To get your full statistics fix, with data from STR, AirDNA, and the Charles M. Schulz Sonoma County Airport, check out the Monthly Tourism Destination Data Dashboard at sonomacounty.com/statistics.
STR Tracking for Sonoma County
Things to Note:

  • STR is comparing “Weekly Year Over Year.”
  •  62 of the county’s 136 hotels report to STR.
  • Total hotel supply rooms in Sonoma County in September 2022: 7,970 rooms vs. September 2021: 7,797 rooms, +2.2% YOY increase.
  • The average from other destinations includes Napa, Palm Springs, Monterey, South Lake Tahoe, Vallejo/Napa Valley, and San Luis Obispo.
STR is the recognized leader in hospitality industry benchmarking around the globe. Powered by the world's largest hotel data sample, they deliver confidential data, accurate and actionable insights, and comprehensive solutions to empower decisions. Discover how STR collects data, how it is calculated, and a glossary of terms, by clicking here
Occupancy Data for Hotels & Short Term Lodgings
*Please note the charts below contain different date ranges.
Air Travel Year over Year
At Charles M. Schulz Sonoma County Airport
Recent Travel by Month
At Charles M. Schulz Sonoma County Airport
Today's Takeaways
From SCT's senior research manager, Conrad Braganza
A recent survey fielded by Destination Analysts revealed that two-thirds of American travelers believe that the U.S. will enter a recession, a sentiment that now spans across geographies, generations, and income levels. The Consumer Price Index for all items rose 0.4% in October, with the indexes for gasoline and food also increasing. The combination of increasing interest rates, rising energy and food prices and the growing prospects of a global recession will impact the recovery of tourism in Sonoma County to pre-pandemic levels; this trend is likely to persist through the remainder of 2022 and 2023. The latest World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) Confidence Index, also predicts a potential slow down and a more cautious outlook, with booking trends showing signs of slower growth. This sets up for an interesting balance between the pent-up desire to travel and the higher cost of travel.

Navigating the uneven recovery and the seismic post-pandemic shift in our sector also provides an opportunity to attract travelers who are seeking more meaningful interactions with locals. People are traveling the world with new eyes. Many who haven’t experienced the outdoors before have a desire for adventure, while others who are self-care enthusiasts are seeking wellness experiences, intentionally rooted in reconnection and renewal. Sonoma County couldn’t be better positioned to attract these highly coveted visitors by providing individual experiences that go well beyond a one-size-fits-all approach.

Here are a few trends shaping up in the travel sector this holiday season:

Over 82% of American travelers already have existing trip plans. 58% have a leisure trip planned, while 51% will visit friends and family, 15% have planned business travel, and 9% have convention/conference travel. More than 28% report having plans to travel for leisure in the month of November (which is up 4-points compared to one month ago) and over 30% plan to travel in December (up 2-points from last month). 26% of American travelers have plans to travel for Thanksgiving (up from 20% in 2021), 30% report Christmas travel plans (up from 27% in 2021) and 14% plan to travel for New Year’s (up from 12% in 2021).

Evolving Business Travel Outlook, U.S. Travel Association

Despite headwinds of a mild recession, significant reductions in business travel are not anticipated. This is largely because many companies are still in the process of resuming business travel and activity has not yet recovered to pre-pandemic levels. Business travelers employed by smaller companies are more certain about business travel plans in the next six months than travelers from larger companies. The most frequently cited reasons for business travel uncertainty were video conference substitutes and company cost constraints. During Q3, 2022, there was an over 10% year-over-year uplift in demand from travelers with a business travel profile, demonstrating the value of face-to-face meetings.


The cost-per-attendee for meetings and events this year is expected to be around 25 percent higher than in 2019, and it’s forecasted to rise an additional 7 percent next year, with little relief in sight until 2024. Here are some practical tips to achieve the best return on investment while still meeting event and client objectives in the face of steeply rising costs.  


This report provides a glimpse into how 10 classic American cities offer meeting planners extra value during off-peak times. Added flexibility, competitive rates, and less overcrowding can be significant drivers for courting off-season business, while still diversifying the mid-week visitation market. 

The share of travel rewards program members who said they are planning a trip because they have points or rewards saved up has been climbing since the summer — over 1 in 5 now say it’s a factor in their plans. While some of these points may cover holiday travel with friends and family, some are taking solo adventures: The share of this group saying the purpose of their upcoming trip is “to spend time on my own” has climbed 7 percentage points since July. Here are a few trends that show the consumer’s path to booking leisure and business travel. 

What’s Wine Worth?, The National Association of American Wineries

The wine industry will generate over $276 billion for the U.S. economy in 2022. The industry supports 1.84 million jobs and $22.8 billion in total taxes. The wine industry is a significant driver of tourism-driven expenses. America’s “wine country” regions will generate 49.18 million tourist visits and $16.69 billion in annual tourism expenditures, benefiting local economies and tax bases.


The social aspect of travel will be more important than ever next year, from the staff in our tourism businesses to local community relationships to how and with whom customers choose to travel. Multigenerational travel boomed in 2022, as travelers sought to regain precious moments with loved ones after two years of lost connections. Beyond recycling and reducing use of single-use plastics, the social, economic, and cultural impact of travel on destinations and communities are becoming equally important markers of engagement. 

5 Sustainable Travel Trends that will shape 2023, AAA in partnership with The Kind Traveler

Traveling responsibly is playing a vital role in shaping healthy communities and advancing environmental sustainability initiatives. Sustainable travel is paving the way for climate resilience initiatives, rebuilding healthy, self-sustaining communities and conservation efforts worldwide. Here are a few examples of global trends in sustainable travel that are elevating the travel and tourism sector by giving it an intentionally bigger purpose.  
 
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