Economic Impact of Tourism
Santa Ana Visitors Contributed $307.8 Million to the Local Economy in 2021
Santa Ana’s Travel Economy Grew by 84% Over 2020
Travel Santa Ana released statistics from the 2021 Visitor Impact report conducted specifically for Santa Ana by Dean Runyan Associates. In 2021, traveler expenditures for Santa Ana came to an estimated $307.8 million, an increase of 84% over 2020, however, down 28.5% to 2019. The travel industry contributed $22 million in local and state taxes.
“As devastating as the past two years have been for the travel and tourism industry, it is reassuring to see that Santa Ana’s travel economy improved significantly over 2020,” said Wendy Haase, President, Travel Santa Ana. “Moving forward, Travel Santa Ana’s marketing and sales initiatives will play a key role in further revitalizing the local tourism economy and increasing travel spend.”
The travel industry supported 2,220 Santa Ana jobs and was responsible for adding $100 million in wages to the local economy.
Santa Ana’s major visitor spending categories are as follows: food service $79.3 million, accommodations $67.3 million, $62.2 million in arts, entertainment, and recreation, $57.6 million in local transportation and gas, $28.5 million in retail sales, and $12.9 million in food stores.
Without these travel-generated tax receipts, resident households in Santa Ana would pay $278 more a year in state and local taxes.
These numbers are estimates from the Santa Ana Visitor Impact Report, Calendar Year 2021, a tourism economic impact study conducted by Dean Runyan Associates. Dean Runyan Associates also conducts the California Travel Impacts by County reports for Visit California. Click here to view full report.
