A new report from Visit California shows tourism in San Luis Obispo County rose in 2024.
The report says tourism spending in San Luis Obispo County increased by 2.6%.
Visit SLO CAL says this increase is beneficial for the whole community.
"Our local businesses are seeing a little bit of an increase than what they saw the previous year," says Lisa Belsanti, the Visit SLO CAL vice president of communications. "In 2023, we saw 22,820 jobs supported by tourism. And this year, it's an increase of about 4.6%. So, more jobs in tourism mean a more robust local economy. People staying in their tourism jobs and people finding new jobs in tourism."
Visit SLO CAL says that in 2024, tourism also generated $105.6 million in local tax revenue. Without that, each SLO County household would need to pay an additional $21,707 to create the same economic benefit for the community.
"Travel and tourism are our second-largest economic driver in the county," said Belsanti. "It supports local businesses, jobs, and it supports just having a robust and vibrant cultural community."
Local hotels in San Luis Obispo say that they noticed an increase in tourists last year, too.
"Last year was a good year for us," said Amanda Rich, the marketing director for Madonna Inn. "We are so lucky here at the Madonna Inn because we're in a unique location. So even when there are different trends in other places, we don't necessarily see it because we are so unique and get a lot of people no matter what, because they are coming to see us."
"Last year overcame the last five years in a big way," said Matt Wright, the general manager of Hotel Cerro. "I think leisure travel led to that, I think people are realizing that SLO County has about everything you want to do on the Central Coast."
Nationally, there has been concern over a potential decrease in international tourists due to the current economic climate, but locals say they don't expect that to have too big of an impact here.
"California as a whole is forecasting through Visit California about a 9% decrease in travel and tourism, and much of that is international travel," said Belsanti. "Folks are feeling like they aren't welcome, especially our neighbors to the north in Canada. We benefit by having a more regionally driven tourism. We see a lot of folks who are coming from the West, and they're coming here for road trips. So, our international mix is not as robust as the rest of California, so we're not anticipating the same drop."
This new travel report comes out as the hotels say they are entering their busy season.
At Hotel Cerro, they say it's not just weekends that are busy this time of year.
"Thursdays have been looking like Fridays and Saturdays for us," said Wright. "It really supports that narrative of the mid-week capital of the world that SLO is becoming, that the mayor proclaimed. It's really cool to be a part of."
"We're hoping this year is just as good as last," said Rich.
