Travel Santa Ana is the official Destination Marketing Organization (DMO) for Santa Ana. Travel Santa Ana is dedicated to promoting the city as a desirable Orange County destination for business, leisure, meetings, sports, and group travel.
Travel Santa Ana is a nonprofit 501(c)(6), funded by a 2% assessment implemented by the Santa Ana Tourism Marketing District (SATMD). The SATMD is comprised of 17 hotels and motels with (70) rooms or more within the boundaries of the City of Santa Ana. The assessment is paid for by visitors who stay at those hotels and motels.
The SATMD was renewed for a 10-year term beginning January 1, 2026 - December 31, 2035.
2024-2026 Travel Santa Ana Board of Directors
Chair: Aaron Saliba, General Manager, Hotel Zessa a DoubleTree by Hilton
Vice Chair: Vacant
Treasurer: Ryan Chase, Owner, 4th Street Market
Secretary: Erin Warady, Marketing Chair/CMO, Cannabis Chamber of Commerce
At-Large:
Frank Atayde, General Manager, Holiday Inn Orange County Airport
De’andre Gipson, General Manager, Courtyard Costa Mesa South Coast Metro
Marc Morley, Economic Development Manager, City of Santa Ana
Cory Sams, General Manager, MainPlace Mall
Quinn Su, General Manager, Orange County Hotel
Marketing Advisory Group
Logan Crow, Executive Director & Founder, Frida Cinema/DTSA Artwalk
Paul Eakins, Public Affairs Information Officer, City of Santa Ana
Cori Lantz, Recreation & Community Services Supervisor, City of Santa Ana Parks & Recreation
Scott Melvin, Vice President of School Relations, Mater Dei High School
Kelly Radomske, Vice President of External Affairs, Bowers Museum
AnnaSophia Servin, Public Information Officer, John Wayne Airport
Maribel Silva, Operations Coordinator, Santa Ana Zoo
MARIA GONZALEZ, PDM, CTA Content & Community Engagement Manager
The Santa Ana Tourism Marketing District (TMD) includes lodging businesses, existing and in the future, available for public occupancy within the boundaries of the City of Santa Ana. The boundary, as shown in the map below, currently includes seventeen (17) lodging businesses that have seventy (70) rooms or more. There are no proposed changes to the TMD boundary.
SANTA ANA HOTEL INVENTORY
Sonesta
hotel overview
Santa Ana Hotel Inventory: 2,770 rooms at 17 hotels
*Hampton Inn & Suites Santa Ana Orange County Airport rebranded to City Express by Marriott Santa Ana/Orange County Airport
Hotel Annual Revenue: Over $77 Million*
Hotel Visitor Tax: $9.5 Million
Tourism Marketing District Revenue: $1.5 Million
Hotel Average Daily Rate: $121.37 *
Hotel Occupancy: 70.8% *
*Includes 15 of the 17 TMD hotels. Santa Ana California Lodge and Red Roof Inn do not report to STR, the global leader in hospitality data benchmarking, analytics, and marketplace insights.
the wor K o F a D e S tination or G ani Z ation
1.VISIT
If you
2. live
And if you built a place where people want to live, then you have built a place where people want to work.
4. invest
And if you
3.
work
And if you built a place where people want to work, then you have built a place where business and residents will invest.
TOURISM MATTERS
2024 DireCt travel impaCtS to Santa ana
$394.2 million DireCt travel SpenDinG
YOY INCREASE OF 4.8%
$27.5 million IN TAXES BY DIRECT TRAVEL SPENDING
906,700 viSitorS YOY INCREASE OF 3.6%
3,110 SANTA ANA JOBS ARE SUPPORTED BY VISITORS EQUALING $148 MILLION IN WAGES TO SANTA ANA’S ECONOMY!
