State’s Tourism Slump to Last Until 2002

The current slump in California’s $75-billion tourism industry is expected to last through at least late next year, economists said at a tourism outlook conference in Long Beach. They said the downturn will be felt deepest in Southern California, which claims 60% of the state’s jobs, hotel rooms and population.

Although domestic visitors to Southern California are likely to pick up slightly next year, totaling as many as 40 million, the number of foreign tourists will shrink by 5% next year to just over 6 million, according to San Diego-based CIC Research.

A separate report by PKF Consulting forecast hotel occupancy in Los Angeles County next year at 71.2%, up from 70.5% this year, but down from 76.3% in 2000. Orange County’s hotel occupancy is projected to average 70.8% next year, compared with 69% this year and 73.9% in 2000.