Recent data released by Visit North Carolina revealed that domestic tourists spent $31,620,000 in Graham County during 2019.
The figure is a 7 ½ percent increase from 2018.
“Thankfully, after a slow start and concerns over coronavirus, our (2020) tourist season has done surprisingly well,” Graham County Travel & Tourism Authority Chairman Dale Wiggins said. “Social distancing is easy here. It’s what we do, everyday.”
Tourism generated $5.75 million in payroll for county residents and the industry itself employs 290 local residents.
At the state level, tax revenue from Graham County tallied $1.47 million. The data also noted that North Carolina visitors spent $26.7 billion, a new state record and an increase of 5.6 percent from 2018.
“The numbers confirm the strength of North Carolina’s tourism industry, as an anchor of economic development,” noted Wit Tuttell, director of Visit North Carolina. “As the No. 6 state in the country for overnight visitation, we can attribute our success to the natural beauty and authenticity that visitors experience, and to a passionate effort to inform and inspire travelers.
“The money they spend benefits everyone, by sustaining jobs and reducing our residents’ tax burden.”
The data also reported that on average, each North Carolina household saves an average of $551 in state and local taxes, thanks to visitor-spending. For details, contact the Travel & Tourism at 479-3790.