Community & Industry Engagement
The VGPS Partnership & Community Engagement team attended nearly 70 community events throughout the Coachella Valley in March, April, and May including fundraisers, ribbon cuttings, community meetings, and mixers.
Partner Benefits
Fifty-seven new business listings were added to visitgreaterpalmsprings.com, including Double Date at the Omni Rancho Las Palmas Resort & Spa, Coachella Smoke Co., Desert Kid Coffee, The White Lizard, Mykonos Modern Greek Mediterranean, and more!
Partner listings received 117,669 views and 79,689 website clicks in March–May 2026. Top-viewed listings included resort hotels, events, and attractions.
Seven new partners started advertising on visitgreaterpalmsprings.com through DTN with either preferred listing placements or other advertising placements.
“In The Loop,” our partner newsletter, went out 7 times with an average 44% open rate.
Partner Events
Greater Palm Springs Restaurant Week Kickoff – May 27
The Greater Palm Springs Restaurant Week Kickoff at Agua Caliente Resort Casino Spa Rancho Mirage brought together participating restaurants, sponsors, media, and industry partners to celebrate the start of the region's signature culinary event. Guests enjoyed preview tastings from Restaurant Week participants across the destination, providing valuable exposure for local restaurants and an opportunity to showcase the diversity and quality of Greater Palm Springs' dining scene.
Restaurant Week continues to serve as both a tourism and community initiative. Through the $1-per-reservation donation program on dineGPS.com, the 2026 event generated $5,763 for FIND Food Bank, helping support residents throughout the Coachella Valley.
Building on the momentum of Restaurant Week, Visit Greater Palm Springs will continue promoting restaurant specials, prix fixe menus, happy hours, and dining offers throughout the summer. Partners are encouraged to submit offers directly to Celena Correa at celena@visitgreaterps.com for inclusion in ongoing promotional efforts.
Partnership Events
Meet & See – The Lautner Compound – March 12
Partners gathered at The Lautner Compound for an evening of networking, destination discovery, and experiential engagement. Guests enjoyed guided tours of the iconic property, highlighting its unique architecture and versatility as a venue for meetings, events, and special activations. The experience was enhanced by entertainment from DJ Danaisy and Classic Car Tours, along with food and beverage offerings from Nomad. The event provided valuable opportunities for partners to build relationships and explore a distinctive tourism asset.
Meet & See – The Golf Club at Terra Lago – April 2
Partners gathered at The Golf Club at Terra Lago for an evening of networking and destination discovery. When weather conditions prompted a last-minute move indoors, the venue and Lulu Catering quickly adapted to create a seamless and memorable experience. Guests enjoyed exceptional cuisine, interactive food stations, passed desserts and made-to-order cannoli’s prepared by roaming servers, raffle prizes, and entertainment from Tina Turntables. The event showcased the venue's hospitality and flexibility while providing valuable opportunities for partners to connect and strengthen relationships.
Industry Engagement
National Travel & Tourism Week – May 3-9
Visit Greater Palm Springs celebrated National Travel & Tourism Week with a series of educational programs, partner engagement opportunities, and appreciation events highlighting tourism's vital role in the regional economy. Aligned with the U.S. Travel Association's Postmarked: Essential theme, the week showcased how travel supports local businesses, creates jobs, drives investment, and strengthens communities throughout Greater Palm Springs.
May 4 | National Travel & Tourism Week Kickoff
Visit Greater Palm Springs launched the week by recognizing the many ways travel supports careers, economic development, collaboration, and quality of life across Greater Palm Springs. Messaging throughout the day highlighted the contributions of cities, hotels, short-term vacation rentals, attractions, restaurants, and tourism partners that help create positive experiences for visitors and residents alike.
May 5 | Visitor Intercept Study Webinar
Visit Greater Palm Springs hosted a webinar presenting findings from its Visitor Intercept Study, providing partners with valuable insights into visitor demographics, travel behavior, spending patterns, and trip motivations. The session helped partners better understand traveler preferences and identify opportunities to strengthen marketing and business strategies.
May 6 | Global Meetings Industry Day, Partner Success Workshop & Student Chef Showcase
In recognition of Global Meetings Industry Day, Visit Greater Palm Springs highlighted the importance of meetings and conventions through client appreciation outreach and partner communications focused on the sector's economic impact.
The organization also hosted an in-person Partner Success Workshop at the Visit Greater Palm Springs office, providing training and resources related to partner listings, co-op marketing opportunities, landing pages, media opportunities, promotional offers, and other tools designed to help partners maximize visibility and engagement.
That evening, the TEAM GPS Foundation Student Chef Showcase at JW Marriott Desert Springs Resort & Spa celebrated emerging culinary talent and the future of hospitality in Greater Palm Springs, bringing together students, mentors, educators, sponsors, and industry leaders in support of workforce development initiatives.
May 7 | Air Service Webinar
Visit Greater Palm Springs hosted an Air Service Webinar led by Director of Tourism Development Gary Orfield, featuring guest insights from Oliver Lamb of Ailevon Pacific Aviation Consulting. The webinar highlighted the importance of air service development in supporting visitation, meetings, business growth, and long-term regional competitiveness.
