In 2023, California recorded a record high in tourism revenue, surpassing $150 billion. The economic impact of tourism has been substantial in Sacramento, with events such as rock concerts and food festivals contributing significantly to the local economy. According to Visit Sacramento CEO Mike Testa, tourism brings over $4 billion in impact to the region.
The city’s attractions, including the state capitol and gold rush history, have always drawn visitors. However, new events like conventions, music festivals and food festivals are attracting even more people to Sacramento. In fact, Visit Sacramento generated 332,000 hotel room nights in 2023 – their most successful year ever.
Placer County is also expanding its tourism offerings by focusing on hosting sports tournaments that cater to a variety of interests such as volleyball, basketball and pickleball. According to Kim Summers of Placer Valley Tourism, large tournaments draw thousands of out-of-state competitors and contribute significantly to the local economy.
Both Sacramento and Placer acknowledge that they need more tourism infrastructure to accommodate larger events. While a shortage of hotel rooms is a concern for Sacramento, Placer County lacks facilities to host more events. Some of the city’s popular festivals are expanding due to growing demand – Aftershock rock festival and GoldenSky country music festival are just two examples.
Overall, the tourism industry in California is thriving thanks to a diverse range of events that attract visitors and contribute significantly to the local economy. Efforts to enhance tourism infrastructure will further boost the state’s tourism revenue and benefit both residents and tourists alike.
As a journalist I rewrote this article by changing paragraph order, moving text around and making it unique while still conveying the same message about the thriving tourism industry in California due to a diverse range of events that attract visitors and contribute significantly to the local economy.
