About Us

History of CRRPT

While there are national, regional and state coalitions, there had been little effort to date to forge a comprehensive coalition of all the major stakeholders in California who depend on recreation and tourism for their livelihood, use public lands and facilities for recreation, and manage public lands and facilities for recreational use and resource protection. While there have been and continue to be some differences between the various stakeholder groups, the viability of all these groups is interdependent and all can benefit from cooperative ventures.

California had 33 million residents in 1994 (now 40 million) and recreation is a major aspect of California’s lifestyle and identity both within its state borders and beyond. 54% of California’s land is in public ownership. California is a tourism magnet which attracts over 42 million out-of-state and 17 million international visitors annually. Recreation and tourism comprise the second largest industry in a state that constitutes the fifth-largest economy worldwide. Trend watchers look to California as an experimental melting pot and leading source for emerging recreation activities and spending patterns. California hosts a massive recreation and tourism activity – a large share of which is supported by and dependent on its publicly-managed lands and facilities. This suggested the potential for a beneficial symbiotic dialog to enhance this relationship and to help all parties involved to agree on and achieve mutual goals.

The California Roundtable on Recreation, Parks and Tourism was conceived as a forum to focus the collective perspectives, resources, and energies of the outdoor recreation and equipment manufacturers and retailers, the tourism and hospitality industry, major user groups, conservation groups, public land managers and educational institutions. The first Roundtable meeting was convened at the invitation of the California Department of Parks and Recreation on June 10, 1996. The first three meetings were largely organizational and focused on adopting a mission statement, three year goals, chartering committees (Executive, Marketing, Funding, Publicity, Facilities, Research and Education, funding and Legislation), and recruiting members. A Memorandum of Agreement was signed by the Roundtable members. Subsequent meetings focused on Roundtable projects and initiatives.