What Is Visit Huntington Beach?

Visit Huntington Beach (VHB) is the official Destination Marketing Organization (DMO) for Huntington Beach, California.

A non-profit 501(c)(6) organization, Visit Huntington Beach promotes tourism to Huntington Beach to increase overnight stays in Huntington Beach Hotels. VHB received its accreditation from Destination Marketing Association International (DMAI) in 2012, and is among less than two hundred DMOs in 15 countries to earn this prestigious status in the global tourism industry. DMAP accreditation requires DMOs to demonstrate compliance across 16 disciplines, composed of 53 rigorous, mandatory standards, and is globally recognized by the destination marketing industry as the highest achievement in destination excellence.

Visit Huntington Beach Mission

The mission of Visit Huntington Beach is to market and sell Huntington Beach's Surf City USA brand experience as the preferred quintessential California beach destination leading to increased visitor spending and enhanced quality of life for residents.

For more information about Visit Huntington Beach and its initiatives, view the 2017-18 Destination Marketing Plan.

Who Is Visit Huntington Beach?

Visit Huntington Beach consists of a team of dedicated staff members and board members working toward a more successful Huntington Beach. A non-membership organization, its partners consist of the City of Huntington Beach, all Huntington Beach hotels and visitor-serving businesses, and visitor-serving organizations in Huntington Beach. For questions regarding partnership, please view our Partner Benefits section or contact a staff member.

Why Does Visit Huntington Beach Exist?

Visit Huntington Beach was formed in 1989, just prior to the opening of the city's first resort hotel, The Waterfront Beach Resort, a Hilton Hotel. Knowing the hotels would need help marketing to the appropriate audience, VHB's founders partnered with the Huntington Beach Chamber of Commerce and City of Huntington Beach to begin a destination marketing program. VHB is the only local organization charged with the responsibility of promoting tourism and encouraging its continued growth in the city.

Of Huntington Beach's 3.9 million visitors from outside of Orange County every year, a number that keeps growing, over 500,000 are overnight hotel visitors. These visitors enjoy a variety of accommodations from beachside resorts to quaint inns along Pacific Coast Highway and Beach Boulevard.

In 2015, overnight visitors contributed over $15.7 million dollars to the city through the transient occupancy, sales and other local taxes. This revenue (which excludes VHB funding) is used to fund city departments such as police, fire, public works, community services, and others. The robust tourism industry also provides 1 in 17 jobs in Huntington Beach.

Visit Huntington Beach has a strong commitment to transparency and accountability in our program of work. We invite you to learn more.