[californiadisasters] Trinity Co. Seeks Post-Disaster Economic Strategies

Trinity County seeks strategies for drawing tourists; consultant says business districts a key

• By David Benda | Redding Record-Searchlight
• Posted November 10, 2012 at 9:09 p.m.

In the wake of the horrific wildfires in 2008 that decimated Trinity County, community leaders started looking at ways to help businesses devastated by the fires.

The culmination of that work will be unveiled Wednesday at a public forum in Weaverville.

Consultant Carl Ribaudo of Strategic Marketing Group will present strategies on how to bring tourism recreation dollars into Trinity County and surrounding areas.

"This is pretty important to that region, with the demise of the timber industry," said Loree Byzick, of Superior California Economic Development in Redding. "What the consultant is going to come to say is, 'Nobody knows you exist, so we need to build that awareness.' "

SCED and the Trinity County Chamber of Commerce are hosting Wednesday's meeting, which runs from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Ribaudo, who is based in South Lake Tahoe, traveled to Trinity County and met with several focus groups before compiling his final report.

Among his recommendations are creating a better tourism website and investing in tourism business improvement districts, Byzick said.

SCED received a $99,000 grant through the U.S. Economic Development Administration to help build Trinity's tourism economy.

Ribaudo has been paid $15,000 for his initial work. He will return to Trinity County next spring to check progress.

"We don't want this plan to go on the shelf and sit there; it has to be actively worked," Byzick said.

That will take commitment from groups like the chamber.

"We have asked the Trinity County Chamber of Commerce to put together a core marketing group and we will work to fund some of the tactics listed in the strategy," Byzick said.

Chamber President Wayne Agner said he saw a first draft of Ribaudo's report.

"A lot of the plan focuses on our outdoor opportunities, be it hiking, camping, fishing, rafting," said Agner, who also is editor of the Trinity Journal.

Agner said the economy is slowly improving in the area.

"The problem with the '08 fires and then going into '09, it also coincided with the drought and the lake was down," Agner said. "So having a full lake the last two years has certainly been a benefit."

Ribaudo did not return a phone message left Friday at his office.

Source: http://www.redding.com/news/2012/nov/10/trinity-county-seeks-strategies-for-drawing/

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