Breaking waves and 2013 Galveston tourism revenue record

GALVESTON – In 2013, tourists spent $687.2 million on the resort island. That is up 5 percent from $654.5 million a year ago, according to Pennsylvania-based Tourism Economics.

That record-breaking spending resulted in $951.8 million in total economic impact for the island community, the Galveston Island Convention and Visitors Bureau said.

Hotel spending rose by 8 percent to $136.7 million, and the number of visitors rose to 5.8 million, up by 2.2 percent from the year before. Tourism created 10,205 Galveston jobs in 2013, or about 33 percent of total employment.