Visitor spending has reached a statewide record in North Carolina.
Data released by the North Carolina Department of Commerce found visitor spending increased for 71 of the state’s 100 counties in 2024.
The study found Mecklenburg County received $6.4 billion in travel expenditures to lead all counties. Wake County ranked second, with $3.5 billion. Durham County ranked seventh with $1.2 billion.
Gov. Josh Stein said the news emphasizes that “North Carolina is not only a fantastic place to live, but it’s a special place to live.”
“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,” Stein said. “I am excited to welcome more tourists to North Carolina this fall to discover our unforgettable state.”
His sentiments were echoed by North Carolina Commerce Secretary Lee Lilley, adding that there is “something for everyone” in the state.
“That’s why so many of our destinations shared the wealth in a record year for visitor spending,” Lilley said, 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 initial findings were from an annual study commissioned by Visit NC, a unit of the Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina, and reflect the overall health of the visitor economy for 2024.
The data shows estimates of domestic and international travel expenditures as well as the employment, payroll income, and state and local tax revenues that were directly generated by these expenditures.
Lilley noted that while the study includes the three months of 2024 that followed Hurricane Helene, the report does not fully quantify the hurricane-related losses statewide nor in the western North Carolina counties that were most heavily impacted.
Wit Tuttell, executive director of Visit NC, noted that while data does include the three months that followed the storm, the study’s timing, methodology, and purpose are not an evaluation of the storm’s impact.
“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.”
Tuttell said the report speaks to the tourism industry’s value to every county in the state.
Other key findings from the study included:
Seven of the state’s 100 counties had double-digit increases in visitor spending, including Cleveland, Burke, Iredell, Stokes, Union, Gaston and Ashe.
Cleveland, Burke and Iredell counties led the state’s 3.1% growth in visitor spending.
Direct tourism employment also grew in nearly two-thirds of the state’s counties. Stokes County led with an 8.8% increase. Other counties with top increases in tourism included Burke, Gaston, Union and Ashe.
Mecklenburg County had the largest number of direct tourism employees, which increased 4.6% since 2023.