San Francisco's 2027 Tourism Twist: More Visitors, Fewer Conventions, and How Neighborhood Businesses Catch Them

Short answer: San Francisco Travel forecasts 25 million visitors and $10.6 billion in visitor spending in 2027, the third straight year of growth. But Moscone Center events are projected to drop from 38 in 2026 to 33 in 2027. More of next year's visitors will be leisure travelers, families and international guests rather than badge-wearing conference crowds. Those visitors wander into neighborhoods, ask AI assistants for recommendations and read reviews. Restaurants, shops, tours and experiences outside the convention zone have a real chance to win them, if they're easy to find.

01The forecast

San Francisco Travel's updated forecast, reported by Northstar Meetings Group, projects:

• Visitors: 2026: 24.4 million; 2027: 25 million
• Visitor spending: 2026: $9.94 billion; 2027: $10.6 billion
• Hotel occupancy: 2026: 70.7%; 2027: 72.1%
• Moscone Center events: 2026: 38; 2027: 33

The city credits big events (Super Bowl LX, Dreamforce and AI conferences) for much of the recent growth. SFist noted that hotel occupancy is still below pre-pandemic levels. The SF Standard reported that sluggish international visitor numbers continued to weigh on the industry in 2026, and SF Travel's CEO said some prospective foreign visitors canceled trips. The 2027 forecast includes an expected return of international inbound travel.

Why this matters for neighborhood businesses

Convention attendees tend to stay near Moscone, eat where their hosts book and leave quickly. Leisure visitors behave differently. They explore the Mission, North Beach, Hayes Valley, the Richmond and Chinatown. They plan around food, views and experiences, and they decide in the moment from maps, reviews and AI answers. A smaller convention calendar with more total visitors shifts opportunity toward businesses that leisure travelers can discover.

How to catch more visitors in 2027

1. Make your Google Business Profile visitor-ready

Visitors filter by "open now," price, ratings and distance. Keep your hours accurate (including holidays), add recent photos and list attributes such as outdoor seating, family-friendly, reservations and accessibility. Our local SEO work keeps profiles complete and climbing.

2. Answer the questions travelers ask AI

Travelers ask things like "best dim sum near Chinatown that takes reservations" or "where to eat after Golden Gate Park." Make your website say plainly what you serve, what you're known for, where you are and how to book. AI search visibility helps assistants find and cite you.

3. Speak to international visitors

If international travel recovers as forecast, a page or menu in Spanish, Mandarin, Japanese or Korean (whatever fits your customers) helps. Accept the payment methods international visitors use and mention it.

4. Package experiences

Visitors pay for experiences: tasting menus, classes, guided walks, workshops. Create bookable packages with clear prices and times, and list them where travelers look. Tours and experience businesses should keep calendars current in Google and booking platforms.

5. Plan around the events that remain

Moscone will still host 33 events. Use the published calendar to plan targeted paid campaigns for those weeks, especially if you're within a short walk or rideshare of the center.

6. Turn visitors into reviewers

Reviews from visitors help the next visitor choose you. Ask happy guests for a review with a simple QR code or follow-up message. Automated follow-up can send a thank-you and review request after a booking.

What to measure

Track direction requests, website visits from outside the Bay Area, bookings by source and reviews per month. Compare convention weeks with ordinary weeks to see whether your leisure business is growing on its own.

For a plan built around your neighborhood, see how we work with San Francisco businesses.

FAQ

How many visitors is San Francisco expecting in 2027? San Francisco Travel forecasts 25 million visitors and $10.6 billion in spending in 2027, up from 24.4 million and $9.94 billion in 2026.

Are there fewer conventions in San Francisco in 2027? Yes. The forecast lists 33 Moscone Center events in 2027, down from 38 in 2026, though total visitors are still expected to grow.

What's the most important thing for a neighborhood business to do? Keep your Google Business Profile complete and current, and ask satisfied visitors for reviews. Those drive most visitor decisions.

Sources

• Northstar Meetings Group: San Francisco Travel projects growth through 2027
• City of San Francisco: Mayor Lurie celebrates visitors coming back in record numbers
• SFist: Half a million more tourists expected to visit SF this year
• SF Standard: International slump may continue to sour SF's tourism prospects
• Facilities Online: San Francisco Travel reports visitor spending milestone