NC visitor spending hits a new record. Here’s how much tourists spent in each county.
Visitors spent record amounts in North Carolina last year, and large cities were the biggest beneficiaries of this swelling outsider commerce.
Statewide, tourism generated $33.3 billion in 2022, according to data released Friday by the state Department of Commerce. This marked a 15.2% increase over the previous year.
Mecklenburg County topped the list, as the home of Charlotte attracted $5.3 billion. Wake County ranked second with $3 billion in tourism. Buncombe County (Asheville) was third while Dare County (Outer Banks) was fourth. Guilford County, which has Greensboro and most of High Point, rounded out the top five.
Out of the state’s 100 counties, Durham County was No. 8 at $1.02 billion while neighboring Orange County was No. 32. Looking at the greater Triangle region, Johnston County attracted the 28th-most visitor spending in the state while Chatham came in at No. 59.
Between 2021 and last year, the greatest influx in tourism dollars occurred in Durham, which registered a 23% rise. Other urban counties saw significant spending increases — including Mecklenburg, Wake, Orange, Guilford, and Forsyth.
Mecklenburg also led the way with a direct tourism workforce of 33,627.
Coming out of the pandemic, visitor spending in North Carolina rural counties actually grew at a faster clip. But last year, only two rural counties — Caswell and Granville — increased this spending on pace with their more populous counterparts.
Visit NC, a tourism advocacy group, commissioned the annual report.
“Tourism has long been one of North Carolina’s most vital industries, and we can take pride in the hospitality and authentic experiences that appeal to the needs and interests of millions of visitors who come to our state each year,” N.C. Commerce Secretary Machelle Baker Sanders said in a release Friday.
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