San Francisco Peninsula

What San Francisco Peninsula does

The San Francisco Peninsula is the destination marketing organization (DMO) for San Mateo County, California, operating as the San Mateo County/Silicon Valley Convention and Visitors Bureau — a 501(c)(6) non-profit corporation chartered by the State of California in 1971 and headquartered in Burlingame. The organization's core function is to promote the San Francisco Peninsula (the geographic corridor between San Francisco and Silicon Valley) as a leisure, meetings, sports, and culinary tourism destination. It serves three primary customer segments: meeting planners and convention organizers seeking venues, leisure travelers and vacationers pursuing coastal/culinary experiences, and sports fans attending events at Levi's Stadium and other regional venues. The organization also performs official Film Commission duties for the region, assisting productions with permitting and location scouting.

The company's core product surface is its destination website (thesanfranciscopeninsula.com), which integrates hotel booking, event calendars, itinerary planning, the annual San Francisco Peninsula Magazine, the As Fresh As It Gets farm-to-table certification program, and a Mindtrip AI-powered trip planning tool. Distribution extends across content marketing, email/newsletters, social media (#thesfpeninsula), PR/earned media, signature culinary events (Flavors of the Peninsula, Heritage Fire, Whiskies of the World), and transit partnerships. The organization markets 138-140 hotels with roughly 15,620 guestrooms, 250+ attractions, 50+ working farms, 25 MICHELIN-recognized restaurants, and 60 miles of Pacific coastline.

Revenue is generated primarily through membership fees from hotel, attraction, and travel-related business partners, event sponsorships, and grants — not through direct product sales to consumers, who use the platform free of charge. Strategic go-to-market is event-driven (culinary, sports, and signature events) combined with direct-to-consumer digital promotion. Leadership comprises President & CEO John Hutar, Chief Marketing and Sales Officer Maggie Lang, and Communications Manager Jacqueline Joshua. Recent operating momentum centers on the 2025-2026 period with new partnerships (Bay Area Host Committee, Caltrain, a21, af&co.), the multi-year culinary initiative, and recognitions from Good Housekeeping 2026 and the 2025 Stella Awards.

Name

San Francisco Peninsula

Legal name

San Mateo County/Silicon Valley Convention and Visitors Bureau

Website

https://thesanfranciscopeninsula.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1971

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The San Francisco Peninsula is the destination marketing organization (DMO) for San Mateo County, California, promoting the region to leisure travelers, meeting planners, and sports fans via its website, signature culinary events, and transit partnerships. The 501(c)(6) non-profit markets 140 hotels, 250+ attractions, and 50+ farms across 60 miles of Pacific coastline.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Destination Marketing Services

NAICS

Convention and Visitors Bureaus (561591), Convention and Trade Show Organizers (561920)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

MICE & Event DMCs (Meetings/Incentives/Conferences) (THAKAEAB)

Keywords

• Destination marketing services
• Convention visitors bureau
• Tourism promotion
• Meeting planning assistance
• Culinary tourism events

Headquarters

HQ city

Burlingame

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Tourism Marketing Services: As a 501(c)(6) nonprofit Convention and Visitors Bureau, the organization generates revenue through membership fees from hotels, attractions, and travel-related businesses; sponsorships for events and programs; and potential grants. The organization does not sell products directly but promotes the region's hospitality ecosystem.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The San Francisco Peninsula is a 501(c)(6) nonprofit Convention and Visitors Bureau (DMO) that promotes San Mateo County as a tourism destination. Its core offering is destination marketing services — operating the thesanfranciscopeninsula.com website, hosting signature culinary events, publishing an annual visitor magazine, executing meeting and convention planning services for 140 hotels, and delivering Film Commission duties for the region.

Product overview

The San Francisco Peninsula operates as a destination marketing organization (DMO) for San Mateo County, offering a comprehensive digital platform centered around its main tourism website. The organization promotes the region through multiple channels including the annual San Francisco Peninsula Magazine publication, culinary event programs (Flavors of the Peninsula, Heritage Fire, Whiskies of the World, Peninsula Fresh, Peninsula Restaurant Week), and the As Fresh As It Gets farm-to-table certification program. Additional services include accessible travel guides, day trip itineraries, transit information, college guides, and official Film Commission duties. The organization also facilitates convention services, meeting planning assistance, and site selection for the region's 140+ hotels and 250+ attractions.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• San Francisco Peninsula Destination Marketing Website Official destination marketing website for The San Francisco Peninsula providing comprehensive travel planning resources, including hotel booking, events calendars, attraction guides, and AI-powered itinerary planning for visitors to San Mateo County.
• The San Francisco Peninsula Magazine Annual print and digital publication celebrating the Peninsula's stories, people, and places, available as the 2026 Edition and used for visitor planning and business showcasing.
• Flavors of the Peninsula 10-day restaurant celebration featuring prix-fixe menus throughout San Mateo County, from bayside dining to coastside culinary destinations, scheduled for late April through early May 2026.
• Heritage Fire Signature live-fire culinary event featuring top local chefs and pitmasters celebrating open-flame cooking with craft culinary techniques, presented as part of a21's national touring program.
• Whiskies of the World National tour stop combining world-class whiskey tastings with locally crafted culinary experiences from Peninsula chefs and distillers.
• Peninsula Fresh Half-day event connecting local farmers, fishers, chefs, and restaurateurs to strengthen the farm-to-table community, featuring panel discussions on sustainability and agricultural partnerships.
• Peninsula Restaurant Week Annual multi-day restaurant celebration featuring exclusive menus and special offers from Peninsula restaurants across all cities, celebrating the region's vibrant food community.
• As Fresh As It Gets Certification Program Farm-to-table certification program recognizing restaurants, hotels, farmers markets, and farm stands that use San Mateo County grown products, including the AFAIG Awards recognizing local sourcing excellence.
• Film Commission Services Official Film Commission duties for the region, assisting with production location scouting, permits, and local film industry connections.
• Convention and Meeting Planning Services Convention services, meeting planning assistance, and site selection support for professional meeting planners and event organizers seeking venues across San Mateo County's 140 hotels and 20,000+ square feet of meeting space.

