SAN JOSE JOINS U.S. TRAVEL ASSOC. IN CELEBRATING TRAVEL AND TOURISM

SAN JOSE, CA – (May 8, 2012) Joining more than 75 cities nationwide in rallies to champion travel, San Jose took part in the 29^th annual National Travel and Tourism Week today, officially marking the annual week with a dedication at San Jose City Council Tuesday afternoon.

This tradition first started in 1984 when the U.S. Congress passed a joint resolution designating the week to be celebrated in May. Since then, the celebration has grown with localized events in cities, states and travel businesses nationwide to champion the power of the travel industry in the U.S.

Travel is among the largest private-sector employers in the U.S., supporting over 14.4 million jobs in 2011, including 7.5 million directly in the travel industry and 6.9 million in other industries, meaning 1 out of every 9 jobs in the U.S. depends on travel and tourism.

San Jose is a unique destination, with a distinctive tourism model that integrates the Convention Center, hotels, Convention and Visitor’s Bureau, other meeting venues, attractions, arts and local business together to act as one team to help visitors navigate San Jose. The result is innovative strategies and enhanced attendee experiences saving event planners time, energy and resources.

In San Jose, the estimated results for Fiscal Year 2011-2012 will total over 7 million visitors to the destination and close to 1 million visitors to the Convention Center and downtown Cultural Facilities generating $52 million in visitor spending and 218,000 hotel room night bookings.

California travel-related spending rose 10% in 2011 to an estimated $104 billion, the first time visitor spending broke the $100 billion mark. In 2010, approximately 200 million visitors generated $95.1 billion in spending on goods and services in the state.

Visitor spending directly supported jobs for 873,000 Californians and resulted in $6.1 billion in direct state and local tax revenues.

“San Jose is a wonderful place for families to visit and offers some great attractions throughout the city, not to mention it has some of the best weather in the nation,” said Councilmember Pete Constant, who presented the proclamation to several representatives from San Jose’s tourism industry. “This week gives us the chance to show others why they should come and visit San Jose.”

Since 1989, San Jose’s hotel and tourism industry has grown to an estimated $200 million hotel revenue industry, generating over $10 million annually in tax revenue to support city services.

“San Jose’s tourism industry is a key economic driver for our community,” said Bill Sherry, CEO of Team San Jose, the City’s manager of the Convention Center, four theaters and also serves as the Convention and Visitors Bureau for the destination. “The recently launched San Jose Convention Center expansion and renovation project, a $120 million investment is a testament by City leadership to the importance of the meetings and conventions industry in our community. San Jose as the Capital of Silicon Valley is positioned well to compete with other destinations, attract more visitors and spur our local economy.”

The City of San Jose officially announced plans to move forward with the construction of an additional 125,000 square feet of meeting and ballroom space and renovation at the San Jose Convention Center last year. The Convention Center opened in 1989 and currently offers 425,000 square feet of exhibit, ballroom and meeting space. The expansion will add an additional 125,000 square feet of flexible ballroom and meeting room space, increasing San Jose’s Convention Center space to 550,000 square feet of usable space. The center remains open through the renovation and expansion project with the new project completion planned for September 2013.

Travel and tourism in the United States provides significant economic benefits for the nation, generating $1.9 trillion in economic output in 2011, with $813 billion spent directly by travelers that spurred an additional $1.1 trillion in other industries.