Santa Cruz is definitely a tourist city. But what do we know about the people who visit here? This was the subject of a study conducted by the Santa Cruz County Conference and Visitors Council with the goal of gaining insights into how to better market to tourists and increase visits to the area, especially in the off season.
One thing that the survey discovered was that most visitors to Santa Cruz—76 percent of them—were repeat visitors who had been here before. While this indicates that they are generally satisfied with the experience, the survey also found that they tend to be day-trippers, and if they do spend the night, they will stay with friends rather than at a hotel. On average, day-trippers spend $97 per day in Santa Cruz, while overnight guests spend an average of $252.
The study also encompassed people who requested information about Santa Cruz from the Conference and Visitors Council. Of these, about 57 percent actually visited the city, over half of them from out of state. The most popular destinations for these visitors are the Boardwalk, Wharf, downtown Santa Cruz and Capitola Village. Today, greater emphasis is being placed on attracting people to visit the county’s wineries, which would also increase off-season tourism. Read more at the Santa Cruz Sentinel.
