The Santa Barbara Conference & Visitors Bureau and Film Commission (SBCVB&FC) and Pace Communications recently released NEXT Santa Barbara, an iPhone, iPad and Android mobile app that connects visitors with all things Santa Barbara.

NEXT, the go-to app for visitors in Santa Barbara or pre-planning their trip, encompasses the entire vacation experience and includes detailed listings for restaurants, wineries, vineyards, events, arts and cultural offerings, accommodations, outdoor activities, retail shops, and more. It also includes timely, money-saving deals from local attractions and businesses, which are updated often. The app covers the entire Santa Barbara region, including downtown and the harbor, plus surroundings areas such as Santa Ynez, Santa Maria, Montecito, Carpinteria, Goleta, Lompoc and Summerland.

User-friendly capabilities include click-to-call dialing, Google map directions, “What’s Near Me” features, maps and photos. Users can search for businesses by geographic location, type of activity, or retail type.

Available for free download at the App Store and Android Market, NEXT Santa Barbara is also distributed via hotel confirmation emails for visitors who have booked their trip to Santa Barbara. For more information about next, visit NextSBapp.com.

“In this age of constantly evolving technology, it’s important to reach our visitors through every available channel to assist with their travel planning, both prior to their visit or while in the destination,” said Kiki Ander, Vice President of Marketing for the SBCVB&FC.

The app is a companion piece to the print magazine NEXT: Your Guide to Santa Barbara, the official Santa Barbara in-market guide, also published by the SBCVB&FC and Pace Communications and distributed in the Santa Barbara area. NEXT Santa Barbara is the second generation app produced by these partners and represents the SBCVB&FC’s commitment to providing valuable information to visitors via easy-to-access, new media platforms.