Visit California

Kayaking in Monterey Bay, California

By Brad Nahill, SEE Turtles / SEEtheWILD

Who would you rather see while kayaking - a movie star or a cuddly marine mammal? I had the opportunity to do both just a short drive from San Francisco in August of 2010.

Monterey, California is in some ways a model for how wildlife-based tourism can revive a community and benefit both people and endangered animals. In the early 1900’s, the town was a hub for the fishing industry and was home to many canneries based on the abundant catches coming in from fishermen. Fish stocks crashed in the 1950’s from overfishing, decimating the community.

From the Pacific Ocean to canyon national parks, from the hills of San Francisco to the bustle of Los Angeles, from happy San Diego to glitzy Hollywood, when you think California, you think of vacations and adventures. In the world of tourism, California is one of the greatest and most renowned global destinations on Earth.

"We're extremely thrilled to welcome Visit California as a new destination alliance to ICTP [International Council of Tourism Partners]," said Juergen Thomas Steinmetz, Chairman of ICTP, "This is an important commitment for the Golden State and for the general growth of their tourism industry. California leads the world with many examples of their various programs for environmental protection and the importance the state gives to tourism."