Happy National Travel and Tourism Week (NTTW)! This annual celebration of tourism created by the US Travel Association highlights travel's essential role in stimulating economic growth, creating vibrant communities, and fostering connections across the US. This year's theme is "TRAVEL. Powering the Economy, Connecting America." Scroll on to see five ways in which visitors to our region help connect the country by having a powerful impact on our local community! 

1. In 2022, the region saw over $2 billion in visitor spending!

Visitor spending is on the rise! The most recent data from Tourism Economics shows that visitor spending has grown to $2.4 billion in the Capital-Saratoga region. That's up by 26%, reaching 110% of 2019 levels. This spending includes food and beverage, lodging, retail and service stations, transportation, and recreation.

2. Albany County saw the highest amount of visitor spending in the region in 2022 

Albany County sits at the top of the list for visitor spending in the Capital-Saratoga region according to the most recent data from Travel Economics. The county made up 39% of the region's tourism sales in 2022 amassing to $959 million in direct tourism spending. 

3. Discover Albany's social media channels reach 3M impressions annually

Here at Discover Albany, we help promote tourism by showcasing our vibrant community, amazing attractions, and exciting events to visitors across various social media platforms. In 2023, we saw a total of 3,159,597 impressions across our platforms! 

4. Tourism-related jobs have held significant impact in the Albany County community

 

From hotel professionals to airline pilots, tourism-related jobs are taking off in Albany County and the surrounding region. The latest data from Travel Economics shows that in 2022, tourism-related employment grew to 33,098 jobs in the Capital-Saratoga region. The highest number of tourism-related jobs were found in Albany County, totaling 12,870. Labor income supported by tourism was the most significant in the county reaching a total of $523 million. 

5. Travelers spend the most on food & beverage and lodging 

Tourism continues to have a significant economic impact for our local restaurants, beverage establishments, and hotels. According to Travel Economics, in 2022, food & beverage made up 37% of visitor spending in the region while lodging made up 25%. Retail and service stations came in third place, still generating a significant amount of economic activity. The sector made up 17% of visitor spend in 2022, totaling $405 million. 

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