In 2023, travelers spent more than $287 million in Tuolumne County, supporting more than 2500 jobs (and up to 1500 more if Chicken Ranch and Black Oak Casino were included) and generating more than $11 million in local tax revenues. Our county has now surpassed pre-pandemic tourism spending levels two years in a row and the growth curve looks promising.
What’s fueling that growth? Late last week, more than sixty local business and community leaders gathered to find out at Visit Tuolumne County’s Tourism Summit. The simple answer is funding.
Our tourism marketing is funded by Transient Occupancy Tax (TOT), a 12% tax on overnight lodging of all types throughout the County. 82% of the collected TOT funds infrastructure, parks, and other public services. Last year, Visit Tuolumne County received 17% of the collected Transient Occupancy Tax (TOT) in the County and 15% from tax levied in the City of Sonora. These funds fuel our tourism economy, yet the funding allocations are declining as County staff presses for a separately funded Tourism Marketing District (TMD). More on the proposed TMD in future editions.
Thanks to partnerships and collaboration with Visit California (whose huge budget covers local to global marketing with the Sierra/Gold Country regularly featured), Tuolumne County receives frequent and widespread visibility for its adventure appeal to all ages and walks of life.
The bottom line is Market Share, driven by people choosing to come HERE rather than going THERE. Visit Tuolumne County tells them all about WHY they’re making the right choice.
Read Visit Tuolumne County’s 2023-24 Annual Report and check out their website for Tourism Means Business highlighting the economic impacts of local tourism.
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