TOURISM MATTERS
$59 million
$79 million
$109 million Dining
$96 million Accommodations
visitor profile
top origin mArkets
AverAge DAily visitor spenD: $57 (All mArkets)
mission
To share Santa Ana with the world.
vision
Santa Ana is the authentic & welcoming Orange County experience.
values
Passion
We are passionate in our efforts to strengthen our community’s economic vitality.
inclusiveness
We are diverse and inclusive. All are welcome.
collaboration
We value and respect each other, and recognize we are stronger when we work together.
relevance
We are valued in our community for our leadership, expertise, and integrity.
awareness
We are aware of our community’s cultural heritage and history and continue to ask questions and learn.
strategic plan 2025-2027
OBJECTIVE 1:
Refine and Amplify Messaging to Target Markets
INDICATORS
• Year-over-year growth of total economic impact
• Year-over-year growth in room nights
• Increase in City-issued film permits
OBJECTIVE 2:
Leverage Events and Festivals to Drive Overnight Stays
INDICATORS
• Year-over-year increase in room nights attributable to events & festivals
• Year-over-year growth in count of established event promoter partnerships
• Annual use of at least 90% of Opportunity Funds
• Growth in earned media value on Santa Ana food/beverage coverage
OBJECTIVE 3:
Reinforce Partnerships to Extend Effectiveness
INDICATORS
• Year-over-year growth of local businesses participating in incentive program
• Year-over-year growth in room nights attributable to Citysupported organizations, events, and sports
OBJECTIVE 4:
Foster Community Pride to Boost Santa Ana’s Reputation
INDICATORS
• Growth in Tourism Academy participation
• Increase resident sentiment on City by 2026
• Grow Health & Safety score on stakeholder survey from current lowest score of 2.25
STRATEGIES
• Conduct a visitor study to build a data-informed basis for market targeting
• Amplify our message to Mexico and Canada
• Identify and focus on meeting market targets that work for our hotels and destination
• Explore partnerships to leverage non-City owned sports facilities to expand sports tourism
• Position Santa Ana as a vibrant film destination
• Adopt a readiness stance for the expansion of cannabis tourism
STRATEGIES
• Further develop relationships with event organizers who have the capacity and desire to grow events
• Explore the creation of a mural festival in Santa Ana
• Explore the creation of multi-day events that are aligned with the diversity and creativity of the community and our destination brand
• Partner with the City and Parks & Recreation to develop a Santa Anafocused World Cup fan fest in 2026
• Continue efforts to promote Santa Ana as a food and beverage destination
STRATEGIES
• Work with tourism partners including restaurants, retail, and attractions to develop an incentive program for hotel guests
• Execute a MOU with the City to assign stays within Santa Ana for City-supported organizations, events, and sports
STRATEGIES
• Create an awareness campaign for residents promoting Santa Ana and highlighting the work of Travel Santa Ana
• Work with Economic Development and the City to help promote and build local pride
• Continue to promote Santa Ana as a safe and clean destination
• Build awareness of Santa Ana’s assets and the destination through storytelling via video, imagery, and content.
• Position Santa Ana as a desirable Southern California meeting destination for appropriate domestic and international groups.
• Drive measurable web traffic through a mix of earned, paid, and owned media.
• Support hotels’ efforts to increase bookings by prospecting select drive-centric geographic markets, high inbound air-traffic locations, and small-market states.
goals strategies
• Amplify audience exposure to the brand across all touchpoints of the travel planning journey.
• Cultivate third-party meeting planner relationships that amplify and magnify the city’s sales impact in the marketplace, including through attendance at sales missions and tradeshows.
• Develop creative marketing campaigns that drive awareness and bookings.
• Implement a strategic marketing mix that drives conversions among target demographics.
• Test and track each marketing initiative to optimize performance.
• Adjust campaigns on an ongoing basis to achieve key performance metrics and maximize ROI.
1,080 appointmentS 26 traDeShowS
6 Site viSitS
$6.6 million in potential hotel revenue 95 qualiFieD leaDS
Client events & FAm tours
Hosted client events in Guadalajara, Monterrey, Mexico City, Miami, Sacramento, Toronto, and Vancouver, including a Mexico City presentation for 130 meeting planners from HelmsBriscoe, Maritz, and American Express, with VIPs from Brand USA, Visit California, and the U.S. Embassy Department of Commerce. Additionally, hosted four FAM tours—two for Mexican media and two for Canadian travel professionals, including Alberta Motor Association (Canada’s AAA) agents.
opportunity FunDs
Incentive program designed to attract group business and drive overnight hotel stays while helping Santa Ana compete with other destinations.
