California Governor Gavin Newsom proclaimed the state’s tourism industry has bounced back and exceeded 2019 pre-pandemic levels, while some business owners in the Bay Area report they are still waiting for the rebound.
In a video released on Sunday morning, the governor can be seen standing on top of the Golden Gate Bridge to announce “our record-breaking tourism numbers. Last year, $150 billion of investment from tourists around the globe coming to the great state of California.”
Newsom tourism-spending-hit-an-all-time-high-in-california” target=”_blank” rel=”nofollow noopener”>cited a new report compiled by Visit California. But the numbers in that report showed while California as a whole saw more tourism spending, the San Francisco Bay Area is still lagging. Visit California reported the Bay Area received $37.7 billion in tourism spending in 2023, down from $39 billion in 2019. Many small businesses that rely on tourists said they’re still recovering from the pandemic.
“We’re just waiting for the tourists to come and for the season to really get going,” said Pier 23…
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