Love Catalina Island

What Love Catalina Island does

Love Catalina Island (legal name Love Catalina Island Tourism Authority) is a 501(c)(6) nonprofit tourism authority headquartered at 1 Green Pleasure Pier in Avalon, California. Founded in 1949 as the Catalina Island Chamber of Commerce and Visitors Bureau, the organization functions as the official destination marketing organization for Santa Catalina Island, located 22 miles off the Southern California coast. It is membership-based with over 200 island businesses as dues-paying members and runs the destination's marketing, visitor information, and event portfolio under CEO Jim Luttjohann (appointed 2014) and VP of Marketing and Sales Cathy Miller.

Its core products and services are destination-promotion rather than software: the lovecatalina.com website, an 84-page printed and digital Visitor Guide produced with BobCo Design, an annual event calendar including the 4th of July celebration, Catalina JazzTrax Festival, Catalina Wine Mixer, Catalina Pride, New Year's Eve Gala, and the Catalina Island Marathon series (1,200+ participants), plus a Meetings & Groups B2B channel and a Film office for on-location production. Distribution is multi-channel, combining the physical Visitor Center and California Welcome Centers/AAA offices with ferry partnerships (Catalina Express year-round from four mainland ports, Catalina Flyer seasonally), helicopter operator Maverick Helicopters, the COAST on-island electric microtransit, and earned-media outreach via PR agency 62ABOVE.

Revenue is generated through membership dues, event management and promotion (notably sponsored initiatives such as the Marshall Family Foundation 4th of July title sponsorship), tourism-marketing service delivery, and advertising/visitor-guide sponsorship. Cooperatively funded by member dues, event sponsorship, partner co-marketing (e.g., Sanpellegrino CIAO! with Ralphs), and the organization's Candid Gold Seal of Transparency (awarded 2024), the revenue model is a hybrid of recurring membership subscriptions and project/event-based professional services — not software or transaction revenue.

Name

Love Catalina Island

Legal name

Love Catalina Island Tourism Authority

Website

https://lovecatalina.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1949

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Love Catalina Island is a 1949-founded nonprofit tourism authority serving Catalina Island, California. It promotes the destination via its website, 84-page Visitor Guide, annual events, marketing partnerships, and a 200+ member island business community, led by CEO Jim Luttjohann since 2014.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Tourism Promotion / Destination Marketing

NAICS

Convention and Visitors Bureaus (561591)

SIC

Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990)

akta.pro primary industry

Recreation & Activity Services (Hiking, Boating, Climbing, Fishing—Guided/Authorized) (THAAAGAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Island, Beach & Resort Travel Agencies (THAKAFAL), Reef, Island & Coastal Ecotours (mangroves, lagoons, sea caves) (THAAAIAE)

Keywords

• Destination marketing services
• Tourism promotion authority
• Visitor information services
• Event management tourism
• Travel guide publication

Headquarters

HQ city

Avalon

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Marketing or Sales, Personnel, Operations, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Programs: Non-profit membership organization with over 200 members from the local business community. Members pay dues and receive benefits including marketing opportunities, advertising, and member-to-member offers.
2. Event Management and Promotion: Organizes and promotes major events including 4th of July, concerts, festivals, and athletic events that drive tourism to the island.
3. Tourism Promotion and Marketing Services: Promotes Catalina Island as a travel destination, supporting local businesses through marketing campaigns, visitor guides, and digital platforms.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels8 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Love Catalina Island is the official tourism authority for Santa Catalina Island, operating as a 501(c)(6) nonprofit that promotes the destination to leisure travelers, day-trippers, and group organizers. Core offerings include a destination marketing website, an annual Visitor Guide, a physical Visitor Center, signature events and festivals, a membership program for local businesses, and B2B services for meetings, weddings, and film productions.

Product overview

Love Catalina Island Tourism Authority operates a destination marketing website that promotes Catalina Island tourism, providing visitor information, event listings, accommodations booking resources, activities, dining options, and travel planning tools. The organization functions as a nonprofit tourism authority for Catalina Island rather than a technology product company.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Official Catalina Island Visitor Guide

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 1,200 participants in annual Catalina Island Marathon
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

