Visit Temecula Valley today announced an all-time, record-setting, direct, local visitor spending of $724 million in 2017 directly promoting Temecula Valley travel industry growth for the eighth consecutive year including a record $235 million in earnings and record 7,330 positions in proprietor/self- and payroll employment. Tourism’s significant economic influence is attributed specifically to Visit Temecula Valley’s ongoing, strategic marketing efforts funded by the Temecula Valley Tourism Business Improvement District, Pechanga Development Corporation, the City of Temecula, and the Temecula Valley Wine Country Tourism Marketing District.
“In 2017, the Temecula Valley leisure, hospitality, lodging, and travel industry welcomed more than 2.6 million visitors who spent a record-breaking $724 million, representing a 2.5 percent and $17 million increase over 2016,” explained Cherise Manning, Visit Temecula Valley Executive Board Chairman and co-owner of A Grape Escape Balloon Adventure. “Meanwhile, salaried and self-employed individuals, business owners, and fulltime-and part-time employees in a record 7,330 tourism-related positions generated a milestone $235 million in earnings.”
“Historically, Temecula Valley travel spending has grown year-after-year from $594 million in 2010 to $724 million in 2017 (an average annual percentage increase of 10.1 percent), and earnings have grown from $170 million to $235 million in the same timespan (an average annual percentage increase of 11.4 percent),” Manning expounded. “Tourism has thrived as a healthy component of Temecula Valley economic development – breaking records year-after-year and contributing to local prosperity. Visit Temecula Valley partners and their ongoing investments, and the businesses and people welcoming visitors everyday – from throughout California and the United States and Canada, as well as from around the world – are essential and contribute immensely to this success.”
“The robust Temecula Valley tourism economy is a consistent revenue generator,” said John Kelliher, commissioner appointed by Governor Brown to the California Travel and Tourism Commission, Temecula Valley co-owner of Grapeline Wine Tours and Stryder Transportation, and a member of the Visit Temecula Valley board of directors. “Travel-generated state and local tax revenue (exclusive of property taxes) was $30.3 million in 2017. Fifty-three percent of the combined tax revenues directly benefit the local Temecula Valley region. Additionally, Temecula Valley tourism creates demand for a great variety of goods, services, activities, programs, and events of interest to both residents and visitors.”
The travel impacts data source is the report, Temecula Valley Travel Impacts 2000-2017 Preliminary, prepared for Visit Temecula Valley (also known as the Temecula Valley Convention and Visitors Bureau), by Dean Runyan Associates. All monetary figures are expressed in current dollars; there is no adjustment for inflation. The economic impact measurements represent only direct economic impacts. Direct economic impacts include only the spending by travelers and the earnings and employment generated by that spending.