Visit Anaheim Looks Ahead to Recovery, Works Toward Reclaiming Strong Tourism Numbers Seen in 2019
National Travel and Tourism Week (May 3-9) Shines a Spotlight on the Indomitable Spirit of the Travel Industry and the Role it Will Play in Economic Recovery
ANAHEIM, Calif. (May 7, 2020) ― While the coronavirus pandemic has significantly impacted tourism-related jobs and businesses throughout Orange County, there is no doubt the tourism industry is resilient and will become a thriving industry once again. Visit Anaheim, the official destination organization for Anaheim, remains focused on that road to recovery and reclaiming Anaheim’s strong tourism numbers seen in 2019.
In support of National Travel and Tourism Week (NTTW), Visit Anaheim is releasing the economic impact visitors had on Anaheim and Orange County in 2019. Last year, visitors spent a record-breaking $9.2 billion across Orange County, representing a 3.1 percent increase in spending compared to 2018 (Source: CIC Research, Inc.). This landmark year underscores the economic power of travel and the role it will play in Anaheim’s economic recovery from the coronavirus pandemic.
“There’s no doubt this has been an incredibly challenging time for Anaheim, but we see National Travel and Tourism Week as an opportunity to remind our visitors and residents of the incredible spirit and resiliency of the travel industry and our workforce,” said Jay Burress, president & CEO, Visit Anaheim. “It’s only a matter of time before we are back on our feet, and Anaheim will be more ready than ever to welcome visitors with open arms.”
Since 2013, Anaheim visitor spend has risen 57 percent with expenditures cascading across a variety of sectors in Orange County including lodging, meals and beverages, amusement, shopping and local ground transportation. While COVID-19 changed the travel industry in 2020, Visit Anaheim remains focused on looking ahead to the future and is dedicated to bringing spending and visitation numbers back to the destination in order to provide needed city services to local residents and neighborhoods.
“Visit Anaheim has been instrumental in growing travel wisely in one of our state’s crown jewels — tourism is essential to Anaheim’s way of life,” said Caroline Beteta, president and CEO of Visit California. “The City of Anaheim has shown great leadership and foresight in investing in destination promotion, as these efforts will be critical toward jumpstarting the local recovery.”
Prior to the coronavirus pandemic, Anaheim and Orange County employed more than 179,000 tourism-related jobs. While those jobs have been significantly impacted this year, NTTW provides an opportune moment to unite the industry, celebrate its spirit and elevate the role it will play in the country’s economic recovery.
“Through every hardship, I find myself in awe of the travel industry’s ability to join together, adapt, and emerge stronger than before,” said U.S. Travel Association President and CEO Roger Dow. “This is our toughest challenge yet, but what I’ve seen is that the spirit of travel has not been shattered.”
To learn more about Visit Anaheim’s efforts to ensure the city recovers quickly and is best positioned to restore hotel stays, meetings, and conventions in Anaheim go to: visitanaheim.org/response-and-recovery.
Visit Anaheim Contact:
Wesley Kirkpatrick, Communications Specialist
wkirkpatrick@visitanaheim.org
(714) 765-2926
About Visit Anaheim: Founded in 1961, Visit Anaheim is a 501(c)(6) nonprofit destination marketing organization. Visit Anaheim’s mission is to develop, market, and sell Anaheim to benefit the economic vitality of its neighborhoods. To learn more about Visit Anaheim, visit: www.visitanaheim.org and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn.
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