Last Updated on August 27, 2025 3:13 pm
Visitor spending increased for 71 of North Carolina’s 100 counties in 2024, contributing to a statewide record total of $36.7 billion in visitor spending, according to county-level data released today by the N.C. Department of Commerce. The preliminary findings from an annual study commissioned by Visit NC, a unit of the Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina reflect the economic impact of tourism on local economies across the state.
“This news underscores what we all know: North Carolina is not only a fantastic place to live, but it’s a special place to visit,” said Governor Josh Stein. “Whether you are visiting our coast, touring the Piedmont, or returning to support western North Carolina’s comeback, there’s an incredible trip waiting for every visitor. I am excited to welcome more tourists to North Carolina this fall to discover our unforgettable state.”
“North Carolina has something for everyone, and that’s why so many of our destinations shared the wealth in a record year for visitor spending,” said N.C. Commerce Secretary Lee Lilley, referring to the $36.7 million travelers contributed to state and local economies in 2024. “Despite the impact of Hurricane Helene, this report speaks to the resilient and enduring appeal of the cultural, recreational and culinary experiences that make North Carolina a top choice for so many travelers.”
The visitor spending study, commissioned by Visit NC and conducted by Tourism Economics, provides preliminary estimates of domestic and international traveler expenditures as well as employment, payroll income, and state and local tax revenues directly generated by these expenditures. The statistical model draws on detailed data from Visit NC as well as data derived from federal and state government sources, nationally known private and non-profit travel organizations, and other travel industry sources.
Secretary Lilley noted that while the study includes the three months of 2024 that followed Helene, the report does not fully quantify hurricane-related losses statewide or in counties in western North Carolina that were most heavily affected. The study’s timing, methodology, and purpose are not intended to be an evaluation of storm impact on visitation or spend, but a gauge of the overall health of the visitor economy for 2024.
Key Findings:
- 2024 saw growth in visitor spending for 71 percent of North Carolina counties compared to 2023. Cleveland, Burke, and Iredell were among the counties that led the state’s 3.1 percent growth in visitor spending, which reached a record $36.7 billion.
- Seven of the state’s 100 counties had double-digit increases in visitor spending (Cleveland, Burke, Iredell, Stokes, Union, Gaston and Ashe).
- Growth in direct tourism employment was also seen by nearly two-thirds of counties. Stokes led all counties with an 8.8 percent increase. Other counties with top increases in tourism employment were Burke (up 7.6 percent), Gaston (up 7.0 percent), Union (up 6.7 percent), and Ashe (up 6.2 percent).
- Mecklenburg received $6.4 billion (up 9.1 percent) in traveler expenditures to lead all counties. Wake ranked second with $3.5 billion (up 7.8 percent), followed by Buncombe ($2.7 billion, down 10.6 percent), Dare ($2.1 billion, down 2.2 percent), Guilford ($1.8 billion, up 6.8 percent), Brunswick ($1.2 billion, up 4.9 percent), Durham ($1.2 billion, up 3.1 percent), New Hanover ($1.1 billion, up 1.6 percent), Forsyth ($1.1 billion, up 0.9 percent) and Moore ($860 million, up 6.8 percent).
- Mecklenburg had the largest number of direct tourism employees (37,985), an increase of 4.6 percent from 2023. Four other counties had more than 10,000 direct tourism employees.
As previously reported, statewide travel spending by domestic and international visitors rose 3.1 percent in 2024 to set a record. That growth followed an increase of 6.9 percent in 2023.
Wit Tuttell, executive director of Visit NC, said the report speaks to the tourism industry’s value to every county in the state. Tuttell noted that while the data includes the three months of 2024 that followed the storm, the study’s timing, methodology, and purpose are not intended to be an evaluation of storm impact on visitation or spending, but a gauge of the overall health of the visitor economy for 2024.
“It’s certainly an indication of where the effects were felt,” Tuttle said, “but given the complexities of the tourism industry and the timeframe of this research, we need to resist the temptation to view the data as a definitive report of the storm’s economic impact. As travelers return, we will celebrate the resiliency behind the mountain recovery efforts that fortify the industry and underscore its value to our workforce, our businesses, and our tax base.”
Scenic beauty, outdoor adventure, culinary innovation, and authenticity help North Carolina remain a top choice for travelers, Tuttell said. “That appeal might be hard to quantify,” he said, “but as we follow the numbers, we see the payoff in terms of the money that goes to businesses as well as state and local tax bases.”
Full tables can be accessed at partners.visitnc.com/economic-impact-studies.
N.C. tourism facts
- Total spending by domestic and international visitors in North Carolina reached $36.7 billion in 2024. That sum represents a 3.1% increase over 2023 expenditures.
- Domestic travelers spent a record $35.6 billion in 2024. Spending was up 2.7% from $34.6 billion in 2023.
- International travelers spent $1.2 billion in 2024, up 16.5% from the previous year.
- Visitors to North Carolina generated nearly $4.6 billion in federal, state, and local taxes in 2024. The total represents a 2.9% increase from 2023.
- State tax receipts from visitor spending rose 1.1% to nearly $1.4 billion in 2024.
- Local tax receipts grew 4.3% to nearly $1.3 billion.
- Direct tourism employment in North Carolina increased 1.4% to 230,338.
- Direct tourism payroll increased 2.6% to $9.5 billion.
- Visitors spend more than $100 million per day in North Carolina. That spending adds $7.3 million per day to state and local tax revenues (about $3.7 million in state taxes and $3.6 million in local taxes).
- Each North Carolina household saved $593 on average in state and local taxes as a direct result of visitor spending in the state. Savings per capita averaged $241.
About Visit North Carolina
Visit North Carolina, the state's official destination marketing organization, is part of the Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina, a private nonprofit corporation that serves as North Carolina’s economic development organization. The EDPNC focuses on business and job recruitment, existing industry support, international trade, tourism, and film marketing.
The mission of Visit NC is to unify and lead the state in positioning North Carolina as a preferred destination for leisure travel, group tours, meetings and conventions, sports events, and film production to maximize economic vitality statewide. Each year, North Carolina welcomes about 40 million visitors, who spend nearly $37 billion during their visits. The tourism industry employs more than 230,000 people and generates nearly $2.7 billion in state and local tax revenues. For more information, travel ideas, and inspiration, go to VisitNC.com.