Quantifiable outcome

• 42% land preserved as open space
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.

• CaltrainflagshipGTM or Marketing Partner · 6 February 2026First-ever formal partnership between Caltrain and a destination marketing organization, promoting sustainable regional travel through coordinated marketing, onboard digital signage, social media campaigns, newsletter features, sweepstakes, and on-site activations at Caltrain stations and major Peninsula events ahead of Super Bowl LX and FIFA World Cup 2026.
• a21coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 26 January 2026Full-service live experience agency producing Heritage Fire (July 2026) and Whiskies of the World (August 2026) culinary events as part of the Peninsula's multi-year culinary tourism initiative. a21 brings internationally recognized food and wine festivals including Food Network South Beach & NYC Wine & Food Festivals.
• af&co.coreGTM or Marketing Partner · 26 January 2026Award-winning lifestyle marketing and public relations agency providing marketing and PR support for Peninsula Restaurant Week and culinary programming. Agency brings hospitality consulting expertise behind Visit Oakland and Visit Tri-Valley restaurant weeks with 500+ successful hospitality launches.
• Bay Area Host Committee (BAHC)flagshipGTM or Marketing Partner · 16 July 2025Official Alliance Partner in BAHC's long-term sports entity dedicated to uniting the Bay Area through sport. The San Francisco Peninsula collaborates on Community and Fan Engagement Working Committee, helping shape community-focused programming, fan activations, and legacy initiatives for Super Bowl LX and FIFA World Cup 2026.
• Embarcadero MediaminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 8 May 2023Partnership to drive awareness of Peninsula Restaurant Week event and connect locals and visitors with newest and most beloved dining spots in the region.
• San Mateo County Chambers of CommercecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional chambers of commerce collaborating on culinary initiative delivery, local business promotion, and tourism economic development across San Mateo County cities.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Team San Jose (San Jose Convention & Visitors Bureau): The official CVB for San Jose, the southern anchor of the same Peninsula-Silicon Valley corridor the subject DMO serves. Competes for the same convention, sports tourism (Levi's Stadium), and corporate group business.
• Visit Napa Valley: Comparable mid-sized California DMO with a culinary and wine-led destination identity. Strong overlap with the subject's farm-to-table and Michelin positioning in an adjacent Northern California geography.
• Visit Oakland: East Bay DMO in the same metropolitan region. Same non-profit CVB structure and overlapping leisure and culinary tourism positioning; the DMO's data even references af&co.'s prior Visit Oakland restaurant week work.
• Visit Denver: Mid-large U.S. urban DMO of comparable scale (similar employee range and hotel inventory). Useful comp for CVB operating model, event programming cadence, and convention services strategy.
• SF Travel Association (Visit San Francisco): The official CVB for San Francisco, directly adjacent to San Mateo County and competing for the same leisure, meetings, and group business. Same 501(c)(6) non-profit DMO model and shared geography make it the closest peer.
• Destination Cleveland: Mid-sized U.S. urban CVB recognized for brand-led destination marketing. Comparable scale and non-profit DMO structure make it a relevant comp for destination positioning and signature event programming.
• Visit Tri-Valley: Inland East Bay DMO explicitly mentioned in the subject company's partner history (af&co. handled Visit Tri-Valley restaurant week). Comparable mid-sized regional DMO serving a similar suburban-meets-wine-country market.
• Visit Austin: Mid-sized U.S. CVB with strong culinary, music, and outdoor branding. Comparable in headcount and brand-building approach, useful as a benchmark for the subject's culinary-and-outdoor positioning.

Broad incumbents

• Visit California: The state-level tourism marketing organization covering all of California. A broader incumbent that sets the umbrella brand under which the subject DMO operates and co-funds regional marketing programs.

Others

• Simpleview: Dominant DMO CRM, website, and digital marketing platform vendor for the CVB industry. The subject's website (assets.simpleviewinc.com URLs visible in the source HTML) runs on Simpleview, making it an ecosystem enabler rather than a direct competitor.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/thesfpeninsula

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about San Francisco Peninsula