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SANTA CRUZ COUNTY, CA — Hotel occupancy in Santa Cruz County was at a 12 year high, and beat the national and state averages.
The Santa Cruz County Conference and Visitors Council showed for the summer months June, July and August, occupancy throughout Santa Cruz County reached 79%, an increase of 9 percent over the same time period in 2011.
The national average was at 60% and the state average was 77.5%. In Santa Cruz County had local lodging numbers the highest it's been in 12 years in June, and through August it was the best hotel occupancy for a summer season since 2001.
"This is phenomenal news not only for hotels, but for the hundreds of other local, visitor serving small businesses such as retailers, recreation companies and restaurants," said Maggie Ivy, CEO and Executive Vice President of the Santa Cruz County Conference and Visitors Council.
The CVC credits tripled efforts in advertising budgets from spring leading into the summer, focusing heavily on digital travel tools to drive visitor traffic as well as enhance the visitor experience.
