Written by Amanda Williams
Having moved to Boston a little over two and a half years ago, my new home has undoubtedly shown me the beauty of the East Coast: white Christmas, unwavering loyalty to their sports teams, and the fascinating history of America’s beginning.
Yet, despite my absolute love for the East Coast, there is nothing that compares to the thrill of landing back in sunny San Diego. From the superior Mexican food, perfect weather 360 days of the year, or beach sunsets that leave any viewer in sheer awe, there is truly no place like San Diego.
Despite my bias of residing in San Diego for the better part of 17 years, there is a general consensus that other Californians hold the same opinion as me. Last week, Airbnb named San Diego the second-most popular tourist destination in California. Within the time frame of Memorial Day to Labor Day, about 482,400 tourists utilized an Airbnb in San Diego, which produced $112 million in revenue for San Diego County and $75 million for the City of San Diego alone.
Beach towns, such as Pacific Beach and Mission Beach, have the highest numbers of renters while Oceanside, Encinitas, and the City of San Diego have the highest demand from tourists. The only competition with regard to tourism for San Diego County happens to be the close neighbor of Los Angeles County.
While the idea of short term rentals—such as Airbnbs—is a controversial topic for many elected officials, the data backs the positive impact the rentals are having for the San Diego economy. It is providing a substantial amount of revenue for the city, while allowing tourists to experience San Diego on the local level.
In the end, there is no doubt that people love San Diego. There is a reason that the majority of San Diego natives end up staying and that plenty of out-of-state people want to visit. As a local, I can’t wait to land back in San Diego and have a California burrito on the beach while watching the sunset.
