit California has released drafts of its Regional Strategic Tourism Plans, which are now open for comment through March 31. The grant does not provide funding or staff for any implementation work, but the plans identify resources available at the state and regional levels that organizations can leverage.
MARCH 10, 2025
According to Statistics Canada, the number of Canadian-resident return trips by car from the U.S. has plunged 23% from a year ago in February, marking the second straight month with a year-over-year decline and the first annual drops since March 2021. The U.S. is the most popular destination for international trips among Canadians.
MARCH 6, 2025
President Trump has signed an executive order to establish a White House task force for the World Cup, which will be held across the U.S., Canada, and Mexico in July 2026. The executive order comes after U.S. Travel issued a report detailing the need for major reforms prior to the mega events set to be hosted in the United States, such as the 2026 World Cup and the 2028 Olympics.
MARCH 6, 2025
The Trump administration’s tariff and immigration policies create uncertainty about California’s economy that’s “very much elevated,” according to a new UCLA Anderson forecast. Immigration policy could also have big effects on California’s economy—one being the loss of undocumented workers from the labor force. According to the forecast’s author, “Deportations and reductions in federal support for health care will disproportionately affect health care and social services, retail, and leisure and hospitality.”
MARCH 5, 2025
Governor Gavin Newsom has declared a state of emergency for the state’s forests, allowing his administration to bypass more coastal and permitting regulations and expedite wildfire prevention projects as California recovers from the Los Angeles wildfires. The suspension of CEQA and the Coastal Act also reflects a shared belief among some California Democrats and Republicans that environmental laws are exacerbating the state housing crisis by hindering development.
MARCH 3, 2025
One year into California’s landmark effort to regulate conditions for more than a half-million fast food workers, the state council appointed to oversee the industry has barely settled on how to conduct meetings. Council Chair Nick Hardeman said the pace so far is to be expected, likening the work to starting a new department from scratch.
FEBRUARY 25, 2025
A rollout of $17 million for parks and open space will add 623 acres of green space to 13 neighborhoods throughout Los Angeles County. Some of the money will go to restoring burned out preserves that are now a barren, blackened landscape where trees, flowers, and wildlife once thrived.
FEBRUARY 23, 2025
On Sunday, Gov. Gavin Newsom announced a new digital democracy initiative that will attempt to connect residents directly with government officials in times of disaster and allow them to express their concerns about matters affecting their day-to-day lives. Engaged California was designed to be more accessible for residents than traditional avenues for influencing government, such as testifying before city councils, writing letters, or emailing legislators.
FEBRUARY 21, 2025
According to Booking.com’s 2025 Travel Predictions, more travelers are seeking out the feeling of awe from the night sky, with 60% of travelers saying they're considering visiting a low-light pollution destination. Many dark sky destinations focus on reducing light pollution and infrastructure to reset the area back to its natural nighttime state.
FEBRUARY 21, 2025
Governor Gavin Newsom is asking Congress to approve an additional $39.7 billion in aid to help Los Angeles recover from the damage of last month’s firestorm, warning that it could become the costliest natural disaster in U.S. history. Newsom’s funding request includes $16.8 billion to rebuild property and infrastructure, $9.9 billion for grants to fire victims, $5.29 billion for homeowner and business loans, $4.32 billion in recovery grants for local governments, and $2 billion in low-income housing tax credits.
FEBRUARY 21, 2025
Last week, federal transportation officials announced an investigation and possible withdrawal of about $4 billion in federal funding for California’s high-speed rail project. The rail authority's most recent business plan counts on receiving up to $8 billion in federal money to help close a funding gap, and losing that money would be a major blow to the project.
FEBRUARY 21, 2025
A new report released this week by the U.S. Travel Association says the United States air travel system is not ready for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, citing slow visa processing times and outdated security technology, among other reasons.
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