IMPACTS OF TRAVEL IN CALIFORNIA: A SUMMARY

General California Facts and Stats

What does tourism mean to California?
Tourism is big business for California generating $93.8 billion in direct travel spending and producing $5.6 billion in direct state and local tax revenues during 2006. Tourism supports nearly 929,000 jobs. In addition, tourism helps diversify and stabilize California’s rural communities. On the average, each California county earns approximately $1.4 billion per year in direct tax expenditures by visitors.

How does visitation to California compare to other states?
California is the number one travel destination in the United States, with 335.4 million domestic visitors and approximately 14.4 million visitors from other countries (including 4.8 million day visitors from Mexico). The California tourism economy is 1 ½ times the size of the Florida tourism economy, 2 ½ times the size of the New York tourism economy and 5 times the size of the Hawaii tourism economy.

What are popular tourist activities in California?
Dining, shopping and entertainment-based activities are the most popular expenditure-based activities. Sightseeing, followed by visiting theme and amusement parks and beach/waterfront activities are the most popular recreational pursuits.

Are international visitors important to the California tourism economy?
International visitors represent 4.3 percent of all California travelers in terms of volume, but generate 9.1% of travel and tourism spending impacts. Approximately two-thirds of California’s international market comes from neighboring Mexico and Canada, totaling nearly 9.6 million, and one-third from overseas, 4.8 million.

Impact of U.K. Visitors to California

 
How many visitors from U.K. come to California?
There were approximately 778,000 U.K. visitors to California in 2005. California's share of U.K. travelers to the US rebounded from 16.1% to 17.9%. New York reported a similar increase in U.K. market share, while Florida's market share remained unchanged for 2005. In 2005, New York City was the top US city destination for U.K. travelers (26.9%). San Francisco (9.4%) is the top California destination for U.K. travelers, followed by L.A. (8.3%). Main travel purposes and activities for U.K. visitors to CA are: vacation, visiting friends and relatives, shopping, dining, and sightseeing.

Why is the U.K. market important to California?
The U.K. is California’s number four international market. Visitors from the U.K. spent an estimated $591 million in California, ranking fourth among all international markets.
1.    Mexico $1.64 billion
2.    Canada $961 million
3.    Japan $864 million
4.    United Kingdom $591 million
5.    Germany $360 million
6.    South Korea $333 million
7.    Australia $309 million

About 18% of U.K. visitors to California are business travelers and 74% are leisure travelers. The average length of a leisure stay in California is 7.5 nights, with 88% staying in paid accommodations. The average leisure travel party size is 1.9 persons.
Travel agents are used by 41% of U.K. visitors for their flight arrangements, and by 27% to make lodging reservations. About 24% of visitors from the U.K. book their flights online.
The top three gateways for visitors to California from the U.K. are Los Angeles, 34%, San Francisco, 24%, and Chicago, 8%.