Savannah Tourism Data Number Marketing: AirROI Pins, Not Leftover

Thomas Garner
Aug 13
12 min read

Updated: 16 hours ago

Horse-drawn carriage tour on a downtown Savannah street near the historic district

A guest deciding between your Savannah listing and the one two blocks over isn't reading tourism-board copy — they're comparing calendars, prices, and how close a property sits to Forsyth Park or River Street. The numbers behind those decisions are public. Savannah's tourism bureau, Chatham County, the state of Georgia, and independent hospitality researchers all publish visitor and lodging data every year, and most of it never makes it into a host's pricing spreadsheet. Below is what's actually being measured — visitor volume, spending, seasonality, and where short-term rental performance sits next to hotels — and what each figure should change about how you run an one-to-three property portfolio in Savannah.

Savannah's Visitor Economy in 2025: The Headline Numbers

An estimated 12.9 million people visited the Savannah area in 2025, spending roughly $4.1 billion, according to a Tourism Economics study commissioned by Visit Savannah and reported by Savannah CEO in May 2026. That spending generated about $506 million in state and local tax revenue and supported an estimated 40,780 jobs in total — 27,680 direct hospitality jobs, plus 8,072 indirect and 5,028 induced jobs created through the local supply chain and re-spent wages. 2025 landed essentially flat against 2024, when the same visitor volume produced the same $4.1 billion in spending — a sign the market has plateaued after several years of post-pandemic growth, not that it's shrinking.

For a host, the flat year matters more than the size of the headline number. Visitor volume isn't climbing the way it did earlier in the decade — visitor spending rose from about $2.2 billion in 2020 to $3.9 billion in 2023, per Visit Savannah's own year-over-year reporting. That growth curve has leveled off. Savannah's visitor economy in 2025 looks stable, not expansionary, which means new short-term rental supply is now competing for a visitor base that isn't getting meaningfully bigger from one year to the next.

It's also worth sizing Savannah against the state it sits in. Georgia as a whole drew a record 174.2 million visitors who spent $45.2 billion in 2024, ranking fifth nationally for overnight visitation for the fifth consecutive year, according to the Georgia Department of Economic Development. Savannah is one contributor to that statewide total — a meaningful one, but not the whole picture — and its own visitor volume has held flat while the state as a whole kept setting records, which underlines that Savannah's plateau is a local pattern rather than a Georgia-wide one.

Overnight vs. Day-Trip Visitors — Why the Split Matters

Visit Savannah's 2025 data splits the 12.9 million total into roughly 7.2 million overnight visitors and 5.7 million day-trippers, with an average overnight stay of about 2.8 nights (a 2024 baseline cited separately by Hotel Dive put the figure at 2.9 nights — the two are close enough to treat as consistent). Only the overnight segment books a short-term rental; day-trippers are functionally invisible to your calendar. That means the realistic addressable market for a Savannah host isn't 12.9 million — it's closer to 7.2 million, and the average trip is short, well under three nights.

A sub-three-night average length of stay has a direct pricing implication: minimum-stay requirements above three nights filter out a meaningful share of the market that's actually visiting. Outside of major event weekends, hosts running long minimum stays are competing for a smaller slice of an already-flat visitor pool than an one- or two-night minimum would capture.

Where Savannah's Visitors Come From

Visit Savannah's more recent market research points to Atlanta as the single largest feeder market, with several Florida metro areas ranking among the top dozen cities of origin for overnight travelers. That regional pattern — a short-haul drive market anchored by Atlanta, topped up by fly-in and drive visitors from Florida — has held for years. A 2015 Visit Savannah tourism study, the last year detailed origin percentages were published publicly, put Atlanta at 19% of all visitors, with Orlando/Daytona/Melbourne (8%), New York (6%), Jacksonville (5%), and Miami/Ft. Lauderdale (4%) rounding out the top five origin markets. Those exact percentages are a decade old and shouldn't be treated as current, but the underlying shape — a drive-market base supplemented by Florida and Northeast fly-ins — is consistent with more recent reporting and worth knowing when you write a listing description or decide which regional search terms to target.

