When Ron Munden lived in Sonoma, Calif., he learned the tricks of the trade to lure hotel guests to dine and bask in downtown activities.

"My wife worked in the winery industry. They educated people in hotels and the tasting room. Anyone that came in (the hotel), the person at the desk would engage them in conversation and ask if they had plans for dinner," he said. If not, the clerk would make reservations for the guest. They also provided sample books of menus.

The hospitality was a sure draw.

"It took a lot of people stopping in hotels in Sonoma to (come to) the downtown area because of forward action of hotels," said Munden, local Tourism Task Force project manager.