We’re in the middle of National Travel and Tourism Week , a celebration of US travel and its impact on economic growth, job creation, and support of vibrant communities, like San Diego .
With our beautiful beaches , pristine hiking trails , theme parks , and beloved annual events , America’s Finest City is a tourist hotspot — and these 2022 stats from the San Diego Tourism Authority prove it.
The San Diego Convention Center hosted 51 primary conventions and trade shows in 2022.
Photo via Monica Garske + SDtoday
🔢 Local tourism, by the numbers
- 214,000: The number of locals directly and indirectly employed by the visitor industry — including lodging, food service, and attractions.
- $13.6 billion: The amount visitors spend annually in SD — in 2022, nearly 80% of this was spent at local businesses other than lodging.
- 28.8 million: SD’s annual visitors — in 2022, 16.5 million of them stayed overnight.
- 64,021: The number of local hotel rooms, available across 562 hotel, motel, bed + breakfast, and casino properties.
- 72.6%: The average hotel occupancy in San Diego in 2022.
- $1+ billion: How much the local tourism industry generates annually in taxes.
- 437,171: Attendees across 51 primary conventions and trade shows at the San Diego Convention Center in 2022.
- 10.8 million: Passengers who arrived at the San Diego International Airport .
- 2.2 million: Northbound travelers served by Cross Border Xpress across the bridge from Tijuana Airport to San Diego.
- 30 seconds: The length of this catchy “Happy & You Know It ” local tourism ad.
San Diego’s beautiful beaches — like Mission Beach — are a major draw for visitors.
Photo via Monica Garske + SDtoday
🌴 Livin’ la vida local
To tour San Diego like a local (or maybe branch out a little), try this:
- Pencil in these quintessential annual SD events , from the San Diego County Fair and OTL , to San Diego Comic-Con International and San Diego Beer Week.
- Bask in our local parks .
- Enjoy the city’s cuisine, like our birria scene .
- Take a road trip to Julian .
- Travel slightly north to Temecula .
- Enjoy a getaway to Oceanside .