KANSAS CITY, Mo. – On April 23, Visit KC shared Kansas City's 2024 tourism and economic successes during the 2025 Annual Tourism Outlook. Bringing together industry experts, hospitality leaders and local partners, the annual event spoke to the destination's unified spirit while looking to the future of tourism in the Heart of America.

Visit KC was proud to announce tourism continues to positively impact Kansas City with $4 billion in annual visitor spending in 2024, providing $18.4 million in daily spending from the estimated 78,000 daily visitors to the local area.

“The economic impact is clear proof that our tourism industry is thriving as Kansas City continues to make itself known in unprecedented ways,” said Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas. “In addition to our championship sports teams and world-famous barbecue, we are a region renowned for its warmth and welcoming spirit—and that comes straight from the heart.”

Visit KC was also able to report record-breaking business travel with the organization's sales and services team welcoming 523 events in 2024, accounting for roughly 527,917 room nights and an economic impact of $370 million.

As awareness of Kansas City grows, Visit KC's marketing efforts continue to evolve, reaching new audiences and inspiring more travelers to visit the City of Fountains. The 2024 integrated marketing campaign saw 326,000 incremental trips planned to the destination, driving 758,000 incremental room nights and $283 million in incremental spending. In addition, a record return on investment of $148 in visitor spending for every dollar spent on advertising was also generated.

“We are incredibly proud that tourism contributes to the success of so many essential and diverse Kansas City institutions and offerings such as our beloved attractions, arts and music experiences, world-class sports, celebrated culinary scene and much more,” said Kathy Nelson, president and CEO of Visit KC. “The cultural and economic contributions of tourism are undeniable and a critical part of our city's ability to thrive on a broader basis.”

Aligning with the core of Visit KC's mission to advance the destination's quality of life, Kansas City residents continue to benefit from the more than $472.7 million in local and state sales tax revenue generated through visitor spending in 2024 by saving each household approximately $636 in taxes.

Highlighting the event, Visit KC presented two Kansas City Tourism Icon Awards, recognizing an organization and individual who have made significant contributions to the city's tourism industry.

This year, the National WWI Museum and Memorial was selected in recognition of their commitment to outstanding visitor experiences and dedication to providing a community gathering place by hosting large-scale events like the annual Stars and Stripes Picnic, the 2023 NFL Draft, and in 2026, Kansas City's official FIFA Fan Festival™.

Honoring a career committed to the meetings industry and the Kansas City community, Vanessa Kane was recognized for her more than 25 years of service to the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW). As the meeting and events planner for the VFW, Kane was a constant advocate for the organization's hometown of Kanas City, hosting numerous nationwide gatherings here including the 2022 National Convention, aiding in local tourism recovery at a critical time.

Download high-resolution photos from the 2025 Annual Tourism Outlook here