International visits off nearly 75% from 2019
-January 2,2022-
As we move into 2022, both LAX and SFO passenger traffic have a way to go to recover from pre-pandemic levels seen in 2019 when the economy shrunk. That means fewer visitors coming to the state’s famous destinations.
Through October of this year, and before the omicron virus became a factor, SFO recorded 2.7 million passengers. Of that, just 330,000 passengers were international passengers. By comparison in 2019 through the same month, the airport recorded 4.8 million total passengers of which 1.2 million were international visitors. If San Francisco is famous as a worldwide destination, those visits are down about 75%!
SF’s hotel occupancy this past year shows how hard the reduced traffic has impacted stays with occupancy just 51%, through October. one of the lowest in the state . Used to be SF was the high flyer in California with typical 90% occupancy rates.
At LAX, year-to -date through November, the larger Los Angeles airport has seen 35 million domestic passengers – up from 21 million through November 2020 during the height of the economic shutdown.
This year LAX has seen 7 million international passengers.
But in 2019, before the pandemic, the airport saw 57 million domestic passengers and 23.5 million international visitors for that 11 month period.
That amounts to one quarter of the international travelers coming to LA this year vs pre-pandemic numbers, despite the recovery this year.
Across all airports in California, the state tourism agency says September 2021 year-to-date percentages for California airports’ domestic traffic was down -38.1% and -73% for international traffic compared to 2019.
That is a huge impact on the Golden State economy made even more worrisome considering the new catchy variant that is slamming the nation and quickly canceling current travel plans at the new year.
Today, January 1, an industry report said total airline cancellations are 4,036 and cancellations within, into, or out of the United States today are 2,335. That in turn spreads a wave of canceled plans when people arrive in California to travel,stay in a hotel and rent a car.