Staff Report
The streets of Solvang will be more welcoming to Chinese tourists during Chinese New Year, which started Feb. 15 and runs through March 2.
For the season, also known as Spring Festival, the Solvang Convention and Visitors Bureau (SCVB) is providing “Happy Chinese New Year 2018” window posters as well as temporary sidewalk chalk stencils in Mandarin characters that mean “Wish You Good Fortune,” a common Chinese New Year greeting.
The bureau is also providing a free menu-translation service.
The promotion is in conjunction with the China Ready program put on by the Solvang Chamber of Commerce.
“Solvang is excited to welcome many Chinese visitors year-round, and we especially want them to enjoy our hospitality during their ‘Spring Festival’ vacation. Similar to our December holidays, Chinese New Year is celebrated by 20 percent of the world’s population,” said SCVB Executive Director Tracy Farhad.
“Our 2018 welcome promotions are part of our ongoing ‘China Ready’ initiatives including educating local business owners about Chinese culture and customs as well as working with Chinese tour operators, travel agents and media,” Farhad added.
The colorful posters declaring “Happy Chinese New Year” are available at the SCVB administration office at 436 Alisal Road, Suite G, and at the Solvang Chamber of Commerce office, 485 Alisal Road, Suite 245, in Fredrik’s Court. To have a poster delivered, call the SCVB at 805-688-6144 to arrange delivery.
Restaurants may submit up to five menu items on restaurant letterhead for complimentary translation to Chinese through the CVB. Chinese menus can be displayed in the window or in permanent display cases permitted by the city of Solvang all year long. Send menu descriptions to daniel.lahr@SolvangUSA.com or call him at 805-688-6144 for assistance.
In addition, during Chinese New Year, the SCVB and Dunn Middle School are continuing their hospitality program with Mandarin-speaking student volunteers at the Solvang Visitors Center at 1639 Copenhagen Drive.
Chinese students trained with Visitors Center Manager Dean Klitgaard in October as part of a pilot program to learn about Solvang’s heritage as well as current attractions and activities. They will be volunteering periodically during February 2018 as well.
For more information, call Sales and Special Programs Manager Daniel Lahr at 805-688-6144, email him at Daniel.Lahr@SolvangUSA.com, or visit www.solvangusa.com/group-tours/china-ready.
