The San Diego Tourism Authority estimates 30.5 million visitors made their way to San Diego during the 2023 fiscal year and generated $23.48 billion dollars in total economic impact.
Why it matters
Julie Coker, the president and CEO of the San Diego Tourism Authority, said the industry has recovered from both a leisure and business standpoint since the pandemic.
“Going back to 2020, we lost 20 years of gain and so the fact we’re here now with a record breaking year and to be able to do visitor spend with less visitors this year than we had in fiscal year 2022 is really a testament to the strength of the destination,” Coker said.
By the numbers
Coker said visitor spending is what tourists leave in their destination. In other words, all the money they spend here. She said the 2023 fiscal year exceeded the 2022 fiscal year by over $1 billion.
“We had record breaking visitor spend, $14.2 billion. We also had record breaking T.O.T. (transient occupancy tax) collections, which is essentially hotel tax at $418 million in the county,” Coker said.
Coker said tourism also helps provide local jobs.
“We have over 214,000 that are employed in our industry," Coker said. "So certainly making sure they have a full schedule that folks are working 40 hours a week is something that we’re focused on.”
Closer look
The Wall Street Journal ranks the San Diego’s convention center as the fourth best in the country.
“That economic engine is in the heartbeat of San Diego," Coker said. "So, right (in) downtown and so it really does give attendees an absolute, unforgettable experience and everything that we have to offer.”
San Diego may be ranked as the most expensive city in the country, but Coker said our diverse attractions are still attractive for visitors.
“We have everything from a Michelin Star restaurant to fish tacos. We also have a variety of hotels that meet different price points and so that will meet folks where they are in terms of their budget and how they want to spend their money when they come to our destination,” Coker said.
Looking ahead
One area the Tourism Authority said needs improvement is international visitors and they expect those numbers to recover by the end of 2024.
