{"id":201390,"date":"2026-05-12T15:26:57","date_gmt":"2026-05-12T22:26:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/new.thepinetree.net\/?p=201390"},"modified":"2026-05-12T15:26:57","modified_gmt":"2026-05-12T22:26:57","slug":"california-remains-nations-top-travel-destination-as-tourism-spending-climbs-to-record-158-9-billion","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/new.thepinetree.net\/?p=201390","title":{"rendered":"California Remains Nation\u2019s Top Travel Destination as Tourism Spending Climbs to Record $158.9 Billion"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_2 news-body-text  et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light\">\n<div class=\"et_pb_text_inner\">\n<p>Sacramento, CA&#8230;Governor Gavin Newsom today highlighted <a title=\"https:\/\/urlscanner.mailmarshal.cloud\/?c=22645&amp;d=hsGD6hPlrw6zmyp6apUCXfCTyxZKfrDOxZbMKpHDAw&amp;s=1779&amp;u=https%3a%2f%2fus%2elist-manage%2ecom%2f1A51SkTsCGh%3fe%3d47a7563c76%26c2id%3dfcc64f9abd64adeb8d9b51a0202e3f1c\" href=\"https:\/\/urlscanner.mailmarshal.cloud\/?c=22645&amp;d=hsGD6hPlrw6zmyp6apUCXfCTyxZKfrDOxZbMKpHDAw&amp;s=1779&amp;u=https%3a%2f%2fus%2elist-manage%2ecom%2f1A51SkTsCGh%3fe%3d47a7563c76%26c2id%3dfcc64f9abd64adeb8d9b51a0202e3f1c\" data-auth=\"NotApplicable\" data-linkindex=\"1\">recent data<\/a>\u00a0showing California\u2019s tourism economy continues its strong recovery and growth, with\u00a0<strong>statewide travel spending reaching a record high $158.9 billion<\/strong>\u00a0in 2025, reinforcing the Golden State\u2019s position as the #1 travel destination in the nation.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_3 quote  et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light\">\n<div class=\"et_pb_text_inner\">\n<p><span data-olk-copy-source=\"MessageBody\">Newsom says California\u2019s economy is built on resilience, innovation, and global appeal \u2013 our tourism industry is a powerful example of that strength. We continue to attract visitors from around the world, supporting jobs, small businesses, and communities across our state.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><small>Governor Gavin Newsom<\/small><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_image et_pb_image_0\"><span class=\"et_pb_image_wrap \"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-107172\" title=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/www.gov.ca.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/1-Yosemite.jpg\" sizes=\"auto, (min-width: 0px) and (max-width: 480px) 480px, (min-width: 481px) and (max-width: 980px) 980px, (min-width: 981px) and (max-width: 1280px) 1280px, (min-width: 1281px) 1920px, 100vw\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.gov.ca.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/1-Yosemite.jpg 1920w, https:\/\/www.gov.ca.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/1-Yosemite-1280x720.jpg 1280w, https:\/\/www.gov.ca.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/1-Yosemite-980x551.jpg 980w, https:\/\/www.gov.ca.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/1-Yosemite-480x270.jpg 480w\" alt=\"\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1080\" \/><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_4 news-body-text  et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light\">\n<div class=\"et_pb_text_inner\">\n<h2 data-olk-copy-source=\"MessageBody\">More jobs!<\/h2>\n<p>Tourism, as a key\u00a0<a title=\"https:\/\/urlscanner.mailmarshal.cloud\/?c=22645&amp;d=hsGD6hPlrw6zmyp6apUCXfCTyxZKfrDOxcSeLJnAVQ&amp;s=1779&amp;u=https%3a%2f%2fus%2elist-manage%2ecom%2fhGVUs927o7E%3fe%3d47a7563c76%26c2id%3dfcc64f9abd64adeb8d9b51a0202e3f1c\" href=\"https:\/\/urlscanner.mailmarshal.cloud\/?c=22645&amp;d=hsGD6hPlrw6zmyp6apUCXfCTyxZKfrDOxcSeLJnAVQ&amp;s=1779&amp;u=https%3a%2f%2fus%2elist-manage%2ecom%2fhGVUs927o7E%3fe%3d47a7563c76%26c2id%3dfcc64f9abd64adeb8d9b51a0202e3f1c\" data-auth=\"NotApplicable\" data-linkindex=\"2\"><strong>California Jobs First<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0industry sector, continues to be a major economic engine across every region of the state:<\/p>\n<ul type=\"disc\">\n<li>California\u00a0<strong>added 4,350 travel-related jobs<\/strong>\u00a0in 2025, bringing total tourism employment to\u00a0<strong>approximately 1.2 million jobs statewide<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<li>Increased hotel demand and bookings outpaced national trends, with\u00a0<strong>1.2 million additional room nights booked<\/strong>\u00a0across the state.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>San Francisco leads in tourism<\/h2>\n<p>The home of the Golden Gate Bridge remains a key driver of the state\u2019s tourism economy, with\u00a0<strong>visitor spending reaching $14.2 billion<\/strong>\u00a0in 2025, surpassing pre-pandemic highs.<\/p>\n<p>Both San Francisco and the state of California as a whole are benefiting from increased visitation tied to major global events, including the Super Bowl and upcoming FIFA World Cup matches, which are boosting local businesses, restaurants, and hotels.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_image et_pb_image_1\"><span class=\"et_pb_image_wrap \"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-107173\" title=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/www.gov.ca.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/2-SF.jpg\" sizes=\"auto, (min-width: 0px) and (max-width: 480px) 480px, (min-width: 481px) and (max-width: 980px) 980px, (min-width: 981px) and (max-width: 1280px) 1280px, (min-width: 1281px) 1920px, 100vw\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.gov.ca.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/2-SF.jpg 1920w, https:\/\/www.gov.ca.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/2-SF-1280x720.jpg 1280w, https:\/\/www.gov.ca.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/2-SF-980x551.jpg 980w, https:\/\/www.gov.ca.