HomeCalChamber
CalChamber

Visit California CEO Explains Why Travel Matters to Everyone

By CalChamber
Caroline Beteta
Caroline Beteta, president and CEO of Visit California, presents an update on the status of the tourism industry at the CalChamber Board of Directors dinner on December 12 in Monterey. Travel matters to people outside the industry, she says, for three reasons: First, because it is a vital part of the state’s economic engine. The transient occupancy tax generates enough revenue so that Californians pay $1,900 less per year in taxes. Second, destination promotion drives business/economic development because site selection specialists are influenced by where they travel for leisure. Third, tourism is a service export. International visitors spend $28 billion a year in California; they are served by the hospitality industry and then go home. She reports that the industry has recovered from the pandemic-forced shutdown. Visitor spending is at $150 billion per year, generating $12.7 billion in tax revenue and 1 million good jobs.
Post Views: 892
Previous article
Hong Kong Business Associations Elect Margaret Wong as Chairman
Next article
Social Narratives, Reality, Economic Data and How They Mesh with Election Results
CalChamber
CalChamber
The California Chamber of Commerce is the largest, broad-based business advocate to government in California, working at the state and federal levels to influence government actions affecting all California business. As a not-for-profit, we leverage our front-line knowledge of laws and regulations to provide affordable and easy-to-use compliance products and services.

Related Articles

Initiative Reaches Key Signature Threshold Early

CalChamber -
Last week, the Building an Affordable California Act campaign notified the California Secretary of State that it has surpassed the 25% signature threshold required to qualify the measure for the November 2026 ballot —...

Visitor Screening Proposal Could Hurt Tourism, CalChamber Warns

Susanne T. Stirling -
Sweeping changes to the screening requirements for visitors to the United States from certain countries could have a chilling effect on travel and communities that rely on tourism spending, the California Chamber of Commerce...

Barrera: California Needs ‘Thoughtful’ Regulation of AI

CalChamber -
California lawmakers should carefully balance efforts to regulate the state’s growing AI industry with ways to support its sweeping potential for economic growth, CalChamber’s top-ranking official told a standing-room-only audience in Sacramento gathered to...

Popular

CalChamber Sites

Contact Us

Stay Connected

© 2026 California Chamber of Commerce. Terms of Use, About Our Ads and Privacy Policy