South Raleigh News

Visitor spending continued to break records for North Carolina in 2023, according to data released Tuesday by the N.C. Department of Commerce. Travel spending statewide rose 6.9 percent to $35.6 billion in 2023, setting a record in visitor spending. This growth followed a record-breaking increase of 15 percent in 2022. Direct tourism employment also increased statewide by 4.8 percent to 227,000.

“It’s great to see increasing numbers of people continue to flock to North Carolina to see all we have to offer,” said Governor Roy Cooper. “Visitors are investing record amounts of money bolstering our booming tourism industry, and that brings good jobs and income to North Carolina businesses and families.”

The preliminary findings from an annual study commissioned by VisitNC, a unit of the Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina, reflect the economic impact of tourism on local economies across the state.

“We’re thrilled that visitor spending has reached a record $35.6 billion and that the growth is spread across the spectrum of local economies,” said N.C. Commerce Secretary Machelle Baker Sanders. “Scenic beauty, authentic experiences and graciousness are at the heart of what makes tourism a vital industry, one that’s anchored by our first-in-talent workforce. It’s a point of pride and honor that North Carolina ranks as the nation’s fifth most-visited state.”

Key findings from the report:

2023 saw growth in visitor spending for both urban and rural counties with 98 of North Carolina’s 100 counties seeing increases in spending compared with 2022. Orange, Wake, Camden and Warren were among the counties that led the state’s 6.9 percent growth in visitor spending, which reached a record $35.6 billion.

Growth in direct tourism employment was also seen among rural and urban counties with nearly 20 percent of counties seeing higher than average growth. Camden led all counties with a 10 percent increase. Other counties with top increases in tourism employment were Orange (up 9.8 percent), Cabarrus (up 9.3 percent), Forsyth (up 8.3 percent), Durham (up 8.1 percent) and Mecklenburg (up 8.0 percent).

Mecklenburg received $5.8 billion (up 9.6 percent) in traveler expenditures to lead all counties; Wake ranked second with $3.3 billion (up 11.4 percent), followed by Buncombe ($3 billion, up 3 percent), and Dare ($2.1 billion, up 8.8 percent).

Mecklenburg had the largest number of direct tourism employees (36,310), an increase of eight percent from 2022; four other counties had more than ten thousand direct tourism employees: Wake (25,984 up five-point-seven-percent), Buncombe (19,862 up two-point-nine-percent), Dare (12,564 up four-point-four-percent) and Guilford (11,580 up five-point-five-percent).

“The new study underscores the importance of tourism to every county in North Carolina,” said Wit Tuttell, executive director of Visit NC.” There’s a lot of competition for travelers’ time and money; we owe our success to everything from the state’s scenic beauty and outdoor adventure mix tradition innovation welcoming spirit qualities hard measure measurable impact workforce businesses tax base look forward continued success.”

Full tables can be accessed at partners.visitnc.com/economic-impact-studies.

NC Tourism Facts:

Total spending by domestic international visitors North Carolina reached $35 .6 billion sum represents six-point-nine-percent increase over twenty-two expenditures.

Direct tourism employment increased four-point-eight-percent two-hundred-twenty-seven-thousand.

Direct payroll increased six-point-six-percent nearly nine-billion-three-hundred-million dollars.

Visitors generated nearly four-billion-five-hundred-million federal-state-local taxes total represents five-point-eight-percent increase twenty-two.

State tax receipts rose five-point-six-percent one-billion-three-hundred-million dollars.

Local grew five-point-four-percent one-billion-two-hundred-million dollars.

Visitors spend more ninety-seven million per day adds seven-million-one hundred-thousand per day state-local tax revenues about three-million-seven hundred-thousand state taxes three-million-four hundred-thousand local taxes.

Each household saved five-hundred-eighteen average result savings per capita averaged two-hundred-thirty-nine.

North hosted approximately forty-three million visitors twenty-three.

The visitor study commissioned Visit NC conducted Tourism Economics provides preliminary estimates domestic international traveler expenditures well employment payroll income state local tax revenues directly generated these expenditures statistical model draws detailed data derived federal government sources nationally known private non-profit travel organizations other travel industry sources.

About Visit North Carolina:

Visit part Economic Development Partnership private nonprofit corporation serves economic development organization focuses business job recruitment existing industry support international trade film marketing mission unify lead positioning preferred destination leisure travel group tours meetings conventions sports events production welcomes forty-three million visitors spend thirty-six during stay employs more two-hundred-twenty-seven generates nearly two-billion-six hundred million state local tax revenues For ideas inspiration go visitnc.com

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