In each of North Carolina’s 17 westernmost counties, tourists spent more money in 2010 than they did the prior year, according to data recently released by the North Carolina Department of Commerce, Division of Tourism, Film and Sports Development.
The Western North Carolina data was included in a statewide report released by the agency last week. The overall data indicated 98 of North Carolina’s 100 counties experienced increased visitor spending last year. Northampton and Columbus counties each experienced tourism spending declines of less than 1 percent.
The agency also reported that a record $17 billion in tourism dollars was spent statewide in 2010, up 9 percent from the previous year. Mecklenburg County led the state with about $3.73 billion in expenditures last year, an increase of 12.2 percent.
In Western North Carolina, Buncombe County led the pack with $729.02 million in tourist spending in 2010, up 11.3 percent from the prior year. Buncombe County’s expenditures ranked fifth-highest in the state.
The data was prepared for North Carolina by the U.S. Travel Association, which describes itself on its website as a national nonprofit that represents all components of the $704 billion travel industry with the mission of increasing travel to and within the United States. The U.S. Travel Association based its study results on data like sales information, tax revenue figures and employment data.
Here’s 2010 tourism expenditure data for the 17 westernmost counties in North Carolina:
- Avery: $89.82 million in expenditures, a 5.6% increase from 2009
- Buncombe: $729.02 million in expenditures, an 11.3% increase from 2009
- Cherokee: $31.64 million in expenditures, a 3% increase from 2009
- Clay: $11.23 million in expenditures, a 4.2% increase from 2009
- Graham: $22.82 million in expenditures, a 6.7% increase from 2009
- Haywood: $116.31 million in expenditures, a 6.8% increase from 2009
- Henderson: $203.09 million in expenditures, a 3.7% increase from 2009
- Jackson: $62.58 million in expenditures, a 2.8% increase from 2009
- Macon: $122.08 million in expenditures, a 6.6% increase from 2009
- Madison: $28.54 million in expenditures, a 1.3% increase from 2009
- McDowell: $44.09 million in expenditures, an 8% increase from 2009
- Mitchell: $19.10 million in expenditures, a 4.1% increase from 2009
- Polk: $20.26 million in expenditures, a 6.5% increase from 2009
- Rutherford: $129.25 million in expenditures, an 8.3% increase from 2009
- Swain: $256.35 million in expenditures, an 8% increase from 2009
- Transylvania: $71.75 million in expenditures, a 1.7% increase from 2009
- Yancey: $29.92 million in expenditures, an 8.4% increase from 2009
Related documents and tools
- For county-by-county tourism sector payroll and employment numbers and state and local tax receipts, check out this PDF of the complete 2010 North Carolina visitor spending data summary.
- Visit the N.C. Dept. of Commerce, Division of Tourism, Film and Sports Development website’s economic impact page to learn more about how the state assesses the value of travel and tourism in the state. County-by-county data is available on the site, too.
- Learn more about the U.S. Travel Association by reading this fact sheet from the U.S. Travel Association.
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