Monterey County encourages group travel from new markets in tandem with sustainable tourism initiatives.
MONTEREY, CALIF. – See Monterey, the tourism board promoting Monterey County as an inspiring coastal destination, announced the appointment of Michele Pearce as the new senior conference sales manager. With nearly 20 years of industry experience, Pearce will serve as a key member of the See Monterey team and support its multifaceted strategy to drive diverse group business to all corners of the destination.
“Coming from a local who has lived here many years, Monterey County is a vast mosaic of California’s best experiences across 12 jurisdictions, where each complements the other,” said Pearce. “Personally and professionally, I’ve always been passionate about introducing our inspiring destination to visitors, and am thrilled to delve into new markets to share our inspiring capabilities for groups.”
As senior conference sales manager, Pearce will help drive corporate meetings and events business to Monterey County, pushing high-value compression group business to hotels and hospitality partners throughout the destination. Monterey County’s plethora of diverse lodging and pursuits cater to travelers visiting for meetings and conferences, who tend to stay longer, do more and, according to a recent study, spend 158% more than leisure travelers. With rising competition for meetings both small and large, Pearce’s appointment cements See Monterey’s strategic focus on groups that benefit and drive visitors throughout the entire destination.
“Bringing on Michele is part of a strategic shift for See Monterey,” said Rob O’Keefe, president and CEO at See Monterey. “We’ve expanded our scope with sales offices in Chicago and Dallas and we’re focusing more on corporate and national association business; she is the key to not only securing the leads but converting them to booked business.”
While larger group business has historically been fixated around the City of Monterey anchored by the LEED Platinum-certified Monterey Conference Center and the Hyatt Regency Conference Center, group business benefits every corner of the county, even parts of the destination that are not immediately connected.
“We often see group travelers stay in the City of Monterey for a conference and then extend their stay and book a room in Carmel Valley, Marina or Pebble Beach,” said O’Keefe. “Michele’s position is not only to close business but to be another See Monterey concierge to promote all parts of the County.”
Group travelers often arrive early or stay later to enjoy various parts of the destination, from exploring the renowned Monterey Bay Aquarium with their family to hiking the numerous shorelines and beaches, spectacular parks and challenging trails across Monterey County. Across Monterey’s 12 jurisdictions – from Big Sur to Moss Landing to Salinas Valley – there are 99 miles of prime Pacific coastline, 45,000 acres of premium vineyards, over 65 tasting rooms, 82 wineries, 28 golf courses including the famed Pebble Beach Golf Links, hillside elevations of over 5,500 feet and more than 220 lodging properties ranging from ultra-luxury to affordable comfort. With a northern border approximately 100 miles south of San Francisco and direct flights from Denver, Dallas, Seattle, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Seattle and Phoenix, Monterey is an accessible and inspiring destination for groups of all backgrounds with diverse interests.
Vicky is the co-founder of TravelDailyNews Media Network where she is the Editor-in Chief. She is also responsible for the daily operation and the financial policy. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Tourism Business Administration from the Technical University of Athens and a Master in Business Administration (MBA) from the University of Wales.
She has many years of both academic and industrial experience within the travel industry. She has written/edited numerous articles in various tourism magazines.
