Community Corner

What Will a British Travel Agent Tell Her Clients About Santa Cruz?

A group of British travel professionals, who mostly knew about L.A. and San Francisco, got a tour of the West Coast, including the Boardwalk and the Dream Inn.


SEE VIDEO HERE


The worst thing about California for 14 British tour agents who are on a tour of the West Coast?

"I thought it would be sunnier," said Edna Womane, who was basking in it Monday at the Beach Boardwalk, after several days in coastal fog.

The best thing? "The beautiful beaches."

Womane is on a Megafam trip designed to give travel agents from around the world a view of places to recommend to their clients. Most people around England know about Los Angeles and San Francisco, but not about Santa Cruz, Santa Barbara or San Luis Obispo. These are now places she will highly recommend, she says. (See video here).


Hundreds of U.K. travel agents are split up and visit 19 states. They meet in Miami and give reports to the whole group about what they saw.
The trip is so rushed, that their experience of the Santa Cruz redwoods is limited to the murals of the trees inside the Hotel Paradox. Santa Cruz, for them, mostly focused on the Beach Boardwalk, which brings in 1.5-2 million tourists a year and the surfing museum.
Womane said England has similar amusement parks, but the beaches here are better.
Here's how British travel agents spent their time in Santa Cruz Monday and Tuesday, on a whirlwind seven-day tour between Los Angeles and San Francisco.

Monday 1:05 p.m. Arrive Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk. Welcome by CVC and lunch on the patio.
2 p.m. Tour of Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk.
3:30 p.m Meet in front of Boardwalk and depart for Santa Cruz Surfing Museum. 4:15 p.m. Check in at Santa Cruz Dream Inn
6:30 p.m. Reception and Dinner at Soltaire Restaurant at Hotel Paradox. Evening activity: Walk to downtown Santa Cruz for ice cream.
Tuesday
 8:15 a.m. Breakfast at Picnic Basket
9 a.m. Depart Santa Cruz for San Francisco


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