Hotel tax revenues in San Diego are estimated to be down 68% in June, according to projections from San Diego's hotelier-run Tourism Marketing District.
There's a huge trickledown effect, to places that depend on hotel guests, like Seaport Village.
“It’s been a challenge for us to adapt to this new normal and it happened so quickly,” said Scott Andrews, Marketing Manager of Seaport Village.
Seaport Village has been closed since March. But now, this weekend a few tenants are back for curbside pickup and takeout.
Hotel guests and convention attendees both provide a lot of business to shops and restaurants at Seaport Village.
Both Seaport Village and the Tourism Authority are focusing on attracting local businesses and those within driving distance in states like Arizona and Nevada.
The Tourism Authority expecting to devote more than $21 million, which is half of its total budget to advertising.
Local
In the meantime, Andrews said a more local entrepreneur is leasing space in Seaport Village and they are excited to welcome new locally-owned eateries to space.
“Knowing that conventions and large tourism from around the world, it might take a while to ramp that backup. But we are really focusing on a drive in traffic and San Diegans. We want to really welcome them back here to Seaport Village.”
California as a whole is suffering.
Visit California released a study stating the state will lose $72.1 billion in visitor spending this year, which is about half of the 2019 total.
Tourism Economics, a provider of economic analysis, forecasts, and consulting advice, prepared the report for Visit California.
To read the full report, click here.
