San Francisco tourism districts report pandemic impacts and seek renewal of funding

The San Francisco County government meeting on July 4, 2025, focused on the annual report from the Tourism Improvement District (TID) and the Moscone Expansion District (MED) for the fiscal year 2019-2020. The meeting highlighted the significant impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on tourism and convention activities in the city.

Chris Korgas from the Office of Economic and Workforce Development presented the report, noting that both districts faced severe financial challenges due to reduced special assessment revenues linked to hotel occupancy rates. The TID, established in 2009, is set to expire at the end of 2023, while the MED, formed in 2013, will continue until June 2045. The report indicated that both districts met their financial benchmarks despite the pandemic's adverse effects.

Key findings revealed that the TID and MED had to utilize reserve funds to manage the financial fallout from the pandemic. The MED took out a $5 million line of credit to address its financial obligations. The report also noted a significant drop in convention sales and hotel bookings, with direct spending from conventions plummeting by 83% compared to the previous year.

Paul Francos, Executive Vice President of the TID, shared that the districts had historically been successful in attracting tourism and conventions to San Francisco. However, the pandemic's impact has led to a drastic reduction in visitor numbers and revenue. The report emphasized the need for a strategic recovery plan as the city begins to reopen and tourism gradually resumes.

Supervisors expressed concerns about the slow recovery of San Francisco's tourism sector compared to other major cities. They discussed the importance of international travel and business meetings in revitalizing the local economy. The meeting concluded with a positive recommendation to the Board of Supervisors to approve the annual report, underscoring the ongoing efforts to navigate the challenges posed by the pandemic and support the recovery of the tourism industry in San Francisco.