NC tourism spending is booming

In yet another r ecord-breaking year for the state, travelers spent some $35.6 billion in North Carolina in 2023.

Why it matters: It's a sign that travelers are willing to spend on trips and experiences from the state's mountains to its big cities and Atlantic beaches.

• Tourism spending, which is up in 98 of North Carolina's 100 counties, is bolstering the workforce and businesses in every corner of the state.

By the numbers: Travel spending statewide was up 6.9% in 2023 compared to 2022, a year when it experienced a record-breaking rise and post-COVID rebound of 15%, according to recent figures from a Tourism Economics study for Visit NC, a unit of the Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina.

• Mecklenburg County led the state with $5.8 billion in traveler expenditures last year, followed by Wake with $3.3 billion, Buncombe with $3 billion and Dare with $2.1 billion.
• Direct tourism employment in North Carolina increased 4.8% to 227,200 last year.
• Orange and Durham counties were among those with the greatest increases in tourism jobs, up 9.8% and 8.1%, respectively.

Yes, but: Statewide tourism employment is still down from pre-COVID numbers.

• In 2019, the state had 242,600 tourism jobs. After a drop-off in 2020, that number has been steadily climbing.

What they're saying: "We owe our success to everything from the state's scenic beauty and outdoor adventure to our mix of tradition and innovation and our welcoming spirit," said Wit Tuttell, executive director of Visit NC.