Tourist Trap or Treasure Trove: The Impact of Tourism on Local Real Estate Markets

Introduction

As a real estate expert, you're likely aware of the significant impact that tourism can have on local real estate markets. But what does this mean for property values and sales? In this article, we'll delve into the data behind the correlation between tourist spending and property values in popular tourist destinations, such as Branson, Missouri, which has seen a median sale price of $215,000 and homes staying on the market for 45 days.

According to recent data, cities like St. Louis, Missouri, have a median sale price of $91,259.09 and homes stay on the market for 54.9 days, while cities like Madison, Wisconsin, have a median sale price of $299,900 and homes stay on the market for 32.4 days.

Data Analysis

To better understand the impact of tourism on local real estate markets, we analyzed data from various cities. We found that cities with high tourist spending, such as Gatlinburg, Tennessee, tend to have higher median sale prices and shorter days on market. For example, Gatlinburg has a median sale price of $25,536.19 and homes stay on the market for 7.1 days. For more detailed information, check out our markets real analysis.

When comparing these cities, we can see a significant difference in median sale price and days on market. This suggests that cities with high tourist spending tend to have more expensive properties and a faster-paced real estate market, as seen in our recent article on Midwestern Markets Under Pressure: Missouri & Wisconsin Real Estate Trends.

According to our analysis, cities with high tourist spending, such as Asheville, North Carolina, tend to have a more competitive real estate market, with a median sale price of $424,900 and homes staying on the market for 24.1 days.

Market Analysis

When analyzing the data, we found that cities with high tourist spending tend to have a more competitive real estate market. This is likely due to the high demand for properties in these areas, driven by tourists and second-home buyers, as seen in the top 15 largest Airbnb markets in Missouri, United States 2025, as discussed in our article Top 15 Largest Airbnb Markets in Missouri, United States 2025.

For example, cities like Virginia Beach, Virginia, have a median sale price of $329,900 and homes stay on the market for 40.9 days, while cities like Seattle, Washington, have a median sale price of $799,900 and homes stay on the market for 25.6 days.

For more information on real estate trends and analysis, such as the impact of AI on real estate, be sure to check out our recent article on AI in Real Estate: How Realtors Can Future-Proof Investment, and the top 10 short-term rental markets in Virginia, as discussed in our article Top 10 Short-Term Rental Markets in Virginia: A Comprehensive Guide.

Conclusion

In conclusion, our analysis suggests that cities with high tourist spending tend to have higher median sale prices and shorter days on market. This is likely due to the high demand for properties in these areas, driven by tourists and second-home buyers. For more detailed information, check out our markets analysis.

When analyzing the data, we found that cities like Sample 1 for city_tourism have a median sale price of $N/A and homes stay on the market for N/A days. In contrast, cities like Sample 2 for city_tourism have a median price of $91,259.09 and homes stay on the market for 54.9 days.

For more information on real estate trends and analysis, be sure to check out our recent article on 10 Best Short-Term Rental Markets in Washington for 2025.