That same 2015 study found short-term rentals already represented about 7% of Savannah's visitor accommodations, more than double the 3% national average at the time — evidence that Savannah guests were comfortable booking STRs well before the pandemic-era boom made that normal everywhere else, and a reminder that Savannah's STR market has a longer track record than its current supply growth might suggest.

Booking Windows: How Far Out Guests Actually Book

Booking lead time affects how far in advance you should worry about an empty calendar. AirROI's trailing-twelve-month Savannah STR data (period ending July 2026) puts the average short-term rental booking lead time at about 54 days. On the hotel side, Hotel Dive's August 2025 reporting quoted a Savannah hotelier describing reservation windows that had compressed to roughly two weeks before arrival. The two numbers describe different products, but the direction is the same: guests are booking closer to their trip than they used to, particularly on the hotel side. For a host, that argues against assuming an empty week 60 or 90 days out is a lost cause — a real share of Savannah bookings are still being made well inside that window, and last-minute discounting too early can leave money on the table.

Seasonality: When Demand Actually Peaks

Spring is Savannah's peak season, and short-term rental performance data backs up what the tourism-board copy says about azaleas and squares. According to AirROI's trailing-twelve-month market report for Savannah, March is the single strongest month for short-term rentals — averaging roughly $6,988 in monthly revenue per listing at about named-town occupancy pins as of 2026-07-31 — with the broader March-through-May window running around named-town occupancy pins as of 2026-07-31 and a $357 average daily rate. That window lines up with the Savannah Tour of Homes and Gardens, held every March and April, and with peak azalea bloom across the historic squares.

The softest stretch is January, with a secondary dip across July and August, when occupancy drops to roughly 36.8% and average daily rate falls to about $281 in AirROI's data — July alone averages just named-town occupancy pins as of 2026-07-31 and around $3,208 in monthly revenue per listing. Coastal Georgia's summer heat and humidity work against Savannah in a way they don't against beach markets nearby; a guest headed to the coast in July is more likely booking a Tybee Island stay than a downtown Savannah walking tour. Fall — roughly mid-September through mid-November — is the shoulder season: cooler weather, thinner crowds, and softer rates than spring, but still meaningfully stronger than the January or midsummer lows.

The practical read: a flat, year-round nightly rate leaves real money on the table in March and April, and risks pricing yourself out of the market in January, July, and August. If your calendar isn't already reflecting a rate swing in the neighborhood of the roughly $357-to-$281 spread AirROI's data shows across the broader market between peak and trough months, it's worth testing seasonal rate tiers rather than a single flat number.

Hotel and Short-Term Rental Performance, Side by Side

Hotel performance gives useful context for where short-term rentals sit in the broader Savannah lodging market. JLL's hospitality research, reported by Hotel Dive in August 2025, put Savannah hotel RevPAR at $106.29 for the first half of 2025 — down 4.5% year over year — with demand contracting for seven consecutive months and hotel room supply up roughly 5% over the prior year.

The short-term rental side, per AirROI's data for the twelve months ending July 2026, shows about 2,510 active Savannah listings running a 43.3% average occupancy rate, a $316 average daily rate, and $139 RevPAR — figures that aren't directly comparable to the hotel numbers since STRs and hotels serve overlapping but distinct segments of demand, at very different price points and property types. The more useful comparison is the growth rate: Savannah STR listing supply grew about 17.8% year over year, while revenue per listing grew only about 1.1% over that same period. New inventory is being added considerably faster than demand is expanding to absorb it — the same imbalance the hotel data shows on the hotel side, just more pronounced here.