Generated 1,480 room nights
$350,000 in hotel revenue
• 130 Aeroméxico travel professionals hosted for breakfast & a custom Santa Ana Lotería game
• 95 Aeroméxico agents hosted for a webinar
• 11 Mexico radio interviews
• 6 interviews with travel-related media
• 1 Mexico City TV interview
GoWest
January
road & trade show highlights
Location: Palm Springs
Audience: International Buyers (Tour Operators and Online Travel Agents)
Appointments: 48 (including Mexico, Colombia, and Brazil)
Outcome: Travel Santa Ana connected hotels with Foreign International Traveler (FIT) partners, resulting in one hotel increasing bookings through Nuitee.
Brand USA Canada Mission
April–May
Locations: Toronto • Montreal • Calgary
• Edmonton • Vancouver Appointments & Presentations: 154 across five cities
Additional: Included one presentation in French.
Visit California Reverse Mexico Mission
May
Location: Oakland Appointments: 20 Mexican Tour Operators
IBTM Americas
August
Location: Mexico City
Appointments: 41 Latin American Tour Operators
Additional: Presentation to 130 meeting planners
Visit California Roadshow Midwest
November
Locations: Chicago • Kansas City
Appointments:
• 49 (Chicago)
• 50 (Kansas City)
Visit Anaheim Canada Roadshow
November
Locations: Calgary • Edmonton • Vancouver
Meeting Planner Presentations:
• 88 (Calgary)
• 136 (Edmonton)
• 150 (Vancouver)
CalSAE Seasonal Spectacular
December
Location: Sacramento Appointments: 9
Additional:
• Breakfast sponsorship for 250 qualified association buyers
• Hosted custom Santa Ana Lotería with 118 attendees
ADDitionAl roAD & trADe shows AttenDeD
• Associations West Seasonal Spectacular
• California Cup
• California DMO Alliance
• Connect Marketplace
• Global Meetings Industry Day
• Meeting Professionals International (MPI) –Arizona Chapter
• Meeting Professionals International (MPI) –Southern California Chapter
• World Education Congress
• MeetingsLive West
• Northstar’s Independent Planners & Southwest
• Planner Connect
• Small Market Meetings
• Smart Meetings West & Southwest
• Small Market Meetings
• Smart Meetings National
• SMERF Xpress
• Student Youth Travel Association
• TEAMS
marketing & pr highlights
top inFluenCers & meDiA hosteD
• Zizotravel — 2.4M Instagram followers
• CoupleInTheKitchen — 89.7K Instagram followers
• UrbanBlissLife — 42.4K Instagram followers
• arlennemx — 29.5K Instagram followers
• Ommmar — 28.1K Instagram followers
Hosted four members of the North American Travel Writers Association. The itinerary showcased Santa Ana’s unique culinary scene, with a special focus on its michelada offerings, including Alta Baja Market.
Hosted five members of the International Food, Wine & Travel Writers Association. The itinerary included lunch at Alta Baja Market; a mini piñatamaking workshop at Collective2one9; dinner at Benchmark; a public art activity; Lotería at Cerveza Cito; coffee at Café Cultura; and visits to the Old Orange County Courthouse and the Bowers Museum.
Hosted four Mexico-based travel writers. The itinerary featured the Bowers Museum, Santa Ana Zoo, Lyon Air Museum, Heritage Museum of Orange County, exploration of Downtown Santa Ana, and dining at Benchmark, Chapter One, Hidden House, Royal Khyber, 4th Street Market, and Santa Ana Brunch Club.
RESULT: Santa Ana was featured on the television program Conexión Global in the segment, “Entrevista exclusiva: Santa Ana revela sus secretos mejor guardados.”
eArneD meDiA
• American Roads and Global Highways, EFE: Servicios
• El Souvenir • El Tiempo • Europapress • Expreso
• La Prensa Grafica • Meetings Today • North Hills
Monthly
• Report News.MX • Small Market Meetings
• Smart Meetings
• The Passenger
• Travel Itch Radio • Travel Times
Met with 19 media at Visit California’s event in San Francisco.
