UKIAH, CA., 9/5/25 — At the Ukiah City Council meeting Wednesday evening, the executive director of the Greater Ukiah Business and Tourism Alliance gave its annual presentation on how the organization is working to put Ukiah on the map as a tourism destination.
The tourism alliance’s executive director Katrina Kessen, along with Ukiah deputy city manager Shannon Riley, who works as a liaison between the tourism alliance and the city, discussed the organization and its initiatives to attract more visitors to Ukiah.
The Greater Ukiah Business and Tourism Alliance is an umbrella organization that consists of the Ukiah Main Street Program, Visit Ukiah and the Greater Ukiah Chamber of Commerce. The mission of the Greater Ukiah Business and Tourism Alliance, as well as its offshoot organizations, is to promote the Ukiah community by featuring its food, attractions and local businesses.
During Wednesday night’s presentation, Kessen explained that marketing, advertising and other promotional techniques are at the core of what the tourism alliance — and its offshoot organization, Visit Ukiah — does for the community. She noted that the organization’s social media presence has increased its users steadily in the last couple of years.
“We utilize platforms such as Facebook and Instagram. We have both paid and organic posts that we do, and these have resulted in over 4 million views,” she explained. “Our engagement interactions have increased 118% since last fiscal year.”
Kessen explained how the tourism alliance has a partnership with Visit California, a statewide nonprofit tourism organization that helps cities like Ukiah with promotion and marketing techniques. Visit California also tracks the number of visitors to California, the revenue that the state generates, and estimates what these numbers will look like in the coming years.
According to statistics that Kessen received from Visit California, statewide revenue from tourists and visitors increased last year. In 2024, travel spending in the state reached $157.3 billion, a 3% increase from 2023. Travel-generated state and local tax revenue grew to $12.6 billion, a 3.1% annual increase.
She also said those numbers could increase in the next few years, specifically because of the 2026 FIFA World Cup and the 2028 Olympics taking place in the state.
“This will be an incredible opportunity to draw visitors north as they seek adventures beyond the sporting events,” she added.
Kessen noted that the California Welcome Center Ukiah on South School Street serves as a tourism center in the heart of downtown and offers information on local businesses, national parks, postcards and other resources. The center even has a mini wine shop where visitors can learn about the history and culture of Mendocino County wines.
“It actually creates a heart of the downtown, a place for people to gather and placemaking at its best,” Kessen said in an interview. “It kind of puts that flag in the ground of a place that people can come. It has created an opportunity for visitors to come here. It creates a center for storytelling and sharing of resources.”
The tourism alliance has also published a seasonal digital guide for visitors and has published a summer edition that highlights local food, wine and attractions throughout the region.
“We created it with Lake Mendocino as the center for the summer season,” Kessen added. “It highlights summer treats, events, and is like a teaser to whet your appetite for the city of Ukiah. It’s also a great way to highlight the outdoor recreation around the lake.”
Kessen, who has lived in Ukiah for more than 11 years and has served as director of the tourism alliance since 2020, said the work brings her joy and motivates her to continue the effort to keep Ukiah on the map as a California travel destination.
“Tears are popping up in my eyes because for me, I grew up with a passion for community,” Kessen explained. “Being able to be in this role and work so directly in our community and for our community fulfills a passion in my heart. What I love the most about it is being able to tell a story to so many different people. This platform gives us an opportunity to do that. This is my heart, this community.”