Industry Veteran O’Connell Is O.C.’s New Voice on Panel

William O’Connell has been chosen by Gov. Pete Wilson as Orange County’s voice on the California Travel and Tourism Commission.

O’Connell is one of 37 commissioners who for the next two years will oversee the state tourism division’s marketing and spending plans for drawing visitors. The $15-million budget, funded partly by self-imposed assessments in the tourism industry, doubles the state’s promotion budget, which ranked near the bottom among states. Now the tourism promotion budget ranks as 12th-largest in the nation, O’Connell said.

“I’d like to see us advertise the state more” in prime markets for California tourism, including the western U.S., the Pacific Rim, Canada and Mexico, he said.

Well-known in tourism circles, O’Connell co-owns Best Western Stovall’s Hotels of Anaheim. He also is founder and co-owner of the Pacific Coast Sightseeing Grayline of Anaheim and Los Angeles. He is vice chairman of the Anaheim Hotel and Motel Assn. and is immediate past chairman of the Anaheim/Orange County Visitor and Convention Bureau.

While California leads the nation in tourism business, other states have gained market share. “To compete, you need dollars,” said O’Connell, 54. “We want to make sure there’s an emphasis placed on the entire state, not concentrated on any certain areas. It’s critical to Orange County that we have a voice in this decision-making process.”

Daryl Strickland covers tourism and small and minority business issues for The Times. He can be reached at (714) 966-5670, and at daryl.strickland@latimes.com