Gov. Roy Cooper announced Tuesday that North Carolina’s tourism economy will reach record levels in 2023, with travelers spending more than $35.6 billion on travel in and to the state.
That’s a nearly 7% increase from the previous record set in 2022, according to the governor’s office. The state ranks fifth in the nation for domestic visitors, behind California, Florida, Texas and New York.
According to the governor’s office, direct tourism employment in the state increased by nearly 5% to 227,200 in 2023, increasing direct tourism employment to $9.3 billion.
The preliminary findings come from a study commissioned by Visit North Carolina, part of the North Carolina Economic Development Partnership, but tourism organizations in three regions of the state who spoke with Carolina Public Press for this story also described successful efforts to attract more visitors to their areas of the state.
Whit Tuttel, executive director of the North Carolina Tourism Office, said inflation contributed to 2023 being a record year, leading to higher spending across the board, but the office was also able to use the money from the Legislature to focus on off-season advertising, including promoting ski areas, Tuttel said.
“North Carolina is still a seasonal tourist destination, and the more we can spread that out, the more that money will go to areas that need it more,” he said.
Spending by international travelers in the state is also expected to increase by about 10% from a year ago, reaching $997 million in 2023, according to the governor’s office.
North Carolina isn’t as popular with international tourists as other parts of the U.S., Tattel said. But they tend to be valuable visitors because they often stay longer and spend more, he said.
He said because a typical international tourist travels throughout the South, the state is working with other southern states on joint promotional efforts.
Southern states also shouldn’t target first-time international travelers who might want to see California or New York, he said. Instead, he said they should target seasoned travelers who want a Southern experience.
Visit North Carolina also works to prevent overtourism by making sure tourists enhance areas rather than detract from them, Tattel said. Part of that, he said, involves targeting what the state markets itself as, such as its Outdoor NC program, which emphasizes protecting resources and sustainability.
Tourism organizations across the state are preparing to welcome back visitors ahead of Memorial Day weekend. Tourism organizations in Raleigh, Wilmington and Western North Carolina spoke to CPP about the upcoming weekend and tourism in their areas.
Raleigh
Dennis Edwards, president and CEO of Visit Raleigh, said the Raleigh and Wake County area is seeing strong leisure visitation even outside of holidays, which he said will continue this weekend with events such as the NCAA women’s lacrosse championships and Animazement, a celebration of Japanese animation and culture.
He said the region is used to large events and authorities notify hotels and restaurants of peak times in advance.
In terms of attracting international and domestic visitors, Edwards said the agency is promoting the entire state to international visitors, with Raleigh as a gateway. For domestic travelers, the focus will be on local areas, he said.
wilmington
Kim Huffam, president and CEO of the New Hanover County Tourism Development Authority, said the Wilmington area is preparing for crowds expected over Memorial Day weekend.
Lifeguards are starting work every day and local businesses typically hire extra seasonal workers, said Connie Nelson, communications director for the Wilmington and Beaches Convention and Visitors Bureau, a trading name for the New Hanover Convention and Visitors Bureau.
Huffam said the past few years have all seen record numbers for tourism spending and occupancy tax collections in the county. After jumping through the post-pandemic lockdown, she said her growth is just now leveling off.
Huffam said most of the area’s visitors come from within North Carolina, but there are also many visitors from northeastern states such as Pennsylvania and New York.
Western North Carolina
In Asheville, restaurants are starting to book up, recent dance performances sold out and more people are tubing down the French Broad River, said Dodie Stevens, vice president of marketing for Explore Asheville.
Most people who visit Asheville come from within a day’s drive, so the company primarily markets to them, Stevens said. He said the company will work with the Asheville airport to attract air travelers, who tend to stay longer and move around within the region.
Visit Hendersonville spokesman Craig Distle said flights from Florida to Asheville are increasing. He said the agency targets these visitors year-round because North Carolina’s mountains are some of the closest to Floridians.
Hendersonville will draw crowds of about 200,000 people over Memorial Day weekend for the downtown Garden Jubilee Festival, Distle said.
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