World Cup Boosts Santa Monica's Economy | Venice Beach News

The World Cup is injecting a much-needed economic boost into Santa Monica, with foot traffic up 40% and beach parking revenue soaring nearly $1 million in just 13 days — a 44% jump. But while the tournament brings cheers and social media buzz, the city’s long-term tourism recovery remains sluggish, with visitor numbers still below half of pre-pandemic levels. Despite a $900 million tourism revenue haul last year, actual visitors dropped 8% from 2022 and are far below the 8.7 million seen in 2017. Santa Monica lags behind even neighboring West Hollywood, struggling with lingering pandemic effects, negative regional perceptions, and international travel disruptions — all while the World Cup lights up the city’s streets. Listen in comfort:Get a discount on a Soli Pillow: http://solipillow.com/discount/dnn. Advertise on DNN:[email protected] This is an automated, high-level news summary based on public reporting.Report issues to [email protected]. View sources & latest updates:https://sources.thednn.ai/0aae06c02d33fca6