Assembly Concurrent Resolution
No. 72
CHAPTER 98
Relative to California Tourism Month.
[
Filed with
Secretary of State
June 19, 2023.
]
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
ACR 72, Wallis.
California Tourism Month.
This measure would proclaim the month of May 2023 as California Tourism Month and would urge the citizens of this great state to support tourism and local businesses by traveling in the state as an act of civic pride.
Digest Key
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 $135,000,000,000 in visitor spending in 2022; and
WHEREAS, Travel has been the foundation of a healthy workforce, serving as one of the largest private-sector employers in California, supporting 1,100,000 jobs in 2022; and
WHEREAS, Spending by travelers benefits all Californians, generating $12,000,000,000 in state and local tax revenue in 2022 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’s tourism industry’s resilience has brought the economic impact of travel more than 90 percent back to prepandemic levels; and
WHEREAS, The Legislature and Governor Gavin Newsom had the wisdom and foresight to provide $95,000,000 in stimulus marketing funding to help jump-start tourism recovery; and
WHEREAS, The $95,000,000 in stimulus funding produced $37,300,000,000 in advertisement-influenced visitor spending; and
WHEREAS, California’s iconic tourism gateway locations, including the Cities of Los Angeles and San Francisco, the County of Orange, and the City of San Diego, have been hit particularly hard 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 Legislature in 2016 declared every May as California Tourism Month to celebrate the positive economic impact of tourism in California; now, therefore, be it
Resolved by the Assembly of the State of California, the Senate thereof concurring, That the month of May 2023 shall be reaffirmed as California Tourism Month and the Legislature urges the citizens of this great state to support tourism and local businesses by traveling in the 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.