Visitor trends show Reno could be Placerville’s jackpot

Odin Rasco

Staff writer

Tourism from Reno may be a lucrative and as-yet untapped market for the city of Placerville, according to information presented to City Council April 11.

Visitor spending statistics shared during a presentation to the council regarding tourism marketing developed by the El Dorado County Chamber of Commerce showed some unanticipated trends. While people from the Central Valley (Sacramento, Modesto and Stockton) make up 41% of visitors to Placerville, their spending only amounted to 30% of visitor spending; visitors from

Reno, however, only accounted for 8% of total tourism numbers, but for 13% of tourism income.

Bay Area visitors hit an even 17% in total visitor and spending numbers.

“Reno, that’s the big hit, I think,” said Jody Franklin, executive director of tourism for the chamber. “For Placerville we would definitely focus more on that. We know they enjoy our wine country and they obviously are spending money in Placerville but we want to get more visitors.”

Data collected indicates tourists from the valley are likely day visitors; Franklin said the best goal for increased spending from them would be finding ways to convert them into overnight stays, “getting the same amount of visitors but more money for each one.”

The council contracted the chamber to produce advertising that would promote tourism to Placerville from October 2021 to the end of September 2022; a shorter contract was then set in December that will run until June.

The initial $50,000 contract produced hundreds of images, seven videos and new graphics as well as an updated map of downtown. The newer contract, priced at $15,000, is focused on utilizing previously created content with the goal of maintaining and building the number of people opting in for marketing emails and adding to a customer database.