Thanks to a strong technology sector, local innovators, green practices, smart public planning and an unparalleled quality of life, San Diego was selected by the National Geographic Channel to be featured in a "World's Smart Cities" documentary.

National Geographic Channel's (NGC) "World's Smart Cities: San Diego" documentary is an unprecedented exploration of the U.S.' 8th largest city where technology, talent and innovation create a new urban environment that will emerge as a leading city in the 21st century. San Diego was considered for the documentary based on a number of factors: size of population, demographics/cultural diversity, livability, economy and business climate, educational institutions, leadership, and community, among other factors.

"Both business and leisure travelers have known about San Diego's appealing weather and friendly beach lifestyle for years," said Joe Terzi, President and CEO of the San Diego Tourism Authority. "However, 'World's Smart Cities' will show viewers worldwide that San Diego has more than a sunny outlook. The city's talent, innovation and creativity highlighted in this documentary prove that San Diego's business environment and local culture are among the world's best."

Other cities already featured in a documentary by NGC include Bucharest, Adelaide and Durban. The film is currently scheduled to air in the U.S. and in more than 60 countries in late April and May 2015, distributed to more than 247 million households worldwide. 

Notable San Diego attractions and lifestyle features highlighted in the documentary include:

• San Diego International Airport in downtown connects San Diego to the world with nonstop flights to 59 destinations including London via British Airways and Tokyo via Japan Airlines.
• The colorful neighborhoods of Little Italy and Barrio Logan highlight the rich history, diversity and multi-cultural offerings within San Diego, one the most ethnically diverse cities in the U.S.
• Home to 16 museums and 12 gardens, Balboa Park, the nation's largest urban cultural park, celebrates its 100th anniversary in 2015.

Influential San Diegans interviewed in the documentary include:

• Rob Quigley, local architect, discusses the revitalization of the once-blighted downtown area into a dynamic urban center, set against the new San Diego Central Library, which he designed.
• Su-Mei Yu, local chef, discusses the city's culinary scene, defined by high-quality fresh produce found in 6,000 sustainable small farms and influenced by its rich multi-cultural makeup.
• Rob Machado, professional surfer, discusses San Diego's healthy, outdoor lifestyle and brings attention to the city's beautiful beaches and local surf clinic for kids with disabilities.

San Diego business innovators featured in the documentary include:

• Neva Parker, director of laboratory operations at White Labs, brings attention to San Diego's 100 craft breweries through the development of brewer's yeast.
• San Diego Gas & Electric, a Sempra Energy utility, discusses the Smart Grid which significantly increases the use of renewable energy and helps manage the city's power.
• The Unified Port of San Diego's working waterfront includes a portfolio of world-class commercial real estate, maritime and public uses, and green initiatives at their Tenth Avenue Marine Terminal.
• Stephen Mayfield, professor of biology at the University of California, San Diego, explains how collaboration between academic researchers and industry help make biofuels from algae a commercially viable transportation fuel in the future.
• Rick Klausner, chief medical officer at Illumina, discusses the transformation of human health with new products that enable exploration of DNA at an entirely new scale.
• Navrina Singh, program leader at the Qualcomm® Thinkabit Lab™, provides students from all cultural and socio-economic backgrounds in San Diego with access to hands-on experiences in engineering in a classroom that is equal parts engineering lab and art studio.
• George Guerra, unmanned aircraft expert, discusses how the Northrop Grumman-built NASA Global Hawk conducts missions around the world to study scientific and environmental phenomena in depth.
• Todd Schmitt, senior veterinarian, discusses SeaWorld's Zoological Stem Cell Bank Initiative which contributes to the scientific advancement of stem cell use in marine species and has the potential to replace drugs in the treatment of many chronic diseases, especially in older animals.

A complete list of documentary segments and their media representatives is available upon request.

Happiness is calling in San Diego. For more information on San Diego's offerings, including exciting vacation packages and valuable coupons for attractions, restaurants and more, visit the San Diego Tourism Authority's website at www.sandiego.org or call 619-236-1212.