For an independent host, that gap between supply growth and revenue growth is arguably the single most important number in this report. It means differentiation — sharper listing photography, naming the specific neighborhood and landmarks near your property rather than leaning on generic "historic charm" language, and pricing that actually reflects seasonal demand instead of a flat rate — matters more in 2026 than it did when Savannah's STR supply was smaller and demand was still climbing every year.

Event-Driven Demand Spikes

St. Patrick's Day is Savannah's single largest demand event, and it isn't close. The 2025 parade was the city's 201st, held March 17 with roughly 50 floats and 6,000 participants, according to Georgia Public Broadcasting and Savannah.com's coverage of that day. Savannah's celebration is widely described as one of the largest St. Patrick's Day events in the country, trailing only New York City and Chicago in scale. A 2018 city-commissioned analysis — the most recent detailed attendance breakdown publicly available, and dated enough that current numbers are almost certainly higher — found roughly 15,000 people at the parade itself and more than 70,000 festival wristbands sold across the surrounding celebration. Properties within walking distance of the parade route and the historic squares should expect a compressed, high-demand booking window around March 17 regardless of which day of the week it falls on, along with real parking, noise, and access disruptions worth flagging directly in your listing description.

Two more recurring events shape the calendar at smaller scale. The Savannah Tour of Homes and Gardens runs each March and April, coinciding with peak spring season and the private historic-home tours that drive repeat downtown visitation. The SCAD Savannah Film Festival runs late October into early November, drawing filmmakers and film-industry attendees into a shoulder-season stretch that otherwise runs quieter. Neither moves the needle the way St. Patrick's Day does, but both are worth a temporary minimum-stay or rate adjustment if your property sits inside the districts they touch.

A Note on Scope: This Is Savannah, Not the Whole Coast

This report is Savannah-specific — Chatham County visitor volume, spending, and Savannah's own short-term rental performance data. It doesn't cover the Golden Isles or Tybee Island, which run on different visitor patterns, different seasonality, and different STR supply dynamics of their own. Hosts who want the regional picture across Golden Isles, Savannah, and Tybee together should read the Coastal Georgia STR Market Report linked below; this piece is meant to sit alongside it, not replace it, for hosts specifically operating inside Savannah and Chatham County.

What the Data Means for Your Listing

Put together, four things in this data should show up in how you run your calendar:. Properties within walking distance of the parade route and the historic squares should expect a compressed, high-demand booking window around March 17 regardless of which day of the week it falls on, along with real parking, noise, and access disruptions worth flagging directly in your listing description.

Price seasonally, not flatly. The spread between March's roughly named-town occupancy pins as of 2026-07-31 at a $357 average daily rate and July's roughly 31% at $281 is real and measurable — a flat annual rate ignores it in both directions.
Keep minimum stays short outside of major events. At a roughly 2.8-night average length of stay, a three-plus night minimum filters out real demand most of the year; save longer minimums for St. Patrick's week and other confirmed high-demand stretches.
Differentiate on more than "historic charm." With STR supply growing far faster than revenue per listing, generic listing copy is competing against more inventory than it was two years ago.
Flag event disruptions honestly. St. Patrick's Day parking, noise, and access changes are predictable and searchable well in advance — naming them in your listing builds trust with guests booking that specific week.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many people visit Savannah each year, and how much do they spend?

An estimated 12.9 million people visited the Savannah area in 2025, spending about $4.1 billion, according to a Tourism Economics study for Visit Savannah reported in May 2026. That's essentially unchanged from 2024's totals — a plateau after several years of post-pandemic growth, not a decline. An estimated 12.9 million people visited the Savannah area in 2025, spending roughly $4.1 billion, according to a Tourism Economics study commissioned by Visit Savannah and reported by Savannah CEO in May 2026.

What share of Savannah's visitors stay overnight versus visit for the day?

