COMPETITIVE LANDSCAPE

Mono County

• Average annual visitors: over 1.5 million  
• Visitor demographics: Worldwide; visitor website can be viewed in 53 languages including English.
• Differentiators/special attractions: Devils Postpile National Monument; Bodie State Historic Park, Ghost Town from the California Gold Rush; Mono Lake, one of the western hemisphere's oldest lakes.
•  Five hot springs: Travertine Hot Springs, Buckeye Hot Springs, Old Benton Hot Springs, Hilltop Hot Springs and Wild Willy's Hot Springs.
• Three of California's highest mountain passes: Sonora Pass, Tioga Pass, and Monitor Pass.
• Yosemite National Park east entrance at Tuolumne Meadows, where you can visit the Lembert Dome, Soda Springs and Parsons Lodge, the Pothole Dome, Cathedral Lakes, Tenaya Lake, and Olmsted Point.
• Mono County also has 10 towns including Bridgeport, Lee Vining, and Mammoth Lakes.
• Mono County has 24 rivers, creeks, and lakes for fishing, paddle boarding, swimming, and kayaking.
• What people like about it: Yelp reviewers love Bodie State Historic Park for its history, landscape and multiple buildings you can explore. Get opportunities for photos, and it is dog friendly.
• Yelp reviewers state that the Devil's Postpile is unique and stunning.
• Facebook fans commented that Convict Lake is a great place to watch the leaves turn in the fall and a great place to camp.
• Facebook reviewers mention that the Eastern Sierras are a beautiful place to see nature, great hiking and fishing, and it is very quiet.
• Digital marketing tactics: Mono County uses an e-newsletter and hashtags on social media posts. They also work with East River PR, a public relations firm.

Tuolumne County

• Average annual visitors: In 2018 Kennedy Meadows reported 54,678 visitors, Columbia State Historic Park reported 273,540 visitors, Railtown 1897 State Park reported 29,670 visitors and Pinecrest Reservoir reported 29,328 visitors.
• Stanislaus National Forest reported in 2017 they had just over 1 million visitors.
• Visitor demographics: Top origins of international web traffic: United Kingdom, Canada, Germany, and France. Top three international visitor counties in Visitor Centers: United Kingdom, Germany, and France.
• Differentiators/special attractions: Tuolumne County has 11 large waterfalls: Niagara Falls, Blue Canyon Falls, Preston Falls, Rancheria Falls, Wapama Falls, Lower Yosemite Fall, Upper Yosemite Fall, Vernal Fall, Tuolumne Falls & White Cascade. Some are easy to get to and others you will need to hike to see. There are also many small ones that appear when the snow melts in the spring.
• You can pan for gold at gold mine from the 49er days, and take a course in gold mining at several locations.
• At Railtown 1897 Historic State Park you can ride a steam train that has been featured in movies and TV shows.
• You can ride in a stagecoach at Columbia State Park.
• There are caves you can walk through and repel into at Black Chasm Cavern and Mercer Caverns.
• Tuolumne County also hosts two casinos: Chicken Ranch Casino in Jamestown and the Black Oak Casino Resort in Tuolumne.
• Tuolumne County has opportunities for outdoor recreation such as whitewater rafting, hiking, biking, horseback riding, golfing, boating and fishing,
• What people like about: Facebook reviews comment that Tuolumne County is beautiful, scenic, historic and they can't wait to return.
• Facebook fans comment over and over they "love it there" on several posts.
• Digital marketing tactics: Visit California Digital Banner Ads and e-newsletter Sponsorship, Sunset Magazine Digital ad, Facebook advertising, digital vacation planner, digital ads on San Francisco planner, digital ads on MyYosemitePark.com and digital ads on MyMotherLode.com.

Lee Vining

• Average annual visitors: Mono Lake in Lee Vining has 250,000 visitors a year.
• Visitor demographics: n/a
• Differentiators/special attractions: California's highest vehicle pass is Tioga Pass, at 9,945 ft elevation. It is also called Yosemite's Heavenly gate.
• You may see Big Horn Sheep while you camp or fish in the alpine settings in Saddlebag, Ellery and Tioga Lake.
• Lundy Lake offers boat rentals and great spring wild flower displays and beautiful colors in the fall.
• Saddlebag Lake offers a five-mile loop scenic ferry boat ride.
• Tioga Pass and Lee Vining Creek Canyon and Tioga Pass offer great hiking, spectacular fishing and wonderful photo opportunities.
• The Mono Craters in the Mono Basin Scenic Area are between 600 to 40,000 years old, and some look like volcanoes that could erupt at any time.
• What people like about: Trip Advisor reviewers enjoy Lundy Lake for beautiful wildflowers and birding.
• The Los Angeles Times reviewed Lee Vining as "more than a pit stop" with "grand views, volcanic craters and, later, hands-on birding, geology and arborglyph". The article also noted it was handicap friendly and had great places for meals.
• Trip Advisor reviewers love Ellery Lake Campground because it is small; each campsite is on a creek, stating it is the best campground.
• Digital marketing tactics: n/a

Research Strategy:

Merced, California

•  Arts and Culture are thriving in this proud community.
• From the galleries at its Multicultural Center to the live performances at Playhouse Merced, there is sure to be something for everyone.
• The MERCO Cycling Classic brings world class riders from around the globe to Merced each March.
• Experience aviation history as vintage planes descend on the Merced Airport each June during the Merced Antique Fly-In.
• Bring the kids to the Big Valley Arts & Culture Festival.
• Special “Project Stations” give families the opportunity to create works of art together.
• The town has the world’s largest cheese factory and the best military air museum in the country.
• Merced is home to the Hilmar Cheese Company—a large cheese factory with customers in over 50-countries around the world.
• The Merced Fruit Barn brings in visitors and locals alike to experience the agriculturally rich side of the town.
• Merced hosts multiple festivals throughout the year, all of which vary in theme and subject matter. Every month there is at least one event taking place.
• Some of the festivals include the Merced County Fair in June, Shakespearefest in August, January’s Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration and the town’s November Veterans Parade.