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/2-SF-480x270.jpg 480w\" alt=\"\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1080\" \/><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_5 news-body-text  et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light\">\n<div class=\"et_pb_text_inner\">\n<h2 class=\"x_null\" dir=\"ltr\"><span data-olk-copy-source=\"MessageBody\">Economic slump because of Trump administration<\/span><\/h2>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">Last year,\u00a0<a title=\"https:\/\/urlscanner.mailmarshal.cloud\/?c=22645&amp;d=hsGD6hPlrw6zmyp6apUCXfCTyxZKfrDOxcHMesrDDw&amp;s=1779&amp;u=https%3a%2f%2fus%2elist-manage%2ecom%2fHEwD4HdCtD8%3fe%3d47a7563c76%26c2id%3dfcc64f9abd64adeb8d9b51a0202e3f1c\" href=\"https:\/\/urlscanner.mailmarshal.cloud\/?c=22645&amp;d=hsGD6hPlrw6zmyp6apUCXfCTyxZKfrDOxcHMesrDDw&amp;s=1779&amp;u=https%3a%2f%2fus%2elist-manage%2ecom%2fHEwD4HdCtD8%3fe%3d47a7563c76%26c2id%3dfcc64f9abd64adeb8d9b51a0202e3f1c\" data-auth=\"NotApplicable\" data-linkindex=\"3\">economists predicted that international tourism declined<\/a>\u00a0as a result of federal economic policies, and California felt that impact. With the Trump administration\u2019s shifting policies, international visitor spending declined by $1 billion to $25 billion.<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">While international tourism is down, domestic travel and major events helped offset those losses, driving continued economic momentum statewide.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"x_null\" dir=\"ltr\">Looking ahead<\/h2>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">With the 2026 FIFA World Cup right around the corner,\u00a0<a title=\"https:\/\/urlscanner.mailmarshal.cloud\/?c=22645&amp;d=hsGD6hPlrw6zmyp6apUCXfCTyxZKfrDOxZSafZqWBA&amp;s=1779&amp;u=https%3a%2f%2fus%2elist-manage%2ecom%2fzbDeeSmh3CQ%3fe%3d47a7563c76%26c2id%3dfcc64f9abd64adeb8d9b51a0202e3f1c\" href=\"https:\/\/urlscanner.mailmarshal.cloud\/?c=22645&amp;d=hsGD6hPlrw6zmyp6apUCXfCTyxZKfrDOxZSafZqWBA&amp;s=1779&amp;u=https%3a%2f%2fus%2elist-manage%2ecom%2fzbDeeSmh3CQ%3fe%3d47a7563c76%26c2id%3dfcc64f9abd64adeb8d9b51a0202e3f1c\" data-auth=\"NotApplicable\" data-linkindex=\"4\">a new estimate<\/a>\u00a0from the Los Angeles Sports and Entertainment Commission projects\u00a0<strong>nearly $892 million in economic impact<\/strong>\u00a0for the region, an increase of roughly 50% from a 2024-2025 estimate. When combined with projected long-term tourism gains from global media exposure, estimated at over $230 million, total short- and long-term benefits to Los Angeles County could exceed $1.1 billion.<\/p>\n<p>The World Cup, along with the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games and continued investment in tourism infrastructure and promotion, ensure that the Golden State remains well-positioned for sustained growth in 2026 and beyond \u2013 despite headwinds due to Trump\u2019s failed policies.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_image et_pb_image_2\"><span class=\"et_pb_image_wrap \"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-107174\" title=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/www.gov.ca.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/4-LA.jpg\" sizes=\"auto, (min-width: 0px) and (max-width: 480px) 480px, (min-width: 481px) and (max-width: 980px) 980px, (min-width: 981px) and (max-width: 1280px) 1280px, (min-width: 1281px) 1920px, 100vw\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.gov.ca.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/4-LA.jpg 1920w, https:\/\/www.gov.ca.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/4-LA-1280x720.jpg 1280w, https:\/\/www.gov.ca.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/4-LA-980x551.jpg 980w, https:\/\/www.gov.ca.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/4-LA-480x270.jpg 480w\" alt=\"\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1080\" \/><\/span><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Sacramento, CA&#8230;Governor Gavin Newsom today highlighted recent data\u00a0showing California\u2019s tourism economy continues its strong recovery and growth, with\u00a0statewide travel spending reaching a record high $158.9 billion\u00a0in 2025, reinforcing the Golden State\u2019s position as the #1 travel destination in the nation. Newsom says California\u2019s economy is built on resilience, innovation, and global appeal \u2013 our tourism [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":201391,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_cbd_carousel_blocks":"[]","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[3,19,20,5,1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-201390","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-business","category-entertainment","category-featured","category-government","category-news","last_archivepost"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/new.thepinetree.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/1-Yosemite.jpg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/new.thepinetree.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/201390","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/new.thepinetree.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/new.thepinetree.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/new.thepinetree.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/new.thepinetree.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=201390"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/new.thepinetree.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/201390\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":201392,"href":"https:\/\/new.thepinetree.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/201390\/revisions\/201392"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/new.thepinetree.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/201391"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/new.thepinetree.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=201390"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/new.thepinetree.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=201390"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/new.thepinetree.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=201390"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}