St. Louis pulls in millions of visitors a year and more than $4.6 billion in economic activity, yet local leaders say the city is still punching below its weight for a metro this size. Explore St. Louis’ new leadership argues that if the region could just match the national average for tourism, it could unlock hundreds of millions of dollars in tax revenue and keep a steadier stream of business flowing to hotels, restaurants and small merchants. That argument is getting sharper as the city lines up new convention investments and marketing pushes meant to turn headline-grabbing events into dependable, year-round visits.
As reported by First Alert 4, Brad Dean, president and CEO of Explore St. Louis, said that simply lifting the region’s tourism performance to the national average "could generate more than $200 million in sales tax revenue." He told the station that delivering stronger visitor experiences, while pushing back on national crime narratives, will be key to capturing that upside instead of watching it leak to competing cities.
According to Explore St. Louis, the region currently welcomes about 24 million visitors a year, who spend roughly $4.6 billion and support more than 42,000 local jobs. The group’s FY24 annual report also details a roughly $256 million expansion of America’s Center and the addition of a 72,000 square foot exhibit hall, all designed to lure larger conventions and boost citywide room nights (Explore St. Louis).
How Leaders Plan to Close the Gap
Officials say the game plan runs on two tracks. One track is to chase more leisure travelers, the weekend and off-peak guests who can fill hotel rooms when big events are not in town. The other is to double down on targeted sales efforts for higher yielding meetings and conventions that anchor the city’s calendar.
As detailed by the St. Louis Business Journal, Explore St. Louis has steered new marketing dollars, data tools and cooperative advertising programs toward helping local hotels, restaurants and attractions plug directly into regional campaigns. The idea is that when the city sells itself, neighborhood businesses should feel it in their registers, not just see it on billboards.
Neighborhoods and Small Businesses Stand to Gain
Recent short term events suggest what that payoff can look like. A study of the 2026 U.S. Figure Skating Championships found a total economic impact of $15.8 million and about $944,000 in combined sales tax revenue for the city, county and state, according to the St. Louis Sports Commission. Explore St. Louis and business leaders say the real win would be turning those one off spikes into a more predictable, year round baseline of demand that spreads spending into more neighborhoods and keeps hospitality jobs on steadier footing.
Dean and his team at Explore St. Louis will be watching closely this summer as new marketing campaigns, the America’s Center upgrades and cooperative advertising efforts roll out. Organizers say the real test is simple, whether those moves translate into repeat hotel stays, busy restaurant tables and return visits instead of one and done trips. For the full interview and more context, see the First Alert Forward segment on First Alert 4.
