News Summary
Cleveland set a new record with direct visitor spending reaching $6.9 billion, marking a 4% increase from the previous year. The tourism sector supported over 70,200 local jobs and generated significant tax revenue. Although visitor numbers are still below pre-pandemic levels, efforts are underway to enhance the city’s appeal as a destination. Investments totaling nearly $5 billion along the waterfront are expected to improve amenities and infrastructure to attract more visitors.
Cleveland has set a remarkable new record for direct visitor spending in 2024, totaling $6.9 billion. This figure represents a 4% increase from the previous year, surpassing the inflation rate by 1.3%. The substantial spending was driven by 18.6 million leisure and business visits to Cuyahoga County during the year, representing a 1.5% increase in total visitor count compared to 2023.
The overall economic impact from travel and tourism in Cuyahoga County reached $11.4 billion in 2024, with visitors generating $1.6 billion in tax revenue. This tax revenue equates to approximately $1,460 in tax savings for every household in the county. The tourism sector also supported around 70,200 local jobs, with employment income for these positions totaling $3.8 billion, reflecting a 3.8% increase from the previous year.
Notably, there was a significant surge in business travel, which grew by 7% in 2024 and contributed greatly to the overall increase in visitation. Over 300 meetings and conventions held in Cleveland attracted more than 208,000 attendees. Business travelers typically tend to spend more, especially when it comes to overnight accommodations. Statistically, day visitors constituted 58% of total visits, while overnight visitors made up the remaining 42%. Both day visits and overnight stays saw increases, with day visits rising 1.4% and overnight stays increasing 1.7%.
While the visitor figures in Cleveland have shown growth, they are still below the pre-pandemic peak of 19.6 million visitors in 2019. There is a noted decline in international visits, particularly from Canadian tourists, which has raised concerns among local officials. To address this, efforts are being made to enhance Cleveland’s appeal as a destination for visitors, residents, and businesses, establishing a foundation for sustainable economic growth.
Investments totaling nearly $5 billion are planned or currently underway along Cleveland’s waterfronts to improve infrastructure and amenities, which are expected to enhance the overall visitor experience. Destination Cleveland is actively working to bolster the city’s reputation as a popular destination, aiming to attract even more visitors in the future.
In summary, Cleveland’s tourism landscape experienced significant growth in 2024, marked notably by increased business travel and substantial economic contributions from the visitor sector. While the city still aims to regain pre-pandemic visitation numbers, ongoing investments and efforts to draw both local and international visitors show promise for the future.
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Additional Resources
- Cleveland.com: Cleveland tourism
- News 5 Cleveland: Visitor spending
- Travel and Tour World: Tourism growth
- Crain’s Cleveland: Tourism generated revenue
- Travel and Tour World: Cleveland tourism growth
- Wikipedia: Tourism in the United States
- Google Search: Cleveland tourism
- Google Scholar: Cleveland tourism
- Encyclopedia Britannica: Cleveland
- Google News: Cleveland tourism
Author: STAFF HERE CLEVELAND WRITER
CLEVELAND STAFF WRITER The CLEVELAND STAFF WRITER represents the seasoned team at HERECleveland.com, your premier source for actionable local news and information in Cleveland, Cuyahoga County, and beyond, delivering "news you can use" with in-depth coverage of product reviews for personal and business needs, local business directories, politics, real estate trends, neighborhood insights, and state news impacting the region—backed by years of expert reporting and robust community input, including local press releases and business updates, while providing top reporting on high-profile events like the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductions, Cleveland International Film Festival, and holiday parades, alongside key organizations such as the Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland Orchestra, and Great Lakes Science Center, plus leading businesses in manufacturing and healthcare like Sherwin-Williams and University Hospitals, and as part of the broader HERE network including HEREDayton.com, offering comprehensive, credible insights into Ohio's vibrant landscape. HERE Cleveland HERE Dayton
