Don Test, executive director of the Russian River Region Visitors Bureau, says his organization is taking a 27 percent budget cut and gambling that the countywide tourism campaign will succeed. Local tourism industry retools for the future. Chris Finlay, director of the Sonoma Valley Visitors Bureau, says that creating and advertising a county image could be detrimental to local offices.
Regional representation is important in promoting tourism in the county.
When people make their travel plans, they don't say 'Sonoma County' is their destination, they have specific destinations within the county. We think in terms of Sonoma County because we live here. Don Test, executive director of the Russian River Region Visitors Bureau, agrees. He says that for the radical plan to be successful, areas must preserve their regional characteristics and continue to promote them. We have that diversity in Sonoma County and we want to retain that.