Terrence Concannon, identified by the board as the chief executive of Visit Santa Cruz County, told the Board of Supervisors on Nov. 18 that the tourism organization is financially stable and refocusing outreach on accessibility and in‑market engagement. "Find your awe," he said about the destination’s new tagline, and outlined plans for a new visitor center the organization hopes to soft‑open before 2026 that will include a quiet room and an experiential sensory space for neurodivergent visitors.

Concannon said Visit Santa Cruz operates largely on a lodging‑industry self‑assessment and runs on an annual budget of about $3.6 million. He said website sessions rose and that social content—especially posts featuring sea lions and king tides—drive almost one‑third of outbound traffic to local partners. He also said Visit Santa Cruz has increased reserves to roughly triple the minimum the TMD requires.

Board members asked how supervisors and cities can support the county’s World Cup and other major event plans; Concannon said Visit Santa Cruz has committed $60,000 to the Bay Area Host Committee, is coordinating activations with district chambers, and will share a logo and promotional assets on Dec. 5. He said six county hotels have enrolled in a crew‑booking platform for the event and that staff will meet individually with supervisors to integrate district priorities.

Public commenters offered both praise and questions. Supporters highlighted the proposed accessibility features and outreach to chambers of commerce; some speakers asked how the organization gathers economic estimates and expressed privacy concerns about data collection methods used in a consultant report. Visit Santa Cruz said it will provide monthly reports to stakeholders and elected officials to improve transparency.

The board did not take a vote on the presentation; members thanked Visit Santa Cruz for the update and asked staff to continue coordination on World Cup planning and visitor‑center open‑house timing.