Why Tourism Belongs in Your Growth Plan
- YSEDC
- Oct 6
- 3 min read
At YSEDC, we focus on the building blocks of growth: sites, infrastructure, workforce, and capital. Add tourism to that list. Visitor spending turns weekend traffic into wages, business receipts, and the tax revenue that keeps local services running. In 2024, visitors spent an estimated $ 157.3 billion across California, supporting approximately 1.2 million jobs and generating $ 12.6 billion in state and local tax revenue. Those dollars help fund safety, streets, and parks that businesses rely on every day.
Tourism is a Core Economic Driver
Tourism is not extra. When people come here, they buy fuel and meals, shop with local retailers, and during peak periods, they book rooms. That activity shows up as payroll for local workers, revenue for independent owners, and taxable sales that stabilize city and county budgets. State travel-impact reporting treats tourism as a core economic driver for exactly these reasons.
Bishop's Pumpkin Farm: A Seasonal Anchor
Bishop's in Wheatland is a major seasonal anchor. Operating from early September through early November, the farm provides sustained economic activity, supporting local businesses for an entire quarter, rather than just a single weekend.
Welcoming over 350,000 guests each year, those visits spread spending across Wheatland, Marysville, and Yuba City through fuel stops, meals, and shopping.
The farm also contributes to workforce development by hiring seasonal team members. For many local teens, this is a first job that provides foundational training in customer service, cash handling, and teamwork—skills that carry forward into retail, restaurants, and other service jobs across Yuba-Sutter.
Steadying the Local Calendar
Spreading visitor demand across the year helps reduce volatility. When one season tapers, another ramps up, helping businesses manage staffing and inventory and providing local governments with more predictable tax income to support essential services.
Together with Bishop's, the following anchors provide reliable activity year-round:
March — Marysville Bok Kai Parade & Festival. This is a heritage draw, being the oldest continuous Chinese American cultural celebration in the U.S., bringing travelers and day-trippers at the start of spring.
July — Marysville Peach Festival. This midsummer lift attracts an estimated 25,000 visitors over two days.
September — Marysville Stampede. The annual rodeo draws families and supports local community groups.
November — Yuba City Sikh Parade (Nagar Kirtan). One of the largest Sikh gatherings outside of India, bringing over 100,000 visitors and significant local spending.
Beyond the Big Weekends
Frequent, smaller touchpoints also keep cash flowing and introduce new customers to local storefronts:
Farmers' markets: Markets in Yuba City and Marysville convert food trips into additional spending on coffee, dessert, and nearby retail.
Waterways and summer recreation: Destinations like New Bullards Bar Reservoir and Collins Lake attract repeat visitors who often fuel, eat, and shop locally before and after their time on the water.
Pacific Flyway bird-watching: Nearby refuges attract bird-watchers through winter and shoulder seasons, providing opportunities for local businesses to offer early-morning or grab-and-go options.
What This Means for Your Business
Tourism diversifies demand beyond any single employer or sector, which reduces risk when one industry slows. It sustains entry‑level and mid‑skill jobs across food service, retail, recreation, transportation, and lodging. Most importantly, it produces steadier weekends and repeat visits that strengthen cash flow and make planning easier. The same spending supports local services that keep districts clean, safe, and welcoming for your customers.
Bottom Line
Tourism is a practical and vital piece of the economic puzzle. By connecting draws like Bishop's Pumpkin Farm with our cultural celebrations, markets, and natural destinations, Yuba-Sutter turns visitor moments into steady jobs, stronger small businesses, and more reliable public revenue. That is economic development in action. Connect with us today to start leveraging the full economic power of Yuba-Sutter's visitor economy.
