Toursity? People visit Iowa for fun?
Quad Cities Visitor Spending Increases, Surpasses Record Levels in 2023
October 25, 2024
Quad Cities, IL/IA (October 25, 2024) - Visitor spending in the Quad Cities has continued to grow in 2023 per Tourism Economics, bringing significant economic benefits to the region. Visitor spending and tourism provide positive benefits for local households, businesses, the hospitality industry, and the public sector. This increase is driven by overnight hotel stays, day trips, meetings, conventions, sporting events, and group tours. The Quad Cities saw a 5% year-over-year increase in total visitor spending, reaching
$1.37+ billion in 2023 and supporting
9,346 jobs in the region.
“Tourism continues to deliver results for our regional destination on many levels,” said Dave Herrell, President and CEO of Visit Quad Cities. “Visitor spending through non-resident revenues is vital for our region’s economic growth and prosperity as well as quality of life. Year-over-year growth in visitor spending and tax generation at both the local and state levels proves that destination sales, marketing, and promotion work for the Quad Cities. Our visitor economy and the jobs that are supported by tourism are critically important to our regional economy. However, as the market softens, continued investments in tourism promotion and destination marketing are essential to maintain this momentum.”
The Quad Cities’ total visitor spending increased by 5% in 2023, reaching a record level of
$1.3+ billion, with local tax generation growing to
$76.61+ million and state tax generation to
$85.62+ million. Rock Island County grew year-over-year in direct visitor spending by 7.2% beating the state average of 6.5%. Scott County realized an increase of 6.2% in direct visitor spending year-over-year against the state average of 5.1%.
While the Quad Cities realized positive year-over-year growth in visitor spending and tax generation, the travel and tourism industry nationwide and locally are expected to face challenges in the future. Visit Quad Cities along with experts from the U.S. Travel Association, Tourism Economics, CoStar as well as other industry leaders, are predicting that the domestic travel market is softening. To mitigate these potential impacts, continued investment in tourism marketing and promotion will be essential for sustaining growth and maintaining a competitive edge.
In 2021, Tourism Economics introduced a new methodology for reporting county-level tourism data. This updated approach offers a more detailed understanding of local economic impacts, including visitor spending, job creation, and tax revenue. Data for 2020 reflected a sharp decline in tourism due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but 2023 shows sustained growth as the industry rebounds. 2024 data will be released in fall 2025.