Economic Impact of Tourism
SANTA ANA VISITORS CONTRIBUTED $404.5 MILLION TO THE LOCAL ECONOMY IN 2025
Travel Spending in Santa Ana Increased 2.6% Year-Over-Year
Santa Ana, Calif. – Travel Santa Ana released findings from the 2025 Economic Impact of Travel report, conducted by Dean Runyan Associates. The report shows that visitor spending reached $404.5 million in 2025, a 2.6% increase over 2024, reflecting continued growth in Santa Ana’s tourism economy.
Santa Ana welcomed approximately 914,800 overnight visitors in 2025, a 0.9% increase from the previous year, contributing to the city’s steady economic gains.
The travel industry generated $28.1 million in state and local taxes, including $13.8 million in local tax revenue, helping fund essential city services and infrastructure.
Without these travel-generated tax receipts, resident households in Santa Ana would pay approximately $170 more per year in local taxes.
“Santa Ana continues to be a vibrant and welcoming destination, and these numbers show the real impact visitors have on our community,” said Wendy Haase-Roberts, President & CEO of Travel Santa Ana. “Tourism supports local businesses, enhances our cultural offerings, and helps fund the services that benefit residents every day.”
The travel industry supported approximately 2,930 jobs in Santa Ana in 2025, a 5.5% decrease compared to 2024, and generated $137.7 million in direct earnings, a 7.2% decrease year-over-year. The decline, not exclusive to Santa Ana, is based on county-level data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, which reported softening employment in the accommodations and food service sectors across Orange County between 2024 and 2025.
Visitor spending in Santa Ana continued to be led by key sectors, including:
- Food service: $114.2 million
- Accommodations: $97.4 million
- Arts, entertainment & recreation: $81.0 million
- Local transportation & gas: $59.3 million
- Retail sales: $35.4 million
- Food stores: $17.1 million
These figures underscore Santa Ana’s diverse tourism economy, driven by its culinary scene, diverse arts and entertainment, and central location in Orange County.
Tourism continues to play a vital role not only locally but across the region and state. In Orange County, visitor spending reached $15.4 billion in 2025, a 3.3% increase over 2024, supporting more than 134,500 jobs, a 0.7% decrease from 2024, and generating approximately $1.4 billion in state and local tax revenue, also up 3.3% year-over-year.
Statewide, travel spending grew to $158.9 billion in 2025, a 1.7% increase from 2024, supporting 1.17 million jobs, a 0.4% increase, and generating $13.6 billion in state and local tax revenue, a 3.6% increase year-over-year.
These figures underscore the continued strength of California’s travel industry and its essential role in supporting jobs, local businesses, and public services throughout the state.
The 2025 report reflects preliminary estimates from Dean Runyan Associates, a leading research firm that also produces the California Travel Impacts by County reports for Visit California.
