Return Visitors Boost Baltimore’s Tourism Economy

When Visit Baltimore says visitors feel at home in Charm City, it has some compelling statistics to prove the point.

In its annual tourism report, released at the start of October, the DMO notes four out five overnight travelers are returning visitors and the average span between visits has decreased by 1.1 years.

Additionally, 45% of overnight guests cite visiting friends and family as the primary reason for their stay. These informal reunions helped spark $1.15 billion spent at local restaurants, $734 million spent at local retails, and $701 million spent on local sports and recreation. Tourism generated $4.3 billion for Baltimore’s economy.

The numbers are a victory for the marketing department, which has adopted a multi-faceted approach to engaging would-be visitors. One high-profile effort with major results was creating a commercial that aired during multiple national primetime broadcasts of Abbott Elementary. In total, the DMO scored 300 million social media impressions in 2025.

As Inspired Insights previously reported, the B-Side of Baltimore, a local pride campaign designed by and for the community, was designed “flip the record” on the misperceptions playing on repeat and uncover deeper, richer stories of the city.

The DMO’s research found that 47% of visitors used Instagram and Facebook to research their trip and 32% used tourism and marketing resources to book activities during their stay (an average of 2.7 days).

Overall, Baltimore attracted 28.7 million visitors, a 6.3% increase from 2019. Day trips are especially valuable in Baltimore, located between Washington, D.C., and Philadelphia. The study found the city welcomed 16.3 million day trippers.

“We do this work for our community, both friends and neighbors who rely on the hospitality industry for their livelihood and those who don't realize how much tourism touches their lives,” said Kireem Swinton, President and CEO of Visit Baltimore. “The data shows our people, our events and our culture are powerful economic drivers, and when we uplift those experiences that only exist here in Baltimore, everyone wins.”

Photo Credit: Visit Baltimore