Overview
- San Francisco Travel projects 24.2 million visitors in 2026 with $9.9 billion in spending.
- Convention bookings drive the gains, with 38 Moscone Center events expected to generate 674,000 hotel room nights.
- Many of those gatherings are tech and AI conferences that have replaced some medical and professional meetings that moved online after the pandemic.
- Headwinds persist as higher fuel costs, war-related disruptions, immigration policy concerns, and safety perceptions deter some overseas visitors.
- Some marquee events have underperformed, with weak World Cup hotel demand and a 30% attendance drop at the Game Developers Conference.