Yosemite National Park
Sierra Sun Times file photo
March 19, 2025 - The Rural County Representatives of California (RCRC) reports each year, Visit California publishes an in-depth analysis of the tourism industry’s statewide and county-level economic contributions. The 2024 report reflects the sector’s continued resilience and growth – with travel spending reaching a record high $157.3 billion. However, a new forecast anticipates overall visitation in the state to decline by 0.7% in 2025 to 268 million visits – the first projected year-over-year decline in visitation since the pandemic.
Despite these headwinds, tourism remains a powerful economic engine for California:
- Visitor spending rose in 50 of 58 California counties in 2024.
- 23,000+ new tourism jobs were added statewide last year, bringing total statewide industry employment to 1,165,760.
- Tax revenues generated by tourism hit $12.6 billion in 2024, benefiting local and state governments.
View the report and see data by county here.
ABOUT RURAL COUNTY REPRESENTATIVES OF CALIFORNIA (RCRC)
The Rural County Representatives of California (RCRC) is a thirty-seven member county strong service organization that champions policies on behalf of California’s rural counties. RCRC is dedicated to representing the collective unique interests of its membership, providing legislative and regulatory representation at the State and Federal levels, and providing responsible services for its members to enhance and protect the quality of life in rural California counties. To learn more about RCRC, visit rcrcnet.org and follow @RuralCounties on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
Source: RCRC
