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.”
  • 55 of the county’s 127 hotels report to STR.
  • The average from other destinations includes: Napa, Palm Springs, Monterey, South Lake Tahoe, Vallejo/Napa Valley, and San Luis Obispo.
  • For more information on how data is calculated due to hotel closures, please refer to this document.
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
As the travel and tourism sector continues to rebound from the devastating losses experienced during the height of the pandemic, economic headwinds continue to impede a full recovery to pre-pandemic levels. Amid shifting dynamics in the economy, consumers continue to keep their wallets open for travel and experiences. Now more than ever, Sonoma County Tourism continues to focus on rebuilding the sector through thoughtful sustainability and resiliency initiatives that attract responsible travelers who are most likely to connect their travel intentions with action. They over-index on forming deep connections with the local community; with a strong interest in localism, and authentic cultural experiences, their vacation is most likely characterized by volunteering, eco-tourism, attending performing arts festivals, and experiencing unique adventures. As a destination, Sonoma County couldn’t be better suited for promoting travel to these highly coveted travelers. 

Here are a few insights that are influencing travelers who are returning to a world profoundly changed:
Destination Analysts

Financial woes are currently the greatest deterrent to travel. American travelers indicate the top reasons are: gas is too expensive (47%), the general cost of travel is too expensive right now (39%), personal financial reasons (31%) and airfare is too expensive (27%). Additionally, the proportion of travelers who feel that the present is a good time to spend money on travel has dropped to 28%, the lowest level recorded so far this year.

Falling Gas Prices Boost Travel Outlook. Longwoods International
 
The recent decline in gas prices is a positive indicator for travel for the rest of the summer and into the fall. While 31% of travelers said gas prices would greatly impact their decision to travel in the next six months, that is down dramatically from the 43% of travelers who expressed the same sentiment just a month ago.
 
 
DMOs can play a critical role in catalyzing climate action by aligning tourism’s efforts with the climate ambitions of the wider community. They are poised to bring together public and private efforts to unlock destination-wide solutions, such as installing electric vehicle (EV) infrastructure or supporting small-medium enterprises that are developing streamlined processes for reducing greenhouse gas emissions across the supply chain. This represents a tremendous opportunity to unlock tourism climate action at scale.
 
 
To model a truly inclusive mindset, it is important to understand intersectional identities and promote greater accessibility, diversity, and highlight local culture & communities as a force for good. Overall, one billion people, or 15% of the world’s population, live with a disability, and they spend $95 billion on travel alone each year. However, only 1% of travel marketing is representative of disabled travelers. This demonstrates opportunities for travel marketers to feature accessibility and ensure travel experiences can accommodate people of all abilities.
 
 
Meetings and events volume in the U.S. increased 334 percent in June 2022 compared with June 2021. The top five growth markets for the month, in order, were Chicago, Boston, Los Angeles, Cleveland, and Salt Lake City. Corporate meetings dominated the growth, with technology, healthcare, and financial/banking sectors playing an active role in the growth of the meetings and events segment.
 
Update on Overseas Arrivals. U.S. Travel Association
 
Overseas arrivals improved slightly in June but remained 41% below 2019 levels. Several major gateway airports in California report international arrivals are progressing in surges, though not consistently. In terms of the rebound of international arrivals to California, the markets leading the way are Mexico, Canada, U.K., Spain, France, Germany, and India. According to Brand USA, travelers from these countries have also expressed greater likelihood of traveling internationally over the next 12-months. 
 
Best Practices for Short-Term Rentals. World Travel and Tourism Council
 
This brief study highlights best practices on how to manage short-term rentals by adopting smart policies and regulations that both promote tourism and support the local community. It also provides case studies that articulate how data sharing, registration, smart taxation, and other long-term community investment approaches can be used to manage and leverage tourism and short-term rentals to benefit all stakeholders. 
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