Travel is essential to our regional economy

Thank you for your interest in finding out more about why travel matters to San Diego and the economic health of the region.

Tourism is San Diego's second largest traded economy contributing $17.9 billion in economic impact and employing 194,000 San Diegans. San Diego tourism also generates over $289 million in hotel room tax revenue collected from guests staying in our local hotels. This revenue flows directly to the city's general fund to pay for road improvement, police, fire safety, lifeguards, parks, and other essential services. Total taxes generated reached $743 million, which ultimately returns San Diego households $463 in tax savings.

In essence, tourism not only drives the local economy, but supports the community’s way of life and makes San Diego a better place to live, work and play. It also instills a deep sense of pride in those individuals who work in the tourism industry or call San Diego home.

Travel generates $2.3 trillion for the U.S. economy and supports more than 15.3 million U.S. jobs directly related to the industry. One in every nine American jobs depends on travel and tourism. In 2016, domestic direct travel spending reached $990 billion.

For San Diego, the travel industry employs nearly 13% of all jobs in the region. The travel industry has a far larger economic footprint than many realize. More than transportation and lodging, travelers generate spending at restaurants, museums, parks and retailers. In fact, 70% of visitor spending is at businesses other than lodging. Travelers’ spending is amplified 1.65 times through a ripple effect as travel workers spend their paychecks in other sectors of the economy, and as vendors and suppliers receive contracts from travel businesses.