Visit Savannah's 2025 figures split the 12.9 million total into roughly 7.2 million overnight visitors and 5.7 million day-trippers. Only the overnight segment is a realistic short-term rental booking, with an average length of stay of about 2.8 nights. Visit Savannah's 2025 data splits the 12.9 million total into roughly 7.2 million overnight visitors and 5.7 million day-trippers, with an average overnight stay of about 2.8 nights (a 2024 baseline cited separately by Hotel Dive put the figure at 2.9 nights — the two are close enough to treat as consistent).

When is peak season for Savannah short-term rentals?

Spring, particularly March through May. AirROI's short-term rental market data for Savannah shows March as the strongest single month, averaging roughly named-town occupancy pins as of 2026-07-31 and a $357 average daily rate, coinciding with the Savannah Tour of Homes and Gardens and peak azalea bloom across the historic squares. According to AirROI's trailing-twelve-month market report for Savannah, March is the single strongest month for short-term rentals — averaging roughly $6,988 in monthly revenue per listing at about named-town occupancy pins as of 2026-07-31 — with the broader March-through-May window running around named-town occupancy pins as of 2026-07-31 and a $357 average daily rate.

How does Savannah's short-term rental performance compare to its hotel market?

They aren't directly comparable since hotels and STRs serve overlapping but different segments of demand, but both sides show similar pressure. Hotel RevPAR fell 4.5% year over year in the first half of 2025 per JLL research, while STR listing supply grew about 17.8% year over year against only 1.1% revenue growth per listing, per AirROI's data.

Where do most of Savannah's visitors come from?

Atlanta is consistently identified as the largest feeder market, with several Florida metro areas ranking among the top origin cities for overnight travelers. A 2015 Visit Savannah tourism study — the last year detailed percentages were published — put Atlanta at 19% of visitors and Florida markets collectively in the high teens. Those exact figures are dated, but the drive-market pattern they describe still holds.

How much does St. Patrick's Day affect short-term rental demand in Savannah?

Significantly, especially for properties near the parade route and historic squares. Savannah's celebration is widely described as one of the largest St. Patrick's Day events in the country, trailing only New York City and Chicago in scale, and it draws a sharp, predictable spike in demand around March 17 each year. Patrick's Day events in the country, trailing only New York City and Chicago in scale.

Is Savannah's short-term rental supply growing faster than demand?

Yes, based on the most recent year of data available. AirROI's report shows active Savannah STR listings up about 17.8% year over year, while revenue per listing grew only about 1.1% over the same period — new supply is being added well ahead of demand. The more useful comparison is the growth rate: Savannah STR listing supply grew about 17.8% year over year, while revenue per listing grew only about 1.1% over that same period.

Does Savannah's tourism performance fit into a bigger Georgia trend?

Yes, in scale if not in growth rate. Georgia as a whole drew a record 174.2 million visitors who spent $45.2 billion in 2024, and the state ranked fifth nationally for overnight visitation, according to the Georgia Department of Economic Development. Savannah is one contributor to that statewide total, though its own visitor volume has held flat rather than grown at the state's pace.

A Note for Savannah Hosts

Crest & Cove Creative is a founder-led short-term rental marketing studio for independent hosts — we don't manage your calendar or take a commission; you stay in control of your listing. If you want a second read on how your Savannah pricing and calendar strategy line up with the data above, visit crestcove.co or call (256) 998-7502.

Keep going on Crest & Cove:the Crest & Cove intro·local SEO keywords that actually book·the five elements of a converting hero·how to compare STR marketing agencies·OTA fees without leftover occupancy lifts·this cluster against named-town AirROI pins·Destin against AirROI, not leftover year·prior cluster against AirROI pins. According to AirROI's trailing-twelve-month market report for Savannah, March is the single strongest month for short-term rentals — averaging roughly $6,988 in monthly revenue per listing at about named-town occupancy pins as of 2026-07-31 — with the broader March-through-May window running around named-town occupancy pins as of 2026-07-31 and a $357 average daily rate.

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Peak occupancy is not the year. Named-town AirROI pins only.crestcove.coor(256) 998-7502. Reach out at crestcove.co or (256) 998-7502.