Why Tourism Matters
Tourism is back and delivering value to all Concordians
Concord’s economic vitality depends on tourism dollars to create jobs and improve quality of life in our community. Over the past several years, millions in state and local tax revenue from tourism dollars have gone to help fund things like regional parks, economic development, arts and culture, education, roads, public safety, education, affordable housing, workforce development and other community programs.
And every person who comes to Concord for business, leisure, sports, events, or just connecting with family and friends, contributes to the city’s economic vitality through dollars spent on dining, lodging, transportation, shopping, and entertainment. Without these travel-generated tax revenues, each Concord residence would have to pay hundreds more in taxes each year to maintain the same level of public services. Visitor spending is a major economic driver that directly impacts every resident.
2022 was a big year for recovery with all categories across the board showing increases from the previous year. Concord's Visitor Spending in 2022 exceeded 2019 levels by 8.2%.
| Concord, California 2022 Tourism Impacts*: | 2021 | 2022 | Increase |
|---|---|---|---|
| Travel Visitor Spending | $137.1M | $199.1M | +45.3% |
| Direct Travel-generated employment | 1,620 jobs | 1,980 jobs | +22.0% |
| Direct Travel-generated earnings | $59.8M | $73.5M | +22.8% |
| Tax receipts generated by travel spending | $10.9M | $15.0M | +37.8% |
| Hotel revenue in Concord | $61.4M | $67.3M | +9.6% |
| Overnight party nights (hotel, private home, all overnight) | 734,500 nights | 927,300 nights | +26.2% |
Through campaigns like Visit California’s What If and Meet What's Possible, in addition to other in-house marketing initiatives, Concord looks forward to an increase in leisure travel and business meetings. And as sustainable and accessible travel become increasingly important factors for meeting planners and business & recreational travelers in their destination selections, Visit Concord’s proactive initiatives in these areas will help keep the city relevant in today’s evolving tourism landscape.
We stand with our hospitality professionals as we all continue to provide top-level service for our destination. It is also important to note that Visit Concord and the Visitor Center are self-funded through the 3% TID assessment tax, paid entirely by hotel guests (not the hotels themselves.)
We warmly invite travelers into Concord, sharing our Visitor Center with an enhanced downtown presence and collaborations for our many partners. The Visitor Center offers tourism training classes, pop-up events, artisan goods and business development opportunities.
Learn how Visit Concord is celebrating California Tourism Month with Visit California and the Industry Partners
*"The Economic Impact of Travel in Concord 2022” Data provided by Dean Runan and Associates.