Updated at 4 p.m. March 7:

International dining authority Michelin will be writing “Michelin Guide California 2019,” a guidebook to California dining, according to a March 5 news release from Michelin.

Santa Barbara County restaurants will be included in the guide, along with restaurants in the greater Los Angeles area and Monterey, Orange, Sacramento and San Diego counties. This extends the guide from the previously covered Bay Area in San Francisco and the nearby Wine Country area, Michelin said.

The announcement came at a news conference in Sacramento on March 5, which Visit Santa Barbara CEO and President Kathy Janega-Dykes attended. A spokeswoman from the organization said Michelin’s star selections throughout the state will be announced in early June. No further details on the project’s scope in Santa Barbara were available.

“It is an incredible honor for Santa Barbara County to be included in the upcoming Michelin California Guide. Diners around the world rely on Michelin to steer them in their dining and travel decisions,” said Janega-Dykes. “This recognition will put our region on par with culinary destinations around the world and has the potential to attract new visitors.”

A recent study from global organization EY on the impact of the Michelin Guide in San Francisco confirmed that the red guide is a trusted source for international tourists, according to Michelin, giving boosts to a destination’s economy and food industry.

It also cited access to farms, food producers and vineyards as reasons to feature California’s cuisine on a global scale.

• Contact Annabelle Blair at ablair@pacbiztimes.com.