MEDIA CONTACT:
Karna Hughes, Director of Communications
Visit Santa Barbara
(805) 966-9222, ext. 112 or [email protected]
Santa Barbara, Calif. (January 10, 2019) — The Santa Barbara South Coast has received multiple accolades in recent months from renowned media outlets in annual travel lists and feature stories recognizing the region as one of the top places to travel in 2019.
The most recent honor was The New York Times’ annual “52 Places to Go in 2019” list, announced Jan. 9 by the widely read news outlet. Santa Barbara ranked No. 3 on the list and was one of only two cities in California (Los Angeles was the other) and 11 destinations in the United States to make the newspaper’s prestigious list.
Other recent high-profile coverage has included:
• Travel + Leisure, which named Montecito one of “The 50 Best Places to Travel in 2019” (only city in California featured)
• AFAR Magazine, which named Santa Barbara in “Where to Go in 2019” (only city in California featured)
• Condé Nast Traveler Readers’ Choice Awards, in which readers of the travel publication ranked Santa Barbara one of the “Best Small Cities” in the U.S.
• Worth, which named Santa Barbara a “City to Watch” in the magazine’s annual destinations issue
“We are deeply grateful and honored that the Santa Barbara South Coast was chosen as a top travel destination among the esteemed cities recognized by The New York Times, Travel + Leisure and other distinguished outlets,” said Kathy Janega-Dykes, President/CEO of Visit Santa Barbara.
“These honors are a testament to Santa Barbara’s reputation as an iconic destination and its remarkable appeal to travelers around the world. New and revitalized attractions in our region, from resorts to restaurants, have made this an exciting time to visit Santa Barbara.”
“I am proud of our team, as well as our many partners throughout the South Coast hospitality industry and beyond who played a role in helping achieve the recent honors,” continued Janega-Dykes. “This is especially a credit to the more than 13,000 hard-working people employed by our industry who share their love for Santa Barbara, warmly welcome visitors and make it such a beloved and unforgettable place to stay.”
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INTERVIEWS
Kathy Janega-Dykes, president/CEO of Visit Santa Barbara, is available for interviews. Contact Karna Hughes at [email protected] to arrange interviews.
Kathy Janega-Dykes: Pronouncer: KA-thee juh-NAY-guh DYKS