— Record-breaking visitor spending drive sales & traffic at Western New York’s premier shopping, dining, & entertainment destination —
Buffalo, NY (September 2025): Walden Galleria, Western New York’s premier shopping, dining, and entertainment destination, has significantly benefited from the recent surge in visitor spending throughout Erie County. According to the latest economic impact study by Tourism Economics, an Oxford Economics Company, traveler spending in Erie County soared 7.2% to reach approximately $2.7 billion in 2024, surpassing the previous record of $2.4 billion set in 2023. The total accounts for more than 65% of the five-county region’s tourism sales.
“Walden Galleria continues to be the top shopping destination for visitors coming to Buffalo and Erie County”, said Patrick Kaler, President & CEO of Visit Buffalo. “Easy access right off I-90, plus its central location between the North and Southtowns, and close proximity to downtown make it a natural stop for tourists. According to Tourism Economics, we’ve seen a 9.4% increase in retail spending from 2023 to 2024 in Erie County, and places like Walden Galleria are a big part of that growth. It’s not just a mall; it’s a key part of the visitor experience and a major driver of tourism in our region.”
The study highlighted substantial increases across multiple sectors, including lodging, which rose by 11.3% to $506 million; recreation, up 4.9% to $280 million; food & beverage, which jumped 10.5% to $1.14 billion; retail, which saw a 9.5% increase to $509 million; transportation, up 7.7% to $195 million; and second home ownership, which grew by 13% to $26 million. The tourism surge also contributed to a 4.3% increase in employment, with 29,876 people now working in tourism-related jobs across Erie County. As tourism surged post-Covid, so has leasing activity at Walden Galleria with 37 new tenants opened since 2020.
“To the great benefit of the city, towns, and villages in my district, Walden Galleria continues to be not just a premier tourism, retail and entertainment destination, but also a major economic driver for Erie County and the greater Western New York region,” said 143rd District Assemblyman Patrick Chludzinski. “Walden Galleria’s impact on tourism is creating local jobs and generating much needed sales tax revenue from outside our community. We are fortunate to have this asset in our community.”
Walden Galleria remains a significant driver of this latest tourism increase. With 97 unique to the market, full-line brands including The Cheesecake Factory, Apple, BOSS, Indochino, PF Chang’s, Dave & Buster’s, Primark, Abercrombie & Fitch, Texas de Brazil, Lululemon, and Anthropologie, Walden Galleria’s diverse offering attracts domestic travelers from well beyond the Western New York region, underscoring its role as a premier destination for tourists and regional visitors. According to Placer.ai, Walden Galleria welcomed nearly 9.5 million domestic visitors in 2024.
“We are thrilled to support the positive impact of record-breaking visitor spending in Erie County Western New York,” said Joel Cady, General Manager of Walden Galleria. “Our ability to draw shoppers from well outside the Western New York region reinforces our position as the leading shopping, dining, and entertainment destination.”
For more information about Walden Galleria and its ongoing initiatives, visit www.waldengalleria.com. For a link to the Tourism Report visit https://esd.ny.gov/esd-media-center/reports/2024-tourism-economics.
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About Walden Galleria
Walden Galleria is the Buffalo-Niagara region’s premier shopping, dining, and entertainment destination. With over 200 retailers, 9 sit-down restaurants, an international food court, and Regal Cinemas Stadium 16 with RPX theatres and full reclining seats, Walden Galleria truly dominates the retail market. Walden Galleria attracts over 23 million visitors a year by offering an impressive and unique selection of retail, restaurants, and entertainment that cannot be found anywhere else in the market including Anthropologie, lululemon athletica, Free People, Urban Outfitters, Apple Computer, ZARA, Texas de Brazil, The Cheesecake Factory, Dave & Buster’s, Urban Air Adventure Park, 5 Wits and many more! For more information, visit www.waldengalleria.com.
About Pyramid Management Group
Pyramid Management Group is one of the largest, most innovative, privately-held real estate developers in the northeast. Headquartered in Syracuse, New York, Pyramid’s portfolio of dynamic shopping, dining and entertainment destinations and expanding hospitality presence dominate the northeast with 9 properties located throughout New York and Massachusetts. For 50 years, Pyramid has built its reputation on being first, fast, ahead of the curve and always what’s next, leading the industry in combining the best elements of traditional retail with world-class dining and entertainment, all under one roof. For more information, visit www.pyramidmg.com.