• Some of the things people like about Merced are the Merced Antique Mall, the Merced Multicultural Arts Center, Merced Theatre and Merced Fruit Barn. [3] [ref explanation]

Midpines-el Portal, California

• Midpines makes an ideal base for outdoor recreation.
• Much of the area is Sierra National Forest or BLM land, laced with hiking trails and forest service roads.
• Bear Creek’s upper reaches include several scenic swimming holes.
• The Merced River provides rafting (in the spring), swimming (from late spring until winter rains), fishing (pretty much all year round), wildlife, hiking, and camping.
• Nearing El Portal, picnic areas and camp grounds can be found along both sides of the river (paved road access to the north bank is provided via Foresta Road, as you first enter El Portal).

• People like to visit the El Portal Market for shopping purposes.
• People enjoy the scenery at Vernal Fall.

Oakdale, California

• One of the special attractions in Oakdale is Oakdale Cheese & Specialties.
• Visitors can meet the cheesemakers, view the cheesemaking process, and taste some of the handcrafted cheese, gourmet specialties and wine beneath the site’s willow trees.
• Self-guided complimentary tours of the cheesemaking facility are offered at Oakdale Cheese & Specialties.
•  The Cowboy Museum in Oakdale, California features the smells, sounds and sights of the area’s western heritage.
• The Woodward Reservoir is a regional park located just a few miles to the north on Highway 20 from Oakdale.
• The park grounds encompass more than 3,700 acres of land, with approximately 2,900 acres of actual reservoir.
• The Sierra Railroad Dinner Train is a one-of-a-kind attraction for anyone visiting Oakdale or the surrounding Modesto region.
•  Bloomingcamp Ranch Bake Shop offers apple pies, other fruit pies, turnovers, cookies, dumplings, bread, cakes and more at the bakery using the recipes originally created by Joy Bloomingcamp.
• The Oakdale Museum and History Center is housed inside of a residence constructed back in the year 1869.

• People like to visit the Cowboy Museum, Oakdale Cheese & Specialties and Woodward Reservoir.

Research Strategy:

What info is not available?

Why the info is not available

Methodology:

GROVELAND, CALIFORNIA

• The estimated number of visitors to Groveland and Lake County in 2017 was about 1.8 million.

• Information on the demographics of visitors to Groveland, California, is unavailable in the public domain.

• Some special attractions in Groveland, California, include the Rainbow Pool, Yosemite Cellars, and Groveland Yosemite Gateway Museum.

• Visitors like the Rainbow Pool in Groveland. The sited has an average rating of 4.5 stars from 81 people on TripAdvisor. More than half (64%) of travelers have rated it as excellent.
• Individuals also like to visit Groveland Yosemite Gateway Museum. On TripAdvisor, the museum has an average rating of 4.5 stars from 51 reviews. A sizable portion of travelers (70%) have rate the museum as excellent.

• The city of Groveland, uses social media platforms to run digital marketing campaigns with the San Francisco Travel Association.
• The city's Facebook page is used to promote events.

SONORA, CALIFORNIA

• The estimated number of visitors to Sonora and Tuolumne County in 2017 was about 3.4 million.

• Information on the visitor demographics of Sonora, California, is unavailable in the public domain.

• The Sierra Repertory Theatre, Indigeny Reserve, Black Oak Casino are some of the special attractions in Sonora, California.

• People like to visit the Sierra Repertory Theatre in Sonora. On TripAdvisor, the site has an average rating of 5 stars from 144 reviews. At least 91% travelers have rated it as excellent.
• Another attraction that people in Sonora that entices visitors is the Indigeny Reserve. Currently, it enjoys an average rating of 5 stars from 76 reviews on TripAdvisor. Around 87% travelers have rated it as excellent.

• The city of Sonora runs digital marketing campaigns on social media channels like Facebook and Instagram for promotion of the city.
• Its Facebook page is used to promote events held in the city.

FRESNO, CALIFORNIA

• Information on the average number of visitors for Fresno, California, is unavailable.

• There does not appear to be sufficient information in the public domain on the visitor demographics for Fresno, California.

• In Fresno, California, some special attractions within the area include the Forestiere Underground Gardens, Fresno Chaffee Zoo, Shinzen Japanese Garden.

• Visitors like to explore the Forestiere Underground Gardens in Fresno. On Trip Advisor, it has been awarded an average rating of 4.5 stars from around 728 reviews. Meanwhile, more than two-thirds (68%) of travelers have rated the destination as excellent.
• Something else that visitors like about Fresno is the Fresno Chaffee Zoo. This location has been given an average ration of 4.5 stars from 1,025 reviews on Trip Advisor. Up to 70% travelers have rated the Fresno Chaffee Zoo as excellent.

• Its Facebook page is utilized to promote events held in the city.
• Fresno County is using Facebook for its digital marketing efforts. Currently, a sponsored post is running on Facebook encouraging people to "Visit Fesno County."

Research Strategy: