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Catalina Island Chamber of Commerce & Visitors Bureau Welcomes Visitors Back With New Look and Name
Tourism Authority rebrands to ‘Love Catalina Island’ sharing hopeful message for the future of travel
AVALON, CALIF. – Catalina Island Chamber of Commerce & Visitors Bureau is officially changing its name to Love Catalina Island and unveiling a new logo effective June 11, 2020. As Catalina Island’s official Tourism Authority, the rebrand better reflects the organization’s mission to promote and share love for the small island located off the coast of southern California.
Attracting more than one million visitors annually, tourism is the economic lifeline for the island and its 4,096 residents. On March 20, Catalina suspended visitation to the island for non-residents and non-essential personnel following precautions due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Working closely with the City of Avalon and County of Los Angeles, a phased recovery plan is underway with retail shops and restaurants now open for in-person shopping and dining. Following the State of California guidelines, local hotels will also be opening and accepting reservations for leisure travelers beginning as soon as June 12, 2020. Social distancing and face covering guidelines remain in place for all visitors.
Love Catalina Island President and CEO Jim Luttjohann shared a personal “Love Letter” as homage to the island, its residents and visitors, while also sharing a hopeful message for the future of travel.
“The rebrand to Love Catalina Island had actually been in the works for months prior to COVID-19, but the pandemic has made the case to share our love of this island even more important,” said Luttjohann. “Our new name not only reflects the immense love we have for our destination, but also how we want visitors to feel from the moment they step onto the island. Despite the challenges that lie ahead to fully recover from the impacts of this crisis, we are eager to welcome visitors back to our home, and are optimistic that travelers will once again be able to experience what makes this destination so unique.”
In addition to promoting Catalina as an unparalleled tourism destination, Love Catalina Island helps protect and steward the environment through its Care for Catalina initiative. With 88 percent of the island uninhabited and protected as a land trust, Love Catalina Island works closely with partners like the Catalina Island Conservancy and the City of Avalon to conserve natural landscapes, implement sustainable practices and encourage responsible travel.
A refreshed website for the Tourism Authority now includes the new Love Catalina Island name and brand logo. Drawing inspiration from its attachment to the water, the new logo represents a classic Burgee flag, while the blue and yellow color scheme act as a nod to the sea and sun.
For more information about Love Catalina Island, please visit www.lovecatalina.com. Follow along on Facebook @LoveCatalinaIsland, Instagram @LoveCatalinaIsland and Twitter @LoveCatalina_. Travelers are encouraged to share their memories and experiences via social media using the hashtag #LoveCatalina.
About Love Catalina Island:
Love Catalina Island serves as the official Tourism Authority for Catalina Island. Originally founded in 1949, the nonprofit is comprised of approximately 230 member organizations, working closely with city officials, local businesses and the community at large to attract visitors and support the local economy. Love Catalina Island is governed by an elected board of directors and is funded in part through the collection of Transient Occupancy Taxes. For more information, please visit www.lovecatalina.com. Travelers can also join the conversation on Facebook (www.facebook.com/lovecatalinaisland) Instagram (@LoveCatalinaIsland) and Twitter (@LoveCatalina_).
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