Are you a savvy travel agent with notable social media influence? Are you obsessed with all things California and have a proven sales record to the Golden State? Did you experience major FOMO watching Karryon’s Stories coverage of the Visit California fams in February? Yes? Then read on to discover how to join the 2025 California Agent Advisory Council and famil! Psst: NZ, you’re invited to apply, too!
Visit California is seeking passionate, high-performing, go-getter travel agents from Australia and New Zealand to apply to be part of the California Agent Advisory Council (CAAC).
Much like a Hollywood screenwriter asks an expert to ensure their movie reflects real life, the CAAC is your chance to shape Visit California’s training and product development strategies for the year ahead.
You’ll participate in exclusive meetings and join Visit California for Brand USA and Visit USA expos. And – the most exciting bit – you’ll also head to California on an exciting immersive fam, sharing your experiences through your socials, webinars, and internal comms upon your return.
CAAC A-lister partners
Visit California has partnered again with United Airways, Infinity Holidays, and us to lead two famils to California’s most iconic southern and northern destination hotspots.
Get excited that United have returned as the CAAC airline partner! The socials from the 2024 agents gave us FOMO as we watched them settle into an effortless and comfortable trip across the ditch (like this one).
Infinity Holidays’ return is equally joyful as their network affords great access to the world’s best travel products. Especially to California, a beloved destination for all Australians.
We’re excited to be involved, too! Alongside sharing your fam highlights, we’ll also lead a content creation training session to ensure you can maximise your influence to your clients, social media audience, and peers.
How well do you know California?
Like a shopaholic scours Rodeo Drive for the hottest designer handbag, Visit California is seeking seven Australian and one New Zealand travel agent to join the CAAC.
You’ll have a passion (bordering on obsession) for California that has already translated into a strong track record in selling holidays across the Golden State.
You’ll know your San Jose from your San Diego, the best roadside stops on the PCH (and what the PCH is), and how to add a legendary California sports game to any itinerary.
You’ll also be established across social media with an audience that loves and engages with your inspiring content from posts to videos to stories.
What does the CAAC do?
While famils are obviously fab, successfully securing a CAAC place goes above and beyond simply enjoying the extensive array of activities, destinations, and delicious food and wine California offers.
As part of the council, you’ll play a pivotal role in amplifying California’s destination message across your extensive network. Your influence in the travel industry, passion for the state, and experience sending clients there will shape future California tourism experiences.
Kate Ivy from Wauchope Travel attended the Northern California 2024 CAAC fam and is still raving about her adventures. Not only because of the trip activities and tasty treats, but for everything she gained in being a council member.
Kate shared, “The council was fantastic! Being able to give my opinions on how to better sell California, I felt heard!
“Even better, collaborating with the other agents and learning from their advice was invaluable. We still chat and help each other out to this day, even though our stint on the CAAC has finished.
“If I could be on the council as a life member, I would! I gained so much for my future sales and am a greater asset to my clients.”
Wish you were here?
While you likely didn’t miss the epic famil coverage this year as the stories were in our top ten most read, here’s a recap of what went down:
Southern California
On a whirlwind adventure from Los Angeles to Santa Barbara and Monterey, fam participants had an absolute blast.
Highlights included a Griffith Park tour and celeb spotting in LA, plus wine tasting and pampering spa treatments in Santa Barbara. The two groups united in Monterey to check out its tourism hotspots.
Get inspired by the SoCal fam here.
Northern California
No less fun was had in NorCal, where the four CAAC members toured San Francisco, Santa Cruz, and Monterey.
San Francisco standouts included the yummy goodies on a Little Italy food tour and a thrilling Golden Gate Bridge bike tour, plus the fam participants loved standing awestruck under the ginormous redwoods near Santa Cruz.
Read about the Norcal adventure here.
Visit California 2025
Next March, four lucky council members will head to SoCal for Sunsets, Scenes, and City Lights: The Perfect Mix of Iconic Moments in Southern California.
Jetting into LAX with United, this dreamy fam heads to Southern California’s iconic destinations. Can you guess which?
Did you say Los Angeles, Santa Monica, West Hollywood, and Beverly Hills? Ding, ding, ding! Or maybe you said Palm Springs, San Diego, Huntington Beach, and Anaheim? You’d STILL be correct because all these unreal destinations are on the itinerary for next March!
What about the lucky NorCal council members? The fam title, Cheers, Views, and Vineyards: The Perfect Blend of Iconic Moments in Northern California and Central Coast says it all!
Across eight thrilling days, the Northern California group will explore the best of San Francisco, Napa Valley, Sonoma County, San Luis Obispo, and Santa Barbara.
Keen? Pencil 21 to 28 March 2025 in your diary.
How to apply
This is a ‘you snooze, you lose’ scenario as you only have until midnight 15 November 2024 to get your top-notch application in for the California Agent Advisory Council.
You’ll share all the deets about you and your agency, including your USA and California sales, plus social media influence and reach. This is where you drop the digits that prove you’re worthy of a coveted fam place!
Visit California will select council members in November, giving you plenty of time to get more excited than a ‘Disney Adult’ meeting Mickey Mouse for the first time!
A heads up: if you haven’t completed the California Star training modules, now’s the time. You’ll need Gold-ranking certification to qualify for the CAAC.
Remember applications close 15 November 2024, so keep this date in mind while you craft a great application. Good luck!
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