Santa Barbara tourism officials wrestle with promoting the region after disaster
When California's biggest wildfire ignited in Ventura County and was followed by horrific mudslides in Montecito, tourism leaders in the region were forced to delay and retool efforts to promote the picturesque communities.
After all, how do you encourage tourists to shop, relax in the sun and sip wine after a tragic disaster that killed 21 people and destroyed hundreds of homes?
It's a difficult proposition in California, which boasts a $126 billion tourism industry but also has a history of calamities such as droughts, earthquakes, fires and mudslides.
That was particularly tricky during the dual disasters that hit Southern California in
