It’s June, the time when the days are longer, the kids are out of school and the conversation around the dinner table turns to “Where should we vacation this summer?”

More and more travelers are saying Delaware! Summer is a big season for tourism in Delaware, with more than half of all tourism dollars spent between May and September. 

So, how does tourism impact Delaware’s economy?

Visitors contributed $3.3 billion to Delaware’s GDP in 2016. That generated $504 million in taxes and fees for state and local governments. 

And what does that mean for Delaware residents? 

Well, without tourism, the average household in the state would pay an additional $1,434 a year in taxes.

Almost 43,000 people work in tourism or in related jobs in Delaware. Many of our neighbors are employed in the industry. 

Tourism is a field that provides a path to propel individuals into high-paying careers. A U.S. Travel Association study found that employees whose first job was travel-related go on to careers with an average annual salary of almost $82,000, which is higher than those who start in most other fields.

The industry also inspires the entrepreneurial spirit of small business owners as they launch new ventures, expand the offerings at existing attractions and forge partnerships for new experiences that attract visitors to Delaware and add to quality of life for Delawareans. 

The state tourism office, working with county convention and visitors bureaus, chambers of commerce, attractions, restaurants, and hotels, has a proven record of return on investment and success in drawing tourists to Delaware.

In looking toward the future, technology plays an integral role in how people plan their travel. Embracing innovation has become necessary to compete in the travel industry.

That’s why the state tourism office is using technology to reach travelers in creative ways.

The new 360-degree virtual reality tour is the latest example.

Putting on the virtual reality headset allows potential out-of-state visitors to experience Delaware in a whole new way and makes it even easier to decide where to travel for their next vacation destination.

It’s one of the many ways the Delaware Tourism Office is working to help drive visitation to Delaware.
Tourism in Delaware is big business. Through partnership and ingenuity we will continuously work to grow the positive impact for the state.