Here at Visit Arroyo Grande, our goal is to highlight our community as a fun, family-friendly, fabulous getaway destination to all the would-be visitors out there. With a town as awesome as ours, it’s a pretty cool job – obviously! But aside from all the fun we get to have talking up our area events, fascinating history, unique attractions and wonderful local businesses, we also know that tourism is a critical part of our community’s economic well-being.
In the month of May, we celebrate National Travel & Tourism Week, which has us thinking about the role visitors play in our community. We wanted to share some of this information with you so you can join us in celebrating all that travel affords us.
How Does Arroyo Grande Promote Tourism?
In A.G., as in many California communities, we have a special group set up called the Arroyo Grande Tourism Business Improvement District. You might hear us referred to at local government meetings as “the T-BID.” That’s us here at Visit Arroyo Grande! We have the explicit job of marketing our destination to outsiders and attracting folks to come stay in our hotels.
We have a plan in motion to reach travelers whose interests and behaviors align with the genuine experiences found in our area. These travelers are ready to discover the magic of Arroyo Grande—a town differentiated by its charming atmosphere, striking scenery and access to some of the Central Coast’s most sought-after experiences.
Where Do Our Visitors Come From?
Travelers to Arroyo Grande join us from all over the world, many to visit family and friends who are lucky enough to live here on the Central Coast, and many just to enjoy the bounty of fun our region has to offer or to attend an area event like a film festival or winery shindig.
Why Does Tourism Matter in SLO County?
Why do we want tourists to come to Arroyo Grande? There are some intangible benefits, but to be frank, tourists drive our economy. Take a look at this infographic breaking down the economic effects that tourism brings to San Luis Obispo County, compiled from our countywide tourism partner, SLO CAL.
Travel spending in one year in our county accounted for $1.78 billion. County tax revenue totalled $104 million that year. And if state and local tourism tax revenue were erased, each household in our county would pay an additional $16,753 in taxes to make up the difference.
These economic factors are truly the main reason tourism matters to our community, but they’re not the only reason. We also truly believe in the inherent value of travel for cultural awareness, education and rejuvenation, and we know that our community has so much to offer. Promoting tourism also helps our community’s reputation on a statewide and national level. At Visit Arroyo Grande, we are also working to make travel more sustainable on an environmental scale.
We hope you’ve enjoyed learning more about why we care so much about bringing visitors to town! Ultimately, it has to do with helping the folks who live here thrive and grow. Thank you to those who visit our community. We hope to welcome you soon. Plan your next stay today!
