Column written for The Morgan Hill Times by Visit Morgan Hill
Rising Profile for Morgan Hill Tourism
Morgan Hill is earning some well-deserved attention—and not just from those of us who already know how special it is. This spring brought exciting tourism developments, many driven by Visit Morgan Hill’s ongoing outreach and marketing. Each effort plays a role in telling our city’s story, drawing new eyes, and building lasting recognition.
In April, Visit Morgan Hill had the pleasure of hosting journalist Russ Winton for a tour. His glowing article, which ran in the Modesto Bee on May 13, offered readers an insider look at Morgan Hill’s restaurants, wine tasting, and charming downtown. Winton even hinted that Morgan Hill may be the up-and-coming “Culinary Capital of the Valley,” a title unlikely to surprise those familiar with our expanding food scene.
We also welcomed a group of international travel professionals in May as part of a Visit California-sponsored familiarization tour. These seven VIP travel advisors from Mexico specialize in creating travel packages into the Bay Area. Their visit included stops at Cura Contemporary, Véra Restaurant, and Luxe Flower Bar, before ending with a memorable farm-to-table dinner at Terra Amico Farms featuring Lion Ranch wine. After Morgan Hill, their tour continued to Gilroy, Monterey, and Santa Cruz as part of a larger effort to showcase our region.
We’ll soon host LA-based travel influencer Justin Walters, better known as “Your Bucket List Guide.” With a popular KTLA segment highlighting travel destinations, Justin’s visit—part of a joint campaign with Visit Gilroy and Visit Carmel—aims to spotlight Morgan Hill through video, social media, and TV. We’re also looking ahead to hosting another Visit California-sponsored international tour operator group of Flight Centre Global travel advisors in July.
On the global front, Visit Morgan Hill was recently represented during a sales mission targeting inbound travel operators in Southern California. The delegation visited 19 travel offices that package travel for European, Asian, and domestic markets. Visit Morgan Hill pitched to over 100 travel professionals on the offerings that make us a compelling addition to California itineraries. This outreach helps seed international visits and has already led to a group room block inquiry for local hotels.
Visit Morgan Hill’s digital efforts continue to gain traction as well. Recent Instagram posts about festivals and events have earned tens of thousands of views, including a Spring-Summer Festivals video reel that reached over 64,000 viewers.
We’ve also expanded our online tools for event planners with streamlined web pages for sports tournaments, meetings, and weddings. The website now includes updated venue and hotel charts, plus a step-by-step guide for planning events. We’re putting the finishing touches on a new Sports Tournament Guide, featuring maps, hotel info, services, and an incentive program to help attract more tournaments to town.
On Thursday, June 19, Visit Morgan Hill will join the Downtown Morgan Hill Improvement District to present the Summer Kickoff & Twilight Market. This community block party on E. Third Street from 4–7 PM will feature the Bay Area Panthers, local vendors, games, and plenty of reasons to celebrate the season in the cheerfully illuminated downtown.
Finally, our local lodging economy is holding steady. Hotel occupancy and revenue continue to trend upward, with a running 12-month average revenue per available room up 2.1% over the previous period.
With momentum building and word spreading, now’s the perfect time to take pride in all that Morgan Hill has to offer and to share that pride with visiting friends and family.
Are you or someone you know planning a tournament, wedding, or group getaway? Explore local venues and resources at VisitMorganHill.org/Venues
Krista Rupp is the Executive Director of Visit Morgan Hill