NC report: Tourists' spending in Davidson County increases by 46.7% in 2021
Domestic and international visitors to and within Davidson County spent $215.7 million in 2021, an increase of 46.7 percent from 2020, according to an annual study commissioned by Visit North Carolina, a unit of the Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina.
“These numbers are certainly refreshing to see coming out on the other side of the pandemic," said Morgan Brinkle, executive director of the Lexington Tourism Authority "It further proves that our small-town charm has been a safe haven for tourists, and I think we can expect high visitation to continue.”
Tourist spending in Davison County in 201 almost doubled over the previous year, despite the fact that the some of the usual big, tourist attractions, such as the Barbecue Festival. Other local festivals and events were still a no-go through the spring of 2021.
"In 2021, we were getting off that COVID hump," Brinkle said. "People had cabin fever. They weren't traveling far from home as much, so that small town charm worked for us. People felt safe coming here for a day trip. We saw lots of day trips within our state. Even though we did not see a lot of overnight stays, the food and gas stations benefited from this."
The travel and tourism industry directly employees more than 1,314 in Davidson County.
• Total payroll generated by the tourism industry in Davidson County was $51.1 million.
State tax revenue generated in Davidson County totaled $9.4 million through state sales and excise taxes, and taxes on personal and corporate income. About $7.9 million in local taxes were generated from sales and property tax revenue from travel-generated and travel-supported businesses.
These statistics come from the “Economic Impact of Travel on North Carolina Counties 2021,” which can be accessed at partners.visitnc.com/economic-impact-studies. The study was prepared for Visit North Carolina by Tourism Economics in collaboration with the U.S. Travel Association.
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Statewide, visitor spending in 2021 rebounded by 44.9 percent to reach $28.9 billion. Following the devastating pandemic-related losses of the 2020, the total fell just short of the record $29.22 spent in 2019. Direct tourism employment increased 10.5 percent to 197,500.
“These findings are something that everyone in North Carolina can celebrate,” said Visit N.C. Director Wit Tuttell. “They’re a testament to the resilience of our businesses and our residents, and to the enduring appeal of destinations that include everything a traveler might want. The economic well-being of the state and all its communities rises with the pleasures travelers find in the natural beauty of our public spaces, our culinary traditions and innovation, our remarkable towns and our spirited cities. North Carolina can claim it all.”
Statewide highlights include:
Total spending by domestic and international visitors in North Carolina reached $28.9 billion in 2021.That sum represents a 44.9 percent increase over 2020 expenditures. The figure falls 1 percent below the record $29.22 billion spent in 2019.
Domestic travelers spent a record $28.6 billion in 2021. Spending was up 45.2 percent from $19.7 billion in 2020.
International travelers spent $337 million in 2021, up 25.6 percent from the previous year.
Visitors to the state generated $3.9 billion in federal, state and local taxes in 2021. The total represents a 29 percent increase from 2020.
State tax receipts from visitor spending rose 34 percent to nearly $1.2 billion in 2021.
Local tax receipts grew 26 percent to $1.1 billion.
Direct tourism employment in North Carolina increased 10.5 percent to 197,500.
Direct tourism payroll increased 18.9 percent to $7.7 billion.
Visitors spent more than $79 million per day in North Carolina. That spending added $6.4 million per day to state and local tax revenues (about $3.3 million in state taxes and $3.1 million in local taxes).
• Each North Carolina household saved $580 on average in state and local taxes as a direct result of visitor spending in the state. Savings per capita averaged $222.
North Carolina hosted nearly 45 million visitors in 2021.
"It's been projected that we (Davidson County) will have even higher numbers in 2022 than we did in 2019 before the pandemic," said Brinkle.
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- Jill Doss-Raines is The Dispatch trending topics and personality profiles senior reporter and is always looking for tips about businesses and entertainment events, secret and new menu items, and interesting people in Davidson County. Contact me at jill.doss-raines@the-dispatch.com and subscribe to us at the-dispatch.com.
This article originally appeared on The Dispatch: Davidson County sees 46.7 percent increase in visitor spending in 2021
