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TOURISM SPENDING AND EMPLOYMENT ON THE RISE 

Visitors traveling to San Bernardino County for recreation and business generate revenue and jobs for the local economy. Hotels, shops, restaurants, recreation areas, and entertainment venues benefit substantially from the tourism market. Moreover, residents benefit from tax revenue generated by visitor spending. This indicator measures visitor spending on accommodations, food, recreation, retail products, and travel arrangements, as well as tax revenue generated within the county from visitor spending. 

TREND

In 2024, visitor spending in San Bernardino County totaled $6.69 billion, which represents a nominal increase of 63% over the last 15 years, and a real increase of 15% after adjusting for inflation.[1] Similarly, tourism-related tax receipts have grown from $312 million in 2010 to $488 million in 2024, representing a nominal increase of 56% and a real increase of 10%.  

VISITOR SPENDING REACHES NEW PEAK
Visitor Spending and Tourism-Related Tax Receipts in San Bernardino County, 2010-2024

Note: Visitor spending and tourism-related tax receipt totals above are not adjusted for inflation.  

Source: California Division of Tourism, California Travel Impacts, Dean Runyan Associates (www.deanrunyan.com/CATravelImpacts/CATravelImpacts.html) 

There were 61,160 tourism-related jobs in San Bernardino County in 2024. While this number is virtually the same as in 2023, tourism-related jobs have grown 41% over the past 15 years, from 43,500 in 2010, and 35% since the pandemic-induced low of 45,440 in 2020.  

TOURISM EMPLOYMENT MAINTAINS NEW HEIGHTS
Tourism Employment in San Bernardino County, 2010-2024

Source: California Division of Tourism, California Travel Impacts, Dean Runyan Associates (www.deanrunyan.com/CATravelImpacts/CATravelImpacts.html) 

GEOGRAPHIC COMPARISON

San Bernardino County’s per capita tourism-related tax receipts were $223 per resident in 2024. This is the lowest among the Southern California counties compared. San Bernardino County’s share of total California tourism earnings was 3.9% in 2024, roughly equal to their 3.8% share in 2010.  

LOWEST PER-CAPITA TAX RECEIPTS AMONG NEIGHBORING COUNTIES COMPARED
Per Capita Tourism-Related Tax Receipts, County Comparison, 2024

Sources: California Division of Tourism, California Travel Impacts, Dean Runyan Associates (www.deanrunyan.com/CATravelImpacts/CATravelImpacts.html); California Department of Finance, Demographic Research Unit, Table E-2, July 2023 Estimates (www.dof.ca.gov/Forecasting/Demographics/Estimates/)  


[1] Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI Inflation Calculator (January 2010 to January 2025). The nominal value of any economic statistic means the statistic is measured in terms of actual prices that exist at the time. The real value refers to the same statistic after it has been adjusted for inflation.

1Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI Inflation Calculator (January 2005 to January 2019) 2Historical data have been updated based on revised source data. Therefore, the data presented are not comparable with prior Community Indicator Reports.