BARSTOW,CA — MAY 22, 2025 — Inland Empire Tourism: The Regional Summit 2025 — the only official annual tourism conference and international marketplace dedicated to San Bernardino County and Riverside County — welcomed over 250 attendees, 30 sponsors, and more than 25 speakers to the historic Barstow Harvey House and the newly reopened California Route 66 Mother Road Museum. Hosted by Discover Inland Empire (Discover IE), the Summit spotlighted the region’s transformation into one of California’s most sought-after travel destinations.
This year’s Summit took the form of an energetic “open house,” uniting elected officials, community leaders, Route 66 champions, travel suppliers, global buyers, and media under one roof. Freddy Bi, President & CEO of Discover IE, set the tone with a compelling statement: “Travelers today either go where everyone goes, or where no one has gone before.
With more than 60 million people and 19 million vehicles passing through Barstow each year, the upcoming Route 66 Centennial presents a once-in-a-generation opportunity to position the Inland Empire and greater Southern California as a leading travel destination.
This milestone is also a powerful catalyst to boost tourism, uplift small businesses, and fuel sustainable economic growth across the region.”
City of Barstow Mayor Tim Silva and Derek Armstrong, Director of Economic Development for San Bernardino County welcomed participants to the “Hub of the West,” located in the nation’s largest county by land area. Lynn Carpenter, Visit California’s Senior Vice President of Marketing, delivered a rousing keynote highlighting statewide tourism trends and the Inland Empire’s growing role in California’s travel economy. Thanks to robust collaboration with Visit California, travel spending in the San Bernardino County and Riverside County surged to $16.7 billion in 2024, supporting more than 155,900 regional jobs. Kenji Hall, General Manager of Yaamava’ Resort and Casino at San Manuel, took the stage to share the recent reclamation of the ancestral name, Yuhaaviatam of the San Manuel Nation, along with ongoing investments in innovation, recruitment, and talent development.
A standout panel discussion, “Endless Ways to Experience Route 66 in San Bernardino County” brought together civic leaders from cities and communities spanning Needles to Upland, representing nearly 80% of California’s portion of Route 66. The conversation centered on the revitalization of this legendary highway, a movement being spearheaded by Freddy Bi as a member of the California Route 66 Task Force, which is working to preserve its historic charm while unlocking its potential as a driver of economic development, cultural tourism, and community pride.
In another highlight, “Endless Ways to Play in Riverside County” featured leaders from across the county’s five districts — representing sectors like retail, film, workforce development, regional parks, and economic development. The panel celebrated the power of cross-sector collaboration, showcasing how global travel buyers and media have been successfully drawn to attractions such as The Cheech, Ramona Bowl Amphitheatre, Idyllwild Regional Park, and Desert Hills Premium Outlets through strategic partnerships with Discover IE. These efforts are driving not only tourism, but broader regional prosperity through cultural exchange and innovation.
The day concluded with the highly anticipated panel, “SoCal Is Who We Are,” featuring leading executives from Discover Los Angeles, Visit Anaheim, Ontario International Airport, and San Bernardino International Airport. Panelists championed the power of unified branding to elevate Southern California on the global stage — especially in anticipation of key events and projects like the Route 66 Centennial, OCVIBE, DisneylandForward, and the LA28 Olympic & Paralympic Games. Their unified message: this is Southern California’s moment to shine, and the world is watching.
Attendees also took part in the vibrant International Marketplace, where more than 60 global travel professionals and media outlets connected with local destinations and tourism businesses — laying the groundwork for fresh partnerships, international promotion, and long-term growth for the Inland Empire and beyond.
