San Francisco bracing for best summer travel season in years

SAN FRANCISCO - San Francisco is bracing for its best summer travel season in years, with new data suggesting tourism figures could hit heights not seen since before the COVID-19 pandemic.

Summer travel 

By the numbers:

According to the annual summer travel forecast released Wednesday morning by the San Francisco Travel Association, the city is expected to welcome 24.2 million visitors this year. 

This represents an increase of approximately 500,000 travelers compared to last year and marks the first time since 2019 that the city has seen two straight years of growth.  

The economic impact of this surge is significant, with visitor spending projected to generate nearly $10 billion in revenue. 

City officials noted that these figures are beginning to compete directly with the record-setting economic performance of 2019.

Large-scale events

Big picture view:

A major driver for the 2026 season is the return of large-scale events. 

San Francisco is slated to host 38 major conferences this year, which are expected to account for more than 674,000 hotel room nights—a 6% increase over the previous year.

However, industry leaders are maintaining a cautious outlook. 

Anna Marie Presutti, CEO of the San Francisco Travel Association, noted that while the current numbers are encouraging, the environment remains "noisy." 

"We plan the best we can, and we try not to be overly optimistic," she said. "We try to be true to what's going on, and I think those numbers reflect that." 

Ongoing global conflicts and fluctuating fuel prices continue to drive up travel costs, which could lead to shifts in the final forecast.  

International travel is expected to remain steady, with an estimated 2.3 million visitors arriving from abroad. 

The most significant numbers of foreign travelers are expected to arrive from China, Mexico, and the United Kingdom.  

While the city is relying heavily on a packed June convention schedule, early reports indicate that tourism associated with the FIFA World Cup—slated for later this summer—is currently falling short of initial expectations.