Travel is UP Across the Board in California
Though we’ll eventually become space travelers heading for other planets, a defunded space program has helped draw visitors to see the Endeavour at California Science Center in Los Angeles.
Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti along with Los Angeles Tourism & Convention Board are set to announce L.A.’s record-breaking tourism numbers for 2013 in front of California Science Center’s Space Shuttle Endeavour next week. In just over a year since the Endeavour arrived at the museum, the retired Space Shuttle craft has helped raise the most money ever for the museum, netting $1.5 million at a single fund-raising party for the vehicle. (californiasciencecenter.org)
Los Angeles isn’t alone in its positive outlook for tourism, and though gains are expected to be modest in 2014, the California tourism industry believes there will be a slow and steady increase through 2016.
- Demand in Asia and Latin America are driving international visitation, while European demand stagnates.
- Eurozone finally out of recession, but the road to recovery will be long & bumpy.
- Top domestic visitors come from Arizona, then Nevada, Oregon, Washington, Utah and Colorado.
- 2013 hotel occupancy increased fastest in Sacramento, Riverside, and Oakland.
- Hotel price increases were greatest in San Jose, San Francisco, and Oakland.
