Cities Cooperate To Market

<B> Cities Cooperate To Market</B>

Los Angeles, San Diego and San Francisco have joined forces to create the nation's largest program to market cultural attractions and events to the meetings and travel industry. The program, called California: Culture's Edge, is an attempt to add a cultural component to the state's traditional mix of entertainment, natural wonders and shopping destinations.

Although many of the participating entities--including art galleries, museums and historic buildings--long have been available for events and functions, they never have mounted much of a marketing effort to meeting planners.

"Planners can take as much as they need from our itineraries," said Rick Pricket, cultural tourism manager for the San Diego Convention and Visitors Bureau. "We're trying to help them use what are often overlooked resources: our cultural attractions."

Cultural itineraries can be accessed at www.CaliforniasEdge.com. Planners also can request the complete 120-page itinerary book from CVB sales contacts in Los Angeles, San Diego and San Francisco.