North Bay Business Journal

SONOMA COUNTY — A new report on the economic health of Sonoma County predicts that rising levels of employment, innovation by local technology firms and hotel occupancy will lead to a stronger growth for the county this year, according to a spring 2011 local economic report by the Sonoma County Economic Development Board, Sonoma County Workforce Investment Board and research partner Moody’s Analytics.

Some highlights include:

• The county’s total employment is at its highest level since the end of 2009, partially because of boosting employment in technology and construction.
  • Accelerating job growth will push the county unemployment rate below 9 percent by the middle of 2012.
• Technology, particularly medical device firms, remains as a key industry driving growth in Sonoma County. Demand for new medical technologies and drugs will be a positive driver.
• The strengthening state and U.S. recoveries will boost demand for the county’s tourism related industries. Local hotel occupancies are higher than a year ago, and hotels no longer rely on discounted rates to fill rooms.
• Sonoma County’s recovery will strengthen in 2011, led by tech, tourism, and construction.

The full report can be found at www.sonoma-county.org/edb/pdf/2011/local_economic_report_2011_spring.pdf.