SAN DIEGO COUNTY, Calif. — Crowds filled the streets in downtown San Diego this Labor Day weekend, a city with plenty to offer and a lot to do for tourists. For many, its a weekend getaway in a city they know won't disappoint.
"I just want to go to a place that I know has good vibes and has all these places where you can visit bars, pubs... just hangout spots," San Diego tourist Sophie Pham said.
Labor Day specifically is a big holiday for San Diego County. It serves as a last chance for businesses to capitalize on summer tourism, bringing big money to their front doors and the local economy.
"There's a substantial bump in terms of hotel occupancy, in terms of the rates that are charged as well as the revenues that are brought in to hotels, and not just hotels but also restaurants, retailers, transportation groups," San Diego Tourism Authority Director of Research, Nate Kelley said.
In 2022, the numbers show just how important Labor Day weekend is.
“Just the three nights that Labor Day encompasses and the weekend encompasses, really it brought in 87 million dollars in economic impact than any other three-day span throughout the rest of September," Kelley said.
In July, San Diego was the number one destination to visit in the U.S. according to Hotel Occupancy. Some people traveled thousands of miles to experience the city this weekend, like Scott Robinson who's visiting from Australia.
"There's a lot of buzz going on, so I definitely feel the energy," Robinson said.
Part of that buzz come from fans attending the Giants vs. Padres game.
"So we're from San Jose California, we came down to watch the Giants play the Padres and also it worked out because our son is attending San Diego State so we're visiting him too," Stephanie Palmeri-Farias said.
Although the Farias family lives several hours away, they come down every chance they get.
"It's just beautiful, great weather, so many things to do. Great food and we just love it here," Palmeri Farias said.
To find activities to do in San Diego visit, sandiego.org
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