MEXICO CITY, Mexico – The Costa Mesa Conference & Visitor Bureau (CMCVB) along with the Orange County Visitors Association (OCVA) have announced plans to increase their international presence. New tourism sales offices, headed by the OCVA, will open in Mexico City and Guadalajara this summer in recognition of the growing volume of visitors the Southern California area receives from Mexico each year.
“We are a proud member of OCVA and strongly support this initiative. The presence of OCVA in Mexico City and Guadalajara is pivotal in building a stronger relationship with major travel and tour operators and the media in Mexico,” said CMCVB marketing manager, Linda Ta. “This will allow each of the cities within Orange County to be their own advocate and showcase the uniqueness of their town that makes up why the OC is the best destination to visit year-round.”
Costa Mesa, the City of the Arts™ is centrally located between Los Angeles and San Diego within Orange County, is just 10 minutes from the Pacific Ocean coastline and offers visitors the very best of what Southern California has to offer. A convenient five-minute drive from John Wayne Airport Orange County, Costa Mesa is home to the internationally renowned South Coast Plaza, the largest shopping center in California with over 250 luxury boutiques, and the Segerstrom Center for the Arts, a state-of-the-art performance venue which hosts a variety of award-winning music, dance and theater productions throughout the year. Visitors will also find that Costa Mesa offers an array of remarkable dining venues and is just minutes away from many other popular attractions, including Disneyland® Resort, Knott’s Berry Farm and the Discovery Science Center.
“By far and away, Mexico is our largest international generator of travelers each year and having a strong presence here is of paramount importance to us,” said Ed Fuller, OCVA’s president and chief executive officer. “Last year, nearly 7 million Mexican travelers visited California and the annual volume is increasing. We want to ensure that these visitors not only put Orange County at the top of their “must see” list when they come to California, but that they know enough about us so that they will feel right at home as soon as they arrive.”
This new development is complemented by recent changes in airline transportation, which has made traveling to Costa Mesa easier than ever before. AirTran, a division of Southwest Airlines now provides daily nonstop flights between Mexico City, Guadalajara and Cabos San Lucas and John Wayne Airport, which serves the entire Orange County area.
Area officials who traveled to Mexico City for the announcement include CMCVB president, Paulette Lombardi-Fries; CMCVB marketing manager, Linda Ta; Anaheim OC Visitor & Convention Bureau president and CEO, Jay Burress; Anaheim OC Visitor & Convention Bureau director of tourism development, Phil Hannes; OCVA vice president of program management, Chip Stuckmeyer; and John Wayne Airport, Orange County director, Alan Murphy. Also in attendance was the representative of Mexico for Fashion Island and Irvine Spectrum Center, Barbara Jackson.
Additional notable supporters of the initiative include OCVA’s president and CEO, Ed Fuller and South Coast Plaza executive director of domestic and international markets, Werner Escher.
