Tourism Spending Grows to Highest Level in at Least 15 Years
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.
How is San Bernardino County Doing?
TREND
In 2019, visitor spending totaled $5.7 billion, which represents a 14% growth in visitor spending since 2005 (in inflation- adjusted dollars).1 Tourism-related tax receipts have increased in step with visitor spending, growing to $430 million in 2019 from $263 million in 2005. Employment in the tourism industry has grown steadily over the past decade, reaching 57,500 jobs in 2019.
VISITOR SPENDING AND TAX RECEIPTS CONTINUE TO GROW INTO 2019
San Bernardino County, 2004-2018
TOURISM EMPLOYMENT GROWS STEADILY INTO 2019
Tourism Employment in San Bernardino County, 2005-2019
GEOGRAPHIC DETAIL
San Bernardino County’s per capita tourism-related tax receipts were $196 per resident in 2019. This is the lowest per capita tax receipts among the southern California counties compared.
San Bernardino County’s share of total California tourism earnings is 2.1%, about the same as in 2005, when it was 2.2% of the state’s total tourism earnings.
LOWEST PER-CAPITA TAX RECEIPTS AMONG NEIGHBORING COUNTIES COMPARED
County Comparison of Per Capita Tourism-Related Tax Receipts, 2019