A new study shows the long-term closure of Highway 1 along California’s Central Coast has drained more than $430 million in visitor spending since early 2023.
The Beacon Economics analysis found that San Simeon was the hardest hit, with a 42% drop in tourism spending followed by Big Sur, which is down about 20%.
A 6.8-mile stretch of scenic highway near Regent’s Slide, south of Big Sur, has been closed since January 2023, when the first in a series of massive landslides—triggered by heavy rains during an atmospheric river event—struck the area.
Ryan Becker, Senior Vice President of communications and strategy with Visit California said the losses stretch across the Central Coast.
“Cambria, San Simeon, those areas are hurting for sure and have dealt the biggest blow from the closure,” Becker said. “But there’s challenges on the north side too. The deeper you get into Big Sur and approach the closure from the north side, business also tails off there.”
Beacon’s report estimates that communities between San Luis Obispo and Monterey Counties are in total losing between $13 and $14 million every month the highway remains closed.
CalTrans officials say the repairs are on track, and if winter rains are not severe, Highway 1 could reopen by March 2026.
In the meantime, state tourism leaders are encouraging visitors to still travel to the Central Coast, where Highway 1 remains open from the north and south ends, with detours leading through other less-visited destinations.
