SACRAMENTO, Calif. — California tourism is recovering slowly, but visitor spending still lags behind prepandemic records and most travel-related jobs slashed during COVID-19 have yet to return, according to a report from Visit California.
Few industries were hit as hard as travel and hospitality when the pandemic began in March 2020. Concerts and festivals were canceled. Hotels and businesses shuttered, and parks closed to visitors.
The state’s tourism marketing organization found that the industry still faces massive roadblocks in its path to recovery, particularly in major “gateway” cities still suffering from limited international travel and a lack of business meetings and conventions.
