FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
TRUCKEE, Calif. – June 21, 2018 – Tourism was instrumental to Nevada County’s financial success in 2017, with visitor spending reaching $343.7 million (up five percent from 2016), according to the Dean Runyan Associates report released last month by Visit California. The Nevada County tourism industry supported 3,670 jobs (six percent increase from 2016) and generated $12.5 million in local tax revenue last year (up 11 percent as compared to 2016).
Statewide, visitors spent a record $132.4 billion in 2017. The tourism industry provided more than 1.1 million jobs for Californians. State and local tax revenue generated by tourism reached $10.9 billion, providing communities like Truckee with the resources to thrive with the help of a Truckee Tourism Business Improvement District (TTBID) assessment fee on lodging. A two percent assessment is charged to all short-term rentals, hotels and property management companies in Truckee, with funds used primarily to drive visitation during shoulder seasons. TTBID now manages a dedicated fund to competitively market Truckee as a year-round destination.
“We’ve seen a steady increase in tourism in Truckee over the past several years, and intend to continue supporting the local businesses and events that attract visitors to our vibrant mountain town in the shoulder seasons,” said Colleen Dalton, brand marketing director, Truckee Tourism Business Improvement District and the Truckee Chamber of Commerce. “As direct flights continue to grow at nearby international airports including Reno and Sacramento, we look forward to introducing people from all over the world to come and stay longer for the incredible year-round experiences in Truckee, California.”
“Tourism brings economic prosperity to every region in California,” said Caroline Beteta, Visit California president and CEO. “The money visitors spend creates hundreds of thousands of jobs for Californians and generates billions of dollars of tax revenue to fund vital local services.”
Last year was the eighth consecutive year of tourism growth a the state level, a testament to the success of the industry’s innovative strategies designed to maintain California’s market share of visitors. In 2017, six out of every 10 dollars of visitor spending were attributable to out-of-state residents. Tax revenue such as TOT (tourism occupancy tax) generated by visitor spending is a vital source of income for the Town of Truckee, funding local services such roadways, scenic paved paths and transportation.
The Truckee Chamber of Commerce and the Truckee Tourism Business Improvement District (TTBID) work collaboratively to raise awareness of Truckee as a vibrant year-round destination; driving visitors to lodging, local businesses, and special events. The steady growth of tourism allows local businesses to offer more stable full- and part-time work to those living and working in the Truckee community, resulting in a more consistent experience for all of its customers.
As international competition continues to grow, Visit California’s statewide marketing efforts allow Truckee to expand its reach and keep pace with other destinations. Last year, Visit California invested in 13 international markets to attract visitors from around the world, who typically spend more and stay longer than their domestic counterparts. Once visitors decide to travel to California, local tourism marketing efforts motivate them to visit the region’s unique attractions and destinations. To raise money to fund marketing initiatives and encourage tourism, Truckee is one of 101 Tourism Improvement Districts (TID) in the state, spanning 39 counties according to Civitas, a Sacramento-based organization that helps business improvement districts achieve prosperity.
“More than 170 tourism improvement districts are at work marketing and selling their destination as a premier travel and tourism destination for leisure, group, and business travel,” said Nichole Farley, account manager at Civitas Advisors. “Their combined marketing spending is over 380 million dollars.”
According to Beteta: “Without tourism, every California household would need to pay an additional $820 in taxes each year to keep the state-funded at its current levels. Given how much tourism contributes to our economy, it is in our shared best interest to keep California a top global destination.”
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About Truckee Tourism Business Improvement District
The Truckee Tourism Business Improvement District (TTBID) is a benefit assessment district that helps fund marketing and sales promotion efforts to improve tourism. TTBID has the specific benefit of generating additional room night sales during shoulder seasons. The TTBID Committee works with a two percent assessment on all short-term rentals, hotels and property management companies in Truckee, which is collected by the property owner or manager in addition to the Transient Occupancy Tax (TOT). Amounts are remitted to the Town of Truckee, and the TTBID Committee, overseen by the Truckee Chamber of Commerce, is responsible for determining its use in accordance with its enabling District Management Plan. Learn more at http://www.truckee.com/category/truckee-tourism-improvement-district-ttbid/.
About Visit California
Visit California is a nonprofit organization with a mission to develop marketing programs – in partnership with the state’s travel industry – that inspire travel to California. Travelers spent $132.4 billion in 2017 in California, providing more than 1.1 million California jobs and $10.9 billion in state and local tax revenue. For more information about Visit California and for a free California Official State Visitor's Guide, go to www.visitcalifornia.com. For story ideas, media information, downloadable images, video and more, go to media.visitcalifornia.com.
Media Contacts:
Molly Okumura, Visit California
916-233-0277 or mokumura@visitcalifornia.com
Colleen Dalton, Truckee Tourism Business Improvement District, Truckee Chamber of Commerce
530-412-7090 or colleen@truckee.com
Jessica Weaver, JVP Communications for the Truckee Tourism Business Improvement District
530-448-6981 or jessica@jvpcommunications.com