The numbers are in and Goleta continues to shine as a visitor destination. The Goleta Valley Chamber of Commerce welcomes the Dec. 10 figures, with year-to-date data showing continued growth in number of visitors to the area, the amount they spend and the overall lodging industry revenue on the Goleta coast.  

Today’s announcement comes from Visit Santa Barbara’s Travel Outlook, held Dec. 9, where year-to-date STR data was presented to the group. STR is a global provider of metrics and research to the hotel industry. 

An update on the City of Goleta revealed continued growth and even some record-breaking numbers in the tourism market.

Goleta’s occupancy, which is the rate used by hoteliers to measure how many of their available rooms are filled, was an average 82.4 percent in 2015, up from 77.2 percent in 2014. Goleta’s Average Daily Rate (ADR) was $173, up 8.5 percent for this year. 

One of the largest and record-breaking figures was Goleta’s RevPAR, which measures total revenue available per room, was up 15.6 percent in 2015.

Overall, Goleta had some of the largest gains in Santa Barbara County and showed growth across the board.

“The tourism industry isn’t just about visitors coming to Goleta,” said Kristen Miller, President and CEO of the Goleta Chamber of Commerce, “it is an economic force in our marketplace and supports thousands of jobs in our community.” 

Tourism continues to be a large part of our local economy. In 2014, visitor spending in Goleta topped 238 million. Transient Occupancy Tax (TOT) is the City of Goleta’s largest source of revenue.

The Goleta Valley Chamber of Commerce represents GoGoleta.com and plays a leading role in the success of the tourism industry by attracting travelers to Goleta and helping them explore the Goleta Coast. 

This data was provided by STR and Visit Santa Barbara’s 2014 Annual Report.

— Cortney Hebert is the director of communications for the Goleta Valley Chamber of Commerce.