Photo: Rockstar Energy Open - Getty Images
Downtown had its strongest summer for tourism and events since the beginning of the pandemic, with 2.4 million visits to the downtown area each month in June, July, and August.
Weekend foot traffic downtown increased on average 9% from Memorial Day through Labor Day compared to 2023, with the final weekend in August seeing a dramatic increase of 20% year-over-year.
Simultaneously, according to Travel Portland, hotel occupancy data in the city is seeing promising trends in overnight visitors returning in June, July, and August. Occupancy has been more than 70% each month with weekend nights at 80% occupancy and above.
“This summer’s success not only signals Portland’s progress in addressing our challenges but also reaffirms our status as a hub for creativity and culture,” said Mark Wells, Executive Director of Downtown Portland Clean & Safe. “The uptick in visitors isn’t just a number –it’s a sign that our collaborative efforts to revitalize our downtown, support small businesses, and create a welcoming environment for all are paying off.”
Downtown Portland Clean & Safe closely tracks pedestrian activity within our 213-block district and has just released its Summer Foot Traffic Report. Our data provides insights into foot traffic trends, comparing year-over-year numbers. Using Place.ai, we monitor the overall number of people downtown, peak times of day, the busiest days of the week, and the spaces people visit most frequently.
View full report: https://downtownportland.org/2024-summer-update-downtown-foot-traffic-report/
“We saw robust foot traffic from a fantastic series of weekend events. Including the Rock Star skateboarding competition and the Coraline Curious Cat Trail, both boosted weekend foot traffic numbers this summer.” Wells continued. Looking ahead, we have a huge fall and winter lineup of activities planned for downtown in partnership with the city of Portland and our various partners and we cannot wait to see even more people take part this year.” Wells said.
The increased foot traffic coincides with improvements across several key areas: Tourism is recovering as overnight visitors increase over the summer. August saw the highest rate of occupancy in Central City hotels since 2019, according to Travel Portland.
Portland restaurants continue to receive national and international accolades and are showing signs the restaurant scene is doing better than it has in years. Portland led the nation with a 30% increase in restaurant bookings in July, according to OpenTable.
Public safety is improving with crime rates, across all categories, dropping significantly.
Downtown Clean & Safe’s public safety program has seen a 70% decrease in calls related to drug activity in the district since March of this year.
“From our exciting restaurant scene to the return of iconic events like Project Pabst and huge new draws like the sold-out Foo Fighters show at Providence Park and the Rockstar Energy Open, Portland is once again proving itself as a hub for both culture and industry,” said Andrew Hoan, president and CEO of the Portland Business Alliance and the Portland Metro Chamber. “As we continue to address our challenges with Portland's unique blend of compassion and innovation, we’re not just recovering, we’re reimagining what a vibrant, inclusive city can be.”
Source: Portland Metro Chamber