What’s the most popular US state for tourism? California. And it wants to stay that way.
Tourism there is rising, bucking the trends of declining domestic and flat international tourism rates.
California posted record numbers in 2006, according to figures released by the California Travel and Tourism Commission. The state hosted 352.3 million domestic travelers, up more than 5% from the previous year.
Both state and federal efforts are focusing on attracting tourism. Federal campaigns seek to lure foreign tourists back to the US after years of stringent customs controls, and California is pumping $21 million into cultivating international tourism, says the Sacramento Business Journal.
California’s share of the domestic travel market increased for the fourth consecutive year to 11.5% in 2006, up from 11.09% in 2005. The travel figures were compiled for the tourism commission by D.K. Shifflet & Associates in McLean, Va.
“We’re holding steady. We’d like to see the international numbers up,” said Caroline Beteta, executive director of the state tourism commission.
A study of international visitors by CIC Research in San Diego found 21.7 million overseas visitors came to the US, unchanged from two years earlier.
The state tourism commission is turning its $50 million budget from domestic to international marketing, dedicating $21 million annually to international efforts for the next five years. Last year, the commission spent $1.5 million internationally, up from $800,000 in 2005.
The increase will pay for trade shows and advertising in the state’s biggest foreign tourism markets: Canada, United Kingdom, Japan, Germany and Australia. It will also include emerging markets in India, China and South Korea.
“It takes a long time to develop the market,” Ms Beteta said.
Report by David Wilkening
