A record 25 million visitors traveled to the city last year, driving $2.9 billion in spending, supporting more than 36,000 jobs and generating $396 million in state and local tax revenue, according to a new economic impact report commissioned by Visit Oklahoma City. The report, prepared by Tourism Economics, also found visitor activity generated a total economic impact of $4.8 billion and produced $1.5 billion in personal income, underscoring tourism’s role as one of Oklahoma City’s strongest economic drivers.
While visitors come to Oklahoma City for everything from sporting events and conventions to concerts, festivals and family vacations, their impact extends well beyond the places they visit. Every hotel stay, restaurant meal, attraction ticket and retail purchase helps support local businesses, create jobs and generate revenue that benefits residents year-round. The report’s findings illustrate how tourism has become a key contributor to Oklahoma City’s economy, reaching nearly every corner of the community.
“Welcoming 25 million visitors for the first time is a milestone that reflects the momentum Oklahoma City has built over the past several years,” said Shaun Yates, senior vice president of tourism development for Visit OKC within the Greater Oklahoma City Chamber. “Every visitor who chooses Oklahoma City supports local businesses, aids in sustaining jobs and generates tax revenue that benefits our community. These results reinforce the value of continuing to invest in the experiences, events and amenities that make Oklahoma City a destination.”
The record-setting year reflects decades of investment in Oklahoma City’s visitor experience. Expanded entertainment districts, nationally recognized sporting events, plus new hotels, museums, restaurants and attractions have helped transform the city into a destination for leisure travelers, conventions and major events. Those investments continue to pay dividends, attracting more visitors while increasing the economic benefits tourism brings to the community.
The report found visitor spending increased 3.5% over 2024, while total visitation grew 1.7%. On average, visitors spent nearly $7.9 million every day throughout 2025. Restaurants and bars accounted for the largest share of visitor spending at $775 million, followed by $631 million in retail purchases. Recreation generated another $560 million in visitor spending, while lodging accounted for $522 million, illustrating how tourism supports businesses across the local economy.
Those visitor dollars create an economic impact that extends far beyond hotels, restaurants and attractions. Businesses that serve travelers purchase goods and services from local suppliers, restaurants source ingredients from Oklahoma producers, venues contract with local service providers and retailers replenish inventory to meet demand. Employees whose jobs are supported by visitor spending also reinvest their earnings throughout the community, creating another layer of economic activity. Together, those indirect and induced impacts generated nearly $1.9 billion beyond visitors’ initial spending, bringing tourism’s total economic impact to $4.8 billion.
“When people think about tourism, they often think about hotels or attractions, but its impact reaches much further,” Yates said. “Visitor spending supports restaurants, retailers, transportation providers, entertainment venues and countless small businesses across our community. It’s an investment that benefits Oklahoma City long after visitors return home.”
Tourism also continues to support employment across a wide range of industries. Visitor activity directly supported nearly 26,000 jobs in 2025, with another 10,000-plus jobs sustained through indirect and induced economic activity. Combined, those jobs generated $1.5 billion in personal income while supporting workers and families throughout the metro. In total, tourism supported 36,142 jobs—about one in every 20 jobs in Oklahoma City. More than 10,000 of those positions were in the food and beverage industry alone, while recreation, lodging, retail and transportation also relied heavily on visitor spending to support local employment.
The benefits of tourism extend beyond businesses and workers. Visitor activity generated $396 million in state and local tax revenue in 2025, helping fund public services while easing the tax burden on residents. According to the report, each Oklahoma City household would have needed to contribute an additional $1,412 in taxes to replace the revenue generated by visitors. In other words, the impact of tourism is felt not only by businesses that welcome visitors but by the entire community.
With continued investments in world-class sports venues, convention facilities, attractions and quality-of-life amenities, Oklahoma City is well positioned to build on this record-setting year. Recent successes—from hosting international sporting events to attracting major conventions and welcoming a growing number of leisure travelers—have elevated the city’s profile and reinforced tourism’s role as a key economic driver. As the city continues to grow, the report’s findings demonstrate that every visitor contributes to Oklahoma City’s long-term economic vitality.