PARTNERSHIP & COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT  

Partnership Engagement 

The VGPS Partnership & Community Engagement team attended over 40 community events throughout the Coachella Valley in January and February including fundraisers, ribbon cuttings, community meetings, and mixers.  

LA Fire Response
In January and February, Visit Greater Palm Springs hosted a resource landing page featuring discounted hotel and vacation rental offers, ensuring access to safe and comfortable accommodations in our region. Additionally, we sponsored $120,000 toward Airbnb.org stays in Greater Palm Springs for those displaced by the fires. In partnership with the American Red Cross, Visit Greater Palm Springs also launched a $100,000 matching sponsorship campaign to amplify the impact of donations. 

Partner Benefits
Forty-Five new business listings were added to visitgreaterpalmsprings.com, including Bravo Luxury Retreats, Black Cat Pizza, The Plaza Theatre, Talay Thai Palm Desert, VenueTen, and Wonder.  

Partner listings received 148,513 views and 118,882 website clicks in January and February 2025. Top viewed listings included hot springs spa hotels, attractions, museums, hiking, tours, and resort hotels.  

Thirteen 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 4 times with an average 40% open rate.  

Our January partner event was successfully hosted at VenueTen in Bermuda Dunes on January 27 with bites and sips provided by Kitchen 86 + Bar. The vacation rental and event home was a stunning backdrop for an evening of networking and connection.  

LifeStream Blood Drive
VGPS hosted a blood drive with LifeStream in the Visit Greater Palm Springs boardroom on February 24 with partners Ben & Jerry’s Palm Springs and Quality Mobile Massage providing treats and relaxation. Thank you to everyone who came out to donate! 

Advocacy
We’ve shared our legislative platform with all of the state representatives offices for the our region, along with most of our city, county, and other regional partners. We’ve identified a few bills proposed at the state that we’re watching or taking positions on that align with our priorities laid out in the legislative platform: 

SUPPORT: 

• SB 346 (Durazo) - Local agencies: transient occupancy taxes: short-term rental facilitator.
  This bill would allow cities and counties to require short-term rental platforms to report property details, including assessor parcel numbers and other identifying information. Local governments could enforce penalties for noncompliance and conduct audits to ensure transparency. Additionally, in areas with such ordinances, rental listings would need to display the relevant local license number and transient occupancy tax certification. 
   
• SB 534 (Padilla) - Green Empowerment Zone for the Salton Sea and Southeastern Desert Valleys. 
  This bill would establish a Green Empowerment Zone for the Salton Sea and Southeastern Desert Valleys until 2035, covering parts of Imperial, Eastern Coachella, and Palo Verde Valleys. Governed by a designated board, the zone would identify projects that maximize public investment, support disinvested communities, and accelerate economic growth through clean energy development. Starting in 2027, the board must submit annual progress reports to the Legislature and the Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development, making the reports publicly available online. 

WATCH: 

• SB 370 (Ashby) – California Music Festival Preservation Grant Program
  This bill is designed to financially support independent live music event promoters across the state. To qualify, promoters must primarily host events with paid performers, charge admission fees, and generate at least 70% of their income from ticket sales, event fees, or related sales (like food or merchandise). The bill sets aside $20 million to distribute as grants to these eligible promoters. 
   
• AB 299 (Gibson) – Hotels, motels, short-term rentals: disasters
  This bill would clarify that guests staying in hotels, motels, or short-term lodgings due to their previous home being lost or damaged in a disaster would not gain tenant rights or be subject to eviction protections under unlawful detainer laws. Their stay would not be considered a new tenancy. 
   
• AB 342 (Haney) - Alcoholic beverages hours of sale
  Starting January 1, 2026, this bill would allow bars and restaurants to serve alcohol until 4 a.m. on select days, including Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays, and certain holidays. To extend service hours, businesses must obtain a special license, which the state could issue only if the local government approves an ordinance permitting the extended hours. 

