According to the Orange County Visitors Association (OCVA), Orange County in Southern California welcomed a record-breaking 50.16 million visitors in 2018. This tremendous milestone brought with it an impressive visitor spending of more than USD 13 billion. The over 50 million visitor achievement reflects a 1.6% increase in visitation over 2017 figures. With respect to visitor spending, the new tally is 4.2% higher than 2017 levels, with spend from Middle East visitors ranking eighth amongst international guests.

The OCVA Dubai office also reached a milestone this month celebrating its fifth year since the opening of the regional office in the Middle East, making the OCVA the first and longest US destination to have a permanent promotional office in the Middle East.

“Visitors from the Middle East travel to Orange County California knowing they will be provided both with a warm welcome and one-of-a-kind experiences,” said Ed Fuller, president and CEO, Orange County Visitors Association. OCVA is constantly working to build unique value-added packages for visitors from the Middle East while extending offering and reputation as a world-class destination, he added.