The Power of Possibility

Visit Concord is a proud participant in California Tourism Month, Visit California’s annual initiative to promote in-state tourism. The program is especially relevant this year, a critical time for our economic recovery. We are encouraging our local businesses to get involved and support the effort as well. Check out the resources available to you in the 2023 California Tourism Month Industry Toolkit and the state’s recent Economic Impact Report. And please be sure to read the message below from Visit California’s President & CEO, Caroline Beteta, for more insight.

To deliver the pro-tourism message on the national stage, I encourage you to participate in the U.S. Travel Association’s National Travel and Tourism Week, May 7-13 this year. U.S. Travel has posted its own toolkit and a calendar of activities you can join throughout the week.

By working together, we can look forward to continued growth and economic recovery in 2023, and in the years to come. 

Thank you!

Elaine Schroth
CEO & President
Visit Concord

Visit California Tourism Month Resources  2022 Economic Impact Report  2022 California Tourism Month Industry Toolkit Visit Concord 2022 Economic Impact Report Why Tourism Matters 2022

VISIT CALIFORNIA

California Tourism Month, May 2023

“Visit California and partners across the state will celebrate California Tourism Month in May by delivering a simple message: Tourism is back and delivering value for all Californians.   

Two powerful pieces of Visit California-commissioned research released this spring prove the point:  

1) The annual economic impact report prepared by Dean Runyan Associates shows visitors spent $135 billion in California in 2022, bringing the state 93% of the way back to pre-pandemic levels. Tourism jobs (1.1 million) and state and local taxes paid by visitors ($12 billion) reached more than 90% of pre- pandemic levels in 2022. Projections from Tourism Economics show visitor spending will exceed 2019 levels this year. 

As always, the economic impact report breaks down the numbers by county, and I hope you will share them with your local media, tourism partners and civic and governmental opinion leaders in your destination.

2) Community sentiment research prepared for Visit California by Destination Analysts shows a majority of Californians believe tourism creates a better quality of life in their region and that the benefits of tourism outweigh the problems. This is a good story to share: More than 70% of residents said they believe tourism generates local business opportunities and provides jobs to residents. Big majorities say they appreciate the dining, shopping and recreational opportunities in their communities. 

These findings also point out some of the tourism-related problems destinations face — traffic, crowds, trash. I encourage you to embrace that information. Acknowledging challenges builds credibility and can inform actions DMOs take and lead to solutions in collaboration with others in the community.   

Tourism Month is an official state observance first designated by the Legislature in 2016 and re-authorized in subsequent years to spotlight the economic power of tourism across California communities. It is a perfect time to spread the word — to media, your local government and civic leaders, state legislators and other key opinion leaders.   

Visit California will lead the conversation through its network of media contacts and on its social media channels. Allies and business associations, including CalTravel, the California League of Cities, California Chamber of Commerce, and California Hotel & Lodging Association, will also be sharing information about tourism’s economic importance this month.

The next few weeks present a key opportunity for California’s tourism industry to celebrate its comeback and highlight its value to all Californians. I’m happy to have you join me."

Cheers ~

Caroline Beteta
President & CEO
Visit California