MONTEREY COUNTY — See Monterey, the destination marketing organization for Monterey County, recently released the Monterey County Tourism 2030 Roadmap (MCT 2030), a collaborative strategic plan created to guide the local hospitality and tourism industry through myriad changes between now and 2030.
“The overarching goal of MCT 2030 is to maximize the long-term viability of Monterey County’s tourism economy,” said Rob O’Keefe, president and CEO of See Monterey. “This goal is rooted in benefiting the community and will require unprecedented levels of stakeholder collaboration. The tourism landscape over the next half decade is rapidly changing, and a strategy for managed growth is imperative.”
The plan was developed as an update to See Monterey’s first-ever long-term strategic plan launched in 2022. The new plan considers major changes to the destination that have come up since then, including hotel growth, as well as advances in transportation, community development and changes in traveler behavior.
In the next five years, Monterey County is anticipated to have:
- 1,000 new hotel rooms countywide, from Seaside to Soledad and places in between, from brands like Kimpton, Marriott, Hyatt and more.
- A revitalized MRY, undergoing a metamorphosis to include a new terminal that incorporates features that are traveler-friendly, accessible for all, and reflect the essence and diversity of the local community.
- New transportation infrastructure, including the SURF! Busway and other potential developments, ranging from rail extensions to trail and greenway projects.
- Major community development projects in Marina with The Dunes, Seaside with Campus Town and additional commercial and residential development in cities like Salinas and Soledad.
MCT 2030 takes a proactive approach to shaping the future of Monterey County tourism. The research-based plan was built on two foundational studies — a Visitor Profile Study, providing new intel on visitors and visitation patterns to the County, and a Resident Sentiment Study, providing a read on locals’ perceptions of tourism and how it impacts the many communities that make up Monterey County.
A number of other studies, as well as hospitality industry and community input from the original strategic plan, were also factored in.
After analyzing all inputs, three top priorities were identified:
- Enhance Quality of Place: Creating a seamless connection between the desires of travelers and the needs of residents.
- Stimulate Economic Development: Growing a healthy tourism economy will be vital to building economic success.
- Support Managed Growth: Prioritizing community needs ensures that tourism growth enhances rather than disrupts local life.
Monterey County Hospitality Association (MCHA), the voice of the hospitality industry, worked closely with See Monterey to create and launch the plan.
“MCHA’s mission is to ensure the sustainable growth of our local hospitality industry,” said MCHA Board Chair Stefan Lorch. “A healthy hospitality industry is critically important to not only the tens of thousands of employees who work in the industry but to the overall economic vitality of Monterey County. We greatly appreciate the close collaboration with See Monterey on its strategic planning for destination marketing — not just for tomorrow but for the years to come.”
In addition to the top three priorities, the plan includes 10 key themes from the research studies identifying what travelers want and what residents need. It also outlines key strategies and imperatives for creating managed growth, opportunities and barriers, key collaborators and more in-depth information on both research studies.
“With more insight than ever before into what visitors are seeking and what residents want from their tourism economy, See Monterey is well equipped to take new strategic directions and achieve our vision of a thriving tourism economy that enriches Monterey County’s economic vitality and quality of life,” said O’Keefe.
The MCT 2030 Roadmap, as well as See Monterey’s 2024-25 Business Plan, is available to view at SeeMonterey.com/Members/Tools/Reports.
