Page last updated: 2 January 2025
San Diego, often called “America’s Finest City,” is known for its pleasant climate and diverse attractions including Balboa Park, the San Diego Zoo, and beautiful beaches.
How many tourists visit San Diego each year?
San Diego welcomed over 14.53 million visitors in 2023.
- In 2019, San Diego welcomed 17.52 million visitors. However, this number decreased to 12.27 million visitors in 2020 due to the pandemic, and visitor numbers fell again in 2021 to 6.44 million visitors. This indicated a 30% and 63% decrease compared to 2019.1
- In 2022, the number of visitors to San Diego made a remarkable turnaround, reaching 11.28 million, a 75% increase compared to 2021.
- This trend continued in 2023 when San Diego welcomed over 14.53 million visitors.
How many people visited San Diego in 2023?
- Over 14.53 million tourists visited San Diego in 2023, a 29% increase compared to the previous year, but still 17% less than 2019 (pre-pandemic).
How many people visited Arts and Museums in San Diego in 2023?
- Over 2.5 million tourists visited Arts and Museums in San Diego in 2023. This was a 20% increase compared to the previous year, but still 17% less than 2019.
How many people visited attractions in San Diego in 2023?
- 13.9 million tourists visited attractions such as zoos and parks in San Diego in 2023. This was a 1.4% increase over the previous year but still 8% less than 2019.
How much do people spend in San Diego each year?
Visitors to San Diego spent over $14.29 billion in 2023.
- San Diego generated approximately $11.61 billion in tourism expenditure in 2019. Due to the coronavirus pandemic in 2020, tourism spending decreased to $8.72 billion.
- In 2021, San Diego’s tourism spending dropped further to $5.18 billion. By 2022, tourism spending in San Diego increased to $10.95 billion. This was a 111% increase compared to the previous year but still 6% less than 2019 (pre-pandemic year).
- Tourists spent over $14.29 billion in San Diego in 2023.
How much did tourists spend in San Diego in 2023?
- Tourism expenditure reached $14.29 billion in 2023 surpassing the 2019 pre-pandemic tourism expenditure figure. This represented a 31% increase compared to the previous year and was 23% higher than 2019.
Where do visitors to San Diego come from?
- In 2023, international tourists to San Diego were mostly from Mexico (6.94 million visitors).
- Followed by Canada with 1.76 million, the United Kingdom with 751,000, and China with 492,000.
What were San Diego’s peak tourist months in 2023?
- July was the most visited month in San Diego in 2023, accounting for 14% or 1.99 million total visitors.
- Followed by March and April 2023, with 1.35 million visitors (9.2% of total visitors).
- August had 1.32 million visitors (9% of total visitors in 2023).
- June contributed 1.28 million visitors in 2023, accounting for 8.8% of the total visitors in 2023.
When is the best time to visit San Diego?
- The best time to visit San Diego is during Spring, March to May, and Fall, September to November.
- During these months, the weather is mild, crowds are smaller, and accommodations can be cheaper.
- Summer, June to August, is the peak season for tourism in San Diego. Due to its popularity, attractions are usually crowded and accommodations can be expensive.
San Diego Travel Resources
- Car rental prices in San Diego
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What are the top attractions in San Diego?
- Balboa Park is home to San Diego Zoo and 17 more museums, attracting 14 million visitors each year.
- San Diego Zoo, one of the largest zoos in the world with more than 3,700 animals, attracts over 4 million visitors annually.
- USS Midway Museum is one of the most visited museums in San Diego offering naval development history (1 million visitors each year).
- Gaslamp Quarter is a popular historic district in San Diego welcoming over 4 million visitors annually. It offers dining, shopping and a vibrant urban setting for tourists.
- Old Town State Park is a history site attracting over 3 million visitors each year showcasing the early Mexican and American history of San Diego.
California Travel Statistics Resources
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