One Coachella Valley
In January and February 2025, the "One Coachella Valley: Short-term Rentals, Long-term Benefits" campaign continued to generate strong engagement among Coachella Valley residents across multiple platforms: 

• Digital Ads: 1,724,104 digital impressions and 18,554 website clicks 
• Connected TV Advertising: 83,971 total views 
• Billboards: 5,124,502 total impressions across static and digital placements 
• Television: 340,500 impressions 
• Radio: 208,000 total reach, 154 spots 
• Spanish Language: 355,260 impressions from print and digital placements with El Informador 

Restaurant Week & Spa Month 
Greater Palm Springs Restaurant Week is back May 30 – June 8, 2025. Registration is open now at dinegps.com/register. Participating restaurants and menus can be found at dinegps.com.  

Visit Greater Palm Springs will pilot a new Greater Palm Springs Spa Month in September 2025 to showcase the destination’s world-class wellness offerings. This initiative will feature exclusive spa treatments and wellness experiences at premier resorts and day spas, designed to drive visitation during a key need period while reinforcing Greater Palm Springs’ reputation as a top wellness destination. Spa Month will be promoted through targeted PR, digital marketing, and partnerships, encouraging both locals and visitors to indulge in the region’s renowned relaxation and rejuvenation experiences. 

Tourism Foundation & Workforce Development

The start of the year marked a strong beginning for workforce development efforts, with significant collaboration and strengthened partnerships across the region. Meetings with all three local school districts, as well as key stakeholders, helped align goals for the year ahead. These discussions also contributed to the planning of Student Hospitality Day, scheduled for April 1, 2025, at the JW Marriott Desert Springs Resort & Spa, including 100 students from all 3 school districts.  

A highlight of the early months was a lunch with our summer micro-internship students, where we learned that four out of the six students are planning to pursue careers and college degrees in hospitality, underscoring the success and impact of the program.  

The Workforce Readiness Committee met in January with an engaging update from College of the Desert’s Work Experience/Careers Team and OneFuture Coachella Valley.  These efforts demonstrate a continued commitment to developing the local workforce and fostering strong ties with educational partners.

We proudly sponsored two students from College of the Desert's Hospitality Management program to attend Visit California's recent Outlook Forum in Los Angeles. This sponsorship reflects our ongoing commitment to investing in the next generation of hospitality leaders within our region. We believe that exposing promising young talent to these opportunities is crucial for the long-term success and vitality of our destination. 

TEAM GPS Champions

TEAM GPS held two in-person classes, welcoming 28 new Champions, and held a private class for Desert Hot Springs High School students interested in careers in hospitality and tourism. TEAM GPS Champions joined us for a Coachella Valley Firebirds hockey game in January and the Meet & See at VenueTen.  

Sustainability

The 4Cs of Sustainability 
At Visit California's Outlook Forum, Lauren Bruggemans participated in a dynamic panel focusing on the critical topic of sustainability in the meetings & events industry. During this session, we unveiled our white paper, "The 4Cs of Sustainability," a comprehensive framework designed to guide destinations and event planners toward a more sustainable future. 

The 4Cs of Sustainability is a holistic model that addresses the four key pillars of sustainability: 

• Community: Prioritizing the well-being of local communities and fostering partnerships. 
• Culture: Preserving and celebrating the unique cultural heritage of the destination. 
• Conservation: Protecting the environment and natural resources. 
• Commerce: Driving economic growth and prosperity for all stakeholders. 

This model provides a roadmap for destinations and event planners to integrate sustainability into all aspects of their operations.  

Accessibility  

Congratulations to Acrisure Arena, Hampton Inn & Suites, the City of Palm Desert, and Renaissance Esmeralda Indian Wells Resort & Spa for becoming Certified Autism Centers. 

Wheel the World hosted a webinar for partners in January and our team continues to increase engagement and understanding of our partnership with WTW to enhance the availability of accessibility information in our destination. 

VGPS networking, education, and experience events are possible thanks to the support of our Oasis and San Jacinto Partners: