Visit Santa Barbara will host its 2025 Annual General Meeting, noon to 1 p.m. Thurs., May 29, at the Santa Barbara Historical Museum, 136 E. De La Guerra.

The annual gathering, held during California Tourism Month, celebrates the role of tourism to the Santa Barbara South Coast, an industry that some $2.24 billion annually, including $82.9 million in tax revenue and supports more than 15,000 local jobs.

There will be networking, and an arts and culture marketplace, 11 a.m.-noon; the event program and keynote discussion, noon-1 p.m., and an optional guided historic walking tour, 1-1:30 p.m.

“As the summer travel season approaches, Visit Santa Barbara’s Annual General Meeting shines a spotlight on the South Coast’s tourism industry,” said Kathy Janega-Dykes, president/CEO of Visit Santa Barbara.

“Tourism is essential to the Santa Barbara South Coast, driving economic prosperity, supporting thousands of jobs in a wide variety of businesses and enhancing the vibrancy of our region,” Janega-Dykes said.

Janega-Dykes will discuss the state of the South Coast tourism industry and travel trends, followed by a presentation by local historian Neal Graffy on Santa Barbara’s architectural heritage, which will commemorate 100 years since the 1925 earthquake that shaped the region’s Spanish Colonial Revival style.

After the June 29, 1925, earthquake, Santa Barbara rebuilt itself in the Spanish revival architectural style, establishing the visual character the city is known for today.

Many of the area’s most iconic landmarks, including Old Mission Santa Barbara and the Santa Barbara County Courthouse, were transformed into striking cultural sites following the temblor.

This year’s Annual General Meeting will focus on the intersection of hospitality and the architectural heritage of Santa Barbara.
 
“Santa Barbara’s architectural character is one of its most beloved and defining qualities,” Janega-Dykes said. “The city’s embrace of the Spanish Colonial Revival style after the 1925 earthquake established a design that’s timeless and distinct.

“From the red-tiled roofs to the white stucco walls, Santa Barbara’s architecture tells a story that continues to captivate visitors from around the world.”

Graffy will deliver this year’s keynote address. He has written numerous monographs and books on Santa Barbara history and is a guest lecturer and former board member at the Santa Barbara Historical Museum.

He has served as chairman of the Santa Barbara County Landmarks Commission and president of the Santa Barbara Corral of Westerners.

Andrew Firestone, a hospitality entrepreneur and principal of Santa Barbara-based StonePark Capital, will moderate a discussion with Graffy on the connection between architecture and hospitality. He serves on the board of Visit Santa Barbara, where he helps guide strategic tourism initiatives for the region.

Visit Santa Barbara’s incoming board members will be announced at the event, as well as recognition of outgoing board members.