Travel Spending in CA Reaches Record High – Connect CRE

Travel spending in California reached an all-time high of $150.4 billion last year, surpassing the record $144.9 billion spent in 2019, according to Gov. Gavin Newsom and Visit California. The news comes after the state retained its title as the world’s fifth largest economy and had a population increase, both tied to California’s tourism and entertainment industries.

The new travel-spending record generated $12.7 billion in state and local tax revenue by visitors in 2023, a 3% increase over 2019, Newsom’s office said. Tourism created 64,900 new jobs in 2023, bringing total industry employment to 1,155,000.

“California tourism is back where it belongs – setting records and providing for the workers, business owners and all Californians who depend on the travel industry as a cornerstone of our state’s economy,” said Visit California CEO Caroline Beteta. “The industry has once again proved its ability to recover from any challenge, whether it be economic or environmental. California continues to be the largest, most diverse and most resilient tourism economy in the United States.”