SCAN TO VIEW
SOCIAL MEDIA HIGHLIGHTS
Impressions: 1.6M
Engagements: 65.7K
Post Link Clicks: 6.5K
Engagement Rate: 4.1%
YOY INCREASE OF 22.7%
overview
Campaigns = 63
Overall Spend = $17.1K
Impressions = 4.37M
Link Clicks = 133.7K
Cost-Per-Click = $0.09
Click-Thru Rate (CTR) = 4.26% ThruPlays = 81.5K
Cost Per ThruPlay = $0.21
Top Producing Ads or Boosts Public Art Guide
Mother’s Day in Santa Ana
Celebrate Day of the Dead Travel Santa Ana, Mexico
viDeo stAts
Impressions = 29,155
Views = 14.5K
Hours Watched = 123.7
Impressions CTR = 5.7%
Top Performing Videos
Always Bet on Us - Proud Santaneros Series 1
Discover Santa Ana - Destination Video Santa Ana Is United by Originality® - :30 Destination Video
The digital campaign strategically targeted visitors in key markets to drive destination awareness and inspire travelers planning a Disneyland visit to stay in Santa Ana. The campaign ran from November through December 2025.
CreAtive perFormAnCe
Targeted all AeroMexico flights inbound and outbound from Los Angeles (LAX) and Tijuana (TIJ) airports.
• 12,636 passengers saw 30-second destination video
• 10,512 watched the video
• 83.2% CTR*
• 10,103 completed watching the video
• 80% action rate
*Benchmark CTR is 31%
ADVERTISING
SPECIAL PROJECTS
Launched the Visitor Loyalty Program, offering exclusive discounts and promotions to guests staying at Hotel Zessa, a DoubleTree by Hilton, and the Holiday Inn Santa Ana–Orange County Airport. The offers are promoted through a dedicated TravelSantaAna.com landing page, accessible via a QR code provided at hotel check-in, and are designed to encourage visitors to explore Santa Ana’s attractions, restaurants, and retail establishments. Participating partners currently include the Bowers Museum, Chapter One: The Modern Local, Discovery Cube, Gus’s World Famous Fried Chicken, Mongiello’s Pizza & Wings, the Santa Ana Zoo, Tacompadre, The Frida Cinema, and The Pizza Press.
Since launching the Santa Ana Enthusiast program in December 2024, more than 275 Santa Ana city employees, hoteliers, tourism partners, and residents have become official Santa Ana Enthusiasts!
The complimentary program, designed by Travel Santa Ana, provides an overview of the tourism industry’s importance to the community and highlights what makes Santa Ana unique—helping participants better promote the destination to visitors and garner a deeper appreciation for our city.
Santa Ana’s “Hidden Gems,” a Peter Greenberg Worldwide Productions segment featuring Cerveza Cito, Lyon Air Museum, the Santa Ana Zoo, and THEM Skates, is available on Apple TV+ and Amazon.
SPECIAL PROJECTS
Travel Santa Ana successfully registered the five unique signatures along with our tagline “United by Originality®”
Travel Santa Ana included additional local business owners and community members in our ongoing Proud Santanero video series. Locals were filmed answering questions about what makes them a “Proud Santanero” and what they recommend to visitors.
In the continuation of our third series, our locals include:
Duane Greenleaf & Pedro Arizmendi, Owners, Benchmark • Mike Moreno, Owner, Santos Pizza
Ana Laura Padilla, Owner, Perla Mexican Cuisine • Teresa Rodriguez Nieves, Owner, Sarinana’s Tamale Factory
The video series is promoted on YouTube and a designated website landing page.
Stickers and Pins
Santa Ana 2024 Annual Report
Culinary Passport Michelada Guide
Official Santa Ana Visitors Guide
Santaneros
Culinary Passport Michelada Guide
Santa Ana 2024 Annual Report
Proud Santanero Campaign Travel Santa Ana Named One of the Best CVB/DMOs
Travel Santa Ana
financial report
The improvements and activities provided for fiscal year 2025 are consistent with the Management District Plan (Plan).
annual service Plan
Assessment funds will be spent to provide specific benefits conferred or privileges granted directly to the assessed lodging businesses. These specific benefits or privileges granted to assessed lodging businesses are not provided to non-assessed businesses and do not exceed the reasonable cost to the City of conferring the specific benefits or granting the privileges. The privileges and services provided with the TMD funds are sales and marketing programs available only to assessed businesses.
A service plan budget has been developed to deliver services that benefit the assessed businesses. A detailed annual budget will be developed and approved by TSA. The table below illustrates the initial annual budget allocations..
Although actual revenues will fluctuate due to market conditions, the proportional allocations of the budget shall remain the same. However, the City and the TSA Board shall have the authority to adjust budget allocations between the categories by no more than fifteen percent (15%) of the total budget per year. For example, the City and TSA may fluctuate the TMD’s budget allocation for the Sales and Marketing category from its current seventy percent (70%) to a maximum budget allocation of eighty-five percent (85%) or down to a minimum budget allocation of fifty-five percent (55%). A description of the proposed improvements and activities for the initial year of operation is below. The same activities are proposed for subsequent years. In the event of a legal challenge against the TMD, any and all assessment funds may be used for the costs of defending the TMD. In the first year of operation, the costs of creating the TMD may be repaid by deducting repayment funds proportionally from budget categories.
Each budget category includes all costs related to providing that service, in accordance with Generally Accepted Accounting Procedures (GAAP). For example, the sales and marketing budget includes the cost of staff time dedicated to overseeing and implementing the sales and marketing program. Staff time dedicated purely to administrative tasks is allocated to the administrative portion of the budget. The costs of an individual staff member may be allocated to multiple budget categories, as appropriate.
The staffing levels necessary to provide the services below will be determined by TSA on an as-needed basis.
sales anD MarKetinG
• A sales and marketing program will promote assessed businesses and Santa Ana as tourist, meeting, and event destinations. The sales and marketing program will have a central theme of promoting Santa Ana as a desirable place for overnight visits. The program will have the goal of increasing overnight visitation and room night sales at assessed businesses, and may include the following activities:
• Internet marketing efforts to increase awareness and optimize internet presence to drive overnight visitation and room sales to assessed businesses;
• Print ads in magazines and newspapers, television ads, and radio ads targeted at potential visitors to drive overnight visitation and room sales to assessed businesses;
• Attendance of trade shows to promote overnight visitation to assessed businesses;
• Sales blitzes for assessed businesses;
• Familiarization tours of assessed businesses;
• Preparation and production of collateral promotional materials such as brochures, flyers and maps featuring assessed businesses as well as all events, attractions, and reasons to visit (Stay, Shop, Dine, Play);
• Attendance of professional industry conferences and affiliation events to promote assessed businesses;
• Lead generation activities designed to attract tourists and group events to assessed businesses;
• Director of Sales and General Manager meetings to plan and coordinate tourism promotion efforts for assessed businesses; and
• Development and maintenance of a website designed to promote overnight visitation to the city and promote Santa Ana as a tourism destination highlighting the assessed businesses, as well as all events, attractions, and reasons to visit (Stay, Shop, Dine, Play) to increase overnight visitation at assessed lodging businesses.
aDMinistration anD oPerations
The administration and operations portion of the budget shall be utilized for administrative staffing costs, office costs, advocacy, and other general administrative costs such as insurance, legal, and accounting fees.
citY aDMinistration Fee
The City of Santa Ana shall be paid a fee equal to two percent (2%) of the amount of assessment collected, to cover its costs of collection and administration.
continGencY/reserve
The budget includes a contingency line item to account for uncollected assessments, if any. If there are contingency funds collected, they may be held in a reserve fund or utilized for other program, administration or renewal costs at the discretion of the TSA Board. Policies relating to contributions to the reserve fund, the target amount of the reserve fund, and expenditure of monies from the reserve fund shall be set by the TSA Board. Contingency/reserve funds may be spent on District programs or administrative and renewal costs in such proportions as determined by the TSA Board. The reserve fund may be used for the costs of renewing the TMD.
In 2025, Travel Santa Ana invested nearly $19,000 to directly support local hotels and tourism partners by hosting travel writers, influencers, and meeting planners, along with other strategic promotional experiences designed
financial report
assessMent
There is no change in the method and basis of levying the assessment. The annual assessment rate is two percent (2%) of gross short-term room rental revenue. Based on the lack of benefit received, assessments will not be collected on revenue resulting from: stays of more than thirty (30) consecutive days; stays by any officer or employee of a foreign government who is exempt by reason of express provision of federal law or international treaty; and stays by any nonprofit organization that, as the result of a disaster, provides at its own expense hotel or motel shelter to any victim of a disaster.
The term “gross room rental revenue,” as used herein means: the total consideration charged, whether or not received, for the occupancy of a space in a lodging business valued in money, whether to be received in money, goods, labor, or otherwise, including all receipts, cash, credits, property and services of any kind or nature, without any deduction whatsoever. Gross room rental revenue shall not include any federal, state, or local taxes collected, including but not limited to hotel visitor taxes. The assessment is levied upon and is a direct obligation of the assessed lodging business.
However, the assessed lodging business may, at its discretion, pass the assessment on to transients. The amount of assessment, if passed on to a transient, shall be disclosed in advance and separately stated from the amount of rent charged and any other applicable taxes, and each transient shall receive a receipt for payment from the business. The assessment shall be disclosed as the “SATMD Assessment.” The assessment is imposed solely upon, and remains the sole obligation of, the assessed lodging business, even if it is passed on to transients. The assessment shall not be considered revenue for any purposes, including calculation of hotel visitor taxes.
The City will continue to be responsible for collecting the assessment on a monthly basis (including any delinquencies, interest, and overdue charges) from each assessed lodging business. The City shall take all reasonable efforts to collect the assessments from each assessed lodging business. The City shall continue to forward the assessments collected to Travel Santa Ana.
Interest and Overdue Charges
The TMD shall reimburse the City for any costs associated with collecting unpaid assessments. If sums in excess of the delinquent TMD assessment are sought to be recovered in the same collection action by the City, the TMD shall bear its pro rata share of such collection costs. Assessed businesses which are delinquent in paying the assessment shall be responsible for paying:
1. Original Delinquency Overdue Charge: Any lodging business which fails to remit any assessment within the time required shall pay an overdue charge of ten percent (10%) of the amount of the assessment in addition to the amount of the assessment.
2. Continued Delinquency Compounding Overdue Charge: Any lodging business which fails to remit any delinquent remittance on or before a period of thirty (30) days following the date on which the remittance first became delinquent shall pay an additional delinquency overdue charge of ten percent (10%) of the amount of the assessment and the ten percent (10%) overdue charge first imposed. Any lodging business which fails to remit any delinquent remittance on or before a period of sixty (60) days following the date on which the remittance first became delinquent shall pay an additional delinquency overdue charge of ten percent (10%) of the amount of the assessment and the ten percent (10%) overdue charge first imposed together with the additional ten percent (10%) overdue charge imposed.
3. Audit Deficiency Compounding Overdue Charge: If, upon audit by the City, a lodging business is found to be deficient in either its return or its remittance or both, the City shall immediately assess the lodging business the amount of the net deficiency plus an audit deficiency overdue charge of ten percent (10%) of the amount of the net deficiency. If said lodging business’s remittance was deficient for a period of greater than thirty (30) days following the date on which remittance was first delinquent, said lodging business shall pay an additional audit deficiency overdue charge of ten percent (10%) of the net deficiency and the ten percent (10%) overdue charge first imposed. If said lodging business’s remittance was deficient for a period of greater than sixty (60) days following the date on which the remittance first became delinquent, said lodging business shall pay an additional audit deficiency overdue charge of ten percent (10%) of the amount of the assessment and the ten percent (10%) overdue charge first imposed together with the additional ten percent (10%) overdue charge imposed
4. Fraud: If the City determines that the nonpayment of any remittance due under this Plan is due to fraud, an overdue charge of twenty-five percent (25%) of the amount of the assessment shall be added thereto in addition to the overdue charges stated in subsections (1) and (2) of this section.
5. Interest: In addition to the overdue charges imposed, any lodging business who fails to remit any assessment imposed by this Plan shall pay interest at the rate of one and one-half percent (1.50%) per month or fraction thereof on the amount of the assessment, exclusive of overdue charges, from the date on which the remittance first became delinquent until paid.
6. Overdue Charges Merged with Assessment: Every overdue charge imposed and such interest as accrues under the provisions of this section shall become a part of the assessment herein required to be paid.
