Supes Move to Increase Tourism Base

In an effort to increase the county’s tourism base, the Board of Supervisors agreed to allow lodging establishments in some unincorporated parts of the county to be a part of the Santa Barbara South Coast Tourism Business Improvement District, a five-year revenue source that would bump up marketing, sales, and promotional efforts to make the area more attractive as a tourism and event destination. The boundaries include the cities of Santa Barbara, Carpinteria, and Goleta, and the surrounding unincorporated parts of the county, up to Refugio Road. A small rate would be assessed to visitors at hotels based on average daily rates at the lodging businesses.