Tourism is ‘Powerhouse’ for San Diego Area, Producing $23.5B in Financial Impression

San Diego has welcomed an estimated 30.5 million guests who collectively stayed longer within the area and contributed a document $14.28 billion in direct spending domestically.

The sum represented a $1 billion enhance in 2023 as in comparison with the earlier fiscal yr.

The San Diego Tourism Authority introduced the numbers forward of its 69th annual assembly held at SeaWorld San Diego Thursday with practically 600 native tourism and hospitality leaders, neighborhood stakeholders and elected officers in attendance.

Tourism officers additionally revealed new knowledge about financial impacts and customer points of interest, in addition to new worldwide rankings of the area’s tourism business.

Native motels additionally achieved greater occupancy charges countywide at a median of 73.7%, a rise of 5% year-over-year. The lodge stays helped generate greater than $418 million in transient occupancy tax (TOT) income for native municipalities.

Julie Coker, president and CEO of the San Diego Tourism Authority, mentioned the information demonstrated that the native tourism business “is a powerhouse for our economic system,” whereas reaching “new heights that may have an enduring, constructive impression for years to come back.”

The whole financial impression generated by tourism reached $23.48 billion and the business supported greater than 214,000 direct and oblique jobs.

San Diego’s popularity as a premier vacation spot for vacationers, conventions and occasions additionally was boosted this yr by extra nationwide recognition.

In Condé Nast Traveler’s annual Reader’s Alternative Awards, San Diego was ranked because the second “Greatest Huge Metropolis within the U.S.” – surpassing cities comparable to Honolulu, New York, San Francisco, and Los Angeles.

The Wall Road Journal acknowledged San Diego’s Conference Middle because the fourth greatest within the nation and a best choice due to town and its environment.

On the occasion, Coker and Go to California President and CEO Caroline Beteta mentioned the alternatives and challenges forward for San Diego’s and California’s tourism business within the subsequent yr. Additionally they coated upcoming business initiatives.

These embody a give attention to evolution of the statewide model as “The Final Playground,” continued post-pandemic restoration, attraction of latest and returning worldwide guests and integrating sustainability targets into tourism plans.

“As we stay up for 2024, San Diego’s accomplishments from 2023 are instrumental in California’s general tourism success and assist pave the way in which for a fair brighter future,” Beteta mentioned.