Sonoma County Shines “Pinot Purple” in Honor of Hospitality Workers
SONOMA COUNTY, California, May 5, 2020 – In coordination with this week’s National Travel and Tourism Week, Sonoma County Tourism worked with local partners to light up their buildings in purple, the official color of hospitality.
The trend began in San Francisco and has been picked up by more than 30 local tourism and hospitality related businesses throughout the county. From the Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn & Spa to Redwood Credit Union onto Hope Merrill House in Cloverdale, from Hotel Petaluma to Luther Burbank Center onto Bodega Art Gallery – hotels, restaurants, wineries, towns, retailers, tour companies and more are showing their support. A full list of participating business and images can be found at: https://www.sonomacounty.com/power-of-tourism/sct-and-community
“The support for this initiative has been tremendous and showcases the value of tourism in Sonoma County”, said Claudia Vecchio, president/CEO of Sonoma County Tourism. “Now more than ever, the travel and tourism community, and all who cherish travel as an fundamental part of life, can come together, support each other and remind all of us that even through the most difficult times, the Spirit of Travel cannot be broken.”
“Sonoma County is a resilient community and we are proud to light the LOVE “Pinot Purple” as a sign of the unity and determination we share with all our tourism partners,” said Sonia Byck-Barwick, Co-Owner of Paradise Ridge Winery in Santa Rosa. “Our family winery sits on 155-acres and at the heart of the property is a two-story-high art piece LOVE by artists Laura Kimpton and Jeff Schomberg. Always popular with locals and tourists, it gained even more significance after surviving the fires of 2017.”
The tourism industry is one of the largest employers in Sonoma County, with hospitality employment comprising one in 10 jobs. In 2019, direct travel related spending in the county was $2.23 billion. Visitors in Sonoma County spent nearly $2.23 billion. Additionally, local tourism supports critical infrastructure and other services for local residents.
# # #
Sonoma County Tourism is the official destination stewardship organization for California's Sonoma County. SCT is a private, not-for-profit marketing and sales organization dedicated to sustaining the tourism and hospitality economy in Sonoma County, California.
Sonoma County Tourism offices are located at 400 Aviation Blvd., Ste. 500, Santa Rosa, Calif. 95403. For more information, call 707-522-5800 or 800-576-6662, or visit www.sonomacounty.com.
Media Contact
Birgitt Vaughan
Director of Global Media Relations
Sonoma County Tourism
707-522-5826
[email protected]
Editors: High-resolution photos of Pinot Purple and more can be found at
https://sonomacounty.smugmug.com/Pinot-Purple
Password: SoCoLifeOpensUp