International Courant
California Gov. Gavin Newsom has his head within the clouds – at the very least that’s the case with a brand new video he posted to tout what he says are “record-breaking tourism numbers” within the state.
Within the video, Newsom seems to be suspended excessive within the air above the Golden Gate Bridge, main some on-line to take a position if Newsom is, in actual fact, Spider-Man. Whereas others have been fast to level out the various points plaguing California, like crime, homelessness and sky-high costs.
Newsom started the video with, “So, I’m up right here on the enduring Golden Gate Bridge. A testomony to America’s greatness … California’s greatness and we couldn’t be extra proud.”
He continued, “Over $150 billion of tourism spent, unprecedented in our state’s historical past. If you have not had the possibility to see the magnificence, the fantastic thing about our nice state, it is time to go to California.”
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Critics rapidly took to X to share their response to the governor’s video.
“Is the @CAgovernor additionally Spider-Man?” one particular person requested.
“You might be calling the tens of millions of illegals invading California vacationers?” one consumer wrote.
“Bizarre option to have a good time inflation, however do you bud,” one other consumer wrote.
“In the meantime, CA residency simply hit an all time low. Folks can’t depart CA quick sufficient,” one other remark learn.
“Having illegals cross your border by the hundreds would not rely as ‘Tourism’….,” one other consumer commented.
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Gov. Gavin Newsom posted a video on X on the high of the Golden Gate Bridge as he declared that unprecedented “record-breaking tourism numbers” occurred in 2023. (DeAgostini/Getty Photos/X @GavinNewsom)
On Sunday, Newsom’s workplace launched new knowledge that confirmed California continues to have the most important market share of tourism within the nation, with journey spending within the state reaching an all-time report excessive of $150.4 billion final 12 months, which surpassed the earlier report $144.9 billion spent in 2019.
“From our world-renowned shoreline, to the world’s tallest bushes, to our iconic cities and theme parks, California is the nation’s coming attraction. Guests from everywhere in the world are coming right here to expertise the surprise of the Golden State, boosting our economic system and creating good-paying jobs for years to return,” Newsom stated.
California Senate Minority Chief Brian Jones disagreed with Newsom’s math.
“Newsom touts a record-breaking $150.4 billion in tourism spending for 2023, supposedly surpassing the pre-pandemic determine of $144.9 billion in 2019. Nonetheless, when adjusted for inflation, tourism spending must be a staggering $173 billion to beat the 2019 quantity,” Jones informed Fox Information Digital.
“In fact, the whole lot prices extra in California due to ‘Gavinomics,’ and naturally, his statistics don’t take that under consideration. It’s extra smoke and mirrors as traditional with this governor. Fairly than chasing headlines with deceiving statistics, he ought to spend a while really fixing California and our a number of crises like homelessness, affordability and crime.” — California Senate Minority Chief Brian Jones
Jones stated the whole lot prices extra in California due to “Gavinomics.”
“It’s extra smoke and mirrors as traditional with this governor. Fairly than chasing headlines with deceiving statistics, he ought to spend a while really fixing California and our a number of crises like homelessness, affordability and crime,” Jones stated.
California Meeting Republican Chief James Gallagher shared the same sentiment.
“These numbers are as phony as Gavin’s baseball profession – if you think about inflation (like regular folks must), tourism is down 14% on his watch. Crime and homelessness have change into the California model, and no quantity of spin from Newsom will change that,” Gallagher informed Fox Information Digital in an announcement.
Within the state’s new knowledge, Go to California CEO Caroline Beteta stated California tourism is again the place it belongs and is setting data and offering for the employees, enterprise house owners and all Californians who depend upon the journey business as a cornerstone of the state’s economic system.
“The business has as soon as once more proved its means to recuperate from any problem, whether or not it’s financial or environmental. California continues to be the most important, most various and most resilient tourism economic system in america,” Beteta stated.
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Gov. Gavin Newsom stated California has skilled record-breaking tourism numbers because the state struggles with plenty of points, together with rampant crime and homelessness. (Tayfun Coskun)
In response to Go to California, the brand new journey spending report generated $12.7 billion in state and native tax income by guests in 2023, marking a 3% enhance over 2019. Nonetheless, vacationers spent $37.7 billion within the Bay Space in 2023, down barely from $39 billion spent in 2019.
“It might be nice if the governor put as a lot power into enhancing California as he does into taking unearned victory laps with deceptive statistics. Possibly then we’d really break a report,” Gallagher added.
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Gov. Gavin Newsom was accused of touting tourism numbers that do not account for inflation. (California Governor Gavin Newsom YouTube channel)
The state statistics additionally confirmed that tourism created 64,900 new jobs in 2023, bringing whole business employment to 1,155,000.
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Along with visiting the state, extra persons are transferring to California, in response to Newsom, who additionally stated the state’s inhabitants is rising for the primary time because the pandemic.
Fox Information Digital reached out to Newsom’s workplace for remark however has not but heard again.
