Savannah Chamber

44 Savannah Area Chamber of Commerce 2018 Economic Trends 20 Industry: Tourism Savannah exudes a beauty and charm that few, if any, destinations can match. Savannah's tourism and hospitality industry continues to be one of the largest economic drivers of Savannah. Travel to Savannah remains strong and the city enjoys visitors from all over the world. Recently, the city was ranked in the "Top 10 Cities in the US and Canada" (#3) Travel & Leisure Magazine. The Savannah tourism sector continued to grow in 2016 with total overnight person-stays increasing from 7.8 million in 2015 to 7.9 million. In 2016, over 13.9 million visitors came to Savannah including 7.9 million overnight visitors and 6 million day-trippers. The demand for rooms increased 3% in 2016. Visitor spending increased by 4.5% to approximately $2.8 billion. In 2016, room tax revenue climbed to $24.4 million, setting another record high. Tourism's Impact on Savannah/Chatham County 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 Number of Lodging Rooms (1) 14,848 14,743 14,983 15,009 15,394 Person-Stays (Overnight) (2) 7.0 Million 7.3 Million 7.6 Million 7.8 Million 7.9 Million Room Night Demand (1) 3.3 Million 3.4 Million 3.6 Million 3.7 Million 3.7 Million Direct Spending (2) $2.1 Billion $2.3 Billion $2.5 Billion $2.7 Billion $2.8 Billion Room Tax Revenue (3) $17.1Million $17.9 Million $20.7 Million $23.2 Million $24.4 Million Sources: Visit Savannah 1 Smith Travel Research – Chatham County 2 Longwoods International 3 City of Savannah/Chatham County/Tybee Island Savannah's tourists enjoy year-round activities. Although the busiest months in terms of visitation are April, May, and June, tourism activity is spread fairly evenly across the year. For overnight visitors, the mix is 89% leisure travel and 11% business and business-leisure. Over-night visitors stay approximately 2.5 nights in Savannah. Savannah excels in special interest tourism activities and continues to be an exciting destination. Savannah's distinctive qualities allow the city to stand out in the crowd. In top interest categories for overnight visitors, Savannah remains far ahead of typical national levels. Sources: Longwoods Travel USA 2016 Visitor Final Report, via VisitSavannah. 0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35% 40% 45% Historic Places Cultural Activites/Attraction Exceptional Culinary Experiences Special Interest Tourism Activities: Savannah vs US US Norm Savannah Recreation, 11% Transport, 9% Lodging, 43% Retail, 14% Restaurant Food & Beverages, 23% Total Overnight Spending by Sector

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