Tourism Economy is Thriving in Niagara County Reaching $831 million in 2021

Niagara Falls, NY — In August, New York State released a Tourism Economics research study for 2021, detailing the economic impact of tourism across the state. The study revealed that the total traveler spend in Niagara County in 2021 reached $831 million which is an increase of 9.3% relative to 2019. Traveler spend was heavily impacted in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but tourism spending surpassed pre-pandemic levels in 2021.

Other key highlights from the 2021 report include:

• $52 million was collected in local taxes (a 24.9% increase over 2020).
• The tourism industry generates 13.2% of Niagara County’s labor income.
• Were it not for tourism generated state and local taxes, Niagara County residents would pay an additional $1,007 to maintain the same level of government revenue, already hard hit by the pandemic.

John Percy, President & CEO of Destination Niagara USA said, “Niagara County has fared much better than other destinations across the state in terms of the rebounding tourism economy. The 9.3% growth in tourism spend in 2021 over 2019 shows that the industry is not only recovering, but it is thriving here. The county is positioned well for continued growth as we expect to welcome more international tourists as COVID restrictions continue to lift.”

Tourism Economics, headquartered in Philadelphia is an Oxford Economics company which is one of the world’s leading providers of economic analysis and forecasting. For more information about Tourism Economics, visit tourismeconimics.com. Click here to view the complete 2021 report.

Destination Niagara USA works to ensure Niagara County is a preferred international destination for group and leisure travel. It supports its mission to expand the economic prosperity of Niagara County by generating individual and group visitation. For more information, visit NiagaraFallsUSA.com.