Visit Overland Park Drives Record-Breaking $1 Billion in Local Economic Impact in 2025

A hand with black and white polka dot painted nails holds a hotel key card that reads "Welcome"
  • Tourism economy offsets $1,280 in annual household property taxes
  • Hotel occupancy increased 10 points over three years
  • More than 5.3 million people visited Overland Park in 2025, up 4.7% YOY


OVERLAND PARK, Kan. (September 10, 2026) — Visit Overland Park, the accredited destination marketing organization for the city of Overland Park, announced the city’s visitor economy reached a historic milestone in 2025, generating over $1 billion in direct visitor spending in a single year.

This 4.5% year-over-year increase underscores tourism’s role as a vital economic engine that significantly offsets the tax burden for Overland Park residents.

According to the 2025 Economic Impact Report conducted by Tourism Economics, visitor activity generated $108 million in total state and local tax revenue.

2025 Economic Highlights


Direct Benefits to Residents

For each Overland Park household, the success of the local visitor economy translates to significant resident savings. In 2025, taxes generated by visitors saved each household approximately $1,280. Without this visitor-generated revenue, local property taxes would need to increase by nine mills to maintain current service levels — a significant benefit for homeowners.

"This $1 billion milestone is a testament to Visit Overland Park’s strategic vision and the efforts of our local hospitality partners," said Vaughn Allen, chairman of the Visit Overland Park Board of Directors. "When visitors choose Overland Park, they aren’t just supporting our hotels and restaurants; they are directly investing in our residents' quality of life by funding essential services like public works and parks while alleviating the burden on local taxpayers."

Strengthening the Local Workforce

Tourism's impact extends deep into the local job market. Visitor activity directly sustained 8,432 jobs in 2025, a 2.2% increase from the prior year. In total, the visitor economy supported 11,182 jobs last year, equating to 1 in 17 of all jobs in Overland Park. The impact of the visitor economy is felt across the entire community, with visitors accounting for 37% of all restaurant revenue in the city.

Dramatic Shift in Hotel Occupancy

The 2025 data notes a dramatic, 10-point growth in hotel occupancy over the past three years, led by Visit Overland Park’s strategic initiatives and intentional efforts aimed at increasing overnight visitation. Overland Park now leads the Kansas City metro with a record 69% hotel occupancy in 2025, up from last place in 2022 (59%), when the board named Warren Wilkinson to the role of president and CEO of Visit OP.

“Growth of this scale in our visitor economy marks a significant milestone,” said Wilkinson. “It reflects the collective strength of our hotels, hospitality partners and dedicated staff in attracting visitors, increasing visitor spending, supporting local jobs, generating tax revenue and strengthening Overland Park’s position as a competitive destination.”

Thanks in large part to the growth of overnight visitation, the $18 million Holiday Inn Express & Suites Overland Park South opened in May next to the AdventHealth Sports Park at Bluhawk, and two new hotels are in the works in the city: the AC Hotel by Marriott at 115th and Nall Ave. and the Marriott’s StudioRes hotel near Johnson County Community College.

Overnight visitors, defined as those who traveled 50 miles or more to stay in Overland Park, accounted for two-thirds of all visitor spending in 2025. The average overnight visitor spent $270 during their stay, compared to the average day visitor who spent $118.

Industry and Community Leadership

Working with local developers and venues, Visit Overland Park’s team has attracted new events to the city, like the Association of Pickleball Players’ Overland Park Open, which begins a five-year tour stop in September at the AdventHealth Sports Park at Bluhawk, a $92 million multisport complex that opened in October 2024.

Visit Overland Park has also attracted the Top Gun Fastpitch softball tournament, 1st Phorm Monster Games, USA Artistic Swimming Championships, The National Intramural Recreation Sports Association (NIRSA) National Soccer Championships and other multimillion-dollar events to the city, due in part to their teams’ industry relationships and leadership.

The full 2025 Economic Impact Report will be presented during the Johnson County State of Tourism event on September 10, 2026.

Read the full report here.

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About Visit Overland Park

Visit Overland Park is accredited by the Destination Marketing Accreditation Program (DMAP) of Destinations International and serves as the official destination marketing organization for the city of Overland Park, Kansas. The organization is responsible for promoting the city as an attractive travel destination and enhancing its public image as a dynamic place to visit, live and work. The mission of Visit OP is to improve the quality of life for Overland Park residents through the economic and community benefits of tourism. For more information, experience VisitOP.com.