Everyone in the wine industry knows about the terrible fires affecting Napa and Sonoma Counties. Our thoughts are with everyone affected by this disaster.
The Wine Marketing & Tourism Conference and the Wine Bloggers Conference, which takes place immediately after, will run as scheduled. We have been in touch with our host hotel, which assures us:
“The Hyatt Regency Sonoma Wine Country has not been affected by the fires, is open for business, and looks forward to welcoming the wine industry conferences to Sonoma County in November. It will be even more important for you to attend as the city of Santa Rosa and Sonoma County recover from the disastrous fires.”
We also wanted to get a local wine industry perspective and so communicated with Thea Dwelle, Advisory Board member of the Wine Bloggers Conference, who told us:
“As a Sonoma County resident, I want to encourage everyone to confirm their plans to join us in November for the Wine Tourism & Marketing Conference and Wine Bloggers Conference. We value your support and need your unique ability to spread the word that Sonoma and Napa wine industries are still active, vital, and thriving. Your presence will reinforce that we are open for business and will contribute to the recovery economically and emotionally. The host hotel is in an area that is not directly impacted, and many wineries are untouched and open for business.”
Because the entire conference takes place at the Hyatt, at this time we do not foresee any changes to the conference schedule.
We all know the US has experienced way too many disasters recently. Local areas bear an unfair burden when these disasters strike. We encourage everyone attending the Wine Marketing & Tourism Conference to come together next month to support the Sonoma County wine industry.
Way to go and hope all is well into the conference. Perhaps it would lead up to another conference or discussion into how to prevent some of the events that could lead to this climate change. The environmental impact of this serious fire. Lots to learn .