SAN FRANCISCO -- Roughly two years since the start of the pandemic tourism is still a long way away from a full recovery.has headed to Europe to try and lure international visitors back to the city.
"Meeting with existing airlines. We'll also be meeting with airlines that don't currently serve SFO, in the hopes of launching new air service into our airport," Doug Yakel, spokesperson for SFO Airport, said.Yakel,says the airport is recovering passengers at a slower rate than other major air hubs. "Part of the reason for that is because international passengers are such a large portion of our overall picture. About 25 percent of all pre-pandemic passengers were actually international," he said.
COVID requirements for travelers have played a key role in the lag. However, with most European countries dropping coronavirus restrictions, it remains the part of the world where people are most able to travel to the U.S. But the desire to bring international tourists back to San Francisco is about more than just broadening the city's appeal. It's also about strengthening the Bay Area's local economy.