2011 San Diego County Visitors Profile Study

Accommodations
Hotel/Motel
Private HH
Other
Transportation to SD
Air
Personal Vehicle
Rental Vehicle
Residence
S. California
N. California
Other Pacific States
Arizona
Other Mountain States
South Central
South Atlantic
Midwest
Northeast
Foreign
Frequency of Visits
First Visit in 2 years
2-4 Visits in 2 Yrs.
5+ Visits in 2 Yrs.
Average Group Size
Average Nights in SD
% Traveling with Children
Median Age of Head of HH
Median HH Income
Spending*
Avg. Daily Per Visitor
Total Direct Per Visitor
Total Direct Impact*
Visitors in Category
Number of Visitors
% of All Overnight Visitors**

Leisure
100%
44%
49%
7%

Business
100%
93%
7%
0%

All Overnight
100%
52%
43%
5%

30%
65%
2%

59%
36%
0%

35%
60%
2%

30%
12%
3%
18%
11%
5%
3%
5%
3%
10%

24%
11%
4%
6%
14%
6%
6%
11%
10%
7%

29%
12%
4%
16%
11%
5%
4%
6%
4%
9%

46%
42%
12%
2.4
3.5
37%
40
$62,700

36%
32%
33%
1.4
3.0
3%
43 yrs
$121,400

45%
41%
14%
2.1
3.4
28%
42 yrs
$79,200

$95
$329
$4.30 B

$308
$911
$2.36 B

$124
$424
$6.68 B

13.1 M
83%

2.6 M
16%

15.76 M
100%

Avg. Group Avg. Length

Size
of Stay
Purpose of Visit
Leisure
Convention/Business
Accommodations
Hotel/Motel
Private HH
Transportation to SD
Air
Personal Vehicle
Rental Vehicle
Residence
S. California
N. California
Other Western States
Arizona
Other Mountain States
South Central
South Atlantic
Midwest
Northeast
Foreign
Frequency of Visits
First Visit in 2 years
2-4 Visits in 2 Yrs.
5+ Visits in 2 Yrs.
All Overnight Visitors

Spending Per
Visitor*

2.4
1.4

3.5
3.0

$329
$911

2.1
2.1

2.8
3.8

$585
$181

1.8
2.4
2.4

4.1
3.0
3.0

$646
$323
$324

2.1
2.0
1.9
2.6
2.2
1.9
1.8
1.7
1.5
2.5

2.4
3.4
3.6
3.8
3.7
3.7
3.9
4.9
5.6
4.5

$256
$398
$519
$452
$443
$511
$558
$596
$444
$576

2.2
2.2
1.9
2.1

3.6
3.2
2.2
3.4

$421
$304
$311
$424

* Total spending including the local impact of air travel and association/exhibitor company spending.
**One percent of all overnight visitors visited for "Other" purporses.

ACCOMMODATIONS: Visitors with hotel accommodations in San Diego represented half (52%) of overnight visitors, but 70% of overnight visitor
spending. Private home visitors represented 43% of overnight visitors, but only 18% of overnight visitor spending. Each visitor to San Diego who stayed in
a hotel was worth about three times as much as a visitor who stayed in a private home with friends or relatives ($585 v. $181). Visitors who stayed in
other overnight accommodations represented about 5% of visitors and 10% of overnight visitor spending.
PURPOSE OF TRIP: Overnight commercial travelers (business or convention/meetings) recorded nearly three times higher spending per person than
leisure travelers ($911 v. $329). Commercial travelers represented 2.6 million visitors (17%) of the nearly 15.8 million overnight visitors, but they
generated $2.4 billion (35%) of the $6.7 billion total overnight visitor spending. Leisure travelers represented 83% of overnight visitors and 64% of
spending. About 1% of overnight visitors listed other purposes for their trip such as medical services or other personal reasons. This small segment of
overnight visitors generated less than one percent (0.4%) of total overnight visitor spending.
TRANSPORTATION: More than half (60%) of all overnight visitors arrived in San Diego by a personal vehicle, but they represented less than half of all
overnight visitor spending (45%). About one-third (35%) of all overnight visitors arrived by air and they represented nearly half (45%) of the total
overnight visitor spending. About 5% of all overnight visitors arrived in San Diego County by a train or bus and they represented about 8% of the
overnight visitor spending. About 2% of San Diego overnight visitors arrived in San Diego by a rental car and they represented about 1% of the overnight
visitor spending.
RESIDENCE OF VISITORS: Southern California visitors to San Diego were the largest origin market (29%), but they represented only 17% of overnight
visitor spending. Arizona was the second largest market, with 16% of visitors and 17% of overnight visitor spending. Visitors from other mountain states
represented 11% of overnight visitors and 12% of visitor spending. About 9% of overnight visitors were International and they represented 13% of total
visitor spending.Visitors from the Midwest represented about 6% of the visitors and 6% of the visitor spending. Visitors from Arizona, South Central,
Northeast, South Atlantic, and International origin markets generated higher spending per visitor.
VISITOR FREQUENCY: First time visitors to San Diego tend to stay longer and spend more money (3.6 nights and $421). Visitors with many repeat visits
(more than four visits in two years) tend to spend less and stay a shorter time in San Diego (2.2 nights and $311). The percentage of first time overnight
visitors to San Diego increased substantially in 2011 compared to 2009 (45% v 34%).
www.sandiego.org/research

2011VisitorsProfileAtAGlance7/16/2012