California is one of the most popular areas for tourists, with beautiful scenery and cities to visit. One of the most common places for tourists to visit is the coastal cities, specifically the beaches.
In 2022 alone, Sonoma County welcomed 10.2 million visitors, which made the area a total of $979 million. That’s more than the number of people that visited Yosemite in 2020-2022 combined.
Many of these areas have land trusts or nonprofit organizations, which are entities that work on preserving or developing the land. While this is by no means a bad thing, they do have quite a large influence on what can and can’t be done on the coasts here. Following the rules set by these entities is a necessity in the areas they control.
Dillon Beach in particular has a large focus on rental houses and tourism. There is a business there called Dillon Beach Rentals. John Arguelles, the owner of Dillon Beach Rentals, said, “During COVID-19, a lot of international travel was banned so people would travel locally.” During this time, these beaches and towns were the main spot for people in Sonoma County to get a break and travel, and even after the pandemic, people continued to travel to these beaches.
There are downsides, like the aforementioned number of tourists. Beaches and the nearby areas around them can easily be overwhelmed by a storm of people on especially hot days. With rising water levels, the beach will only continue to get more crowded with people and the trash they leave behind.
Although these local areas thrive off of tourism, it’s not like they don’t have problems with both the tourists and the industry. John Arguelles said, “Tourism is my business so I appreciate the income, but at the same time I feel like social media and other aspects have made it harder to find quiet times along the coast.” Whether you are a tourist or a local on the coast, there are both negatives and positives for you.
