Local tourism activity in Ventura County grew by 14.1% in 2022, continuing trends of an accelerated recovery for travel in the region, according to new economic impact research released today by Visit California.
Visit California’s annual report measuring the economic impact of tourism showed that increased travel spending in Ventura County contributed $1.763 billion to local businesses and added 15,730 local jobs. Increased tourism to Oxnard also provided more than $4.5 million in transient occupancy tax revenues to support essential services and programs in the community.
“Tourism continues to play a key role in Oxnard’s economy, benefiting local businesses and generating jobs in our region,” said Julie Mino, President and CEO of Visit Oxnard. “Oxnard welcomes visitors from around the world to enjoy its beautiful beaches, diverse culinary offerings and unique attractions, and our community thrives not just on the economic benefits, but the connections built through tourism to our vibrant city.”
Statewide, travel spending grew by 31.7% in 2022 to $134.4 billion, bringing tourism spending 93% of the way back to pre-pandemic levels. During that time, the travel sector added 157,000 jobs in California, bringing the statewide total to 1.1 million jobs supported by tourism. Visitor-generated tax revenue for state and local government increased by 21.6% to $11.9 billion.
New community sentiment research also released today by Visit California found that Californians recognize and value the benefits of tourism in their communities. The research, prepared by Destination Analysts, surveyed Californians in each of the state’s 12 tourism regions and found that 60% of Californians believe tourism is important and 56% believe that the benefits of tourism in California outweigh any tourism-related strains.
For more information about Oxnard, Calif., visit www.visitoxnard.com.