Domestic and international visitors to and within Jackson County spent $468 million in 2023, an increase of 3.4% from 2022. The data comes from an annual study commissioned by VisitNC, a unit of the Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina. 

“Tourism’s significant economic impact highlights its essential role in bolstering local businesses, generating jobs and improving the quality of life for our residents,” said Nick Breedlove, Executive Director of Jackson County Tourism Development Authority. “This year, we celebrated the completion of the first project funded by tourism dollars to directly benefit our community—the Bridge Park enhancements in partnership with the Town of Sylva. This is just the beginning, and we look forward to seeing more initiatives like this in the future.”

Here are some of the highlights of the study:

• The travel and tourism industry directly employs more than 2,470 in Jackson County.  

• Total payroll generated by the tourism industry in Jackson County was $121.6 million.

• State tax revenue generated in Jackson County totaled $15.3 million through state sales and excise taxes, and taxes on personal and corporate income. About $15.3 million in local taxes were generated from occupancy, sales and property tax revenue from travel-generated and travel-supported businesses.

• Tourism spending in Jackson County reached $468 million, ranking it second in Western North Carolina, just behind Buncombe County. This figure surpasses that of all 16 nearby WNC counties, including neighboring counties.

“With growing popularity comes greater responsibility,” Breedlove said. “Sustainable tourism is a top priority for us. We’ve focused on attracting quality visitors during times when our small businesses need revenue the most, while also working to reduce visitation during peak periods. Additionally, we’re addressing the impacts of tourism by funding master plans, trail maintenance, river cleanups, and other initiatives aimed at preserving our natural resources.” Learn more at http://www.discoverjacksonnc.com/outdoors/sustainability/.

These statistics come from the “Economic Impact of Travel on North Carolina Counties 2023,” which can be accessed at partners.visitnc.com/economic-impact-studies. The study was prepared for Visit North Carolina by Tourism Economics.

Statewide, visitor spending in 2023 rose 6.9% to reach a record $35.6 billion. Direct tourism employment increased 4.8% to 227,224.

“The new study underscores the importance of tourism to every county in North Carolina,” said Wit Tuttell, executive director of Visit NC. “There’s a lot of competition for travelers’ time and money, and we owe our success to everything from the state’s scenic beauty and outdoor adventure to our mix of tradition and innovation and our welcoming spirit. Those qualities might be hard to measure, but we can follow the trail to a measurable impact on our workforce, our businesses and our tax base. We look forward to continued success.”

Here are some statewide facts from the study:  

• Total spending by domestic and international visitors in North Carolina reached $35.6 billion in 2023. That sum represents a 6.9% increase over 2022 expenditures.   

• Domestic travelers spent a record $34.6 billion in 2023. Spending was up 6.8% from $32.4 billion in 2022.   

• International travelers spent $997 million in 2023, up 9.5% from the previous year.   

• Visitors to North Carolina generated nearly $4.5 billion in federal, state and local taxes in 2023. The total represents a 5.8% increase from 2022.   

• State tax receipts from visitor spending rose 5.6% to $1.3 billion in 2023.   

• Local tax receipts grew 5.4% to $1.2 billion.  

• Direct tourism employment in North Carolina increased 4.8% to 227,224.   

• Direct tourism payroll increased 6.6% to nearly $9.3 billion.   

• Visitors spend more than $97 million per day in North Carolina. That spending adds $7.1 million per day to state and local tax revenues (about $3.7 million in state taxes and $3.4 million in local taxes).   

• Each North Carolina household saved $518 on average in state and local taxes as a direct result of visitor spending in the state. Savings per capita averaged $239.  

• Each North Carolina household saved $518 on average in state and local taxes as a direct result of visitor spending in the state. Savings per capita averaged $239. 

• North Carolina hosted about 43 million visitors in 2023.