Assembly Concurrent Resolution No. 174
CHAPTER 85

Relative to California Tourism Month.

[ Filed with Secretary of State  June 17, 2022. ]

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


ACR 174, Boerner Horvath. California Tourism Month.
This measure would proclaim the month of May 2022 as California Tourism Month and would urge the citizens of this great state to support tourism and local businesses by traveling in state as an act of civic pride.
Fiscal Committee: NO  
WHEREAS, Tourism has been a consistent driver of California’s economy and workforce; and
WHEREAS, A robust travel industry provides significant economic benefits for California, generating more than $144 billion dollars in visitor spending in 2019; and
WHEREAS, Travel has been the foundation of a healthy workforce, serving as one of the largest private-sector employers in California, supporting 1.2 million jobs in 2019; and
WHEREAS, Spending by travelers benefits all Californians, generating $12.2 billion dollars in state and local tax revenue in 2019 to support essential public services and programs; and
WHEREAS, Travel and tourism-dependent businesses and organizations, 83 percent of which are small businesses, are responsible for welcoming visitors from all around the world to explore California and all our state has to offer; and
WHEREAS, The COVID-19 pandemic devastated every sector of the travel industry with staggering economic impacts, affecting every community in California; and
WHEREAS, California lost $79.8 billion dollars in visitor spending in 2020, a 55-percent decline from the previous year, and lost $6.1 billion dollars in tax revenues, a 50-percent drop; and
WHEREAS, Nearly one million Californians working in travel and hospitality lost their jobs in the first month of the pandemic, and the employment sector remains by far the hardest hit in California; and
WHEREAS, The tourism sector began its recovery in 2021 but remains well short of 2019 levels in employment, visitor spending, and taxes generated; and
WHEREAS, California’s iconic tourism gateway cities—Los Angeles, San Diego, San Francisco, and cities within the County of Orange—have been particularly hard hit with the downturn in international visitors and convention business; and
WHEREAS, The travel industry cannot fully recover without the full return of leisure and business travel, as well as meetings and events, by both domestic and international visitors; and
WHEREAS, The rebound of travel will drive the rebuilding of California’s economy and workforce; and
WHEREAS, The California Legislature in 2016 declared every May as California Tourism Month to celebrate the positive economic impact of the tourism in California; and
WHEREAS, Californians can help put their fellow Californians back to work and support the recovery of local businesses by traveling in California; now, therefore, be it
Resolved by the Senate of the State of California, the Assembly thereof concurring, That the Legislature proclaims the month of May 2022 as California Tourism Month, and urges the citizens of this great state to support tourism and local businesses by traveling in state as an act of civic pride; and be it further
Resolved, That the Chief Clerk of the Assembly transmit copies of this resolution to the author for appropriate distribution.