442. Sacramento’s Farm to Fork and Festival Revolution, with Mike Testa

On this episode of Destination on the Left, Mike Testa, President & CEO of Visit Sacramento, describes how his destination has diversified their focus to include festivals and events, sports, leisure markets, and culinary. He explains how positioning themselves as America’s Farm to Fork Capital has paid dividends, including booking a 10-year contract to host the Terra Madre Americas convention. Mike also discusses why tourism is not for tourists and how that plays into action through Visit Sacramento’s work and community partnerships.

What You Will Learn in This Episode:

• Why Mike’s long tenure at a single DMO has given him unique insights and influence in the community
• How Sacramento’s diversification from meetings and conventions to include festivals, sports, leisure, and culinary events has dramatically grown annual room nights and economic impact
• What motivated Visit Sacramento to claim the title of America’s Farm to Fork Capital
• How Visit Sacramento secured high-profile events like the Tower Bridge Dinner and attracted the Michelin Guide to the city, to cement its reputation as a food destination
• Visit Sacramento’s focus on quality of life for residents, and drives deeper community partnerships
• Strategies Mike and his team have used to build relationships with local leaders and partners
• How successful event hosting, like the Aftershock Music Festival, has opened doors for additional festivals and conventions

Building a New Identity: Sacramento’s Creative Leap

When people think of top destinations in California, their minds often go straight to San Francisco, Los Angeles, San Diego, or Napa. Sacramento—the state’s capital—rarely makes the “must-visit” short list. But as Mike Testa, President and CEO of Visit Sacramento, explains, that’s exactly why his team has spent the last several years shaking up expectations and positioning Sacramento as a destination worthy of national and international attention.

Mike’s approach to make noise, drive results, and never be satisfied with the status quo. When the pandemic hit, instead of waiting it out, Visit Sacramento doubled down on innovation by diversifying its room night sources and investing heavily in outdoor events, festivals, sports, and especially its burgeoning culinary scene. The payoff has been nothing short of remarkable.

America’s Farm-to-Fork Capital

Sacramento sits in the heart of fertile farmland, growing everything from sushi rice to 80% of the nation’s caviar. But it wasn’t until a local chef pointed out the city’s unique agricultural advantage that Mike and his team realized: Sacramento had a rock-solid, authentic claim to the title America’s Farm-to-Fork Capital.

Visit Sacramento set out to build signature experiences, like the renowned 800-person Tower Bridge Dinner (a highlight that sells out in seconds), a Michelin Guide presence (Sacramento became only the fifth U.S. city to earn this distinction), and a thriving roster of food and wine festivals. Topping it all off, the city soon hosts the inaugural Terra Madre Americas, a massive international celebration of slow food previously held only in Italy, for which Sacramento was selected as the North American host in a 10-year deal.

Putting Community First

At the heart of Visit Sacramento’s strategy is a simple, resonant principle: “Tourism is not about the tourists. It’s about improving the quality of life for the people who live here,” Mike emphasizes.

This community-first approach runs deep. It means demonstrating the value of tourism to local officials and residents not just through economic statistics, but by contributing to civic life and showing up for critical community projects, events, and diverse groups.

Resources:

• Website: https://www.visitsacramento.com/
• LinkedIn Personal: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mike-testa-1082673/
• LinkedIn Business: https://www.linkedin.com/company/sacramento-convention-&-visitors-bureau/
• Attracting International Brands to Your Destination, with Mike Testa

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