June 15 Reopening Will Enhance Tourism, However Full Pandemic Restoration Possible Years Away – NBC 7 San Diego

Travel to San Diego is on the rise, but restrictions on major events are one of the final hurdles in getting tourism numbers back to normal.

According to the airport authority, we had several days last month with 20,000 or more passengers checking the TSA checkpoints at the San Diego airport. Those numbers come from the worst days of the pandemic, but we still only have about half the normal traffic at this time of year. According to the tourism authority, a typical day sees between 35,000 and 45,000 passengers.

The San Diego Tourism Bureau noted that leisure travelers to the city currently primarily drive for leisure from locations in California and Arizona. Industry experts predict that after restrictions are eased on June 15, more business travelers could fly into San Diego.

“We’re waiting to see what happens to business travelers and also to meetings and convention attendees. So it’s getting better, little by little, and we’re increasingly optimistic that things are going better for San Diego,” said Kerri Kapich of the San Diego Tourism Authority.

While more travelers are good for the local economy, city guides want to make sure businesses and the city take precautions to ensure residents and visitors stay safe.

“Where we’re really lagging behind is the business travel part. What is the world like after the pandemic? Most people will continue to use Zoom and hold long-distance conferencing, but also because of business travel, large gatherings at our convention center often like are we sure? “said City Councilor Marni Von Wilpert from District 5.

The state recently released guidelines requiring a vaccination check or a negative COVID-19 test within 72 hours of attending an indoor event with more than 5,000 people. The same guidelines are strongly recommended for outdoor events with 10,000 or more attendees.

With the resumption of business travel, industry experts also hope that hotel occupancy will increase. According to the San Diego Tourism Authority, hotel occupancy in San Diego is currently around 60%, and the average hotel room costs around $ 120 a night. Typically, hotel occupancy in San Diego at this time of year is around 85% and an average room costs around $ 170.

In the short term, June 15 could signal a big wave in tourism that is sure to benefit San Diego’s local economy. However, the tourism authority estimates it could take four or five years for the tourism industry to fully recover from the pandemic.