Visit Greater Palm Springs touts $1.9B annual tourism impact in city, plots next decade of growth

Visit Greater Palm Springs officials told the Palm Springs City Council on Wednesday that tourism remains the top economic driver for the Coachella Valley, with visitor spending in Palm Springs averaging $1.9 billion annually — roughly $5 million per day — as the organization prepares to launch a new 10-year strategic plan and push for an indoor amateur sports facility.

President and CEO Scott White presented the figures during the organization’s annual update to the council, saying the valley as a whole generates $9 billion in economic impact from tourism.

“If tourism did not exist at the level it did today, the residents of our community would have to pay much higher taxes in order to fund such important resources as police, fire, infrastructure, education,” White said.

White noted that the organization’s current 10-year strategic plan is coming to an end and that a new planning process is kicking off this month with a firm that will work with local stakeholders to develop both a regional plan and individual plans for each of the nine cities in the valley, including a Palm Springs-specific tourism stewardship master plan.

On the convention sales front, Visit Greater Palm Springs booked more than 262,000 room nights in 2025, representing 428 meetings and an estimated $238 million in economic impact — the highest total since 2018.

Of those room nights, more than 107,000 were booked into Palm Springs-specific hotels, generating what officials described as a 262% return on investment for the city and an $89 million economic impact.

The organization also reported progress on a proposal for an indoor amateur sports facility in the Coachella Valley, citing a feasibility study that found strong demand for a super-regional facility capable of drawing visitors from Los Angeles, Orange County, San Diego, Phoenix and Las Vegas, particularly during slower summer months.

Davis Meyer, vice president of government and industry relations for the organization, highlighted short-term rental data, saying Palm Springs sees about 30% of its overnight visitors staying in short-term rentals, generating approximately $309 million in annual visitor spending, more than 1,300 jobs and over $44 million in state and local tax revenues.

Meyer said a resident sentiment survey found 89% of Palm Springs voters reported feeling positively about short-term rentals in the city, up from 82% in a 2023 survey.

On air service, White noted the addition of a new nonstop New York flight this year, building on a Washington, D.C. route launched two years ago through an agreement with United Airlines.

White also described a valley-wide campaign aimed at Canadian visitors, including a partner toolkit for local businesses, saying Canada is an important market for the destination.

“We are letting our friends to the north know that we love them, that we appreciate them, and that we welcome them,” White said.

The organization also reported that 2025 was a record year for marketing reach, with 30.8 billion impressions generated across television, digital and social media channels.

---