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2024 visitor research: Scottsdale saw 10 million trips and $2 billion in local spending, overnight guests drive most spending
Summary
Longwoods International told the Tourism Development Commission that Scottsdale recorded about 10,000,000 trips in 2024 (up 2.4% from 2023), with overnight visitors—49% of trips—accounting for roughly 80% of $2 billion in in‑city visitor spending; average overnight party size was 2.9 and per-person per-day spend was about $76.
Kelsi of Longwoods International presented the 2024 'return to sample' Travel USA research to the Scottsdale Tourism Development Commission on Aug. 19, reporting roughly 10,000,000 trips to Scottsdale in 2024, a 2.4% increase from 2023. The study found that 51% of trips were day trips and 49% were overnight visits, with overnight visitors accounting for about 80% of the estimated $2,000,000,000 spent within the city during their stays.
Kelsi said overnight visitors spend considerably more per visit; Longwoods reported a per-person, per-day in‑city spend of about $76 for overnight guests. The typical overnight travel party was 2.9 people. The most commonly cited single reason for choosing Scottsdale was a marketable leisure trip; 35% said they were visiting friends and relatives, a share slightly below the Arizona and U.S. norms, Longwoods noted.
The research reported planning behavior and trip origins: 46% of overnight visitors planned their trip within two months, while only 8% said they made no advance plans. Some 27% of respondents used the Experience Scottsdale website to plan their trip before or during travel. Longwoods also identified top origin markets for out‑of‑state visitors, led by California (about 19%), followed by New York, Texas and Colorado; overall, roughly 80% of visitors were from out of state. More than half of visitors flew into Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport; 55% of respondents said they used that airport.
On accommodations, Longwoods reported that paid lodging remained dominant: hotels (39%), resorts (16%) and motels (12%); about 15% stayed in short‑term rentals (presenter said the survey will disaggregate that category more clearly next year). Nearly 15% of overnight visitors stayed with friends or relatives, and about 9% used campgrounds or RV parks.
Kelsi said entertainment activities were the most frequent visitor behavior, with nearly 70% of visitors participating in some form of entertainment during their stay; spring training attendance increased by four to five percentage points versus 2023. Longwoods emphasized the economic benefit of encouraging visitors to add an extra night of stay; the two‑night bucket grew year over year.
Commissioners asked how short‑term rentals were classified; Kelsi said current survey options conflate some paid accommodations but Longwoods plans to refine categories next year so short‑term rentals are clearly identified. Commissioners also asked about the relationship between social or digital marketing impressions and hotel bookings; Longwoods said paid‑ad analytics and onsite survey work provide directional evidence of conversion and higher attendance periods but did not present a direct, name‑level booking attribution.
The presentation and full return‑to‑sample report were offered to the commission for follow‑up. Kelsi said more granular data and additional slides are available on request.
