Research & Insights: Tourism in Sonoma County

• 10.3 million visitors came to Sonoma County in 2022 (+4% over 2021 levels)
• Of these, 54% (5.5 million) are day visitors and 46% (4.8 million) are overnight visitors (Source: Longwoods International)
• In 2022, Sonoma County experienced a marked recovery in visitor spending. Visitors spent $2.299 billion in Sonoma County in 2022, an increase of 18.7% over 2021, which also outpaced the 2019 pre-pandemic spending total by 2.7% (Source: Dean Runyan Associates 2022)
• Tourism and hospitality have always been important industries for Sonoma County’s workforce. 2022 saw a gain of 20.1% in travel sector jobs. Hospitality industry employment in 2022 was 21,150 (10% of the overall workforce) and recovered to 94% of 2019 employment levels. (Source: Dean Runyan Associates)

State and local government revenue generated by the local Sonoma County tourism industry ($217 million in 2023) is used to help support regional parks, economic development, arts and culture, education, roads, public safety, education, affordable housing and workforce development among other community programs. (source: Visit California / Dean Runyan and Associates.

View data for Sonoma County: "California Travel Impacts by County - Sonoma"

View summary data for Sonoma County 2019-2023

Information from Visit California / Dean Runyan and Associates.
View full report: "California Travel Impacts " for 2023.

• In 2023, travel spending grew to $150 billion, a 5.6% increase from the prior year.
• The travel industry gained an additional 64,900 jobs in 2023, a 5.9% increase from the prior year.
• Travel-generated state and local tax revenue increased by 3.7% from the prior year.

The Sonoma County Economic Development Board produces an excellent report on Transient Occupancy Tax, including where each government entity invests that money: Sonoma County TOT Reports.

• Cloverdale – 10 percent
• Healdsburg – 12 percent
• Petaluma – 10 percent
• Rohnert Park – 12 percent
• Santa Rosa – 11 percent
• Sebastopol – 12 percent
• Sonoma – 12 percent
• Windsor – 12 percent
• Unincorporated County – 12 percent

• 40% of SCT’s partner businesses are family and woman-owned businesses, and 47% of these organizations have operated in Sonoma County for over 20 years.
• 74% percent of Sonoma County tourism businesses are small (fewer than 25 employees).
• Approximately 5% of SCT partner businesses are LGBTQ+ owned, 5% Asian owned, 3% Hispanic owned, 2% Veteran owned, and 1% Indigenous owned.

*Sonoma County Tourism 2023 Partner Survey

• Annual Tourism Report 2023
• Charles M. Schulz Sonoma County Airport Passenger Numbers
• County of Sonoma Economic Development Board
• EDB Quarterly TOT Reports
• Sonoma County – Industry Profiles (From County of Sonoma EDB) 
• Sonoma County – City Profiles
• U.S. Travel Association
• Visit California's Plans
• Visit California – Industry Research
• Future Partners Insights