The next time you’re out and about in our state, take a look around and appreciate all that we have. We enjoy world-class parks and seaside resort towns. We can choose from fun festivals, funky breweries and restaurants to suit every taste. We live in a state with beaches and ballparks, extravagant mansions and symphony orchestras.
As America marks National Travel and Tourism Week May 7-13, it’s the right time for the Delaware Tourism Office to celebrate the joy that visitors bring to our state. It’s also time to be excited about the future, because Delaware’s tourism industry has emerged from the pandemic era with fresh vibrance, energized by restless travelers eager to explore.
When visitors come, give them a warm welcome. Their presence ultimately benefits every household in the state.
Without tourism revenue, each household would have to pay an extra $1,600 in taxes each year. Without fun-seeking visitors, we’d find it harder to sustain the dreams of visionary business owners – the entrepreneurs who built such unique destinations as Quest Kayak in Lewes and the Canalside Inn in Rehoboth Beach.
When tourism thrives, we all benefit. And when challenges confront Delaware’s tourism industry, it proves to be remarkably resilient. In 2021, the most current year for which data is available, tourism in Delaware bounced back with vigor. Overnight visitation jumped 27% from 2020 and even exceeded 2019 levels. Visitor expenditures also hit a new record in 2021 with $4 billion contributed to the GDP. And tourism-related jobs rebounded to new highs in 2021, returning the industry to its position as the state’s fourth-largest private-sector employer. Sixty-four percent of all new jobs created in 2021 came from tourism.
In some ways, Delaware’s rebound is part of a broader resurgence nationwide, one that’s ongoing and accelerating. Despite inflation, higher interest rates and other factors, 93% of travelers already have trips planned for the next six months, according to a March 2023 study by Longwoods International.
When asked to prioritize their spending, Americans said travel was No. 1 – beating out home improvements, clothing, entertainment and dining out.
Yet in other ways, the rebound is driven by Delaware’s own unique strengths. Budget-minded travelers realize Delaware is one of just five states with no sales tax. The president’s high-profile presence has raised awareness of our state and its appeal globally. And Delaware’s incredible tourism businesses continue to set a high standard.
But those stellar rankings don’t come without incredible effort and steady nurturing of assets. That’s why we all must continue to work toward a friendly business climate, and continue to preserve and protect our natural treasures, whether it’s the dunes of Cape Henlopen State Park or the water that flows in our creeks and streams. We must work for a Delaware that nurtures its appeal, not only for those we welcome, but for those who call this state home.
So, when hundreds of tourists start coming into town, remember, we can be our own best ambassadors. We should keep in mind what a privilege it is to be able to share our state’s beauty with others. And we need to remember that tourism’s benefits come only when everyone works together to move our industry and state forward.
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