SACRAMENTO, CA – California Tourism is launching user-generated content online through a program called California Fives.

“Whether we’re traveling down the road or across the country, we all want recommendations for where to stay, eat and play,” said President and Chief Executive Officer Caroline Beteta of the California Travel and Tourism Commission (CTTC) and the national chair of the U.S Travel Association.“The best recommendations come from those in the know – local residents and visitors who have experienced the best of California firsthand can help us plan the best possible getaway.”

What makes California Fives different from other online communities is that topics are grouped in fives and are California-specific. Themes can be as broad as California’s five best beaches or five best ski runs, or as narrow as the five preferred wines in Sonoma County or Temecula. Visitors to the site also have the opportunity to rank someone else’s California Fives (giving it the appropriate stars), or provide their own twist on a subject. California Fives are free and easy to post via the submission tool.

The overall goal of California Fives, an extension of the www.VisitCalifornia.com Web site’s popular Inside Scoop campaign, is to create an online community of ambassadors willing to connect and promote their opinions and insider information about California. California Fives also aims to increase incremental travel through the state – generating repeat visits by giving primary market consumers who are already familiar with California new reasons to immerse themselves deeper in the state, while inspiring new visitors in national markets to engage in the California brand and product.

Also making its debut on the CTTC’s Web site (www.VisitCalifornia.com) is an enhanced interactive program called My Trip. Located at the top of every Web page, My Trip gives travelers the opportunity to create and save a tailored list of all the places and things they might want to experience during their California visit, all in a “travel suitcase.” With just a few clicks, consumers can save their preferred accommodations, special events, inside scoops, must sees or ideas for multi-day trip itineraries. Users can also share their “suitcase” by e-mail with friends and family, while continuing to add to this personalized wish list from any computer. They can also download the My Trip list to their desktop and print it to take with them on their actual California trip.

Copyright 2009 California Travel and Tourism Commission. All rights reserved. From http://www.californiafives.com.
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