PARTNERSHIP & COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT  

Champions of Hospitality

More than 800 hospitality professionals, students, and their families from across the Coachella Valley gathered at the JW Marriott Desert Springs Resort & Spa in Palm Desert to celebrate the spirit of Greater Palm Springs tourism at the annual Champions of Hospitality Awards Gala on November 25, 2024. The event, presented by Visit Greater Palm Springs, was an opportunity to unite our hospitality community and highlight the positive impact tourism employees have on local businesses and visitors. 

While the Champions of Hospitality Awards Gala celebrates the individuals and organizations that embody the innovative spirit of the local tourism and hospitality industry, the event also serves as a fundraising vehicle for the Greater Palm Springs Tourism Foundation, raising more than $117,000 through sponsorships, a silent auction, and donations. At the event, the Greater Palm Springs Tourism Foundation awarded $35,000 in college scholarships to deserving students, fostering the next generation of hospitality leaders.

The culminating award of the event, the Spirit of Tourism Award, was presented to The Living Desert Zoo and Gardens, to recognize their embodiment of the spirit of tourism in the valley and diligent work to move the overall industry forward in both actions and spirit. You can view the full list of this year’s award winners and the Spirit of Tourism award tribute video on our Champions of Hospitality website page.

Workforce Development Updates

Q4 Workforce Readiness Committee Meeting
The Workforce Readiness Committee held its quarterly meeting on October 16. The committee discussed ongoing industry needs for skilled workers and identified areas where training and development programs could be further enhanced.

Representatives from College of the Desert’s PaCE program discussed the Leadership Institute courses available for our hospitality workforce and scholarships available through the Tourism Foundation. Variety, the Children’s Charity, gave a presentation about their partnership with JW Marriott Desert Springs Resort & Spa. This partnership resulted in the creation of sensory bags for individuals with autism and other sensory sensitivities, enhancing the resort's accessibility and inclusivity.

By fostering collaboration between education, non-profit, and industry partners, the Workforce Readiness Committee is committed to addressing the evolving needs of the hospitality industry.

ABOVE: The Workforce Readiness Committee at their Oct 16, 2024 meeting.

CSUSB Hospitality Management Program Open House
Visit Greater Palm Springs' Director of Sustainability and Community Engagement Lauren Bruggemans recently had the opportunity to address over 300 high school juniors and seniors from Palm Springs Unified School District (PSUSD) and Coachella Valley Unified School District (CVUSD) at an open house hosted by the CSUSB Palm Desert Hospitality Management team. Lauren's presentation highlighted the diverse and rewarding career paths within the hospitality industry, encouraging students to consider pursuing higher education and professional opportunities in the industry.

Sustainability Updates

Green Destinations - Top 100 Sustainability Story for a Second Year
The annual Green Destinations Top 100 Stories competition collects good practice stories from destinations all over the world to be shared as inspiring examples for tourism professionals and travelers. The 2024 edition has generated an inspiring collection of Good Practice Stories from 32 countries, including just five featured stories from the United States. Proudly representing for California, Visit Greater Palm Springs is included with the story, “The Power of Inclusion: Amplifying Authentic Experiences and Local Voices.” By telling their stories, Green Destination acknowledges destination management organizations like VGPS and recognizes them for the solutions they have implemented in response to sustainable tourism challenges faced. View press release here.

VGPS Sponsors 100 Travel Innovations
This year, Visit Greater Palm Springs proudly sponsored the launch of 100 Travel Innovations on World Tourism Day (September 27, 2024). This global initiative showcases programs and activities from 100 destinations around the world that are driving positive change – environmentally, economically, and socially. Our featured project, the Torrez Martinez Youth Environmental Ambassador Program, supported by The Living Desert Zoo and Gardens, empowers young people to become environmental stewards. By showcasing this program, we demonstrate our commitment to creating a more sustainable future for our community and the planet. View press release here.

Sustainability Webinar - Food Rescue and SB 1383 Webinar
Lauren Bruggemans moderated a webinar with Debbie Espinosa, CEO of FIND Food Bank, and Amy Lawrence, Deputy Director of Economic Development for the City of Palm Desert, to discuss SB 1383 and its implications for the hospitality industry. The webinar covered key topics such as understanding SB 1383 requirements, minimizing food waste through practical strategies, enhancing sustainability reputation, donating surplus food to local food banks, and leveraging local resources to support compliance and sustainable practices. View webinar recording here.

