Visit Greater Palm Springs outlines 10-year regional stewardship plan, highlights tourism’s local economic role

Visit Greater Palm Springs representatives presented a regional tourism update to the Coachella City Council on Feb. 25, outlining a new 10-year destination stewardship plan and a package of city-specific master plans they say will guide marketing, events and infrastructure investment from 2026 to 2036.

“Tourism is the number 1 industry across the Coachella Valley,” Scott White of Visit Greater Palm Springs told the council, summarizing research the organization presented. White said the region conducted visitor and resident-sentiment studies and will provide dashboard tools and regular reports to member cities as part of the master-plan process.

Why it matters: Council members said they want to leverage regional marketing to support locally owned restaurants and small businesses, and to capture more midweek and summertime sports tourism. The plan’s city-specific master plans are intended to give each city tailored strategies while rolling up to a regional framework.

White and colleagues described priorities including shoulder-season demand growth, a sports strategy that could support a regional indoor sports complex, sustainability, cultural heritage and accessibility. “We went through the process. We’ve engaged Hunden partners,” White said of the consultants who will help develop the plan and nine city master plans.

Colleen Pace, Visit Greater Palm Springs’ marketing lead, presented 2025 campaign highlights and 2026 marketing goals. She said the organization is launching targeted campaigns for international and LGBTQ+ audiences, continuing partnerships (including TED sponsorships) and piloting grants to help local businesses become certified autism-friendly destinations. Pace said the organization tracks campaign performance and will supply follow-up data and access to dashboards for city staff and partners.

Council members pressed staff and the presenters on how the benefits from regional marketing are measured for small, family-run restaurants in Coachella. White said Visit Greater Palm Springs tracks referral clicks and listing interactions on its partner site and uses third-party firms to evaluate campaign lift; he offered a follow-up meeting to review metrics and a list of businesses included on the region’s site.

The presentation also noted work on air service relationships, targeted international outreach, and workforce development programs that included scholarships and hospitality training for local students. The council asked staff to make the presentation materials available online; city staff and IT confirmed the slides and materials will be posted for council review.

What’s next: Visit Greater Palm Springs said the regional master-plan process will take about a year to 14 months and that it will coordinate with Coachella staff on city-specific planning and follow-up.