In a bid to market California to Indian travellers, Caroline Beteta, President and CEO of Visit California, told BusinessLine that California had the most diverse population in the United States and that the state is readyto roll out the red carpet to tourists. A non-profit organisation, Visit California aims to pitch California as a premier travel destination. Excerpts:

What is Visit California’s aim, and how important is India as a country for the state?

Visit California is essentially the official state tourism board for California. We are the number-one travel destination in the US and visitors spend $126 billion in California every year. So it’s a huge economic engine. We see India as the number-one opportunity market over the next five years. Right nowwe are focusing on increasing consumer demand from India.

What strategies are you adopting for the outbound tourism market?

We are trying to capitalise on social and digital platforms and are using brand ambassadors to carry messages and experiences that resonate and increase the comfort level of Indians. The purpose of this visit is to capitalise and heighten the appeal and attractiveness of California as a destination with this highly curated group of destination leaders.

With reports of immigration becoming tougher, how will it impact Visit California?

California has a different culture and way of connecting with international inbound travellers. As a part of stepping this up, we have initiated a global campaign called All Dreams Welcome. We have one of the most-diverse populations in the entire US and want to roll out the red carpet for people who visit California.

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