Sebastopol (USA) - Cittaslow Sebastopol unveils eco-tourism campaign

Visitors encouraged to 'Experience Sebastopol'.

Under the glow of tangerine-colored lights at the Guayaki Yerba Mate Bar, conviviality reigned Tuesday night. Cittaslow Sebastopolunveiled the city's eco-tourism campaign, celebrated Sebastopol's fifth anniversary within the international Slow Cities network and honored the organization's founding donors and members.

Cittaslow (pronounced chee TAH slow), meaning Slow City, started in Italy as an outgrowth of the Slow Food movement to help small towns around the world promote local economies and preserve their unique flavors. Sebastopol received its designation in 2010, after completing an application process initiated when Councilmember Sarah Glade Gurney brought Cittaslow to the attention of the Sebastopol City Council.

Cittaslow Sebastopol Co-chairs Clare Najarian and Tasha Beauchamp, together with members of the Cittaslow steering committee, orchestrated the two-hour Celebrate Sebastopol! event. Beauchamp introduced the campaign's new ExperienceSebastopolwebsite that can be viewed from a smartphone, tablet or desktop computer.

The website contains the headings "Discover," "Just for You" and "Plan Your Visit" and offers suggestions based on the type of experience viewers desire.

The campaign also includes free brochures for merchants to give to visitors who want to know what to do when they are in Sebastopol.

"We conducted a survey in April of 2014 where we crowd-sourced from the community, asking them what they were most proud of about Sebastopol and how they showed it off to their families and friends," said Beauchamp. "We found there were four things: The food is organic. The people are creative. Healing arts abound. Nature is nearby."

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