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

• Marshall Family FoundationflagshipGTM or Marketing Partner · 4 July 2026Title Sponsor of the 2026 Catalina 4th of July Celebration. Major financial supporter of fireworks show and USC marching band performance.
• Catalina Island Yacht ClubcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 4 July 2026Co-organizer of the Dinghy Parade during 4th of July celebrations. Located at 1 Casino Way, Avalon, CA.
• Garden State FireworksminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 4 July 2026Fireworks provider for the 4th of July celebration over Avalon Bay.
• Curtin MaritimeminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 4 July 2026Maritime partner supporting 4th of July celebrations and fireworks logistics.
• Catalina ExpresscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 4 July 2026Year-round passenger ferry service from four mainland ports (Long Beach, San Pedro, Dana Point, Newport Beach) to Avalon and Two Harbors. Primary transportation partner.
• Catalina Taxi & TourscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 27 March 2026Local transportation and tour operator now operating from Catalina's Adventure HQ at 1202 Avalon Canyon Road.
• Catalina Divers SupplycoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 27 March 2026Dive operator providing SCUBA experiences, now operating from Catalina's Adventure HQ at 1202 Avalon Canyon Road.
• AVX NetworksflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 5 January 2026Leading the undersea fiber connectivity project with $37.6 million CPUC funding. Repurposing decommissioned oil terminal and gas pipeline for cable landings.
• Catalina Art AssociationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 25 October 2025Presenting organization for the Catalina Island Mermaid Festival, working with Love Catalina Island to create the inaugural festival.
• Hi-TeccoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 18 June 2025Title sponsor of Run Catalina Island race series through 2028. Developed custom trail running shoes (Avalon, Catalina, Catalina II) inspired by the race courses.
• Mike and Cinde CassidyminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 June 2025New owners of Snug Harbor Inn, also owners of Antonio's Pizzeria, Chet’s Hardware, Northwind Refrigeration, and Catalina Business Services.
• SanpellegrinocoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 27 May 2025Partnership for CIAO! sparkling water campaign featuring Catalina Island as the featured destination. Includes sweepstakes promotion at Southern California Ralphs stores.
• 3 Partnership MarketingminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 27 May 2025Strategic partner creating the CIAO! sweepstakes program promoted in participating Southern California Ralphs stores.
• Catalina Museum for Art & HistorycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 23 April 2025Major cultural institution hosting exhibitions including Sonia Romero's 'From Los Angeles to Catalina' and The Blue Forest immersive installation. Located at 217 Metropole Avenue.
• Spectrum Sports ManagementcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 8 March 2025Produces the Catalina Island Marathon, 10K, 5K, and Kids Run events. Also produces Avalon 50K/50 Mile and Catalina Island Half Marathon as part of Run Catalina Island series.
• Susan G. KomenminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 14 September 2024Breast cancer awareness nonprofit partnership for More Than Pink Walk, Paddle and Mammogram events in September 2024.
• 62ABOVEcoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 18 July 2024Ad and PR agency under contract with Love Catalina Island, supporting marketing and communications efforts.
• BobCo DesigncoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 18 July 2024Produces the Visitor Guide and Maps distributed in the Catalina Island Visitor Center and hundreds of mainland locations.
• Circuit Transit (COAST)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 8 April 2024Partnership for COAST (City of Avalon Seaside Transit) - all-electric on-demand microtransit shuttle service launched April 2024.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Visit Newport Beach: California coastal DMO with similar mandate of promoting a high-end Southern California destination to leisure and group travelers. Overlapping source markets and seasonal patterns with Catalina.
• Visit Dana Point: Southern California coastal DMO responsible for destination marketing of a harbor city that serves as a primary ferry departure point for Catalina. Comparable scale and function, with overlapping visitor profile.
• Visit Huntington Beach: Southern California coastal DMO of comparable size focused on leisure tourism marketing in the same competitive set as Catalina. Useful comparable for budget, staffing, and event-driven GTM.
• Mackinac Island Tourism Bureau: Tourism bureau for a car-free, vehicle-restricted Great Lakes island destination with a strong heritage and seasonal visitation profile. Closest analog on island-specific access constraints and experiential positioning.
• Visit Laguna Beach: Small-scale Southern California coastal DMO promoting a beach destination with a strong arts and nature brand. Closest comparable in scope, geography, and target audience to Love Catalina Island.
• Jekyll Island Authority: State authority managing an island destination with conservation land, hospitality, and event programming. Comparable as a quasi-public island tourism authority with a similar mix of preservation and marketing mandates.
• Outer Banks Visitors Bureau: Destination marketing organization for a barrier-island destination with strong seasonality and nature-based positioning. Comparable on island destination dynamics, off-season event programming, and protected-area tourism.
• Catalina Island Conservancy: Manages and protects 88% of Catalina Island as a wilderness preserve. As the steward of the protected landmass that Love Catalina markets, the Conservancy is the most directly intertwined peer - jointly shaping the destination's natural asset base and visitor access.

Broad incumbents

• Visit California: State-level destination marketing organization for California. Operates at vastly larger scale but functions as the umbrella brand within which Love Catalina's regional efforts sit.
• Hawaii Tourism Authority: State-level DMO responsible for promoting multiple Hawaiian islands. Comparable mandate around island destination marketing, though with substantially larger budget, headcount, and international scope.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/lovecatalina_
• Facebookfacebook.com/LoveCatalinaIsland
• Instagraminstagram.com/lovecatalinaisland
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/lovecatalina

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 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 Love Catalina Island