Nearly 200 hospitality leaders, city officials and industry partners gathered at the Jonathan Club on Thursday for the 16th annual Santa Monica Travel & Tourism Summit, where speakers highlighted a year of economic resilience while acknowledging the mounting challenges facing the city’s visitor economy.
Santa Monica Mayor Lana Negrete opened the event by reaffirming the city’s support for tourism, which she called “the lifeblood of our community.” Visit California CEO Caroline Beteta followed with a keynote that stressed the need to adapt, saying California’s tourism sector is in a “reset” phase and must work harder to maintain its global market share.
“California tourism is a cornerstone of what is now the world’s fourth-largest economy,” Beteta said, adding, “Santa Monica is an iconic experience that draws visitors from around the globe.”
According to Santa Monica Travel & Tourism’s (SMTT) annual economic impact report, the city welcomed 4.2 million visitors in 2024. Visitor spending totaled $916.6 million, generating $62.7 million in transient occupancy taxes that feed into the city’s general fund. Hotel guests made up only 13 percent of total visitors, but accounted for more than three-quarters of all visitor spending.
Tourism supported 6,487 local jobs last year, and several new retail and hospitality businesses opened, including the Regent Santa Monica Beach, Google Store Santa Monica, Din Tai Fung, Outlandish and SELINE on Main Street. SMTT President and CEO Misti Kerns described the growth as “a sign of confidence in Santa Monica’s future.”
“The travel industry and the people behind it are a cornerstone of our national, state and local economies,” Kerns said. “As our industry faces continued hurdles, I am encouraged by our community’s strength to adapt.”
Despite the upbeat figures, Beteta warned that international visitation is projected to decline by more than 9 percent this year, driven largely by shrinking demand from Canada and Mexico. In response, Visit California partnered with Expedia on a targeted campaign, offering travel packages in conjunction with more than a dozen Santa Monica hotels. Early performance data showed strong engagement, particularly from Canadians.
“The California brand is strong,” Beteta said. “But we have to continue to earn our place.”
Santa Monica’s emergency services were honored with this year’s Jeff King Tourism Champion Award for their response during the January wildfires. Deputy Fire Chief Tom Clemo accepted the award alongside Emergency Operations Coordinator Lindsay Call and members of the Santa Monica Police and Fire Departments. Although the fires never reached city limits, Clemo said local teams mobilized quickly to house evacuees and coordinate logistics across the region.
“There was incredible collaboration,” Clemo said. “And that’s what you want when disaster strikes.”
Tourism consultant Lauren Schlau presented a market analysis that showed while domestic visitation fell in 2024, international tourism surged by 67 percent and now represents 44 percent of total visitors. That group contributed 51 percent of all visitor spending. Hotel occupancy rose slightly to 75 percent, with average nightly rates hovering around $331.
“Hotel guests continue to drive the bulk of the city’s tourism revenue,” Schlau said. “They stay longer, spend more and support our local economy in ways day visitors typically do not.”
Transient occupancy taxes generated nearly $63 million for the city in 2024, helping fund public services including emergency response, park maintenance and homeless support programs. Schlau said the economic outlook is mixed heading into 2025, with global instability, visa delays and increased outbound US travel creating uncertainty. However, she pointed to new hotel developments and retail expansion as signs of confidence in the local market.
Executive chef Vittorio Lucarelli of Shutters on the Beach received the Thelma Parks Spirit Award for his work feeding evacuees and first responders during the wildfires and his continued community service. “It was something that came from my heart,” Lucarelli said. His award included a $1,000 scholarship and a Santa Monica staycation package provided by SMTT and the Santa Monica Chamber of Commerce.
The Jeff King Tourism Champion Award was presented to Police Chief Ramon Batista, Emergency Operations Coordinator Lindsay Call and Deputy Fire Chief Tom Clemo in recognition of their leadership and coordination efforts during January’s wildfire evacuations.
US Travel Association CEO Geoff Freeman, speaking via pre-recorded video, reported a 14 percent decline in international arrivals to the United States in March, followed by an 8 percent rebound in April. He called on federal leaders to improve visa processing and border procedures to support recovery.
The summit concluded with a California-focused panel featuring leaders from the state’s restaurant, retail and hospitality sectors. Panelists included Rachel Michelin of the California Retailers Association, Jot Condie of the California Restaurant Association and Lynn Mohrfeld of the California Hotel & Lodging Association. Speakers addressed consumer uncertainty, ongoing labor shortages and the need to reimagine the guest experience in an increasingly competitive landscape.
SMTT also unveiled new priorities from its 10-year Experience Management Plan, including the formation of two new committees focused on Route 66-themed marketing and year-round community engagement. Kerns urged local businesses and residents to get involved and shape the future of tourism in Santa Monica.
scott.snowden@smdp.com