Visit Temecula Valley presents $1.137 billion tourism impact, eyes drive‑market recovery
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Summary
Visit Temecula Valley told the City Council that tourism generated $1.137 billion in spending in 2024, supports about 9,570 jobs and produced roughly $52.3 million in tax revenue; the destination marketing organization said it is shifting focus to drive markets, events and 'bleisure' travelers to sustain growth.
Scott Wilson, president and CEO of Visit Temecula Valley, told the City Council on Nov. 18 that the organization recorded $1,137,000,000 in visitor spending in 2024 and employs about 9,570 people in the tourism sector.
"So last year in 2024 was a record year for Temecula tourism," Wilson said as he outlined the group's four funding sources: a Temecula occupancy tax allocation (TID), a 2% short‑term rental/hotel TMD in wine country, an annual donation from Pechanga Resort and Casino, and a city‑paid brochure contract.
Wilson said arts, entertainment and recreation, restaurants and accommodations accounted for the largest shares of visitor spending. He also noted regional and statewide context, citing a 3% year‑over‑year rise in California tourism and a mixed pattern in the Inland Empire and Riverside County.
The presentation flagged headwinds affecting international visitation — including trade policy and air service constraints — but said Temecula is performing ahead of national and state averages in hotel occupancy. To bolster demand, Wilson recommended event‑driven strategies and marketing aimed at the nearby 22 million people in the Los Angeles drive market. He emphasized leveraging leisure events (citing Europa Village as an example), improving tourism infrastructure and promoting "bleisure" travel (combining business and leisure stays) to extend visitor nights.
Council members asked for clarification about the report's use of "residents" in some metrics; Wilson said the data refer to the broader Temecula Valley region (including nearby communities such as Menifee and Murrieta), not only Temecula city limits.
Visit Temecula Valley also previewed a new "extend your stay" ad campaign, social media video assets and an updated website, visittemeculavalley.com, intended to raise awareness of Old Town and wine‑country amenities. Wilson said the DMO has shifted resources away from some international markets toward drive‑market promotion for the balance of the year.
