Spotlight on Marlyss Auster, Ventura (Ca.) VCB

Marlyss Auster says “no one” thought the relatively small town of Ventura, California (population 110,000) could host a major event like the X Games. The skepticism only motivated Auster, who managed the Arizona State Fair prior to becoming the Ventura Visitors and Convention Bureau president and CEO a lucky 13 years ago.

Anyone who knows Auster is not surprised to learn that not only did Ventura stick the landing on the extreme sport event, it capitalized on the extra attention and visitors in its own way.

That different sort of perspective served Ventura well during the X Games.

For instance, the destination eschewed traditional food truck offerings to promote its restaurants and establishments that are 90% independently operated. It also incorporated a Chumash land blessing into the games, a first for the event.

Ventura also executed the first-ever Pacific Surfliner train wrap, traveling 351 miles along the coast to spread the word.

“We didn’t want it to feel like a fenced-off, one-and-done event. We asked, ‘How do we celebrate this with the whole community all week long?’’ explains Auster.

Of note, Ventura’s marketing efforts include an ambigram logo, meaning you can see the city’s name anyway you look at it. We got Auster’s perspective on the destination’s growth and how other CVBs can market themselves uniquely.

What was the initial reaction to going for the X Games and what was the talk after the event?

Nobody thought a small town like us could pull something like that off — and then we saw Ventura on ESPN and ABC 24/7. The hometown pride just skyrocketed.

At first, there was real concern. Residents were worried about traffic, disruption, whether it would change the character of the community. But once the event unfolded — and once people saw how thoughtfully it was executed — everything shifted.

We even had former naysayers sending us flowers the following week. They didn’t sign their names. They just said, “We became fans.”

What lasting impact did the X Games create for Ventura?

The biggest impact was internal: The belief that we can do something extraordinary and still stay true to who we are.

Externally, we saw a surge in interest from other event organizers. That momentum led to landing the Jackalope Block Party — a 60-by-60 vert ramp going right into downtown with ocean views. It’s free to the community and intentionally designed to support our independently owned businesses.

But we’re selective. Bigger isn’t always better. It has to be a good fit for who we are.

Ventura’s branding is often described as unique. How does that play into your strategy?

Our logo is an ambigram. It reads “Ventura” right-side up and upside down. The idea is that you might see Ventura one way — beaches, arts, music — and I might see it another way — dog-friendly breweries, outdoor adventure. Neither perspective is better. We share it together.

That philosophy guides everything we do. We don’t aspire to be somebody else. We’re a little rough around the edges. We’ve got a little dirt under our fingernails and we like that.

Many destinations talk about authenticity. How do you protect it?

If we have to stand on a mountaintop and say we’re authentic — then we’re not.

We’re intentional about who we work with, including influencers. Just because someone is paid to say something doesn’t mean it resonates. It has to feel real to our community first.

And we’re careful about growth. More isn’t always better. That’s why we don’t heavily target very short-drive markets. We’d rather attract visitors who stay overnight, support our hotels and restaurants, and care for the community like we do.

What advice would you give other DMOs navigating growth and community balance?

Challenge yourself. If you always do what you’ve always done, you’ll always get the same results.

Our industry is great at sharing best practices, and we should absolutely learn from one another. But there’s also room to zag when everyone else is zigging.

There’s space at the table for every destination to tell its own story. For us, our most valuable asset isn’t just our beaches or our weather — it’s our community. When you walk down the street here, people still make eye contact and smile at strangers. In today’s world, that matters more than ever.

Photo Credit: Visit Ventura