Year-end statistics for the local tourism industry revealed 2000 as another record-breaking year, according to the San Diego Convention & Visitors Bureau.
Chief among the figures is that the industry generated $5.2 billion in revenues last year. In other words, the industry’s overall economic impact , also known as the visitor’s index , increased by 7 percent from ’99, according to ConVis.
Overnight visitors, which generate hotel room bookings, totaled 15.2 million last year, marking a 3.6 percent increase.
Average hotel occupancy in 2000 grew to 73.8 percent, an increase of 2.1 percent over last year, ConVis said. Also, the average daily room rate increased 5.5 percent to $109.18. The average room rate exceeded $100 in all months except December, ConVis said.
The tourism bureau’s officials attributed the growth in part to aggressive marketing campaigns.
“San Diego is many things to many people, and at ConVis we are targeting various ‘niche markets’ including dining, golf, arts and culture, and family travel to broaden our tourist base,” said Reint Reinders, the bureau’s president and CEO, in a news release.
Looking at 2001, Reinders and other ConVis executives are cautiously watching the impact of the much-hyped Disney’s California Adventure, which opened in Anaheim earlier this month to media fanfare.
Adjoining Disneyland and created as a sister theme park that would encourage overnight stays in the area, California Adventure could take away from San Diego’s tourist market.
“While California Adventure is certainly strong competition for us, the good news is that San Diego may be able to piggyback on Disney’s marketing dollar, as their national efforts bring more visitors to Southern California,” Reinders said.
The bureau’s marketing campaign will direct additional effort on Anaheim and Los Angeles residents who often visit San Diego, Reinders said. “More than ever, they may be inclined to come to San Diego as they seek a reprieve from the Disney mayhem,” he said.