July 28, 2026 — NAPA COUNTY, CA — Visit Napa Valley today released findings from its 2025 Visitor Profile & Economic Impact Study, a biennial analysis drawing on two independent research sources: an in-depth visitor survey conducted by Strategic Marketing and Research Inc. (SMARI Insights) and an economic impact study by Tourism Economics. The data paints a picture of a destination with a strong brand foundation, a high-value visitor base, and a clear path to continued growth.

In 2025, 3.8 million visitors spent $2.2 billion in Napa County, generating $2.8 billion in total economic impact — a 2.9 percent increase over the prior year. Tourism supports 15,300 jobs across the county, or roughly one in seven jobs, and contributed $294 million in state and local tax revenues. Without that visitor-generated tax base, each Napa County household would pay an estimated $5,900 more annually to fund the same level of services for public safety, park and road improvements.

Domestic overnight visitors continue to drive the economics of the destination. Though day-trippers make up 62 percent of visitor volume, overnight guests account for 88 percent of total visitor spending. The average overnight visitor spends $771 per day in the destination and stays 4.4 nights, with out-of-area markets — particularly Los Angeles ($3,956 total trip spend) and Florida ($3,661) — outpacing all other California visitors by a significant margin. Domestic visitors make up 92 percent of volume with international visitation dropping -1.7 percent from 2024.

The SMARI study, fielded in late 2025, surveyed more than 4,000 past and prospective visitors — all adults 25 and older with household incomes of $100,000 or more and an interest in food and wine travel. Napa Valley ranked first among its competitive set — which includes Sonoma County, Monterey, Santa Barbara, Paso Robles, and Willamette Valley — on likelihood to visit (43 percent), familiarity (88 percent at least somewhat familiar), and overall perception (55 percent rating it “excellent,” the only destination in the set above 50 percent).

“These numbers show the strength of the Napa Valley brand and destination, and tell a community impact story we’re proud of, but more importantly, they tell us where to go from here,” said Linsey Gallagher, President & CEO of Visit Napa Valley. “Napa Valley isn’t just leading its competitive set — it’s the only destination in that set where more than half of consumers call the experience excellent, which is a testament to the tourism workforce. Our job is to continue to convert that admiration into visits, and to
make sure every guest who comes overnight stays longer, spends more supporting our local businesses, and returns to our beautiful valley.”

“Napa Valley is uniquely positioned” said Alisha Valentine, Vice President of Strategic Marketing and Research Insights. “They outperform the competitive set on every key industry metric – brand familiarity, perception, and likelihood to visit. Even audiences who have never visited are exceedingly positive, which is a core strength for converting prospects into first-time visitors.”

The study also identified the clearest near-term growth levers: converting day-trippers to overnight guests, capturing high-value national markets where first-time visitor rates run above 60 percent, and activating the repeat visitor base — guests who have visited an average of 5.9 times and represent the highest lifetime value at the lowest cost to reach.

On the horizon, the research tracks shifting wine consumption patterns as a long-term variable. Likelihood to visit correlates directly with wine affinity, ranging from 71 percent among wine enthusiasts to 24 percent among non-drinkers. As generational wine consumption trends evolve, Visit Napa Valley is investing in messaging that positions the destination as ‘wine and’ — encompassing dining, outdoor recreation, wellness, music, and multi-generational experiences.

The full 2025 Visitor Profile & Economic Impact readout is available to Visit Napa Valley partners and tourism stakeholders. Press may inquire for details.

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About Visit Napa Valley
Visit Napa Valley is the official destination marketing and management organization for Napa County. The organization promotes the region as an attractive travel destination and works to continually enhance its public image as a dynamic place to visit, live, and work. The vision and mission of Visit Napa Valley are to elevate Napa Valley as the world's premier wine country experience and to promote, protect, and enhance the Napa Valley destination. Primary funding for activities and programs comes from a Tourism Improvement District (TID) special assessment on lodging guests. Napa Valley, conveniently located within an hour's drive from the San Francisco Bay Area and the Greater Sacramento Area, comprises five distinct towns, including, from north to south, Calistoga, St. Helena, Yountville, the City of Napa, and American Canyon. In addition to these five towns, the areas of Rutherford, Oakville,
and Angwin, along with the outdoor recreation area of Lake Berryessa, are also part of Napa County and add to its diverse and rich history. The fully staffed Napa Valley Welcome Center in the City of Napa is a high-tech facility, complemented by personalized and complimentary concierge service from highly qualified brand ambassadors offering recommendations across the valley. For additional information about Napa Valley, or to plan your Napa Valley experience, please explore VisitNapaValley.com and
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