One hundred billion dollars – that’s what the travel and tourism industry means to California. And that’s a number for the record books. For the first time ever, travel spending will eclipse the $100 billion mark in 2011, according to projections by Tourism Economics.

Visit California’s efforts to market California as the premier destination in the world continue to pay off in terms of dollars and by enhancing the unique California experience we hold so dear.

Travel is a vital part of California’s economic health and well-being, as travelers from around the globe come to the Golden State to find themselves here. In turn, these visitors make California a better place to live. Increases in the number of international visitors and domestic overnight travelers last year resulted in a projected 10 percent increase in revenue to $104.4 billion.

Total travel-related employment in California for 2011 is expected to have reached 890,000 jobs and those people spend their paychecks in California’s cities and towns, boosting their own local economies. California’s Leisure and Hospitality sector has grown 2.7 percent between November 2010 and November 2011, adding 34,200 jobs and outpacing overall non-farm employment growth in the state by 1.5 times.

This year promises to be even better. Domestic visitation to California is expected to grow 1.6 percent in 2012, while international visitation to California is expected to grow a more robust 4.8 percent.

Visit California’s website www.visitcalifornia.com has more exciting news about the value of the travel and tourism industry and what’s in store for 2012.  Check it out and learn more about what we are doing to increase jobs and revenue throughout the state.