NEWPORT BEACH, CA (March 16, 2026) — Visit Newport Beach is proud to announce it has been named a 2026 Visit California Poppy Award winner in the category of Best Trade or Media Activation for its London Week 2025 program. The award was presented March 11, 2026, at Visit California’s biennial Poppy Awards ceremony, which recognizes destinations and attractions across the Golden State for excellence in tourism marketing and destination stewardship.
London Week is an annual, five-day awards-season activation designed to position Newport Beach on the global stage by aligning the destination with film, celebrity culture and luxury travel in the United Kingdom. Anchored by the U.K. & Ireland Honours with Variety and the Newport Beach Film Festival, the program wove together high-profile events, pop-ups, media tours, trade showcases and BBC radio coverage to build awareness, deepen relationships and establish cultural credibility in one of California’s most important international markets.
The results speak for themselves. London Week generated 4.7 million ad impressions, 7.5 million social media impressions and 240+ PR placements, while driving 1,600 website landing page visits and delivering significant economic impact via vacations booked to Newport Beach. The program was recognized for its clear targets, bold creativity and compelling engagement that produced strong, measurable outcomes that extended well beyond the activation itself.
LINK TO IMAGES (courtesy of Visit Newport Beach)
“London Week is about showing the world what Newport Beach truly is: a sun-drenched, sophisticated destination where coastal luxury meets world-class culture,” said Gary Sherwin, President & CEO of Visit Newport Beach. “Placing our destination at the intersection of Hollywood glamour, luxury travel and U.K. culture during awards season is a bold bet, and the results proved the strategy. We’re incredibly proud to be recognized by Visit California for this annual endeavor.”
In addition to the Poppy Award win, Visit Newport Beach was also named a finalist in two additional categories: Best Public Relations Campaign and Best Paid Brand Campaign, $1 Million & Up.
“California’s tourism industry continues to set the standard for creativity and excellence,” said Caroline Beteta, President and CEO of Visit California. “This year’s Poppy Award winners have demonstrated exceptional innovation in their campaigns, showcasing the incredible diversity and vitality that makes California the nation’s top travel destination. We’re honored to recognize their outstanding contributions to our industry.”
A panel of industry marketing experts reviewed more than 170 submissions for the 2026 Visit California Poppy Awards and selected winners across eight categories. The awards ceremony was held during Visit California’s annual Outlook Forum industry conference, which took place March 10-12 and was attended by more than 800 tourism industry leaders at the Gaylord Pacific Resort & Convention Center in Chula Vista.
Visit California’s Poppy Awards are presented biennially and represent the highest honor in California destination marketing.
For more information about Visit Newport Beach, please visit VisitNewportBeach.com and follow Visit Newport Beach on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, and LinkedIn.
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ABOUT THE POPPY AWARDS
Crafted by California artisan Nicholson Blown Glass in Auburn, Poppy Awards are bestowed every two years to acknowledge the best of California’s tourism promotion. Programs started Jan. 1, 2024 or after were eligible for the 2026 Poppy Awards. Submissions were reviewed by Visit California staff, then blind judged by California travel industry experts.
ABOUT OUTLOOK FORUM
Outlook Forum is the premier travel industry conference for California, the No. 1 tourism destination in the United States. Outlook Forum brings together C-suite executives and industry decision-makers from California’s hotels, rental cars, attractions, restaurants, retailers and other travel businesses, as well as representatives from Visit California’s global network of offices.
ABOUT VISIT NEWPORT BEACH
Visit Newport Beach Inc. is the official Destination Marketing Organization for the City of Newport Beach, dedicated to promoting the destination and driving economic growth by attracting leisure and conference visitors. As a 501(c)6 non-profit organization, Visit Newport Beach partners with the tourism and hospitality industry to enhance visitor spending, ultimately contributing to the community’s quality of life. Through strategic sales, marketing, advertising, and public relations efforts, the organization positions Newport Beach as a premier travel and conference destination. For more information, please visit www.VisitNewportBeach.com.
ABOUT VISIT CALIFORNIA
Visit California is a nonprofit organization with a mission to develop and maintain marketing programs — in partnership with the state’s travel industry — that keep California top-of-mind as a premier travel destination. For more information about Visit California and for a free California Official State Visitor’s Guide, go to visitcalifornia.com. For story ideas, media information, downloadable images, video and more, go to media.visitcalifornia.com.
Media Contacts:
Caitlin Corbin, Visit Newport Beach
Kristen Bonilla, Visit California