SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — California tourism leaders are urging residents to spend their pent-up travel dollars exploring their home state as coronavirus case numbers stay low.
The tourism industry is reeling from a steep decline in revenue, plummeting from $145 billion in 2019 to $65 billion last year.
The state of nearly 40 million people has been among the most conservative in the U.S. with strict restrictions in place to curb the pandemic.
It's gradually reopening but tourism revenue is not expected to top pre-pandemic levels until 2024.
Tourism officials are calling on Californians to do their patriotic duty and vacation within the state to bolster the industry.
