San Francisco launches new ad campaign to jump-start struggling hospitality industry

SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- San Francisco is hoping a new star-stacked ad campaign launched Thursday will jump-start their newly reopened hospitality industry.

The ad, created by the San Francisco Travel Association, features celebrities and Mayor London Breed encouraging people to come back and visit San Francisco, book hotels and check out the sites.

However, the Hotel Council of San Francisco said they don't predict getting back to 2019 levels of visits for another five years.

RELATED: Coronavirus employment recovery will not be equal across Bay Area

Mark Treppenhauer, general manager of the Fairmont Hotel in San Francisco, understands the need for patience is paramount.

"People need to feel comfortable, to travel and have confidence to travel," Treppenhauer says, "not only is it important for guests, also for our employees to feel comfortable coming back to work."

RELATED: San Francisco Hotel Council reveals new cleaning, safety guidelines

San Francisco also has a focus on attracting smaller meetings and conventions back to the Moscone Center with safety protocols in place, city officials say.