But just four years ago the budget was half that. The bureau is funded by the city of Escondido where its office is based the county of San Diego and the cities of San Diego, San Marcos and Vista. Counting Mattson, there are six full-time staff members. And there s an 18-member board of directors with representatives from all over, including Rancho Bernardo, the city of San Diego, Carlsbad and, yes, La Jolla. The North County ConVis has a membership base of more than 200 hotels, attractions and organizations.
Vacationers outnumber business travelers in North County.
The top three reasons to visit the region are leisure vacations, business trips and to visit family and friends, according to a 1997 study done for the North County bureau. Though 34 percent of visitors arrive by airplane, most take relatively short trips to get to North County. The most popular months to visit are, in order, March, June, July and August. The most appealing features of North County are climate, variety of activities, beaches and outdoor recreation. Top recreational activities include shopping, swimming, hiking, golfing, biking and boating.