VisitErie Reports Second Quarter 2023 Visitor Numbers
Increases Continue into Spring/Early Summer
Erie, PA: Erie's visitation numbers continue to trend upward, as evidenced by the latest visitor traffic statistics provided by VisitErie, Erie County's official destination marketing organization. Second-quarter statistics show increased hotel occupancy, average daily rate (ADR), and overnight visitation through the months of April, May, and June. These figures trended higher than those compared to the same period in 2022.
Second Quarter 2023 Erie County Visitation Highlights:
- Hotel occupancy was 56.8%, an increase of 4% compared to 2022.
- Average daily rate (ADR) was $120, an increase of 2% compared to 2022.
- VisitErie's share of the hotel tax revenue was 12% higher compared to 2022.
- Percentage of visitors who stayed overnight was 50.6%, an increase of 6% compared to 2022.
- The regions with the highest percentage of visitation were Upper Peach Street, Gateway to Presque Isle, and Erie's Bayfront.
- Memorial Day Weekend: Over Memorial Day Weekend, Erie County saw a jump in the percentage of visitors from out of state, an increase of 18% compared to Memorial Day Weekend 2022. The greatest visitation increases came from Cleveland and Youngstown, Ohio and the top visited point of interest was Presque Isle State Park. The highest percentage of visitors to Presque Isle traveled from the Pittsburgh market.
- June saw a 13% jump in out-of-state visitation compared to the same month in 2022. When looking at Erie's top 10 origin markets for June, Erie County saw increases in the percentage of visitors from three Ohio markets: Cleveland, Columbus, and Youngstown, all of which have been targeted by VisitErie marketing initiatives in its summer campaign.
VisitErie President and CEO John Oliver stated, "Erie's tourism industry is flourishing. The second quarter visitation numbers are a clear indication of our destination's growing appeal. We believe this momentum will carry through the year's third and fourth quarters resulting in a highly successful year for Erie's tourism industry."
Visitor data analyzed is compiled through Smith Travel Research reports and Zartico Destination Operating System®, a national research company that uses anonymized cell phone geolocation data to track visitor activity. Visitors are defined as individuals who have traveled more than 50 miles from their home location, stay in Erie County for more than two hours, and visit at least one defined point of interest. Using this information, VisitErie studies Erie County visitor trends, including what markets visitors are coming from, how long they are staying, what they spend their money on, and what they are doing while here. The valuable information generated also allows the organization to look at visitor activity for specific seasons, geographic regions, or significant events.
