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The San Francisco Convention & Visitors Bureau (SFCVB) has released its annual estimate of the economic impact of the tourism industry in San Francisco. The estimate showed moderate growth in the industry that brings more outside dollars into San Francisco than any other. In 2008, San Francisco welcomed 16.4 million visitors, an increase of 1.7 percent over 2007. These visitors spent $8.52 billion in 2008, an increase of 3.3 percent over the previous year.
“2008 was a strong year for tourism in San Francisco; 2009 is much more challenging as is the case for all destinations,” says Joe D’Alessandro, SFCVB president and CEO. "The economic uncertainty is affecting travel across the board and around the world. Our job of attracting visitors is much tougher this year than it was in 2008. In a downturn, the focus is on market share – getting a bigger piece of a smaller pie."
The tourism industry generated over $527 million in taxes for the City of San Francisco, up six percent from the previous year. In 2008, there was an average of 131,722 visitors in San Francisco each day. Visitor spending equated to $22.33 million daily. Tourism supported 72,856 jobs in 2008, an increase of .9 percent from 2007, with an annual payroll of $2.01 billion.
According to PKF Consulting, hotel occupancy in San Francisco in 2008 was 79.2 percent, up from 78 percent in 2007; with an average daily rate of $190.28, representing a 3.7 percent increase from 2007.
The SFCVB also recently concluded a year-long study of traffic to the city’s official visitor Web site, www.onlyinsanfrancisco.com. The study showed that for every 1,000 visitors to the site, $15,850 in direct spending is generated in San Francisco based on incremental visits and extending stay. The Bureau expects to attract at least 3 million unique visitors to the site in the fiscal year that ends June 30, 2009.
To attract Northern Californians, the SFCVB recently launched “Escape to the City,” a communications and social media campaign the encourages regional residents to take advantage of the world-class getaway right in their own backyards by taking a vacation in San Francisco this summer.
In addition, the SFCVB has kicked off a cooperative advertising campaign centered on four blockbuster museum exhibits in San Francisco this summer. Ads will appear in regional editions of media including Conde Nast Traveler, Vanity Fair and the New Yorker and will promote traffic to a special ArtSF microsite, www.onlyinsanfrancisco.com/artsf.
Theodore is the Co-Founder and Managing Editor of TravelDailyNews Media Network; his responsibilities include business development and planning for TravelDailyNews long-term opportunities.
