What do you think of tourism? See Monterey wants to know.

Welcome to the holiday weekend! Pam Marino here, with plans to catch up on weeding and celebrate a family birthday, interspersed with some relaxation. 

Many of you will travel this weekend—AAA estimates 44 million Americans are taking off this weekend—but if you’re one of the more than 26,000 hospitality workers here in Monterey County, you’ll be traveling to work to serve the sliver of that 44 million coming our way.

This is the start of tourist season, with thousands of people driving or flying into the county, most of them headed to the Monterey Peninsula. And even with one-way controls into and out of Big Sur, it will likely be another popular destination.

If you like, loathe or are indifferent to tourists coming here, there is one inescapable fact: Tourism, the number two industry in Monterey County behind agriculture, helps pay the bills. The nearly $3 billion in tourist spending last year kept businesses afloat, employees working and helped fill the coffers of cities and the County of Monterey. Those tax dollars in turn paid for roads, police, fire and other infrastructure and services.

If you’ve got about 10 minutes or so this weekend, check out the “Resident Sentiment Survey” that See Monterey, the county’s convention and visitors bureau, is asking people to fill out. It can be completed in either English or Spanish.

The survey is available through Friday, May 31. It asks for people’s thoughts on how much tourism is a good thing (or not), how it contributes to the quality of life here (or not) and what See Monterey should be focusing on, among other things. You can find the survey at tinyurl.com/MCsurvey24. 

Then from 6-7:30pm on Wednesday, June 12, See Monterey is holding a community input forum at the Monterey Conference Center, to hear from residents on tourism topics. The input from the survey and the forum will help guide the creation of a strategic roadmap the bureau will use in future plans for marketing the county to future visitors. Register to attend here.

Of course, I always welcome your comments. I’ve been covering the hospitality industry for several years and I’m always interested in hearing what anyone has to say about it, or in any good tips for related stories.

If you’re looking for things to do this weekend, check out the Hot Picks section in print or our digital Calendar. And for those of you who remember The Grid in the Weekly, an advertisement listing happy hours and live music at local bars and restaurants, it’s back! Find it in this week’s issue on pages 32-33, or online here. And if you’re looking to remember our service members who gave their lives defending the country, you can find events here.

If you’re a visitor, welcome to our beautiful county. To visitors and residents alike, have a great weekend!

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