Rhode Island

Rhode Island drew record number of visitors in 2023 • Rhode Island Current

Published

1 year ago

November 19, 2024

Rhode Island drew record number of visitors in 2023 • Rhode Island Current

The silver lining of inflation: Rhode Island’s tourism economy benefited from $5.6 billion in visitor spending in 2023, according to new research by a state commissioned consultant.

A presentation by international firm Tourism Economics for Rhode Island Commerce Corporation showed visitor spending grew more than twice as fast as the increase in the number of visitors in 2023. The 28.4 million people who traveled to the Ocean State in 2023 is 2.2% higher than the prior year, but their total spending on travel, food, lodging and entertainment grew 4.6% year-over-year.

That’s driven by demand growth as well as price hikes for commodities and services, according to the research.

More than one-quarter of the direct spending, 26%, stemmed from food and beverage sales. Lodging, including hotels, second houses and short-term rentals, was the second-highest expense, contributing $1.2 billion.

Air transportation saw the biggest annual increase, up 10.2%, to $328 million in 2023. Rhode Island Airport Corporation, the quasi-public entity that manages the state’s airports, gets a share of revenue from passengers on flights, as well as fees for the airlines to land, use hangar space, and other related services.

In March 2023, Breeze Airways opened a permanent base at Rhode Island T.F. Green International Airport, with plans to invest $160 million and hire up to 250 employees over the next five years. Commerce awarded the Utah-based airline $2.9 million in tax credits tied to the job creation plans.

Commerce has also experimented with various destination marketing ploys, from giant, traveling stuffed quahogs to the $2.2 million “All That” ad campaign rolled out in February of this year.

“The economic activity generated from the travel sector represents a critical component of the state’s current and future growth,” Anika Kimble-Huntley, Commerce’s chief marketing officer, said in a statement. “The Commerce team will continue to work with our great partners, statewide, to support the upward trajectory of tourism and record-breaking visitation.”

Visitor count and direct spending in 2023 broke prior state records, exceeding pre-pandemic numbers. However, the number of jobs tied to the state’s tourism economy remains slightly below its 2019 peak.

The 38,329 jobs directly tied to the tourism economy in 2023 remains about 1,000 jobs, or 2.5%, below 2019 levels. Including jobs that indirectly benefited from tourism, 2023 activity helped to sustain 86,612 jobs, while generating $935 million in state and local tax revenues, according to the research.

“Tourism plays a vital role in Rhode Island’s economy by creating jobs, supporting our local businesses, and showcasing everything that makes our state a premier destination,” Commerce Secretary Liz Tanner said in a statement. “I applaud the dedicated efforts of the tourism team at Rhode Island Commerce and all others in the industry that helped reach this accomplishment.”

Including direct spending, jobs and tax revenue, the visitor economy totaled $8.3 billion in 2023, a 4.5% increase over the prior year.

The research reflects federal labor and jobs statistics, state and local tax revenues, short-term rental information and information from market research group Longwoods International.

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Rhode Island

Star-studded cast of ‘My Boyfriend is a Demon,’ filming in RI, released

Published

2 hours ago

May 14, 2026

Press Room

Star-studded cast of ‘My Boyfriend is a Demon,’ filming in RI, released

A new horror movie titled “My Boyfriend is a Demon” is currently filming in Rhode Island.
The film follows a lonely girl whose fake Instagram boyfriend materializes in real life.
The cast includes children of famous actors, such as Mattias Ferrell and Coco Arquette.
Veteran actors David Arquette and Rosanna Arquette are also part of the ensemble cast.

Verdi Productions’ secret horror movie, “My Boyfriend is a Demon,” now filming in Rhode Island, is no longer a secret as Chad A. Verdi, the East Greenwich production company’s president, has announced the cast and given an outline of the movie’s plot.

The ensemble cast comprises veteran actors and rising young talents. The story follows Mary, a lonely, small-town girl who creates a fake Instagram account that pretends to be boyfriend, a guy too perfect to be real. Mary puts so much effort into making him “real” that he shows up at her door one day.

The cast includes:

Mattias Ferrell, son of comic actor Will Ferrell and known for “A Very Jonas Christmas Movie” and “Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues.”
Coco Arquette, daughter of Courteney Cox and David Arquette and known for “Cougar Town.”
David Arquette, known for his work in the “Scream” film franchise.
Rosanna Arquette, David’s sister and Coco’s aunt, known for “The Moment.”
Bailey Sloan, known for “Ragamuffin.”
Jack Champion, known for “Avatar.”
Ever Anderson, known for “Peter Pan & Wendy.”
Vinnie Hacker, known for “Euphoria.”
Josephine Reitman, known for “Juno.”
Savannah Lee Smith, kown for “Tunsel Town.”
Lisa Yamada, known for “Elle.”
Ty Law, known for “Friday Night Lights.”

“My Boyfriend is a Demon” is written and directed by first-time director mishka.

“My Boyfriend is a Demon” is filming in Providence

The movie began filming in Rhode Island in April and has rented Providence’s Cranston Street Armory for the month of May to use as a studio.

The producing team for Verdi Productions includes Chad A. Verdi, Chad Verdi Jr., Paul Luba, Michelle Verdi and Sera Verdi. Executive producers include Ketchup Entertainment and Kinolime.

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Rhode Island

Weather Now: Showers, T’storm Today

Published

14 hours ago

May 14, 2026

Press Room

Good morning! Happy Thursday! Today will be pretty unsettled with the chance for showers and t’storms. Friday will still be damp with showers and drizzle, but the weekend still looks amazing!

The one good thing with the rain, for allergy sufferers at least, the pollen levels will be lower. In fact, both today and tomorrow, the tree pollen counts will be low locally. Do expect a spike in the pollen count for Saturday and Sunday with the dry weather.

INTERACTIVE RADAR: Live Pinpoint Weather 12 Radar »

“https://www.wpri.com/weather-now/weather-now-for-thu-5-14-26/” FLIGHT TRACKER

“https://www.wpri.com/weather-now/weather-now-for-thu-5-14-26/” POWER OUTAGES

TODAY

Hour-by-hour forecast for today…

Hour by Hour // A close look at the upcoming conditions »

We’ll have some showers around during the morning commute today, but the greatest chance for showers and t’storms will be after 9AM and before 5PM.

Showers and thunderstorms could slow travel around mid-day. Rain could fall heavily at times.

A line of showers and t’storms will be sweeping across the area through the afternoon as a slow-moving weather systems moves through the region.

Highs today will be in the upper 50s to lower 60s with southeast to east winds of 5-15mph.

“https://www.wpri.com/weather-now/weather-now-for-thu-5-14-26/” BEACH AND BOATING FORECASTS

TONIGHT

Showers are still possible this evening; although they won’t be as numerous.

TOMORROW

That low center will be nearby Friday morning, and we’ll be stuck with a damp, cool windflow. Expect drizzle and showers in the morning and possibly some lingering showers in the afternoon.

Highs Friday will only be in the 50s. The average high this time of year is in the upper 60s.

LOOKING AHEAD

Then…there’s the weekend. Saturday looks amazing with lots of sunshine and dry weather. It’ll be warmer, too, with highs in the 70s.

-Meteorologist T.J. Del Santo

T.J. Del Santo (tdelsanto@wpri.com) is the weekday morning and noon meteorologist for 12 News. Connect with him on Facebook and Twitter and Instagram and Threads and BlueSky.

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