May 8 | Tacos & Thank You's Appreciation Lunch
Visit Greater Palm Springs hosted a partner appreciation lunch at its offices to recognize and thank hospitality stakeholders, tourism partners, and community supporters for their contributions to the visitor experience and local economy.
May 8 | Greater Palm Springs Vacation Rental Host Summit
Visit Greater Palm Springs partnered with Rent Responsibly to host the Greater Palm Springs Vacation Rental Host Summit at Jackalope Ranch in Indio. The free educational seminar and networking mixer attracted a highly engaged audience of short-term vacation rental owners, hosts, and property managers from across the destination.
Featured speakers included David Krauss of Rent Responsibly, Bethanni Langdon of Vrbo, Kenny Cassady of VRON Palm Springs, and Jimmy Repp of Cohost of the Desert. Sessions focused on destination marketing, major event opportunities, regulatory updates, responsible hosting practices, and strategies for delivering exceptional guest experiences.
Visit Greater Palm Springs highlighted the year-round marketing and advocacy efforts that support the vacation rental industry and help maintain strong visitor demand throughout the region. The summit generated meaningful discussion, networking, and collaboration, reinforcing the organization's commitment to supporting the short-term rental community through education, partnership, and destination stewardship.
Government Relations & Advocacy
Visit Greater Palm Springs continued its advocacy efforts at both the federal and state levels during the reporting period, ensuring the interests of the region's tourism industry, visitor economy, and broader economic development priorities are represented in key policy discussions.
In March, Visit Greater Palm Springs participated in the International Economic Development Council (IEDC) Leadership Summit in Washington, D.C., meeting with members of Congress, federal agency representatives, and officials from the U.S. Economic Development Administration and U.S. Department of Commerce. Discussions focused on the timely release of federal grant funding that has already been approved but remains delayed. Communities across the country have made significant investments and commitments based on these awards and are now facing challenges bridging funding gaps while awaiting disbursement. Visit Greater Palm Springs joined economic development leaders from across the nation in advocating for the release of these critical funds and highlighting the importance of federal investment in infrastructure, economic competitiveness, and community development.
In April, Visit Greater Palm Springs attended U.S. Travel Association's Destination DC, where destination leaders from across the country met with federal policymakers to discuss the importance of travel and tourism to the national economy. Conversations focused on international travel sentiment, visa processing, entry procedures, and other policies that influence the cost and ease of travel to the United States. While in Washington, the team also met with the offices of Congressman Raul Ruiz and Congressman Ken Calvert to discuss regional transportation priorities, including CV Rail, continued support for the expansion of Palm Springs International Airport, and other transportation infrastructure projects important to the future growth of the Coachella Valley.
In May, Visit Greater Palm Springs joined tourism industry leaders from across California for CalTravel Advocacy Day in Sacramento. Meetings with legislators focused on protecting and strengthening California's tourism economy, supporting reforms to California's Invasion of Privacy Act (CIPA), and advocating for the creation of a statewide event fund that would help California destinations remain competitive in attracting and retaining major events that generate significant visitor spending and economic impact.
While in Sacramento, Visit Greater Palm Springs was represented on the Senate floor during the adoption of the California Tourism Month resolution, which recognized the vital role tourism plays in supporting jobs, businesses, and local communities throughout the state. The resolution highlighted tourism's importance as a key economic driver for California and reinforced its significance to destinations like Greater Palm Springs, where the visitor economy supports one in four local jobs.
Legislative Update
Visit Greater Palm Springs continues to monitor legislation that could impact tourism, economic development, transportation, destination marketing, and business operations. Key measures being tracked include:
- SB 690 (Caballero) – Would create an exemption within California's Invasion of Privacy Act (CIPA) for certain commercial business communications and activities. Visit Greater Palm Springs supports the measure as a needed reform to address abusive litigation impacting businesses across California.
- SB 865 (Ashby) – Establishes the California Music Festival Preservation Grant Program to support independent music festivals and major event producers. Visit Greater Palm Springs supports efforts to create funding mechanisms that help California destinations compete for and retain major tourism-driving events.
- AB 685 (Solache) – Creates the Small Business Resiliency and Innovation Act and provides additional support resources for small businesses throughout California.
- AB 1758 (Nguyen) – Would increase annual registration assessments for Sellers of Travel.
- AB 1855 (Jeff Gonzalez) – Would expand existing CEQA exemptions for passenger rail improvements. Visit Greater Palm Springs supported the measure because of its potential benefits for rail infrastructure projects. The bill is no longer moving this session.
- AB 1953 (Lowenthal) – Would have created a statewide framework allowing short-term rentals during declared emergencies and designated special events. The bill is no longer moving this session.
Visit Greater Palm Springs will continue working with its state government relations firm, elected officials, agency partners, and regional stakeholders to advance policies and investments that support tourism, economic development, transportation infrastructure, workforce development, and the long-term competitiveness of Greater Palm Springs.
