San Francisco tourism spending climbs toward record levels as Labor Day weekend draws in visitors

By Da Lin

On this busy Labor Day weekend, visitors packed some of San Francisco’s most recognizable destinations, from the Golden Gate Bridge and Fisherman’s Wharf to Pier 39 and Chinatown.

For businesses that depend on tourism, the crowds are another encouraging sign that San Francisco’s visitor economy continues to recover more than six years after the COVID-19 pandemic devastated the industry.

While tourism has not yet returned to its 2019 peak, city officials and business owners said the trend is moving in the right direction.

Tourism officials are projecting record visitor spending this year and next, even as the total number of visitors remains below pre-pandemic levels.

SF Travel projects San Francisco will welcome 24.4 million visitors this year and 25 million in 2027. Both figures remain below the approximately 26 million visitors the city welcomed in 2019.

However, inflation is expected to push tourism revenue above pre-pandemic levels. Visitors are projected to spend nearly $10 billion in San Francisco this year and $10.6 billion next year.

At Pier 23 Cafe along the waterfront, owner Mac Leibert said 2026 has been his strongest year since the pandemic, even though business has not fully recovered to 2019 levels.

“It makes me feel great, makes me proud to be a San Franciscan and just happy to still be here doing business,” Leibert said.

Customers lined up outside the restaurant before it opened Saturday morning.

Leibert said major events and increased activity around the city have helped bring people back.

“The Super Bowl and the World Cup all helped. For those of us that are going strong, it’s great to see the people out walking around,” Leibert said as he referenced a crowd of visitors walking on The Embarcadero.

Tour operators are also seeing improvement.

Maneet Sohal runs City Sightseeing San Francisco, the company known for its red double-decker buses that carry tourists around the city.

Sohal said business has been strong this summer, up roughly 10% compared with 2025. But ridership remains about 25% below the record-setting levels of 2019.

“We don’t have as many passengers as we did pre-pandemic. But the spending has gone up,” Sohal said.

He believes major upcoming events and the city’s efforts to promote itself internationally will continue to attract visitors.

“The World Cup, we’re seeing more conventions in town. I think the mayor is doing a great job at promoting San Francisco. So we’re seeing more tourists coming from other countries,” Sohal said.

Business owners in Chinatown said they are also optimistic about the future. They say visitors increasingly comment on improvements in the city’s cleanliness and safety.

“I’m very optimistic. Number one, because Chinatown is a go-to destination,” said Tane Chan, owner of The Wok Shop on Grant Avenue.  “It’s been a very good year, very steady.”

Businesses in the city continue to see fewer visitors from Asia, particularly China, compared with before the pandemic. But tourists who do make the trip say San Francisco remains one of their favorite destinations.

“San Francisco is one of our favorite places in the whole wide world,” said Kealohi and Anthony Lucero, visiting from Los Angeles. “We love being here. We love the sourdough, all the Chinese food, everything about it.”

While San Francisco is known for tech and artificial intelligence, tourism remains the city’s largest industry, supporting about 64,000 jobs, according to the city.

For Leibert, who celebrated the restaurant’s 40th anniversary this summer, the recovery has taken longer than many business owners expected. But he believes San Francisco is steadily reclaiming its position as one of the world’s premier tourist destinations.

“San Francisco’s back,” he said. “We’re back, baby, we’re back.”

There is also optimism about the remainder of 2026, with major events including the Dreamforce conference and Fleet Week still ahead. Hotels and businesses are anticipating another boost in visitors as the city continues its long road toward a full tourism recovery.