Visit Pasadena and Local Agency Have Launched a Tourism Recovery Initiative

In the aftermath of the Eaton Fire, Visit Pasadena, the City of Pasadena’s official destination marketing organization, has forged a strategic partnership with Pasadena-based creative agency Pastilla to help revitalize the city’s crucial tourism sector.

The collaboration carries particular poignancy as several Pastilla team members, including the agency’s co-founder, lost their own homes in the disaster.

The initiative comes at a critical time for Pasadena’s economy.

According to the Pasadena Chamber of Commerce, the hospitality industry employs more than 13,000 people — representing over 11% of the city’s workforce — who depend on tourism for their livelihoods.

“We are very impressed by Pastilla’s compassionate approach and their strong, personal connections to this community,” said Kristin McGrath, Executive Director of Visit Pasadena.

“It was especially heartbreaking to learn that several members of the Pastilla team lost their homes in the Eaton Fire, so this partnership is as personal to them as it is for us.”

Pastilla, renowned for its community-driven branding and communication strategies, brings specialized expertise in destination marketing and crisis communications to the effort. The agency has built its reputation on crafting campaigns that resonate deeply with intended audiences and creating authentic, human-centered narratives that honor resilience and inspire meaningful engagement.

To Rudy Manning, President and Co-Founder of Pastilla, the recovery campaign represents more than a professional project.

“For me, Pasadena has always been more than a city — it’s the place where I built my agency and chose to call home for the last 21 years,” Manning said. “The loss of my own home in the fire has only deepened my commitment to our mission at Pastilla, focusing on creative work that supports civic and community resilience.”

The recovery strategy will be developed in collaboration with creative partner Feee Films. Together, the organizations aim to thoughtfully reintegrate tourism while ensuring that the voices and needs of affected communities remain central to the campaign. Their shared vision embodies a commitment to Pasadena’s future and the spirit of solidarity that defines the region.

As a nonprofit marketing organization, Visit Pasadena is dedicated to promoting the city as a leading destination for meetings, conventions, and leisure travel. Through this partnership, the organization seeks to enhance the local economy for the well-being of the community while respecting the profound impact of the recent disaster.

The initiative, begun in late February, represents a carefully balanced approach: revitalizing a vital economic sector while keeping the needs of affected residents at its core.