from staff
Visit Jacksonville reported Monday that in the midst of a recession and high unemployment, Duval County attracted 2.6 million overnight visitors in 2009, generating an economic impact of $1.5 billion.
The second annual Jacksonville Value of Tourism study focused on the economic impact and profile of the typical overnight Jacksonville visitor. The organization used Tampa-based Research Data Services Inc. for the year-long survey.
Overnight visitors, defined as those staying in commercial lodging, such as hotels, and those staying with friends and relatives, were responsible for $893.5 million in direct spending within the destination last year.
The combination of direct and indirect spending contributed to $1.5 billion in visitor spending at restaurants, attractions and activities, rental cars, park fees and related spending.
This spending supported 42,900 jobs in the county, or nearly 11 percent of the local workforce, and almost $67 million in total sales and local option tax revenues last year, the survey found.
Visit Jacksonville said that because of contributions to local taxes, visitors saved each Duval County household an estimated $173 in taxes for 2009.
“The downturn in the economy has significantly affected all industries and Jacksonville’s tourism industry has not been immune. While visits and visitor spending were down slightly from 2008 by approximately 6 percent, the reality is that many destinations have fared worse and we anticipated a larger decrease based on national trends,” said Mya Carter, Visit Jacksonville interim president and CEO.
She said Jacksonville’s tourism industry is poised for rebound and growth in 2010.
Hotels have already seen signs of regaining strength in 2010, with occupancy above 60 percent in both February and March, the first time since October 2008.
Visit Jacksonville provided a profile for a typical overnight visitor to Jacksonville in 2009:
• Average visitor age was 49 years old.
• The median annual household income was nearly $106,200.
• Eighty-three percent of travelers were in town for vacation or events or visiting friends or relatives, while 23 percent of visitors were in town for business purposes. The numbers exceed 100 percent because some visitors were here for both.
• The majority of visitors to the destination (36 percent) came from within the Southeast U.S. (other than Florida), followed by instate visitors (26 percent).
• The top five market cities with the largest number of visitors to the area were, in order, Atlanta, Orlando, Tampa/St. Petersburg, New York and Miami/Fort Lauderdale.
• Jacksonville visitors had a 92 percent satisfaction rate with the destination.
• Perceived as “excellent” were friendliness of residents; level of service; value for the dollar.