Reports show that the cannabis tourism industry is worth $17 billion

The cannabis tourism industry is reportedly valued at $17 billion and could grow rapidly post-COVID. A report published in Forbes states that 50% of Millennials believe that access to adult cannabis is important when making travel plans and that 43% of Millennials choose a travel destination because of legalization.

According to Victor Pinho, co-founder of Emerald Farm Tours, cannabis tourism has a lot of potential. “They’re tourists and they’re shopping — they’re here to spend in the weed Mecca,” he told Forbes of his Northern California-based company. He also estimated that tour participants sometimes spend $300 to $400 visiting pharmacies, which is much more than the average adult consumer.

In 2016, MMGY Travel Intelligence reported that “the net impact on consumers’ decisions to travel to states with legalized cannabis use was minimal.” However, a 2020 MMGY study found that 18% of American travelers were interested in cannabis travel experiences. When the survey data was reduced to include only those over the age of 21 and making $50,000 in annual income, the percentage of those interested in vacation cannabis experiences increased to 62%.

Forbes estimates that $4.5 billion of the $25 billion raised from cannabis sales in 2021 was related to cannabis tourism and related purchases such as hotels, food, local attractions and more.

With nearly 20 states having legalized adult use, the opportunities for cannabis tourism are increasing. States like Colorado, which became the first state to legalize recreational use in 2014, have a strong reputation for adult use that does not require marketing. The Colorado Tourism Office offers little advice on safety and use, and currently has no specific data regarding cannabis tourism. “Cannabis is not a key driver in terms of tourism in our state compared to categories like outdoor recreation,” the office told Forbes.

In other states, the new image of cannabis tourists is beginning to take shape. According to a report by Cannabis Travel Association International, the consumer breakdown by gender is fairly balanced between those who identify as male or female, with 63% of tourists being millennials or younger, 59% having a college degree, and 82% holding a job with one annual household income of $87,000.

Brian Applegarth, founder of the Cannabis Travel Association International, believes that the number of aging millennials is contributing to increased interest in cannabis tourism. “By 2025, 50% of US travelers will be millennials,” Applegarth said. “And their relationship with cannabis use is extremely normalized compared to today’s stigmatized industry leaders.”

Overall, many states are beginning to bolster and promote their cannabis offerings to replace funds lost due to reduced travel during the peak of the pandemic. Visit Modesto CEO Todd Aaronson sees cannabis travelers the same as any other tourist. In 2021, Aaronson has partnered with Applegarth to develop the MoTown CannaPass, helping visitors explore local cannabis edibles, entertainment and dispensaries. “We wanted the opportunity to say, ‘Hey, if cannabis is your thing and you’re here, we have retail outlets that are legal.’ And we have experiences that you can enjoy just as much as if you went to a brewpub or a wine bar,” Aaronson said. “They are all equally regulated. They should have a dedicated driver for everyone. Every visitor is welcome. Leave your money here.” He also shared that there was a remarkable 11% increase in traffic to local pharmacies when CannaPass went live.

As places like Amsterdam try to shut down cannabis tourism, North America is emerging as a leading legal tourism destination. Attractions such as historical tours related to cannabis, various Airbnb or bed and breakfast locations, fascinating museums and countless adult dispensaries to explore, there is plenty of potential to look forward to. Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont even recently promoted his state’s many offerings, including a country song that extols everything from online gambling to cannabis use.

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