Certified Autism Destination Progress
Visit Greater Palm Springs is making significant strides toward becoming a Certified Autism Destination, demonstrating our commitment to inclusivity and providing a welcoming experience for all visitors.

 We’re excited to share the following updates:

• City of Palm Desert Grant Opportunity: The City of Palm Desert created a grant fund for businesses in the city to become autism certified. Contact Eric Ceja at eceja@palmdesert.gov for more information and to apply.
• Recent Certifications: Pickering Events & Riverside County Fairgrounds successfully obtained certification, announcing prior to the Tamale Festival.
• Upcoming Certifications: Packhouse at Aziz Farms and Renaissance Esmeralda, have committed to the certification process.
• Near-Term Goal: We are one hotel away from achieving Certified Autism Destination status.
• Visitor Awareness: Visit Greater Palm Springs is actively promoting all certified hotels, attractions, restaurants, and other local businesses to visitors through our Partner Autism Certification Page.

Visit Greater Palm Springs and Diego Rendon Honored with Travel Unity Awards
We are thrilled to announce that Visit Greater Palm Springs and Diego Rendon have both been recognized with awards at Travel Unity’s inaugural awards ceremony in New York City on December 10, 2024. These awards highlight our organization’s dedication to creating a more inclusive and equitable travel industry.

• Outstanding Organizational Initiative Award: This award acknowledges our commitment to inclusion through the lens of youth engagement and workforce development, honoring our Summer 2024 Youth Leadership (Micro-Internship) Program.
• Youth Award: Diego Rendon, a Tourism Foundation Scholar and CSUSB student, was honored for his exceptional dedication to advancing inclusion in travel and the college experience at CSUSB.

PARTNERSHIP

Partners can gain additional exposure to visitors through ongoing efforts such as the Wheel the World, Kind Traveler, Getaways promotions, and more. Opportunities for partner engagement, including free promotion through MyGreaterPS.com, TEAM GPS Champions training, and networking events, also support the continued growth and success of our local tourism community.

Ongoing Free Promotion Opportunities
Getaway Offers – Share your packages, special experiences, and deals. Log in at MyGreaterPS.com to upload your “special offers” and attract more visitors.   

Events – Submit your events to our visitor events calendar.   

Listings on VisitGreaterPalmSprings.com
Between September – November of 2024, partner listings received 187,559 views and 149,112 referral clicks to partner websites. Visit MyGreaterPS.com to log in and view your business listings views and clicks and make updates.  

Visit Greater Palm Springs now offers partners the opportunity to promote their business through EngageGPS. Tourism-related businesses in Greater Palm Springs are now eligible to join and receive the following benefits at no cost:      

• Partner communications - Tourism partner newsletter, "In the Loop," FAM participation requests, service requests, and other partner communications 

• Access to VGPS website to post content - Through a personalized log-in, you can create your free listing on our website, post special offers and events, add images, receive referrals and service requests from groups and meeting planners, update your website listing, and more  

• Invitations to industry events - Receive invitations to partner events, networking opportunities, educational seminars, and fundraising events 

• Advertising discounts - Opportunity to take advantage of advertising discounts in Palm Springs Life's "The Guide," with a circulation of nearly 70,000 copies per month and distribution to 350 high-traffic locations throughout the valley 

• ​Visit center visibility - Display your brochures and guides in the VGPS Visitor Center 

Visit MyGreaterPS.com to sign up. 

Monthly Meet & Sees & Other Partner Events

Meet & Sees and other partners events give partners an opportunity to experience new venues and network with our hospitality community. 

Meet & See at Fortun's Kitchen + Bar, La Quinta
September 26

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

Champions Mixer at Mary Pickford
On September 30, our TEAM GPS Champions gathered at the Mary Pickford Theatre is D'Place for a memorable evening of history, Hollywood, and immersive experiences! Jim Cook from Hollywood at Home in Palm Springs took us on a journey through the fascinating ties between Palm Springs and Hollywood’s iconic crowd. The Palm Springs Historical Society shared their incredible tour offerings, and Mary Pickford Theatre introduced us to their one-of-a-kind ScreenX experience — an unforgettable cinematic adventure!

Special TEAM GPS Class for Center for Employment Training Students
Visit Greater Palm Springs hosted a special TEAM GPS Champions class for 19 students from Coachella's Center for Employment Training (CET) Business Administration certificate program. A highlight of the session was an interactive panel discussion with our Brand and Digital Marketing team, where students gained valuable insights into potential career paths within the field.