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Eureka has officially joined the big leagues! At a ribbon-cutting ceremony this afternoon, city officials and community leaders celebrated the grand opening of California Welcome Center Eureka – the city’s state-designated visitor center.

“I think it’s huge for our area,” Eureka City Manager Miles Slattery told the Outpost. “This is going to be a real game-changer for the City of Eureka and will help us promote the beauty of the entire region. It’s an honor to have this designation, and it’s going to be great for the city.”

As a newly minted Visit California Welcome Center, the Eureka Visitor Center will help service travelers and by providing destination, attraction, performing arts and accommodations brochures, as well as regional merchandise and tickets to local attractions and events.

Although California Welcome Centers are independently operated – usually by visitor bureaus, chambers of commerce, city governments, private entities or some combination thereof – each center is subject to strict standards developed by the California Office of Tourism. Under these rules, the “California Welcome Center” designation must be prominently displayed on the outside of the building and the visitor center must be open seven days a week with established hours of operation.

It took the city three years to get through the state’s lengthy designation process. First, the city had to relocate the visitor center from its former location on Broadway, next to Harbor Lanes, to a space that met Visit California’s requirements. After the big move to 108 F Street, the city had to wait for a request for proposals (RFP) for new state-designated Welcome Centers. In November 2023 the city submitted a proposal and hosted Visit California’s RFP selection team for a site visit. And, as it turns out, Eureka’s proposal was the only one chosen to receive the state designation!

“This is something we’ve hoped for for a long time,” Swan Asbury, the city’s economic development manager, told the Outpost. “This helps promote Eureka across the state, and it also plugs us into the Visit California marketing efforts. It just helps get Eureka out there further and helps us up our game.”

Keep scrolling for more information from the City of Eureka and pictures from today’s ribbon-cutting ceremony!

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Press release from the City of Eureka:

The City of Eureka, in partnership with Eddy Alexander, is thrilled to announce that the Eureka Visitor Center has officially been designated as a Visit California Welcome Center.

We have worked for the past three years to achieve this designation as a key tourism goal and are excited to see it come to fruition. The journey began with relocating the Visitor Center to a space that met Visit California’s requirements. We then waited and prepared for Visit California to announce a request for proposals (RFP) for new Welcome Centers. In November 2023, Eureka submitted a proposal and welcomed a site visit from Visit California’s RFP selection team. We are proud to share that Eureka’s proposal was the only one chosen to receive this designation!

This milestone elevates Eureka’s profile as a tourist destination, demonstrating our dedication to our local hospitality industry and showcasing our city’s unique charm and attractions to residents and visitors alike.

We are also proud to join Visit California, which will help promote Eureka across the state and provide opportunities for Eureka to be included in Visit California’s extensive marketing efforts. The 22 California Welcome Centers throughout the state share the mission of ensuring every visitor has the best experience possible. They prioritize the local perspective and are staffed with personal travel concierge experts prepared to offer information to enhance and enrich your visit, regardless of your interests in the arts, local culture, or ecological attractions.

If you haven’t visited us yet, we invite you to do so. We are located in the heart of Old Town, next to the Gazebo, at 108 F Street. Our doors are open seven days a week from 10 am to 5 pm, and we often stay open later to support events happening in the area. 

This location is also home to part of our City of Eureka Economic Development Team and Eureka Main Street. We welcome our community to visit, explore our services, and to direct visitors to our location.

We can’t wait to welcome you soon!

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