California’s tourism industry remains largely unscathed from wildfires that broke out over the past two weeks. Fires are nearing containment, and weather forecasts are favorable, Visit California reports. Most evacuation orders for residents have been lifted and major roads are open.
The affected regions of Sonoma County and west Los Angeles are returning to business as usual and reassuring visitors and meeting planners that the regions are open and ready to welcome visitors. According to FriendlyForce, a collaborative hub for incident and disaster communication, Kincade Fire in Sonoma is 84 percent contained, and the Getty Fire in west Los Angeles is 96 percent contained.
Fire Update 11/05/2019#KincadeFire - 77,758 Acres - 84% contained#MariaFire - 9,999 Acres - 95% contained#RanchFire - 2,000 Acres - 15% contained#GettyFire -745 Acres - 96% contained
— FriendlyForce_Live (@Friendly_Force) November 5, 2019
While fires of any size in populated areas are destructive, California’s visitor experience remains intact. Airports, roads, hotels, wineries and other attractions are open for business.
Visit California President and CEO Caroline Beteta issued the following statement:
“California’s travel industry extends its deepest appreciation for the state’s fire service and first responders, whose heroic efforts have saved countless lives and businesses across the state. The quick progress firefighters have made is immensely encouraging—both for the thousands of travelers with plans to visit and the communities that rely on visitors to fuel their economies. Both Sonoma County and Los Angeles are quintessential California experiences for residents and visitors alike, and now is the time to visit.”
This story originally appeared on www.luxurytraveladvisor.com.
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