California Travel & Tourism Commission and Southwest Airlines Launch First-ever Joint Online Promotion: 'California - The Game'

SACRAMENTO, Calif., May 8 /PRNewswire/ -- In celebration of National Tourism Week May 8-16, Caroline Beteta, president and CEO of the California Travel & Tourism Commission (CTTC), announced a new online joint marketing promotion with Southwest Airlines at a press conference in Santa Monica today, called California – The Game.

Since 2005, CTTC and Southwest have had a strategic alliance, partnering together to promote California travel via Southwest. For the first time, this joint promotion is digitally-focused, with all activity taking place online, at visitcalifornia.com/game.

The promotion gives consumers a chance to win weekly prizes through a virtual board game where the objective is to travel around the Golden State, visiting different destinations and attractions along the way. During the journey, players will come across EXCURSIONS and PITSTOPS. EXCURSIONS are challenges to be solved. The more challenges a player gets right, the more entries earned. PITSTOPS are just that, points in the game where the player experiences uniquely California moments.

"Southwest Airlines is an important strategic partner for CTTC," noted Beteta. "Southwest serves many California communities with excellent service from markets around the country, and their creativity and humorous approach to travel marketing is a perfect match for California – and sparks our own creative juices every time we work with them."

California – The Game will continue through June 27, with Grand Prize winners announced on or about July 19. Participants can earn an extra point by sending a link to a friend via Facebook Connect. There will be one weekly winner during the first seven weeks of the promotion, with two grand prize winners the final week. Southwest will give away a pair of roundtrip airline tickets each week during the first seven weeks. There are two grand prize packages – a Southern California Ultimate Family Getaway and a Northern California Wine, Dine & Culture Getaway.

"Our nearly 30-year relationship with the Golden State has always been about combining Southwest's Legendary Customer Service, Low Fares, and Fun with all that California offers," said Kevin Krone, Southwest's Vice President Marketing, Sales& Distribution.  "Now, California – The Game puts it all in one place online and can turn players' clicks into trips and, of course, the winners Bags Fly Free, too!"

The CTTC is a non-profit organization with a mission to develop and maintain marketing programs - in partnership with the state's travel industry - that keep California top-of-mind as a premier travel destination. According to the CTTC, travel and tourism expenditures total $87.7 billion annually in California, support jobs for 881,000 Californians and generate $5.3 billion in state and local tax revenues. For more information about the CTTC and for a free California Visitor's Guide as well as California Road Trips 2010, go to www.VisitCalifornia.com.

Southwest Airlines is the nation's largest carrier in terms of originating domestic passengers boarded, currently serving 68 cities in 35 states (launching service to Panama City Beach, FL on May 23, 2010).  Based in Dallas, Southwest currently operates more than 3,200 flights a day and has nearly 35,000 Employees systemwide.

SOURCE California Travel & Tourism Commission