The San Francisco Travel Association (SF Travel), the official destination marketing organization for the City and County of San Francisco, released last month its 2026 tourism forecast and 2025 visitor impact results.
The data shows San Francisco’s visitor economy posting its second consecutive year of gains — and, for the first time since the pandemic, projecting visitor spending that surpasses the city’s pre-pandemic record.
San Francisco is projected to welcome 24.2 million visitors in 2026, with visitor spending reaching $9.9 billion, exceeding the city’s 2019 record of $9.6 billion. In 2025, San Francisco welcomed 23.7 million visitors who spent $9.4 billion, generating $655 million in tax revenue for the city and supporting 63,900 jobs across hotels, restaurants, retail, and cultural institutions.
“The convention pipeline is doing what we built it to do,” said Anna Marie Presutti, President & CEO of SF Travel. “Thirty-eight events at Moscone Center this year, RevPAR growing nearly 8% on top of last year’s 14% gain – this is what recovery looks like. And it translates directly into tax revenue that funds city services for every San Franciscan.”
2026 Forecast Highlights, compared to 2025
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Visitor volume: 24.2 million – 2025 Visitor volume: 23.7 million
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Visitor spending: $9.9 billion – 2025 Visitor spending: $9.4 billion
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Hotel occupancy: 69% – 2025 Hotel occupancy: 67.2%
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Average Daily Rate (ADR): $257.81 – 2025 ADR: $257.81
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Revenue Per Available Room (RevPAR): $177.85 – 2025 RevPAR: $164.85
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Moscone Center events: 38, generating 674,000 room nights – 2025 Moscone Center events: 34 events, generating 635,227 room nights.
Conventions and Major Events Drive the Growth
From 25 events and 399,000 room nights in 2024, Moscone Center grew to 34 events and 635,000 room nights in 2025. This represented a 59% increase in room nights year-over-year. In 2026, 38 scheduled events are expected to generate more than 674,000 room nights, a further 6% gain.
Major events amplify that impact. “Super Bowl LX and the FIFA World Cup bring visitors who spend well beyond the events and put San Francisco on the world stage. They give us the opportunity to showcase our city to a global audience and create a sense of connection with attendees and viewers across the world,” Presutti said.
International Visitation
Geopolitical and economic factors continue to create headwinds for international travel to the U.S. Nevertheless, data from Tourism Economics forecasts a modest recovery, with overnight international visitation to San Francisco expected to reach 2.3 million in 2026, up from 2.2 million in 2025, and international visitor spending projected to rise 5.8% to $5.2 billion. San Francisco’s top five international source markets are Mexico, the United Kingdom, China, Canada, and India.
Last but not least, in 2025, tourism generated $655 million in tax revenue for the City’s General Fund. It is equivalent to $778 in tax relief per San Francisco resident. That represents a $50 million increase from 2024. Tourism-supported employment reached 63,900 jobs in 2025, up from 62,000 in 2024. 60% of visitor dollars are spent outside of hotels — in restaurants, retail, arts institutions, and neighborhood businesses across the city.
