Sea Monterey tells council tourism yields partner referrals and PR value; marketing contract and 'Right Path' stewardship program highlighted

Carmel-by-the-Sea — Rob O'Keefe, a Carmel resident and Sea Monterey representative, briefed the council on regional tourism metrics and efforts to balance economic benefit with stewardship.

O'Keefe told the council Sea Monterey measures impact in multiple ways: partner-site conversions (roughly 33,000 referrals from the tourism website to local businesses), an estimated PR ad-equivalency value near $700,000 and an economic impact of roughly $110,000 from recently booked group stays at local hotels. He said the countywide forecast expects about 1,000 new hotel rooms by the end of the decade — roughly a 10% supply increase — and that marketing must attract additional visitation without eroding existing hotel occupancy.

O'Keefe described a renewed emphasis on responsible travel under a program called the "Right Path," which aims to shape visitor behavior before arrival through messaging and partnerships with transit and local businesses. He cited a recent commendation from the National Marine Sanctuary of Monterey Bay as evidence that stewardship messaging has drawn positive attention.

A council speaker noted that the Sea Monterey marketing agreement allocates 3% of the transient occupancy tax (TOT) to marketing — roughly $270,000 — and asked whether a small fraction of that could be redirected to downtown beautification (examples given: 1% = $90,000; 0.5% = $45,000). O'Keefe said the organization's bylaws prioritize marketing but that he would take the suggestion to his board for consideration and noted Sea Monterey staff participate in volunteer beautification efforts.

O'Keefe also described upcoming promotional work, including a culinary event in New York with the James Beard Foundation to raise the area's culinary profile.